Communication methods and related apparatuses

Abstract

The application provides a communication method and related device, relates to the technical field of mobile communication, and discloses a communication method and related device. A core network device sends first information of service-based quality of service (QoS) acquisition to a first access network device, the first information indicates the priority of the service, the first access network device sends switching preference configuration information acquired based on the first information to a terminal, the switching preference configuration information indicates whether to prefer random access-free, in the case that the switching preference configuration information of a candidate cell indicates the preference of random access-free, the resource for random access-free is negotiated with a second access network device, and a switching instruction is sent to the terminal, the switching instruction indicates the information of the resource, the terminal is based on the switching preference configuration information to indicate that random access is not preferred, and the switching instruction includes the information of the resource for random access-free to a target cell, and the terminal performs switching of random access-free to the target cell, therefore, the switching delay of high time delay sensitivity service can be reduced based on QoS.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of mobile communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and related apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] The fifth-generation mobile communication network (5G) is rapidly penetrating into scenarios such as industrial automation, extended reality (XR), and vehicle-to-everything (V2X), which have more stringent requirements for low latency.

[0003] Layer 1 / 2 Triggered Mobility (LTM) employs methods such as RACH-less to reduce cell handover latency, thus helping to meet low latency requirements.

[0004] However, in some cases, the latency of LTM is still relatively high. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and related apparatus, aiming to provide a communication technology with low latency. The disclosed technical solution is as follows:

[0006] The first aspect of this application provides a communication method. In some implementations, this method can be executed by a first access network device, or by a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the first access network device, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the first access network device. This application does not limit this aspect.

[0007] The method includes: receiving first information sent by a core network device, the first information being obtained based on the Quality of Service (QoS) of a service, the first information indicating the priority of the service; sending handover preference configuration information to a terminal, the handover preference configuration information indicating whether or not to favor random access, the handover preference configuration information being obtained based on the first information; negotiating with a second access network device for resources used for random access when the handover preference configuration information of a candidate cell indicates a preference for random access; and sending a handover command to the terminal, the handover command indicating information about the resources.

[0008] Because the first piece of information is obtained based on the Quality of Service (QoS) of the service and indicates the service priority, it can provide QoS-level guidance for handover preference configuration information. In other words, core network equipment can influence the handover preferences of access network equipment from the QoS perspective of the service. Therefore, it facilitates guiding access network equipment to configure handover preferences that favor non-random access for high latency-sensitive services. Furthermore, sending handover preference configuration information to the terminal can also guide the terminal to favor non-random access handover, laying the foundation for reducing handover latency for high latency-sensitive services. When the handover preference configuration information of the candidate cell indicates a preference for non-random access, negotiating resources for non-random access with the second access network equipment can effectively prepare for non-random access handover, further laying the foundation for reducing handover latency for high latency-sensitive services.

[0009] In some implementations, the handover preference configuration information includes at least one of a first field, a second field, and a third field. The first field indicates the preferred handover method, which may include: a preference for non-random access, a preference for random access, or automatic selection from non-random access and random access. The second field indicates whether the target cell's TA (Transmission Access Target) is obtained in advance. The third field indicates whether uplink resources for the target cell are reserved. These fields can indicate whether the handover preference leans towards non-random access from different dimensions, providing greater flexibility and a wider decision-making space for subsequent handover type decisions.

[0010] In some implementations, the switching preference configuration information also includes a fourth field. This fourth field indicates a predefined threshold value, which serves as one of the criteria for determining whether to switch. Setting the fourth field allows the switching threshold value in existing protocols to also be used as indication information, achieving compatibility with existing protocols.

[0011] In some implementations, handover preference configuration information is obtained based on a first piece of information, including: a high priority indication based on the first information, a first field indicating a preference for non-random access, a second field indicating early acquisition of the target cell's TA, and a third field indicating reservation of uplink resources for the target cell; a medium priority indication based on the first information, a first field indicating automatic selection between non-random access and random access, a second field indicating early acquisition of the target cell's TA, and a third field indicating reservation of uplink resources for the target cell; and a low priority indication based on the first information, a first field indicating a preference for random access, a second field indicating no early acquisition of the target cell's TA, and a third field indicating no reservation of uplink resources for the target cell. It is evident that configuring different values ​​for the fields in the handover preference configuration information for different priorities provides clear hierarchical indications for different priorities, laying the foundation for reducing handover latency for high-priority and medium-priority services.

[0012] The second aspect of this application provides a communication method, which in some implementations can be executed by a core network device, or by a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the core network device, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the core network device. This application does not limit this aspect.

[0013] The method includes: obtaining first information based on the Quality of Service (QoS) of a service, the first information indicating the priority of the service; sending the first information to a first access network device; the first information being used by the first access network device to send handover preference configuration information to a terminal; the handover preference configuration information indicating whether to favor random access-free access.

[0014] It is evident that the core network transmits services to the access network based on QoS priority, which lays the foundation for the access network to make handover decisions that tend to avoid random access for latency-sensitive high-priority services.

[0015] In some implementations, sending the first information to the first access network device includes: the Policy Control Function (PCF) transmitting a Session Management Policy Control Creation / Update (SmPolicyCreate / Update) message to the Session Management Function (SMF) when establishing or modifying a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session; the SMF transmitting a session context containing the first information to the Mobility Management Function (AMF); and the AMF sending a PDU Session Resource Setup / Mod Req message to the first access network device; the PDU Session Resource Setup / Mod Req message containing the first information. This implementation provides a way for network entities to generate and transmit the first information, which is carried in the signaling of existing protocols, enabling compatibility with existing communication architectures and facilitating implementation.

[0016] A third aspect of this application provides a communication method. In some implementations, this method can be executed by a terminal, or by a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the terminal, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. This application does not limit this aspect.

