Communication method and device and storage medium

Abstract

The invention relates to a communication method and device and a storage medium. The communication method comprises the following steps: determining a transmission mode, wherein the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on backscattering or a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; in the embodiment of the invention, the first node determines to execute the transmission mode based on backscattering or the transmission mode based on autonomous transmission, and carries out transmission, thereby ensuring that data interaction can be effectively executed, and ensuring that the first node works with low power consumption.

Description

Communication method, device and storage medium Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of communication technologies, and in particular to a communication method, device, and storage medium. Background Art

[0002] IoT devices, such as Ambient Internet of Things (A-IoT) terminals (A-IoT user equipment (UE), A-IoT devices, and A-IoT tags), may or may not have power components. Therefore, how IoT devices transmit data is a key consideration.

[0003] Summary of the Invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a communication method, an apparatus, and a storage medium.

[0005] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a communication method is provided, which is performed by a first node. The method includes:

[0006] A transmission mode is determined, where the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode or an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode.

[0007] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a communication method is provided, which is performed by a second node. The method includes:

[0008] First information is received, where the first information is used to indicate a transmission capability of a first node.

[0009] According to a third aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, including:

[0010] The processing module is configured to determine a transmission mode, where the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode or an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode.

[0011] According to a fourth aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, including:

[0012] The transceiver module is configured to receive first information, where the first information is used to indicate the transmission capability of the first node.

[0013] According to a fifth aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, including:

[0014] one or more processors;

[0015] The communication device is used to execute the communication method proposed in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0016] According to a sixth aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a communication system is proposed, including a first node and a second node, wherein the first node is configured to implement the communication method proposed in the first aspect, and the second node is configured to implement the communication method proposed in the second aspect.

[0017] According to a seventh aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a storage medium is proposed, which stores instructions. When the instructions are executed on a communication device, the communication device executes the communication method proposed in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0018] According to an eighth aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer program product is proposed, including a computer program, which implements the communication method proposed in the first aspect or the second aspect when executed by a communication device.

[0019] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first node determines to execute a transmission mode based on backscattering or a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission, and performs transmission to ensure that data interaction can be effectively performed and that the first node operates with low power consumption. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following drawings required for describing the embodiments are introduced. The following drawings are merely some embodiments of the present disclosure and do not impose specific limitations on the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG1A is an exemplary schematic diagram of a deployment scenario of a passive Internet of Things according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG1B is an exemplary schematic diagram of a deployment scenario of a passive Internet of Things according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG1C is an exemplary schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG2 is an exemplary interaction diagram of a communication method provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG3A is a schematic diagram of an exemplary flow chart of a communication method provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG3B is a schematic diagram of an exemplary flow of a communication method provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG4A is a schematic diagram of an exemplary flow of a communication method provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG4B is a schematic diagram of an exemplary flow of a communication method provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG5 is an exemplary interaction diagram of a communication method provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG6A is an exemplary schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG6B is an exemplary schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG7A is an exemplary schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG7B is an exemplary schematic diagram of the structure of a chip provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a communication method, an apparatus, and a storage medium.

[0035] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a communication method, performed by a first node, the method comprising:

[0036] A transmission mode is determined, where the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode or an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode.

[0037] In the above embodiment, the first node determines to execute the transmission mode based on backscattering or the transmission mode based on autonomous transmission and performs transmission, thereby ensuring that data interaction can be effectively performed and that the first node operates with low power consumption.

[0038] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0039] First information is sent, where the first information is used to indicate a transmission capability of the first node.

[0040] In the above embodiment, the first node may report its transmission capability to other nodes, so that the other nodes can perform transmission with the first node and / or manage the first node based on the transmission capability of the first node. For example, the other nodes may send third information to the first node based on the transmission capability of the first node, where the third information is used to indicate a transmission mode.

[0041] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the transmission capability of the first node includes one of the following:

[0042] The first node only supports a backscatter-based transmission mode;

[0043] The first node only supports a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0044] The first node supports a transmission mode based on backscatter and a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the transmission capability of the first node is specified.

[0046] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, before determining the transmission mode, the method further includes:

[0047] It is determined that the first node supports backscatter-based and autonomous transmission-based transmission modes.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the first node determines the transmission mode when it determines that it supports the transmission modes based on backscattering and autonomous transmission.

[0049] With reference to some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, determining the transmission mode includes:

[0050] Determine the transmission mode according to the first method; or

[0051] The transmission mode is determined according to the received information.

[0052] In the above embodiment, the first node determines the transmission mode according to the first manner or information from other nodes, and can flexibly adjust the transmission mode of the first node based on service requirements or the state of the first node.

[0053] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, determining the transmission mode according to the first manner includes:

[0054] The transmission mode is determined according to an energy level of the first node.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the first node determines the transmission mode according to its energy level. The transmission mode is determined in a simple manner and only requires a simple judgment of the energy level. No instructions are required from other nodes, thus saving control signaling overhead.

[0056] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, determining the transmission mode according to the energy level of the first node includes at least one of the following:

[0057] If the energy level of the first node is greater than a first threshold value, determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0058] If the energy level of the first node is less than a second threshold value, it is determined that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode.

[0059] In the above embodiment, if the energy level of the first node is high, then the first node has sufficient energy to support autonomous transmission, so the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission. Conversely, if the energy level of the first node is low, then the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0060] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0061] Second information is sent, where the second information is used to indicate an energy level of the first node, and the energy level of the first node is used to determine whether to transmit an excitation signal.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the energy level of the first node is notified to other nodes, so that the other nodes determine whether to transmit the excitation signal according to the energy level of the first node, thereby saving power consumption.

[0063] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, determining the transmission mode according to the first manner includes:

[0064] The transmission mode is determined according to whether the first node receives an excitation signal.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the first node determines or switches the transmission mode according to whether the excitation signal is received. The transmission mode is determined in a simple manner and does not require instructions from other nodes, thus saving control signaling overhead.

[0066] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, determining the transmission mode according to whether the first node receives the excitation signal includes at least one of the following:

[0067] If the first node operates in a backscatter-based transmission mode and does not receive the excitation signal at a first moment or within a first time window, determining that the transmission mode is an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode;

[0068] If the first node operates in a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission and receives the excitation signal at a second moment or within a second time window, it is determined that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0069] In the above embodiment, further provisions are made on how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0070] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, determining the transmission mode according to the first manner includes:

[0071] The transmission mode is determined according to the size of the data packet to be transmitted.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the first node determines the transmission mode according to the size of the data packet to be transmitted. The transmission mode is determined in a simple manner and can be flexibly adjusted based on business needs. No instructions are required from other nodes, thus saving control signaling overhead.

[0073] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, determining the transmission mode according to the size of the data packet to be transmitted includes at least one of the following:

[0074] If the size of the data packet to be transmitted is greater than a third threshold, determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0075] If the size of the data packet to be transmitted is smaller than a fourth threshold, it is determined that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the amount of data to be transmitted by backscatter communication is relatively small. Therefore, if the data packet to be transmitted is large, the transmission mode based on autonomous transmission is executed; if the data packet to be transmitted is small, the transmission mode based on backscatter is executed.

[0077] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, determining the transmission mode according to the received information includes:

[0078] The transmission mode is determined according to received third information, where the third information is used to indicate the transmission mode.

