Communication method and related equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a communication method and related equipment, so as to improve the coverage range of wireless equipment. The method comprises the steps that first indication information is received, the first indication information indicates at least one multi-direction beam, each multi-direction beam comprises at least two lobes which point to different directions and are used for communication, and each lobe corresponds to a channel; and generating at least one corresponding multi-direction beam according to the first indication information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and related equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Time division duplex (TDD) systems, with their high frequencies and short wavelengths in the mid-to-high frequency bands, experience rapid signal attenuation and limited coverage. To improve coverage, energy is typically focused, narrowing the beamwidth. However, narrow analog beams, especially those identical across the entire band, are prone to beam limiting, failing to fully utilize the advantages of large bandwidth. A narrow beam pointing at a few users results in beam limitations for other users, preventing simultaneous scheduling and causing severe overall beam constraint.

[0003] By expanding the number of antenna transceiver channels in the hardware of wireless devices, such as increasing the number of transceiver channels from 4 transmit and 4 receive (4T4R) to NTNR (where N is an integer greater than 4), the number of beamforming can be increased, thereby improving the coverage of wireless devices.

[0004] However, adding antennas presents challenges such as high cost and power consumption, and also increases the size of wireless devices, affecting their stability. Furthermore, communication efficiency decreases when the number of antennas is insufficient. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and related equipment to improve equipment coverage and communication efficiency without increasing equipment hardware costs.

[0006] A first aspect provides a communication method. This method is applied to a first device. The method includes: receiving first indication information, the first indication information indicating at least one multi-directional beam, each multi-directional beam including at least two lobes pointing in different directions for communication, each lobe corresponding to a channel; and generating a corresponding at least one multi-directional beam according to the first indication information. The multi-directional beam can indicate multiple directions simultaneously, enabling coverage of more users without increasing the number of antennas, improving spectrum utilization efficiency, reducing device cost and power consumption, and allowing for device miniaturization. When communication with a terminal device is required, a second device can instruct the first device to generate a corresponding multi-directional beam through the first indication information, thereby improving the coverage range of the first device, increasing spectrum utilization, and improving communication efficiency.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving second indication information, the second indication information indicating a target beamforming indication capability, wherein the target beamforming indication capability is one of a static beamforming indication capability, a semi-static beamforming indication capability, and a dynamic beamforming indication capability. The first device and the second device determine the target beamforming indication capability through negotiation, thereby enabling the first device to accurately acquire the multi-directional beams indicated by the first indication information, improving communication efficiency.

[0008] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information corresponding to at least one multi-directional beam. Since the amount of index data is smaller than the beamforming parameters, the communication overhead between the first device and the second device can be reduced, thereby improving the communication efficiency between the first device and the second device.

[0009] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a semi-static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information of at least one multi-directional beam or beamforming parameters. The beamforming parameters include at least one of the following: number of lobes used for communication, phase, amplitude, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, and number of intra-symbol switching. This reduces the communication overhead between the first and second devices while improving the flexibility of multi-directional beamforming.

[0010] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a dynamic beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes beamforming parameters. These parameters include at least one of the following: the number of lobes used for communication, phase, amplitude, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, and number of intra-symbol switching. This improves the flexibility of multi-directional beamforming.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: sending capability information of the first device to the second device. The capability information includes at least one of multi-directional beamforming capability and beamforming indication capability. The multi-directional beamforming capability indicates whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming. The beamforming indication capability includes at least one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability. The first device sends its capability information to the second device, enabling the second device to determine whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming and / or the beamforming indication capability supported by the first device. This allows the first and second devices to negotiate capabilities and determine a target beamforming indication capability.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: sending multi-directional beam information to a second device, the multi-directional beam information including index set information, the index set information including at least one index corresponding to a multi-directional beam, and the index in the index set information being the index corresponding to a multi-directional beam for which the first device supports static beamforming indication; or the multi-directional beam information including index set information and beamforming parameters of at least one multi-directional beam corresponding to the index set information. Thus, the second device can indicate the corresponding multi-directional beam to the first device through the index, and the first device can accurately obtain the multi-directional beam indicated by the first indication information, improving communication efficiency.