[0017] The method includes: receiving a handover instruction; indicating a lack of preference for random access based on pre-acquired handover preference configuration information; and performing a handover to the target cell without random access, provided that the handover instruction includes information on resources for non-random access to the target cell. Because the handover preference configuration information indicates a lack of preference for random access, there is a tendency towards non-random access handover. Furthermore, because the handover instruction includes information on resources for non-random access to the target cell, the practical conditions for non-random access handover are met. Therefore, performing a non-random access handover to the target cell can reduce handover latency.

[0018] In some implementations, the handover preference configuration information includes at least one of a first field, a second field, and a third field. The first field indicates the preferred handover method, which may include a preference for non-random access or automatic selection from non-random access and random access. The second field indicates that the target cell's access term (TA) should be obtained in advance. The third field indicates that uplink resources for the target cell should be reserved. All three fields indicate a preference for non-random access handover, thus reducing the possibility of errors in parsing the handover preference configuration information.

[0019] In some implementations, the handover preference configuration information also includes a fourth field, which indicates a predefined threshold value. This threshold value serves as one of the criteria for determining whether to perform a handover, thus laying the foundation for the terminal to continue using the handover mechanism of the existing protocol.

[0020] The fourth aspect of this application provides a communication method. In some implementations, this method can be executed by a terminal, or by a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the terminal, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. This application does not limit this aspect.

[0021] The method includes: sending indication information to a first access network device, the indication information indicating the availability of each candidate Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) status of the terminal, the availability including available or unavailable; receiving a configuration update message sent by the first access network device, the configuration update message indicating TCI statuses that need to be added and / or deleted; and updating the candidate TCI statuses based on the configuration update message.

[0022] Since the terminal participates in adjusting the TCI status and associated beams, it lays the foundation for the network to instruct the terminal to update the candidate TCI status in a timely manner based on the actual beam availability measured by the terminal, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of beam configuration.

[0023] In some implementations, the indication information includes the Media Access Control (MAC) control element (CE). Indication based on the MAC CE eliminates the need to wait for RRC configuration, offering greater flexibility and real-time performance.

[0024] The fifth aspect of this application provides a communication method, which in some implementations can be executed by a first access network device, or by a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the first access network device, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the first access network device. This application does not limit the scope of this method.

[0025] The method includes: receiving indication information sent by a terminal, the indication information indicating the availability of each candidate Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state evaluated by the terminal; and sending a configuration update message to the terminal based on the indication information, the configuration update message indicating TCI states that need to be added and / or deleted.

[0026] The network can instruct the terminal to update the candidate TCI status in a timely manner based on the actual beam availability measured by the terminal, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of beam configuration.

[0027] In some implementations, after receiving the indication information sent by the receiving terminal, the method further includes: based on the indication information, instructing the terminal to adjust the beam used for downlink transmission of the terminal, which can ensure that the terminal can perform detection on the available beam and avoid resource waste. For example, the MAC CE can instruct the terminal to adjust the beam without waiting for RRC configuration, which is beneficial to achieve timely beam adjustment.

[0028] In some implementations, the indication information includes: Radio Resource Control (RRC) messages, which are dedicated to indicating updates to the TCI status and have the advantages of low overhead and fast effectiveness.

[0029] A sixth aspect of this application provides a communication apparatus, including modules for implementing the communication methods provided in the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth aspects of this application.

[0030] A seventh aspect of this application provides an electronic device, comprising: one or more processors and a memory; the memory is used to store program code; the processor is used to run the program code, causing the electronic device to implement the communication methods provided in the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth aspects of this application.

[0031] The eighth aspect of this application provides a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the communication method provided in the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth aspect of this application.

[0032] The ninth aspect of this application provides a computer program product having instructions stored thereon, which, when run on an electronic device, causes the electronic device to implement the communication methods provided in the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth aspects of this application.

[0033] The tenth aspect of this application provides a chip system comprising: at least one processor and an interface, the interface being used to receive code instructions and transmit them to the at least one processor; the at least one processor executing the code instructions to implement the communication method provided in the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth aspect of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0035] Figure 1 This is an example diagram of a mobile communication system;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of yet another communication method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0038] Figure 4 This is an example diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the composition of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., used in this application specification, claims, and drawings are used to distinguish different objects, not to limit a specific order.

[0041] In the embodiments of this application, the words "in some implementations" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations or descriptions, and should not be construed as being more preferred or more advantageous than other embodiments or designs.

[0042] Figure 1 This is an example of a mobile communication system, which includes terminals, base stations, and core network equipment.

[0043] Mobile communication systems can be second-generation (2G) communication systems, third-generation (3G) communication systems, long-term evolution (LTE) systems, fifth-generation (5G) communication systems, LTE and 5G hybrid architectures, 5G new radio (5G NR) systems, and other new communication systems that will emerge in the future development of communication.

[0044] Terminals can take various forms, such as mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminals, augmented reality (AR) terminals, wireless terminals in industrial control, vehicle-mounted terminals, wireless terminals in self-driving vehicles, wireless terminals in remote medical care, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, wearable terminals, and so on. Terminals are sometimes also referred to as user equipment (UE), access terminals, vehicle-mounted terminals, industrial control terminals, UE units, UE stations, mobile stations, mobile stations, remote stations, remote terminals, mobile devices, UE terminals, wireless communication equipment, UE agents, or UE devices. Terminals can also be fixed terminals or mobile terminals.

[0045] Access network equipment can be terrestrial base stations or non-terrestrial network (NTN) equipment. NTN equipment can also be called base stations and / or satellite access nodes (SAN).

[0046] A base station is any device located on the network side with wireless transceiver capabilities, including but not limited to: evolved Node Bs (NodeBs, eNBs, or e-NodeBs) in LTE, base stations (gNodeBs or gNBs) or transmission receiving points / transmission reception points (TRPs) in new radio (NR), base stations evolved later in 3GPP, access nodes, wireless relay nodes, and wireless backhaul nodes in Wi-Fi systems. Base stations can be macro base stations, micro base stations, pico base stations, small cells, relay stations, or balloon stations, etc. A base station can contain one or more co-located or non-co-located TRPs. A base station can also be a radio controller, centralized unit (CU), and / or distributed unit (DU) in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. Base stations can communicate with terminals directly or via relay stations.

