Communication method and device

Abstract

A communication method and apparatus, the method comprising: a first apparatus generating a first signal based on a first pattern, sending the first signal to a second apparatus, and the second apparatus parsing the first signal. Wherein the first device supports a WLAN protocol, the second device supports a cellular communication protocol, and a subcarrier interval corresponding to the WLAN protocol is different from a subcarrier interval corresponding to the cellular communication protocol. The first signal is used for requesting resources, and the first signal occupies N time-frequency units. The first pattern is used for indicating M time frequency units in the N time frequency units, time domains corresponding to the N time frequency units are the same, both M and N are positive integers, and M is smaller than N. In the method, the first signal can be identified by devices (such as the first device and the second device) supporting different communication protocols, so that the first device can request resources from the second device through the first signal, and scheduling of the resources dominated or coordinated by the second device can be realized to reduce resource conflicts as much as possible and improve communication quality.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular, to a communication method and apparatus. BACKGROUND

[0002] Due to the increasingly scarce spectrum resources, communication systems supporting different communication protocols (such as cellular and wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi / WIFI)) are allowed to share unlicensed spectrum. For example, cellular communication systems and WIFI communication systems are allowed to share unlicensed spectrum.

[0003] Communication systems deployed on unlicensed spectrum usually use a competitive manner to use / share wireless resources. That is, network element devices in a wireless communication system use the same or similar principles to compete and use unlicensed spectrum resources fairly. For example, when a device uses time-frequency resources on the unlicensed frequency band, the device needs to perform listen-before-talk (LBT) detection. Through the detection result of LBT, it is determined that the device can use the time-frequency resources when the time-frequency resources are idle.

[0004] In the case of coexistence of cellular communication systems and WIFI communication systems, LBT performed by WIFI devices can affect the services of cellular communication systems, and there is a possibility of resource conflict, causing waste of air interface resources. SUMMARY

[0005] Embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and apparatus for providing a spectrum sharing mechanism to reduce resource conflicts between at least two communication systems and improve communication quality.

[0006] To achieve the above object, embodiments of the present application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0007] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided. The method can be applied to a device supporting a wireless local area network (WLAN), for example, the method is applied to a WIFI device, a component (such as a circuit, a chip or a chip system, etc.) in the WIFI device; or the method is applied to a module or unit that completes part or all of the functions of the WIFI device. For convenience of description, the method is taken as an example below. The first device supports a WLAN protocol, and the first device can be the WIFI device itself, or a component (such as a processor, a chip or a chip system) in the WIFI device, or a logical node, a logical module or software that implements all or part of the functions of the WIFI device. For example, the first device can be an access point (AP), or the first device is a chip or a chip system in the AP.

[0008] The communication method comprises: a first device generating a first signal based on a first pattern, and sending the first signal to a second device. The second device supports a cellular communication protocol, and a subcarrier spacing corresponding to a WLAN protocol is different from a subcarrier spacing corresponding to the cellular communication protocol. The first signal is used to request a resource, and the first signal occupies N time-frequency units. The first pattern is used to indicate M time-frequency units in the N time-frequency units, and the N time-frequency units correspond to a same time domain. M and N are positive integers, and M is less than N.

[0009] The scheme provides the first signal for a scenario in which communication systems supporting different communication protocols coexist. The first signal can be recognized by devices (for example, the first device and the second device) supporting different communication protocols, so that the first device and the second device can communicate based on the first signal. For example, the first device can request a resource from the second device through the first signal. Through the scheme, the scheduling of the resource can be dominated or coordinated by the second device, so as to minimize resource conflicts and improve communication quality.

[0010] Optionally, the first signal is a bit pulse signal, and M time-frequency units in the N time-frequency units are coded as 1, and the remaining N-M time-frequency units in the N time-frequency units are coded as 0. The indication of the first signal can be realized by indicating, through the first pattern, the M time-frequency units in the N time-frequency units that are coded as 1.

[0011] In an implementation manner, a subcarrier spacing of the first signal is a subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol.

[0012] In an implementation manner, the first pattern belongs to a first pattern set, and the first pattern set further comprises a second pattern. The first pattern is nested in the second pattern, or the second pattern is nested in the first pattern.

[0013] In the scheme, a plurality of patterns with different lengths can be defined, and any one of the plurality of patterns can be used to generate the first signal. The pattern with a shorter length is nested in the pattern with a longer length. In this way, the first signal is generated based on the pattern with the longer length. A part of a length corresponding to the first signal can represent a resource demand, and another part of the length can be used for other purposes, for example, the other part can represent a priority of the resource demand, which helps the second device to reasonably schedule the resource according to the first signal and to try to meet the actual demand of the first device for the resource. Optionally, different first devices can adopt the same length of the pattern. In this way, even if a plurality of first devices do not request a resource from the second device at the same time, since the first signals sent by the plurality of first devices are aligned in the frequency domain, the second device can detect the signals in a certain frequency domain, so as to know that the first device needs the resource. Optionally, different first devices can adopt different lengths of the pattern. Since the first pattern is nested in the second pattern, the first signal generated based on the pattern with the longest length can be detected.

[0014] For example, the resource requirement priority corresponding to the first pattern is first priority, and the resource requirement priority corresponding to the second pattern is second priority; the first priority and the second priority are different. It can be seen that more content can be represented by nested patterns, such as resource requirement priorities.

[0015] In one implementation, the first pattern set includes a third pattern, which is the shortest pattern in the first pattern set, and the lengths of the patterns in the first pattern set other than the third pattern are integer multiples of the length of the third pattern.

[0016] In the first set of patterns, the length of all patterns except the third pattern is an integer multiple of the length of the third pattern. This ensures that the performance of patterns of different lengths is balanced as much as possible.

[0017] In one implementation, the method further includes: a first device receiving first indication information from a second device, the first indication information being used to indicate a first set of patterns, or the first indication information being used to indicate the longest pattern in the first set of patterns.

[0018] In this scheme, the first set of drawings is configured by the second device, which is more flexible. Of course, the first set of drawings can also be predefined.

[0019] In one implementation, the first pattern corresponds to the first sequence, wherein the first sequence occupies N bits, one bit corresponds to one time-frequency unit, the bits corresponding to each of the M time-frequency units are 1, and the bits corresponding to each of the remaining NM time-frequency units are 0.

[0020] In one implementation, the method further includes: a first device receiving second indication information from a second device, the second indication information being used to indicate a first pattern.

[0021] In this scheme, the second device can indicate the pattern used by the first device to reduce interference of the first signal in the adjacent interval.

[0022] In one implementation, the second indication information for indicating the first pattern includes: the second indication information for indicating the first pattern among a plurality of patterns; or, the second indication information for indicating the first sub-pattern among a pattern, wherein the first sub-pattern is the first pattern.

[0023] This scheme provides two implementations of the second device indicating the first pattern. For example, the first pattern can be a part of the longest pattern (e.g., also called a sub-pattern). As another example, the first pattern can be one of multiple patterns.

[0024] Secondly, a communication method is provided, which can be applied to devices supporting cellular communication protocols. For example, the method can be applied to network devices, components within network devices (e.g., circuits, chips, or chip systems); or, the method can be applied to modules or units that perform some or all of the functions of a network device. For ease of description, the following example illustrates the application of this method to a second device that supports cellular communication protocols. The first device can be the network device itself, a component within the network device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logical node, logical module, or software that implements all or part of the functions of the network device. For instance, the second device can be a network device, or a chip or chip system within a network device. For example, the second device can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU) for implementing some functions of a network device.

[0025] The communication method includes: a second device receiving a first signal from a first device, parsing the first signal, and determining that the first signal is generated based on a first pattern. The first device supports a WLAN protocol, and the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol is different from the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the cellular communication protocol. The first signal is used to request resources and occupies N time-frequency units. The first pattern is used to indicate M time-frequency units among the N time-frequency units, where the N time-frequency units correspond to the same time domain, M and N are both positive integers, and M is less than N.

[0026] In one implementation, the subcarrier spacing of the first signal is the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol.

[0027] In one implementation, the first pattern belongs to a first pattern set, which also includes a second pattern, wherein the first pattern is nested within the second pattern, or the second pattern is nested within the first pattern.

