Communication method, device and system, computer readable storage medium and program product

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a communication method, device and system, a computer readable storage medium and a computer program product. In the method, the communication device receives a reference signal configuration, the reference signal configuration is used for configuring a first reference signal of a first purpose and a second reference signal of a second purpose, the first purpose comprises perception, and an incidence relation exists between the first reference signal and the second reference signal. The communication device then transmits the first reference signal and / or the second reference signal based on the reference signal configuration. Thus, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the channel estimation performance or sensing performance can be jointly improved, and the performance and overhead of the reference signal can be optimized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to the field of communications, and more specifically to a communication method, apparatus, system, computer-readable storage medium, and computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] In the evolution from the 5th Generation (5G) mobile communication system to 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology, integrated communication and sensing technology is considered one of the key technologies for expanding the service capabilities of mobile communication networks. The core idea of ​​this technology is to add sensing capabilities to the mobile communication network, building capabilities such as target detection and imaging, thereby integrating communication and sensing capabilities into a single network, achieving harmonious coexistence and even mutual benefit.

[0003] The technical principles of sensing differ somewhat from those of communication. Communication typically involves the transmitter modulating information onto radio waves and sending it to the receiver, which then demodulates the signal to obtain the information. Sensing, on the other hand, usually requires the transmitter to send radio waves in a specific direction. When these radio waves strike a target surface, they are reflected, which the receiver then receives and processes to obtain information such as the target's position, speed, and type. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication method, apparatus, system, computer-readable storage medium, and computer program product that can jointly improve channel estimation performance or sensing performance and optimize the performance and overhead of reference signals.

[0005] Firstly, a communication method is provided, wherein the executing entity of the method can be a communication device, such as a terminal device or a chip within a terminal device. The following description uses a terminal device as the executing entity. In this method, the communication device receives a reference signal configuration, which configures a first reference signal for a first purpose and a second reference signal for a second purpose, wherein the first purpose includes sensing, and the first and second reference signals are correlated. Furthermore, the communication device transmits the first reference signal and / or the second reference signal based on the reference signal configuration. In this manner, it is possible to jointly improve channel estimation performance or sensing performance, and optimize the performance and overhead of the reference signals.

[0006] In some implementations, the aforementioned association includes: a first antenna port of the first reference signal and a second antenna port of the second reference signal being associated with the same one or more physical antennas. In this way, the associated antenna ports can use the same physical antenna to transmit signals, and joint channel estimation can be performed.

[0007] In some implementations, the aforementioned association includes associating the first antenna port of the first reference signal with at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal through a precoding matrix. In this way, the receiver can estimate the channel of the first antenna port based on at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal and the precoding matrix, thereby enhancing the channel estimation performance of the first antenna port.

[0008] In some implementations, the first antenna port is determined based on at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal and the precoding matrix. This helps the receiver estimate the channel of the first antenna port based on at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal and the precoding matrix, thereby improving the channel estimation performance of the first antenna port.

[0009] In some implementations, the communication device can also receive indication information indicating the association relationship. This allows the network device to indicate the association relationship between the first reference signal and the second reference signal.

[0010] In some implementations, the indication information and the reference signal configuration are received in the same message, or they are received in different messages. This provides flexibility in the indication method.

[0011] In some implementations, the communication device can also send indication information indicating the association relationship. This allows the terminal device to report the association relationship between the first reference signal and the second reference signal to the network device.

[0012] In some implementations, the indication information includes: first indication information indicating that at least one antenna port of the first reference signal and at least one antenna port of the second reference signal are associated through the same one or more physical antennas; or second indication information indicating a precoding matrix, wherein a first antenna port of the first reference signal and at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal are associated through the precoding matrix. In this way, the association between the first and second reference signals can be indicated by the indication information to jointly improve channel estimation performance or sensing performance.

[0013] In some implementations, the first and second reference signals satisfy the following conditions in the time domain: they have the same period or are multiples of each other; or they have different time-domain offsets; or both of these conditions are met. This interleaving of the first and second reference signals in the time domain optimizes channel estimation or sensing performance.

[0014] In some implementations, the first and second reference signals are of the same type. In this way, reference signals of the same type for different purposes can be used together to improve channel estimation or sensing performance, optimizing the performance and overhead of the reference signals.

[0015] In some implementations, the above types include probe reference signals. This allows the use of different probe reference signals to jointly improve channel estimation or sensing performance, optimizing the performance and overhead of the reference signals.

[0016] Secondly, a communication method is provided, wherein the execution subject of the method can be a communication device, such as a network device or a chip within a network device. The following description uses a network device as an example. In this method, the communication device transmits a reference signal configuration, which indicates a first reference signal for a first purpose and a second reference signal for a second purpose, wherein the first purpose is sensing, and the first and second reference signals are correlated. Furthermore, the communication device receives the first reference signal and / or the second reference signal based on the reference signal configuration. In this manner, it is possible to jointly improve channel estimation performance or sensing performance, and optimize the performance and overhead of the reference signals.

[0017] In some implementations, the association includes: a first antenna port of a first reference signal and a second antenna port of a second reference signal being associated with the same one or more physical antennas. In this way, the associated antenna ports can use the same physical antenna to transmit signals, and joint channel estimation can be performed.

[0018] In some implementations, the association includes associating the first antenna port of the first reference signal with at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal through a precoding matrix. In this way, the receiver can estimate the channel of the first antenna port based on at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal and the precoding matrix, thereby enhancing the channel estimation performance of the first antenna port.

[0019] In some implementations, the first antenna port is determined based on at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal and the precoding matrix. This helps the receiver estimate the channel of the first antenna port based on at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal and the precoding matrix, thereby improving the channel estimation performance of the first antenna port.