[0047] During their research, the inventors discovered that the significant latency in LTM decision-making even with RACH-less handover is due to the following: In the LTM process, before handover to the target cell, the network may not have pre-allocated the target cell's Timing Advance (TA) and reserved uplink resources. When handover to the target cell, the terminal needs to acquire the TA and uplink resources, which significantly increases latency. If the terminal cannot acquire uplink resources during handover (resulting in resource conflict), RACH-less handover cannot be performed, and RACH handover must be executed instead, further increasing latency.

[0048] To address the issue of significant latency, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the communication method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0049] S101. When establishing or modifying a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session, the Policy Control Function (PCF) transmits a Session Management (Sm) Policy Create / Update message to the Session Management Function (SMF).

[0050] The SmPolicyCreate / Update message contains an LTM-Priority-Indicator, which is configured by the PCF based on the service type of the service flow.

[0051] For example, the service type is determined based on Quality of Service (QoS) parameters, which include, but are not limited to, the 5G Quality of Service Identifier (5QI) and Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP).

[0052] For example, business types include low priority, medium priority, and high priority.

[0053] For example, Ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communications (URLLC) services have the highest priority, followed by low-latency interactive services such as Extended Reality (XR), and broadband services such as Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) have the lowest priority.

[0054] In some implementations, the LTM-Priority-Indicator is 2 bits long. For example, 00 indicates low priority, 01 indicates medium priority, and 10 indicates high priority.

[0055] Understandably, the LTM-Priority-Indicator indicates a priority determined based on QoS. The LTM-Priority-Indicator is a parameter of the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer.

[0056] For example, the PCF transmits SmPolicyCreate / Update messages to the SMF via the N7 interface.

[0057] S102, SMF transmits a session context containing the LTM-Priority-Indicator to the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF).

[0058] For example, the SMF transmits a session update message to the AMF via the N11 interface. The session update message carries a session context containing the LTM-Priority-Indicator.

[0059] S103, AMF transmits a PDU session resource setup / modification request (referred to as Session Resource Setup / Mod Req) message containing LTM-Priority-Indicator to the source base station.

[0060] For example, the AMF transmits a PDUSESESSION Resource Setup / Mod Req message containing an LTM-Priority-Indicator to the source base station via the N2 interface.

[0061] For example, the CU of the source base station receives the PDU session resource establishment / modification request message.

[0062] Understandably, the purpose of S101-S103 is for the core network equipment to issue LTM-Priority-Indicator to the access network equipment. The role of LTM-Priority-Indicator is to inform the access network equipment that for high-priority service flows, the resources required for rapid handover should be prepared first (obtain the timing advance amount TA in advance and reserve uplink resources). However, LTM-Priority-Indicator does not directly determine which access method is ultimately adopted, but only serves as a priority reference for handover preparation.

[0063] S101-S103 is an exemplary procedure for the core network equipment to issue an LTM-Priority-Indicator to the access network equipment (i.e., the source base station). The various signaling messages, steps, and parts of the core network equipment carrying the LTM-Priority-Indicator in this procedure are not limited. The name "LTM-Priority-Indicator" is also not limited.

[0064] S104. The source base station transmits a Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration message containing handover preference configuration information to the terminal.

[0065] The handover preference configuration is used to indicate whether there is a preference for non-random access, that is, whether there is a preference for configuring the target cell's TA and uplink resources. For example, the handover preference configuration indicates this at the individual cell level, that is, whether each cell prefers non-random access.

[0066] In some implementations, the newly added LTM-Prep-Policy field in the RRC configuration message represents the switching preference configuration; that is, the LTM-Prep-Policy field is an example of switching preference configuration information.

[0067] The LTM-Prep-Policy is 1 byte long, and the information of each bit is shown in Table 1:

[0068] Table 1

[0069]

[0070] In Table 1, bit represents a byte.

[0071] The first and second bits (bits 0-1) from low to high indicate the preferred switching method (also known as the path), denoted as Path Preference. For example, 00 indicates automatic selection of the switching method, 01 indicates preference for RACH-less, 10 indicates preference for RACH, and 11 is a reserved field.

[0072] The value of the third bit (bit 2) from low to high indicates whether the TA is retrieved in advance, represented as TA-Prep-Req. For example, 0 means that the TA is not retrieved in advance, and 1 means that the TA is retrieved in advance.

[0073] The value of the fourth bit (bit 3) from low to high indicates whether uplink resources are pre-allocated, denoted as Grant-Prep-Req. For example, 0 indicates that uplink resources are not pre-allocated, and 1 indicates that uplink resources are pre-allocated.

[0074] The highest four bits (bits 4-7) from low to high indicate a predefined threshold value, represented by Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP). This threshold is used to determine whether to perform a handover. The RSRP threshold here can be multiplexed or inherited from measurement threshold parameters used by the RRC layer to trigger and / or assist handover (such as the offset and threshold RSRP of event A3, or threshold 1 or threshold 2 of event A5).

[0075] Based on the priority information indicated by LTM-Priority-Indicator, the values ​​of Path Preference, TA-Prep-Req, and Grant-Prep-Req are determined. For example, for candidate cells related to high-priority services, bits 0-1 in LTM-Prep-Policy are set to 0-1 to indicate a preference for RACH-less, and bits 2 and 3 are set to 1 to indicate the need to obtain TA in advance and reserve uplink resources.

[0076] For candidate cells related to medium-priority services, set bits 0-1 in LTM-Prep-Policy to 00 to indicate automatic selection of handover mode, and set bits 2 and 3 to 1 respectively to indicate that TA needs to be obtained in advance and uplink resources need to be reserved.

