Communication method and device

Abstract

The invention provides a communication method and device. The method comprises the following steps: receiving first information from network equipment; the first information is used for indicating first multipath component information of the first port and second multipath component information of the second port, or is used for indicating correlation information between the first port and the second port; receiving or sending a reference signal corresponding to the first port; the reference signal, the first multipath component information and the second multipath component information are used for channel estimation; the reference signal and correlation information are used for channel estimation. Through the method, channel estimation can be performed on the first port and the second port through the first information and the reference signal corresponding to the first port, so that channel estimation can be performed on the second port according to the first information and the reference signal of the first port under the condition that no reference signal corresponding to the second port exists. Therefore, the overhead of the reference signal can be reduced, and the transmission performance of data transmitted by the first port and the second port is ensured.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

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

[0002] In a wireless communication system, such as a new radio (NR) system, a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) can be used to estimate an equivalent channel of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), so as to be used for detection and demodulation of data.

[0003] A DMRS supports at most 12 orthogonal ports, and with the development of communication, higher order (i.e. more data streams) data transmission with larger antenna dimensions may be needed in the future, such as simultaneous transmission of hundreds of data streams, which requires more DMRS ports to support a higher number of transmission streams (more than 12 streams). However, the more DMRS ports there are, the greater the resource overhead of the DMRS, and how to reduce the resource overhead of the DMRS is a problem that needs to be solved urgently. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application provides a communication method and device to reduce the resource overhead of a reference signal.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which can be applied to a communication device (or said method is performed by the communication device), i.e. the communication device can be a communication equipment (such as a terminal device), or the communication device can be a component (such as a chip or a chip system or a circuit or a communication module) in the communication equipment. The method comprises: receiving first information from a network device; the first information is used to indicate first multipath component information of a first port and second multipath component information of a second port, or the first information is used to indicate correlation information between the first port and the second port; receiving or transmitting a reference signal corresponding to the first port; the reference signal, the first multipath component information and the second multipath component information are used for channel estimation; and the reference signal and the correlation information are used for channel estimation.

[0006] According to the method provided in the application, for the downlink direction, the terminal device can perform channel estimation on the first port and the second port by using the first information and the received reference signal corresponding to the first port, so that the terminal device can perform channel estimation on the second port according to the first information and the reference signal of the first port without the reference signal corresponding to the second port, thereby reducing the overhead of the reference signal and ensuring the transmission performance of the data transmitted by the first port and the second port. For the uplink direction, the network device can perform channel estimation on the first port and the second port by using the first information and the transmitted reference signal corresponding to the first port, and receiving the reference signal, so that the network device can perform channel estimation on the second port according to the first information and the reference signal of the first port without the reference signal corresponding to the second port, thereby reducing the overhead of the reference signal and ensuring the transmission performance of the data transmitted by the first port and the second port. In particular, when the application is applied to a super-large MIMO system, a part of the ports can be used to transmit the reference signal, so that the plurality of ports can be estimated according to the part of the ports, thereby reducing the overhead of the reference signal and improving the data transmission performance of the plurality of ports in the case of increasing the number of ports.

[0007] In a possible implementation, the result of the channel estimation includes first channel information and second channel information; and the first channel information is determined according to the reference signal.

[0008] In a possible implementation, the second channel information is determined according to the first channel information, the first multipath component information and the second multipath component information; or the second channel information is determined according to the first channel information and the correlation information.

[0009] According to the method, the second channel information of the second port can be determined according to the first channel information and the correlation information or the multipath component information determined according to the reference signal corresponding to the first port without the reference signal corresponding to the second port, thereby reducing the overhead of the reference signal and ensuring the data transmission performance of the second port.

[0010] In a possible implementation, after receiving the reference signal corresponding to the first port, the method further includes receiving first data corresponding to the first port and the second port.

[0011] In a possible implementation, after transmitting the reference signal corresponding to the first port, the method further includes transmitting first data corresponding to the first port and the second port.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the receiving the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port comprises: receiving the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port according to a result of the channel estimation.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the result of the channel estimation comprises first channel information and second channel information; and the receiving the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port according to the result of the channel estimation comprises: receiving a first data stream of the first data corresponding to the first port according to the first channel information, and receiving a second data stream of the first data corresponding to the second port according to the second channel information; wherein the first channel information is determined according to the reference signal; the second channel information is determined according to the first channel information, the first multipath component information and the second multipath component information; or the second channel information is determined according to the first channel information and the correlation information.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the method further comprises: receiving second information from the network device, the second information being used to indicate the first port.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the second information is further used to indicate the second port.

[0016] In the method, the first port and the second port are indicated by the second information, so that signaling overhead is reduced and resource utilization is improved.

[0017] In a possible implementation, the second information is used to indicate a first index of the first port; and a second index of the second port is smaller than the first index.

[0018] In the method, the second information only needs to indicate the first index of the first port, without the need to configure and indicate indexes of all ports, so that system overhead is reduced.

[0019] In a possible implementation, the second information is a third index, the third index corresponding to at least one port, the first port being a port corresponding to a first index in the at least one port, the second port being a port corresponding to a second index in the at least one port, and the first index and the second index being preset.

[0020] In the method, at least one port can be indicated by the second information, so that resource overhead for indicating ports is reduced.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the at least one port belongs to a same code division multiplexing (CDM) group or port set.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the method further includes receiving third information from the network device, the third information being used to indicate the second port.

[0023] In this method, the second port is indicated by the third information, which makes the indication of the second port more flexible.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the third information is used to indicate the second port, including: the third information is a second index of the second port.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: sending capability information indicating support for receiving data corresponding to the first port and the second port based on a reference signal corresponding to the first port.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving fourth information from the network device, the fourth information being used to instruct the reception of data corresponding to the first port and the second port based on a reference signal corresponding to the first port.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the correlation information includes at least one of the following: multipath delay spread information of the first port and the second port; Doppler spread information of the first port and the second port; and spatial angle spread information of the first port and the second port.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the reference signal is a demodulation reference signal DMRS.

[0029] Secondly, a communication method is provided. This method can be applied to a communication device (or, in other words, the method is executed by the communication device), meaning the communication device can be a communication equipment (such as a network device), or the communication device can be a component of a communication equipment (e.g., a chip, chip system, circuit, or communication module). The method may include: sending first information to a terminal device; the first information indicating first multipath component information of a first port and second multipath component information of a second port, or the first information indicating correlation information between the first port and the second port; receiving or sending a reference signal corresponding to the first port; the reference signal, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information being used for channel estimation; and the reference signal and the correlation information being used for channel estimation.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the channel estimation result includes first channel information and second channel information; wherein the first channel information is determined based on the reference signal; the second channel information is determined based on the first channel information, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information; or, the second channel information is determined based on the first channel information and the correlation information.

[0031] In one possible implementation, after receiving the reference signal corresponding to the first port, the method further includes: receiving first data corresponding to the first port and the second port.

[0032] In one possible implementation, after sending the reference signal corresponding to the first port, the method further includes: sending first data corresponding to the first port and the second port.

[0033] In one possible implementation, receiving the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port includes: receiving the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port based on the channel estimation result.

[0034] In one possible implementation, the channel estimation result includes first channel information and second channel information; receiving first data corresponding to the first port and the second port based on the channel estimation result includes: receiving a first data stream of the first data corresponding to the first port based on the first channel information, and receiving a second data stream of the first data corresponding to the second port based on the second channel information; wherein, the first channel information is determined based on the reference signal; the second channel information is determined based on the first channel information, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information; or, the second channel information is determined based on the first channel information and the correlation information.

[0035] In one possible implementation, the method further includes sending second information, the second information being used to indicate the first port.

[0036] In one possible implementation, the second information is also used to indicate the second port.

[0037] In one possible implementation, the second information is used to indicate a first index of the first port; the second index of the second port is less than the first index.

[0038] In one possible implementation, the second information is also used to indicate the second port.

[0039] In one possible implementation, the second information is a third index, which corresponds to at least one port. The first port is the port that corresponds to the first index among the at least one ports, and the second port is the port that corresponds to the second index among the at least one ports. The first index and the second index are preset.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the at least one port belongs to the same code division multiplexing (CDM) group or port set.

[0041] In one possible implementation, the method further includes sending third information, the third information being used to indicate the second port.

[0042] In one possible implementation, the third information is used to indicate the second port, including: the third information is a second index of the second port.

[0043] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving capability information from the terminal device, the capability information indicating support for receiving data corresponding to the first port and the second port based on a reference signal corresponding to the first port.

[0044] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: sending fourth information, the fourth information being used to instruct the reception of data corresponding to the first port and the second port based on a reference signal corresponding to the first port.

[0045] In one possible implementation, the correlation information includes at least one of the following: multipath delay spread information of the first port and the second port; Doppler spread information of the first port and the second port; and spatial angle spread information of the first port and the second port.

[0046] In one possible implementation, the reference signal is a demodulation reference signal DMRS.