[0020] In some implementations, the communication device also sends indication information indicating the association relationship. In this way, the network device can indicate the association relationship between the first reference signal and the second reference signal.

[0021] In some implementations, the indication information and the reference signal configuration are sent in the same message, or they are sent in different messages. This provides flexibility in the indication method.

[0022] In some implementations, the communication device also receives indication information indicating the association relationship. In this way, the terminal device can report the association relationship between the first reference signal and the second reference signal to the network device.

[0023] In some implementations, the indication information includes: first indication information indicating that at least one antenna port of the first reference signal and at least one antenna port of the second reference signal are associated through the same one or more physical antennas; or second indication information indicating a precoding matrix, wherein a first antenna port of the first reference signal and at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal are associated through the precoding matrix. In this way, the association between the first and second reference signals can be indicated by the indication information to jointly improve channel estimation performance or sensing performance.

[0024] In some implementations, the first and second reference signals satisfy the following conditions in the time domain: they have the same period or are multiples of each other, or they have different time-domain offsets, or both. This allows the first and second reference signals to be interleaved in the time domain, optimizing channel estimation or sensing performance.

[0025] In some implementations, the first and second reference signals are of the same type. In this way, reference signals of the same type for different purposes can be used together to improve channel estimation or sensing performance, optimizing the performance and overhead of the reference signals.

[0026] In some implementations, this type includes a probe reference signal. Different probe reference signals can then be used to jointly improve channel estimation or sensing performance, optimizing the performance and overhead of the reference signal.

[0027] Thirdly, a communication device is provided, the beneficial effects of which can be found in the description of the first or second aspect, and will not be repeated here. This communication device has the function of implementing the behaviors described in the method examples of the first or second aspect. The function can be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the described functions. In one possible design, the communication device includes a unit that performs the methods of the first or second aspect or their implementations.

[0028] Fourthly, an apparatus is provided, comprising: a processor for performing any method according to the first or second aspect and its implementations. Optionally, a memory storing a computer program or instructions is also provided. When executed by the processor, the computer program or instructions cause an electronic device to perform any method according to the first or second aspect and its implementations.

[0029] Fifthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the methods performed by the apparatus in the above aspects.

[0030] Sixthly, a computer program (product) comprising a computer program or instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the methods performed by the apparatus in the foregoing aspects.

[0031] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a chip system including a processor for implementing the functions of the apparatus in the methods of the above aspects. In one possible design, the chip system further includes a memory for storing computer programs or instructions and / or data. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0032] Eighthly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a communication system, including: a communication device for performing the first aspect and / or a communication device for performing the second aspect method. Attached Figure Description

[0033] FIG. 1A A schematic diagram of a communication system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0034] FIG. 1B A schematic diagram of an integrated communication and sensing scenario is shown.

[0035] FIG. 1C Examples of some exemplary sensing signal transmission and reception scenarios are shown.

[0036] FIG. 2 A schematic diagram of the communication flow of some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0037] FIG. 3 A schematic diagram illustrating the association between reference signals for different uses in some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0038] FIG. 4 A schematic diagram illustrating the association between reference signals for different uses in other embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0039] FIG. 5 A schematic diagram illustrating the time-domain interleaving relationship between reference signals for different purposes in some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0040] FIG. 6 A schematic flowchart illustrating some embodiments of this disclosure implemented at a communication device is shown.

[0041] FIG. 7Schematic flowcharts illustrating the implementation of other embodiments of this disclosure at a communication device are shown.

[0042] FIG. 8 This is a block diagram of a device that can be used to implement some embodiments of this application.

[0043] FIG. 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an apparatus according to some embodiments of this application.

[0044] FIG. 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an apparatus according to some other embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0045] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0046] In the description of embodiments of this disclosure, the term "comprising" and similar terms should be understood as open-ended inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0047] The embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented according to any suitable communication protocol, including but not limited to cellular communication protocols such as 3G, 4G, 5G and future communication protocols, wireless local area network communication protocols such as IEEE 802.11, and / or any other protocols currently known or to be developed in the future. The technical solutions provided in this application can also be applied to device-to-device (D2D) communication, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), and Internet of Things (IoT) communication systems or other communication systems.

[0048] FIG. 1A A schematic diagram of a communication system according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. For example... FIG. 1A As shown in the communication system 100 of this embodiment, a terminal device 110 and a network device 120 are illustrated. Sending information from the network device 120 to the terminal device 110 is referred to as downlink communication, and sending information from the terminal device 110 to the network device 120 is referred to as uplink communication. In some embodiments, the communication system 100 can be used in a communication-sensing integrated scenario. For example, while communicating, the network device 120 and the terminal device 110 in the communication system 100 can also sense objects that do not have communication capabilities. In some embodiments, the information sent from the network device 120 to the terminal device 110 may include a reference signal configuration, and the information sent from the terminal device 110 to the network device 120 may include reference signals for one or more purposes (including sensing). It should be noted that... FIG. 1A The example uses terminal device 110 and network device 120 for illustration. The communication system 100 may include any number of terminal devices or network devices.

[0049] The communication system 100 in this disclosure includes, but is not limited to: narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), global system for mobile communications (GSM), enhanced data rate for GSM evolution (EDGE), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), code division multiple access 2000 (CDMA2000), time division-synchronization code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA), long term evolution (LTE), long term evolution advanced (LTE-A), and the three major application scenarios of 5G mobile communication systems: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and enhanced machine type communication (eMTC).