[0077] For candidate cells related to low-priority services, set bits 0-1 in LTM-Prep-Policy to 10 to indicate a preference for RACH, and set bits 2 and 3 to 0 respectively to indicate that TA should not be obtained in advance and uplink resources should not be reserved.

[0078] For example, the LTM-Prep-Policy is included in the candidate cell beam configuration (Candidate TCI-State), that is, an additional 1 byte of LTM-Prep-Policy is added to the Candidate TCI-State.

[0079] For example, the RRC configuration message is an RRC Reconfiguration message, which contains the Candidate TCI-State of LTM-Prep-Policy and is sent to the terminal in the RRC Reconfiguration message.

[0080] Understandably, through LTM-Prep-Policy, the network can formulate handover preferences for each candidate cell based on service QoS. However, whether the actual handover is free from random access still depends on whether the resources (TA and uplink resources) required for free random access are ready.

[0081] For example, S104 is executed by the CU of the source base station.

[0082] S105. The terminal stores the LTM-Prep-Policy for each candidate cell.

[0083] It is understandable that if the terminal's measurement results in the source cell meet the handover conditions, the source base station will trigger a handover, as detailed in S106. The specific measurement results from the terminal, the process by which the terminal sends the measurement results to the source base station, and the method by which the source base station determines whether the measurement results meet the handover conditions can be found in existing protocols and will not be elaborated here. The handover conditions may include the thresholds indicated by RSRP in Table 1.

[0084] S106. When the LTM-Prep-Policy indication of the candidate cell favors random access exemption, the source base station sends an LTM-Resource Preparation Request message to the target base station.

[0085] The LTM-Prep-Policy indicates a preference for RACH-less access, including at least one of the following: the Path Preference value indicates a preference for RACH-less access, the TA-Prep-Req value indicates early acquisition of TA, and the Grant-Prep-Req value indicates pre-allocation of uplink resources.

[0086] If the LTM-Prep-Policy of the candidate cell indicates random access, S106 is not executed. It is understood that regardless of whether S106 is executed, other LTM-related information may still be transmitted between the source and target base stations; please refer to existing protocols, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0087] For example, when the source cell and the candidate cell belong to different base stations, the handover is a cross-base station handover, and the DU of the source base station sends an LTM resource preparation request message to the target via the Xn interface. When the source cell and the candidate cell belong to the same base station, the handover is a handover within the same base station, and the LTM resource preparation request message is transmitted within the source base station via the F1 interface.

[0088] For example, S106 is performed by the DU of the source base station.

[0089] The LTM resource preparation request message is used to indicate the configuration of TA and the reservation of uplink resources for an upcoming handover.

[0090] S107. The target base station sends an LTM resource preparation acknowledgement message to the source base station.

[0091] The LTM resource preparation confirmation message contains the TA value of the target cell allocated to the terminal and information on the reserved uplink resources.

[0092] For example, the information of the uplink resource includes the identifier of the uplink transport license resource or the identifier of the dedicated preamble.

[0093] For example, the target base station in S106 and S107 refers to the DU of the target base station.

[0094] S108. The source base station sends a handover command to the terminal.

[0095] The switching command is used to trigger LTM-based switching.

[0096] The handover command includes, but is not limited to, the target cell identifier, TA value, and information on reserved uplink resources.

[0097] For example, the handover command is sent through downlink control signaling or MAC control unit. Due to the use of L1 / L2 triggering mechanism, the handover command can be sent directly through the MAC layer, and the terminal will immediately start the handover process after receiving it.

[0098] For example, the DU of the source base station sends a handover command to the terminal.

[0099] S109. The terminal switches based on the RACH-less decision result.

[0100] The RACH-less ruling can be either RACH-less or RACH.

[0101] The terminal queries the LTM-Prep-Policy of the target cell from the stored LTM-Prep-Policy of each candidate cell, and makes a RACH-less decision based on the LTM-Prep-Policy of the target cell.

[0102] For example, the target cell's TA and uplink resources information have been obtained, and the value of the Path Preference field in the target cell's LTM-Prep-Policy indicates that it does not favor RACH. If the value of the Path Preference field is not 10, but 00 or 01, then the RACH-less decision result is RACH-less.

[0103] In this case, the terminal uses the received TA and uplink resources to complete the handover in the target cell (i.e., perform RACH-less handover).

[0104] For example, it is also possible that the target cell's TA or uplink resources information is not obtained, or the value of the Path Preference field in the target cell's LTM-Prep-Policy indicates a preference for RACH. In this case, the RACH-less decision result is RACH, and the terminal performs a RACH-based handover.

[0105] After successfully accessing the target cell, the terminal sends a handover completion command to both the source and target base stations, notifying them that the handover process has ended. The network then releases the relevant resources of the source cell. The entire process is now complete.

[0106] The communication method provided in this embodiment transmits services from the core network to the access network based on QoS priority. This lays the foundation for the access network to make RACH-less handover decisions for latency-sensitive high-priority services. Furthermore, the access network informs the terminal of the handover preference, thus influencing the terminal's decision to make RACH-less handover decisions.

[0107] Compared to existing standards, the main difference is the addition of a QoS dimension, which enables priority scheduling of pre-synchronized resources and the introduction of corresponding signaling and logic to ensure flexible handover. This mechanism ensures that high latency-sensitive services make a "best effort" to achieve a fast handover, and can safely roll back if a fast handover is not possible, preventing handover failure.

