Communication method and device, storage medium and program product

Abstract

The invention discloses a communication method and device, a storage medium and a program product. The method comprises the following steps: determining that a terminal meets an SUL communication condition agreed by a communication standard and autonomously deciding to suppress SUL communication; and under the condition of suppressing the SUL communication, first information is sent in the NUL frequency band, the first information indicates at least one of the following operations: connection establishment, connection recovery, connection reconfiguration, cell switching and random access, or the first information comprises at least one of the following operations: SRS, CSI, a lead code, uplink data and uplink control information. By adopting the scheme of the application, the terminal avoids connection reestablishment, connection release or cell inhibition by autonomously inhibiting the SUL communication, and the communication performance is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, apparatus, storage medium, and program product. Background Technology

[0002] New radio (NR) communication systems introduce supplementary uplink / super uplink (SUL) frequency bands to supplement uplink speeds and coverage. For a given cell, there are cases where SUL is supported and cases where it is not. Similarly, for a given terminal, there are cases where SUL is supported and cases where it is not, and support for SUL may involve supporting only a portion of the SUL frequency bands or all of them.

[0003] However, if the network supports a portion of the SUL band, while the terminal supports another portion, the terminal cannot utilize the network's configured SUL-specific parameters for communication, triggering a connection reconstruction or release process. Alternatively, the terminal may stop reporting its corresponding SUL capabilities to the network, suppressing access to such SUL cells. The former leads to a period of data transmission interruption, impacting user experience; the latter reduces terminal capabilities, and suppressing access to SUL cells may cause the terminal to select a suboptimal cell or a lower standard, ultimately affecting user experience.

[0004] Therefore, how to achieve reliable communication under the SUL mechanism is a problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method, apparatus, storage medium, and program product to achieve reliable communication under the SUL mechanism.

[0006] Firstly, a communication method is provided. Exemplarily, this method can be applied to a terminal side. For example, the method can be executed by the terminal itself, or by a module (e.g., processor, chip, chip system, circuit, etc.) within the terminal. This module can be a communication module within the terminal, or a circuit or chip within the terminal responsible for communication functions, such as a modem chip (also known as a baseband chip), or a system-on-a-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core, or a system-in-package (SIP) chip.

[0007] The method includes: determining that the terminal meets the SUL communication conditions agreed upon in the communication standard and autonomously deciding to suppress SUL communication; and, in the case of suppressing SUL communication, transmitting first information in the normal uplink (NUL) band, the first information indicating at least one of the following operations: connection establishment, connection recovery, connection reconfiguration, cell handover, random access, or the first information including at least one of the following: sounding reference signal (SRS), channel state information (CSI), preamble, uplink data, uplink control information.

[0008] Using this method, when the terminal meets the SUL communication conditions agreed upon in the communication standard and decides to suppress SUL communication autonomously, the terminal can avoid connection reconstruction, connection release or cell suppression by autonomously suppressing SUL communication, thereby improving communication performance.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible design, the suppression of SUL communication includes any of the following: stopping SUL communication; transmitting information with a power less than or equal to a first threshold on the SUL band; or transmitting invalid information on the SUL band.

[0010] This design can improve communication performance by autonomously suppressing SUL communication, avoiding connection rebuilding, connection release, or cell suppression.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in another possible design, the autonomous decision to suppress SUL communication is based on at least one of the following: the SUL frequency band supported by the terminal is different from the SUL frequency band configured by the network device; the communication resources required by multiple user identification modules within the terminal are greater than or equal to a second threshold; and the power consumption of the terminal is greater than or equal to a third threshold.

[0012] Using this design, the terminal can accurately suppress SUL communication.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, in another possible design, the SUL communication conditions include at least one of the following: channel quality conditions, resource availability, and resource selection strategy.

[0014] Secondly, a communication device is provided for implementing the communication method described in the first aspect or any implementation thereof. This device may be a terminal, a module applied to a terminal (e.g., a processor, chip, chip system, circuit, etc.), or a logic node, logic module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the communication device in the second aspect includes units, modules, or means for respectively executing the methods in the first aspect or any implementation thereof. The units, modules, or means may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0016] For example, the communication device includes a processing unit and a transceiver unit. Wherein:

[0017] The processing unit is configured to determine that the terminal meets the SUL communication conditions agreed upon in the communication standard and autonomously decide to suppress SUL communication; and the transceiver unit is configured to transmit first information in the NUL band when suppressing SUL communication, wherein the first information indicates at least one of the following operations: connection establishment, connection recovery, connection reconfiguration, cell handover, random access, or the first information includes at least one of the following: SRS, CSI, preamble, uplink data, uplink control information.

[0018] Optionally, the suppression of SUL communication includes any one of the following: stopping SUL communication; transmitting information with a power less than or equal to a first threshold on the SUL band; or transmitting invalid information on the SUL band.

[0019] Optionally, the autonomous decision to suppress SUL communication is based on at least one of the following: the SUL frequency band supported by the terminal is different from the SUL frequency band configured by the network device; the communication resources required by multiple user identification modules in the terminal are greater than or equal to a second threshold; and the power consumption of the terminal is greater than or equal to a third threshold.

[0020] Optionally, the SUL communication conditions include at least one of the following: channel quality conditions, resource availability, and resource selection strategy.

[0021] In another possible implementation, the communication device in the second aspect above includes a processor and a memory; the processor is configured such that when the terminal executes software instructions in the memory, it performs the following operations: determines that the terminal meets the SUL communication conditions agreed upon by the communication standard and autonomously decides to suppress SUL communication; and, in the case of suppressing SUL communication, transmits first information in the NUL band, the first information indicating at least one of the following operations: connection establishment, connection recovery, connection reconfiguration, cell handover, random access, or the first information includes at least one of the following: SRS, CSI, preamble, uplink data, uplink control information.

[0022] Optionally, the suppression of SUL communication includes any one of the following: stopping SUL communication; transmitting information with a power less than or equal to a first threshold on the SUL band; or transmitting invalid information on the SUL band.

[0023] Optionally, the autonomous decision to suppress SUL communication is based on at least one of the following: the SUL frequency band supported by the terminal is different from the SUL frequency band configured by the network device; the communication resources required by multiple user identification modules in the terminal are greater than or equal to a second threshold; and the power consumption of the terminal is greater than or equal to a third threshold.

[0024] Optionally, the SUL communication conditions include at least one of the following: channel quality conditions, resource availability, and resource selection strategy.

[0025] Optionally, the processor may be coupled to a memory for storing necessary programs (instructions) and / or data of the device. Optionally, the communication device may also include a communication interface for enabling communication between the device and other network elements. Optionally, the memory may be located internally or externally to the communication device.