[0050] In Long Term Evolution (LTE) / Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A) communication systems and New Radio (NR) systems, duplex modes can be mainly divided into Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD). For wireless communication systems operating in TDD mode, the downlink and uplink carriers share the same carrier frequency. Multiple access methods typically employ Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDMA). The main characteristic of OFDMA is that it divides transmission resources into mutually orthogonal time-frequency resource elements (REs). Signals transmitted by the transmitter are carried on REs and transmitted to the receiver. Because different REs are orthogonal, the receiver can receive the signal transmitted on each RE individually. The time-frequency resource unit is the smallest resource granularity in an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) system. In the time domain, it is an OFDM symbol (the smallest time unit in the OFDM system), and in the frequency domain, it is a subcarrier.

[0051] As mentioned above, some embodiments of this disclosure can be used in integrated communication and sensing scenarios. Integrated communication and sensing technology is considered one of the key technologies for expanding the service capabilities of mobile communication networks. The core idea of ​​this technology is to add sensing capabilities to the mobile communication network, building capabilities such as target detection and imaging, thereby integrating communication and sensing capabilities into a single network, achieving harmonious coexistence and even mutual benefit. The technical principles of sensing differ somewhat from those of communication. Communication involves the transmitter modulating information onto radio waves and sending it to the receiver, which then demodulates the signal carried on the radio waves to obtain information. Sensing, however, requires the transmitter to send radio waves in a specific direction. When the radio waves illuminate the target surface, they form reflected radio waves, which the receiver receives and processes to obtain information such as the target's position, speed, and type.

[0052] An exemplary communication-sensing integrated scenario, such as FIG. 1BAs shown, network devices (such as network device 120 mentioned above) and terminal devices (such as terminal device 110 mentioned above) in the communication network can sense objects that do not have communication capabilities while communicating. The sensed targets include, but are not limited to, moving targets such as vehicles, low-altitude drones, and pedestrians, as well as stationary objects in the environment, such as buildings and the ground. FIG. 1B Solid lines represent the transmission of communication signals, while dashed lines represent the transmission of sensing signals. As shown in Figure 1B, the transmitting and receiving ends of the sensing signals can be two different devices, or they can be the same device. In other words, sensing can generally be divided into two modes: single-site sensing and dual-site sensing. In single-site sensing, the transmitting and receiving ends of the sensing signals are the same device. From the perspective of the sensing signal flow, the sensing station both transmits and receives the signals reflected from the target surface; therefore, single-site sensing is also called the self-transmitting and self-receiving mode. For dual-site sensing, the transmitting and receiving ends of the sensing signals are two different devices. From the perspective of the sensing signal flow, after sensing station A transmits the sensing signal, the signal reflected from the target surface is received by sensing station B; therefore, dual-site sensing is also called the A-transmitting and B-receiving mode. Some embodiments of this disclosure mainly involve the A-transmitting and B-receiving sensing mode.

[0053] FIG. 1C Examples of exemplary sensing signal transmission and reception scenarios are shown. For example... FIG. 1C As shown, scenario (1) illustrates an example of a base station (an example of a network device) transmitting and receiving signals, where both the transmitter and receiver of the sensing signal are base stations. Scenario (2) illustrates an example of a UE (an example of a terminal device) transmitting and receiving signals, where both the transmitter and receiver of the sensing signal are UEs. Scenario (3) illustrates an example of base station A transmitting and B receiving signals, where the transmitter of the sensing signal is one base station, and the receiver of the sensing signal is another base station. Scenario (4) illustrates an example of UE A transmitting and B receiving signals, where the transmitter of the sensing signal is one UE, and the receiver of the sensing signal is another UE. Scenario (5) illustrates an example of base station transmitting and UE receiving signals, where the transmitter of the sensing signal is a base station, and the receiver of the sensing signal is a UE. Scenario (6) illustrates an example of UE transmitting and base station receiving signals, where the transmitter of the sensing signal is a UE, and the receiver of the sensing signal is a base station. Some embodiments of this disclosure mainly relate to scenario (6) above, i.e., UE transmitting and base station receiving, but can also be applied equivalently or similarly to other scenarios, such as scenarios (1) to (5).

[0054] In the embodiments of this disclosure, the terms "terminal" or "terminal device" refer to any terminal device capable of wired or wireless communication with network devices or with each other. A terminal device may sometimes be referred to as a user equipment (UE). A terminal device can be any type of mobile terminal, fixed terminal, or portable terminal. A terminal device can be various wireless communication devices with wireless communication capabilities. For example, a terminal device (such as...) FIG. 1A The terminal device 110 shown can be a user equipment, terminal, access terminal, terminal unit, terminal station, mobile station (MS), remote station, remote terminal, mobile terminal, wireless communication equipment, terminal agent, or terminal equipment, etc. The terminal device can also be a communication chip with a communication module, a vehicle with communication capabilities, or in-vehicle equipment (such as an in-vehicle communication device or in-vehicle communication chip), etc. This terminal device can have wireless transceiver capabilities, enabling it to communicate (e.g., wireless communication) with one or more network devices in one or more communication systems and receive network services provided by the network devices, including but not limited to access network equipment. User equipment includes, but is not limited to, mobile terminals, mobile telephones, handsets, portable equipment, mobile stations, computers with wireless communication capabilities, etc. User equipment can be portable, pocket-sized, handheld, built-in computer, vehicle-mounted, aircraft-mounted, etc. User equipment can communicate with one or more core networks via a radio access network (RAN). Terminal devices can be used to send uplink signals to network devices or receive downlink signals from network devices.

[0055] The terminal device can be a cellular phone, cordless phone, session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, wireless local loop (WLL) station, personal digital assistant (PDA) device, handheld device with wireless communication capabilities, computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, vehicle-mounted device, wearable device, terminal device in 5G or future communication networks, or terminal device in a future evolved PLMN network, etc.

