Communication method and communication device

Abstract

Provided are a communication method and a communication device, in the method, a network device can configure multiple repeated transmissions of downlink data for a terminal device, so that the terminal device can determine a time or resource at which downlink data is successfully demodulated, thereby improving the accuracy of downlink data demodulation. And one feedback resource is selected from the N feedback resources according to the moment or the resource to indicate that the next data demodulation succeeds, so that the terminal equipment can feed back the downlink data demodulation succeeds to the network equipment in time, and the transmission efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communications, and more specifically, to a communication method and a communication apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In wireless communication systems, for terminals at the cell edge or with poor coverage, the base station can configure a higher number of repetitions for downlink transmission to ensure that the terminal can successfully demodulate downlink data.

[0003] However, a higher number of repetitions will reduce transmission efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a communication method that can improve transmission efficiency.

[0005] Firstly, a communication method is provided, which can be applied to the terminal side, such as a terminal or a communication module in a terminal, or a circuit or chip in a terminal that is responsible for communication functions (such as a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-chip (SoC) chip or system-in-package (SIP) chip containing a modem core).

[0006] The method includes: receiving first configuration information from a network device, the first configuration information being used to configure M downlink transmission resources, the M downlink transmission resources being used for repeated transmission of first data, M being an integer greater than or equal to 2; determining that the first data demodulation on the first downlink transmission resource is successful, the first downlink transmission resource being one of the M downlink transmission resources; and sending confirmation information to the network device on the first feedback resource, the confirmation information being used to indicate that the first data demodulation is successful.

[0007] Wherein, the first feedback resource is the one among N feedback resources whose time domain position is closest to the moment when the first data demodulation is successful, and the first feedback resource is located after the moment when the first data demodulation is successful in the time domain; or, the first feedback resource is the one among N feedback resources whose time domain position is closest to the moment when the first downlink transmission resource is successful, and the first feedback resource is located after the moment when the first downlink transmission resource is successful in the time domain; where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

[0008] Based on the above scheme, when the network device configures multiple repeated transmissions of downlink data for the terminal device, the terminal device can determine the time or resource when the downlink data demodulation is successful, and select a feedback resource from N feedback resources according to the time or resource to indicate the next successful data demodulation. This helps the terminal device to promptly report the successful downlink data demodulation to the network device, thereby improving the transmission efficiency.

[0009] In this application, the time-domain location of at least one of the N feedback resources is located between the time-domain locations of two of the M downlink transmission resources.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the time-domain positions of the N feedback resources are not adjacent, and the i-th feedback resource among the N feedback resources is located in the time domain between two adjacent downlink transmission resources among the M downlink transmission resources, where i is an integer greater than 0 and less than or equal to N, or i is an integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than N.

[0011] Based on the above scheme, since the time domain position of the i-th feedback resource among the N feedback resources is located between the time domain positions of two downlink transmission resources among the M downlink transmission resources, the terminal device can promptly report the successful demodulation of downlink data to the network device, thereby improving transmission efficiency.

[0012] For example, N is less than M, and the i-th feedback resource is adjacent to the (M-N+i)-th downlink transmission resource in the time domain.

[0013] Based on the above scheme, the number of feedback resources can be less than the number of downlink transmission resources. This not only enables the terminal device to send confirmation information on the nearest feedback resource, but also reduces the total resources occupied by N feedback resources, achieving a good balance between improving transmission efficiency and saving configuration resources.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the method further includes: receiving second configuration information from a network device, the second configuration information being used to configure N feedback resources, and the N feedback resources being used to provide feedback on whether the first data was successfully demodulated.

[0015] Based on the above scheme, network devices can configure N feedback resources for terminal devices, which enables terminal devices to provide timely feedback when downlink data demodulation is successful, thereby improving transmission efficiency.

[0016] For example, the second configuration information includes the time-domain start position and time-domain length of at least one of the N feedback resources.

[0017] In one implementation, the second configuration information includes indication information, which indicates whether feedback is required in the event of a first data demodulation failure.

[0018] Based on the above scheme, network devices can indicate to terminal devices whether feedback is needed in the event of a first data demodulation failure, thus providing greater flexibility.

[0019] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the method further includes: sending capability information to the network device, the capability information including the demodulation capability of the terminal device.

[0020] For example, this capability information is used to indicate that the terminal device supports real-time feedback of downlink data.

[0021] Based on the above scheme, terminal devices can report their capability information, enabling network devices to determine whether multiple feedback resources can be configured to improve communication reliability.

[0022] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the confirmation information is a first sequence, which is different from the second sequence. The second sequence is used to indicate that the first data demodulation failed.

[0023] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the N feedback resources are resources in the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH); or, the N feedback resources are resources in the non-contention physical random access channel (PRACH).

[0024] Secondly, a communication method is provided that can be applied to the network side, such as network devices on the network side or components (e.g., circuits, chips, or chip systems) in the network devices.

[0025] The method further includes: sending first configuration information to a terminal device, the first configuration information being used to configure M downlink transmission resources, the M downlink transmission resources being used for repeated transmission of first data, M being an integer greater than or equal to 2; and receiving confirmation information from the terminal device on the first feedback resource, the confirmation information being used to indicate that the first data demodulation was successful.

[0026] Wherein, the first feedback resource is the one among N feedback resources whose time domain position is closest to the moment when the first data demodulation is successful, and the first feedback resource is located after the moment when the first data demodulation is successful in the time domain; or, the first feedback resource is the one among N feedback resources whose time domain position is closest to the first downlink transmission resource, and the first feedback resource is located after the first downlink transmission resource in the time domain, the first downlink transmission resource is one of M downlink transmission resources, and the first data demodulation on the first downlink transmission resource is successful; where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

[0027] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations, the method further includes: terminating repeated transmissions on downlink transmission resources that are located after the time domain position of the first feedback resource among the M downlink transmission resources.

[0028] In the above scheme, the network device is promptly notified that the downlink data demodulation is successful, thus terminating unnecessary duplicate transmissions and saving network device costs.

[0029] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations, the time-domain positions of the N feedback resources are not adjacent, and the i-th feedback resource among the N feedback resources is located in the time domain between two adjacent downlink transmission resources among the M downlink transmission resources, where i is an integer greater than 0 and less than or equal to N, or i is an integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than N.

[0030] For example, N is less than M, and the i-th feedback resource is adjacent to the (M-N+i)-th downlink transmission resource in the time domain.

[0031] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations, the method further includes: receiving second configuration information from a network device, wherein the second configuration information is used to configure N feedback resources, and the N feedback resources are used to provide feedback on whether the first data was successfully demodulated.

[0032] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations, when the first condition is met, N feedback resources are configured to the terminal device. The first condition includes at least one of the following: the reference signal received power of the terminal device is less than a first threshold; the value of M is greater than a second threshold; the index value of the modulation and coding strategy of the terminal device is less than a third threshold; each of the M downlink transmission resources includes at least one physical resource block (PRB); and each of the M downlink transmission resources includes at least one time slot.

[0033] Based on the above scheme, network devices can configure N feedback resources to terminal devices when certain conditions are met. This allows network devices to promptly know that downlink data demodulation is successful in special communication scenarios (such as when the distance between the terminal device and the network device is far, or when the current communication conditions of the terminal device are poor), thereby terminating unnecessary repeated transmissions and saving network device costs.

[0034] For example, the second configuration information includes the time-domain start position and time-domain length of at least one of the N feedback resources.

[0035] In one implementation, the second configuration information includes indication information, which indicates whether feedback is required in the event of a first data demodulation failure.

[0036] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations, the method further includes: receiving capability information from the terminal device, the capability information including the demodulation capability of the terminal device.

[0037] For example, this capability information is used to indicate that the terminal device supports real-time feedback of data.