[0047] Thirdly, this application also provides a communication device capable of implementing any of the methods provided in any of the first to second aspects described above. This communication device can be implemented in hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units or modules corresponding to the aforementioned functions.

[0048] In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a processor configured to support the communication device in performing corresponding functions of the terminal device or network device described above. The communication device may also include a memory coupled to the processor, which stores necessary program instructions and data for the communication device. Optionally, the communication device further includes interface circuitry for supporting communication between the communication device and devices such as terminal devices.

[0049] In one possible implementation, the communication device includes corresponding functional modules, each used to implement the steps in the above method. The functions can be implemented in hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

[0050] In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a processing unit and a communication unit, which can perform the corresponding functions in the above method examples, as described in the methods provided in any of the first and second aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0051] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, including a processor and an interface circuit. The interface circuit is 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. The processor implements the functional modules of the methods in any possible implementation of any of the first to second aspects through logic circuits or by executing computer programs or instructions. Optionally, the communication device further includes a memory for storing computer programs or instructions. Optionally, the communication device may be a chip or a chip system.

[0052] Fifthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores a computer program or instructions which, when executed by a processor, implement the method in any possible implementation of any of the first to second aspects described above.

[0053] In a sixth aspect, a computer program product storing instructions is provided, which, when read and executed by a computer, implements the method in any possible implementation of any of the first to second aspects described above.

[0054] A seventh aspect provides a circuit for performing the methods in any possible implementation of any of the first to second aspects described above, the circuit including chip circuitry. Optionally, the circuit may also be coupled to a memory.

[0055] Eighthly, a chip is provided, comprising a processor, which, when executing a computer program or instructions, implements the methods in any possible implementation of any of the first to second aspects described above. Optionally, the chip may further include a memory, and the chip may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0056] A ninth aspect provides a communication device including a processor that implements the methods in any possible implementation of any of the first to second aspects via logic circuits or by executing computer programs or instructions. Optionally, the communication device may be a chip or a chip system.

[0057] In a tenth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising a unit or module for performing the method in any possible implementation of any of the first to second aspects described above. Optionally, the communication device may be a chip or a chip system.

[0058] Eleventhly, embodiments of this application also provide a communication system. The communication system includes: a terminal device for implementing the methods of the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof; and a network device for implementing the methods of the second aspect and any possible implementation thereof. Attached Figure Description

[0059] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system applicable to embodiments of this application;

[0060] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission direction 's' of a radius in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system;

[0061] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a CDM group is provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a CDM group is provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0063] Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0064] Figure 6 A port diagram provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 7 This is a schematic flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a communication device structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a communication device structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a communication device structure provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0069] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them.

[0070] The network architecture and business scenarios described in this application are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0071] I. In the embodiments of this application, "multiple" can refer to two or more. Therefore, in the embodiments of this application, "multiple" can also be understood as "at least two". "At least one" can be understood as one or more, such as one, two or more. For example, "including at least one" means including one, two or more. For example, including at least one of A, B and C, then it can include A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A, B and C. "And / or" describes the association relationship of the associated objects. Specifically, there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / ", unless otherwise specified, generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0072] Second, the ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" mentioned in the embodiments of this application are generally used to distinguish different objects, and are not used to limit the order, sequence, priority or importance of multiple objects.

[0073] 3. The terms “comprising” and “having” and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, for example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are expressly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not expressly listed or that are inherent to such process, method, product or device.

[0074] IV. In this application, "predefined" may include predefined terms, such as protocol definitions. "Predefined" can be implemented by pre-storing corresponding codes, tables, or other means of indicating relevant information in the device (e.g., including various network elements), and this application does not limit the specific implementation method.

[0075] V. The term "storage" or "preservation" in this application can refer to storage in one or more memory devices. These memory devices can be separately configured or integrated into an encoder, decoder, processor, or communication device. Alternatively, some memory devices can be separately configured, while others can be integrated into a decoder, processor, or communication device. The type of memory can be any form of storage medium, and this is not limited.

[0076] VI. The arrows or boxes indicated by dashed lines in the schematic diagrams in the accompanying drawings of this application represent optional steps or optional modules.

[0077] VII. In this application, "instruction" may include direct instruction, indirect instruction, explicit instruction, and implicit instruction. When describing a certain instruction information for the purpose of instructing A, it can be understood that the instruction information carries A, directly instructs A, or indirectly instructs A.

[0078] In this application, the information indicated by the instruction information is called the information to be instructed. In specific implementations, 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. It can also indirectly indicate the information to be instructed by indicating other information, where there is a relationship between the other information and the information to be instructed. Alternatively, it can indicate only a part of the information to be instructed, while the other parts are known or pre-agreed upon.

[0079] 8. In this application, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "sending information to a terminal device" can be understood as the destination of the information being the terminal device. For example, "receiving information from a terminal device" can be understood as the source of the information being the terminal device. "Send" can also be understood as the "output" of a chip interface, and "receive" can also be understood as the "input" of a chip interface. In other words, sending and receiving can occur between devices, such as between a network device and a terminal device, or they can occur within a device.

[0080] IX. In the embodiments of this application, the words "exemplarily," "for example," "for instance," etc., are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design scheme described as an "example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of the word "example" is intended to present concepts in a specific manner. In the embodiments of this application, "of," "corresponding, relevant," and "corresponding" may sometimes be used interchangeably, and it should be noted that their intended meanings are consistent unless their distinction is emphasized.

[0081] 10. The embodiments of this application will be presented in the context of a system including multiple devices, components, modules, etc. It should be understood that the system may include other unmentioned devices, components, modules, etc., or may only include some of the devices, components, or modules mentioned in the embodiments. Optionally, the terms "component" and "part" in this application can be used interchangeably.

[0082] The technical solutions of this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), wireless local area network (WLAN), short-range wireless communication systems (such as sidelink, wireless fidelity, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.), wired networks, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, device-to-device (D2D) communication systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems, 4th generation (4G) mobile communication systems (such as long term evolution (LTE) systems), 5th generation (5G) mobile communication systems (such as new radio (NR) systems), future communication systems, or other similar communication systems, etc., without limitation. The embodiments of this application use... Figure 1 The communication system shown is used as an example for description. When the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application are applied to other communication systems, the devices, components, modules, etc. in the embodiments can be replaced with corresponding devices, components, modules in other communication systems without limitation.

[0083] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system used in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the communication system includes an access network 100 and a core network 200. Optionally, the communication system may also include an Internet 300. The access network 100 may include at least one radio access network (RAN) node, such as... Figure 1 110a and 110b may also include at least one terminal device, such as Figure 1 The series consists of 120a-120j. Specifically, 110a is a base station (BS), 110b is a micro-site, 120a, 120e, 120f, and 120j are mobile phones, 120b is a car, 120c is a fuel dispenser, 120d is a home access point (HAP) deployed indoors or outdoors, 120g is a laptop, 120h is a printer, and 120i is a drone. The same terminal device or network device can provide different functions in different application scenarios. For example... Figure 1 The mobile phones included are 120a, 120e, 120f, and 120j. Mobile phone 120a can access base station 110a, connect to car 120b, communicate directly with mobile phone 120e, and access HAP. Car 120b can access HAP and communicate directly with mobile phone 120a. Mobile phone 120f can connect to micro-station 110b, connect to laptop 120g, and connect to printer 120h. Mobile phone 120j can control drone 120i.

[0084] A network device is a network-side device with wireless transceiver capabilities. This network device can be a unit in a radio access network (RAN) that provides wireless communication functionality to terminal devices, referred to as RAN equipment; alternatively, it can also be a core network device. For ease of understanding, the following explanation uses RAN equipment as an example. RAN can be an access network in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 4G, 5G, or future-oriented networks. RAN can also be an open access network (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a communication network combining two or more of these. RAN equipment 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, an access node in a WiFi system, a wireless relay node, or a wireless backhaul node, etc.

[0085] RAN equipment can also be modules or units that perform some of the functions of a base station. For example, it can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). Here, the CU performs the functions of the base station's radio resource control protocol 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 layer and medium access control (MAC) layer, and can also perform some or all of the physical layer functions. For specific descriptions of the above protocol layers, please refer to the relevant technical specifications of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). CU and DU can be set up separately, or they can be included in the same network element, such as in the baseband unit (BBU). An RU can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH). In different systems, CU, 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 CU (O-CU), DU can also be called an open DU (O-DU), and RU can also be called an open RU (O-RU). Any of the units among CU (or CU-control plane (CU-CP), or CU-user plane (CU-UP)), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. Network equipment can be a macro base station (e.g., Figure 1 110a in the text), can also be a micro base station or an indoor station (such as... Figure 1 In 110b), it can also be a relay node or a donor node, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the network equipment.

[0086] In the embodiments of this application, the functions of the network device can be executed by modules (such as chips) within the network device, or by a control subsystem that includes the functions of the network device. This control subsystem, which includes the functions of the network device, can be a control center in the aforementioned application scenarios such as smart grids, industrial control, intelligent transportation, and smart cities.