[0028] In one implementation, the first pattern set includes a third pattern, which is the shortest pattern in the first pattern set, and the lengths of the patterns in the first pattern set other than the third pattern are integer multiples of the length of the third pattern.

[0029] In one implementation, the resource requirement priority corresponding to the first drawing is the first priority, and the resource requirement priority corresponding to the second drawing is the second priority. The first priority and the second priority are different.

[0030] In one implementation, the method further includes: a second device sending first indication information to a first device, the first indication information being used to indicate a first set of patterns, or the first indication information being used to indicate the longest pattern in the first set of patterns.

[0031] In one implementation, the first pattern corresponds to the first sequence, wherein the first sequence occupies N bits, one bit corresponds to one time-frequency unit, the bits corresponding to each of the M time-frequency units are 1, and the bits corresponding to each of the remaining NM time-frequency units are 0.

[0032] In one implementation, the method further includes: a second device sending second instruction information to a first device, the second instruction information being used to indicate a first pattern.

[0033] In one implementation, the second indication information for indicating the first pattern includes: the second indication information for indicating the first pattern among a plurality of patterns; or, the first indication information for indicating the first sub-pattern in a pattern, wherein the first sub-pattern is the first pattern.

[0034] The beneficial effects of the second aspect and its implementation can be referenced to the beneficial effects of the first aspect and any of its implementations, and will not be elaborated here.

[0035] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device that has the functionality to implement the behaviors described in the first or second aspect method examples. The beneficial effects can be found in the relevant descriptions of the first or second aspect and will not be repeated here. For example, the communication device may be the first device in the first aspect, or it may be a device capable of supporting the first device in implementing the functions required by the method provided in the first aspect; for example, the communication device may be an AP or a chip or chip system within an AP. As another example, the communication device may be the second device in the second aspect, or it may be a device capable of supporting the second device in implementing the functions required by the method provided in the second aspect; for example, the communication device may be a chip or chip system within a network device.

[0036] In one possible design, the communication device includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device.

[0037] In one possible design, the communication device includes corresponding means, modules, or units for performing the methods of the first or second aspect. These modules, units, or means can be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination of both. For example, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also called a processing module or processor) and / or a transceiver unit (sometimes also called a transceiver module or transceiver). The transceiver unit is capable of both sending and receiving functions. When the transceiver unit performs the sending function, it can be called a sending unit (sometimes also called a sending module), and when it performs the receiving function, it can be called a receiving unit (sometimes also called a receiving module). The sending unit and the receiving unit can be the same functional unit, referred to as the transceiver unit, which performs both sending and receiving functions; or, the sending unit and the receiving unit can be different functional units, with "transceiver unit" being a general term for these functional units. These units (modules) can perform the corresponding functions in the method examples of the first or second aspect described above, as detailed in the method examples, and will not be repeated here.

[0038] For example, the communication device is used to implement the corresponding function in the method example of the first aspect. The processing module is used to generate a first signal based on a first pattern, and the transceiver module is used to send the first signal to a second device. The second device supports a cellular communication protocol, and the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol is different from the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the cellular communication protocol. The first signal is used to request resources and occupies N time-frequency units. The first pattern is used to indicate M time-frequency units out of the N time-frequency units, where the N time-frequency units correspond to the same time domain, M and N are both positive integers, and M is less than N.

[0039] For example, the communication device is used to implement the corresponding function in the method example of the second aspect. The transceiver module is used to receive a first signal from the first device, and the processing module is used to parse the first signal and determine that the first signal is generated based on a first pattern. The first device supports the WLAN protocol, and the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol is different from the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the cellular communication protocol. The first signal is used to request resources and occupies N time-frequency units. The first pattern is used to indicate M time-frequency units out of the N time-frequency units, where the N time-frequency units correspond to the same time domain, M and N are both positive integers, and M is less than N.

[0040] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device including a processor configured to execute the methods of the first aspect or the second aspect and any implementation thereof. Optionally, the communication device further includes a communication interface. Optionally, the communication device also includes a memory for storing computer programs (also referred to as code or instructions), data, etc. The processor is coupled to the memory and the communication interface. When the processor reads the computer program, data, etc. from the memory, it causes the communication device to execute the methods of the first aspect or the second aspect and any implementation thereof.

[0041] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device including an input / output interface and logic circuitry. The input / output interface is used for inputting and / or outputting information. The input / output interface may be an interface circuit, an output circuit, an input circuit, pins, or related circuits, etc. The logic circuitry is used to execute the methods described in the first or second aspect.

[0042] In the fourth and fifth aspects, the communication device may be the first device in the first aspect, or the communication device may be a device capable of supporting the first device to perform the functions required by the method provided in the first aspect, such as the communication device being an access point (AP) or a chip / chip system within an AP. Alternatively, the communication device may be the second device in the second aspect, or the communication device may be a device capable of supporting the second device to perform the functions required by the method provided in the second aspect, such as the communication device being a network device or a chip or chip system within a network device. The chip may be a baseband chip and / or a radio frequency chip, and the chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0043] In one implementation of the fifth aspect, when the communication device is an access point (AP), the interface circuit can be the radio frequency processing chip in the AP, and the processing circuit can be the baseband processing chip in the AP. When the communication device is a network device, the interface circuit can be the radio frequency processing chip in the network device, and the processing circuit can be the baseband processing chip in the network device.

[0044] In one implementation of the fifth aspect, when the communication device is a chip or chip system, the input circuit can be an input pin, the output circuit can be an output pin, and the logic circuit can be a transistor, gate circuit, flip-flop, or various other logic circuits. The input signal received by the input circuit can be received and input by, for example, but not limited to, a receiver; the signal output by the output circuit can be, for example, but not limited to, output to a transmitter and transmitted by the transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as both the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the input / output interface and the logic circuit.

[0045] Sixthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication system, which includes a WIFI device and a network device, wherein the WIFI device is used to implement the function of the method described in the first aspect, and the network device is used to implement the function of the method described in the second aspect.

[0046] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the methods described in the first or second aspect and any of their implementations to be implemented.

[0047] Eighthly, embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the methods described in the first or second aspect and any of their implementations to be implemented.

[0048] The beneficial effects of the third to eighth aspects and their implementation methods mentioned above can be referenced to the beneficial effects of the first to second aspects and any one of their implementation methods. Attached Figure Description

[0049] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the network architecture of the communication system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0050] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the first resource provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of resource mapping for the first signal provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 5 Resource mapping diagram of first signals sent by two first devices provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0054] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the relationship between the subcarrier intervals corresponding to the communication protocols supported by the first and second devices provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0055] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first signaling provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0056] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of resource mapping for each pattern in the first pattern set provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0057] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0058] Figure 10 This is another schematic diagram of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application can be applied to communication systems that support at least two communication protocols. For example, the embodiments of this application can be applied to scenarios where a communication system supports a cellular communication protocol and a communication system supports a WLAN protocol, or the solutions provided in the embodiments of this application can be applied to scenarios where cellular communication systems and WIFI communication systems coexist.

[0060] Cellular communication systems can be cellular systems related to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, 5th Generation (5G) mobile communication systems / New Radio (NR) systems, future mobile communication systems, future-oriented evolution systems, or other similar communication systems. Other similar communication systems may include Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) systems, Internet of Things (IoT) systems, and so on. Wi-Fi communication systems can be systems compatible with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol (e.g., IEEE 802.11ax protocol or future 802.11 protocols).

[0061] Please see Figure 1 This illustration shows a communication system applicable to embodiments of this application. The communication system includes a cellular communication system and a Wi-Fi communication system. The cellular communication system includes a radio access network and a core network (…). Figure 1 (Not shown). A wireless access network may include at least one network device and at least one terminal device. Figure 1 Taking a wireless access network comprising one network device and two terminal devices (i.e., terminal device 1 and terminal device 2) as an example, the network device and the terminal devices can communicate with each other. A Wi-Fi communication system includes at least one access point and at least one site. Figure 1Taking a Wi-Fi communication system comprising one access point and two sites (i.e., site 1 and site 2) as an example, the access point and the sites can communicate with each other. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cellular communication system and the Wi-Fi communication system can communicate with each other. For example, the network device and the access point can communicate with each other. For instance, the access point can request resources from the network device.