[0013] A second aspect provides a communication method. This method is applied to a second device. The method includes: sending first indication information to a first device, the first indication information indicating that the first device needs to generate at least one multi-directional beam, each multi-directional beam including at least two lobes pointing in different directions, each lobe corresponding to a channel. Multi-directional beams can indicate multiple directions simultaneously, enabling coverage of more users without increasing the number of antennas, improving spectrum utilization efficiency, reducing device cost and power consumption, and allowing for device miniaturization. When communication with a terminal device is required, the second device can instruct the first device to generate the corresponding multi-directional beam through the first indication information, thereby improving the coverage range of the first device, increasing spectrum utilization, and improving communication efficiency.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: sending second indication information to a first device, the second indication information indicating a target beamforming indication capability, wherein the target beamforming indication capability is one of a beamforming static indication capability, a beamforming semi-static indication capability, and a beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0015] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information corresponding to at least one multi-directional beam.

[0016] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a semi-static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information of at least one multi-directional beam or beamforming parameters. The beamforming parameters include at least one of phase, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, number of intra-symbol switching, and amplitude.

[0017] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a beamforming dynamic indication capability, the first indication information includes beamforming parameters, which include at least one of phase, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, number of intra-symbol switching, and amplitude.

[0018] In one possible implementation, before sending the second indication information to the first device, the method further includes: obtaining capability information of the first device, wherein the capability information includes at least one of multi-directional beamforming capability and beamforming indication capability, the multi-directional beamforming capability indicating whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming, and the beamforming indication capability including at least one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0019] In one possible implementation, before sending the first indication information to the first device, the method further includes: receiving multi-directional beam information from the first device, the multi-directional beam information including index set information, the index set information including at least one index corresponding to a multi-directional beam, and the index in the index set information being the index corresponding to a multi-directional beam for which the first device supports beamforming static indication; or the multi-directional beam information including index set information and beamforming parameters of at least one multi-directional beam corresponding to the index set information.

[0020] The third aspect provides a communication method applied to a network management system (NMS). The method includes: sending multi-directional beam information corresponding to a first device to a second device, wherein the multi-directional beam information includes index set information, the index set information includes at least one index corresponding to a multi-directional beam, the index in the index set information being an index corresponding to a multi-directional beam for which the first device supports beamforming static indication, the multi-directional beam including at least two lobes pointing in different directions for communication, each lobe corresponding to a channel; or the multi-directional beam information includes index set information and beamforming parameters of at least one multi-directional beam corresponding to the index set information.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: sending capability information of the first device to a second device, the capability information including at least one of multi-directional beamforming capability and beamforming indication capability, the multi-directional beamforming capability indicating whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming, and the beamforming indication capability including at least one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0022] A fourth aspect provides a communication device. This communication device is applied to a first device. The communication device includes an indication information transceiver module and a beam generation module. The indication information transceiver module is used to receive first indication information, which indicates at least one multi-directional beam. Each multi-directional beam includes at least two lobes pointing in different directions for communication, and each lobe corresponds to a channel. The beam generation module is used to generate the corresponding at least one multi-directional beam based on the first indication information.

[0023] In one possible implementation, an indication information transceiver module is used to receive second indication information, which indicates a target beamforming indication capability. The target beamforming indication capability is one of a beamforming static indication capability, a beamforming semi-static indication capability, and a beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0024] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information corresponding to at least one multi-directional beam.

[0025] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a semi-static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information of at least one multi-directional beam or beamforming parameters. The beamforming parameters include at least one of the following: number of lobes used for communication, phase, amplitude, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, and number of intra-symbol switching.