[0087] A terminal device is a user-side device with wireless transceiver capabilities. Terminal devices can also be called terminals, user equipment (UE), user terminals, user devices, user units, user stations, access terminals, access stations, UE stations, remote stations, wireless communication equipment, mobile stations, or mobile terminals, etc. Terminal devices typically contain communication modules, circuits, or chips that perform the corresponding communication functions. The terminal may also be configured with program instructions for performing these communication functions. Terminal devices can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-to-machine (M2M) or machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), industrial control, self-driving, remote medical, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearables, smart transportation, and smart city. Terminal devices can include mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, transportation vehicles with wireless communication capabilities, and communication modules.

[0088] In the embodiments of this application, the device for implementing the functions of the terminal device can be the terminal device itself, or it can be any device that supports the terminal device in implementing the functions, such as a chip system or a combination of devices or components that can implement the functions of the terminal device. This device can be installed in the terminal device. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the terminal device.

[0089] The roles of network devices and terminal devices can be relative, for example, Figure 1The helicopter or drone 120i can be configured as a mobile network device. For terminal devices 120j that access the wireless access network 100 via 120i, terminal device 120i is a network device; however, for network device 110a, 120i is a terminal device, meaning that 110a and 120i communicate via a wireless air interface protocol. Of course, 110a and 120i can also communicate via a network device-to-network device interface protocol; in this case, 120i is also a network device relative to 110a. Therefore, both network devices and terminal devices can be collectively referred to as communication devices. Figure 1 110a and 110b can be referred to as communication devices with network equipment functions. Figure 1 The 120a-120j in the text can be referred to as communication devices with terminal equipment functions.

[0090] It should be noted that the communication system described in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0091] To facilitate a better understanding of the technical solution of this application, some related technologies involved in the technical solution of this application are introduced.

[0092] 1. Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology: Utilizing spatial resources, MIMO can increase the capacity and spectral efficiency of a communication system by leveraging array gain, multiplexing and diversity gain, and interference cancellation gain in space without increasing system bandwidth. For example, in LTE systems, MIMO systems can support up to eight layers of transmission using multiple antennas at both the transmitting and receiving ends.

[0093] 2. Reference signal (RS): This refers to the physical signal that transmits a sequence to achieve a specific function. Specifically, the reference signal is a physical signal generated by mapping a specific sequence onto corresponding resources according to a pre-defined resource mapping method. The reference signal can also be called a pilot, reference sequence, or reference signal.

[0094] In this application, the reference signal, as an example, can be any of the following: channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), sounding reference signal (SRS), demodulation reference signal (DMRS), phase track reference signal (PT-RS), cell reference signal (CRS), etc. Among them, DMRS can be used for demodulation of the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). CSI-RS can be used for channel information measurement and to report channel state information (CSI), which includes at least one of the following: precoding matrix indicator (PMI), rank indication (RI), and channel quality indicator (CQI).

[0095] It should be understood that the reference signals listed above are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting this application. This application does not preclude the possibility of defining other reference signals in future agreements to achieve the same or similar functions.

[0096] 3. Port: Also known as an antenna port, it can include a transmitting port and a receiving port; the transmitting port can also be called a transmitting antenna port, and the receiving port can also be called a receiving antenna port. One port can be configured for each virtual antenna, and each virtual antenna can be a weighted combination of multiple physical antennas. Each port can correspond to a reference signal.

[0097] In this context, the transmitting port can be understood as a virtual antenna recognized by the receiving end. The receiving port can be understood as the receiving antenna of the receiving end. For example, in downlink transmission, the receiving port can refer to the receiving antenna of the terminal device; similarly, the receiving port can also be understood as a virtual antenna.

[0098] The port used to send DMRS can also be called the DMRS port, meaning that DMRS can be sent through the DMRS port.

[0099] 4. Steering Vector: This represents the spatial phase difference caused by the spatial spacing between antenna ports along the same direction of arrival. The steering vector can be used to calculate the array response at different arrival / transmission angles. Each steering vector represents a specific arrival or departure angle, and each element represents an array element. Different antenna array arrangements may correspond to different steering vectors.

[0100] The steering vector can be further divided into the steering vector of the receiving port and the steering vector of the transmitting port. Taking the steering vector of the receiving port as an example, assume that the receiving ports of the terminal device are arranged in a uniform array. In other words, the antenna array formed by the receiving ports of the terminal device is a uniform array. For example, the receiving ports of the terminal device can form an R1×R2 dimensional antenna array; R1 and R2 are both positive integers. That is, the receiving ports of the terminal device are uniformly distributed in R1 rows and R2 columns. Specifically, each row arranged in the horizontal direction can include R2 receiving ports, and each column arranged in the vertical direction can include R1 receiving ports. Here, the vertical dimension is an example of the first dimension, and the horizontal dimension is an example of the second dimension.

[0101] As an example, for a uniform array of R1×R2 dimensions, the steering vector v1 in the first dimension direction can be expressed as:

[0102]

[0103] Where λ represents the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave; d1 represents the row spacing between ports. Let K1 represent the pitch angle, k1 = 0, 1, ..., K1-1, where K1 represents the number of sampled angles in the first dimension.

[0104] In the second dimension, the steering vector v2 can be represented as:

[0105]

[0106] Where d2 represents the column spacing between ports. K1 represents the horizontal angle. K2 represents the number of sampling angles in the second dimension. For a given value of k1, by iterating through the values ​​of k2 from 0 to K2-1, we can obtain K2 steering vectors.

[0107] The following is combined Figure 2 Let me explain the horizontal angle and the pitch angle. See [link / reference] Figure 2 As an example, Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the transmission direction 's' of a path in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. In this system, the xoy plane is horizontal, the antenna array can be deployed on the xoz plane, and the origin 'o' can correspond to an antenna. The transmission direction 's' can be, for example, the opposite direction of a path from the transmitter to the antenna. The angle between the projection of the transmission direction 's' onto the horizontal plane and the x-axis is the horizontal angle, which corresponds to φ in the diagram. The angle between the transmission direction 's' and the z-axis is the elevation angle, which corresponds to θ in the diagram. For multiple different paths between the transmitter and receiver, there can be multiple different horizontal angles and multiple different elevation angles. The horizontal and elevation angles mentioned below will be understood in this way, and for simplicity, will not be repeated later.

[0108] 5. Steering Matrix. The steering matrix is ​​determined based on steering vectors. In other words, the steering matrix can be a matrix composed of steering vectors, or the elements of the steering matrix are steering vectors. When a signal is transmitted through a wireless channel, it can travel from the transmitting antenna through multiple paths (or sub-paths, or multiple path clusters) to the receiving antenna. Therefore, the steering matrix is ​​determined based on steering vectors, which can also be replaced by: the steering matrix is ​​determined based on the steering vectors of multiple paths, or the steering matrix is ​​determined based on the steering vectors of multiple sub-paths, or the steering matrix is ​​determined based on the steering vectors of multiple path clusters. In other words, in the embodiments of this application, the steering matrix can be at the path cluster level, or at the path level, or at the sub-path level, without limitation. The steering matrix can also be called a spatial steering matrix or a spatial steering matrix, without limitation.

[0109] The steering vector includes the steering vector of the transmitting port and / or the steering vector of the receiving port, or the steering vector includes the steering vectors of the transmitting end and / or the receiving end of the same path (or the same sub-path, or the same path family). Several possible implementation methods are described below.

[0110] The first possible implementation is that the steering vector is determined based on the steering vector of the transmission port.

[0111] For example, the transmitting end determines the steering matrix based on the steering vector of the transmitting port.

[0112] For example, the receiver determines the steering matrix based on the steering vector of the transmitter port. In this example, the transmitter can send the steering vector of the transmitter port to the receiver, or the steering vector of the transmitter port can be predefined or preconfigured.

[0113] The second possible implementation involves determining the steering matrix based on the steering vector of the receiving port.

[0114] For example, the receiver determines the steering matrix based on the steering vector of the receiving port.

[0115] For example, the transmitter determines the steering matrix based on the steering vector of the receiver port. In this example, the receiver can send the steering vector of the receiver port to the transmitter, or the steering vector of the receiver port can be predefined or preconfigured.

[0116] The third possible implementation involves determining the steering matrix based on the steering vectors of the transmitting port and the receiving port.

[0117] For example, the transmitter determines the steering matrix based on the steering vector of the transmit port and the steering vector of the receive port. In this example, the receiver can send the steering vector of the receive port to the transmitter, or the steering vector of the receive port can be predefined or preconfigured.

[0118] For example, the receiver determines the steering matrix based on the steering vector of the transmitting port and the steering vector of the receiving port. In this example, the transmitter can send the steering vector of the transmitting port to the receiver, or the steering vector of the transmitting port can be predefined or preconfigured.

[0119] The above description of the guide vector and guide matrix is ​​for ease of understanding, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto.