[0026] Optionally, the communication device may further include a transceiver unit, with the processor coupled to the transceiver unit. The processor executes computer programs or instructions to control the transceiver unit to receive and send information. When the processor executes the computer programs or instructions, it is also used to implement the above method through logic circuits or executed code instructions. The transceiver unit may be a transceiver, transceiver circuit, or input / output interface, used to receive signals from other communication devices outside the communication device and transmit them to the processor, or to send signals from the processor to other communication devices outside the communication device. When the communication device is a chip, the transceiver unit is a transceiver circuit or an input / output interface.

[0027] When the communication device in the second aspect above is a chip, the transmitting unit can be an output unit, such as an output circuit or a communication interface; the receiving unit can be an input unit, such as an input circuit or a communication interface. When the communication device is a terminal, the transmitting unit can be a transmitter or a receiver; the receiving unit can be a receiver or a receiver.

[0028] Thirdly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein a computer program or instructions are stored therein, and when the computer program or instructions are executed, the method described in the first aspect or any one of the implementations of the first aspect is implemented.

[0029] Fourthly, a computer program product containing instructions is provided, which, when executed on a communication device, causes the communication device to perform the method described in the first aspect or any implementation thereof. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a possible, non-limiting communication system;

[0031] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating the process by which a terminal transitions from the idle state to the connected state.

[0032] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the connection recovery process triggered by the NR terminal;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of a terminal switching to a connected state.

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of connection reconstruction during the connection state of a terminal.

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the terminal capability query process;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the terminal capability transfer process;

[0037] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 9 A schematic diagram illustrating the suppression of SUL communication by the terminal in a connection establishment scenario;

[0039] Figure 10 A diagram illustrating the suppression of SUL communication by the terminal in connection reconfiguration or switching scenarios;

[0040] Figure 11 A schematic diagram illustrating the suppression of SUL communication by the terminal in a connection restoration scenario;

[0041] Figures 12-13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The scheme of this application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] The technical solution provided in this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as fifth-generation (5G) communication systems. thThis technology can be applied to various scenarios, including 5G mobile communication systems, future evolution systems, and converged communication systems, as well as existing communication systems. The application scenarios of the technical solutions provided in this application can include multiple areas, such as machine-to-machine (M2M), macro-micro communication, enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable and low-latency communication (uRLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC). These scenarios may include, but are not limited to, communication between terminals, communication between network devices, and communication between network devices and terminals. Network devices include access network devices and core network devices. The following descriptions use examples of applications involving communication between network devices and terminals.

[0044] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a possible, non-limiting communication system is shown. (e.g.) Figure 1 As shown, the communication system 1000 includes a radio access network (RAN) 100 and a core network (CN) 200. The communication system 1000 may also include an Internet 300. The RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (e.g., Figure 1 110a and 110b (collectively referred to as 110) and 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 connected to RAN node 110 wirelessly. RAN node 110 is connected to core network 200 wirelessly or via wired connection. The core network equipment in core network 200 and RAN node 110 in RAN 100 can be different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating core network logical functions and radio access network logical functions.

[0045] RAN 100 can be a cellular system related to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 4G, 5G mobile communication systems, or future communication networks (or future-oriented evolution systems, such as 6G mobile communication systems). RAN 100 can also be an open radio access network (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. RAN 100 can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems.

[0046] RAN node 110, also known as network equipment, access network equipment, RAN entity, or access node, constitutes part of the communication system and assists terminals in achieving wireless access. Multiple RAN nodes 110 in the communication system 1000 can be of the same type or different types. In some scenarios, the roles of RAN node 110 and terminal 120 are relative, for example... Figure 1 Network element 120i can be a helicopter or a drone, and it can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminals 120j that access RAN 100 through network element 120i, network element 120i is a base station; however, for base station 110a, network element 120i is a terminal. RAN node 110 and terminal 120 are sometimes referred to as communication devices, for example... Figure 1 Network elements 110a and 110b can be understood as communication devices with base station functions, while network elements 120a-120j can be understood as communication devices with terminal functions.

[0047] In one possible scenario, a RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a next-generation base station in a 6th-generation (6G) mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system, etc. A RAN node can also be a macro base station (such as...) Figure 1 110a), micro base stations or indoor stations (such as Figure 1In CRAN scenarios, RAN nodes can be 110b), relay nodes or donor nodes, or wireless controllers. Optionally, RAN nodes can also be servers, wearable devices, vehicles, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, network devices in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be roadside units (RSUs).

[0048] In another possible scenario, multiple RAN nodes assist the terminal in achieving wireless access, with different RAN nodes each implementing some of the base station's functions. For example, RAN nodes can be central units (CUs), distributed units (DUs), central unit-control planes (CU-CPs), central unit-user planes (CU-UPs), or radio units (RUs), etc. CUs and DUs can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio equipment or radio units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radioheads (RRHs).

[0049] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called an open-centralized unit (O-CU), DU can also be called an open-distributed unit (O-DU), CU-CP can also be called an open-centralized unit-control plane (O-CU-CP), CU-UP can also be called an open-centralized unit-user plane (O-CU-UP), and RU can also be called an open-radio unit (O-RU). For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules.

[0050] A terminal can also be called a terminal device, 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, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal.

[0051] Communication between network devices and terminals follows a specific protocol layer structure. This protocol layer may include a control plane protocol layer and a user plane protocol layer. The control plane protocol layer may include at least one of the following: radio resource control (RRC) layer, packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, radio link control (RLC) layer, media access control (MAC) layer, or physical (PHY) layer, etc. The user plane protocol layer may include at least one of the following: service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer, PDCP layer, RLC layer, MAC layer, or physical layer, etc. The terminal's non-access stratum (NAS) interacts with the core network's access and mobility management function (AMF); the UE's RRC layer interacts with the access network equipment's RRC layer.

[0052] 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.

[0053] The roles of base stations and terminals can be relative, for example, Figure 1The 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.

[0054] In this embodiment, the base station is also referred to as a network device. The apparatus for implementing the functions of the network device can be a network device itself; it can also be an apparatus capable of supporting the network device in implementing those functions, such as a chip system, hardware circuit, software module, or a hardware circuit plus a software module. This apparatus can be installed in the network device or used in conjunction with the network device. In this embodiment, the example of a network device being used to implement the functions of the network device is used only and does not constitute a limitation on the solutions of this embodiment.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the UE is also referred to as a terminal, and the device used to implement the method flow of this embodiment can be a terminal; the corresponding method can also be implemented by a device capable of supporting the terminal to implement the function, such as a chip system, hardware circuit, software module, or hardware circuit plus software module. This device can be installed in the terminal or used in conjunction with the terminal. In this embodiment, only the device used to implement the terminal's function is described as a terminal, and the solution of this embodiment is not construed as limiting the scope of the embodiment.