[0038] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations, the confirmation information is a first sequence, which is different from the second sequence. The second sequence is used to indicate that the first data demodulation failed.

[0039] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations, the N feedback resources are resources in PUCCH; or, the N feedback resources are resources in non-contentionable PRACH.

[0040] It should be understood that any aspects not described in detail in the second part, as well as their beneficial effects, can be found in the first part, and will not be repeated here.

[0041] Thirdly, a communication device is provided that can be applied to the terminal side. For example, the device is a terminal or a communication module in the terminal, or a circuit or chip in the terminal that is responsible for communication functions (such as a modem chip, or a SoC chip or SIP chip containing a modem core).

[0042] The device includes: a transceiver unit for receiving first configuration information from a network device, the first configuration information configuring M downlink transmission resources for repeated transmission of first data, where M is an integer greater than or equal to 2; a processing unit for determining that the first data demodulation on the first downlink transmission resource is successful, the first downlink transmission resource being one of the M downlink transmission resources; the transceiver unit is further configured to: send acknowledgment information to the network device on the first feedback resource, the acknowledgment information indicating that the first data demodulation is successful.

[0043] Wherein, the first feedback resource is the one among N feedback resources whose time domain position is closest to the moment when the first data demodulation is successful, and the first feedback resource is located after the moment when the first data demodulation is successful in the time domain; or, the first feedback resource is the one among N feedback resources whose time domain position is closest to the moment when the first downlink transmission resource is successful, and the first feedback resource is located after the moment when the first downlink transmission resource is successful in the time domain; where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

[0044] In this application, the time-domain location of at least one of the N feedback resources is located between the time-domain locations of two of the M downlink transmission resources.

[0045] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations, the time-domain positions of the N feedback resources are not adjacent, and the i-th feedback resource among the N feedback resources is located in the time domain between two adjacent downlink transmission resources among the M downlink transmission resources, where i is an integer greater than 0 and less than or equal to N, or i is an integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than N.

[0046] For example, N is less than M, and the i-th feedback resource is adjacent to the (M-N+i)-th downlink transmission resource in the time domain.

[0047] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations, the transceiver unit is also used to: receive second configuration information from the network device, the second configuration information being used to configure N feedback resources, and the N feedback resources being used to provide feedback on whether the first data was successfully demodulated.

[0048] For example, the second configuration information includes the time-domain start position and time-domain length of at least one of the N feedback resources.

[0049] In one implementation, the second configuration information includes indication information, which indicates whether feedback is required in the event of a first data demodulation failure.

[0050] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations, the transceiver unit is also used to: send capability information to network devices, the capability information including the demodulation capabilities of terminal devices.

[0051] For example, this capability information is used to indicate that the terminal device supports real-time feedback of downlink data.

[0052] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations, the confirmation information is a first sequence, which is different from the second sequence. The second sequence is used to indicate that the first data demodulation failed.

[0053] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations, the N feedback resources are resources in PUCCH; or, the N feedback resources are resources in non-contentionable PRACH.

[0054] Fourthly, a communication device is provided that can be applied to the network side, for example, the device is a network device on the network side or a component (e.g., a circuit, a chip, or a chip system) in the network device.

[0055] The device includes: a transceiver unit, configured to send first configuration information to a terminal device, the first configuration information being configured to configure M downlink transmission resources, the M downlink transmission resources being used for repeated transmission of first data, M being an integer greater than or equal to 2; the transceiver unit is further configured to: receive acknowledgment information from the terminal device on the first feedback resources, the acknowledgment information being used to indicate that the first data demodulation was successful.

[0056] Wherein, the first feedback resource is the one among N feedback resources whose time domain position is closest to the moment when the first data demodulation is successful, and the first feedback resource is located after the moment when the first data demodulation is successful in the time domain; or, the first feedback resource is the one among N feedback resources whose time domain position is closest to the first downlink transmission resource, and the first feedback resource is located after the first downlink transmission resource in the time domain, the first downlink transmission resource is one of M downlink transmission resources, and the first data demodulation on the first downlink transmission resource is successful; where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

[0057] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations, the apparatus further includes a processing unit for terminating repeated transmissions on downlink transmission resources that are located after the time-domain position of the first feedback resource among the M downlink transmission resources.

[0058] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations, the time-domain positions of the N feedback resources are not adjacent, and the i-th feedback resource among the N feedback resources is located in the time domain between two adjacent downlink transmission resources among the M downlink transmission resources, where i is an integer greater than 0 and less than or equal to N, or i is an integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than N.

[0059] For example, N is less than M, and the i-th feedback resource is adjacent to the (M-N+i)-th downlink transmission resource in the time domain.

[0060] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations, the transceiver unit is also used to: receive second configuration information from the network device, the second configuration information being used to configure N feedback resources, and the N feedback resources being used to provide feedback on whether the first data was successfully demodulated.

[0061] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations, when the first condition is met, N feedback resources are configured to the terminal device. The first condition includes at least one of the following: the reference signal received power of the terminal device is less than a first threshold; the value of M is greater than a second threshold; the index value of the modulation and coding strategy of the terminal device is less than a third threshold; each of the M downlink transmission resources includes at least one sub-physical resource block (PRB); and each of the M downlink transmission resources includes at least one time slot.

[0062] For example, the second configuration information includes the time-domain start position and time-domain length of at least one of the N feedback resources.

[0063] In one implementation, the second configuration information includes indication information, which indicates whether feedback is required in the event of a first data demodulation failure.

[0064] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations, the transceiver unit is also used to: receive capability information from the terminal device, the capability information including the demodulation capability of the terminal device.

[0065] For example, this capability information is used to indicate that the terminal device supports real-time feedback of data.

[0066] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations, the confirmation information is a first sequence, which is different from the second sequence. The second sequence is used to indicate that the first data demodulation failed.

[0067] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations, the N feedback resources are resources in PUCCH; or, the N feedback resources are resources in non-contested PRACH.

[0068] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, comprising an interface circuit and one or more processors. The one or more processors are coupled to a memory. The memory stores necessary computer programs or instructions for implementing the functions described in the first or second aspect. The one or more processors are executable to carry out the computer programs or instructions, causing the communication device to implement the methods in any possible design or implementation of the first or second aspect. The interface circuit is used to implement communication functions within the communication device and / or communication functions between the communication device and other devices or components.

[0069] In one possible design, the processor is used to communicate with other devices or components through the interface circuit.

[0070] In one possible design, the communication device may also include the memory.

[0071] Sixthly, this application provides a processor for performing the methods provided in the foregoing aspects.

[0072] Unless otherwise specified, or if it does not contradict its actual function or internal logic in the relevant description, the transmission and acquisition / reception operations involved in the processor can be understood as processor output and reception, input and other operations, or as transmission and reception operations performed by radio frequency circuits and antennas. This application does not limit them in this regard.

[0073] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing program code for execution by a device, the program code including a method for performing any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations.

[0074] Eighthly, this application provides a computer program product containing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method provided in any of the above aspects or their implementations.

[0075] Ninthly, this application provides a chip, which includes a processor and a communication interface. The processor reads instructions stored in a memory through the communication interface and executes the method provided in any of the above aspects or their implementations.

[0076] Optionally, the processor can be a processing circuit or a logic circuit, and the communication interface can be an input or an input interface. The processing circuit or logic circuit is used for information processing, and the input or output interface is used for sending and receiving information or data.

[0077] Optionally, as one implementation, the chip also includes a memory that stores computer programs or instructions. The processor is used to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory. When the computer programs or instructions are executed, the processor is used to perform the methods provided by any of the above aspects or their implementations.

[0078] It should be understood that the beneficial effects of aspects three through nine and any of their implementations can be referenced from aspects one through two and any of their implementations. Attached Figure Description

[0079] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system 1000 used in the embodiments of this application.