[0120] DMRS is a reference signal used for data demodulation and can be mapped onto PDSCH or PUSCH. DMRS can be transmitted through DMRS ports. To ensure the quality of channel estimation, different DMRS ports are typically orthogonal ports to avoid interference between them. Orthogonal DMRS ports mean that the DMRS symbols corresponding to different DMRS ports are orthogonal in the frequency domain, time-frequency domain, or code domain. Currently, NR supports two types of DMRS resource mapping. For Type 1 DMRS, the following characteristics are included:

[0121] 1. A single orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol supports a maximum of 4 DMRS ports, while a dual OFDM symbol supports a maximum of 8 DMRS ports.

[0122] 2. Includes two code division multiplexing (CDM) groups;

[0123] 3. Each DMRS port occupies 6 resource elements (REs) per resource block (RB). A maximum of 8 orthogonal DMRS ports can be supported.

[0124] For Type 2 DMRS, the following characteristics are included:

[0125] 1. A single OFDM symbol supports a maximum of 6 DMRS ports, and a dual OFDM symbol supports a maximum of 12 DMRS ports;

[0126] 2. Includes three CDM groups;

[0127] 3. Each DMRS port occupies 4 REs per RB.

[0128] Figure 3 An example is shown of the time-frequency resource location (i.e., DMRS pilot pattern) of a type 1, double-symbol DMRS. Figure 4 An example is shown of the time-frequency resource location (i.e., DMRS pilot pattern) of a type 2, two-symbol DMRS. The x-axis represents the time domain, specifically the number of symbols; the y-axis represents the frequency domain, specifically the number of REs (one RB includes 12 REs). Figure 3 and Figure 4 It can be seen that: DMRS ports in different CDM groups occupy different REs, and orthogonality is achieved through frequency division multiplexing (FDM); DMRS ports in the same CDM group occupy the same RE, and orthogonality is achieved through code division multiplexing of orthogonal cover code (OCC).

[0129] by Figure 3 For example, in Type 1, CDM group 0 includes four DMRS ports with indices 0, 1, 4, and 5, occupying the REs corresponding to the "blank cells" in each RB. CDM group 1 includes four DMRS ports with indices 2, 3, 6, and 7, occupying the REs corresponding to the "striped cells" in each RB. The REs corresponding to the "blank cells" in an RB can be divided into three groups: REs with indices 11 and 9 in one group, REs with indices 7 and 5 in another group, and REs with indices 3 and 1 in yet another group. Considering the time domain, each group includes four REs (two in the frequency domain and two in the time domain). For the four REs corresponding to the "blank cells" in each group, OCC code division multiplexing is used to enable the four orthogonal DMRS ports.

[0130] Similarly, such as Figure 4 As shown, taking Type 2 as an example, CDM group 0 includes four DMRS ports with indices 0, 1, 6, and 7. CDM group 1 includes four DMRS ports with indices 2, 3, 8, and 9. CDM group 2 includes four DMRS ports with indices 4, 5, 10, and 11.

[0131] In addition to the front-loaded DMRS mentioned above, mobile communication systems also specify additional DMRS to overcome mobility limitations and channel time selectivity. For details on additional DMRS, please refer to the descriptions of 5G and other related protocols; they will not be elaborated upon here.

[0132] During data transmission, network devices can assign DMRS ports to each terminal device and indicate the DMRS port to the terminal device through downlink control information (DCI) or higher-layer signaling. The terminal device then determines the pilot resource location of the DMRS based on the DMRS port indicated by the network device, thereby receiving the DMRS and performing channel estimation and data demodulation based on the DMRS.

[0133] As MIMO systems continue to evolve, the number of transmit and receive antennas will further increase (e.g., network devices will support 128T or 256T transmit antennas), and channel information acquisition will become more accurate, enabling support for even higher transport stream numbers to improve the spectral efficiency of MIMO systems. This inevitably requires more DMRS ports to support higher transport stream numbers (greater than 12 streams). However, the resource overhead of DMRS increases linearly with the number of DMRS ports, which will make the DMRS overhead unsustainable in next-generation massive MIMO systems. Moreover, as the number of DMRS ports increases, the overhead of instructing terminal devices to use those ports also increases.

[0134] To this end, this application provides a method to transmit DMRS through a portion of all ports that transmit data, and to achieve equivalent channel reconstruction of all ports based on the DMRS of the portion of ports, thereby reducing the resource overhead of DMRS, which will be described in detail below.

[0135] It is understood that this application does not specifically limit the structure of the execution subject of the method provided in the embodiments of this application. It can be applied to modules in terminal devices or network devices, as long as they can 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. The following description takes the interaction between terminal devices and network devices as an example.

[0136] like Figure 5 The diagram shown is a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method includes:

[0137] Step 501: The network device sends the first information to the terminal device.

[0138] Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the first information from the network device.

[0139] The first information can also be called auxiliary information or DMRS auxiliary information, etc. This application does not limit the name of the first information. The first information may have multiple implementations, and several examples are given below.

[0140] In the first implementation method, the first information is used to indicate the first multipath component (MPC) information of the first port and the second multipath component information of the second port.

[0141] In this context, there is a one-to-one mapping relationship between ports and paths (or sub-paths, or path clusters). The multipath component information of a port can represent the relevant information of the corresponding path mapped to that port when the signal is transmitted through the wireless channel. Multipath component information can also be called multipath component parameters, multipath parameters, multipath coefficients, or multipath information, etc. The first multipath component information of the first port and the second multipath component information of the second port can be obtained by the network device measuring the sensed signal or reference signal. This application does not limit the specific process for determining the multipath component information.

[0142] Optionally, the multipath component information includes at least one of the following: angle, delay, and power. The multipath component information may also include polarization information, Doppler information, and other information.

[0143] The angle may include at least one of the following: horizontal angle of arrival (AOA), horizontal angle of departure (AOD), vertical angle of arrival (ZOA), and vertical angle of departure (ZOD). AOA and ZOA refer to the horizontal and vertical angles of arrival of the signal reaching the receiving antenna via the wireless channel, respectively, while AOD and ZOD refer to the horizontal and vertical angles of departure of the signal transmitted via the transmitting antenna, respectively.

[0144] In the second implementation method, the first information is used to indicate the correlation information between the first port and the second port.

[0145] The correlation information includes at least one of the following: multipath delay spread information of the first port and the second port, wherein the multipath delay spread information can indicate the frequency domain correlation of the channels corresponding to the first port and the second port.

[0146] Doppler spread information for the first and second ports, which can indicate the time-domain correlation of the channels corresponding to the first and second ports;

[0147] Spatial angle spread information for the first and second ports, which can indicate the spatial correlation of the channels corresponding to the first and second ports.

[0148] This application does not limit the number of ports. This application only describes the first port and the second port as examples. The first information can also indicate the first multipath component information of at least two first ports and the second multipath component information of at least two second ports. When the number of first ports and second ports is greater than 2, the same logic can be applied, which will not be elaborated further.

[0149] Optionally, in one implementation, the terminal device may also send capability information; correspondingly, the network device receives the capability information from the terminal device. This capability information indicates support for receiving data corresponding to both the first and second ports based on a reference signal corresponding to the first port. This can be understood as the terminal device supporting the reconstruction of channel information corresponding to the second port based on channel information estimated from the reference signal corresponding to the first port, thereby receiving data corresponding to the first port based on the channel information of the first port, and receiving data corresponding to the second port based on the channel information of the second port.

[0150] Based on the capability information of the terminal device, the network device can determine whether to send the reference signal through the first port or not through the second port.

[0151] Optionally, in one implementation, the network device may send fourth information; correspondingly, the terminal device receives the fourth information from the network device. The fourth information, also known as mode indication information, is used to indicate the reception of data corresponding to the first port and the second port based on the reference signal corresponding to the first port.

[0152] Based on the fourth information, the terminal device can receive data corresponding to the first port according to the reference signal corresponding to the first port, and receive data corresponding to the second port according to the reference signal corresponding to the first port and the first information.

[0153] In this application, the first port can be used to transmit reference signals and data, and the second port can be used to transmit data. This can be understood as the number of ports used for transmitting data being greater than the number of ports used for transmitting reference signals. The first port can also be called a reference signal port or a DMRS port, and the second port can also be called a data port or a PDSCH port.

[0154] For example, the first port is located in the first port set Z. DCI The second port is located in the second port set Z. PDSCH The first port set Z DCI It can be the second port set Z PDSCH A subset of, i.e. The number of ports included in the first port set can be understood as the number of first ports, and the number of ports included in the second port set can be understood as the number of second ports. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the first port consists of ports P1 to P6, a total of 6 ports; the second port consists of ports P1 to P18, a total of 18 ports. In the diagram, the squares with filled patterns represent the resources mapped to ports P1 to P6 (i.e., the first port), and the white squares represent the resources mapped to ports P1 to P18 (i.e., the second port).