[0108] During their research, the inventors also discovered that in LTM scenarios, network beam configuration for terminals is a crucial step. Currently, the network statically configures candidate beams for terminals. This static beam configuration strategy leads to a trade-off between efficiency and reliability: the fixed set of candidate beams pre-set by the network cannot adapt to dynamic changes in the terminal's environment. For example, some candidate beams configured for the terminal may no longer meet communication requirements due to factors such as building obstruction, changes in building shadows, frequent terminal movement or rotation, or signal abrupt changes. Therefore, the available beam base for the terminal changes dynamically, necessitating dynamic beam configuration for candidate beams. However, in the case of dynamic candidate beam configuration, over-configuration (i.e., the network configuring candidate beams for the terminal...) can lead to... An excessive number of beams (exceeding the actual needs of the terminal) may force the terminal to futilely track invalid or unavailable beams, resulting in the continuous and meaningless consumption of signaling overhead, terminal storage resources, and RF measurement capabilities. This leads to inefficient beam configuration (i.e., excessive resource consumption that does not match the actual handover effect). Insufficient configuration (i.e., the network configures too few candidate beams for the terminal) will directly increase the risk of handover failure due to the lack of available beams when the environment changes abruptly. In scenarios such as rapid obstruction or sudden changes in user location, the limited number of candidate beams may all become invalid, leaving the terminal without backup options. This increases the probability of handover failure and may even force a fallback to random access, thereby increasing latency and reducing communication reliability.

[0109] To address the aforementioned issues, embodiments of this application construct a terminal-driven beam validity feedback mechanism, which helps the network maintain a streamlined and efficient candidate beam pool through real-time reporting from the terminal.

[0110] Figure 3This is another communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application, comprising the following steps:

[0111] S201. Terminal maintains the Transmission Configuration Indication State (TCI-State) Availability Table.

[0112] TCI-State is used to indicate a specific beam and / or transmission configuration, as detailed in existing protocols.

[0113] A TCI-State candidate pool is pre-configured in the terminal. The TCI-State Availability Table is used to record the validity of each currently configured TCI state. For example, the TCI-State Availability Table also records information about the beam associated with the TCI state, such as the beam identifier and the beam status (active or inactive).

[0114] In some implementations, the terminal periodically evaluates each TCI state. The evaluation result of the TCI state includes "available" or "unavailable". The evaluation specifically includes at least one of the following: whether the demodulation success rate of the downlink of the beam meets the predetermined requirements, and whether the reference signal strength or signal-to-noise ratio is higher than a threshold. If at least one of the following conditions is met, the evaluation result is "available"; otherwise, the evaluation result is "unavailable". The terminal updates the evaluation result in the TCI-State Availability Table in real time.

[0115] The reference signal used to evaluate any TCI state is a reference signal associated with that TCI state. For example, the reference signal includes at least one of the Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) for the TCI state-associated beam and the Synchronization Signal and Physical Broadcast Channel Block (SSB). The methods for obtaining the evaluation results described above are merely examples and not intended to be limiting.

[0116] For example, the terminal measures the reference signal associated with each TCI state in a first cycle and evaluates the availability of each TCI state based on the measurement results in a second cycle. The first cycle and the second cycle can be the same or different. The first cycle may be short enough to enable continuous measurement of the reference signal associated with each TCI state.

[0117] In one example, the TCI-State Availability Table is stored locally on the terminal; in another example, the TCI-State Availability Table is stored in the cloud or on other devices. This is not a limitation.

[0118] The TCI-State Availability Table is an example of the availability of TCI states, and is not intended to be limiting.

[0119] S202. The terminal sends a TCI-Usability-Feedback Media Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) to the base station.

[0120] The TCI-Usability-Feedback MAC CE uses TCI status as the feedback granularity and includes availability indications for one or more TCI statuses.

[0121] In some implementations, each TCI-Usability-Feedback MAC CE includes the following fields: Serving Cell ID, TCI State ID, and TCI Usability Indicator.

[0122] The serving cell identifier is used to indicate the cell corresponding to the beam associated with the TCI status. For example, the serving cell identifier is a 5-bit code that can support the terminal to report its respective TCI status in the primary cell or the secondary cell.

[0123] The TCI status identifier is used to indicate the sequence number of the TCI status. The length of the TCI status identifier is determined based on the number of the maximum number of candidate TCI statuses configured in the terminal. For example, the TCI status identifier includes an encoding of 6 bits or 7 bits in length.

[0124] The TCI status availability flag is used to indicate the validity of the TCI status. For example, the availability flag includes a 2-bit encoding: 00 indicates unknown, meaning the availability is unknown (e.g., the terminal has not performed a validity assessment of the TCI status, so the TCI status is unknown); 01 indicates valid, meaning the terminal has performed a validity assessment of the TCI status, and the assessment result is available; 10 indicates invalid, meaning the terminal has performed a validity assessment of the TCI status, and the assessment result is unavailable. For a detailed implementation of the TCI status validity assessment, please refer to the relevant content in S201.

[0125] Based on the examples above regarding the length of each field in the TCI-Usability-Feedback MAC CE, it can be seen that the length of the TCI-Usability-Feedback MAC CE is relatively short, thus having a smaller impact on uplink overhead.

[0126] The terminal sends a TCI-Usability-Feedback MAC CE to the base station based on a certain period or a specific triggering event (or condition).

[0127] For example, the TCI-Usability-Feedback MAC CE can be carried in an uplink message and sent to the base station.

[0128] For example, the terminal sends a TCI-Usability-Feedback MAC CE to the DU of the base station.

[0129] S203. The base station sends a TCI activation MACCE and / or a TCI deactivation MACCE to the terminal to instruct the terminal to adjust the beam used for downlink transmission.

[0130] For an available TCI state indicated by TCI-Usability-Feedback MAC CE, if the beam associated with that TCI state was not previously activated, then that beam is activated, i.e., added as a candidate beam for downlink transmission; for an unavailable TCI state indicated by TCI-Usability-Feedback MAC CE, if the beam associated with that TCI state was previously activated, then that beam is deactivated, i.e., disabled, thereby avoiding the continued scheduling of downlink data on that beam.

[0131] Understandably, both the base station and the terminal maintain the same downlink transmission candidate beams, so the base station can know whether the beam is activated or not.

[0132] S203 can be triggered by TCI-Usability-Feedback MAC CE, which is an immediate step. Furthermore, because it is implemented through MAC CE, it can make fine-grained and rapid adjustments to the candidate beam usage of the terminal without waiting for RRC reconfiguration. It responds to channel changes on a millisecond time scale, ensuring that the downlink always uses the beams that are actually available to the terminal.