[0056] It should be understood that Figure 1 The number and type of devices in the communication system shown are for illustrative purposes only. This application is not limited to this. In actual applications, the communication system may include more terminals, more access network devices, and other network elements, such as core network devices and / or network elements used to implement artificial intelligence functions.

[0057] It is understandable that all or part of the functions implemented by one or more of the terminals, access network equipment, core network equipment, or network elements used to implement artificial intelligence functions can be virtualized, that is, implemented through one or more of dedicated or general-purpose processors and corresponding software modules. Among these, the transmit and receive functions of the terminals and access network equipment, which involve air interface transmission, can be implemented in hardware. Core network equipment, such as operation administration and maintenance (OAM) network elements, can also be virtualized. Optionally, one or more of the functions of the virtualized terminals, access network equipment, core network equipment, or network elements used to implement artificial intelligence functions can be implemented by cloud devices, such as cloud devices in over-the-top (OTT) systems.

[0058] This application may involve the terminal performing cell search and obtaining system information:

[0059] The terminal performs a cell search. After finding the target cell, it retrieves system messages to confirm whether it can camp on the cell.

[0060] System information is a message sent by the base station that contains information required for terminal initialization as well as information related to some other functions / features.

[0061] System information is divided into minimum system information (Minimum SI) and other system information (Other SI). The minimum system information consists of the master information block (MIB) and system information block 1 (SIB1), also known as the remaining minimum system information (RMSI). The MIB is periodically broadcast on the broadcast channel (BCH). SIB1 is periodically broadcast on the downlink shared channel (DL-SCH) or sent to RRC-connected terminals via dedicated signaling.

[0062] Other system information consists of other SIBs, such as SIB2 to SIB9. Other SIBs are broadcast periodically on the DL-SCH, or on demand (i.e., the network only broadcasts a certain SIB when an RRC idle (RRC_IDLE) or RRC inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) terminal requests it; otherwise, it does not send the SIB), or they are sent to RRC connected terminals via dedicated signaling.

[0063] The basic process for terminals in the RRC idle state and RRC inactive state to obtain system information is as follows: the terminal first obtains the MIB, then obtains SIB1 based on the scheduling information in the MIB, and then obtains other SIBs based on the scheduling information in SIB1.

[0064] This application may involve the state transition of RRC. The following is a brief description of the possible process involved in the state transition of RRC:

[0065] RRC states include RRC_IDLE, RRC_INACTIVE, and RRC_CONNECTED.

[0066] The RRC state transitions are accomplished through different procedures. Typically, the connection establishment procedure transitions from RRC_IDLE to RRC_CONNECTED; the connection recovery procedure transitions from RRC_INACTIVE to RRC_CONNECTED; and when in the RRC_CONNECTED state, the terminal maintains the RRC_CONNECTED state through handover and connection reconstruction procedures.

[0067] (1) Procedure for a terminal to transition from idle state to connected state:

[0068] After the terminal completes cell search and system message acquisition, it camps on a cell and enters the connected state after the initial access process is completed.

[0069] After entering the RRC_CONNECTED state, optionally, if the network device needs to query the terminal's capabilities, the network device initiates a terminal capability query process.

[0070] like Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the process by which a terminal triggers the transition from an idle state to a connected state. This process includes the following steps:

[0071] S201. The terminal requests to establish a new connection in the RRC_IDLE state: It sends an RRC Setup Request to the access network device. At this time, the signaling connection state (non-stratum) between the terminal and the access and mobility management function (AMF) network element is in the connection management-idle (CM-IDLE) state.

[0072] S202 / S202a. Access network device completes RRC establishment process: The access network device sends an RRC establishment (RRCSetup) message to the terminal, the terminal enters the RRC_CONNECTED state (NAS layer is in CM-IDLE state), and sends an RRC establishment complete (RRCSetupComplete) message to the access network device.

[0073] S203. The first NAS message, namely the Initial UE Message, is included in the RRC establishment completion message and is transmitted from the access network to the AMF of the core network.

[0074] At this point, the NAS layer is in the connection management-connected state (CM-CONNECTED).

[0075] S204 / S204a / S205 / S205a. Other NAS messages exchanged between the terminal and the AMF: The AMF sends a downlink NAS transfer to the access network device (DOWNLINK NAS TRANSPORT); the access network device sends a downlink information transfer to the terminal (DLInformationTransfer); the terminal sends an uplink information transfer to the access network device (ULInformationTransfer); and the access network device sends an uplink NAS transfer to the AMF (UPLINK NASTRANSPORT).

[0076] S206. The AMF sends the user context to the access network device: The AMF prepares terminal context data (including packet data unit (PDU) session context, key, terminal radio capabilities and terminal encryption capabilities, etc.) and sends an initial context setup request to the access network device.

[0077] S207 / S207a. Access network device activates AS security: The access network device sends a security mode command (SecurityModeCommand) to the terminal; the terminal sends a security mode complete (SecurityModeComplete) message to the access network device.

[0078] S208 / S208a. Access network equipment establishes signal radio bearer (SRB)2 and data radio bearer (DRB): Access network equipment sends an RRC reconfiguration message to the terminal; Terminal sends an RRC reconfiguration complete message to access network equipment.

[0079] S209.gNB indicates that the AMF establishment process has been completed: the access network device sends an Initial Context Setup Reply (INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE) to the AMF.

[0080] (2) Process of a terminal transitioning from an inactive state to a connected state:

[0081] The terminal's RRC layer is in the RRC_INACTIVE state, while the NAS layer is in the CM-CONNECTED state. Due to service requirements, the terminal attempts to restore the connection and migrates from the RRC_INACTIVE state to the RRC_CONNECTED state.

[0082] like Figure 3 The diagram shows the connection restoration process triggered by the NR terminal. This process includes the following steps:

[0083] S301. The terminal sends an RRC recovery request (RRCResumeRequest) to the access network device currently providing services.

[0084] S302 / S303. The currently serving access network device obtains the terminal context from the most recently serving access network device (LastServing gNB): The currently serving access network device sends a RETRIEVE UE CONTEXT REQUEST request to the most recently serving access network device, and the most recently serving access network device sends a RETRIEVE UE CONTEXTRESPONSE response to the currently serving access network device.

[0085] S304. The access network device currently providing services sends an RRC recovery (RRCResume) message to the terminal.

[0086] The terminal enters the RRC_CONNECTED state, and the NAS layer is in the CM-CONNECTED state.

[0087] S305. The terminal sends an RRC recovery complete message to the access network device.

[0088] S306. The currently providing access network equipment sends an XN-U address indication (Xn-UADDRESS INDICATION) message to the nearest providing access network equipment.

[0089] This step is optional. Figure 3 The middle part is indicated by a dashed line.

[0090] S307. The currently providing access network equipment sends a path switch request (PATH SWITCHREQUEST) to the AMF.