[0062] Figure 1 The network architecture shown is merely illustrative; the number of terminal devices and / or network devices may be fewer or more. The communication system described in the embodiments of this application is intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application and does not constitute a limitation on the communication system to which the embodiments of this application apply. For example, the communication system may also include other devices, such as wireless relay devices and wireless backhaul devices, etc. Figure 1 Not shown in the diagram. Those skilled in the art will recognize that, with the evolution of network architecture, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems. When applying the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application to other communication systems, the devices, components, modules, etc., in the embodiments can be replaced with corresponding devices, components, modules in other communication systems, without limitation.

[0063] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application, the relevant technical terms involved in the embodiments of this application will be explained below.

[0064] (1) Network equipment

[0065] In this embodiment, network equipment refers to (radio)access network ((R)AN) equipment / RAN node. In this embodiment, (R)AN and RAN are interchangeable. RAN can be a 3GPP-related cellular system, such as a 5G / NR mobile communication system, or a future-oriented evolution system. RAN can also be an open access network (openRAN, O-RAN, or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), a virtualized radio access network (vRAN), a non-terrestrial network (NTN), etc. RAN can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems. RAN equipment can also be called a RAN node, RAN entity, or access node, etc.

[0066] In one possible scenario, a RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), or a base station in a future mobile communication system. RAN nodes can also be macro base stations, micro base stations, indoor stations, relay nodes, donor / host nodes, or radio controllers. RAN nodes can also be servers, wearable devices, vehicles, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, in V2X technology, the RAN node can be a roadside unit (RSU).

[0067] In another possible scenario, the RAN node can be a module or unit that performs some of the functions of the base station; or multiple RAN nodes can cooperate to assist terminal equipment in achieving wireless access, with different RAN nodes performing some of the functions of the base station. For example, the RAN node can be a CU, DU, or RU. The function of the CU can be implemented by a single entity or by different entities. For example, the function of the CU can be further divided, that is, the control plane and the user plane can be separated and implemented by different entities, namely the control plane CU entity (i.e., CU-control plane (CP) entity) and the user plane CU entity (i.e., CU-user plane (UP) entity). The CU-CP entity and the CU-UP entity can be coupled with the DU to jointly complete the function of the RAN node. The CU and DU can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as in the baseband unit (BBU). Any of the units among the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented by software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software modules and hardware modules.

[0068] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples.

[0069] The CU and DU can be configured according to the protocol layer functions of the wireless network they implement: for example, the CU can be configured to implement the functions of the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and above (such as the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer and / or the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer); the DU can be configured to implement the functions of the protocol layers below the PDCP layer (such as the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, the Media Access Control (MAC) layer, and / or the Physical (PHY) layer). For specific descriptions of the above protocol layers, please refer to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications or the technical specifications of other applicable communication protocols.

[0070] The above division of the processing functions of CU and DU according to protocol layers is merely an example; other division methods are also possible, and this application does not limit this. For example, in one design, CU or DU can be further divided into processing functions with protocol layers. In one design, some functions of the RLC layer and the functions of the protocol layer above the RLC layer are located in the CU, while the remaining functions of the RLC layer and the functions of the protocol layer below the RLC layer are located in the DU.

[0071] In another possible design, the DU and RU collaborate to implement the PHY layer functionality, or, more specifically, a portion of the PHY layer functionality of the DU can be moved to the RU. A DU can be connected to one or more RUs. The functions of the DU and RU can be configured in various ways depending on the design. For example, the DU may be configured to implement baseband functions, and the RU may be configured to implement mid-RF functions. Alternatively, the DU may be configured to implement higher-level functions in the PHY layer, and the RU may be configured to implement lower-level functions in the PHY layer, or both lower-level and RF functions. Higher-level functions in the physical layer may include a portion of the physical layer's functionality closer to the MAC layer, and lower-level functions may include another portion of the physical layer's functionality closer to the mid-RF side. This application does not limit the specific functions of the DU and RU. The interface between the DU and RU can be called a fronthaul interface. In one design, the CU may not have a PDCP layer; for example, the CU may only include an RRC layer. The CU-CP may not have PDCP-C. The CU-UP may not have PDCP-U, or may not have a CU-UP. In one design, the DU may not have an RLC layer; for example, the DU may only have a MAC and a higher PHY layer.

[0072] When the RAN is O-RAN, it can also have artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. For example, O-RAN includes an intelligent controller. The intelligent controller can be a non-real-time RAN intelligent controller (RIC / non-RT RIC / NRTRIC) or a near-real-time RAN intelligent controller (RIC / nRT RIC / nRT RIC). A non-real-time RIC can be used to implement non-real-time intelligent management of RAN functions, enabling workflows including model training and updates, and guiding applications / functions in the nRT RIC based on policies. A near-real-time RIC can be used to implement near-real-time intelligent management of the RAN. Through data collection and related operations on the E2 interface, near-real-time control and optimization of O-RAN modules and resources are achieved.

[0073] (2) Terminal equipment

[0074] Any device capable of communicating with a base station can be considered a terminal device. Terminal devices are also called terminals, terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), mobile stations, or mobile terminals. Terminal devices can be widely used in various scenarios. Examples include: mobile phones, computers, mobile internet devices (MID), wearable devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, stations (STA), robotic arms, cameras, robots, vehicles, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, or smart home devices (such as televisions, air conditioners, robot vacuums, speakers, set-top boxes), relays, and customer premises equipment (CPE).

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the terminal device can also be a terminal device in an IoT system, such as a water meter or electricity meter. IoT is an important component of future information technology development. Its main technical characteristic is connecting objects to networks through communication technology, thereby realizing an intelligent network that enables human-machine interconnection and object-to-object interconnection.

[0076] When the terminal device is applied to V2X, it can also be called a V2X device, such as a smart car, an unmanned car, a driverless car, a pilotless car, or an automobile, or a roadside unit (RSU). All the terminal devices described above, if located on a vehicle (e.g., placed / installed inside the vehicle), can be considered in-vehicle terminal devices. In-vehicle terminal devices can be built into a vehicle's on-board module, on-board unit, on-board component, on-board chip, or on-board unit as one or more components or units. The vehicle can implement the methods of this application through the built-in on-board module, on-board unit, on-board component, on-board chip, or on-board unit. In-vehicle terminal devices can be vehicle equipment, on-board modules, vehicles, on-board units (OBU), RSUs, in-vehicle infotainment systems (or on-board transmitting units) (telematics boxes, T-boxes), chips, or SoCs, etc., and the aforementioned chips or SoCs can be installed in the vehicle, OBU, RSU, or T-box.

[0077] (3) Access Point / AP

[0078] An access point is a device deployed in a wireless communication network to provide wireless communication functionality to its associated station (STA). The access point can serve as the central hub of the communication system and can be a base station, router, gateway, repeater, communication server, switch, or bridge, among other communication devices. For ease of description, the devices mentioned above are collectively referred to as access points. The access points discussed in this application are those conforming to the IEEE 802.11 system standard. For example, an AP is a network-side product that supports the MAC and PHY of the 802.11 system standard, such as a router or repeater.

[0079] (4) Pulse signal

[0080] A pulse signal is a signal formed by multiple pulses. A pulse is a short-duration signal occurring within the entire signal period, relative to a continuous signal; there is no signal for most of the signal period. Alternatively, a pulse signal can be understood as a discrete signal, continuously transmitted at regular time intervals with a certain voltage amplitude. In the embodiments of this application, the time intervals between adjacent pulse signals can be the same or different. For example, a pulse signal occupies N time-frequency units, where the voltage amplitudes in these N time-frequency units can be the same or different.

[0081] (5) Time-frequency unit

[0082] A time-frequency unit is a unit composed of time-domain units and frequency-domain units. The time-domain unit generally refers to a unit of time. A time-domain unit can be a radio frame, subframe, slot, mini-slot, OFDM symbol, millisecond (ms), or fractional milliseconds (e.g., 1 / 32ms). Alternatively, a time-domain unit can be multiple slots, multiple subframes, multiple mini-slots, multiple OFDM symbols, or several milliseconds (ms) or fractional milliseconds. A radio frame can include multiple subframes, a subframe can include one or more slots, and a slot can include at least one symbol. Alternatively, a radio frame can include multiple slots, and a slot can include at least one symbol. The frequency-domain unit generally refers to a unit of frequency. A frequency-domain unit can be several subcarriers.