[0056] Specifically, the terminal device can be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, a virtual reality (VR) terminal, an augmented reality (AR) terminal, a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in self-driving, a wireless terminal in remote medical care, a wireless terminal in a smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation safety, a wireless terminal in a smart city, a wireless terminal in a smart home, etc.

[0057] In addition, terminal devices can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted. They can also be deployed on water (such as on ships). Furthermore, they can be deployed in the air (e.g., on airplanes, balloons, and satellites).

[0058] Various devices with wireless communication capabilities can be used to connect people, objects, and machines. Terminal devices can be widely applied in various scenarios, such as: cellular communication, D2D, V2X, peer-to-peer (P2P), M2M, MTC, IoT, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, drones, robots, remote sensing, passive sensing, positioning, navigation, autonomous delivery, etc. Terminal devices can be terminals in any of the above scenarios, such as MTC terminals, IoT terminals, etc. Terminal devices can be third-generation partner projects (3GPPs). rdUser equipment (UE), terminal, fixed equipment, mobile station equipment or mobile equipment, subscriber unit, handheld device, vehicle-mounted equipment, wearable device, cellular phone, smartphone, SIP phone, wireless data card, personal digital assistant (PDA), computer, tablet computer, laptop computer, wireless modem, handset, laptop computer, computer with wireless transceiver capability, smart book, vehicle, satellite, global positioning system (GPS) device, target tracking device, aircraft (e.g., drone, helicopter, multi-helicopter, quad-helicopter, or airplane), ship, remote control device, smart home device, industrial equipment, or devices built into the above devices (e.g., communication modules, modems, or chips in the above devices), or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, all conforming to the 3GPP (Generation Partnership Project) standard. For ease of description, terminal equipment will be described below using the term terminal or UE as an example. In some scenarios, terminal equipment can also be used as a base station. For example, the terminal device can act as a scheduling entity, providing sidelink signals between UEs in scenarios such as V2X, D2D, or P2P.

[0059] In this embodiment, the device for implementing the functions of the terminal device can be the terminal device itself, or it can be a device that supports the terminal device in implementing the functions, such as a chip system or a chip. This device can be installed in the terminal device. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips, or it can include chips and other discrete devices.

[0060] The network device in this application embodiment can be a device for communicating with a terminal device. This network device can also be called an access network device or a radio access network device, such as an access network device (or access point). The network device can be used to receive uplink signals from the terminal device or send downlink signals to the terminal device. An access network device refers to a device that provides network access functionality, such as a radio access network (RAN) base station. Specifically, the network device may include a base station (BS), or a base station and radio resource management equipment for controlling the base station. The network device may also include relay stations (relay equipment), access points, and base stations in 5G networks or NR base stations, and base stations in future PLMN networks. The network device can be a wearable device or an in-vehicle device. The network device can also be a communication chip with a communication module. Base stations include, but are not limited to, ordinary base stations (such as gNB, eNB, or NodeB), remote radio units (RRUs), macro stations, micro stations (pico, femto, etc.), relays, access points (APs) with wireless transceiver capabilities, transmission reception points (TRPs), or any other wireless access devices. Base stations are used to provide wireless access services to terminal devices. For example, network equipment (such as access network equipment) includes, but is not limited to: base stations (g nodeB, gNB) in 5G, mobile communication base stations in future communication systems, evolved node B (eNB) in long term evolution (LTE) systems, radio network controllers (RNC), radio controllers (RNCs) in cloud radio access networks (CRAN) systems, base station controllers (BSCs), home base stations (e.g., home evolved nodeB, or home node B, HNB), baseband units (BBUs), transmitting and receiving points (TRPs), transmitting points (TPs), mobile switching centers, and can also be evolved NBs (eNBs or eNodeBs) in LTE, base station equipment in future 5G networks, access network equipment in future evolved PLMN networks, access nodes in Wi-Fi systems, and wearable devices or vehicle-mounted devices.

[0061] In some deployments, network devices can be centralized units (CUs) or distributed units (DUs). Network devices may also include active antenna units (AAUs). The CU implements some of the network device's functions, and the DU implements others. For example, the CU handles non-real-time protocols and services, implementing the functions of the radio resource control (RRC) layer and the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer. The DU handles physical layer protocols and real-time services, implementing the functions of the radio link control (RLC) layer, the media access control (MAC) layer, and the physical (PHY) layer. The AAU implements some physical layer processing functions, radio frequency processing, and related functions of the active antenna. Since RRC layer information ultimately becomes PHY layer information, or is derived from PHY layer information, in this architecture, higher-layer signaling, such as RRC layer signaling, can also be considered as being sent by the DU, or by the DU+AAU. It is understood that network devices can be one or more of the following: CU nodes, DU nodes, and AAU nodes. Furthermore, CUs can be classified as network devices in the radio access network (RAN) or in the core network (CN), and this application does not limit this classification. Examples of network devices include, but are not limited to, NodeBs (or NBs), evolved NodeBs (eNodeBs or eNBs), future communication system NodeBs (gNBs), Transmitter Receiver Points (TRPs), Remote Radio Units (RRUs), Radio Heads (RHs), Remote Radio Heads (RRHs), Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) nodes, low-power nodes such as femtonodes, piconodes, reconfigurable smart surfaces (RISs), and network-controlled repeaters. In different communication systems, CUs (or CU-CPs and CU-UPs), DUs, or RUs may have different names, but their meanings will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU.For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules.

[0062] Furthermore, network devices such as access network equipment can connect to core network (CN) equipment, which can be used to provide core network services to access network equipment and terminal equipment. Core network equipment can correspond to different devices in different systems. For example, in 3G, core network equipment can correspond to the Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) and / or the Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) of the General Packet Radio System (GPRS). In 4G, core network equipment can correspond to the Mobility Management Entity (MME) and / or the Serving Gateway (S-GW). In 5G, core network equipment can correspond to the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), the Session Management Function (SMF), or the User Plane Function (UPF).