[0091] S308.AMF sends a PATH SWITCHREQUEST RESPONSE response to the currently serving access network device.

[0092] S309. The currently providing access network equipment sends a UE CONTEXT RELEASE message to the nearest providing access network equipment.

[0093] (3) Handover process of terminal in connected state:

[0094] The terminal's RRC layer is in the RRC_CONNECTED state, which is maintained due to user mobility and other needs.

[0095] The handover process is triggered under the condition of RRC_CONNECTED, attempting to reconnect in the same cell or a new cell.

[0096] like Figure 4 The diagram illustrates the process of a terminal switching between connected and disconnected states. This process includes the following steps:

[0097] S401. The source access network device sends a handover request to the target access network device.

[0098] The target access network device performs admission control.

[0099] S402. The target access network device sends a handover request response (HANDOVER REQUESTACKNOWLEDGE) to the source access network device.

[0100] S403. The source access network device sends an RRC reconfiguration message to the terminal.

[0101] The terminal switched to the new cell.

[0102] S404. The terminal sends an RRC reconfiguration complete message to the target access network device.

[0103] (4) The terminal initiates a connection reconstruction process in the connected state:

[0104] The terminal's RRC layer is in the RRC_CONNECTED state. The handover failed, the reconfiguration failed, or a connection reconstruction was triggered after a related anomaly was detected, attempting to restore the connection in the connected state.

[0105] The reconstruction process begins with cell selection. Once selected, a reconstruction request is sent to attempt to restore the connection. The target cell for reselection may be a new access network (the currently providing access network equipment is different from the most recently providing access network equipment) or the current access network (the currently providing access network equipment is the same as the most recently providing access network equipment).

[0106] After the reconstruction process is successful, the network reallocates relevant resources to the UE through a reconfiguration process, and the UE continues to complete relevant services in the connected state.

[0107] like Figure 5 The diagram illustrates the process of connection reconstruction during the connection state of a terminal. This process includes the following steps:

[0108] S501. The terminal's RRC layer is in RRC connected state, and its NAS layer is in CM-CONNECTED state. The terminal sends an RRC Reestablishment Request to the currently serving access network device.

[0109] S502 / S503. The currently providing access network device obtains the terminal context from the most recently providing access network device: The currently providing access network device sends a request to obtain the terminal context (RETRIEVE UE CONTEXT REQUEST) to the most recently providing access network device, and the most recently providing access network device sends a response to obtain the terminal context (RETRIEVE UE CONTEXT RESPONSE) to the currently providing access network device.

[0110] S504 / S504a. The currently providing access network equipment sends an RRC Reestablishment message to the terminal, and the terminal sends an RRC Reestablishment Complete message to the currently providing access network equipment.

[0111] Optionally ( Figure 5 (Represented by dashed lines), S505 / S505a. The currently providing access network equipment also sends an RRC reconfiguration message to the terminal, and the terminal sends an RRC reconfiguration completion message to the currently providing access network equipment.

[0112] S506. The currently providing access network equipment sends an XN-U address indication message from the nearest providing access network equipment.

[0113] S507. The most recently providing service access network device sends an SN STATUS TRANSFER message to the currently providing service access network device.

[0114] Steps S506 and S507 above are optional. Figure 5 The middle part is indicated by a dashed line.

[0115] S508. The currently providing access network equipment sends a path switch request (PATH SWITCHREQUEST) to the AMF.

[0116] S509.AMF sends a PATH SWITCHREQUEST RESPONSE response to the currently serving access network device.

[0117] S510. The currently providing access network device sends a terminal context release message from the most recently providing access network device.

[0118] (5) Terminal capability query process in connected state:

[0119] like Figure 6 The diagram shown illustrates the terminal capability query process, which includes the following steps:

[0120] S601. When the access network device needs to query the terminal's capabilities, it sends a terminal capability query (UECapabilityEnquiry) message to the terminal.

[0121] S602. The terminal sends terminal capability information (UECapabilityInformation) to the access network equipment.

[0122] After receiving the terminal capability information sent by the terminal, the access network device not only transmits all terminal capability information to the core network, but also parses out the paging-related capabilities from the terminal capabilities and transmits them separately to the core network for use by the core network in paging scenarios.

[0123] like Figure 7 The diagram shown illustrates the terminal capability transfer process, which includes the following steps:

[0124] S701. The access network device sends a terminal radio capability information indication (UE RADIO CAPABILITY INFOINDICATION) to the AMF.

[0125] This application relates to SUL, and the characteristics of SUL are described below:

[0126] Based on the requirements of uplink speed and uplink coverage, NR introduces the SUL band as a supplement to uplink.

[0127] From the perspective of the cell, there are two scenarios: supporting SUL and not supporting SUL, and this applies to all terminals. From the perspective of the terminal, there are also two scenarios: supporting SUL and not supporting SUL. Furthermore, supporting SUL may mean supporting only a portion of the SUL frequency bands, or it may mean supporting only a portion of the frequency bands.

[0128] Once a terminal is camped in a cell, regardless of whether it supports it or to what extent, it may receive cell-level SUL resources from the network, which can be called "SUL public resources". Then, after the terminal reports its own capabilities, the network configures terminal-level SUL resources according to the terminal's capabilities, which can be called "SUL private resources".

[0129] Depending on the configured resources and scheduling methods, SUL technology is defined in Chinese as supplementary uplink and super uplink. In this application, SUL can refer to supplementary uplink or super uplink.

[0130] SUL common resources are primarily configured by the Serving Cell Configuration Common Configuration System Information Block (ServingcellconfigcommSIB) in System Information Block (SIB) 1, or by the Serving Cell Configuration Common Configuration (Servingcellconfigcomm) in the RRC Reconfiguration message during NR switching. It should be noted that in LTE-to-NR switching scenarios, the LTE message contains a container, which is then parsed into the RRC Reconfiguration message under NR. SUL common resources mainly include common configurations for the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH), Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), and random access resources. Random access resources can be further categorized based on access steps: 4-step RACH (RACH-ConfigCommon) common configuration resources and 2-step RACH (RACH-ConfigCommonTwoStepRA-r16) common configuration resources. Random access resources are divided into basic configuration (rach-ConfigCommon / RACH-ConfigCommonTwoStepRA-r16) and extended supplementary configuration (additionalRACH-ConfigList-r17, which is a list containing four-step access and two-step access, and each group of resources can be distinguished by FeatureCombinationPreambles-r17 and applied to different features / feature groups)).

[0131] SUL dedicated resources are primarily configured via RRC Setup messages during connection establishment, RRC Resume messages during connection recovery, and RRC Reconfiguration messages during connection reconfiguration or handover scenarios. SUL dedicated resources mainly include PUCCH dedicated configuration, PUSCH dedicated configuration, SRS configuration, configured Grant configuration, beamfailureRecovery configuration, CSI configuration, and dedicated random access resources (RACH-ConfigDedicated) used in handover scenarios.