[0079] In the above embodiment, since the third information directly indicates the transmission mode, the first node does not need to make any judgment and can determine the transmission mode only according to the indication of the third information.

[0080] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, determining the transmission mode according to the received information includes:

[0081] The transmission mode is determined according to the received resource scheduling information.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the first node can determine the transmission mode only according to the resource scheduling information, and does not need to send additional information, for example, 1 bit of indication overhead can be saved.

[0083] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the resource scheduling information includes time domain resource information of the scheduled transmission, and determining the transmission mode according to the received resource scheduling information includes:

[0084] The transmission mode is determined according to an interval between a time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and a time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information.

[0085] In the above embodiment, it is specified how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0086] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, determining the transmission mode based on the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information includes at least one of the following:

[0087] If the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information is greater than a fifth threshold, determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0088] If the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information is smaller than a sixth threshold, it is determined that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode.

[0089] In the above embodiment, further provisions are made on how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0090] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the resource scheduling information includes frequency domain resource information of the scheduled transmission, and determining the transmission mode according to the received resource scheduling information includes:

[0091] The transmission mode is determined according to the size of the frequency domain resources of the scheduled transmission.

[0092] In the above embodiment, it is specified how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0093] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, determining the transmission mode according to the size of the frequency domain resources of the scheduled transmission includes at least one of the following:

[0094] If the size of the frequency domain resource of the scheduled transmission is greater than a seventh threshold, determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0095] If the size of the frequency domain resource for the scheduled transmission is smaller than an eighth threshold value, it is determined that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode.

[0096] In the above embodiment, further provisions are made on how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0097] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the resource scheduling information includes a number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission, and determining the transmission mode according to the received resource scheduling information includes:

[0098] The transmission mode is determined based on the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission.

[0099] In the above embodiment, it is specified how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0100] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, determining the transmission mode according to the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission includes at least one of the following:

[0101] If the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission is greater than a ninth threshold, determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0102] If the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission is less than a tenth threshold, it is determined that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode.

[0103] In the above embodiment, further provisions are made on how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0104] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a communication method, which is performed by a second node. The method includes:

[0105] First information is received, where the first information is used to indicate a transmission capability of a first node.

[0106] In the above embodiment, the second node receives the first information to obtain the transmission capability of the first node, and can then transmit with the first node and / or manage the first node based on the transmission capability of the first node. For example, the second node sends third information to the first node based on the transmission capability of the first node, where the third information is used to indicate the transmission mode.

[0107] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the transmission capability of the first node includes one of the following:

[0108] The first node only supports a backscatter-based transmission mode;

[0109] The first node only supports a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0110] The first node supports a transmission mode based on backscatter and a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission.

[0111] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0112] receiving second information indicating an energy level of the first node;

[0113] Determining whether to transmit an excitation signal is based on the energy level of the first node.

[0114] In the above embodiment, whether to transmit the excitation signal is determined according to the energy level of the first node, thereby saving power consumption or enabling the first node to perform backscatter communication based on the excitation signal.

[0115] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, determining whether to transmit the excitation signal according to the energy level of the first node includes:

[0116] If the energy level of the first node is less than an eleventh threshold value, it is determined to transmit the excitation signal.

[0117] In the above embodiment, if the energy level of the first node is high, the first node executes the transmission mode based on autonomous transmission, and other nodes do not transmit the excitation signal at this time, thereby saving power consumption.

[0118] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a communication device, including:

[0119] The processing module is configured to determine a transmission mode, where the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode or an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode.

[0120] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a communication device, including:

[0121] The transceiver module is configured to receive first information, where the first information is used to indicate the transmission capability of the first node.

[0122] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a communication device, including:

[0123] one or more processors;

[0124] The communication device is used to execute the method described in the optional implementation manner of the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0125] In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure proposes a communication system, comprising a first node and a second node, wherein the first node is configured to implement the method described in the optional implementation manner of the first aspect, and the second node is configured to implement the method described in the optional implementation manner of the second aspect.

[0126] In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure proposes a storage medium storing instructions, which, when executed on a communication device, enables the communication device to execute the method described in the optional implementation of the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0127] In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure proposes a computer program product, including a computer program, which implements the method described in the optional implementation manner of the first aspect or the second aspect when executed by a communication device.

[0128] In a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a chip or a chip system, wherein the chip or chip system includes a processing circuit configured to execute the method described in the optional implementation of the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0129] It is understandable that the above-mentioned communication devices, communication equipment, communication systems, storage media, computer program products, chips, or chip systems are all used to perform the methods proposed in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Therefore, the beneficial effects that can be achieved can refer to the beneficial effects of the corresponding methods and will not be repeated here.

[0130] The embodiments of the present disclosure are not exhaustive and are merely illustrative of some embodiments, and are not intended to be a specific limitation on the scope of protection of the present disclosure. In the absence of contradiction, each step in a certain embodiment can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the steps can be arbitrarily combined. For example, a solution after removing some steps in a certain embodiment can also be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the order of the steps in a certain embodiment can be arbitrarily exchanged. In addition, the optional implementation methods in a certain embodiment can be arbitrarily combined; in addition, the embodiments can be arbitrarily combined. For example, some or all steps of different embodiments can be arbitrarily combined, and a certain embodiment can be arbitrarily combined with the optional implementation methods of other embodiments.

[0131] In each embodiment of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified or provided for by logic, the terms and / or descriptions between the embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form a new embodiment based on their inherent logical relationships.

[0132] The terms used in the embodiments of the present disclosure are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0133] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, elements expressed in the singular, such as "a", "an", "the", "above", "said", "the", "the", etc., may mean "one and only one", or "one or more", "at least one", etc. For example, when using articles such as "a", "an", "the" in English in translation, the noun following the article may be understood as a singular expression or a plural expression.

[0134] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, “plurality” refers to two or more.

[0135] In some embodiments, the terms "at least one," "one or more," "a plurality of," "multiple," etc. may be used interchangeably.

[0136] In some embodiments, descriptions such as "at least one of A and B," "A and / or B," "A in one case, B in another case," or "in response to one case A, in response to another case B" may include the following technical solutions depending on the situation: in some embodiments, A (A is executed independently of B); in some embodiments, B (B is executed independently of A); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed); and in some embodiments, A and B (both A and B are executed). The above is also applicable when there are more branches such as A, B, and C.

[0137] In some embodiments, "A or B" and other descriptions may include the following technical solutions depending on the situation: in some embodiments, A (A is executed independently of B); in some embodiments, B (B is executed independently of A); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed). The above is also applicable when there are more branches such as A, B, C, etc.

[0138] The prefixes such as "first" and "second" in the embodiments of the present disclosure are only used to distinguish different description objects and do not constitute any restriction on the position, order, priority, quantity or content of the description objects. For the statement of the description object, please refer to the description in the context of the claims or embodiments, and no unnecessary restriction should be constituted due to the use of prefixes. For example, if the description object is a "field", the ordinal number before the "field" in the "first field" and the "second field" does not limit the position or order between the "fields". "First" and "second" do not limit whether the "fields" they modify are in the same message, nor do they limit the order of the "first field" and the "second field". For another example, if the description object is a "level", the ordinal number before the "level" in the "first level" and the "second level" does not limit the priority between the "levels". For another example, the number of description objects is not limited by the ordinal number and can be one or more. Taking "first device" as an example, the number of "devices" can be one or more. In addition, the objects modified by different prefixes can be the same or different. For example, if the description object is "device", then the "first device" and the "second device" can be the same device or different devices, and their types can be the same or different; for another example, if the description object is "information", then the "first information" and the "second information" can be the same information or different information, and their contents can be the same or different.