[0155] In this application, the number of ports included in the first port set can be determined by the network device; the terminal device can also provide feedback on the decoding performance or interpolation performance of the data, so that the network device can adjust the number of ports in the first port set according to the decoding performance or interpolation performance. For example, if the decoding performance reported by the terminal device is poor, the number of ports in the first port set can be increased; if the decoding performance reported by the terminal device is good, the number of ports in the first port set can be decreased.

[0156] The network device may periodically adjust the number of ports included in the first port set, or it may adjust the number of ports included in the first port set according to the decoding performance or interpolation performance of the data reported by the terminal device. This application does not limit this.

[0157] Terminal devices can also report the number of first ports, that is, the number of suggested ports included in the first port set. Network devices can determine the number of ports included in the first port set based on the number of suggested first ports reported by the terminal devices. For example, three terminal devices paired in a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) configuration have corresponding data transmission port groups of [0,1,2,3], [4,5,6,7], and [8,9,10,11]. At least one port needs to be selected from each of these port groups as the port for transmitting DMRS, for example, the selected DMRS ports might be 3, 7, and 11.

[0158] Network devices can indicate the first and second ports to terminal devices. Several examples are given below.

[0159] In one possible implementation, the network device can send second information to the terminal device, which is used to indicate the first port.

[0160] In this implementation, the second information can also be used to indicate a second port; for example, the second information implicitly indicates a second port. The second information can be a DCI or a field within a DCI, or it can be other signaling; this application is not limited in this regard. Several examples are given below.

[0161] Example 1:

[0162] The second information is used to indicate the first index of the first port, and the port corresponding to the index less than the first index is the second port, that is, the second index of the second port is less than the first index. In this case, the first information can indicate at least one second port. Optionally, the first port and the second port belong to the same CDM group or port set.

[0163] The first index of the first port can refer to the port index of the first port, or the path index of the path, sub-path, or sub-path cluster corresponding to the first port. The second index of the second port can refer to the port index of the second port, or the path index of the path, sub-path, or sub-path cluster corresponding to the second port.

[0164] For example, assuming the port index is greater than or equal to 0, the first information indicates the first port with the first index of 7. Then, the ports with indices less than 7 are all second ports, that is, the ports with indices from 0 to 6 are second ports. In this case, the first information indicates 1 first port and 7 second ports.

[0165] For example, the second piece of information can be located in the antenna port field of the DCI. For instance, taking the first port as the DMRS port, the correspondence between the values ​​of the antenna port field and the DMRS port index can be shown in Table 1.

[0166] Table 1: Correspondence between Index and DMRS Port Index

[0167]

[0168] In Table 1, the first column is the value of the antenna port field, and the third column is the DMRS port index, which is the first index of the first port.

[0169] For example, if the value of the antenna port field is 6, according to Table 1, the first index can be determined to be 3, that is, the first port is DMRS port 3, then the second index of the second port is 0, 1 and 2.

[0170] Example 2:

[0171] The second information is a third index, which corresponds to at least one port belonging to the same CDM group or port set. The third index can refer to an index of the CDM group or port set. In this case, the first port is the port corresponding to the first index among at least one ports, and the second port is the port corresponding to the second index among at least one ports; the first and second indices are preset. In this case, the second information can indicate at least one first port and at least one second port.

[0172] For example, at least one port belongs to the same CDM group. CDM group 0, with index 0, includes four DMRS ports with port indices 0, 1, 4, and 5, with the default first index being 5 and the default second indices being 0, 1, and 4. CDM group 1, with index 1, includes four DMRS ports with port indices 2, 3, 6, and 7, with the default first index being 2 and the default second indices being 3, 6, and 7. If the second information is index 0 of CDM group 0, then the first port is the DMRS port with port index 5; the second port is the DMRS port with port indices 0, 1, and 4. Similarly, if the second information is index 1 of CDM group 1, then the first port is the DMRS port with port index 2; the second port is the DMRS port with port indices 3, 6, and 7.

[0173] For example, the first port and the second port can be as shown in Table 2.

[0174] Table 2

[0175]

[0176] The second information can be the index in the first column of Table 2, the index of the preset first port in the third column of Table 2, and the index of the preset second port in the fourth column of Table 2.

[0177] If the second information is 1, then the index of the preset first port is 1, and the index of the preset second port is 2. Other cases can be deduced similarly, and will not be elaborated further.

[0178] Example 3:

[0179] The second information includes a first index of the first port and a third index of the CDM group or port set. The CDM group or port set includes a first port and a second port. The ports in the CDM group or port set other than the first port corresponding to the first index are the second ports.

[0180] For example, CDM group 0 with index 0 includes four DMRS ports with port indices 0, 1, 4 and 5; CDM group 1 with index 1 includes four DMRS ports with port indices 2, 3, 6 and 7.

[0181] If the second information includes a first index of 5 (i.e., the DMRS port with port index 5) and a third index of 0 (i.e., the index of CDM group 0), then the first port is the DMRS port with port index 5; the second port is the DMRS port with port indices 0, 1, and 4. Similarly, if the second information includes a first index of 2 (i.e., the DMRS port with port index 2) and a third index of 1 (i.e., the index of CDM group 1), then the first port is the DMRS port with port index 2; the second port is the DMRS port with port indices 3, 6, and 7.

[0182] In Example 3, the second piece of information can also be located in the antenna port field of the DCI, as described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0183] In a second possible implementation, the network device can send second and third information to the terminal device. The second information indicates the first port, and the third information indicates the second port. The third information can also be called port completion information, etc., and this application does not limit the name of the third information.

[0184] For example, the second information is the first index of the first port, and the second information is the second index of the second port.

[0185] In this implementation, the first port and the second port belong to the same CDM group or port set.

[0186] In this implementation, the second information can indicate at least one first port, and the third information can indicate at least one second port.

[0187] In this implementation, the second information can be the first DCI, or the second DCI; alternatively, the first and second information can be located in the same DCI, belonging to different fields of that DCI. Furthermore, the second and third information can also be other signaling types, and this application does not limit their application to these types.

[0188] In this implementation, the second information can also be located in the antenna port field of the DCI. Please refer to the previous description for details, which will not be repeated here.

[0189] Step 502: The network device sends the reference signal corresponding to the first port.

[0190] Accordingly, the terminal device receives the reference signal corresponding to the first port.

[0191] It is understandable that the first port is a port that is known to both network devices and terminal devices, such as a virtual port.

[0192] The reference signal can be used for channel estimation. For example, the reference signal can be a DMRS, a cell-specific reference signal, or a channel state information reference signal, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0193] The network device sending the reference signal corresponding to the first port can be understood as the network device sending the reference signal through the first port. The specific process of the network device sending the reference signal corresponding to the first port is not limited in this application and will not be described in detail here. Similarly, the specific process of the terminal device receiving the reference signal is not limited in this application and will not be described in detail here.

[0194] In this application, there is a correspondence between the resources of the first port and the reference signal. For example, if the reference signal is DMRS, the time domain resources of DMRS are the resources corresponding to the first port. For details, please refer to the description of the correspondence between the resources of DMRS and the port in the NR system. This application does not limit this.

[0195] The terminal device can perform channel estimation based on the reference signal. The result of the channel estimation includes first channel information and second channel information. The first channel information can be understood as the channel information corresponding to the first port, and the second channel information can be understood as the channel information corresponding to the second port. The second channel information is the channel information reconstructed based on the first channel information and the first channel information. Several examples are given below.

[0196] In the first possible implementation, the reference signal, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information are used for channel estimation.

[0197] In this implementation, the first channel information is determined based on the reference signal; the second channel information is determined based on the first channel information, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information.

[0198] For example, the reference signal Y1 received by the terminal device from the first port can be represented as follows:

[0199] Y1 = HV P1 ×X1+N1 Formula 1

[0200] Where X1 represents the reference signal corresponding to the first port transmitted by the network device, and N1 represents noise. HV P1 H represents the first channel information, also known as the equivalent channel information of the first port; H represents the channel information before precoding, and the channel information before precoding is the same for different ports.

[0201] Among them, V P1 This represents the first steering matrix, which can also be called the precoding matrix, etc. As mentioned earlier, the steering matrix is ​​determined based on the steering vector; several examples are given below.

[0202] In one possible implementation, as an example, the first guiding matrix satisfies the following form:

[0203]

[0204] As an example, in a second possible implementation, the first guiding matrix satisfies the following form:

[0205]

[0206] Among them, V nR represents the steering vector (or simply the transmitter steering vector) of the transmitting port (i.e., the first port) with diameter n; n P represents the steering vector of the receiving port of path n (or simply the receiving steering vector); n The power of path n is represented by the first multipath component information, which can be understood as the power of a unit amplitude signal passing through that path. The superscript * indicates the conjugate of the matrix. Here, n represents the index (or identifier or number) of the path corresponding to the first port, where n is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N, and N represents the number of paths. The aforementioned n can also represent the index of a path cluster or sub-path, which is not limited in this embodiment. There is a one-to-one mapping relationship between the first port and the path (or sub-path, or path cluster).