[0080] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission method for proactive IoT devices.

[0081] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the time-domain process of downlink scheduling.

[0082] Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 400 provided in this application.

[0083] Figures 5 to 7 These are several illustrations of the relative time-domain positions of M downlink transmission resources and N feedback resources.

[0084] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of an information processing flow.

[0085] Figure 9 and Figure 10 A schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0086] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system 1000 used in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the communication system includes a radio access network (RAN) 100. Optionally, the communication system 1000 may also include a core network 200 and an Internet 300.

[0087] RAN100 may include at least one RAN node (such as...) Figure 1 110a and 110b, collectively referred to as 110, may also include at least one terminal (such as...). Figure 1 RAN100, denoted as RAN100, comprises RAN nodes 120a-120j, collectively referred to as RAN120. RAN100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay equipment and / or wireless backhaul equipment. Figure 1 (Not shown in the image). Terminal 120 is wirelessly connected to RAN node 110. Terminals and RAN nodes can be interconnected via wired or wireless means. RAN node 110 is wirelessly or wired connected to core network 200. The core network equipment in core network 200 and RAN node 110 in RAN 100 can be independent physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating some or all of the logical functions of the core network equipment and some or all of the logical functions of the RAN node.

[0088] RAN100 can be an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) system, an NR system, or a future radio access system as defined in the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), or a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. RAN100 can also include two or more of the above-mentioned different radio access systems. RAN100 can also be an open RAN (O-RAN).

[0089] RAN nodes, also known as radio access network devices, RAN entities, or access nodes, are used to help terminals access communication systems wirelessly. In one application scenario, an RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in a 5G mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. RAN nodes can also be macro base stations (such as...) Figure 1 110a in the text), can also be a micro base station or an indoor station (such as... Figure 1 110b in the middle can also be a relay node or a donor node.

[0090] In another application scenario, multiple RAN nodes can collaborate to help terminals achieve wireless access, with different RAN nodes implementing different functions of the base station. For example, a RAN node can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). The CU performs the functions of the base station's Radio Resource Control (RRC) and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), and can also perform the functions of the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP). The DU performs the functions of the base station's Radio Link Control (RANC) and Medium Access Control (MAC) layers, and can also perform some or all of the physical layer functions. For specific descriptions of these protocol layers, refer to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications. The RU can be used to implement radio frequency signal transmission and reception. The CU and DU can be two independent RAN nodes, or they can be integrated into the same RAN node, such as within a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency equipment, such as remote radio units (RRUs) or active antenna units (AAUs). CUs can be further divided into two types of RAN nodes: CU-control plane and CU-user plane.

[0091] In different systems, RAN nodes can have different names. For example, in an O-RAN system, a CU can also be called an open CU (O-CU), a DU can also be called an open DU (O-DU), and an RU can be called an open RU (O-RU). In this application, the RAN node can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. For example, the RAN node can be a server loaded with the corresponding software modules. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the RAN node. For ease of description, a network device or base station is used as an example of a RAN node below.

[0092] A terminal is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, capable of sending signals to or receiving signals from a base station. Terminals can also be called terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, etc. Terminals can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the terminal.

[0093] Base stations and terminals can be fixed or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can be deployed on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the base stations and terminals.

[0094] The roles of base stations and terminals can be relative, for example, Figure 1 The helicopter or drone 120i can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminals 120j accessing the wireless access network 100 via 120i, terminal 120i is a base station; however, for base station 110a, 120i is a terminal, meaning that 110a and 120i communicate via a wireless air interface protocol. Of course, 110a and 120i can also communicate via a base station-to-base station interface protocol; in this case, 120i is also a base station relative to 110a. Therefore, both base stations and terminals can be collectively referred to as communication devices. Figure 1 The 110a and 110b in the text can be referred to as communication devices with base station functions. Figure 1 The 120a-120j in the text can be referred to as communication devices with terminal functions.

[0095] Communication between base stations and terminals, between base stations, and between terminals can be conducted using licensed spectrum, unlicensed spectrum, or both simultaneously. Communication can be conducted using spectrum below 6 GHz, spectrum above 6 GHz, or both simultaneously. The embodiments of this application do not limit the spectrum resources used for wireless communication.

[0096] In the embodiments of this application, the functions of the base station can be executed by modules (such as chips) within the base station, or by a control subsystem that includes base station functions. This control subsystem, including base station functions, can be a control center in the aforementioned application scenarios such as smart grids, industrial control, intelligent transportation, and smart cities. Similarly, the functions of the terminal can be executed by modules (such as chips or modems) within the terminal, or by a device that includes terminal functions.

[0097] In this application, the base station sends downlink signals or downlink information to the terminal, with the downlink information carried on the downlink channel; the terminal sends uplink signals or uplink information to the base station, with the uplink information carried on the uplink channel. In order to communicate with the base station, the terminal needs to establish a radio connection with a cell controlled by the base station. The cell with which the terminal has established a radio connection is called the terminal's serving cell. When the terminal communicates with this serving cell, it is also subject to interference from signals from neighboring cells.

[0098] In the embodiments of this application, the time-domain symbol can be an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol or a discrete Fourier transform-spread-of-dm (DFT-s-OFDM) symbol. Unless otherwise specified, the symbols in the embodiments of this application refer to time-domain symbols.

[0099] In this paper, the physical downlink share channel (PDSCH), physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), and physical random access channel (PRACH) are merely examples of downlink data channels, uplink control channels, and random access channels, respectively. In different systems and scenarios, data channels and control channels may have different names, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0100] With the widespread adoption of MTC and IoT communication, an increasing number of IoT devices are being deployed in people's lives. Examples include smart water meters, shared bicycles, and devices for smart cities, environmental monitoring, smart homes, and forest fire prevention—all designed for sensing and data collection. In the future, IoT devices will be ubiquitous, potentially embedded in every piece of clothing, every package, and every key; almost all offline items will be able to achieve online functionality through IoT technology.

[0101] Based on their ability to actively generate or transmit carrier signals, IoT devices are mainly divided into active and passive types. Active IoT devices, also known as active tags, active tags, or active terminals, utilize the energy stored in their own energy storage modules to transmit wireless communication signals. Passive IoT devices, also known as passive tags, passive tags, passive terminals, battery-free terminals, backscatter terminals, or backscatterers, primarily obtain energy from external radio frequency signals and communicate through backscattered radio frequency signals, ultimately achieving ultra-low power consumption or even zero power consumption. Unless otherwise specified in this application, the term "terminal" refers to active IoT devices.

[0102] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission method for proactive IoT. Figure 2 In China, proactive IoT devices are abbreviated as tags, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the tag can directly communicate with the base station for uplink or downlink.

[0103] Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is a technology protocol proposed for data communication transmission in the Internet of Things (IoT). It is currently the most mature and best suited communication protocol for IoT. Generally, in wireless communication systems, such as NB-IoT, when the upper layer needs to send data to the UE, the base station allocates downlink transmission resources to the UE based on the UE's capabilities and channel quality, and selects an appropriate modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for system message or user data transmission. For UEs at cell edges or with poor coverage, the base station can configure a higher repetition rate for downlink transmission, thereby ensuring that the terminal can correctly demodulate the downlink data.

[0104] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the time-domain process of downlink scheduling, such as... Figure 3As shown, the base station indicates the downlink data resources and the number of repetitions M (M is a positive integer) to the UE in the downlink control information (DCI), and also indicates the feedback resources to the UE. Here, M repetitions correspond to M blocks, as shown... Figure 3 In the data structure, blocks 1, 2, ..., Z, ..., Z+j (where j is a positive integer), ..., M transmit the same data in each block. After successfully demodulating the downlink data, the UE sends an acknowledgement (ACK) signal on the allocated feedback resources. For cell edge or deep coverage situations, the base station can configure a larger number of repetitions, such as hundreds or thousands, to achieve coverage enhancement and ensure that the UE can successfully demodulate the downlink data.