[0026] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a beamforming dynamic indication capability, the first indication information includes beamforming parameters, which include at least one of the following: number of lobes used for communication, phase, amplitude, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, and number of intra-symbol switching.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the indication information transceiver module is used to send capability information of the first device to the second device. The capability information includes at least one of multi-directional beamforming capability and beamforming indication capability. The multi-directional beamforming capability indicates whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming. The beamforming indication capability includes at least one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the indication information transceiver module is used to send multi-directional beam information to the second device. The multi-directional beam information includes index set information, which includes at least one index corresponding to a multi-directional beam. The index in the index set information is the index corresponding to a multi-directional beam for which the first device supports static beamforming indication; or the multi-directional beam information includes index set information and beamforming parameters of at least one multi-directional beam corresponding to the index set information.

[0029] A fifth aspect provides a communication apparatus. The method is applied to a second device. The apparatus includes: an indication information transceiver module, configured to send first indication information to a first device, the first indication information indicating at least one multi-directional beam to be generated by the first device, each multi-directional beam including at least two lobes pointing in different directions, each lobe corresponding to a channel.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the indication information transceiver module is used to send second indication information to the first device. The second indication information indicates the target beamforming indication capability, which is one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0031] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information corresponding to at least one multi-directional beam.

[0032] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a semi-static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information of at least one multi-directional beam or beamforming parameters. The beamforming parameters include at least one of phase, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, number of intra-symbol switching, and amplitude.

[0033] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a beamforming dynamic indication capability, the first indication information includes beamforming parameters, which include at least one of phase, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, number of intra-symbol switching, and amplitude.

[0034] In one possible implementation, the communication device further includes a processing module. The processing module is configured to acquire capability information of the first device, the capability information including at least one of multi-directional beamforming capability and beamforming indication capability. The multi-directional beamforming capability indicates whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming, and the beamforming indication capability includes at least one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0035] In one possible implementation, the indication information transceiver module is used to receive multi-directional beam information from the first device. The multi-directional beam information includes index set information, which includes at least one index corresponding to a multi-directional beam. The index in the index set information is the index corresponding to a multi-directional beam for which the first device supports static beamforming indication; or the multi-directional beam information includes index set information and beamforming parameters of at least one multi-directional beam corresponding to the index set information.

[0036] A sixth aspect provides a communication device applied to network management. The device includes a transceiver module. This transceiver module is used to send multi-directional beam information corresponding to a first device to a second device. The multi-directional beam information includes index set information, which includes at least one index corresponding to a multi-directional beam. The index in the index set information is an index corresponding to a multi-directional beam for which the first device supports beamforming static indication. The multi-directional beam includes at least two lobes pointing in different directions for communication, each lobe corresponding to a channel; or the multi-directional beam information includes index set information and beamforming parameters of at least one multi-directional beam corresponding to the index set information.

[0037] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module is used to send capability information of the first device to the second device. The capability information includes at least one of multi-directional beamforming capability and beamforming indication capability. The multi-directional beamforming capability indicates whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming. The beamforming indication capability includes at least one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0038] A seventh aspect provides a communication device, including a processor and an interface circuit, the interface circuit being configured 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 being configured to implement any of the first to third aspects and any possible implementations of any of the aspects described above via logic circuits or execution code instructions.

[0039] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores a computer program or instructions which, when executed by a processor, implement the methods of any one of the first to third aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0040] Ninthly, a computer program product storing instructions is provided, which, when executed by a processor, implements any one of the first to third aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0041] In a tenth aspect, a chip system is provided, comprising a processor and further comprising a memory, for implementing the methods of any one of the first to third aspects and any possible implementation thereof. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0042] Eleventhly, a communication system is provided, the system including means for implementing the method provided in the first aspect, means for implementing the method provided in the second aspect, and means for implementing the method provided in the third aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a multi-directional beam provided in this application;

[0044] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in this application;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a network architecture provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in this application;

[0047] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in this application;

[0048] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of another communication device provided in this application;

[0049] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of another communication device provided in this application;

[0050] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0051] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as described in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. Words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate illustrative, explanatory, or descriptive purposes. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0053] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0054] The technical solutions of this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) system, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) system, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD) system, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) system, 5th Generation (5G) system, or New Radio (NR) and future communication systems, etc., without limitation. Furthermore, the embodiments of this application can also be applied to various mobile communication scenarios based on the above-mentioned communication systems, such as point-to-point transmission between base stations and UEs, point-to-point transmission between UEs, multi-hop / relay transmission between base stations and UEs, and DC (Dual Connectivity) or multi-connection scenarios between multiple base stations and UEs.