[0207] Taking the steering vector of the transmission port as an example, for instance, the steering vector V of the transmission port with radius n... n It must meet the following form:

[0208]

[0209] Among them, V H,n and V V,n These represent the guide vector in the horizontal direction and the guide vector in the vertical direction, respectively; S tx,H and S tx,V These represent the horizontal and vertical spacing between the antenna elements on the network device side, respectively, in units of λ wavelength. These values ​​can be indicated by the network device. θ represents the horizontal angle of the sub-diameter in the local coordinate system. LCS,n This represents the pitch angle of the sub-path in the local coordinate system; This represents the Kronecker product operation; j is the imaginary unit; N tx,H and N tx,V These represent the dimensions of the transmitting antenna in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively; these values ​​can be indicated by the network device. For example, or θ LCS,n The angle of the sub-path in the global coordinate system (such as AOA, AOD, etc.) can be calculated, and existing methods can be referred to for specific details. This application does not limit this aspect. The calculation... or θ LCS,n The angle (such as AOA, AOD, etc.) can be indicated by the first multipath component information; for the horizontal angle and pitch angle, please refer to the relevant descriptions above, which will not be repeated here.

[0210] Based on the preceding description, after the terminal device obtains the first multipath component information, it can use the first steering matrix V according to Formulas 4 and 3. P1 Alternatively, the first guiding matrix V can be determined according to Formula 4 and Formula 2. P1Using the same method, the terminal device can determine the second steering matrix V based on the second multipath component information. P2 Furthermore, the terminal device can, based on the first channel information HV P1 and the first guiding matrix V P1 The channel information H before precoding is determined, i.e., the channel matrix H before precoding.

[0211] Furthermore, the terminal device can be based on the second guidance matrix V P2 The second channel information HV is determined by combining the channel matrix H before precoding. P2 .

[0212] The second possible implementation uses the correlation information between the reference signal, the first port, and the second port for channel estimation.

[0213] In this implementation, the first channel information is determined based on the reference signal; the second channel information is determined based on the first channel information and the correlation information.

[0214] For example, the terminal device determines the frequency domain filtering coefficients based on multipath delay spread information, the time domain filtering coefficients based on Doppler spread information, and the spatial domain filtering coefficients based on spatial angle spread information.

[0215] Furthermore, the terminal device can determine the second channel information based on at least one of the frequency domain filtering coefficients, time domain filtering coefficients, and spatial domain filtering coefficients, as well as the first channel information.

[0216] For example, the frequency domain correlation coefficient, denoted by R, can be determined based on multipath delay spread information (such as multipath delay power spectrum). Using the frequency domain correlation coefficient, the autocorrelation matrix between corresponding frequency domain positions (such as subcarriers) of the reference signal can be calculated. And the cross-correlation matrix between the frequency domain positions of the reference signal and the frequency domain positions of the data. Then, based on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the second channel information can be obtained by frequency domain interpolation of the first channel information using the following formula 5.

[0217]

[0218] in, The frequency domain filtering coefficients can be represented by SNR, which represents the signal-to-noise ratio information in the frequency domain. The signal-to-noise ratio information can be preset or determined by other methods. H2 is the second channel information obtained after interpolation, and H1 is the first channel information, that is, the channel information estimated based on the reference signal of the first port. The frequency domain correlation coefficient can be determined based on the Doppler spread information, for example, by performing a fast fourier transform (FFT) or an inverse fast fourier transform (IFFT) on the multipath delay spread information.

[0219] Similarly, time-domain interpolation and spatial-domain interpolation can be performed based on the autocorrelation matrix and cross-correlation matrix calculated from the time-domain correlation coefficient and the spatial-domain correlation coefficient, respectively, and then channel interpolation can be performed in the corresponding time and spatial domains. The difference is that the time-domain correlation coefficient and the spatial-domain correlation coefficient are constructed based on Doppler spread and angular spread information, respectively.

[0220] For example, as shown below, the second channel information can be obtained by performing frequency domain interpolation, time domain interpolation, and spatial domain interpolation on the first channel information using Formula 6.

[0221]

[0222] in, It can represent frequency domain filter coefficients. It can represent the time-domain filter coefficients. SNR1 represents the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the frequency domain, SNR2 represents the SNR in the time domain, SNR3 represents the SNR in the spatial domain, H2 is the second channel information obtained after interpolation, and H1 is the first channel information, which is the channel information estimated based on the reference signal of the first port.

[0223] in, This means that the autocorrelation matrix between corresponding time-domain locations of the reference signal (such as OFDM symbols) can be calculated using the time-domain correlation coefficient. This represents the cross-correlation matrix between the time-domain position corresponding to the reference signal and the time-domain position corresponding to the data. The time-domain correlation coefficient can be determined based on the Doppler spread information, for example, by performing a fast fourier transform (FFT) or an inverse fast fourier transform (IFFT) on the Doppler spread information.

[0224] in, This indicates that the autocorrelation matrix between the reference signal and its corresponding spatial locations (such as spatial ports) can be calculated using the spatial correlation coefficient. This represents the cross-correlation matrix between the spatial location corresponding to the reference signal and the spatial location corresponding to the data. The spatial correlation coefficient can be determined based on the spatial angle extension information, such as by performing FFT or IFFT on the spatial angle extension information.

[0225] The above are just examples. This application does not limit the use of other methods to process multipath delay spread, Doppler spread, and spatial angle spread information to obtain frequency domain correlation coefficient, time domain correlation coefficient, and spatial domain correlation coefficient.

[0226] The above are just examples. Terminal devices can also determine the second channel information through other methods, which will not be elaborated here.

[0227] In this application, the network device may also send first data corresponding to the first port and the second port, as can be seen in the following description.

[0228] Optionally, in step 503: the network device sends the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port.

[0229] Accordingly, the terminal device receives the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port.

[0230] It is understandable that the first and second ports are ports that are known to both network devices and terminal devices, such as virtual ports.

[0231] The network device sending the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port can be understood as the network device sending the first data to the terminal device through the first port and the second port.

[0232] In one implementation, the network device sends a first data stream corresponding to first data on a first port, and a second data stream corresponding to the first data on a second port. The data streams corresponding to the first port and the second port can be sent separately or simultaneously. Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the first data stream corresponding to the first data on the first port, and receives the second data stream corresponding to the first data on the second port. The data streams corresponding to the first port and the second port can be received separately or simultaneously.

[0233] The specific process by which the network device sends the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port is not limited in this application and will not be described in detail here.

[0234] In one implementation, the terminal device can receive first data corresponding to a first port and a second port based on the channel estimation result. For example, the channel estimation result includes first channel information and second channel information. The terminal device can receive a first data stream of the first data corresponding to the first port based on the first channel information, and receive a second data stream of the first data corresponding to the second port based on the second channel information. The specific process by which the terminal device receives the first data based on the channel estimation result is not limited in this application and will not be elaborated here.

[0235] The first data stream and the second data stream may be the same or different, and this application does not limit them. For example, the first data stream may include part or all of the first data, and the second data stream may include part or all of the first data.

[0236] Network devices can schedule the first data through scheduling information; optionally, the second and / or third information can be located in the scheduling information.

[0237] Optionally, if the network device sends the fourth information and the terminal device receives the fourth information, the terminal device can receive the data corresponding to the first port according to the reference signal of the first port, and receive the data corresponding to the second port according to the reference signal of the first port and the first information.

[0238] Optionally, if the network device does not send the fourth information and the terminal device does not receive the fourth information, then the terminal device can be considered to be using the traditional method, that is, the case where there is a reference signal corresponding to the second port. That is, the network device sends the reference signal and data corresponding to the first port respectively, and sends the reference signal and data corresponding to the second port respectively. Accordingly, the terminal device can receive the data corresponding to the first port according to the reference signal corresponding to the first port, and receive the data corresponding to the second port according to the reference signal corresponding to the second port. The specific process will not be described in detail.

[0239] The method provided in this application enables the terminal device to perform channel estimation on the first port and the second port using the first information and the reference signal corresponding to the first port. This allows the terminal device to perform channel estimation on the second port based on the first information and the reference signal of the first port even when there is no reference signal corresponding to the second port. This reduces the overhead of the reference signal and ensures the transmission performance of the data transmitted through the first port and the second port.

[0240] The above description uses the example of a network device sending a reference signal corresponding to a first port, and a terminal device performing channel estimation for the first and second ports based on the reference signal and first information. The method provided in this application can also be applied to uplink reference signals, i.e., the terminal device sends a reference signal corresponding to the first port, and the network device performs channel estimation for the first and second ports based on the reference signal and first information, which will be described in detail below.

[0241] like Figure 7 The diagram shown is a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method includes:

[0242] Step 701: The network device sends the first information to the terminal device.

[0243] Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the first information from the network device.

[0244] The specific content of the first information can be found in the description in step 501, and will not be repeated here.