[0139] In some embodiments, “including A,” “comprising A,” “used to indicate A,” and “carrying A” can be interpreted as directly carrying A or indirectly indicating A.

[0140] In some embodiments, terms such as "in response to...", "in response to determining...", "in the case of...", "at the time of...", "when...", "if...", "if...", etc. can be used interchangeably.

[0141] In some embodiments, terms such as "greater than", "greater than or equal to", "not less than", "more than", "more than or equal to", "not less than", "higher than", "higher than or equal to", "not less than", and "above" can be replaced with each other, and terms such as "less than", "less than or equal to", "not greater than", "less than", "less than or equal to", "not more than", "lower than", "lower than or equal to", "not higher than", and "below" can be replaced with each other.

[0142] In some embodiments, devices and equipment can be interpreted as physical or virtual, and their names are not limited to the names recorded in the embodiments. In some cases, they can also be understood as "equipment", "device", "circuit", "network element", "node", "function", "unit", "section", "system", "network", "chip", "chip system", "entity", "subject", etc.

[0143] In some embodiments, "network" can be interpreted as devices included in the network, such as access network equipment, core network equipment, etc.

[0144] In some embodiments, "access network device (AN device)" may also be referred to as "radio access network device (RAN device)", "base station (BS)", "radio base station", "fixed station", and in some embodiments may also be understood as "node", "access point", "transmission point (TP)", "reception point (RP)", "transmission and / or reception point (TRP)" "panel", "antenna panel", "antenna array", "cell", "macro cell", "small cell", "femto cell", "pico cell", "sector", "cell group", "serving cell", "carrier", "component carrier", "bandwidth part (BWP)", etc.

[0145] In some embodiments, "terminal" or "terminal device" may be referred to as "user equipment (UE)", "user terminal" "mobile station (MS)", "mobile terminal (MT)", subscriber station, mobile unit, subscriber unit, wireless unit, remote unit, mobile device, wireless device, wireless communication device, remote device, mobile subscriber station, access terminal, mobile terminal, wireless terminal, remote terminal, handset, user agent, mobile client, client, etc.

[0146] In some embodiments, obtaining data, information, etc. may comply with the laws and regulations of the country where the data is obtained.

[0147] In some embodiments, data, information, etc. may be obtained with the user's consent.

[0148] In addition, each element, each row, or each column in the table of the embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the combination of any elements, any rows, and any columns can also be implemented as an independent embodiment.

[0149] Passive IoT is a new type of IoT technology. Compared to traditional IoT technologies, a notable feature is the large number of A-IoT terminals (A-IoT UEs, A-IoT devices, and A-IoT tags) in the network. As an application scenario, this enables large-scale inventory and monitoring of items. Compared to narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) terminals, A-IoT terminals have a simpler structure and lower hardware and maintenance costs. A-IoT terminals can be powered or not. For example, when an A-IoT terminal does not have a power supply, it can transmit data using backscatter communications.

[0150] Backscatter communication utilizes the principle of radio frequency signal backscattering. An external electromagnetic wave, called a carrier wave (CW), is provided for reflection. The internal circuitry of the A-IoT terminal modulates the information to be transmitted onto the incident electromagnetic wave through methods such as load impedance modulation, and then transmits the modulated electromagnetic wave carrying the information. The carrier signal is also called the excitation signal.

[0151] In current standardization discussions, three main types of passive IoT devices are discussed:

[0152] Type 1: Peak power consumption is approximately 1 μW. It has energy storage capabilities and lacks in-device downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) signal amplification. The device's UL transmission is backscattered via an externally provided excitation signal.

[0153] Type 2a: Peak power consumption is less than a few hundred μW, with energy storage capabilities, DL and / or UL signal amplification within the device, and the device's UL transmission is backscattered via an externally provided excitation signal.

[0154] Type 2b: Peak power consumption is less than a few hundred μW, with energy storage capabilities, DL and / or UL signal amplification within the device, and the device's UL transmission is autonomously transmitted via signals generated internally.

[0155] In one possible implementation, an A-IoT terminal may have both backscattering and active transmission capabilities. For ease of description, such a terminal may be referred to as a Type 2c device.

[0156] A-IoT terminals can include Type 1, Type 2a, Type 2b, and Type 2c devices. Type 1 and 2a devices are passive, while Type 2b is active. Type 1 devices (device 1) operate based on backscatter, have the lowest complexity, and consume very little power. Type 2a devices (device 2a) support energy storage and operate based on backscatter. Their complexity and power consumption are higher than Type 1 devices, and they have some signal amplification capabilities, but they remain relatively low. Type 2b devices (device 2b) operate based on active transmission. Type 2b devices have the ability to amplify signals and actively transmit information. Type 2c devices have both active transmission and backscatter capabilities. These devices may have energy harvesting capabilities, that is, the ability to draw energy from the environment to power normal uplink and downlink transmissions. Environmental energy includes both natural energy such as solar energy, wind energy, and nuclear energy, as well as artificial energy such as electromagnetic waves transmitted by artificial devices.

[0157] A-IoT devices that transmit via backscatter require an energy source (referred to as a CW node) to provide electromagnetic waves for reflection. The CW can be of constant amplitude. The CW node can be a standalone node or a base station or intermediate node (e.g., a UE) communicating with the A-IoT device.

[0158] The frequency of the electromagnetic wave reflected by the A-IoT terminal can be exactly the same as the CW frequency, or there may be some offset. The size of the offset is related to the hardware characteristics of the A-IoT terminal. The offset may be a fixed value. If the hardware of the A-IoT terminal supports it, it may also support multiple fixed values. Alternatively, the offset may be a dynamically adjustable value.

[0159] 1A and 1B , deployment scenarios of passive IoT may include but are not limited to the following two:

[0160] Scenario 1: The base station directly performs R2D (Reader to Device) or D2R (Device to Reader) communication with the A-IoT terminal.

[0161] Scenario 2: The base station communicates with the intermediate node, and the A-IoT terminal communicates with the intermediate node.

[0162] In the above deployment scenario, when the A-IoT terminal transmits based on backscattering, the base station / intermediate node (such as UE) or a separate node communicating with the A-IoT terminal may provide an excitation signal to the A-IoT terminal.

[0163] It should be noted that FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B only show two typical deployment scenarios and do not constitute a limitation on the deployment scenarios of the passive Internet of Things. In actual applications, there may be other deployment scenarios.

[0164] FIG1C is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG1C , the communication system 100 includes a first node 101 and a second node 102. In some embodiments, the first node 101 is an Internet of Things device. Optionally, the first node 101 is an A-IoT terminal, such as an A-IoT terminal in the deployment scenario shown in FIG1A and FIG1B . In some embodiments, the second node 102 is a node that communicates with the first node 101, such as a base station or an intermediate node (e.g., a UE) that communicates with the A-IoT terminal in the deployment scenario shown in FIG1A and FIG1B .

[0165] As described above, in some implementations, IoT devices may have both backscatter and autonomous transmission capabilities. In this case, how to perform transmission needs to be clarified.