[0063] Base stations can be fixed or mobile. For example, a helicopter or drone can be configured to act as a mobile base station, and one or more cells can move depending on the location of the mobile base station. In other examples, a helicopter or drone can be configured as a device to communicate with another base station.

[0064] In this embodiment, the means for implementing the function of the network device can be the network device itself, or it can be a means that enables the network device to implement the function, such as a chip system or a chip, which can be installed in the network device. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips, or it can include chips and other discrete devices.

[0065] Network devices and terminal devices can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can also be deployed in the air on airplanes, balloons, and satellites. This application does not limit the scenario in which the network devices and terminal devices are located.

[0066] RAN can be a 3GPP-related cellular system, such as 4G, 5G mobile communication systems, or future-oriented evolution systems. RAN can also be an open access network (open RAN, O-RAN or ORAN), (cloud RAN, CRAN), or wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. RAN can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems.

[0067] A reference signal (RS), also known as a pilot signal, is a known signal provided by the transmitter to the receiver for channel estimation or channel sounding. Reference signals are divided into uplink reference signals and downlink reference signals. The uplink reference signal refers to the signal sent by the terminal device to the network device; that is, the transmitter is the terminal device, and the receiver is the network device. The uplink reference signal serves two purposes: uplink channel estimation (used for coherent demodulation and detection by the network device or for calculating precoding) and uplink channel quality measurement. Uplink reference signals can include DMRS (Demodulation Reference Signal) and SRS (Sounding Reference Signal). Current protocols do not specifically design SRS for sensing, and some schemes directly reuse the communication SRS as the sensing reference signal, which is not optimal in performance. However, designing and transmitting a separate sensing SRS would increase the overhead of the reference signal. The solutions in this disclosure address the problem of optimizing the performance and overhead of sensing reference signals and communication reference signals. Based on this, in some embodiments, a reference signal is defined for use in sensing. This reference signal for sensing (which may be simply referred to as the sensing reference signal) can be associated with reference signals for other uses, thereby jointly improving channel estimation performance or sensing performance. In some examples, the sensing reference signal is, for example, a sensing SRS, and the reference signal for other uses is, for example, an AS (antenna switching) SRS. In these examples, the solutions of this disclosure can jointly improve channel estimation performance or sensing performance. It should be noted that although some embodiments below use SRS as an example reference signal, the solutions of this disclosure are not limited to SRS. That is, the embodiments of this disclosure are also equally or similarly applicable to other reference signals, including currently defined reference signals and future newly defined reference signals, and this disclosure does not limit them. For specific implementation of the solutions of this disclosure, please refer to the following section on... FIG. 2 to FIG. 7 Description of the illustrated embodiment.

[0068] FIG. 2 A schematic diagram of the communication flow of some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. For example... FIG. 2As shown, process 200 involves terminal device 110 and network device 120. Network device 120 may send (202) a reference signal configuration 205, which indicates a first reference signal 215 for a first purpose and a second reference signal 225 for a second purpose, wherein the first purpose is sensing, and the first reference signal 215 and the second reference signal 225 are associated. On the terminal device 110 side, terminal device 110 may receive (204) the reference signal configuration 205 and, based on the reference signal configuration 205, send (206) the first reference signal 215 and / or the second reference signal 225. Accordingly, network device 120 may receive (208) the first reference signal 215 and / or the second reference signal 225 based on the reference signal configuration 205. In some examples, the first reference signal 215 and the second reference signal 225 may be reference signals of the same type. As an example, this type may be a probe reference signal (SRS). In some examples, this type may not be limited to SRS, but may also be DMRS, or other uplink reference signals defined by 3GPP standards.

[0069] In some examples, terminal device 110 may periodically transmit a first reference signal 215 and / or a second reference signal 225. Alternatively, terminal device 110 may transmit the first reference signal 215 and / or the second reference signal 225 after receiving downlink control information (DCI) from network device 120. Alternatively, the first reference signal 215 and / or the second reference signal 225 may be activated by a MAC CE (Media Access Control Unit). In some examples, the aforementioned first purpose may also be other purposes besides sensing, and different from those defined by the protocol (e.g., antenna switching, codebook, noncodebook, beam management).

[0070] The association between the first reference signal 215 and the second reference signal 225 can be indicated by the network device 120 or by the terminal device 110. Specifically, in the example where the association is indicated by the network device 120, the network device 120 can send indication information indicating the association. The terminal device 110 can then receive this indication information. In some examples, when the association is indicated by the network device 120, the network device can send the reference signal configuration 205 and the indication information indicating the association in the same message. Accordingly, on the terminal device 110 side, the terminal device 110 can receive the reference signal configuration 205 and the indication information indicating the association in the same message. In another example, when the association is indicated by the network device 120, the network device can send the reference signal configuration 205 and the indication information indicating the association in different messages. Accordingly, on the terminal device 110 side, the terminal device 110 will receive the reference signal configuration 205 and the indication information indicating the association in different messages. In some examples, reference signals for different purposes are configured through different signaling. For example, the first reference signal 215 and the second reference signal 225 can be configured in different signaling.

[0071] In the example where the association is indicated by terminal device 110, terminal device 110 can send indication information indicating the aforementioned association. Network device 120 can then receive this indication information indicating the aforementioned association.