[0245] Optionally, in one implementation, the terminal device may also send capability information; correspondingly, the network device receives the capability information from the terminal device. This capability information can be referred to in the description of step 501, and will not be repeated here.

[0246] Optionally, in one implementation, the network device may send fourth information; correspondingly, the terminal device receives the fourth information from the network device. The fourth information can be referred to the description in step 501, and will not be repeated here.

[0247] In this application, the first port can be used to transmit reference signals and data, and the second port can be used to transmit data. This can be understood as the number of ports used for transmitting data being greater than the number of ports used for transmitting reference signals. Further descriptions of the first and second ports can be found in step 501, and will not be repeated here.

[0248] The network device can also indicate the first port and the second port to the terminal device, as described in step 501, which will not be repeated here.

[0249] Step 702: The terminal device sends the reference signal corresponding to the first port.

[0250] Accordingly, the network device receives the reference signal corresponding to the first port.

[0251] It is understandable that the first port is a port that is known to both network devices and terminal devices, such as a virtual port.

[0252] The reference signal can be used for channel estimation. For example, the reference signal can be a signal such as DMRS, but this application does not limit it.

[0253] The specific process by which the terminal device sends the reference signal corresponding to the first port is not limited in this application and will not be described in detail here. Similarly, the specific process by which the network device receives the reference signal is not limited in this application and will not be described in detail here.

[0254] Network devices can perform channel estimation based on reference signals. The results of channel estimation include first channel information and second channel information. The first channel information can be understood as the channel information corresponding to the first port, and the second channel information can be understood as the channel information corresponding to the second port.

[0255] Regarding how network devices determine the first channel information and the second channel information, please refer to the relevant description of the terminal device determining the first channel information and the second channel information in step 502, which will not be repeated here.

[0256] In this process, the first port and the second port can also be used to send the first data to the network device, as can be seen in the following description.

[0257] Optionally, in step 703: the terminal device sends the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port.

[0258] Accordingly, the network device receives the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port.

[0259] It is understandable that the first and second ports are ports that are known to both network devices and terminal devices, such as virtual ports.

[0260] The terminal device sending the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port can be understood as the terminal device sending the first data to the terminal device through the first port and the second port.

[0261] In one implementation, the terminal device sends a first data stream of first data corresponding to a first port, and sends a second data stream of the first data corresponding to a second port. Correspondingly, the network device receives the first data stream of the first data corresponding to the first port, and receives the second data stream of the first data corresponding to the second port.

[0262] The specific process by which the terminal device sends the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port is not limited in this application and will not be described in detail here.

[0263] In one implementation, the network device can receive first data corresponding to a first port and a second port based on the channel estimation result. For example, the channel estimation result includes first channel information and second channel information. The network device can receive a first data stream of the first data corresponding to the first port based on the first channel information, and receive a second data stream of the first data corresponding to the second port based on the second channel information. The specific process by which the network device receives the first data based on the channel estimation result is not limited in this application and will not be elaborated here.

[0264] The first data stream and the second data stream may be the same or different, and this application does not limit them. For example, the first data stream may include part or all of the first data, and the second data stream may include part or all of the first data.

[0265] Network devices can schedule the first data through scheduling information; optionally, the second and / or third information can be located in the scheduling information.

[0266] The method provided in this application enables the network device to perform channel estimation on the first port and the second port using the first information and the reference signal corresponding to the first port. This allows the network device to perform channel estimation on the second port based on the first information and the reference signal of the first port even when there is no reference signal corresponding to the second port. This reduces the overhead of the reference signal and ensures the transmission performance of the data transmitted through the first port and the second port.

[0267] It is understood that, in order to achieve the functions in the above embodiments, the terminal device or network device includes 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 by hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0268] The following are schematic diagrams of possible communication devices provided in the embodiments of this application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of terminal devices or network devices in the above method embodiments, and thus can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments.

[0269] like Figure 8 As shown, the communication device 800 includes a processing unit 810 and a communication unit 820. The communication device 800 is used to implement the functions of the terminal device or network device in the various method embodiments shown above.

[0270] When the communication device 800 is used to implement the functions of a terminal device:

[0271] A communication unit is configured to receive first information from a network device; the first information is configured to indicate first multipath component information of a first port and second multipath component information of a second port, or the first information is configured to indicate correlation information between the first port and the second port.

[0272] The communication unit is used to receive or transmit a reference signal corresponding to the first port; the reference signal, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information are used for channel estimation; the reference signal and the correlation information are used for channel estimation.

[0273] When the communication device 800 is used to implement the functions of a network device:

[0274] A communication unit is used to send first information to a terminal device; the first information is used to indicate first multipath component information of a first port and second multipath component information of a second port, or the first information is used to indicate correlation information between the first port and the second port.

[0275] A communication unit is used to receive or transmit a reference signal corresponding to the first port; the reference signal, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information are used for channel estimation; the reference signal and the correlation information are used for channel estimation.

[0276] More detailed descriptions of the processing unit 810 and the communication unit 820 can be obtained directly from the relevant descriptions in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0277] It should be understood that the division of units in the above device is merely a logical functional division. In actual implementation, they can be fully or partially integrated into a single physical entity, or they can be physically separated. Furthermore, all units in the device can be implemented entirely through software calls from processing elements; all units can be implemented entirely in hardware; or some units can be implemented through software calls from processing elements, while others are implemented in hardware. For example, each unit can be a separate processing element, or it can be integrated into a chip within the device. Alternatively, it can be stored as a program in memory, called and executed by a processing element of the device. Moreover, these units can be fully or partially integrated together, or implemented independently. The processing element here can also be called a processor, which can be an integrated circuit with signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, the operations or units described above can be implemented through integrated logic circuits in the processor element or through software calls from processing elements.

[0278] In one example, a unit in any of the above devices can be one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the methods described above, such as: one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), or one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or a combination of at least two of these forms of integrated circuits. As another example, when a unit in the device can be implemented in the form of a processing element scheduler, the processing element can be a processor, such as a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), or other processor capable of calling programs. Furthermore, these units can be integrated together to implement a system-on-a-chip (SOC).

[0279] The receiving unit described above is an interface circuit of the device, used to receive signals from other devices. For example, when the device is implemented as a chip, the receiving unit is an interface circuit for the chip to receive signals from other chips or devices. The transmitting unit described above is an interface circuit of the device, used to transmit signals to other devices. For example, when the device is implemented as a chip, the transmitting unit is an interface circuit for the chip to transmit signals to other chips or devices.

[0280] As another possible product form, the terminal device or network device in this application embodiment can be implemented using a general bus architecture. For ease of explanation, see [link to documentation]. Figure 9 , Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 900 provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 900 includes a processor 901 and a transceiver 902. The communication device 900 can be a terminal device, or a chip or chip system therein; or, the communication device 900 can be a network device, or a chip or module therein. Figure 9 Only the main components of the communication device 900 are shown. In addition to the processor 901 and transceiver 902, the communication device 900 may further include a memory 903 and input / output devices (not shown).

[0281] Optionally, the processor 901 is mainly used to process communication protocols and communication data, control the entire communication device, execute software programs, and process the data of the software programs. The memory 903 is mainly used to store software programs and data. The transceiver 902 may include radio frequency (RF) circuitry and an antenna. The RF circuitry is mainly used for converting baseband signals to RF signals and processing RF signals. The antenna is mainly used for transmitting and receiving RF signals in the form of electromagnetic waves. Input / output devices, such as touchscreens, displays, and keyboards, are mainly used to receive user input data and output data to the user.

[0282] Optionally, the processor 901, transceiver 902, and memory 903 can be connected via a communication bus.

[0283] When the communication device is powered on, the processor 901 can read the software program in the memory 903, interpret and execute the instructions of the software program, and process the data of the software program. When data needs to be transmitted wirelessly, the processor 901 performs baseband processing on the data to be transmitted and outputs the baseband signal to the radio frequency (RF) circuit. The RF circuit processes the baseband signal and transmits the RF signal outward in the form of electromagnetic waves through the antenna. When data is sent to the communication device, the RF circuit receives the RF signal through the antenna, converts the RF signal into a baseband signal, and outputs the baseband signal to the processor 901. The processor 901 converts the baseband signal into data and processes the data.

[0284] In another implementation, the radio frequency circuitry and antenna can be set up independently of the processor that performs baseband processing. For example, in a distributed scenario, the radio frequency circuitry and antenna can be arranged remotely, independent of the communication device.

[0285] In some embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the above-described communication device 800 can be implemented in hardware using... Figure 9 The communication device shown is in the form of 900.

[0286] As an example, Figure 8 The function / implementation process of the processing unit 810 in the middle can be achieved through Figure 9 The processor 901 in the communication device 900 shown calls computer execution instructions stored in the memory 903 to implement the function. Figure 8 The function / implementation process of the communication unit 820 in the middle can be achieved through Figure 9 This is achieved through the transceiver 902 in the communication device 900 shown.