[0166] Figure 2 is an interactive diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2, the communication method involves a communication system, and the method includes:

[0167] Step S2101: A first node sends first information to a second node, where the first information is used to indicate a transmission capability of the first node.

[0168] The first information is indication information for indicating the transmission capability of the first node. The name of the first information is not limited, and it can be, for example, "transmission capability indication information", "capability indication information", "capability information", etc.

[0169] In some embodiments, the transmission capability of the first node includes one of the following:

[0170] The first node only supports backscatter-based transmission mode;

[0171] The first node only supports the transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0172] The first node supports backscatter-based and autonomous transmission-based transmission modes.

[0173] In the above embodiment, the transmission capability of the first node is specified.

[0174] In some embodiments, the first node may send the first information during the access process, or send the first information during the data interaction process after the access.

[0175] Step S2102: The first node determines a transmission mode.

[0176] The above transmission mode is a transmission mode based on backscattering or a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission.

[0177] In some embodiments, before the first node determines the transmission mode, it is determined that the first node supports the backscatter-based and autonomous transmission-based transmission modes.

[0178] When determining the transmission mode, the first node may determine the transmission mode according to the first manner, or may determine the transmission mode according to the received information. The embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit the manner in which the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0179] For ease of understanding, some optional implementations of the first node determining the transmission mode are exemplarily described below.

[0180] (1) Determine the transmission mode according to the first method

[0181] The first node determines the transmission mode according to the first method, which may include but is not limited to any of the following:

[0182] determining a transmission mode based on an energy level of the first node;

[0183] determining a transmission mode according to whether the first node receives the excitation signal;

[0184] The transmission mode is determined according to the size of the data packet to be transmitted.

[0185] Alternatively, the energy level may be represented by the remaining energy (remaining power) of the first node. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the terms energy level, remaining energy, remaining power, etc. may be used interchangeably.

[0186] In some embodiments, determining the transmission mode according to the energy level of the first node may include at least one of the following:

[0187] If the energy level of the first node is greater than a first threshold value, determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0188] If the energy level of the first node is less than the second threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a backscatter-based transmission mode.

[0189] The first threshold value and the second threshold value may be the same or different. Optionally, the first threshold value and / or the second threshold value may be predefined or configured by other nodes. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the other node may be the second node.

[0190] In the above embodiment, the first node can determine the transmission mode based on its energy level. This simple method for determining the transmission mode requires only a simple determination of the energy level, without requiring instructions from other nodes, thus saving control signaling overhead. According to an optional implementation, if the first node's energy level is high, then the first node has sufficient energy to support autonomous transmission, and thus the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission. Conversely, if the first node's energy level is low, then the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0191] In some embodiments, the first node may send second information to other nodes, where the second information is used to indicate the energy level of the first node. After receiving the second information, the other nodes determine whether to transmit an excitation signal based on the energy level of the first node. Optionally, if the energy level of the first node is less than the eleventh threshold value, it is determined to transmit the excitation signal. Optionally, if the energy level of the first node is greater than the twelfth threshold value, it is determined not to transmit the excitation signal. The eleventh threshold value and the twelfth threshold value may be the same or different. The first threshold value and the twelfth threshold value may be the same or different. The second threshold value and the eleventh threshold value may be the same or different. Optionally, the eleventh threshold value and / or the twelfth threshold value may be predefined or configured by other nodes.

[0192] In the above embodiment, the energy level of the first node is notified to other nodes, allowing the other nodes to determine whether to transmit an excitation signal based on the energy level of the first node, thereby saving power. Thus, if the energy level of the first node is high, the first node implements a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission, and other nodes do not transmit excitation signals, thereby saving power. If the energy level of the first node is low, the first node implements a transmission mode based on backscattering, and other nodes transmit excitation signals, so that the first node performs backscatter communication based on the excitation signal.

[0193] In some embodiments, determining the transmission mode according to whether the first node receives the excitation signal may include at least one of the following:

[0194] If the first node operates in a transmission mode based on backscattering and does not receive an excitation signal at a first moment or within a first time window, determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0195] If the first node operates in the transmission mode based on autonomous transmission and receives the excitation signal at the second moment or within the second time window, it is determined that the transmission mode is the transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0196] Optionally, the first moment and / or the second moment may be a predefined moment, and the first time window and / or the second time window may be a predefined time window.

[0197] Optionally, the first node operates in a transmission mode based on backscattering by default, and executes a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission when no excitation signal is received within a predefined moment or time window.

[0198] Optionally, the first node operates in a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission by default, and executes a transmission mode based on backscattering upon receiving an excitation signal at a predefined moment or within a time window.

[0199] In the above embodiment, the first node can determine or switch the transmission mode according to whether the excitation signal is received. The transmission mode is determined in a simple manner and does not require instructions from other nodes, thus saving control signaling overhead.

[0200] In some embodiments, determining the transmission mode based on the size of the data packet to be transmitted may include at least one of the following:

[0201] If the size of the data packet to be transmitted is greater than a third threshold value, determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0202] If the size of the data packet to be transmitted is smaller than the fourth threshold, the transmission mode is determined to be the backscatter-based transmission mode.

[0203] The third threshold value and the fourth threshold value may be the same or different. Optionally, the third threshold value and / or the fourth threshold value may be predefined or configured by other nodes.

[0204] In the above embodiment, the first node can determine the transmission mode based on the size of the data packet to be transmitted. This simple method for determining the transmission mode can be flexibly adjusted based on service needs, without requiring instructions from other nodes, thus reducing control signaling overhead. Furthermore, backscatter communication requires a relatively small amount of data to be transmitted. Therefore, if the data packet to be transmitted is large, the autonomous transmission mode is used; if the data packet to be transmitted is small, the backscatter transmission mode is used.

[0205] It should be noted that, in some embodiments, the transmission mode may also be determined according to other first methods, which are not listed in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0206] (2) Determine the transmission mode based on the received information

[0207] The first node determines a transmission mode based on the received information, which may include but is not limited to any of the following:

[0208] determining a transmission mode according to the received third information;

[0209] The transmission mode is determined according to the received resource scheduling information.

[0210] In some embodiments, the first node determines the transmission mode based on the received third information, where the third information is used to indicate the transmission mode. Since the third information directly indicates the transmission mode, the first node does not need to make any judgment and can determine the transmission mode based on the indication of the third information.

[0211] Optionally, the third information may be carried in the first signaling alone, or may be carried in the first signaling together with other information. The first signaling may be physical layer control signaling or high layer control signaling.

[0212] Optionally, the third information may be 1-bit indication information. For example, the third information is shown in Table 1 below:

[0213] Table 1

[0214] In some embodiments, the first node determines a transmission mode based on received resource scheduling information, where the resource scheduling information is used to schedule the first node for transmission. Optionally, the resource scheduling information may include at least one of time domain resource information, frequency domain resource information, and a number of repetitions for the scheduled transmission (e.g., uplink transmission). In this way, the first node can determine the transmission mode based solely on the resource scheduling information without sending additional information. For example, compared to the previous embodiment, one bit of indication overhead can be saved.

[0215] In some embodiments, the first node determines the transmission mode based on time domain resource information of the scheduled transmission.