[0072] In some examples, the association between the first reference signal 215 and the second reference signal 225 may include: the first antenna port of the first reference signal 215 and the second antenna port of the second reference signal 225 are associated with the same one or more physical antennas. In other examples, the association between the first reference signal 215 and the second reference signal 225 may include: the first antenna port of the first reference signal 215 and at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal 225 are associated through a precoding matrix. In some examples, the first antenna port is a port determined based on at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal 225 and the precoding matrix. For example, the precoding matrix is ​​[w1, w2], the reference signal sequence is multiplied by w1 and transmitted using the first antenna port of the second reference signal, while the reference signal sequence is multiplied by w2 and transmitted using the second antenna port of the second reference signal, and the signal transmitted by the first antenna port of the first reference signal is a signal superimposed on the signals transmitted by the two antenna ports. In the embodiments of this disclosure, the antenna port can be a logical port for transmission, which is an abstract logical concept. The mapping relationship between an antenna port and a physical antenna is fixed and does not change over time. Therefore, the channel conditions experienced by signals transmitted from the same antenna port are the same or related.

[0073] Corresponding to the two implementations of the aforementioned association relationship between the first reference signal 215 and the second reference signal 225, the indication information used to indicate this association relationship can also be implemented in two ways. In some examples, the indication information indicating this association relationship may include first indication information, which indicates that at least one antenna port of the first reference signal 215 and at least one antenna port of the second reference signal 225 are associated through the same one or more physical antennas. In other examples, the indication information indicating this association relationship may include second indication information, which indicates a precoding matrix, wherein the first antenna port of the first reference signal 215 and at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal 225 are associated through the precoding matrix.

[0074] The following example, with terminal device 110 as UE, network device 120 as base station, first purpose as sensing, second purpose as a different purpose from sensing, first reference signal as sensing SRS, and second reference signal as AS SRS, will be used to explain in detail the examples where the above-mentioned relationship is indicated by network device 120 or by terminal device 110.

[0075] In some examples, the association can be indicated by the base station. Specifically, the base station configures the UE with the sensed SRS and ASSRS, and indicates the association between the sensed SRS and the AS SRS. One implementation of this association can be found in [reference needed].FIG. 3 . FIG. 3 The diagram illustrates the association between reference signals (i.e., Sensing SRS and AS SRS in this example) for different purposes in some embodiments of this disclosure. A port of the Sensing SRS is associated with a port of the AS SRS. For example, the Sensing SRS corresponds to one port (e.g., port 1b), and the AS SRS corresponds to four ports (e.g., ports 1a to 4a). The base station can instruct the port of the Sensing SRS to be associated with one of the four ports in the AS SRS, for example, port 1b is associated with port 1a. That is, these two ports use the same physical antenna port for transmission and can be used for joint channel estimation. Another implementation of this association can be found in [reference needed]. FIG. 4 . FIG. 4 A schematic diagram illustrating the association between reference signals for different purposes (i.e., sensing SRS and AS SRS in this example) in other embodiments of this disclosure is shown, wherein there is a precoding association between sensing SRS ports and AS SRS ports, for example, sensing SRS corresponds to 1 port (e.g., port 1b) and AS SRS corresponds to 4 ports (e.g., ports 1a to 4a). The base station may indicate a precoding matrix, and sensing SRS is obtained by loading the precoding matrix (e.g., [1,-1,1,-1]) onto the 4 ports of AS SRS.

[0076] In other examples, the association can be reported by the UE. Specifically, the base station configures the UE with Sensing SRS and ASSRS, and instructs the UE to report the association between the Sensing SRS and AS SRS. (See again...) FIG. 3 The example depicting the correlation shows that the Sensing SRS is port 1 and the AS SRS is port 4. The UE can report a correlation between a certain port of the Sensing SRS (e.g., port 1b) and a certain port of the AS SRS (e.g., port 1a), meaning that these two ports use the same physical antenna port for transmission and can be used for joint channel estimation. (See also...) FIG. 4 Examples of the relationships depicted include a Sensing SRS port 1 and an AS SRS port 4. The Sensing SRS port (port 1b) and the AS SRS ports (ports 1a to 4a) have a precoding association. The UE can report a precoding matrix to the base station, and the Sensing SRS is obtained by loading the precoding matrix onto the four ports of the AS SRS.

[0077] The period, bandwidth, and time-frequency pattern of the aforementioned associated SRS ports may be the same or different, and this disclosure does not limit this. The first reference signal 215 and the second reference signal 225 may satisfy the following in the time domain: have the same period or be multiples of each other, or have different time-domain offset positions. FIG. 5A schematic diagram illustrating the time-domain interleaving relationship between reference signals (i.e., first reference signal 215 and second reference signal 225 in this example) for different purposes in some embodiments of this disclosure is shown, wherein, taking the first reference signal 215 as a sensing SRS and the second reference signal 225 as an AS SRS as an example, the associated sensing SRS and AS SRS can be interleaved in the time domain. FIG. 5 In the illustrated example, the first reference signal 215 (e.g., sensing SRS) and the second reference signal 225 (e.g., AS SRS) have the same period.

[0078] Some embodiments of this disclosure define a sensing SRS as its usage. The sensing SRS can be associated with other SRSs to jointly improve channel estimation performance or sensing performance. For example, a sensing SRS can be associated with a communication SRS to improve both sensing and communication performance. The association relationship can be a one-to-one correspondence between ports or an association through a precoding matrix. The association relationship can be indicated by the base station or reported by the UE.

[0079] FIG. 6 Schematic flowcharts illustrating the implementation of some embodiments of this disclosure at a communication device are shown. For example... FIG. 6 As shown, process 600 can be executed by a communication device, such as terminal device 110 or a chip, module, or assembly within terminal device 110. In block 610, the communication device receives a reference signal configuration, which configures a first reference signal for a first purpose and a second reference signal for a second purpose, wherein the first purpose includes sensing, and there is a correlation between the first and second reference signals. In block 620, the communication device transmits the first and / or second reference signals based on the reference signal configuration. In some embodiments, process 600 may further include elements combined with those described in this disclosure. FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 Other operations performed at terminal device 110 as described.