[0083] (6) In the embodiments of this application, "transmission" includes "sending" and / or "receiving". "Sending" and "receiving" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "sending information to XX" can be understood as the destination of the information being XX, which may include direct transmission via the air interface or indirect transmission by other units or modules via the air interface. "Receiving information from YY" can be understood as the source of the information being YY, which may include direct reception from YY via the air interface or indirect reception from YY by other units or modules via the air interface. "Sending" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receiving" can also be understood as the "input" of the chip interface. In other words, sending and receiving can occur between devices, such as between access network devices and terminal devices, or within a device, such as between components, modules, chips, software modules, or hardware modules within the device via a bus, wiring, or interface.

[0084] In this application embodiment, the number of nouns, unless otherwise specified, refers to "singular nouns or plural nouns," that is, "one or more." "At least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A / B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, and / or c means the following combinations: a exists alone, b exists alone, c exists alone, a and b exist simultaneously, a and c exist simultaneously, b and c exist simultaneously, or a, b, and c exist simultaneously, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0085] In the embodiments of this application, "when," "if," and "if" all refer to the device taking corresponding actions under certain objective circumstances, and are not time-limited, nor do they require the device to perform a judgment action, nor do they imply any other limitations. Unless otherwise specified, "if" and "if" can be substituted, and "when" and "in the case of" can be substituted. "When" and "if" / "if" can be substituted.

[0086] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0087] In this application, the ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish multiple objects, and are not used to limit the size, content, order, timing, priority, or importance of the multiple objects. For example, "first device" and "second device" refer to two different devices, and do not indicate a difference in priority or importance between the two devices.

[0088] Due to the increasing scarcity of spectrum resources, communication systems supporting different communication protocols (such as cellular and wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi / WIFI)) are allowed to share unlicensed spectrum. For example, cellular communication systems and WIFI communication systems are permitted to share unlicensed spectrum. Communication systems deployed on unlicensed spectrum typically use / share wireless resources in a competitive manner. That is, network elements in a wireless communication system compete and use unlicensed spectrum resources fairly based on the same or similar principles. For example, when a device uses time-frequency resources in an unlicensed frequency band, it needs to perform LBT (Local Time-Block Detection) detection. The LBT detection result determines whether the time-frequency resource can be used by the device.

[0089] When cellular communication systems and Wi-Fi communication systems coexist, using LBT (Local Broadband Technology) on Wi-Fi devices can affect the services of cellular communication systems and may cause resource conflicts, resulting in a waste of air interface resources.

[0090] Therefore, the present application provides a solution based on an embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, spectrum sharing is achieved based on coexistence signals. A coexistence signal refers to a signal that can be recognized by both devices supporting cellular communication protocols (e.g., cellular devices) and devices supporting WLAN protocols (e.g., Wi-Fi devices). Thus, when an access point has resource requirements, it can request resources from the network device based on the coexistence signal. The network device can then lead or coordinate resource scheduling, thereby minimizing resource conflicts and improving communication quality.

[0091] It should be understood that cellular devices and Wi-Fi devices support different communication protocols, or that the communication parameters of cellular communication systems and Wi-Fi communication systems differ. Therefore, cellular devices and Wi-Fi devices interpret the same signals differently; in other words, cellular devices cannot recognize signals sent by Wi-Fi devices, and vice versa. For example, the subcarrier spacing of a cellular system is typically 15kHz or 30kHz, while the subcarrier spacing of a Wi-Fi system is typically 78.125kHz. If a cellular device sends a signal with a subcarrier spacing of 15kHz or 30kHz, a Wi-Fi device will interpret the received signal according to a subcarrier spacing of 78.125kHz, leading to incorrect signal interpretation.

[0092] Therefore, embodiments of this application propose using pulse signals as a coexistence signal between cellular systems and Wi-Fi systems. Devices can identify pulse signals through energy detection, thus allowing both cellular and Wi-Fi systems to recognize them. Based on this, possible pulse signals can be designed for Wi-Fi devices to request resources from cellular devices, thereby enabling cellular devices to lead or coordinate resource scheduling, minimizing resource conflicts, and improving communication quality.

[0093] The communication method provided in the embodiments of this application is described below.

[0094] In the following description, the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application is applied to... Figure 1 Taking the network architecture shown as an example, the communication method provided in this application embodiment can be executed by a first device and a second device. The steps executed by the first device can be implemented by the AP itself, or by components within the AP (such as a baseband chip, or other processing units or processor modules). The steps executed by the second device can be implemented by the RAN device itself, or by components within the RAN device (such as a baseband chip, or other processing units or processor modules), or by components that perform some or all of the functions of the RAN device (such as a CU, DU, or RU). The specific form of the first and second devices is not limited. For example, the first device can be a functional unit within a device, and the second device can be the device itself; or, both the first and second devices can be functional units or devices within a device. In possible scenarios, the first device can be... Figure 1 The access point shown, or it could be Figure 1 The processor in the access point; the second device can be Figure 1 Network devices in, or could be Figure 1 The CU / DU / RU in the network devices.

[0095] The first device supports the WLAN protocol, the second device supports the cellular communication protocol, and the subcarrier intervals corresponding to the WLAN protocol and the cellular communication protocol are different.

[0096] Please see Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 The method is described from the perspective of the interaction between the first and second devices. It should be understood that the communication method can also be implemented by other devices, such as a chip or communication device with communication capabilities. Furthermore, the processing performed by a single execution entity can be divided into multiple execution entities, which can be logically and / or physically separated. For example, the processing performed by the second device can be divided into execution by at least one of CU, DU, RU, etc. Figure 2 As shown, the communication method includes the following steps.

[0097] S201, the first device sends a first signal to the second device, and correspondingly, the second device receives the first signal from the first device.

[0098] The first signal can be used by the first device to request resources from the second device. When the first device has resource requirements, it can send the first signal to the second device. The specific name of the first signal is not limited in this application embodiment; for example, the first signal can also be called a request signal (RS) or a resource request signal.

[0099] The first device may transmit a first signal on a first resource, which may be (pre)configured or predefined. Optionally, the first device may be scheduled by a second device or other devices. The first resource may be a periodic resource, and the period of the first resource may be predefined or (pre)configured.

[0100] For example, see Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the first resource provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 Taking a configured first resource as an example, the first resource can be configured via signals on a second resource. The second resource can be periodic. The first resource can also be a periodic resource. In possible implementations, a first protection interval is reserved before the first resource, and a second protection interval is reserved after the first resource, such as... Figure 3 As shown. Optionally, the second protection interval is greater than the first protection interval, so that even if the first device and the second device have a time discrepancy, the first signal can be guaranteed to be received by the second device within the first resource.

[0101] The first signal can be a pulse signal. Based on energy detection, this first signal can be interpreted / identified, allowing both the first and second devices to recognize it. It is understood that the pulse signal uses the presence or absence of a signal on a subcarrier to represent digital information. The corresponding bit information is modulated and mapped to at least one time-frequency unit. The bit information of the signal is determined by detecting whether there is a signal on the time-frequency unit. The presence of a signal on the time-frequency unit means that the signal amplitude is not zero or is higher than a certain threshold; such a time-frequency unit can be decoded as 1. Conversely, the absence of a signal on the time-frequency unit means that the signal amplitude is zero or lower than a certain threshold; such a time-frequency unit can be decoded as 0.

[0102] The first signal can be generated based on a first pattern, or the first pattern can be used to generate the first signal. The first pattern can indicate the bit information corresponding to the first signal. Taking the first signal occupying N time-frequency units as an example, that is, the first signal is mapped to N time-frequency units, where the time domains corresponding to these N time-frequency units are the same. In this case, the first pattern can indicate M time-frequency units out of the N time-frequency units, where M and N are both positive integers, and M is less than N. When the first pattern indicates M time-frequency units out of the N time-frequency units, it can be assumed that these M time-frequency units can be decoded as 1, and the remaining NM time-frequency units are decoded as 0. For example, the first signal corresponds to a first sequence, the first sequence occupies N bits, one bit corresponds to one time-frequency unit, the bits corresponding to each of the M time-frequency units are 1, and the bits corresponding to each of the remaining NM time-frequency units are 0.