[0105] In the above process, even if the UE can successfully demodulate downlink data on block Z (Z is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M), it still needs to wait until all M downlink transmissions are completed before it can provide feedback, resulting in low transmission efficiency.

[0106] In addition, since the base station cannot know that the downlink data has been successfully demodulated, this will lead to unnecessary downlink transmissions by the base station, increasing the base station's power consumption.

[0107] In view of this, this application provides a communication method and communication device that can improve transmission efficiency and save power consumption of network devices.

[0108] It should be understood that the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application can be applied to systems that communicate using multi-antenna technology, for example, Figure 1 The communication system 1000 shown herein may include at least one network device and at least one terminal device. The network device and the terminal device may communicate via multi-antenna technology.

[0109] It should also be understood that the embodiments shown below do not particularly limit the specific structure of the execution subject of the method provided in the embodiments of this application, as long as it is possible to communicate according to the method provided in the embodiments of this application by running a program that records the code of the method provided in the embodiments of this application. For example, the execution subject of the method provided in the embodiments of this application can be a terminal device and a network device, or a functional module in the terminal device and network device that can call and execute a program.

[0110] Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 400 provided in this application. Figure 4 As shown, the method 400 includes the following steps.

[0111] S410, the network device sends the first configuration information to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the first configuration information accordingly.

[0112] The first configuration information is used to configure M downlink transmission resources, where M is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

[0113] In this application, downlink transmission resources refer to resources for transmitting downlink data, such as physical downlink share channel (PDSCH) resources, and each downlink transmission resource can be called a block.

[0114] In this application, configuration information can also be referred to as instruction information.

[0115] Among them, the M downlink transmission resources are all independent of each other and have no overlap.

[0116] For example, M downlink transmission resources are used for repeated transmission of the first data, or in other words, M downlink transmission resources are used for M repeated transmissions of the first data, or each downlink transmission resource is used for one complete transmission of the first data. The value of M can also be called the number of repeated transmissions.

[0117] In this application, the first data can be replaced with downlink data, which refers to the data sent by the network device to the terminal device.

[0118] Optionally, the first configuration information may include time-domain information (e.g., time-domain start position, time-domain length) and frequency-domain information (e.g., frequency-domain start position, frequency-domain length) of the M downlink transmission resources. The first configuration information can also be understood as first indication information, used to indicate the M downlink transmission resources. For example, it may be used to indicate PDSCH resources.

[0119] For example, the downlink transmission resources in this application mainly refer to time-domain resources. In this case, the first configuration information may include the time-domain information of M downlink transmission resources, and the frequency-domain information of the M downlink transmission resources is not limited.

[0120] Optionally, the first configuration information can be information carried in the DCI. For example, the DCI includes the time-domain information of the first downlink transmission resource among M downlink transmission resources. The time-domain information of the other M downlink transmission resources can be determined based on the time-domain information of the first downlink transmission resource. For instance, if the M downlink transmission resources are periodic resources, and the time interval between two adjacent downlink transmission resources in the time domain is a fixed value, then when the time-domain information of the first downlink transmission resource among the M downlink transmission resources is obtained, the time-domain information of the other M downlink transmission resources can be determined based on this time interval.

[0121] It should be understood that the use of M downlink transmission resources for the repeated transmission of the first data does not mean that the actual repeated transmission must occupy M downlink transmission resources. The actual repeated transmission may only occupy a portion of the M downlink transmission resources.

[0122] It should also be understood that the network device in this application can be a base station in NB-IoT, and the corresponding terminal device can be an IoT device in NB-IoT, that is, method 400 can be applied to NB-IoT scenarios. Alternatively, the network device can also be a base station in any other non-NB-IoT communication system, and the corresponding terminal device can be a UE in any other non-NB-IoT communication system, that is, method 400 can be applied to any non-NB-IoT scenario.

[0123] S420, the terminal device determines that the first data demodulation on the first downlink transmission resource is successful, and the first downlink transmission resource is one of the M downlink transmission resources.

[0124] Specifically, the terminal device can perform demodulation after each downlink data reception. In other words, the terminal device performs demodulation after each downlink transmission resource is completed, thereby determining whether the first data on each downlink transmission resource has been successfully demodulated.

[0125] For example, on each downlink transmission resource prior to the time domain position of the first downlink transmission resource, the terminal device fails to demodulate the first data; on the first downlink transmission resource, the terminal device successfully demodulates the first data.

[0126] Demodulation success, also known as transmission success or reception success, means that the terminal device successfully extracts the original information before modulation from the received modulated signal. For example, the terminal device can perform cyclic redundancy check (CRC) after demodulation to detect whether errors occurred during data transmission. If the check passes, demodulation is successful; if the check fails, demodulation fails.

[0127] In this application, demodulation failure can also be described as unsuccessful demodulation.

[0128] S430, the terminal device sends an acknowledgment message to the network device on the first feedback resource, and the network device receives the acknowledgment message on the first feedback resource accordingly.

[0129] The acknowledgment information is used to indicate that the first data demodulation was successful; for example, the acknowledgment information is ACK.

[0130] The first feedback resource is one of the N feedback resources.

[0131] In this application, the feedback resource is used to indicate whether the first data was successfully demodulated, or in other words, the feedback resource is used to send feedback information. For example, when the first data is successfully demodulated, the feedback resource is used to transmit confirmation information, such as an ACK.

[0132] Optionally, when the first data demodulation fails, the feedback resource is used to transmit non-acknowledgment information, such as negative acknowledgment (NACK). The feedback information includes both acknowledgment and non-acknowledgment information.

[0133] In other words, none of the N feedback resources are used to transmit the first data.

[0134] Among them, the N feedback resources are all independent of each other and have no overlap.

[0135] Where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2. This means that there is more than one feedback resource used to indicate whether the first data was successfully demodulated.

[0136] For example, N is less than or equal to M, that is, the number of feedback resources used to indicate whether the first data was successfully demodulated can be equal to or less than the number of repeated transmissions.

[0137] Specifically, the first feedback resource can be the one among N feedback resources whose time domain position is closest to the moment when the first data demodulation is successful, and the first feedback resource is located after the moment when the first data demodulation is successful in the time domain; or, the first feedback resource can also be the one among N feedback resources whose time domain position is closest to the moment when the first downlink transmission resource is successful, and the first feedback resource is located after the moment when the first downlink transmission resource is successful in the time domain.

[0138] In other words, the terminal device can use the moment of successful demodulation as a reference point, or it can use the time domain position of the first downlink transmission resource as a reference point. Furthermore, based on this reference point, it can determine which of the N feedback resources the first feedback resource is.

[0139] It should be understood that in this application, the time domain position can refer to the start position of the time domain or the end position of the time domain, and there is no limitation.

[0140] Based on the above scheme, when the network device configures multiple repeated transmissions of downlink data for the terminal device, the terminal device can determine the time or resource when the downlink data demodulation is successful, and select a feedback resource from N feedback resources according to the time or resource to indicate the next successful data demodulation. This helps the terminal device to promptly report the successful downlink data demodulation to the network device, thereby improving the transmission efficiency.

[0141] Optionally, after S410 and before S420, the method further includes: the network device transmitting first data on at least one of the M downlink transmission resources, and correspondingly, the terminal device receiving the first data.

[0142] Specifically, the network device can repeatedly send the first data sequentially on the M downlink transmission resources configured in S410.

[0143] Optionally, the method 400 further includes: S440, the network device terminates repeated transmissions on downlink transmission resources after the time domain position of the first feedback resource among the M downlink transmission resources.