[0080] FIG. 7 Schematic flowcharts illustrating the implementation of other embodiments of this disclosure at a communication device are shown. For example... FIG. 7 As shown, process 700 can be executed by a communication device, such as network device 120 or a chip, module, or assembly within network device 120. In block 710, the communication device sends a reference signal configuration indicating a first reference signal for a first purpose and a second reference signal for a second purpose, wherein the first purpose is sensing, and the first and second reference signals are associated. In block 720, the communication device receives the first and / or second reference signals based on the reference signal configuration. In some embodiments, process 700 may also include elements combined with those described in this disclosure.FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 Other operations described at network device 120.

[0081] FIG. 8 This is a block diagram of a device 800 that can be used to implement some embodiments of the present application. In some embodiments, device 800 may be an element of a communication network infrastructure, such as a base station (e.g., NodeB, evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB), future communication system NodeB (sometimes referred to as gNodeB or gNB), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), gateway (GW), such as a packet gateway (PGW) or serving gateway (SGW), or various other nodes or functions within a core network (CN) or public land mobile network (PLMN). In other embodiments, device 800 may be a device connected to network infrastructure via a wireless interface, such as a mobile phone, smartphone, or other such device that can be classified as user equipment (UE). In some embodiments, device 800 may be a machine-type communication (M... A device 800 is a TC (Traffic Side Unit) device (also known as a machine-to-machine (M2M) device), or another such device that, although not providing direct service to a user, can be classified as a UE. In some embodiments, device 800 may be a roadside unit (RSU), a vehicle UE (V-UE), a pedestrian UE (P-UE), or an infrastructure UE (I-UE). In some scenarios, device 800 may also be referred to as a mobile device, a term intended to reflect a device connected to a mobile network, regardless of whether the device itself is designed for or capable of being mobile. A particular device may utilize all or only a subset of the components shown, and the level of integration may vary depending on the device. Furthermore, device 800 may contain multiple instances of components, such as multiple processors, memory, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0082] Device 800 typically includes a processor 802, such as a central processing unit (CPU), and may further include a dedicated processor, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU) or other such processor, memory 804, a network interface 806, and a bus 808 for connecting the components of device 800. Optionally, device 800 may also include components such as a mass storage device 810, a video adapter 812, and an I / O interface 816 (shown in dashed lines).

[0083] Memory 804 may include any type of non-transitory system memory readable by processor 802, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), read-only memory (ROM), or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, memory 804 may include more than one type of memory, such as ROM used at boot time and DRAM used for program and data storage during program execution. Bus 808 may be one or more of a plurality of bus architectures of any type, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, or a video bus.

[0084] The device 800 may also include one or more network interfaces 806, which may include at least one of a wired network interface and a wireless network interface. For example... FIG. 8 As shown, network interface 806 may include a wired network interface for connecting to network 822, and may also include a wireless access network interface 820 for connecting to other devices via a wireless link. When device 800 is a network infrastructure element, the wireless access network interface 820 may be omitted for nodes or functions that are elements of a PLMN rather than elements at the wireless edge (e.g., eNB). When device 800 is infrastructure at the wireless edge of the network, both wired and wireless network interfaces may be included. When device 800 is a wirelessly connected device, such as a user equipment, the wireless access network interface 820 may be present and may be supplemented by other wireless interfaces such as a WiFi network interface. Network interface 806 allows device 800 to communicate with remote entities such as those connected to network 822.

[0085] Mass storage 810 may include any type of non-transitory storage device configured to store data, programs, and other information and make the data, programs, and other information accessible via bus 808. Mass storage 810 may include, for example, one or more of a solid-state drive, hard disk drive, disk drive, or optical disk drive. In some embodiments, mass storage 810 may be located remotely from device 800 and may be accessed using a network interface such as interface 806. In the illustrated embodiment, mass storage 810 is distinct from the memory 804 that includes it, and mass storage 810 typically performs storage tasks compatible with higher latency but typically provides low or no fluctuation. In some embodiments, mass storage 810 may be integrated with heterogeneous memory 804.

[0086] Optional video adapter 812 and I / O interface 816 (shown in dashed lines) provide interfaces for coupling device 800 to external input and output devices. Examples of input and output devices include a display 66 coupled to video adapter 812 and an I / O device 818, such as a touchscreen, coupled to I / O interface 816. Other devices may be coupled to device 800 and may utilize additional or fewer interfaces. For example, a serial interface such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) (not shown) may be used to provide interfaces for external devices. Those skilled in the art will understand that in embodiments where device 800 is part of a data center, I / O interface 816 and video adapter 812 may be virtualized and provided via network interface 806.

[0087] FIG. 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a device 900 according to some embodiments of this application. For example... FIG. 9 As shown, the device 900 includes a receiving unit 902 and a transmitting unit 904. The device 900 can be applied to, for example... FIG. 1A The communication system shown can implement the methods provided in the preceding embodiments, such as method 700. Optionally, the physical manifestation of device 900 can be a communication device, such as a UE. Alternatively, device 900 can be other devices capable of implementing the functions of a communication device, such as a processor or chip inside the communication device. Specifically, device 900 can be a programmable chip, such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a system on a chip (SOC).

[0088] In some embodiments, the receiving unit 902 may be configured to receive a reference signal configuration, which is used to configure a first reference signal for a first purpose and a second reference signal for a second purpose, wherein the first purpose includes sensing, and there is an association between the first reference signal and the second reference signal. The transmitting unit 904 may be configured to transmit the first reference signal and / or the second reference signal based on the reference signal configuration.