[0103] The first pattern indicates M time-frequency units out of N time-frequency units, and can be replaced by any of the following descriptions: the first pattern indicates M time-frequency units out of N time-frequency units, and the M time-frequency units are decoded as 1, while the remaining NM time-frequency units are decoded as 0; or, the first pattern indicates M time-frequency units out of N time-frequency units, and the signal amplitude on the M time-frequency units is not 0; or, the first pattern indicates M time-frequency units out of N time-frequency units, and the signal amplitude on the M time-frequency units is 1, while the signal amplitude on the remaining NM time-frequency units is 0. It should be noted that a signal amplitude of 1 or 0 refers to the result of signal amplitude normalization.

[0104] When the first device sends the first signal, it maps the first signal to N time-frequency units according to the first pattern to form a pulse modulation signal.

[0105] For example, see Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of resource mapping for the first signal provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 4 Taking the ratio of the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WIFI protocol to the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the cellular communication protocol as an example, which is approximately 3:2, or the ratio of the subcarrier bandwidth corresponding to the WIFI protocol to the subcarrier bandwidth corresponding to the cellular communication protocol as an example, which is approximately 2:3.

[0106] Taking the first pattern or first signal as {1010} as an example, the first pattern corresponds to four time-frequency units, namely time-frequency unit 0 to time-frequency unit 3. On the first device side, each time-frequency unit containing the first signal corresponds to two WIFI subcarriers; on the second device side, each time-frequency unit containing the first signal corresponds to three cellular subcarriers. The first device transmits the first signal on the four time-frequency units, and the second device detects the first signal on the four time-frequency units. The process of the second device detecting the first signal is the energy detection process, which can detect the amplitude of the signal on each time-frequency unit. In a possible implementation, the amplitude of the signal on time-frequency units 0 to 3 can be detected based on a certain threshold. If the amplitude of the signal on a time-frequency unit exceeds the threshold, the time-frequency unit is decoded as 1; if the amplitude of the signal on a time-frequency unit is lower than the threshold, the time-frequency unit is decoded as 0. Optionally, during the detection process, the threshold can be gradually increased until the first signal can be detected.

[0107] from Figure 4 As can be seen, the first signal is sent by the first device, and the subcarrier spacing of the first signal is the same as the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol. Nevertheless, when the first signal is a pulse signal, the second device can identify / detect the first signal through energy detection. Thus, the second device can identify that it originates from the first device; communication between the two can be achieved simply by defining the meaning or function of the first signal / pattern. For example, the first signal can be used to request resources. When the second device detects the first signal, it can determine that the first device needs resources. When the second device determines that the first device needs resources, it can allocate fewer resources to reserve more available resources for the first device. This application does not limit how the first device uses available resources. For example, the first device can determine idle resources from available resources through LBT (Local Bit Bypass) and use these idle resources for service transmission.

[0108] Furthermore, multiple first devices may request resources from a second device, and these multiple first devices may use the same first signal / first pattern. Thus, even if multiple first devices do not send the first signal simultaneously, the second device can still detect the first signal through energy detection to determine that a first device is requesting resources.

[0109] For example, see Figure 5 This is a resource mapping diagram of the first signals sent by the two first devices provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 5 Taking two first devices, access point 1 and access point 2, as an example. The pattern corresponding to the first signal transmitted by access point 1 and access point 2 is {1010}. From... Figure 5It can be seen that although access point 1 and access point 2 send the first signal at different times, the second device can still detect {1010} because the pattern corresponding to the first signal sent by access point 1 and access point 2 is {1010}. Therefore, when multiple first devices have resource requirements, these multiple first devices can send the first signal using the same pattern.

[0110] Understandable Figure 4 and Figure 5 Taking an example where the ratio of the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the communication protocol supported by the first device to that supported by the second device is approximately 3:2. In practical scenarios, the ratio of the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the communication protocol supported by the first device to that supported by the second device should be based on the actual application scenario.

[0111] For example, see Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the subcarrier intervals corresponding to the communication protocols supported by the first and second devices provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 6 With the subcarrier spacing of the WLAN protocol supported by the first device being 78.125kHz and the subcarrier spacing of the cellular communication protocol supported by the second device being 15kHz, the ratio between the two is approximately 125:24, or approximately 5:1. The number of subcarriers per time-frequency unit on the first device side can be specified. For example, as... Figure 6 As shown, on the first device side, one time-frequency unit corresponds to one subcarrier; however, on the second device side, one time-frequency unit corresponds to five or six subcarriers. The second device can detect the first signal transmitted by the first device by checking the energy on each time-frequency unit.

[0112] In possible implementations, multiple patterns can be predefined, with each pattern corresponding to a specific pulse signal. Alternatively, multiple pulse signals can be predefined. For example, the following patterns can be predefined: {1010}, {0101}, {10011}, {01010}, {100101}, {010101}, etc. The length of the patterns is not limited in this embodiment. Furthermore, the lengths of the multiple patterns can be the same or different. This allows the first device to select a suitable pulse signal or pattern based on the size of the first resource when requesting resources from the second device, providing greater flexibility. For example, if the first resource occupies a large number of time-frequency units, a longer pulse signal or pattern can be selected to request resources from the second device; conversely, if the first resource occupies fewer time-frequency units, a shorter pulse signal or pattern can be selected to request resources from the second device.

[0113] The first device can request resources from the second device based on any pulse signal. Considering that multiple first devices may request resources from the second device, and the second device detects the first signal from one or more first devices by energy, if the multiple first devices use different first signals, they may interfere with each other, causing the second device to err on the side of detecting the first signal, or even fail to detect the first signal at all.

[0114] To this end, it can be agreed that at least one first device in the same cell uses the same pulse signal or obtains the first signal based on the same pattern. Different cells can use different pulse signals or patterns to reduce interference between neighboring cells. For example, cell 1 has first devices 1 and 2 within its coverage area, and cell 2 has first devices 3 and 4 within its coverage area. First devices 1 and 2 use pattern 1 to generate the first signal, while first devices 3 and 4 use pattern 2. This reduces interference between cell 1 and cell 2, thereby preventing erroneous detection of the first signal from either cell 1 or cell 2.

[0115] In one implementation, the pattern used by the first device may be configured / indicated by the second device, or by other devices, to reduce interference between the first signals in adjacent areas. For example, the second device may send second indication information to the first device, which may indicate the first pattern.

[0116] The second indication information can be carried in the first field of the first signaling, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the specific name of the first field is not limited in this embodiment. For example, the first field may be called a pattern field. Optionally, the first signaling may also include a second field, which can be used for time synchronization and frequency synchronization between the first device and the second device. The specific name of the second field is not limited in this embodiment; for example, the second field may be called a preamble field (…). Figure 7 (Taking this as an example). The specific implementation of the first signaling is not limited in this embodiment, as long as the first device can recognize / parse the first signaling.

[0117] As an example, multiple patterns can be defined, and the set of these patterns can be called the first pattern set. For example, the first pattern set includes a first pattern and a second pattern, and so on. First indication information can be used to indicate the first pattern in the first pattern set / multiple patterns. For example, second indication information may include the index of the first pattern. For instance, the second indication information occupies P bits, where one value / state of the P bits corresponds to one pattern, and P is a positive integer.

[0118] For example, please refer to Table 1, which shows the correspondence between P bits and multiple patterns. Table 1 uses P=2 as an example, which can indicate 4 patterns. As shown in Table 1, when the value of P bits is 00, it means that the index of the first pattern is 0, and the first device can determine the first pattern based on the index of the first pattern.