[0132] The SRS configuration includes multiple resource sets. The terminal sends uplink signals, and the access network equipment detects uplink quality based on these signals. For example, if there is no SRS transmission on the SUL band, the network assesses the SUL band signal quality as poor and can delete or modify the dedicated PUCCH or PUSCH configuration on the SUL band.

[0133] The CSI configuration includes multiple resource sets. Access network devices transmit downlink signals, and terminals detect downlink quality based on these signals, reporting channel quality information on the corresponding PUCCH / PUSCH. For example, in SUL-restricted scenarios, terminals may not transmit channel quality information on the SUL band.

[0134] Dedicated random access resources are used in switching scenarios and are divided into NUL and SUL configurations.

[0135] The preceding description illustrates two scenarios from both the cell and terminal perspectives: supporting SUL and not supporting SUL. Supporting SUL may involve supporting only a portion of the SUL frequency band, or only a part of it. For example, in one scenario, the terminal supports a portion of the SUL frequency band (e.g., n83A (703-733)), while the cell supports another portion (e.g., n83B (718-748)). The terminal camps on the cell, reads system information, and receives the SUL common parameters. The terminal triggers connection establishment, transitioning from idle to connected state. The network queries the terminal's capabilities, and the terminal reports its SUL n83 frequency band capabilities, but cannot specify a specific portion of the band. The network configures SUL-specific parameters based on the terminal's capabilities. Since the SUL frequency band supported by the terminal and the SUL frequency band supported by the cell are not the same part of SUL n83, the terminal cannot work normally according to the SUL-specific parameters configured by the network. According to the protocol, the terminal triggers a connection reconstruction or connection release procedure. Alternatively, to prevent the above procedure from repeating, the terminal enables a typical escape procedure: triggering capability change, no longer reporting the corresponding SUL capability, or suppressing access to such SUL cells.

[0136] However, in the above situations, if the terminal triggers the connection reconstruction or connection release process, it will cause data transmission to be interrupted for a period of time, affecting the user's service experience. The above typical escape process will also reduce the terminal's capabilities, affecting the uplink transmission rate in a suitable SUL cell, and suppressing the cell may lead to the selection of a suboptimal cell or a low standard, all of which ultimately affect the user's service experience.

[0137] In view of this, this application provides a communication scheme in which the terminal determines that it meets the SUL communication conditions agreed upon in the communication standard and autonomously decides to suppress SUL communication. While suppressing SUL communication, the terminal performs at least one of the following operations in the NUL band: connection establishment, connection restoration, connection reconfiguration, cell handover, random access, or transmits SRS, CSI, preamble, uplink data, and / or uplink control information in the NUL band. Thus, by autonomously suppressing SUL communication, the terminal avoids connection reconstruction, connection release, or cell suppression, thereby improving communication performance.

[0138] The communication method provided in the embodiments of this application is described below based on the above communication system:

[0139] like Figure 8 The diagram shown is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. Exemplarily, the method may include the following steps:

[0140] S801. The terminal determines that it meets the SUL communication conditions agreed upon in the communication standard and decides to suppress SUL communication autonomously.

[0141] The SUL communication conditions include at least one of the following: channel quality conditions, resource availability, and resource selection strategy.

[0142] The first scenario is that the terminal meets the channel quality conditions stipulated in the communication standard, meaning the channel quality of the cell is less than a set threshold, in which case the SUL band is selected. For example, if the reference signal receiving power (RSRP) of the downlink path loss reference is less than rsrp-ThresholdSSB-SUL, the SUL band should be selected instead of the NUL band. Exemplarily, channel quality can also be measured by factors in existing technologies such as received signal strength, effective received signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, or signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, which will not be elaborated on in this embodiment.

[0143] The second scenario is that resource availability means that the SUL band of the terminal conforms to the range defined by the communication standard. That is, the SUL band in which the terminal will operate meets the 3GPP standard, national standard, industry standard or operator standard and can be used to realize communication.

[0144] The third scenario involves a resource selection strategy where the communication standard stipulates communication on the SUL band. This strategy is based on the product characteristics and application scenarios of the communication standard. Specifically, according to the algorithm scheduling of the standard communication protocol software within the terminal, the terminal can choose to communicate on the SUL band. For example, this resource selection strategy is based on the product characteristics of the communication standard. For instance, if the network configures parameters on the SUL band that allow for degraded terminal (RedCap) use, the terminal can choose to communicate on the SUL band when it is a RedCap terminal. Alternatively, this resource selection strategy is based on the application scenario of the communication standard. For instance, in a handover scenario, if the network configures dedicated random access resources on the SUL band, the terminal should preferentially use the dedicated random access resources on the SUL band rather than the public random access resources on the NUL band.

[0145] Meeting the communication standard agreement can also be any two or a combination of the three situations mentioned above.

[0146] In this embodiment, although the terminal determines that it meets the SUL communication conditions agreed upon by the communication standard, the terminal decides to suppress SUL communication due to the following circumstances.

[0147] The terminal's autonomous decision to suppress SUL communication is based on at least one of the following:

[0148] (1) The SUL frequency band supported by the terminal is different from the SUL frequency band configured in the network equipment, that is, there is a mismatch between the specifications of the SUL-supporting cell and the SUL-supporting terminal. For example, refer to Figure 6 The terminal capability query process involves the terminal sending its capability information to the network device, indicating that it supports the SUL band n83A (703-733); while the network configures the cell to support the SUL band n83B (718-748). The network configures SUL parameters based on the capabilities reported by the terminal. In this embodiment, the terminal may not execute the protocol-defined exception handling process (such as triggering connection reconstruction or connection release), nor execute the typical standardized escape process, but may autonomously suppress SUL communication to further communicate the real-time usage status of SUL with the network device. This scenario is caused by a mismatch between the SUL band supported by the terminal and the network device configuration; although the band meets the standard conventions, it is still unsuitable for use.

[0149] (2) The communication resources required by multiple subscriber identification modules within the terminal are greater than or equal to the second threshold. This second threshold may be configured by the network device or specified by the protocol. For example, if the terminal contains multiple subscriber identification modules and the communication resources required by these modules exceed the overall resource configuration of the terminal, the terminal can meet the demand by autonomously suppressing SUL communication. This scenario addresses the situation where the communication resource demand of multiple users within the terminal exceeds the pre-configured limit. Although the frequency band meets the standard agreement, it is still not suitable for use.