[0055] The following are definitions of technical terms that may appear in the embodiments of this application.

[0056] Beam: A beam is a communication resource. A beam can be wide, narrow, or other types. Beamforming technology can be beamforming or other techniques. Beamforming technology can specifically be digital beamforming, analog beamforming, or hybrid digital / analog beamforming. Different beams can be considered different resources. The same or different information can be transmitted through different beams. Optionally, multiple beams with the same or similar communication characteristics can be considered as a single beam. A beam can include one or more antenna ports for transmitting data channels, control channels, and detection signals. For example, a transmit beam can refer to the signal strength distribution in different directions of space after a signal is transmitted through an antenna, and a receive beam can refer to the signal strength distribution in different directions of space of the wireless signal received from the antenna. It is understandable that one or more antenna ports forming a beam can also be considered a set of antenna ports. In protocols, beams can also be represented by spatial filters.

[0057] Multidirectional beamforming: A multidirectional beamforming consists of at least two lobes pointing in different directions for communication, each lobe corresponding to a channel. For example... Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a multi-directional beam provided in this application. It should be noted that the widths of at least two lobes used for communication in the multi-directional beam can be the same or different. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a multi-directional beam with three lobes for communication. Depending on actual needs, the multi-directional beam can include two, four, five, or more lobes for communication. Furthermore, the direction and angle of each lobe can be determined based on the direction of the terminal devices being scheduled; this embodiment does not impose such limitations. A multi-directional beam can simultaneously cover terminal devices in multiple directions and communicate with terminal devices in different directions, improving coverage and communication efficiency.

[0058] Terminal equipment can be referred to as user equipment (UE), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device. Terminal equipment can also be cellular phones, cordless phones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, Wireless Local Loop (WLL) stations, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle devices, wearable devices, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc., including terminal equipment in future 5G networks or terminal equipment in future evolved Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs), etc. This application does not limit the scope of these examples. Wearable devices can also be called wearable smart devices or smart wearable devices, etc., and are a general term for devices that utilize wearable technology to intelligently design and develop everyday wearables, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothing, and shoes. Wearable devices are portable devices that are worn directly on the body or integrated into the user's clothing or accessories.

[0059] Terminal devices can also be terminal devices in Internet of Things (IoT) systems. IoT is an important component of future information technology development. Its main technical characteristic is connecting objects to networks through communication technologies, thereby realizing an intelligent network that enables human-machine interconnection and machine-to-machine interconnection. IoT technology can achieve massive connectivity, deep coverage, and low power consumption at the terminal level through technologies such as narrowband (NB).

[0060] In addition, terminal devices may also include sensors such as smart printers, train detectors, and gas stations. Their main functions include collecting data (for some terminal devices), receiving control information and downlink data from network devices, and sending electromagnetic waves to transmit uplink data to network devices.

[0061] The various terminals described above, if located in a vehicle, such as placed inside or installed inside a vehicle, can be considered as vehicle-mounted terminals, also known as on-board units (OBUs).

[0062] In this application embodiment, the device for implementing the terminal's functions can be the terminal itself, or it can be a circuit capable of supporting the terminal in implementing those functions, such as a circuit that can be applied to a chip system, which can be installed in the terminal. In this application embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips, or it can include chips and other discrete devices. In the technical solutions provided in this application embodiment, the device for implementing the terminal's functions is a terminal, as an example, to describe the technical solutions provided in this application embodiment.