[0119] Table 1

[0120] Second indication information / P bits Pattern 00 1010 01 0101 10 100101 11 010101

[0121] As another example, a pattern (e.g., called pattern X) can be defined, and second indication information can be used to indicate a first sub-pattern within pattern X, which is called pattern X. The second indication information may include a first value, and a second value may represent the length of the first sub-pattern. In this case, the starting position of the first sub-pattern can be defaulted to the starting position of pattern X, so that the first sub-pattern / first pattern can be determined based on the second indication information and pattern X.

[0122] Considering that different first devices perform different tasks, their resource requirements and urgency levels vary. To assist the second device in more rationally allocating resources, the first devices can inform the second device of their resource needs. In this way, the second device can allocate resources more efficiently to meet the actual resource requirements of each first device as much as possible.

[0123] The demand for resources can also be carried in the first signal. In other words, besides requesting resources from the second device, the first signal can also carry information about the first device's actual demand for resources. In a possible implementation, some bits in the first signal are used to request resources, while other bits are used to carry information about the first device's actual demand for resources. Accordingly, one part of a pattern is used to indicate requesting resources, and another part is used to indicate the first device's actual demand for resources.

[0124] For multiple patterns, in order to accurately determine whether each first device requests resources and to ensure that the first signal generated based on the longest pattern can be detected by the second device, shorter patterns can be nested within longer patterns. For example, the patterns included in the first pattern set can be nested patterns of different lengths. For instance, if the first pattern set includes a first pattern and a second pattern, and the length of the first pattern is less than the length of the second pattern, then the first pattern is nested within the second pattern. If the length of the first pattern is greater than the length of the second pattern, then the second pattern is nested within the first pattern.

[0125] A first signal is generated based on a longer pattern. A portion of the length of the first signal represents a resource requirement, while another portion represents the priority of that resource requirement. This helps the second device to rationally allocate resources based on the first signal, maximizing the fulfillment of the first device's actual resource needs. Optionally, different first devices can use patterns of the same length. Even if multiple first devices do not simultaneously request resources from the second device, the first signals transmitted by these multiple first devices are aligned in the frequency domain. Therefore, the second device can detect the signal in a certain frequency domain, thus recognizing that a first device needs resources. Optionally, different first devices can use patterns of different lengths. Since the first pattern is nested within the second pattern, it also ensures that the first signal generated based on the longest pattern is detected.

[0126] Optionally, it can be agreed that the shortest drawing can be used to request resources, while drawings of other lengths can be used for other purposes besides requesting resources. For example, one such purpose could be indicating the priority of resource requests. Suppose the first drawing is the shortest in the first set of drawings, the portion of the second drawing that is identical to the first drawing is used to request resources, and the portion of the second drawing excluding the first drawing can be used to indicate the priority of resource requests. Drawings of different lengths indicate different priorities of resource requests. For instance, the first drawing might correspond to a first priority resource request, while the second drawing might correspond to a second priority resource request; the first and second priorities are different.

[0127] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the method of prioritizing resource requirements. For example, resource requirements can be prioritized according to business priority; the higher the business priority, the higher the resource requirement priority. Alternatively, resource requirements can be prioritized according to the amount of resource required; the larger the amount of resource required, the higher the resource requirement priority.

[0128] In possible implementations, the first set of patterns can be predefined or configured. For example, the first set of patterns can be configured / indicated by a second device, or by other devices. For example, the second device can send first indication information to the first device, which can indicate the first set of patterns or indicate the longest pattern in the first set of patterns.

[0129] The first indication information may include the indexes of each pattern included in the first pattern set, thereby indicating the first pattern set. Alternatively, the first indication information may include the index of the longest pattern in the first pattern set, specifying the nesting length of each pattern, and the first indication information may also indicate the first pattern set.

[0130] It can be agreed that when each pattern is mapped on the frequency domain unit, the mapping is performed in the order of frequency from high to low or from low to high. In this way, even if multiple first devices send first signals based on patterns of different lengths, the first signal generated based on the longest pattern can be detected because the first pattern is nested in the second pattern.

[0131] Please see Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of resource mapping for each pattern in the first pattern set provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 8 Taking the first set of patterns, which includes the first pattern, the second pattern, and the fourth pattern, as an example. The first pattern is {1010}, the second pattern is {10100101}, and the third pattern is {101001010110}. Figure 8 As can be seen, the first pattern is nested within the second pattern, and the second pattern is nested within the fourth pattern.

[0132] based on Figure 8 Even if multiple first devices do not simultaneously transmit first signals, the second device can still determine that all of the multiple first devices have resource requirements, as shown in the first pattern set. For example, the second device can still detect the portion of the first signal transmitted by each first device that indicates a resource requirement. Figure 8 As shown, the first pattern corresponding to the first signal sent by access point 1 is {1010}, and the second pattern corresponding to the first signal sent by access point 1 is {10100101}. From Figure 8 It can be seen that although access point 1 and access point 2 send the first signal at different times, the second device can still detect the first pattern {1010} through energy detection because the first pattern is nested within the second pattern. Therefore, when multiple first devices have resource requirements, these multiple first devices can use the same pattern to send the first signal.

[0133] Furthermore, assuming the shortest pattern in the first pattern set is the third pattern, then in the first pattern set, the lengths of all patterns except the third pattern are integer multiples of the length of the third pattern, such as... Figure 8 As shown. This ensures a balance in performance between patterns of different lengths. It should be understood that the first pattern can be any pattern from the first set of patterns.

[0134] S202, The second device analyzes the first signal and determines that the first signal is generated based on the first pattern.

[0135] The process of the second device parsing the first signal can also be viewed as the process of the second device detecting the first signal. The second device detects the first signal by determining the amplitude of the signal in each of the N time-frequency units carrying the first signal, in order to decode the N time-frequency units. It can be understood that the decoding result of the N time-frequency units is a first pattern. The second device can determine the purpose of the first signal based on the first pattern. For example, if the first pattern is used to represent a request for resources, then the second device can determine that the first device has resource requirements, and can free up more available resources for the first device to use, thereby reducing resource conflicts and improving communication quality.

[0136] Of course, if the first signal is also used to indicate resource demand priority, the second device can determine the resource demand priority based on the first pattern determined by parsing the first signal. Then, the second device can rationally allocate resources according to the resource demand priority. For example, if the resource demand priority indicates a large resource demand, the second device can allocate more available resources to minimize the impact on the communication of the first device. Conversely, if the resource demand priority indicates a small resource demand, the second device can allocate fewer available resources to minimize the impact on the communication of the second device.

[0137] Optionally, when multiple first devices request resources and the resource request priorities of the multiple first devices are different, the second device may schedule resources based on the highest priority among the resource request priorities of the multiple first devices.

[0138] This application proposes using pulse signals as a coexistence signal between cellular and Wi-Fi systems. Devices can identify pulse signals through energy detection, thus allowing both cellular and Wi-Fi systems to recognize them. Based on this, possible pulse signals can be designed for Wi-Fi devices to request resources from cellular devices, thereby enabling cellular devices to lead or coordinate resource scheduling, minimizing resource conflicts, and improving communication quality.

[0139] In the embodiments provided above, the methods provided by the embodiments of this application are described using the execution of the first device and the second device as examples. In this application, each embodiment can be implemented independently or in combination based on certain inherent connections; in each embodiment, different implementation methods can be implemented in combination or independently. To achieve the functions in the methods provided by the embodiments of this application above, the steps executed by the first device can be implemented by the first device itself, or by a functional entity including the first device, or by different functional entities constituting the first device. The steps executed by the second device can be implemented by the second device itself, or by different functional entities constituting the second device, or by a functional entity including the second device. For example, the second device is an access network device, which can be a CU-DU-RU architecture, where the CU or DU can parse the received first signal, and the RU can receive the first signal. To achieve the functions in the methods provided by the embodiments of this application above, the first device and the second device can include hardware structures and / or software modules, implementing the above functions in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or hardware structures plus software modules. Whether a certain function is executed in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or hardware structures plus software modules depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0140] Based on the same inventive concept as the method embodiments, this application provides a communication device. The communication device used to implement the above method in the embodiments of this application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The content above can be used in subsequent embodiments, and repeated content will not be repeated.