[0287] As another possible product form, the terminal device or network device in this application can adopt... Figure 10 The shown composition structure, or including Figure 10 The components shown. Figure 10A schematic diagram of the composition of a communication device 1000 provided in this application.

[0288] like Figure 10 As shown, the communication device 1000 includes at least one processor 1001. Optionally, the communication device also includes a communication interface 1002.

[0289] When the relevant program instructions are executed in the at least one processor 1001, the device 1000 may implement the methods provided in any of the foregoing embodiments and any of the possible designs therein. Alternatively, the processor 1001 may implement the methods provided in any of the foregoing embodiments and any of the possible designs therein through logic circuits or executable code instructions.

[0290] The communication interface 1002 can be used to receive program instructions and transmit them to the processor, or it can be used for communication interaction between the communication device 1000 and other communication devices, such as exchanging control signaling and / or service data. For example, the communication interface 1002 can be used to receive signals from other devices besides the communication device 1000 and transmit them to the processor 1001, or to send signals from the processor 1001 to other communication devices besides the communication device 1000.

[0291] Optionally, the communication interface 1002 can be a code and / or data read / write interface circuit, or the communication interface 1002 can be a signal transmission interface circuit between a communication processor and a transceiver, or a chip pin.

[0292] Optionally, the communication device 1000 may further include at least one memory 1003, which can be used to store the required program instructions and / or data. It should be noted that the memory 1003 may exist independently of the processor 1001 or may be integrated with the processor 1001. The memory 1003 may be located within or outside the communication device 1000, without limitation.

[0293] Optionally, the communication device 1000 may further include a power supply circuit 1004, which can be used to power the processor 1001. The power supply circuit 1004 may be located in the same chip as the processor 1001, or in a separate chip outside the chip containing the processor 1001.

[0294] Optionally, the communication device 1000 may also include a bus, through which the various parts of the communication device 1000 can be interconnected.

[0295] In some embodiments, the hardware implementation will be apparent to those skilled in the art as described above. Figure 8The communication device 800 shown can be adopted Figure 10 The communication device 1000 shown is in the form of this device.

[0296] As an example, Figure 8 The function / implementation process of the processing unit 810 in the middle can be achieved through Figure 10 The processor 1001 in the communication device 1000 shown calls computer execution instructions stored in the memory 1003 to implement the function. Figure 8 The function / implementation process of the communication unit 820 in the middle can be achieved through Figure 10 This is achieved through the communication interface 1002 in the communication device 1000 shown.

[0297] It should be pointed out that, Figure 10 The structures shown do not constitute a specific limitation on the terminal device or network device. For example, in other embodiments of this application, the terminal device or network device may include more or fewer components than those shown, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The components shown may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0298] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip applied to a terminal, the terminal chip implements the functions of the terminal in the above method embodiments. The terminal chip receives information from other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the terminal, which is information sent to the terminal by the base station; or, the terminal chip sends information to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the terminal, which is information sent to the base station by the terminal.

[0299] When the aforementioned communication device is a module applied to a base station, the base station module implements the functions of the base station in the above method embodiments. The base station module receives information from other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the base station, information sent by the terminal to the base station; or, the base station module sends information to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the base station, information sent by the base station to the terminal. Here, the base station module can be the baseband chip of the base station, or a DU (Digital Unit) or other modules. The DU can be a DU under an Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) architecture.

[0300] 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.

[0301] The method steps in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or by a processor executing software instructions. 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. Of course, 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. Of course, the processor and storage medium can also exist as discrete components in the base station or terminal.

[0302] 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.

[0303] In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terminology and / or descriptions of different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features of different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0304] Based on the same technical concept, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which may also be referred to as computer programs, computer program code, etc. The instructions, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the functions of the terminal device, signaling distribution network element, first NAS service network element, or first network element in the above method embodiments.

[0305] Based on the same technical concept, this application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are run by a communication device, the method steps executed by the terminal device or network device in the above method embodiments are executed.

[0306] Based on the same concept, embodiments of this application also provide a chip, which may include a processor and a memory (or the chip may be coupled to the memory). The chip executes program instructions in the memory to perform the methods executed by the terminal device or network device in the above embodiments. Here, "coupling" refers to two components being directly or indirectly connected to each other; for example, coupling can refer to an electrical connection between two components.

[0307] Based on the same concept, embodiments of this application also provide a communication system, including a terminal device or a network device. The terminal device is used to implement the functions of the terminal device in the foregoing embodiments; the network device is used to implement the functions of the network device in the foregoing embodiments.

[0308] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this application can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0309] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to this application. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart illustrations. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0310] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0311] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the scope of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, include: Receive the first information from the network device; The first information is used to indicate the first multipath component information of the first port and the second multipath component information of the second port, or the first information is used to indicate the correlation information between the first port and the second port; Receive or transmit a reference signal corresponding to the first port; the reference signal, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information are used for channel estimation; the reference signal and the correlation information are used for channel estimation.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The channel estimation result includes first channel information and second channel information; The first channel information is determined based on the reference signal.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second channel information is determined based on the first channel information, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information; Alternatively, the second channel information may be determined based on the first channel information and the correlation information.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, After receiving the reference signal corresponding to the first port, the method further includes: Receive the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port; After sending the reference signal corresponding to the first port, the method further includes: Send the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Receiving the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port includes: Based on the channel estimation result, the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port is received.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The channel estimation result includes first channel information and second channel information; The step of receiving the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port based on the channel estimation result includes: A first data stream corresponding to the first data at the first port is received according to the first channel information, and a second data stream corresponding to the first data at the second port is received according to the second channel information. The first channel information is determined based on the reference signal; The second channel information is determined based on the first channel information, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information; or, the second channel information is determined based on the first channel information and the correlation information.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive second information from the network device, the second information being used to indicate the first port.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second information is also used to indicate the second port.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The second information is used to indicate the first index of the first port; the second index of the second port is less than the first index.

10. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The second information is a third index, which corresponds to at least one port. The first port is the port that corresponds to the first index among the at least one ports, and the second port is the port that corresponds to the second index among the at least one ports. The first index and the second index are preset.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The at least one port belongs to the same Code Division Multiplexing (CDM) group or port set.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive third information from the network device, the third information being used to indicate the second port.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The third information is used to indicate the second port, including: The third piece of information is the second index of the second port.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send capability information, which indicates support for receiving data corresponding to the first port and the second port based on the reference signal corresponding to the first port.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive fourth information from the network device, the fourth information being used to instruct the reception of data corresponding to the first port and the second port based on the reference signal corresponding to the first port.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that, The relevant information includes at least one of the following: Multipath delay spread information for the first port and the second port; Doppler extension information of the first port and the second port; Spatial angle extension information for the first port and the second port.

17. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that, The reference signal is the demodulation reference signal DMRS.

18. A communication method, characterized in that, include: Send the first message to the terminal device; The first information is used to indicate the first multipath component information of the first port and the second multipath component information of the second port, or the first information is used to indicate the correlation information between the first port and the second port; Receive or transmit a reference signal corresponding to the first port; the reference signal, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information are used for channel estimation; the reference signal and the correlation information are used for channel estimation.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that, The channel estimation result includes first channel information and second channel information; The first channel information is determined based on the reference signal; The second channel information is determined based on the first channel information, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information; Alternatively, the second channel information may be determined based on the first channel information and the correlation information.

20. The method according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that, After receiving the reference signal corresponding to the first port, the method further includes: Receive the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port; After sending the reference signal corresponding to the first port, the method further includes: Send the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port.

21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that, Receiving the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port includes: Based on the channel estimation result, the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port is received.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The channel estimation result includes first channel information and second channel information; The step of receiving the first data corresponding to the first port and the second port based on the channel estimation result includes: A first data stream corresponding to the first data at the first port is received according to the first channel information, and a second data stream corresponding to the first data at the second port is received according to the second channel information. The first channel information is determined based on the reference signal; The second channel information is determined based on the first channel information, the first multipath component information, and the second multipath component information; or, the second channel information is determined based on the first channel information and the correlation information.

23. The method according to any one of claims 18 to 22, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a second message, which is used to instruct the first port.

24. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that, The second information is used to indicate the first index of the first port; the second index of the second port is less than the first index.

25. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that, The second information is a third index, which corresponds to at least one port. The first port is the port that corresponds to the first index among the at least one ports, and the second port is the port that corresponds to the second index among the at least one ports. The first index and the second index are preset.

26. The method according to any one of claims 18 to 25, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a third message, which is used to instruct the second port.

27. The method according to claim 26, characterized in that, The third information is used to indicate the second port, including: The third piece of information is the second index of the second port.

28. The method according to any one of claims 18 to 27, characterized in that, The reference signal is the demodulation reference signal DMRS.

29. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes modules or units for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17; or, it includes modules or units for performing the method according to any one of claims 18 to 28.

30. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor configured to cause the communication device to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 17, or configured to cause the communication device to perform the method of any one of claims 18 to 28.

31. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 17, or cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 18 to 28.

32. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 17, or cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 18 to 28.

Images