[0150] (3) The terminal's power consumption is greater than or equal to the third threshold. This third threshold can be configured by the network device or specified by the communication protocol. For example, if the current terminal's power consumption is high, the terminal can reduce its power consumption by autonomously suppressing SUL communication. This scenario is due to the terminal's power consumption requirements exceeding the pre-configuration; although the frequency band meets the standard agreement, it is still not suitable for use.

[0151] In this embodiment, when the terminal autonomously decides to suppress SUL communication, the terminal can implement the following methods:

[0152] One implementation is that the network configuration can communicate on the SUL band or the NUL band, in which case the terminal executes the following steps S802:

[0153] S802. When SUL communication is suppressed, the terminal sends the first information to the network device in the NUL band.

[0154] Correspondingly, the network device receives the first information in the NUL band.

[0155] In this implementation, regardless of whether relevant SUL dedicated resources are received during connection establishment, connection recovery, connection reconfiguration, NR-to-NR handover, LTE-to-NR handover, transmission of SRS, CSI, uplink data, or uplink control information, the terminal no longer performs connection release or connection reconstruction. Instead, it sends first information to the network device in the NUL band. This first information indicates at least one of the following operations: connection establishment, connection recovery, connection reconfiguration, cell handover, random access, or the first information includes at least one of the following: SRS, CSI, preamble, etc.

[0156] Uplink data, uplink control information.

[0157] For example, regarding random access, if the terminal determines to autonomously suppress SUL communication, and it is marked "allowed" in Table 1 below, it can switch to the NUL band to initiate random access. That is, instead of accessing on the SUL band, the terminal actively accesses on the NUL band. In Table 1 below, "protocol-specified preferred" means that the protocol specifies that NUL-dedicated four-step random access resources or NUL-dedicated two-step random access resources should be preferred to initiate random access on the NUL band. In this case, random access will not be initiated on the SUL band. In Table 1 below, "configuration mutual exclusion" means that the network will not configure both NUL-dedicated four-step or two-step random access resources and SUL-dedicated four-step or two-step random access resources.

[0158] Table 1

[0159]

[0160] Another implementation is that the network configuration can communicate on both the SUL and NUL bands, in which case suppressing SUL communication includes any of the following:

[0161] (1) Stop SUL communication. For example, the terminal does not send SRS, CSI, uplink data, uplink control information on the SUL band, or the terminal does not perform at least one of the following operations on the SUL band: connection establishment, connection recovery, connection reconfiguration, cell handover, random access.

[0162] (2) Transmitting information with a power less than or equal to a first threshold on the SUL band. For example, the terminal transmits SRS, CSI, uplink data, uplink control information with a low power on the SUL band, or the terminal performs at least one of the following operations on the SUL band: connection establishment, connection recovery, connection reconfiguration, cell handover, random access, and transmits related information with a low power.

[0163] (3) Transmitting invalid information on the SUL band. For example, the terminal originally intended to transmit SRS, CSI, uplink data and / or uplink control information, or information related to at least one of the following operations: connection establishment, connection recovery, connection reconfiguration, cell handover, and random access, on the SUL band; however, the terminal transmitted invalid information on the SUL band.

[0164] For example, such as Figure 9The diagram illustrates the suppression of SUL communication by the terminal during connection establishment. In step S901, the network device carries SUL common resources in the Serving Cell Configuration System Information Block (ServingCellConfigCommSIB) via SIB1, indicating that the cell supports the SUL n83B band. In step S902, the terminal sends an RRC connection establishment request (RRCSetupRequest) to the network device, indicating that the terminal supports the SUL n83A band. In step S903, the network device sends an RRC setup message to the terminal. The Serving Cell Configuration (ServingCellConfig) information element of this RRC setup message carries SUL dedicated resources. In step S904, the terminal sends an RRC setup complete message to the network device. In step S905, if the terminal determines that the SUL band supported by the terminal is different from the SUL band supported by the cell, the terminal may choose not to perform connection release or connection reconstruction, and instead perform uplink and downlink information transmission on the NUL band (without initiating random access on the SUL band), or send invalid information on the SUL band.

[0165] For example, such as Figure 10 The diagram illustrates how a terminal suppresses SUL communication during connection reconfiguration or handover scenarios. In step S1001, the network device sends an RRC Reconfiguration message to the terminal, carrying SUL-specific resources in the Serving Cell Configuration (ServingCellConfig) element of this message. In step S1002, the terminal sends an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the network device. In step S1003, if the terminal determines that its supported SUL frequency band differs from the cell's supported SUL frequency band, the terminal can choose not to perform connection release or connection reconstruction and instead send invalid information on the SUL frequency band. Thus, the established RRC connection can be suspended.

[0166] For example, such as Figure 11The diagram illustrates the suppression of SUL communication by the terminal in a connection restoration scenario. In step S1101, the network device carries SUL public resources in the Serving Cell Configuration System Information Block (ServingCellConfigCommSIB) via SIB1, indicating that the cell supports the SUL n83B band. In step S1102, the terminal sends an RRC Resume Request (RRCResumeRequest) / RRC Resume Request 1 (RRCResumeRequest1) to the network device, indicating that the terminal supports the SUL n83A band. In step S1103, the network device sends an RRC Resume message to the terminal. The Serving Cell Configuration (ServingCellConfig) element of this RRC Resume message carries SUL private resources. In step S1104, the terminal sends an RRC Resume Complete message to the network device. In step S1105, if the terminal determines that the SUL band supported by the terminal is different from the SUL band supported by the cell, the terminal may choose not to perform connection release, send invalid information on the SUL band, or not initiate random access on the SUL band.

[0167] If a network device should have received the first information in the SUL band but instead received the first information in the SUL band, or did not receive the first information in the SUL band, or received information with a power less than or equal to the first threshold in the SUL band, or received invalid information in the SUL band, then the network device can determine that the terminal autonomously suppressed SUL communication.

[0168] For example, in a connection reconfiguration scenario, the network device can perform at least one of the following resource rollback and recovery operations:

[0169] (1) SUL common resources are not configured. For example, network devices reconfigure common resources on the air interface via RRC Reconfiguration messages. Supplementary uplink configuration is not configured in the ServingCellConfigCommon section of its air interface related information.

[0170] (2) Delete SUL public resources. For example, network devices may include a supplementary uplink release command in the ServingCellConfig to indicate the deletion of SUL public resources.

[0171] (3) Still configure SUL public resources. For example, network devices configure supplementary uplink resources in ServingCellConfig.

[0172] For connection establishment and connection recovery scenarios, network devices can refer to the above connection reconfiguration scenarios to perform resource rollback and recovery operations.

[0173] For uplink data transmission scenarios, network devices can be configured with uplink grant (UL Grant) resources for uplink data transmission.

[0174] According to the embodiments of this application, a communication method is provided that does not execute the abnormal handling process defined by the protocol (such as triggering connection reconstruction or connection release process) and does not execute the typical escape process. The terminal avoids connection reconstruction, connection release or cell suppression by autonomously suppressing SUL communication, thereby improving communication performance and enabling better service to users.