[0141] Figure 9 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 900 provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 900 can correspondingly implement the functions or steps implemented by the first device in the various method embodiments described above. For example, the communication device 900 may be... Figure 1 The communication device 900 can be an access point; or, the communication device 900 can be a chip (system) within the access point; or, the communication device 900 can be a software module of the access point. Alternatively, the communication device 900 can correspondingly implement the functions or steps implemented by the second device in the above-described method embodiments. For example, the communication device 900 can be... Figure 1The communication device 900 can be a network device; or, the communication device 900 can be a chip (system) within the network device; or, the communication device 900 can be a software module of the network device. The communication device 900 may include a processing module 910 and a transceiver module 920. Optionally, it may also include a storage module, which can be used to store instructions (code or programs) and / or data. This storage module may be, for example, a memory. The processing module 910 and the transceiver module 920 may be coupled to the storage module. For example, the processing module 910 can read instructions (code or programs) and / or data from the storage module to implement corresponding methods. When the communication device 900 is a chip in the AP, the storage module may be a storage module within the chip, such as a register, cache, etc. For example, the storage module may also be a storage module located outside the chip within the network device, such as a read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage devices capable of storing static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM), etc. The above-mentioned units can be set independently, or partially or completely integrated.

[0142] Processing module 910 may be a processor or controller, such as a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processing unit (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. The processor may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as including one or more microprocessor combinations, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc. Transceiver module 920 is a transceiver, interface circuit, bus, pin, or other possible communication interface for receiving signals from other devices. For example, when the device is implemented as a chip, transceiver module 920 is an interface circuit for the chip to receive signals from other chips or devices, or an interface circuit for the chip to send signals to other chips or devices.

[0143] In one implementation, the communication device 900 can correspondingly implement the behavior and functions of the first device in the above method embodiments. The communication device 900 can be an access point, a component (e.g., a chip or circuit) within the access point, a part of a chip or chipset within the access point used to execute related method functions, or a software module in the first device capable of implementing the above communication method; no limitation is imposed. For details, please refer to the relevant content of the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0144] For example, processing module 910 is used to generate a first signal based on a first pattern. Transceiver module 920 is used to send the first signal to a second device. The second device supports cellular communication protocols, and the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol is different from that corresponding to the cellular communication protocol. The first signal is used to request resources and occupies N time-frequency units. The first pattern is used to indicate M time-frequency units out of the N time-frequency units, where the N time-frequency units correspond to the same time domain, M and N are both positive integers, and M is less than N.

[0145] As an optional implementation, the subcarrier spacing of the first signal is the same as the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol.

[0146] As an optional implementation, the first pattern belongs to a first pattern set, which also includes a second pattern, wherein the first pattern is nested within the second pattern, or the second pattern is nested within the first pattern.

[0147] As an optional implementation, the resource requirement priority corresponding to the first pattern is the first priority, and the resource requirement priority corresponding to the second pattern is the second priority. The first priority and the second priority are different.

[0148] As an optional implementation, the first pattern set includes a third pattern, which is the shortest pattern in the first pattern set, and the lengths of the patterns in the first pattern set other than the third pattern are integer multiples of the length of the third pattern.

[0149] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 920 is also used to receive first indication information from the second device, which is used to indicate the first pattern set, or the first indication information is used to indicate the longest pattern in the first pattern set.

[0150] As an optional implementation, the first pattern corresponds to the first sequence, where the first sequence occupies N bits, one bit corresponds to one time-frequency unit, the bits corresponding to each of the M time-frequency units are 1, and the bits corresponding to each of the remaining NM time-frequency units are 0.

[0151] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module is also used to receive second indication information from the second device, which is used to indicate the first pattern.

[0152] As an optional implementation, the second indication information used to indicate the first pattern includes: the second indication information used to indicate the first pattern among a plurality of patterns; or, the second indication information used to indicate the first sub-pattern in a pattern, wherein the first sub-pattern is the first pattern.

[0153] In one implementation, the communication device 900 can correspondingly implement the behavior and function of the second device in the above method embodiments. The communication device 900 can be a network device, a component (e.g., a chip or circuit) within the network device, a part of a chip or chipset in the network device used to execute the relevant method functions, or a software module in the second device capable of implementing the above communication method; there are no limitations. For details, please refer to the relevant content of the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0154] For example, transceiver module 920 is used to receive a first signal from the first device. Processing module 910 is used to parse the first signal and determine that the first signal is generated based on a first pattern. The first device supports the WLAN protocol, and the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol is different from the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the cellular communication protocol. The first signal is used to request resources and occupies N time-frequency units. The first pattern is used to indicate M time-frequency units out of the N time-frequency units, where the N time-frequency units correspond to the same time domain, M and N are both positive integers, and M is less than N.

[0155] As an optional implementation, the subcarrier spacing of the first signal is the same as the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol.

[0156] As an optional implementation, the first pattern belongs to a first pattern set, which also includes a second pattern, wherein the first pattern is nested within the second pattern, or the second pattern is nested within the first pattern.

[0157] As an optional implementation, the first pattern set includes a third pattern, which is the shortest pattern in the first pattern set, and the lengths of the patterns in the first pattern set other than the third pattern are integer multiples of the length of the third pattern.

[0158] As an optional implementation, the resource requirement priority corresponding to the first pattern is the first priority, and the resource requirement priority corresponding to the second pattern is the second priority. The first priority and the second priority are different.

[0159] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 920 is also used to send first indication information to the first device, the first indication information being used to indicate the first set of patterns, or the first indication information being used to indicate the longest pattern in the first set of patterns.

[0160] As an optional implementation, the first pattern corresponds to the first sequence, where the first sequence occupies N bits, one bit corresponds to one time-frequency unit, the bits corresponding to each of the M time-frequency units are 1, and the bits corresponding to each of the remaining NM time-frequency units are 0.

[0161] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 920 is also used to send a second instruction message to the first device, the second instruction message being used to indicate the first pattern.

[0162] As an optional implementation, the second indication information used to indicate the first pattern includes: the second indication information used to indicate the first pattern among a plurality of patterns; or, the second indication information used to indicate the first sub-pattern in a pattern, wherein the first sub-pattern is the first pattern.

[0163] When the communication device 900 is a chip-based device or circuit, the transceiver module can be an input / output circuit and / or a communication interface; the processing module is an integrated processor, microprocessor, or integrated circuit.

[0164] Figure 10 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 1000 can be either the first device or the second device described in the above embodiments. For example, the communication device 1000 can be… Figure 1 The access point or the chip (system) within the access point. For example, the communication device 1000 could be... Figure 1 The network device or the chip (system) within the network device. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system may be composed of a chip, or it may include chips and other discrete devices. For specific functions, please refer to the description in the above method embodiments.

[0165] The communication device 1000 includes one or more processors 1001, used to implement or support the communication device 1000 in implementing the functions of the first or second device in the methods provided in the embodiments of this application. For details, please refer to the detailed description in the method examples, which will not be repeated here. The processor 1001 can also be called a processing unit or processing module, and can implement certain control functions. The processor 1001 can be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, etc. For example, it includes: a baseband processor, a central processing unit, an application processor, a modem processor, a graphics processor, an image signal processor, a digital signal processor, a video codec processor, a controller, a memory, and / or a neural network processor, etc. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data. The central processing unit can be used to control the communication device 1000 (e.g., a terminal device or a network device), execute software programs and / or process data. Different processors can be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors, for example, integrated on one or more application-specific integrated circuits.

[0166] In one design, processor 1001 may include program 1003 (sometimes also referred to as code or instructions), which can be executed on processor 1001 to cause communication device 1000 to perform the methods described in the embodiments below. In yet another possible design, communication device 1000 includes circuitry (…). Figure 10 (Not shown), the circuit is used to implement the function of the first device or the second device in the above embodiments.

[0167] In one design, the communication device 1000 may include one or more memories 1002 storing a program 1004 (sometimes referred to as code or instructions), which can be run on the processor 1001 to cause the communication device 1000 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0168] In one possible design, the processor 1001 and / or memory 1002 may also store data. The processor and memory may be configured separately or integrated together.

[0169] In one possible design, the communication device 1000 may further include a transceiver 1005 and / or an antenna 1006. The processor 1001, sometimes referred to as a processing unit, controls the communication device 1000. The transceiver 1005, sometimes referred to as a transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiver circuit, or transceiver, is used to realize the transmission and reception functions of the communication device 1000 through the antenna 1006.