[0216] Optionally, the first node determines the transmission mode according to the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information, thereby stipulating how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0217] Optionally, determining the transmission mode according to the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information may include at least one of the following:

[0218] If the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information is greater than a fifth threshold, determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0219] If the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information is smaller than a sixth threshold, it is determined that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode.

[0220] Optionally, contrary to the above implementation, determining the transmission mode based on the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information may include at least one of the following:

[0221] If the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information is greater than a fifth threshold, determining that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode;

[0222] If the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information is smaller than a sixth threshold value, it is determined that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission.

[0223] The fifth threshold value and the sixth threshold value may be the same or different. Optionally, the fifth threshold value and / or the sixth threshold value may be predefined or configured by other nodes.

[0224] In the above embodiment, further provisions are made on how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0225] In some embodiments, the first node determines the transmission mode based on frequency domain resource information of the scheduled transmission.

[0226] Optionally, the first node determines the transmission mode according to the size of the frequency domain resources of the scheduled transmission, thereby stipulating how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0227] Optionally, determining the transmission mode according to the size of the frequency domain resources for the scheduled transmission may include at least one of the following:

[0228] If the size of the frequency domain resource of the scheduled transmission is greater than a seventh threshold, determining the transmission mode to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0229] If the size of the frequency domain resource scheduled for transmission is smaller than an eighth threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a backscatter-based transmission mode.

[0230] Optionally, contrary to the above implementation, determining the transmission mode according to the size of the frequency domain resources for the scheduled transmission may include at least one of the following:

[0231] If the size of the frequency domain resource of the scheduled transmission is greater than a seventh threshold, determining the transmission mode to be a backscatter-based transmission mode;

[0232] If the size of the frequency domain resource for the scheduled transmission is smaller than an eighth threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission.

[0233] The seventh threshold value and the eighth threshold value may be the same or different. Optionally, the fifth threshold value and / or the sixth threshold value may be predefined or configured by other nodes.

[0234] In the above embodiment, further provisions are made on how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0235] In some embodiments, the first node determines the transmission mode based on the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission, thereby specifying how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0236] Optionally, determining the transmission mode according to the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission may include at least one of the following:

[0237] If the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission is greater than a ninth threshold, determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0238] If the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission is less than a tenth threshold, it is determined that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode.

[0239] Optionally, contrary to the above implementation, determining the transmission mode according to the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission may include at least one of the following:

[0240] If the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission is greater than a ninth threshold, determining that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode;

[0241] If the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission is less than a tenth threshold, it is determined that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission.

[0242] The ninth threshold value and the tenth threshold value may be the same or different. Optionally, the ninth threshold value and / or the tenth threshold value may be predefined or configured by other nodes.

[0243] In the above embodiment, further provisions are made on how the first node determines the transmission mode.

[0244] It should be noted that, in some embodiments, the transmission mode may also be determined based on other received information, which is not listed in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0245] In the above embodiment, the first node determines the transmission mode according to the first method or information from other nodes, and can flexibly adjust the transmission mode of the first node based on business requirements (such as the size of the business data packet) or the state of the first node (such as the energy level), so as to ensure that data interaction can be effectively executed and that the first node operates with low power consumption.

[0246] In some embodiments, the names of information, etc. are not limited to the names described in the embodiments, and terms such as "information", "message", "signal", "signaling", "report", "configuration", "indication", "instruction", "command", "channel", "parameter", "domain", "field", "symbol", "bit", and "data" can be used interchangeably.

[0247] In some embodiments, terms such as "uplink", "uplink", "physical uplink", etc. can be used interchangeably, and terms such as "downlink", "downlink", "physical downlink", etc. can be used interchangeably.

[0248] In some embodiments, the terms "downlink control information (DCI)", "downlink (DL) assignment", "DL DCI", "uplink (UL) grant", "UL DCI" and the like may be used interchangeably.

[0249] In some embodiments, terms such as "moment", "time point", "time", and "time position" can be replaced with each other, and terms such as "duration", "period", "time window", "window", and "time" can be replaced with each other.

[0250] In some embodiments, "obtain", "get", "get", "receive", "transmit", "bidirectional transmission", "send and / or receive" can be interchangeable, and can be interpreted as receiving from other entities, obtaining from protocols, obtaining from higher layers, obtaining by self-processing, autonomous implementation, etc.

[0251] In some embodiments, terms such as "send", "transmit", "report", "download", "transmit", "bidirectional transmission", "send and / or receive" can be used interchangeably.

[0252] In some embodiments, terms such as "certain", "preset", "preset", "setting", "indicated", "some", "any", and "first" can be interchangeable. "Specific A", "preset A", "preset A", "setting A", "indicated A", "some A", "any A", and "first A" can be interpreted as A pre-specified in a protocol, etc., or as A obtained through setting, configuration, or indication, etc., or as specific A, some A, any A, or first A, etc., but not limited to this.

[0253] The communication method involved in the embodiment of the present disclosure may include at least one of steps S2101 and S2102. For example, step S2101 may be implemented as an independent embodiment, and step S2102 may be implemented as an independent embodiment.

[0254] In some embodiments, step S2101 is optional and may be omitted or replaced in different embodiments.

[0255] In some embodiments, reference may be made to other optional implementations described before or after the description corresponding to FIG. 2 .

[0256] FIG3A is a flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG3A , the embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a communication method, which includes:

[0257] Step S3101: Send first information, where the first information is used to indicate the transmission capability of the first node.

[0258] The optional implementation of step S3101 can refer to the optional implementation of step S2101 in Figure 2 and other related parts in the embodiment involved in Figure 2, which will not be repeated here.

[0259] In some embodiments, the first information is sent to the second node.

[0260] In some embodiments, the transmission capability of the first node includes one of the following:

[0261] The first node only supports backscatter-based transmission mode;

[0262] The first node only supports the transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0263] The first node supports backscatter-based and autonomous transmission-based transmission modes.

[0264] In some embodiments, step S3101 is optional.

[0265] Step S3102: Determine the transmission mode.

[0266] The transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode or an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode.

[0267] The optional implementation of step S3102 can refer to the optional implementation of step S2102 in Figure 2 and other related parts in the embodiment involved in Figure 2, which will not be repeated here.

[0268] In some embodiments, the first node determines the transmission mode according to a first manner; or, the first node determines the transmission mode according to received information.

[0269] Optionally, the first node determines the transmission mode according to the first manner, including any one of the following:

[0270] determining a transmission mode based on an energy level of the first node;

[0271] determining a transmission mode according to whether the first node receives the excitation signal;

[0272] The transmission mode is determined according to the size of the data packet to be transmitted.

[0273] Optionally, the transmission mode is determined according to the energy level of the first node, including at least one of the following: if the energy level of the first node is greater than a first threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; if the energy level of the first node is less than a second threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0274] Optionally, the first node further sends second information, where the second information is used to indicate an energy level of the first node, and the energy level of the first node is used to determine whether to transmit the excitation signal.

[0275] Optionally, the transmission mode is determined based on whether the first node receives an excitation signal, including at least one of the following: if the first node operates in a transmission mode based on backscattering and does not receive an excitation signal at a first moment or within a first time window, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; if the first node operates in a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission and receives an excitation signal at a second moment or within a second time window, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0276] Optionally, the transmission mode is determined according to the size of the data packet to be transmitted, including at least one of the following: if the size of the data packet to be transmitted is greater than a third threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; if the size of the data packet to be transmitted is less than a fourth threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0277] Optionally, determining a transmission mode based on the received information includes any one of the following:

[0278] determining a transmission mode according to the received third information, where the third information is used to indicate the transmission mode;

[0279] The transmission mode is determined according to the received resource scheduling information.