[0175] It is understood that, in the above embodiments, the methods and / or steps implemented by the network device can also be implemented by components (e.g., chips or circuits) that can be used in the network device. In this embodiment, the network device can be replaced by an access network device. Similarly, the methods and / or steps implemented by the terminal can also be implemented by components (e.g., chips or circuits) that can be used in the terminal. When implemented by the components described above, receiving / transmitting can be understood as input / output, that is, the component communicates with the network device and other components of the terminal. In addition, the method implemented by the network device can also be divided into execution by multiple execution entities, for example, execution by at least one of CU, DU, RU, etc.; the method implemented by the terminal can also be divided into execution by multiple execution entities, for example, execution by multiple components for the terminal. These execution entities can be logically and / or physically separated.

[0176] The above primarily describes the solutions provided by the embodiments of this application from the perspective of interaction between terminals and network devices. Accordingly, the embodiments of this application also provide a communication device for implementing the various methods described above. This communication device can be a network device in the above method embodiments, or a component usable in a network device; alternatively, the communication device can be a terminal in the above method embodiments, or a component usable in a terminal. It is understood that, in order to achieve the above functions, the communication device includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed by hardware or by computer software driving hardware 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.

[0177] This application embodiment can divide the communication device into functional modules according to the above method embodiment. For example, each function can be divided into its own functional modules, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing unit. The integrated modules can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules. It should be noted that the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0178] Based on the same concept as the above communication method, this application also provides the following communication device:

[0179] like Figure 12 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a communication device according to an embodiment of this application. The communication device 1200 includes a transceiver unit 1201 and a processing unit 1202. Wherein:

[0180] For example, the transceiver unit 1201 described above may include a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. The receiving unit and the transmitting unit may be an integral whole or independent units.

[0181] When the communication device 1200 is used to implement the functions of a terminal, the transceiver unit 1201 is used to perform... Figure 8 The terminal operation in step S802 of the illustrated embodiment, and the processing unit 1202 for executing Figure 8 Step S801 of the illustrated embodiment.

[0182] When the communication device 1200 is used to implement the functions of a network device, the transceiver unit 1201 is used to perform... Figure 8The operation of the network device in step S802 of the illustrated embodiment.

[0183] For details on the implementation of the aforementioned transceiver unit 1201 and processing unit 1202, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 8 The relevant descriptions in the illustrated embodiments.

[0184] The module division in this application is illustrative and represents only one logical functional division. In actual implementation, other division methods are possible. Furthermore, the functional modules in the various examples of this application can be integrated into a single processor, exist as separate physical entities, or be integrated into a single module. The integrated modules described above can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules.

[0185] like Figure 13 The diagram shown illustrates the structure of another communication device according to an embodiment of this application. The communication device 1300 includes a processor 1301. Optionally, the communication device 1300 may further include an interface circuit 1302 (shown as dashed lines in the figure), the processor 1301, and the interface circuit.

[0186] The interfaces 1302 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 1302 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. Optionally, the communication device 1300 may also include a memory 1303 (shown as a dashed line in the figure), which stores instructions executed by the processor 1301, or input data required by the processor 1301 to execute instructions, or data generated after the processor 1301 executes instructions.

[0187] When the communication device 1200 is used to implement the functions of a terminal, the interface circuit 1302 is used to perform... Figure 8 The terminal operation in step S802 of the illustrated embodiment, and the processor 1301 for executing Figure 8 Step S801 of the illustrated embodiment.

[0188] When the communication device 1200 is used to implement the functions of a network device, the interface circuit 1302 is used to perform... Figure 8 The operation of the network device in step S802 of the illustrated embodiment.

[0189] For details on the implementation of the processor 1301, interface circuit 1302, and memory 1303, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 8 The relevant descriptions in the illustrated embodiments.

[0190] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip applied to a network device, the chip implements the functions of the network device in the above method embodiments. The chip receives information from other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the network device, which is information sent by the terminal to the network device; or, the chip sends information to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the network device, which is information sent by the network device to the terminal.

[0191] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip applied to a terminal, the chip implements the functions of the terminal in the above method embodiments. The chip receives information from other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the terminal, which is sent to the terminal by the network device; or, the chip sends information to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the terminal, which is sent to the network device by the terminal.

[0192] Furthermore, it should be noted that the aforementioned transceiver unit and / or processing unit can be implemented through virtual modules. For example, the processing unit can be implemented through software functional units or virtual devices, and the transceiver unit can be implemented through software functions or virtual devices. Alternatively, the processing unit or transceiver unit can also be implemented through physical devices. For example, if the device is implemented using a chip / chip circuit, the transceiver unit can be an input / output circuit and / or a communication interface, performing input operations (corresponding to the aforementioned receiving operation) and output operations (corresponding to the aforementioned sending operation); the processing unit is an integrated processor, microprocessor, or integrated circuit.

[0193] 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.

[0194] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program or instructions that, when executed, implement the methods described in the above embodiments.

[0195] This application also provides a computer program product containing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods described in the above embodiments.

[0196] This application also provides a communication system, including the communication device described above.

[0197] This application also provides a circuit coupled to a memory, which is used to perform the methods shown in the above embodiments. This circuit may include a chip circuit.

[0198] This application also provides a chip device, including a processor, for calling computer programs or computer instructions stored in the memory, so that the processor executes the method provided in any of the above method embodiments.

[0199] In one possible implementation, the input of the chip device corresponds to the receiving operation in any of the above method embodiments, and the output of the chip device corresponds to the sending operation in any of the above method embodiments.

[0200] Optionally, the processor is coupled to the memory via an interface.

[0201] Optionally, the chip device may also include a memory that stores computer programs or computer instructions.

[0202] When the aforementioned communication device is a module applied to a network device, the network device module implements the functions of the network device in the above method embodiments. The network device module receives information from other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) within the network device; this information is sent by the terminal to the network device. Alternatively, the network device module sends information to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) within the network device; this information is sent by the network device to the terminal. Here, the network device module can be the baseband chip of the network device, or a CU, DU, or other module, or a device under an O-RAN architecture, such as an open CU, open DU, etc.

[0203] It should be noted that one or more of the above units can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of both. When any of the above units is implemented by software, the software exists as computer program instructions and is stored in memory. The processor can be used to execute the program instructions and implement the above method flow.

[0204] In this application, the processor can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components, capable of implementing or executing the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in this application. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in this application can be directly manifested as being executed by a hardware processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0205] When the above units or components are implemented in hardware, the hardware can be any one or any combination of a CPU, microprocessor, digital signal processing (DSP) chip, microcontroller unit (MCU), artificial intelligence processor, ASIC, SoC, FPGA, programmable logic device (PLD), application-specific digital circuit, hardware accelerator, or non-integrated discrete device, which can run the necessary software or perform the above method flow independently of software.