[0170] In one possible design, the communication device 1000 may further include one or more of the following components: a wireless communication module, an audio module, an external memory interface, internal memory, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a power management module, an antenna, a speaker, a microphone, an input / output module, a sensor module, a motor, a camera, or a display screen, etc. It is understood that in some embodiments, the communication device 1000 may include more or fewer components, or some components may be integrated, or some components may be separated. These components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0171] The communication device in the above embodiments can be an access point / network device, a circuit, a chip applied in an access point / network device, or other combined devices or components having the aforementioned terminal device. When the communication device is an access point / network device, the transceiver module can be a transceiver, which may include an antenna and radio frequency circuits, etc., and the processing module can be a processor, such as a CPU. When the communication device is a chip system, the communication device can be an FPGA, a dedicated ASIC, a SoC, a CPU, a network processor (NP), a DSP, a microcontroller unit (MCU), a programmable logic device (PLD), or other integrated chips. The processing module can be the processor of the chip system. The transceiver module or communication interface can be the input / output interface or interface circuit of the chip system. For example, the interface circuit can be a code / data read / write interface circuit. The interface circuit can be used to receive code instructions (the code instructions are stored in memory and can be read directly from memory or through other devices) and transmit them to the processor; the processor can be used to run the code instructions to execute the methods in the above method embodiments. For example, the interface circuit can also be a signal transmission interface circuit between the communication processor and the transceiver.

[0172] This application also provides a communication system, which includes at least one access point and at least one network device. The access point is a device for implementing the functions of the first device in the above-described communication method, and the network device is a device for implementing the functions of the second device in the above-described communication method.

[0173] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, including instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method executed by the first or second device in the above-described communication method.

[0174] This application also provides a computer program product, including computer program code, which, when executed, causes a computer to perform the method executed by the first or second device in the above-described communication method.

[0175] This application provides a chip system including a processor and potentially a memory, for implementing the functions of the first or second device in the aforementioned communication method. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete components.

[0176] To achieve the above Figures 9-10 In addition to the functions of the communication device, this application also provides a chip, including a processor, for supporting the communication device in implementing the functions involved in the first or second device in the above method embodiments.

[0177] In one possible design, the chip is connected to a memory or the chip includes a memory for storing computer programs or instructions and data necessary for the communication device.

[0178] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0179] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the various illustrative logical blocks and steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0180] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0181] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0182] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0183] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the essential contributing part of the technical solution of this application, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, external hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0184] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the scope of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A communication method applied to a first device, characterized in that, include: A first signal is generated based on a first pattern. The first signal is used to request resources. The first signal occupies N time-frequency units. The first pattern is used to indicate M time-frequency units among the N time-frequency units. The N time-frequency units correspond to the same time domain. M and N are both positive integers, and M is less than N. The first signal is sent to the second device, wherein the first device supports the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) protocol, the second device supports the Cellular Communication Protocol, and the subcarrier interval corresponding to the WLAN protocol is different from the subcarrier interval corresponding to the Cellular Communication Protocol.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The subcarrier spacing of the first signal is the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol.

3. The method as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first pattern belongs to a first pattern set, which also includes a second pattern. The first pattern is nested within the second pattern, or the second pattern is nested within the first pattern.

4. The method as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The first pattern set includes a third pattern, which is the shortest pattern in the first pattern set. The lengths of all patterns in the first pattern set other than the third pattern are integer multiples of the length of the third pattern.

5. The method as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The resource requirement priority corresponding to the first drawing is the first priority, and the resource requirement priority corresponding to the second drawing is the second priority. The first priority and the second priority are different.

6. The method according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive first indication information from the second device, the first indication information being used to indicate the longest pattern in the first pattern set; or, the first indication information being used to indicate the first pattern set.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The first pattern corresponds to the first sequence, wherein the first sequence occupies N bits, one bit corresponds to one time-frequency unit, the bit corresponding to each of the M time-frequency units is 1, and the bit corresponding to each of the remaining NM time-frequency units is 0.

8. The method as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive second instruction information from the second device, the second instruction information being used to indicate the first pattern.

9. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The second indication information is used to indicate the first pattern, including: The second indication information is used to indicate the first pattern among a plurality of patterns; or, The second indication information is used to indicate a first sub-pattern in a pattern, wherein the first sub-pattern is the first pattern.

10. A communication method applied to a second device, characterized in that, include: Receive a first signal from a first device, the first signal being used to request resources, wherein the first device supports a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol, the second device supports a cellular communication protocol, and the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol is different from the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the cellular communication protocol; The first signal is analyzed to determine that the first signal is generated based on a first pattern, wherein the first signal occupies N time-frequency units, the first pattern is used to indicate M time-frequency units among the N time-frequency units, the N time-frequency units correspond to the same time domain, M and N are both positive integers, and M is less than N.

11. The method as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The subcarrier spacing of the first signal is the subcarrier spacing corresponding to the WLAN protocol.

12. The method as described in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The first pattern belongs to a first pattern set, which also includes a second pattern. The first pattern is nested within the second pattern, or the second pattern is nested within the first pattern.

13. The method as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The first pattern set includes a third pattern, which is the shortest pattern in the first pattern set. The lengths of all patterns in the first pattern set other than the third pattern are integer multiples of the length of the third pattern.

14. The method as described in claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The resource requirement priority corresponding to the first drawing is the first priority, and the resource requirement priority corresponding to the second drawing is the second priority. The first priority and the second priority are different.

15. The method according to any one of claims 12-14, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a first indication message to the first device, the first indication message being used to indicate the longest pattern in the first pattern set; or, the first indication message being used to indicate the first pattern set.

16. The method according to any one of claims 10-15, characterized in that, The first pattern corresponds to the first sequence, wherein the first sequence occupies N bits, one bit corresponds to one time-frequency unit, the bit corresponding to each of the M time-frequency units is 1, and the bit corresponding to each of the remaining NM time-frequency units is 0.

17. The method as described in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a second instruction message to the first device, the second instruction message being used to indicate the first pattern.

18. The method as described in claim 17, characterized in that, The second indication information is used to indicate the first pattern, including: The second indication information is used to indicate the first pattern among a plurality of patterns; or, The second indication information is used to indicate a first sub-pattern in a pattern, wherein the first sub-pattern is the first pattern.

19. A communication device, characterized in that, include: The processing module is used to generate a first signal based on a first pattern. The first signal is used to request resources. The first signal occupies N time-frequency units. The first pattern is used to indicate M time-frequency units among the N time-frequency units. The N time-frequency units correspond to the same time domain. M and N are both positive integers, and M is less than N. The transceiver module is used to send the first signal to the second device, wherein the communication device supports the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) protocol, the second device supports the cellular communication protocol, and the subcarrier interval corresponding to the WLAN protocol is different from the subcarrier interval corresponding to the cellular communication protocol.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that, The first pattern belongs to a first pattern set, which also includes a second pattern. The first pattern is nested within the second pattern, or the second pattern is nested within the first pattern.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that, The first pattern set includes a third pattern, which is the shortest pattern in the first pattern set. The lengths of all patterns in the first pattern set other than the third pattern are integer multiples of the length of the third pattern.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20 or 21, characterized in that, The resource requirement priority corresponding to the first drawing is the first priority, and the resource requirement priority corresponding to the second drawing is the second priority. The first priority and the second priority are different.

23. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 20-22, characterized in that, The transceiver module is also used for: The device receives a first indication message from the second device, the first indication message being used to indicate the longest pattern in the first pattern set, or the first indication message being used to indicate the first pattern set.

24. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 19-23, characterized in that, The transceiver module is also used for: Receive second instruction information from the second device, wherein the first instruction information is used to indicate the first pattern.

25. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to cause the method of any one of claims 1-9 to be performed, or to cause the method of any one of claims 10-18 to be performed.

26. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium is used to store a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the method as described in any one of claims 1-9 to be performed, or causes the method as described in any one of claims 10-18 to be performed.

27. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the method as described in any one of claims 1-9 to be performed, or the method as described in any one of claims 10-18 to be performed.

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