[0280] Optionally, the resource scheduling information includes time domain resource information of the scheduled transmission, and determining the transmission mode based on the received resource scheduling information includes: determining the transmission mode based on the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information.

[0281] Optionally, the transmission mode is determined based on the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information, including at least one of the following: if the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information is greater than the fifth threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; if the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information is less than the sixth threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0282] Optionally, the resource scheduling information includes frequency domain resource information of the scheduled transmission, and determining the transmission mode according to the received resource scheduling information includes: determining the transmission mode according to the size of the frequency domain resource of the scheduled transmission.

[0283] Optionally, the transmission mode is determined according to the size of the frequency domain resources of the scheduled transmission, including at least one of the following: if the size of the frequency domain resources of the scheduled transmission is greater than the seventh threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; if the size of the frequency domain resources of the scheduled transmission is less than the eighth threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0284] Optionally, the resource scheduling information includes the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission, and determining the transmission mode according to the received resource scheduling information includes: determining the transmission mode according to the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission.

[0285] Optionally, the transmission mode is determined based on the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission, including at least one of the following: if the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission is greater than a ninth threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; if the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission is less than a tenth threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0286] FIG3B is a flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG3B , the embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a communication method, which includes:

[0287] Step S3201: Determine the transmission mode.

[0288] The transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode or an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode.

[0289] The optional implementation of step S3201 can refer to the optional implementation of step S2102 in Figure 2, the optional implementation of step S3102 in Figure 3A, and other related parts in the embodiments involved in Figures 2 and 3A, which will not be repeated here.

[0290] FIG4A is a flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG4A , the embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a communication method, which is executed by a second node and includes:

[0291] Step S4101: Receive first information, where the first information is used to indicate a transmission capability of a first node.

[0292] The optional implementation of step S4101 can refer to the optional implementation of step S2101 in Figure 2 and other related parts in the embodiment involved in Figure 2, which will not be repeated here.

[0293] In some embodiments, first information sent by a first node is received.

[0294] In some embodiments, the transmission capability of the first node includes one of the following:

[0295] The first node only supports backscatter-based transmission mode;

[0296] The first node only supports the transmission mode based on autonomous transmission;

[0297] The first node supports backscatter-based and autonomous transmission-based transmission modes.

[0298] In the above embodiment, the second node receives the first information to obtain the transmission capability of the first node, and can then transmit with the first node and / or manage the first node based on the transmission capability of the first node. For example, the second node sends third information to the first node based on the transmission capability of the first node, where the third information is used to indicate the transmission mode.

[0299] FIG4B is a flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG4B , the embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a communication method, which is executed by the second node and includes:

[0300] Step S4201: Receive second information, where the second information is used to indicate an energy level of a first node.

[0301] Optionally, the energy level of the first node is used to determine whether to transmit the excitation signal.

[0302] Step S4202: Determine whether to transmit an excitation signal according to the energy level of the first node.

[0303] Optionally, if the energy level of the first node is less than an eleventh threshold, it is determined to transmit the excitation signal. Optionally, if the energy level of the first node is greater than a twelfth threshold, it is determined not to transmit the excitation signal. The eleventh threshold and the twelfth threshold may be the same or different. Optionally, the eleventh threshold and / or the twelfth threshold may be predefined or configured by other nodes.

[0304] In the above embodiment, whether to transmit the excitation signal is determined according to the energy level of the first node, thereby saving power consumption or enabling the first node to perform backscatter communication based on the excitation signal.

[0305] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, some or all of the steps and their optional implementations may be arbitrarily combined with some or all of the steps in other embodiments, or with the optional implementations of other embodiments. For example, some or all of the steps in FIG4B may be arbitrarily combined with the steps in FIG4A or some or all of the steps in FIG3A.

[0306] The following is an illustrative description of the embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with an A-IoT terminal (hereinafter referred to as a terminal) and a base station.

[0307] Figure 5 is an interactive diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 5, the embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a communication method, which includes:

[0308] Step S5101: The terminal reports indication information for indicating the transmission capability of the terminal.

[0309] In some embodiments, the indication information may indicate one of the following:

[0310] The terminal only supports the backscattering-based transmission mode;

[0311] The terminal only supports the transmission mode based on autonomous (active) transmission;

[0312] The terminal supports backscatter-based and autonomous transmission-based transmission modes.

[0313] The terminal may report the indication information during the access process, or report the indication information during the data interaction process after the access.

[0314] Step S5102: The terminal determines the transmission mode.

[0315] In some embodiments, it is determined that the terminal supports transmission modes based on backscatter and autonomous transmission, and the terminal determines the transmission mode (the transmission mode adopted by the terminal's uplink transmission) based on the first manner or based on received information.

[0316] (1) Based on the first method

[0317] The terminal determines a backscatter-based transmission mode or an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode based on a predefined rule.

[0318] In some embodiments, the terminal determines the transmission mode based on the terminal's energy level. For example, the terminal may predefine an energy level threshold, or determine the energy level threshold based on configuration information, and determine the transmission mode based on the threshold. For example, when the terminal determines that its remaining battery level is greater than the threshold, the terminal determines that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission. When the terminal determines that its remaining battery level is less than the threshold, the terminal determines that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0319] Optionally, the terminal may also report indication information indicating the energy level of the terminal. After receiving the indication information indicating the energy level of the terminal, the base station determines whether to transmit the excitation signal. For example, when the energy level of the terminal is greater than an energy level threshold, the excitation signal is determined to be transmitted; when the energy level of the terminal is less than the energy level threshold, the excitation signal is determined not to be transmitted.

[0320] In some embodiments, the terminal determines the transmission mode based on whether an excitation signal is received. For example, if the terminal defaults to operating in a backscatter-based transmission mode and no excitation signal is received within a predefined moment or time window, the terminal determines that the transmission mode is an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode. Alternatively, if the terminal defaults to operating in an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode and an excitation signal is received within a predefined moment or time window, the terminal determines that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode.

[0321] In some embodiments, the terminal determines the transmission mode based on the size of the data packet to be transmitted. For example, the terminal may predefine a data packet size threshold, or determine the data packet size threshold based on configuration information, and determine the transmission mode based on the threshold. For example, when the terminal determines that the size of the data packet to be transmitted is greater than the threshold, the transmission mode is determined to be the autonomous transmission mode; when the terminal determines that the size of the data packet to be transmitted is less than the threshold, the transmission mode is determined to be the backscattering-based transmission mode.

[0322] (2) Based on the received information

[0323] The terminal receives downlink information from the base station and determines a transmission mode according to the downlink information.

[0324] In some embodiments, the base station directly indicates the transmission mode in the first signaling, for example, by including 1-bit indication information for indicating the transmission mode in the first signaling. Optionally, the 1-bit indication information can be carried alone in the first signaling, or carried together with other information in the first signaling. The first signaling can be physical layer control signaling or higher layer control signaling.

[0325] In some embodiments, the terminal determines the transmission mode based on resource scheduling information, which may include at least one of time domain resource information, frequency domain resource information, and repetition times of the scheduled uplink transmission.