[0206] Optionally, embodiments of this application also provide a chip system, including: at least one processor and an interface, wherein the at least one processor is coupled to a memory via the interface, and when the at least one processor executes a computer program or instructions in the memory, the chip system performs the method in any of the above method embodiments. Optionally, the chip system may be composed of chips, or may include chips and other discrete devices; embodiments of this application do not specifically limit this.

[0207] The memory in this application can also be a circuit or any other device capable of performing storage functions, used to store program instructions and / or data. Memory is any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures, and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. For example, memory can be non-volatile memory, such as digital versatile disc (DVD), hard disk drive (HDD), or solid-state drive (SSD), or it can be volatile memory, such as random-access memory (RAM).

[0208] It is understood that in this application, "instruction" can include direct instruction, indirect instruction, explicit instruction, and implicit instruction. When describing a certain instruction information to indicate A, it can be understood that the instruction information carries A, directly indicates A, or indirectly indicates A. In this application, the information indicated by the instruction information is called the information to be instructed. In specific implementation, there are many ways to indicate the information to be instructed, such as, but not limited to, directly indicating the information to be instructed, such as the information to be instructed itself or its index, or indirectly indicating the information to be instructed by indicating other information, wherein there is an association between the other information and the information to be instructed. It is also possible to indicate only a part of the information to be instructed, while the other parts of the information to be instructed are known or agreed upon in advance. For example, the instruction of specific information can also be achieved by using the arrangement order of various information in advance (e.g., as specified by a protocol), thereby reducing the instruction overhead to a certain extent. The information to be instructed can be sent as a whole or divided into multiple sub-information to be sent separately, and the sending period and / or sending time of these sub-information can be the same or different. This application does not limit the specific sending method. The sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be predefined, for example, according to a protocol, or configured by the transmitting device by sending configuration information to the receiving device.

[0209] The term "at least one" in this application refers to one or more items. "More than one item" means two or more items. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone, where A and B can be single or multiple. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. Furthermore, it should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe objects in this application, these objects should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish the objects from each other. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions are used to indicate any combination of the listed items; for example, at least one of A, B, and / or C can represent: A existing alone, B existing alone, C existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, B and C existing simultaneously, A and C existing simultaneously, and A, B, and C existing simultaneously, where A, B, and C can be single or multiple.

[0210] The terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, mentioned above are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include other steps or units not listed, or optionally include other steps or units inherent to such process, method, product, or apparatus. It should be noted that in this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate exemplification, illustration, or description. Any method or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other methods or designs. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0211] In a communication system, a network element can send signals to or receive signals from another network element. These signals can include information, signaling, or data. The term "network element" can also be replaced by an entity, network entity, device, UE, communication module, node, communication node, etc. This application uses a network element as an example for description. For instance, a communication system may include at least one UE and at least one network device. The network device can send downlink signals to the UE, and / or the UE can send uplink signals to the network device. Furthermore, it is understood that if the communication system includes multiple UEs, these UEs can also exchange signals; that is, both the sending and receiving network elements can be UEs.

[0212] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software programs, implementation can be, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product. This computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means.

[0213] Although this application has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, those skilled in the art, by reviewing the accompanying drawings, disclosure, and appended claims, will understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments in carrying out the claimed application. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple instances. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions listed in the claims. While different dependent claims may recite certain measures, this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0214] It is understood that the various numerical designations used in the embodiments of this application are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the process numbers described above does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic.

[0215] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0216] The components in the device described in this application embodiment can be combined, divided, or removed according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can combine or integrate the different embodiments and features described in this specification.

[0217] In this application, examples may reference each other without logical contradiction. For example, methods and / or terms between method embodiments may reference each other, functions and / or terms between device embodiments may reference each other, and functions and / or terms between device examples and method examples may reference each other.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method comprises: determining that the terminal satisfies a supplementary uplink (SUL) communication condition agreed by a communication standard and autonomously deciding to suppress SUL communication; in the case of suppressing SUL communication, sending first information in a normal uplink (NUL) frequency band, the first information indicating at least one of the following operations: connection establishment, connection recovery, connection reconfiguration, cell switching, random access, or the first information including at least one of the following: a sounding reference signal (SRS), channel state information (CSI), a preamble, uplink data, and uplink control information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The suppression of SUL communication includes any of the following: stopping SUL communication; sending information with a power less than or equal to a first threshold on a SUL frequency band; sending invalid information on the SUL frequency band.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The autonomous decision to suppress SUL communication is based on at least one of the following: the SUL frequency band supported by the terminal is different from a SUL frequency band configured by a network device; communication resources required by multiple user identification modules in the terminal are greater than or equal to a second threshold; power consumption of the terminal is greater than or equal to a third threshold.

4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The SUL communication condition includes at least one of the following: a channel quality condition, resource effectiveness, and a resource selection strategy. 5.A communication apparatus applied to a terminal, characterized in that, The apparatus comprises a processing unit and a transceiver unit; wherein: the processing unit is configured to determine that the terminal satisfies a supplementary uplink (SUL) communication condition agreed by a communication standard and autonomously decide to suppress SUL communication; the transceiver unit is configured to, in the case of suppressing SUL communication, send first information in a normal uplink (NUL) frequency band, the first information indicating at least one of the following operations: connection establishment, connection recovery, connection reconfiguration, cell switching, random access, or the first information including at least one of the following: a sounding reference signal (SRS), channel state information (CSI), a preamble, uplink data, and uplink control information.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein, The suppression of SUL communication includes any of the following: stopping SUL communication; sending information with a power less than or equal to a first threshold on a SUL frequency band; sending invalid information on the SUL frequency band.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 or 6, wherein, The autonomous decision to suppress SUL communication is based on at least one of the following: the SUL frequency band supported by the terminal is different from a SUL frequency band configured by a network device; communication resources required by multiple user identification modules in the terminal are greater than or equal to a second threshold; power consumption of the terminal is greater than or equal to a third threshold.

8. The apparatus of any one of claims 5-7, wherein, The SUL communication condition includes at least one of the following: a channel quality condition, resource effectiveness, and a resource selection strategy. 9.A communication apparatus applied to a terminal, characterized in that, comprises: a processor and a memory, the processor being configured to cause the terminal to implement a method as claimed in any one of claims 1-4 when executing software instructions in the memory.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program or instructions, which, when executed, cause a method as claimed in any one of claims 1-4 to be implemented.

11. A computer program product, characterised in that, The computer program product contains program instructions involved, which, when executed, cause a method as claimed in any one of claims 1-4 to be implemented.

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