[0144] Specifically, when the network device receives the acknowledgment information on the first feedback resource, the network device can determine that the terminal device has successfully received the first data. Therefore, the network device can terminate the subsequent repeated transmission, that is, terminate the repeated transmission on the downlink transmission resources after the time domain position of the first feedback resource among the M downlink transmission resources.

[0145] In the above scheme, the network device is promptly notified that the downlink data demodulation is successful, thus terminating unnecessary duplicate transmissions and saving network device costs.

[0146] Optionally, the method 400 further includes: S401, the network device sends second configuration information to the terminal device, and correspondingly, the terminal device receives the second configuration information.

[0147] The second configuration information is used to configure N feedback resources, which are used to provide feedback on whether the first data was successfully demodulated. The second configuration information can also be understood as second indication information, used to indicate the N feedback resources.

[0148] In this application, the first configuration information and the second configuration information can be sent in the same message or in different messages. That is, S410 and S401 can be executed simultaneously or in two steps, without restriction.

[0149] For example, the feedback resources in this application mainly refer to time-domain resources. In this case, the second configuration information may include the time-domain information of N feedback resources, and there is no restriction on the frequency-domain information of the N feedback resources.

[0150] For example, the second configuration information may include the time-domain start position and time-domain length of at least one of the N feedback resources.

[0151] Optionally, the second configuration information can be information carried in the DCI. For example, the DCI includes the time domain information of the first feedback resource among N feedback resources, and the time domain information of the feedback resources other than the first feedback resource among the N feedback resources can be determined based on the time domain information of the first feedback resource.

[0152] For example, the N feedback resources may exist periodically in the time domain, that is, the time domain positions of the N feedback resources are regular. Therefore, the second configuration information can indicate the time domain start position, time domain length, and time interval between two adjacent feedback resources of the first feedback resource among the N feedback resources.

[0153] The starting position of the first feedback resource among the N feedback resources can be an absolute position, for example, represented by a symbolic index in the time domain. Alternatively, the starting position in the time domain of the first feedback resource among the N feedback resources can also be a relative position. For example, the starting position in the time domain of the first feedback resource can be represented by the time interval relative to the starting position in the time domain of M downlink transmissions (i.e., the starting position in the time domain of the first downlink transmission resource among the M downlink transmission resources). Similarly, the starting position in the time domain of the first feedback resource can be represented by the time interval relative to the starting position in the time domain of the DCI carrying the second configuration information.

[0154] For example, the unit used to represent the starting position of the first feedback resource among N feedback resources can be a slot or a recourse unit (RU). For instance, the time interval can be X slots or X RUs, where X is a positive integer.

[0155] The unit of time domain length of the first feedback resource among the N feedback resources can be a time slot, RU, or time-frequency unit (TF unit). For example, the time domain length is Y slots, Y RUs, or Y TF units, where Y is a positive integer.

[0156] The unit of the time interval between two adjacent feedback resources in the N feedback resources can be a time slot, a RU, or a transport block size (TBS). For example, the time interval is K slots, K RUs, or K TBS, where K is a positive integer.

[0157] RU is a time-domain unit in NB-IoT, and the length of one RU can be 2ms.

[0158] A TF unit is a time-frequency resource. One TF unit can be a small square on the resource grid (RG) defined in NR. In the time domain, it includes a subframe, and in the frequency domain, it includes one or more resource blocks (RB).

[0159] It should be understood that time slots and subframes are time-domain units in the NR system. Each subframe has a duration of 1 ms and may include one or more time slots. Under a normal cyclic prefix (CP), each time slot includes 14 symbols, and under an extended CP, each time slot includes 12 symbols. The number of time slots in each subframe is related to the subcarrier spacing (SCS), as detailed in Table 1. The meanings of time slots and subframes in this application may be the same as or different from those in NR.

[0160] Table 1

[0161] Subcarrier spacing (kHz) Number of time slots included in each subframe 15 1 30 2 60 4 120 8 240 16 480 32 960 64

[0162] TBS is a common description in 3GPP, referring to the size of the transmit block, which can generally be expressed as multiple bits. Figure 3 In this context, each block is a transport block (TB).

[0163] Based on the above scheme, network devices can configure N feedback resources for terminal devices, which enables terminal devices to provide timely feedback when downlink data demodulation is successful, thereby improving transmission efficiency.

[0164] The following example illustrates the relationship between M downlink transmission resources and N feedback resources.

[0165] As one possible implementation, the temporal positions of the M downlink transmission resources and the N feedback resources in this application are independent of each other and have no overlap.

[0166] As another possible implementation, the N feedback resources in this application are a portion of the M downlink transmission resources. For example, if N = M, the last few time units (e.g., the last Q symbols, where Q is a positive integer) of each of the M downlink transmission resources can be used as feedback resources for the terminal device to report whether the demodulation of the first data was successful. "The N feedback resources are a portion of the M downlink transmission resources" can also be understood as the time-domain resources of the N feedback resources being a portion of the time-domain resources of the M downlink transmission resources. Regarding frequency-domain resources, the frequency-domain resources of the N feedback resources can be the same as or different from a portion of the frequency-domain resources of the downlink transmission resources.

[0167] For ease of description, the following text will explain the time-domain positions of the M downlink transmission resources and the N feedback resources as independent of each other.

[0168] In this application, at least one of the N feedback resources is located between the time domain positions of two downlink transmission resources among the M downlink transmission resources. That is, not all of the N feedback resources are located after the time domain position of the last downlink transmission resource among the M downlink transmission resources. In other words, at least one feedback resource exists between the time domain positions of the M downlink transmission resources.

[0169] In one implementation, the N feedback resources are not adjacent in the time domain. The i-th feedback resource among the N feedback resources is located in the time domain between two adjacent downlink transmission resources among the M downlink transmission resources, i = 1, 2, ..., N-1.

[0170] It should be understood that in this application, the numbering can start from 0 and increment by 1 each time, that is, the numbering can be 0, 1, 2, 3, 4... Or, the numbering can start from 1 and increment by 1 each time, that is, the numbering can be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... This application does not limit the numbering. For ease of explanation, unless otherwise specified, the numbering starts from 1.

[0171] Optionally, each of the N feedback resources can be adjacent to one of the M downlink transmission resources, or some of the N feedback resources can be adjacent to one of the M downlink transmission resources, or none of the N feedback resources can be adjacent to any of the M downlink transmission resources, without any restriction.

[0172] As an example of this implementation, N = M, the i-th feedback resource is adjacent to the i-th downlink transmission resource among the M downlink transmission resources in the time domain, and the i-th feedback resource is located after the i-th downlink transmission resource in the time domain, so that each feedback resource except the M-th feedback resource can be located between two adjacent downlink transmission resources.

[0173] As shown Figure 5 in, each shaded square represents a DL-ACK time slot, as shown Figure 5 in the shaded squares 1, 2, …, Z, …, Z + j (j is a positive integer), …, M. M repetitions correspond to M transport blocks, simply referred to as M blocks, as shown Figure 5 in block 1, block 2, …, block Z, …, block Z + j (j is a positive integer), …, block M. The M blocks are examples of M downlink transmission resources, and the M DL-ACK time slots are examples of N feedback resources (N = M), where each DL-ACK time slot is adjacent to a block in the time domain. Therefore, except for the last DL-ACK time slot, each DL-ACK time slot is located between two adjacent blocks. When the UE successfully demodulates the first data on block Z, the UE can feedback ACK on DL-ACK time slot Z, where DL-ACK time slot Z is the one that is closest to the time domain position of block Z among the M DL-ACK time slots and after the time domain position of block Z. When the base station receives ACK on DL-ACK time slot Z, the base station can terminate the repeated transmission on blocks Z + 1 to block M.