[0326] For example, the resource scheduling information includes the time domain resource information of the scheduled uplink transmission. When the terminal determines that the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled uplink transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information is greater than a predefined threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission. When the terminal determines that the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled uplink transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information is less than a predefined threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0327] For example, the resource scheduling information includes frequency domain resource information of the scheduled uplink transmission. When the terminal determines that the size of the frequency domain resources of the scheduled uplink transmission is greater than a predefined threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission. When the terminal determines that the size of the frequency domain resources of the scheduled uplink transmission is less than a predefined threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0328] For example, the resource scheduling information includes the number of retransmissions of the scheduled uplink transmission. When the terminal determines that the number of retransmissions of the scheduled uplink transmission is greater than a predefined threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission. When the terminal determines that the number of retransmissions of the scheduled uplink transmission is less than a predefined threshold value, the transmission mode is determined to be a transmission mode based on backscattering.

[0329] The present disclosure also provides an apparatus for implementing any of the above methods. For example, a device is provided that includes units or modules for implementing each step performed by the first node in any of the above methods. For another example, another device is provided that includes units or modules for implementing each step performed by the second node in any of the above methods.

[0330] It should be understood that the division of the various units or modules in the above device is merely a division of logical functions. In actual implementation, they may be fully or partially integrated into a physical entity, or they may be physically separated. In addition, the units or modules in the device may be implemented in the form of a processor calling software: for example, the device includes a processor, the processor is connected to a memory, and the memory stores instructions. The processor calls the instructions stored in the memory to implement any of the above methods or implement the functions of the various units or modules of the above device, wherein the processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a microprocessor, and the memory is a memory within the device or a memory outside the device. Alternatively, the units or modules in the device can be implemented in the form of hardware circuits, and the functions of some or all of the units or modules can be realized by designing the hardware circuits. The above-mentioned hardware circuits can be understood as one or more processors; for example, in one implementation, the above-mentioned hardware circuit is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), which realizes the functions of some or all of the above units or modules by designing the logical relationship of the components in the circuit; for example, in another implementation, the above-mentioned hardware circuit can be realized by a programmable logic device (PLD). Taking a field programmable gate array (FPGA) as an example, it can include a large number of logic gate circuits, and the connection relationship between the logic gate circuits is configured by configuring the configuration file, thereby realizing the functions of some or all of the above units or modules. All units or modules of the above devices can be realized in the form of software called by the processor, or in the form of hardware circuits, or in part by the form of software called by the processor, and the rest by hardware circuits.

[0331] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor is a circuit with signal processing capabilities. In one implementation, the processor can be a circuit with instruction reading and execution capabilities, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a graphics processing unit (GPU) (which can be understood as a microprocessor), or a digital signal processor (DSP). In another implementation, the processor can implement certain functions through the logical relationship of the hardware circuit. The logical relationship of the above-mentioned hardware circuit is fixed or reconfigurable. For example, the processor is a hardware circuit implemented by an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a programmable logic device (PLD), such as an FPGA. In a reconfigurable hardware circuit, the process of the processor loading a configuration document and implementing the hardware circuit configuration can be understood as the process of the processor loading instructions to implement the functions of some or all of the above units or modules. In addition, it can also be a hardware circuit designed for artificial intelligence, which can be understood as an ASIC, such as a neural network processing unit (NPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), a deep learning processing unit (DPU), etc.

[0332] Figure 6A is a structural diagram of a communication device proposed in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 6A, the communication device 6100 may include: at least one of a transceiver module 6101, a processing module 6102, etc. In some embodiments, the processing module 6102 is configured to determine a transmission mode, and the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on backscattering or a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission. Optionally, the transceiver module 6101 is used to execute at least one of the communication steps such as sending and / or receiving (for example, step S2101, but not limited to this) performed by the first node in any of the above methods, which will not be repeated here. Optionally, the processing module 6102 is used to execute at least one of the other steps (for example, step S2102, but not limited to this) performed by the first node in any of the above methods, which will not be repeated here.

[0333] Figure 6B is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device proposed in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 6B, the communication device 6200 may include: at least one of a transceiver module 6201, a processing module 6202, etc. In some embodiments, the above-mentioned transceiver module 6201 is configured to receive first information, and the first information is used to indicate the transmission capability of the first node. Optionally, the above-mentioned transceiver module 6201 is used to perform at least one of the communication steps such as sending and / or receiving performed by the second node in any of the above methods, which will not be repeated here. Optionally, the above-mentioned processing module 6202 is used to perform at least one of the other steps performed by the second node in any of the above methods, which will not be repeated here.

[0334] In some embodiments, the transceiver module may include a transmitting module and / or a receiving module, and the transmitting module and the receiving module may be separate or integrated. Optionally, the transceiver module may be interchangeable with the transceiver.

[0335] In some embodiments, the processing module can be a single module or can include multiple submodules. Optionally, the multiple submodules respectively execute all or part of the steps required to be executed by the processing module. Optionally, the processing module can be interchangeable with the processor.

[0336] Figure 7A is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 7100 proposed in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Communication device 7100 can be a network device (such as a base station, etc.), a terminal (such as an A-IoT terminal, etc.), a chip, chip system, or processor that supports a network device to implement any of the above methods, or a chip, chip system, or processor that supports a terminal to implement any of the above methods. Communication device 7100 can be used to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments. For details, please refer to the description of the above method embodiments.

[0337] As shown in Figure 7A, the communication device 7100 includes one or more processors 7101. The processor 7101 can be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, for example, a baseband processor or a central processing unit. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, and the central processing unit can be used to control communication devices (such as base stations, baseband chips, terminal devices, terminal device chips, distributed units (DUs) or centralized units (CUs), etc.), execute programs, and process program data. The communication device 7100 is used to perform any of the above methods.

[0338] In some embodiments, the communication device 7100 further includes one or more memories 7102 for storing instructions. Optionally, all or part of the memories 7102 may be located outside the communication device 7100.

[0339] In some embodiments, the communication device 7100 further includes one or more transceivers 7103. When the communication device 7100 includes one or more transceivers 7103, the transceiver 7103 performs at least one of the communication steps such as sending and / or receiving in the above method (for example, step S2101, but not limited thereto), and the processor 7101 performs at least one of the other steps (for example, step S2102, but not limited thereto).

[0340] In some embodiments, a transceiver may include a receiver and / or a transmitter. The receiver and transmitter may be separate or integrated. Optionally, the terms transceiver, transceiver unit, transceiver, and transceiver circuit may be used interchangeably; the terms transmitter, transmitting unit, transmitter, and transmitting circuit may be used interchangeably; and the terms receiver, receiving unit, receiver, and receiving circuit may be used interchangeably.

[0341] In some embodiments, the communication device 7100 may include one or more interface circuits 7104. Optionally, the interface circuit 7104 is connected to the memory 7102. The interface circuit 7104 may be configured to receive signals from the memory 7102 or other devices, and may be configured to send signals to the memory 7102 or other devices. For example, the interface circuit 7104 may read instructions stored in the memory 7102 and send the instructions to the processor 7101.