[0133] For example, S203 is performed by the DU of the base station: the DU sends a TCI activation MACCE to the terminal for the beam that needs to be activated, and sends a TCI deactivation MACCE to the terminal for the beam that needs to be deactivated.

[0134] Understandably, the terminal adds the beam indicated by TCI Activation MACCE to the downlink transmission candidate beam and deactivates the beam indicated by TCI Deactivation MACCE.

[0135] Understandably, when a base station instructs a terminal to adjust the beam used for downlink transmission, it also adjusts the beam used for downlink transmission itself, that is, adding the beam indicated by TCI Activation MACCE to the downlink transmission candidate beams and disabling the beam indicated by TCI Deactivation MACCE. Similarly, the terminal also adjusts the beam based on TCI Activation MACCE or TCI Deactivation MACCE.

[0136] S204. The base station sends an RRC TCI configuration update (abbreviated as RRC TCI-ConfigUpdate) message to the terminal.

[0137] The base station analyzes the beam associated with the availability identifier of the TCI status acquired within a certain period of time. Optionally, the availability identifier of the TCI status acquired within a certain period of time includes TCI-Usability-Feedback MACCE indications sent by multiple terminals to improve the accuracy of the analysis results of the TCI status.

[0138] For example, if analysis reveals that a beam associated with a certain TCI state in the terminal's currently configured TCI state candidate pool has been unavailable for an extended period, the terminal should be instructed to identify that TCI state as one that needs to be released (i.e., deleted). It is understood that the relevant information regarding the terminal's currently configured TCI state candidate pool can be reported to the base station in advance by the terminal. Furthermore, the terminal and the base station may maintain the same TCI state candidate pool and periodically synchronize them.

[0139] For example, if the analysis finds that a new beam candidate should be added to adapt to the changes in the environment in which the terminal is located, the terminal should be instructed to add (i.e. add) the TCI state associated with that beam to the TCI state candidate pool currently configured by the terminal.

[0140] For example, the base station makes a comprehensive judgment based on the terminal's measurement reports, link quality feedback (such as RSRP / Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) / Signal to Interference Plus Noise Ratio (SINR)), or the base station's beam management algorithm (such as coverage prediction, historical statistics, interference detection). When it is detected that the terminal's existing beam candidate set is insufficient to guarantee reliability, or when a new direction and / or cell beam is found to be stable and of better quality in the current environment, it will consider that a new beam candidate has been found and should be added to the terminal's beam candidate set.

[0141] The RRC TCI-ConfigUpdate message is used to indicate at least one of the TCI states that need to be added (i.e., added) and TCI states that need to be released (i.e. deleted) in the terminal.

[0142] When the RRC TCI-ConfigUpdate message indicates that a TCI state needs to be added, the RRC TCI-ConfigUpdate message also indicates a reference signal for the TCI state to be added. As shown in S201, the reference signal enables the terminal to evaluate the TCI state to be added, so the reference signal is indicated so that the terminal can evaluate the newly added TCI state.

[0143] For example, the RRC TCI-ConfigUpdate message contains at least one table from the list of TCI states to be added (hereinafter referred to as TCI-StatesToAddModList) and the list of TCI states to be released (hereinafter referred to as TCI-StatesToReleaseList). It can be understood that when the RRC TCI-ConfigUpdate message contains the list of TCI states to be added, the RRC TCI-ConfigUpdate message also contains relevant information about the reference signals of the TCI states to be added, such as the configuration information of the reference signals.

[0144] The RRC TCI-ConfigUpdate message is independent of the regular RRC reconfiguration signaling. It only updates the TCI state pool itself and does not modify other RRC configuration parameters. Therefore, it has the advantages of low overhead and fast effect.

[0145] For example, S204 is executed by the CU of the base station, or the CU sends the RRC TCI-ConfigUpdate message to the DU, which then forwards it to the terminal.

[0146] The execution order of S203 and S204 is not a limitation.

[0147] S205, Terminal updates TCI-State candidate pool.

[0148] For example, the update includes at least one of the following: adding TCI states in TCI-StatesToAddModList to the TCI-State candidate pool, and removing TCI states in TCI-StatesToReleaseList from the TCI-State candidate pool.

[0149] S206. The terminal sends a TCI configuration update complete (TCI-ConfigUpdateComplete) message to the base station.

[0150] The TCI-ConfigUpdateComplete message is used to confirm to the base station that the TCI configuration update is complete.

[0151] For example, the terminal sends a TCI-ConfigUpdateComplete message to the CU of the base station.

[0152] Figure 2 The signaling involved in the process shown is illustrated in Table 2:

[0153] Table 2

[0154]

[0155] In Table 2, "newly added" indicates that the signaling added to this embodiment to achieve the corresponding function is relative to the existing standard, and "reused" indicates that the signaling specified in the existing standard is used.

[0156] In the various embodiments of this application, the names, lengths, formats, etc. of the newly added signaling and fields are not limited.

[0157] The method provided in this embodiment involves the terminal participating in the adjustment of the TCI state and associated beams. Therefore, the network can promptly adjust the beams used for downlink transmission based on the actual beam availability measured by the terminal, and instruct the terminal to update the candidate TCI state in a timely manner, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of beam configuration. Furthermore, the base station can also promptly instruct the terminal to adjust the beams used for downlink transmission based on the actual beam availability measured by the terminal, further improving the efficiency and reliability of beam configuration.

[0158] Understandably, because the availability of beams is provided by the terminals, the network can neither over-configure beams for the terminals nor under-configure beams for the terminals.

[0159] The above Figure 2 and Figure 3 The illustrated process can be executed in a combined manner: for example, S201 and S202 can be executed after S104 and run through the entire process before the network sends the handover command to the terminal, such as S106; S203 can be performed before the LTM handover action; S204 can be executed after the LTM handover is completed or between two handovers to update the next TCI state candidate pool, thus... Figure 3 The process shown improves Figure 2 The illustrated process demonstrates the effectiveness of beam management during handover. Figure 3 The process shown combines Figure 2 In the scenario shown in the switching process, Figure 3 The base station mentioned is the source base station for the handover.