[0174] As shown Figure 5 in, the base station can configure the time domain information of the M blocks and the time domain information of the M DL-ACK time slots for the UE through DCI. For example, DCI can indicate that the time interval between the start position of block 1 in the time domain and the start position of DCI in the time domain is S slots, indicate that the time interval between two adjacent blocks is P slots, indicate that the time domain length of each block is L slots, and indicate that the time domain length of each DL-ACK time slot is Y slots. Among them, the start position of each block in the time domain, the start position of each DL-ACK time slot in the time domain, and the time interval between two adjacent DL-ACK time slots can be determined by one or more of the above S, P, L, Y.

[0175] As another example of this implementation manner, N < M, the i-th feedback resource is adjacent to the (M - N + i)-th downlink transmission resource among the M downlink transmission resources in the time domain, and the i-th feedback resource is located after the (M - N + i)-th downlink transmission resource in the time domain, so that each feedback resource except the M-th feedback resource can be located between two adjacent downlink transmission resources.

[0176] In this application, "the i-th feedback resource is adjacent to the (M - N + i)-th downlink transmission resource among the M downlink transmission resources in the time domain" can be understood as: each of the N feedback resources is adjacent to one of the last N downlink transmission resources among the M downlink transmission resources in the time domain.

[0177] As shown Figure 6As shown, taking M=10 and N=6 as an example, each shaded square represents a DL-ACK time slot, such as... Figure 6 The shaded blocks 1, 2, ..., 6 are repeated 10 times, corresponding to 10 blocks. Figure 6 The diagram shows blocks 1, 2, ..., 10. These 10 blocks represent an example of M downlink transmission resources, and the 6 DL-ACK slots represent an example of N feedback resources. The first 5 blocks are temporally adjacent, and each DL-ACK slot is temporally adjacent to one block. Furthermore, each of the first 5 DL-ACK slots is temporally adjacent to two blocks; therefore, except for the last DL-ACK slot, each DL-ACK slot is located between two adjacent blocks. When the UE successfully demodulates the first data in block 4, the UE can send an ACK in DL-ACK slot 1. DL-ACK slot 1 is the closest DL-ACK slot to block 4 in terms of temporal location among the 6 DL-ACK slots. When the base station receives the ACK in DL-ACK slot 1, it can terminate the repeated transmissions from block 6 to block 10.

[0178] like Figure 6 As shown, the base station can configure the time-domain information of M blocks and the time-domain information of M DL-ACK slots to the UE via DCI. For example, DCI can indicate that the time interval between the time-domain start position of block 1 and the time-domain start position of DCI is S slots, the time-domain length of each block is L slots, and the time-domain length of each DL-ACK slot is Y slots. The time-domain start position of each block and the time-domain start position of each DL-ACK slot can be determined by one or more of S, L, and Y.

[0179] As another example of this implementation, N = 0.5M, the i-th feedback resource is adjacent to the 2i-th downlink transmission resource among the M downlink transmission resources in the time domain, and the i-th feedback resource is located after the 2i-th downlink transmission resource in the time domain, so that each feedback resource except the M-th feedback resource can be located between two adjacent downlink transmission resources.

[0180] like Figure 7 As shown, taking M=10 and N=5 as an example, each shaded square represents a DL-ACK time slot, such as... Figure 7 The shaded blocks 1, 2, ..., 5 are repeated 10 times, corresponding to 10 blocks. Figure 7The data is represented by blocks 1, 2, ..., 10. These 10 blocks represent an example of M downlink transmission resources, and the 5 DL-ACK slots represent an example of N feedback resources. Blocks 1 and 2 are temporally adjacent, as are blocks 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8, and 9 and 10. Each DL-ACK slot is temporally adjacent to one block; therefore, except for the last DL-ACK slot, each DL-ACK slot is located between two adjacent blocks. When the UE successfully demodulates the first data in block 4, it can send an ACK in DL-ACK slot 2. DL-ACK slot 2 is the closest DL-ACK slot to block 4 in terms of temporal position among the 5 DL-ACK slots. When the base station receives the ACK in DL-ACK slot 2, it can terminate the repeated transmissions from block 5 to block 10.

[0181] like Figure 7 As shown, the base station can configure the time-domain information of M blocks and the time-domain information of M DL-ACK time slots to the UE via DCI. For example, DCI can indicate that the time interval between the time-domain start position of block 1 and the time-domain start position of DCI is S slots, the time-domain length of each block is L slots, the interval between the time-domain start positions of block 2 and block 3 is P slots, and the time-domain length of each DL-ACK time slot is Y slots. The time-domain start position of each block and the time-domain start position of each DL-ACK time slot can be determined by one or more of S, L, P, and Y.

[0182] It should be understood that Figures 5 to 7 The temporal positions shown are merely examples. This application does not limit the specific positions of the M downlink transmission resources and N feedback resources, as long as the temporal position of at least one of the N feedback resources is located between the temporal positions of two downlink transmission resources among the M downlink transmission resources.

[0183] It should also be understood that Figures 5 to 7 The main focus is on the time-domain relationship between M downlink transmission resources and N feedback resources. This application does not limit the frequency-domain relationship between the M downlink transmission resources and N feedback resources.

[0184] also, Figures 5 to 7 The resource indication method is only an example, and this application does not limit the specific method of indicating M downlink transmission resources and N feedback resources.

[0185] in addition, Figure 6 and Figure 7 For ease of explanation, we will use M equal to 10 as an example. The actual number of repeated transmissions may be hundreds or thousands, or other orders of magnitude, without limitation.

[0186] Based on the above scheme, the number of feedback resources can be less than the number of downlink transmission resources. This not only enables the terminal device to send confirmation information on the nearest feedback resource, but also reduces the total resources occupied by N feedback resources, achieving a good balance between improving transmission efficiency and saving configuration resources.

[0187] In one implementation, when the first condition is met, the network device configures N feedback resources to the terminal device. This can also be described as indicating N feedback resources to the terminal device.

[0188] The first condition includes at least one of the following: the reference signal receiving power (RSRP) of the terminal device is less than a first threshold; the value of M (i.e., the number of repeated transmissions) is greater than a second threshold; the index value of the modulation and coding scheme (MCS) of the terminal device is less than a third threshold; each of the M downlink transmission resources includes at least one sub-PRB; and each of the M downlink transmission resources includes at least one time slot.

[0189] For example, the RSRP of the terminal device can be measured and reported to the network device by the terminal device, and the value of M, the index value of the MCS of the terminal device, and the M downlink transmission resources can be configured by the network device for the terminal device according to the transmission situation, for example, through the first configuration information.

[0190] Sub-PRBs are primarily allocated through PUSCH sub-PRBs to support terminal power enhancement. A typical PRB consists of 12 subcarriers, and sub-PRBs can support coverage enhancement.

[0191] Specifically, each of the M downlink transmission resources includes at least one sub-PRB, which can be understood as the downlink scheduling resource being at the sub-PRB level. Each of the M downlink transmission resources includes at least one time slot, which can be understood as the downlink scheduling method being a multi-slot method.

[0192] Specifically, when the first condition is met, the network device can confirm that the distance between the terminal device and the network device is far, or that the current communication conditions of the terminal device are poor. Therefore, in order to ensure the reliability of transmission, the network device can configure N feedback resources for the terminal device to provide feedback on whether the first data was successfully demodulated during repeated transmission.

[0193] Based on the above scheme, network devices can configure N feedback resources to terminal devices when certain conditions are met. This allows network devices to promptly know that downlink data demodulation is successful in special communication scenarios (such as when the distance between the terminal device and the network device is far, or when the current communication conditions of the terminal device are poor), thereby terminating unnecessary repeated transmissions and saving network device costs.

[0194] In one implementation, prior to S410, the method further includes: S402, whereby the terminal device sends capability information to the network device, and the network device receives the capability information accordingly.