[0063] For example, the terminal device may include: a radio resource control (RRC) signaling interaction module, a media access control (MAC) signaling interaction module, and a physical (PHY) signaling interaction module. The RRC signaling interaction module can be a module used by the network device and the terminal device to send and receive RRC signaling. The MAC signaling interaction module can be a module used by the network device and the terminal device to send and receive media access control element (MAC-CE) signaling. The PHY signaling and data can be a module used by the network device and the terminal device to send and receive uplink control signaling or downlink control signaling, uplink / downlink data, or downlink data.

[0064] Network devices can also be devices within a wireless network. For example, a network device can be a radio access network (RAN) node (or device) that connects terminal devices to the wireless network, and can also be called a base station. Currently, some examples of RAN devices include: next-generation Node B (gNodeB), transmission reception point (TRP), evolved Node B (eNB), radio network controller (RNC), Node B (NB), basestation controller (BSC), base transceiver station (BTS), home base station (e.g., home evolved Node B, or home Node B (HNB)), base band unit (BBU), or wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) access point (AP), etc., in 5G communication systems. Alternatively, the network device may be a relay station, access point, vehicle-mounted device, wearable device, or access network device (such as gNB) in a future 5G network or an access network device in a future evolved PLMN network, etc., and the embodiments of this application are not limited to these.

[0065] For example, a network device may also include: an RRC signaling interaction module, a MAC signaling interaction module, and a PHY signaling interaction module.

[0066] In some deployments, network devices may include centralized units (CUs) and distributed units (DUs). Network devices may also include active antenna units (AAUs). The CU implements some of the network device's functions, and the DU implements others. For example, the CU handles non-real-time protocols and services, implementing radio resource control (RRC) and packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer functions. The DU handles physical layer protocols and real-time services, implementing radio link control (RLC), media access control (MAC), and physical (PHY) layer functions. The AAU implements some physical layer processing functions, radio frequency processing, and active antenna-related functions. Since RRC layer information ultimately becomes PHY layer information, or is derived from PHY layer information, in this architecture, higher-layer signaling, such as RRC layer signaling, can also be considered as being sent by the DU, or by the DU+AAU. It is understood that network devices can be one or more of the following: CU nodes, DU nodes, and AAU nodes. Furthermore, a CU can be classified as a network device in the radio access network (RAN) or as a network device in the core network (CN); this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0067] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, let's first take... Figure 2 The communication system shown in the figure is used as an example to describe in detail the communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 This application provides a schematic diagram of a communication system architecture, which includes a network device and at least one terminal device. The network device can establish a communication link with at least one terminal device (e.g., terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 shown in the figure) via beams in different directions. The network device can provide wireless access-related services to the at least one terminal device, implementing one or more of the following functions: wireless physical layer functions, resource scheduling and wireless resource management, quality of service (QoS) management, wireless access control, and mobility management. The at least one terminal device can also form a beam for data transmission with the network device. In this embodiment, the network device and at least one terminal device can communicate via beams.

[0068] It should be noted that, Figure 2 The architecture of the communication system shown is not limited to the devices shown in the figure, but may also include other devices not shown in the figure, which will not be listed here.

[0069] like Figure 3 As shown, this application embodiment provides a network architecture 100, which includes:

[0070] The base-band unit (BU) 101 and the radio unit (RU) 102 communicate with each other.

[0071] In some embodiments, the baseband unit 101 has functions such as baseband processing and interaction with the core network. The wireless unit 102 has functions such as signal modulation and radio frequency transmission. Thus, the baseband unit 101 and the wireless unit 102 can be used to transmit services. For example, the baseband unit 101 can receive service data transmitted from the core network, perform baseband processing on the received service data to convert it into a baseband signal, and transmit the baseband signal to the wireless unit 102. The wireless unit 102 receives the baseband signal, converts it into a radio frequency signal, and transmits the radio frequency signal to the terminal. Alternatively, the wireless unit 102 receives a radio frequency signal transmitted from the terminal, converts it into a baseband signal, and transmits the baseband signal to the baseband unit 101. The baseband unit 101 receives the baseband signal, performs baseband processing on the baseband signal to obtain service data, and transmits the service data to the core network.