[0160] The above fusion is merely an example. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The process shown can also be performed in parallel or iteratively; for example, one process executes... Figure 2 The process shown is executed by another process. Figure 3 The process shown, for example, is through... Figure 3 After adjusting the beam and TCI state candidate pool as shown in the procedure, proceed with the execution. Figure 2 The process shown further reduces switching latency.

[0161] Figure 4 This is an example of the composition of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. Taking a mobile phone as an example, the electronic device may include a processor 110, an internal memory 120, a display screen 130, an antenna 1, an antenna 2, a mobile communication module 140, and a wireless communication module 150, etc.

[0162] It is understood that the structure illustrated in this embodiment does not constitute a specific limitation on the terminal. In other embodiments, the terminal may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0163] The processor 110 may include one or more processing units, such as an application processor (AP), a modem processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), and / or a baseband processor.

[0164] Internal memory 120 can be used to store computer executable program code, which includes instructions. Processor 110 performs various functions of the terminal by executing the instructions stored in internal memory 120.

[0165] The terminal's wireless communication function can be implemented through antenna 1, antenna 2, mobile communication module 140, wireless communication module 150, modem processor, and baseband processor.

[0166] Antenna 1 and antenna 2 are used to transmit and receive electromagnetic wave signals.

[0167] The mobile communication module 140 can provide solutions for wireless communication applications, including 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G, on terminals.

[0168] In some embodiments, the mobile communication module 140 includes a communication interface coupled to the processor 110. This communication interface may be a transceiver or an input / output interface. In some embodiments, when the terminal is a chip configured within the terminal, the communication interface may be an input / output interface.

[0169] The wireless communication module 150 can provide solutions for wireless communication applications on terminals, including wireless local area networks (WLAN) (such as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks), Bluetooth (BT), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), frequency modulation (FM), near field communication (NFC), infrared (IR) technology, and other wireless communication technologies.

[0170] In addition, an operating system runs on top of the aforementioned components. Examples include iOS, Android, and Windows. Applications can be installed and run on this operating system.

[0171] It is understandable that, when electronic devices are core network devices or access network devices, they may include more than Figure 4 Fewer or more components, such as those excluding the display screen, will not be discussed further here.

[0172] This application also provides a communication device.

[0173] like Figure 5As shown, the communication device 300 includes a processing module 301 and a transceiver module 302. In some embodiments, the communication device may further include a storage module 303, which can be used to store instructions (code or program) and / or data. The processing module 301 and the transceiver module 302 can be coupled to the storage module 303 respectively. For example, the processing module 301 can read instructions (code or program) and / or data from the storage module 303 to implement a corresponding method. The above modules can be set independently, or partially or completely integrated.

[0174] The processing module 301 and transceiver module 302 in this embodiment are used to enable the communication device 300 to perform the functions of the terminal in the above method embodiment.

[0175] The following describes each module in the communication device 300, which is used to implement the functions of the terminal in the above method embodiment.

[0176] In some cases, the transceiver module 302 is used to receive first information sent by the core network device, the first information being obtained based on the Quality of Service (QoS) of the service, and the first information indicating the priority of the service; and to send handover preference configuration information to the terminal, the handover preference configuration information indicating whether to favor non-random access, the handover preference configuration information being obtained based on the first information. The processing module 301 is used to negotiate with the second access network device for resources for non-random access when the handover preference configuration information of the candidate cell indicates a preference for non-random access. The transceiver module 302 is also used to send a handover instruction to the terminal, the handover instruction including information about the resources.

[0177] In other cases, processing module 301 is used to obtain first information based on the Quality of Service (QoS) of a service, the first information indicating the priority of the service; transceiver module 302 is used to send the first information to a first access network device, the first information being used by the first access network device to send handover preference configuration information to the terminal, the handover preference configuration information indicating whether to prefer random access-free access.

[0178] In other cases, the transceiver module 302 is used to receive a handover instruction; the processing module 301 is used to indicate, based on pre-acquired handover preference configuration information, that it does not favor non-random access, and the handover instruction includes information on resources for non-random access to the target cell, and to perform a non-random access handover to the target cell.

[0179] In other cases, the transceiver module 302 is used to send indication information to the first access network device, the indication information indicating the availability of each candidate Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) status of the terminal, the availability including available or unavailable; receive a configuration update message sent by the first access network device, the configuration update message indicating TCI statuses that need to be added and / or deleted; and the processing module 301 is used to update the candidate TCI statuses based on the configuration update message.

[0180] In other cases, the transceiver module 302 is used to receive indication information sent by the terminal, the indication information indicating the availability of each candidate Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state evaluated by the terminal; based on the indication information, it sends a configuration update message to the terminal, the configuration update message indicating TCI states that need to be added and / or deleted.

[0181] It should be noted that the information interaction and execution process between the modules of the above-mentioned device are based on the same concept as the method embodiment of this application, and the resulting technical effects are the same as those of the method embodiment of this application. For details, please refer to the description in the method embodiment shown above in this application, and it will not be repeated here.

[0182] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the explanations and beneficial effects of the relevant content in any of the terminals provided above can be referred to the corresponding method embodiments provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0183] This application also provides a processor, including: an input circuit, an output circuit, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit receives signals through the input circuit and transmits signals through the output circuit, causing the processor to execute the methods described in the above embodiments.

[0184] In specific implementation, the processor can be one or more chips, the input circuit can be input pins, the output circuit can be output pins, and the processing circuit can be transistors, gate circuits, flip-flops, and various logic circuits. The input signal received by the input circuit can be received and input by, for example, but not limited to, a receiver, and the signal output by the output circuit can be output to, for example, but not limited to, a transmitter and transmitted by the transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the processor and various circuits.