[0089] In some other embodiments, the apparatus 900 may include various other units or modules that can be configured to perform the various operations or functions described with respect to the foregoing method embodiments. Specific details can be obtained by referring to the detailed description of the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0090] FIG. 10 This is a structural schematic diagram of the apparatus 1000 according to other embodiments of this application. For example... FIG. 10 As shown, the device 1000 includes a transmitting unit 1002 and a receiving unit 1004. The device 1000 can be applied to applications such as... FIG. 1A The communication system shown can implement the methods provided in the preceding embodiments, such as method 700. Optionally, the physical manifestation of device 1000 can be a communication device, such as a network device. Alternatively, device 1000 can be other devices capable of implementing the functions of a communication device, such as a processor or chip inside the communication device. Specifically, device 1000 can be a programmable chip, such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a system on a chip (SOC).

[0091] In some embodiments, the transmitting unit 1002 may be configured to transmit a reference signal configuration indicating a first reference signal for a first purpose and a second reference signal for a second purpose, wherein the first purpose is sensing, and the first and second reference signals are associated. The receiving unit 1004 may be configured to receive the first reference signal and / or the second reference signal based on the reference signal configuration.

[0092] In some embodiments, the apparatus 1000 may include various other units or modules that can be configured to perform the various operations or functions described with respect to the foregoing method embodiments. Specific details can be obtained by referring to the detailed description of the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0093] It should be noted that the module division in the above embodiments of this application is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods. Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, exist as separate physical units, or be integrated into one unit by two or more units. The integrated units described above can be implemented in hardware or as software functional units.

[0094] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, or all or part of it, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or processor to execute all or part of the steps of the methods of the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0095] Based on the above embodiments, this application also provides a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute any of the methods provided in the above embodiments.

[0096] Based on the above embodiments, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. When executed by a computer, the computer program causes the computer to perform any of the methods provided in the above embodiments. The storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, but not limited to, a computer-readable medium may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code having the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer.

[0097] Based on the above embodiments, this application also provides a chip for reading a computer program stored in a memory and implementing any of the methods provided in the above embodiments.

[0098] Based on the above embodiments, this application provides a chip system including a processor for supporting a computer device in implementing the functions involved in the communication devices in the above embodiments. In one possible design, the chip system further includes a memory for storing necessary programs and data of the computer device. This chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete components.

[0099] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this application can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0100] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to this application. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart illustrations and / or one or more blocks of the block diagrams.

[0101] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the functions specified in one or more flowcharts and / or one or more block diagrams.

[0102] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions, which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus, provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowcharts and / or one or more block diagrams.

[0103] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A communication method, comprising: A reference signal configuration is provided, the reference signal configuration being used to configure a first reference signal for a first purpose and a second reference signal for a second purpose, wherein the first purpose includes sensing, and the first reference signal and the second reference signal are correlated; and Based on the reference signal configuration, the first reference signal and / or the second reference signal are transmitted.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the association relationship includes: The first antenna port of the first reference signal and the second antenna port of the second reference signal are associated with the same one or more physical antennas.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the association relationship includes: The first antenna port of the first reference signal is associated with at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal through a precoding matrix.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first antenna port is a port determined based on the at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal and the precoding matrix.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, further comprising: Receive instruction information indicating the association relationship.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: The indication information and the reference signal configuration are received in the same message; or The indication information and the reference signal configuration are received in different messages.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, further comprising: Send indication information indicating the aforementioned association.

8. The method according to any one of claims 5-7, wherein the indication information includes: The first indication information is used to indicate that at least one antenna port of the first reference signal and at least one antenna port of the second reference signal are associated with the same one or more physical antennas; or The second indication information is used to indicate the precoding matrix, wherein the first antenna port of the first reference signal and at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal are associated through the precoding matrix.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal satisfy at least one of the following in the time domain: The periods are the same or multiples of each other; or The time domain offset positions are different.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal are reference signals of the same type.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the type includes a probe reference signal.

12. A communication method, comprising: A reference signal configuration is provided, the reference signal configuration indicating a first reference signal for a first purpose and a second reference signal for a second purpose, wherein the first purpose is sensing, and the first and second reference signals are associated; and Based on the reference signal configuration, the first reference signal and / or the second reference signal are received.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the association relationship includes: The first antenna port of the first reference signal and the second antenna port of the second reference signal are associated with the same one or more physical antennas.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the association relationship includes: The first antenna port of the first reference signal is associated with at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal through a precoding matrix.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first antenna port is a port determined based on the at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal and the precoding matrix.

16. The method according to any one of claims 12-15, further comprising: Send indication information indicating the aforementioned association.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein: The indication information and the reference signal configuration are sent in the same message; or The indication information and the reference signal configuration are sent in different messages.

18. The method according to any one of claims 12-15, further comprising: Receive instruction information indicating the association relationship.

19. The method according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein the indication information includes: The first indication information is used to indicate that at least one antenna port of the first reference signal and at least one antenna port of the second reference signal are associated with the same one or more physical antennas; or The second indication information is used to indicate the precoding matrix, wherein the first antenna port of the first reference signal and at least two antenna ports of the second reference signal are associated through the precoding matrix.

20. The method according to any one of claims 12-19, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal satisfy at least one of the following in the time domain: The periods are the same or multiples of each other; or The time domain offset positions are different.

21. The method according to any one of claims 12-20, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal are reference signals of the same type.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the type includes a probe reference signal.

23. A communication device, comprising: Units for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

24. A communication device, comprising: Units for performing the method according to any one of claims 12 to 22.

25. A communication device, comprising: A processor for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or claims 12 to 22.

26. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or claims 12 to 22 to be performed.

27. A computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or claims 12 to 22 to be performed.

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