[0342] The communication device 7100 described in the above embodiment may be a network device or a terminal, but the scope of the communication device 7100 described in the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the structure of the communication device 7100 may not be limited by FIG. 7A. The communication device may be an independent device or may be part of a larger device. For example, the communication device may be: 1) an independent integrated circuit IC, or a chip, or a chip system or subsystem; (2) a collection of one or more ICs, optionally, the above IC collection may also include a storage component for storing data or programs; (3) an ASIC, such as a modem; (4) a module that can be embedded in other devices; (5) a receiver, a terminal device, an intelligent terminal device, a cellular phone, a wireless device, a handheld device, a mobile unit, an in-vehicle device, a network device, a cloud device, an artificial intelligence device, etc.; (6) others, etc.

[0343] 7B is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip 7200 proposed in an embodiment of the present disclosure. If the communication device 7100 can be a chip or a chip system, please refer to the schematic diagram of the structure of the chip 7200 shown in FIG7B , but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0344] The chip 7200 includes one or more processors 7201 , and the chip 7200 is configured to execute any of the above methods.

[0345] In some embodiments, the chip 7200 further includes one or more interface circuits 7202. Optionally, the interface circuit 7202 is connected to the memory 7203. The interface circuit 7202 can be used to receive signals from the memory 7203 or other devices, and can be used to send signals to the memory 7203 or other devices. For example, the interface circuit 7202 can read instructions stored in the memory 7203 and send the instructions to the processor 7201.

[0346] In some embodiments, the interface circuit 7202 performs at least one of the communication steps such as sending and / or receiving in the above method (for example, step S2101, but not limited to this), and the processor 7201 performs at least one of the other steps (for example, step S2102, but not limited to this).

[0347] In some embodiments, terms such as interface circuit, interface, transceiver pin, and transceiver may be used interchangeably.

[0348] In some embodiments, the chip 7200 further includes one or more memories 7203 for storing instructions. Alternatively, all or part of the memories 7203 may be located outside the chip 7200.

[0349] The present disclosure also proposes a storage medium having instructions stored thereon. When the instructions are executed on the communication device 7100, the communication device 7100 executes any of the above methods. Optionally, the storage medium is an electronic storage medium. Optionally, the storage medium is a computer-readable storage medium, but is not limited thereto and may also be a storage medium readable by other devices. Optionally, the storage medium may be a non-transitory storage medium, but is not limited thereto and may also be a temporary storage medium.

[0350] The present disclosure also provides a program product, which, when executed by the communication device 7100, enables the communication device 7100 to perform any of the above methods. Optionally, the program product is a computer program product.

[0351] The present disclosure also proposes a computer program, which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform any one of the above methods.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: Executed by the first node, the method includes: A transmission mode is determined, where the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode or an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: First information is sent, where the first information is used to indicate a transmission capability of the first node.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The transmission capability of the first node includes one of the following: The first node only supports a backscatter-based transmission mode; The first node only supports a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; The first node supports a transmission mode based on backscatter and a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that Before determining the transmission mode, the method further includes: It is determined that the first node supports backscatter-based and autonomous transmission-based transmission modes.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The determining of the transmission mode includes: Determine the transmission mode according to the first method; or The transmission mode is determined according to the received information.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The determining the transmission mode according to the first manner includes: The transmission mode is determined according to an energy level of the first node.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The determining the transmission mode according to the energy level of the first node includes at least one of the following: The energy level of the first node is greater than a first threshold value, and determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; The energy level of the first node is less than a second threshold value, and the transmission mode is determined to be a backscatter-based transmission mode.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that The method further comprises: Second information is sent, where the second information is used to indicate an energy level of the first node, and the energy level of the first node is used to determine whether to transmit an excitation signal.

9. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The determining the transmission mode according to the first manner includes: The transmission mode is determined according to whether the first node receives an excitation signal.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The determining the transmission mode according to whether the first node receives the excitation signal includes at least one of the following: The first node operates in a backscatter-based transmission mode and does not receive the excitation signal at a first moment or within a first time window, and determines that the transmission mode is an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode; The first node operates in a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission, and receives the excitation signal at a second moment or within a second time window, and determines that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on backscattering.

11. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The determining the transmission mode according to the first manner includes: The transmission mode is determined according to the size of the data packet to be transmitted.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that The determining of the transmission mode according to the size of the data packet to be transmitted includes at least one of the following: The size of the data packet to be transmitted is greater than a third threshold value, and determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; The size of the data packet to be transmitted is smaller than a fourth threshold value, and the transmission mode is determined to be a backscatter-based transmission mode.

13. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The determining the transmission mode according to the received information includes: The transmission mode is determined according to received third information, where the third information is used to indicate the transmission mode.

14. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The determining the transmission mode according to the received information includes: The transmission mode is determined according to the received resource scheduling information.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that The resource scheduling information includes time domain resource information of scheduled transmission, and determining the transmission mode according to the received resource scheduling information includes: The transmission mode is determined according to an interval between a time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and a time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that The determining the transmission mode according to the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information includes at least one of the following: If the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information is greater than a fifth threshold value, determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; If the interval between the time domain resource position of the scheduled transmission and the time domain resource position of the resource scheduling information is less than a sixth threshold value, it is determined that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode.

17. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that The resource scheduling information includes frequency domain resource information of scheduled transmission, and determining the transmission mode according to the received resource scheduling information includes: The transmission mode is determined according to the size of the frequency domain resources of the scheduled transmission.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that The determining of the transmission mode according to the size of the frequency domain resources of the scheduled transmission includes at least one of the following: The size of the frequency domain resource of the scheduled transmission is greater than a seventh threshold value, and determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; The size of the frequency domain resource for the scheduled transmission is smaller than an eighth threshold value, and it is determined that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein The resource scheduling information includes a number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission, and determining the transmission mode according to the received resource scheduling information includes: The transmission mode is determined based on the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that The determining the transmission mode according to the number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission includes at least one of the following: The number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission is greater than a ninth threshold, determining that the transmission mode is a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; The number of retransmissions of the scheduled transmission is less than a tenth threshold value, and it is determined that the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode.

21. A communication method, characterized in that: Executed by the second node, the method includes: First information is received, where the first information is used to indicate a transmission capability of a first node.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that The transmission capability of the first node includes one of the following: The first node only supports a backscatter-based transmission mode; The first node only supports a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission; The first node supports a transmission mode based on backscatter and a transmission mode based on autonomous transmission.

23. The method according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that The method further comprises: receiving second information indicating an energy level of the first node; Determining whether to transmit an excitation signal is based on the energy level of the first node.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein The determining whether to transmit the excitation signal according to the energy level of the first node includes: The energy level of the first node is less than an eleventh threshold value, and it is determined to transmit the excitation signal.

25. A communication device, characterized in that: include: The processing module is configured to determine a transmission mode, where the transmission mode is a backscatter-based transmission mode or an autonomous transmission-based transmission mode.

26. A communication device, characterized in that: include: The transceiver module is configured to receive first information, where the first information is used to indicate the transmission capability of the first node.

27. A communication device, characterized in that: include: one or more processors; The communication device is used to execute the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 24.

28. A communication system, characterized in that: The system comprises a first node and a second node, wherein the first node is configured to implement the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 20, and the second node is configured to implement the communication method according to any one of claims 21 to 24.

29. A storage medium storing instructions, characterized in that: When the instruction is executed on a communication device, the communication device is caused to execute the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 24.

30. A computer program product comprising a computer program, characterized in that When the computer program is executed by a communication device, the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 24 is implemented.

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