[0195] This capability information includes the demodulation capability of the terminal device, such as whether the terminal device supports fast demodulation and real-time feedback of downlink data.

[0196] Specifically, whether downlink data fast demodulation is supported indicates whether the terminal device can quickly demodulate or decode received downlink data to determine whether demodulation was successful. Whether real-time feedback of downlink data is supported indicates whether the terminal device can promptly provide feedback to the network device after each successful demodulation. During repeated downlink data transmission, when the terminal device supports fast demodulation and real-time feedback, each demodulation and feedback by the terminal device will not affect its subsequent reception of downlink data.

[0197] For example, the demodulation capability of a terminal device may be related to parameters such as the terminal device's hardware configuration, demodulation algorithm, and modulation technology. Before performing repeated transmissions, the terminal device can report its demodulation capability.

[0198] In one implementation, the network device can determine whether to configure N feedback resources for the terminal device based on the terminal device's capability information.

[0199] For example, if the terminal device has good demodulation capabilities and supports fast demodulation and real-time feedback of downlink data, the network device can configure N feedback resources for the terminal device or configure a large number of feedback resources (i.e., N is a large value, such as N=M). If the terminal device has insufficient demodulation capabilities and does not support fast demodulation and real-time feedback of downlink data, the network device can configure only 1 feedback resource for the terminal device or configure fewer feedback resources (i.e., N is a small value).

[0200] For example, if the network device configures only one feedback resource for the terminal device, then this one feedback resource can be located after the time domain position of the last downlink transmission resource among the M downlink transmission resources, such as... Figure 3 As shown.

[0201] Based on the above scheme, terminal devices can report their capability information, enabling network devices to determine whether multiple feedback resources can be configured to improve communication reliability.

[0202] In one implementation, the method further includes: the network device sending an indication message to the terminal device, the indication message indicating whether feedback is required in the event of a first data demodulation failure, or the indication message indicating whether feedback is required only in the event of a first data demodulation success, or whether feedback is required in both the event of a first data demodulation success and a demodulation failure.

[0203] For example, this indication information can be 1 bit, with a value of 1, indicating that feedback is required if the first data demodulation fails, or in other words, feedback is required in both cases of successful and unsuccessful demodulation. A value of 0 indicates that no feedback is required if the first data demodulation fails, or in other words, feedback is only required if the first data demodulation succeeds. Correspondingly, when the indication information indicates that feedback is required if the first data demodulation fails, the terminal device can provide a NACK if demodulation fails; when the indication information indicates that feedback is not required if the first data demodulation fails, the terminal device can choose not to provide feedback if demodulation fails, i.e., only provide feedback if demodulation succeeds.

[0204] For example, the above-mentioned indication information can be carried in the second configuration information, that is, the network device can send the above-mentioned indication information to the terminal device through the second configuration information.

[0205] For example, the confirmation information is represented by a first sequence, which is different from a second sequence, the second sequence being used to indicate that the first data demodulation failed.

[0206] Specifically, the protocol can predefine two different sequences, called the first sequence and the second sequence. The first sequence is used to indicate that the first data demodulation was successful, i.e., an ACK signal, and the second sequence is used to indicate that the first data demodulation failed, i.e., a NACK signal. Here, the first sequence can also be called the first signal, and the second sequence can also be called the second signal.

[0207] Based on the above scheme, network devices can indicate to terminal devices whether feedback is needed in the event of a first data demodulation failure, thus providing greater flexibility.

[0208] In one implementation, the N feedback resources are resources in PUCCH; or, the N feedback resources are resources in PRACH.

[0209] For example, when N feedback resources are resources in PRACH, these N feedback resources can occupy non-contention-free PRACH resources.

[0210] Specifically, network devices can instruct terminal devices to provide feedback via PUCCH or PRACH.

[0211] Generally, system messages include PRACH resources dedicated to the terminal device. In this application, the N feedback resources configured by the network device for the terminal device can be resources in the PRACH, which can make more reasonable use of transmission resources and reduce resource waste.

[0212] In one implementation, the method further includes: the network device mapping the first data onto M downlink transmission resources.

[0213] Specifically, such as Figure 8 As shown, when a network device sends downlink data, the original information bits of the downlink data need to be encoded and modulated to generate a downlink signal. The process of generating the downlink signal can also be called the resource mapping process, that is, the modulated information needs to be mapped to the corresponding resources.

[0214] Optionally, such as Figure 8 As shown, a CRC bit can be added to the information bits before encoding. This CRC bit can be used for verification at the receiving end to improve the reliability of transmission.

[0215] In this application, since the network device is configured with M downlink transmission resources and N feedback resources, when performing resource mapping, the network device will map the first data into the M downlink transmission resources according to the first configuration information, and will reserve corresponding time and frequency positions for the N feedback resources according to the second configuration information, so that the first data will not be mapped into the N feedback resources.

[0216] It should be understood that the sequence number of each process 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.

[0217] It should also be understood that, in the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other, and the technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships.

[0218] It should also be understood that in some of the above embodiments, the examples are mainly based on devices in existing network architectures (such as network devices, terminal devices, etc.). It should be understood that the specific form of the device is not limited in the embodiments of this application. For example, any device that can achieve the same function in the future is applicable to the embodiments of this application.

[0219] It is understood that, in the above-described method embodiments, the methods and operations implemented by a device (such as a network device or a terminal device) can also be implemented by components of the device (such as a chip or circuit).

[0220] The above, combined with Figures 1 to 8 The communication method provided in the embodiments of this application is described in detail. The above-described communication method is mainly introduced from the perspective of interaction between terminal devices and network devices. It is understood that, in order to achieve the above functions, the terminal devices and network devices include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function.

[0221] It is understood that, in order to implement the functions in the above embodiments, the terminal device and network device include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to perform each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and method steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed in this application, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0222] Figure 9 and Figure 10 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of the terminal device or network device in the above method embodiments, and therefore can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments. In the embodiments of this application, the communication device can be as follows: Figure 1 The terminal 120 shown can also be as follows: Figure 1 The network device 110 shown can also be a module (such as a chip) applied to a terminal or network device.

[0223] like Figure 9 As shown, the communication device 2000 includes a transceiver unit 2020. Optionally, the communication device 2000 also includes a processing unit 2010. The communication device 2000 is used to implement the above-mentioned... Figure 4 The methods illustrated in this embodiment demonstrate the functions of the terminal device or network device.

[0224] When the communication device 2000 is used to achieve Figure 4In the illustrated method embodiment, the terminal device functions as follows: Transceiver unit 2020 is configured to receive first configuration information from a network device, wherein the first configuration information configures M downlink transmission resources, and the M downlink transmission resources are used for repeated transmission of first data, where M is an integer greater than or equal to 2; processing unit 2010 is configured to determine that the first data demodulation on the first downlink transmission resource is successful, and the first downlink transmission resource is one of the M downlink transmission resources. The transceiver unit 2020 is also configured to send confirmation information to the network device on the first feedback resource, the confirmation information indicating successful demodulation of the first data.

[0225] When the communication device 2000 is used to achieve Figure 4 In the method embodiment shown, the network device functions as follows: the transceiver unit 2020 is used to send first configuration information to the terminal device, the first configuration information being used to configure M downlink transmission resources, the M downlink transmission resources being used for repeated transmission of first data, M being an integer greater than or equal to 2; the transceiver unit 2020 is also used to receive confirmation information from the terminal device on the first feedback resource, the confirmation information being used to indicate that the first data demodulation was successful.

[0226] For a more detailed description of the aforementioned processing unit 2010 and transceiver unit 2020, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 4 The relevant descriptions in the method embodiments shown.