[0185] This application also provides a chip system including one or more processors for calling and executing instructions stored in memory, causing the methods described in the above embodiments to be executed. The chip system may be composed of a chip or may include chips and other discrete devices. The chip system may include input circuitry or interfaces for transmitting information or data, and output circuitry or interfaces for receiving information or data.

[0186] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform the methods described in the above embodiments.

[0187] Computer-readable storage media can be non-transitory computer-readable storage media, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage devices.

[0188] This application also provides a computer program product. When executed by one or more computing devices, the computer program product allows the computing devices to perform any of the methods described above. The computer program product can be a software installation package. When the aforementioned methods are required, the computer program product can be downloaded and executed on a computer.

[0189] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a first access network device, the method includes: Receive first information sent by the core network device, the first information being obtained based on the Quality of Service (QoS) of the service, and the first information indicating the priority of the service; Send switching preference configuration information to the terminal, wherein the switching preference configuration information indicates whether to prefer random access-free access, and the switching preference configuration information is obtained based on the first information; If the handover preference configuration information of the candidate cell indicates a preference for non-random access, negotiate with the second access network equipment for resources used for non-random access; A switching instruction is sent to the terminal, the switching instruction including information about the resource.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching preference configuration information includes: At least one of the first field, the second field, and the third field; The first field indicates the preferred switching method, which includes: favoring no random access, favoring random access, or automatically selecting one from no random access and random access. The second field indicates whether the target cell's TA has been obtained in advance; The third field indicates whether uplink resources for the target cell are reserved.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The preference switching configuration information also includes: The fourth field indicates a predefined threshold value, which serves as one of the criteria for determining whether to switch over.

4. The method according to any one of claims 2-3, characterized in that, The switching preference configuration information is obtained based on the first information and includes: Based on the first information indicating high priority, the first field indicates a preference for avoiding random access, the second field indicates obtaining the TA of the target cell in advance, and the third field indicates reserving uplink resources for the target cell; Based on the priority in the first information indication, the first field indicates that one of random access exemption and random access is automatically selected, the second field indicates that the TA of the target cell is obtained in advance, and the third field indicates that the uplink resources of the target cell are reserved. Based on the first information indicating low priority, the first field indicates a preference for random access, the second field indicates that the target cell's TA should not be obtained in advance, and the third field indicates that uplink resources for the target cell should not be reserved.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, Sending the switching preference configuration information to the terminal includes: A Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration message is sent to the terminal, the RRC configuration message containing the handover preference configuration information.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, Before sending the switching preference configuration information to the terminal, the method further includes: The receiving terminal sends indication information indicating the availability of each candidate Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) status evaluated by the terminal; Before sending the switching command to the terminal, the method further includes: Based on the indicated information, a configuration update message is sent to the terminal, the configuration update message indicating the TCI status that needs to be added and / or deleted.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Following the indication information sent by the receiving terminal, the following is also included: Based on the indicated information, the terminal is instructed to adjust the beam used for downlink transmission.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The indication information includes: Radio Resource Control (RRC) messages, which are specifically used to indicate updates to the TCI status.

9. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to core network equipment, the method includes: First information is obtained based on the Quality of Service (QoS) of the service, and the first information indicates the priority of the service; The first information is sent to the first access network device. The first information is used by the first access network device to send handover preference configuration information to the terminal. The handover preference configuration information indicates whether it is inclined to avoid random access.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Sending the first information to the first access network device includes: When establishing or modifying a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session, the Policy Control Function (PCF) transmits a Session Management Policy Control Creation / Update (SmPolicyCreate / Update) message to the Session Management Function (SMF), and the SmPolicyCreate / Update message contains the first information. The SMF transmits a session context containing the first information to the Mobility Management Function (AMF); The AMF sends a PDU Session Resource Setup / Mod Req message to the first access network device. The PDU Session Resource Setup / Mod Req message contains the first information.

11. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a terminal, the method includes: Receive switching instructions; Based on pre-acquired handover preference configuration information indicating a preference for random access, and the handover instruction including information on resources for non-random access to the target cell, a handover is performed to the target cell without random access. The handover preference configuration information indicates whether or not there is a preference for non-random access. The handover preference configuration information is obtained based on first information indicating the priority of the service. The first information is obtained based on the quality of service (QoS) of the service. The handover preference configuration information comes from a first access network device.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The switching preference configuration information includes: At least one of the first field, the second field, and the third field; The first field indicates the preferred handover method, which includes: favoring no random access, or automatically selecting one from no random access and random access. The second field indicates that the TA of the target cell should be obtained in advance; The third field indicates the uplink resources reserved for the target cell.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The preference switching configuration information also includes: The fourth field indicates a predefined threshold value, which serves as one of the criteria for determining whether to switch over.

14. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, Before receiving the switching instruction, the following is also included: Receive the handover preference configuration information from the first access network device; Send indication information to the first access network device, the indication information indicating the availability of each candidate Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) status of the terminal, the availability including available or unavailable.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The indication information includes: The TCI status availability identifier is defined as follows: a first value indicates availability, a second value indicates unavailability, and a third value indicates unknown availability.

16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The instruction information also indicates: At least one of the candidate TCI status identifier and the associated serving cell identifier.

17. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The indication information includes: Media Access Control (MAC) control element CE.

18. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, After performing the handover without random access to the target cell, the method further includes: Receive a configuration update message sent by the first access network device, wherein the configuration update message indicates the TCI status that needs to be added and / or deleted; Based on the configuration update message, update the candidate TCI status.

19. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A module for implementing the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

20. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: One or more processors, and a memory; the memory is used to store program code; The processor is used to run the program code, causing the electronic device to implement the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 17.

21. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, It stores instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 18.

22. A chip system, characterized in that, include: At least one processor and an interface, the interface being used to receive code instructions and transmit them to the at least one processor; The at least one processor executes the code instructions to implement the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

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