[0227] like Figure 10 As shown, the communication device 3000 includes a processor 3010 and an interface circuit 3020. The processor 3010 and the interface circuit 3020 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 3020 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. Optionally, the communication device 3000 may also include a memory 3030 for storing instructions executed by the processor 3010, or storing input data required by the processor 3010 to execute instructions, or storing data generated after the processor 3010 executes instructions. Sometimes, the interface circuit 3020 can also be understood as part of the processor 3010, in which case the communication device 3000 includes the processor 3010.

[0228] When the communication device 3000 is used to achieve Figure 4 In the method shown, the processor 3010 is used to implement the functions of the processing unit 2010, and the interface circuit 3020 is used to implement the functions of the transceiver unit 2020.

[0229] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip applied to a terminal device (hereinafter referred to as a terminal), the terminal chip implements the functions of the terminal in the above method embodiments. The terminal chip receives information from a base station, which can be understood as the information being first received by other modules in the terminal (such as a radio frequency module or antenna), and then sent to the terminal chip by these modules. The terminal chip sends information to the base station, which can be understood as the information being first sent to other modules in the terminal (such as a radio frequency module or antenna), and then sent to the base station by these modules.

[0230] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip used in network equipment (hereinafter referred to as a base station), the base station chip implements the functions of the base station in the above method embodiments. The base station chip receives information from the terminal, which can be understood as the information being first received by other modules in the base station (such as a radio frequency module or antenna), and then sent to the base station chip by these modules. The base station chip sends information to the terminal, which can be understood as the information being sent down to other modules in the base station (such as a radio frequency module or antenna), and then sent to the terminal by these modules.

[0231] In this application, entity A sends information to entity B, either directly or indirectly through other entities. Similarly, entity B receives information from entity A, either directly or indirectly through other entities. Entities A and B can be RAN nodes or terminals, or modules within RAN nodes or terminals. Information transmission and reception can be between RAN nodes and terminals, such as between a base station and a terminal; between two RAN nodes, such as between a CU and a DU; or between different modules within a single device, such as between a terminal chip and other modules of the terminal, or between a base station chip and other modules of the base station.

[0232] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application may be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0233] The method steps in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or in software instructions executable by a processor. The software instructions can consist of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, registers, hard disks, portable hard disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. The storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. Alternatively, the ASIC can reside in a base station or terminal. The processor and storage medium can also exist as discrete components in a base station or terminal.

[0234] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are performed entirely or partially. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user equipment, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video optical disc; or it can be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or may include both types of storage media.

[0235] In the above embodiments, unless otherwise specified or there is a logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships.

[0236] In this document, "at least one" means one or more. "More than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. In the textual description of this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship; in the formulas of this application, the character " / " indicates that the related objects before and after are in a "division" relationship. "Including at least one of A, B, and C" can mean: including A; including B; including C; including A and B; including A and C; including B and C; including A, B, and C.

[0237] In this application, the numbering can start from 0 and increment by 1 each time, i.e., the numbering can be 0, 1, 2, 3, 4... Alternatively, the numbering can start from 1 and increment by 1 each time, i.e., the numbering can be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... This application does not limit the starting position of the numbering. For ease of explanation, unless otherwise specified, the numbering starts from 1.

[0238] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the terms "first," "second," and various numerical designations are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the sequence numbers of the above processes does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic.

[0239] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples 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 implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0240] 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.

[0241] 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.

[0242] 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.

[0243] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0244] 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 technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, 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, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0245] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, include: Receive first configuration information from a network device, the first configuration information being used to configure M downlink transmission resources, the M downlink transmission resources being used for repeated transmission of first data, where M is an integer greater than or equal to 2; It is determined that the first data demodulation on the first downlink transmission resource was successful, and the first downlink transmission resource is one of M downlink transmission resources; An acknowledgment message is sent to the network device on the first feedback resource. This acknowledgment message indicates that the first data demodulation was successful. The first feedback resource is the one among N feedback resources whose time-domain location is closest to the moment when the first data demodulation was successful, and the first feedback resource is located after the moment when the first data demodulation was successful in the time domain; or, The first feedback resource is the one among the N feedback resources that is closest to the first downlink transmission resource in the time domain, and the first feedback resource is located after the first downlink transmission resource in the time domain. Where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The N feedback resources are not adjacent in the time domain. The i-th feedback resource among the N feedback resources is located in the time domain between two adjacent downlink transmission resources among the M downlink transmission resources, where i is an integer greater than 0 and less than or equal to N, or i is an integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than N.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, N is less than M, and the i-th feedback resource is adjacent to the (M-N+i)-th downlink transmission resource in the time domain.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: The system receives second configuration information from the network device, which is used to configure the N feedback resources and to provide feedback on whether the first data was successfully demodulated.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second configuration information includes the time-domain start position and time-domain length of at least one of the N feedback resources.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The second configuration information includes indication information, which indicates whether feedback is required in the event that the first data demodulation fails.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send capability information to the network device, the capability information including the demodulation capability of the terminal device.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The confirmation information is a first sequence, which is different from the second sequence. The second sequence is used to indicate that the first data demodulation failed.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The N feedback resources are resources in PUCCH; or, the N feedback resources are resources in non-contentionable PRACH.

10. A method of communication, characterized in that, include: Send first configuration information to the terminal device. The first configuration information is used to configure M downlink transmission resources. The M downlink transmission resources are used for repeated transmission of the first data. M is an integer greater than or equal to 2. A confirmation message is received from the terminal device on the first feedback resource. This confirmation message indicates that the first data demodulation was successful. The first feedback resource is the one among N feedback resources whose time-domain location is closest to the moment when the first data demodulation was successful; the first feedback resource is located after the moment when the first data demodulation was successful in the time domain; or... The first feedback resource is the one among N feedback resources that is closest to the first downlink transmission resource in the time domain, and the first feedback resource is located after the first downlink transmission resource in the time domain. The first downlink transmission resource is one of M downlink transmission resources, and the first data on the first downlink transmission resource is successfully demodulated. Where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The N feedback resources are not adjacent in the time domain. The i-th feedback resource among the N feedback resources is located in the time domain between two adjacent downlink transmission resources among the M downlink transmission resources, where i is an integer greater than 0 and less than or equal to N, or i is an integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than N.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, N is less than M, and the i-th feedback resource is adjacent to the (M-N+i)-th downlink transmission resource in the time domain.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, The method further includes: The system receives second configuration information from the network device, which is used to configure the N feedback resources and to provide feedback on whether the first data was successfully demodulated.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that, When a first condition is met, the N feedback resources are configured to the terminal device, wherein the first condition includes at least one of the following: The reference signal receiving power of the terminal device is less than a first threshold. The value of M is greater than the second threshold; The index value of the modulation and coding strategy of the terminal device is less than the third threshold; The M downlink transmission resources include at least one sub-physical resource block (PRB); The M downlink transmission resources include at least one time slot.

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that, The second configuration information includes the time-domain start position and time-domain length of at least one of the N feedback resources.

16. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that, The second configuration information includes indication information, which indicates whether feedback is required in the event that the first data demodulation fails.

17. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 16, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive capability information from the terminal device, the capability information including the demodulation capability of the terminal device.

18. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 17, characterized in that, The confirmation information is a first sequence, which is different from the second sequence. The second sequence is used to indicate that the first data demodulation failed.

19. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 18, characterized in that, The N feedback resources are resources in PUCCH; or, the N feedback resources are resources in non-contentionable PRACH.

20. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes modules or units for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, or includes modules or units for performing the method as described in any one of claims 10 to 19.

21. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes one or more processors, which are configured to execute computer programs or instructions stored in a memory, causing the device to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 9, or to perform the method of any one of claims 10 to 19.

22. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed by a communication device, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, or implement the method as described in any one of claims 10 to 19.

23. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes a computer program that, when run, implements the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, or implements the method as described in any one of claims 10 to 19.

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