[0072] In some embodiments, the number of wireless units 102 is one or more, that is, the network architecture 100 includes one or more wireless units 102, and the baseband unit 101 is capable of communicating with each wireless unit 102 included in the network architecture 100.

[0073] In some embodiments, the baseband unit 101 and the wireless unit 102 may be devices from the same manufacturer or devices from different manufacturers.

[0074] In some embodiments, the baseband unit 101 is a distributed unit (DU) or a central unit (CU), etc., and the wireless unit 102 is a radio unit (RU), a remote radio unit (RRU), or an active antenna unit (AAU), etc.

[0075] In this embodiment, the baseband unit 101 is used to determine the multi-directional beam to be generated and send first indication information for multi-directional beam control to the wireless unit 102. The wireless unit 102 is used to activate the multi-directional control information, that is, to generate the corresponding multi-directional beam according to the first indication information.

[0076] Optionally, the baseband unit 101 is further configured to acquire the beamforming indication capabilities supported by the wireless unit 102, determine a target beamforming indication capability from the beamforming indication capabilities supported by the wireless unit 102, and then send second indication information to the wireless unit 102. The second indication information indicates the target beamforming indication capability. The second indication information may include, for example, an identifier corresponding to the target beamforming indication capability. The beamforming indication capabilities supported by the wireless unit 102 include at least one of static beamforming indication capability, semi-static beamforming indication capability, and dynamic beamforming indication capability. The wireless unit 102 is configured to switch to the corresponding communication interface according to the second indication information.

[0077] There are several methods for the baseband unit 101 to obtain the beamforming indication capability supported by the wireless unit 102. In one possible implementation, the baseband unit 101 stores the beamforming indication capability of the wireless unit 102 itself, and the baseband unit 101 reads the beamforming indication capability of the wireless unit 102. In another possible implementation, the baseband unit 101 can obtain the beamforming indication capability supported by the wireless unit 102 from the wireless unit 102, for example, the wireless unit 102 sends the beamforming indication capability information supported by the wireless unit 102 to the baseband unit 101. Optionally, the baseband unit 101 can send capability query information to the wireless unit 102, and the wireless unit 102, in response to the capability query information, sends the beamforming indication capability information supported by the wireless unit 102 to the baseband unit 101. In another possible implementation, the network architecture 100 may also include a network management system that stores the beamforming indication capability of the radio unit 102. The network management system may send the beamforming indication capability of the radio unit 102 to the baseband unit 101 after the baseband unit 101 comes online, or the baseband unit 101 may request the network management system to obtain the beamforming indication capability of the radio unit 102, and then the network management system may send the beamforming indication capability of the radio unit 102 to the baseband unit 101.

[0078] There are several ways for the baseband unit 101 to determine the target beamforming indication capability among the beamforming indication capabilities supported by the wireless unit 102. In one possible implementation, each beamforming indication capability has a corresponding priority, and the baseband unit 101 can determine the beamforming indication capability with the highest priority as the target beamforming indication capability based on the corresponding priority of each beamforming indication capability. In another possible implementation, the baseband unit 101 can randomly determine one beamforming indication capability as the target beamforming indication capability from the beamforming indication capabilities supported by the wireless unit 102. When the wireless unit 102 only supports one beamforming indication capability, the baseband unit 101 determines the beamforming indication capability supported by the wireless unit 102 as the target beamforming indication capability. Optionally, when the wireless unit 102 only supports one beamforming indication capability, the baseband unit 101 may not send the second indication information to the wireless unit 102.

[0079] When the target beamforming indication capability is a static beamforming indication capability, both the baseband unit 101 and the wireless unit 102 store at least one index and beamforming parameters corresponding to a multi-directional beam. The beamforming parameters can be used to generate multi-directional beams of the corresponding shape. A beamforming parameter corresponding to a multi-directional beam is associated with an index, thereby allowing the beamforming parameters of the corresponding multi-directional beam to be retrieved based on the index. The baseband unit 101 determines at least one multi-directional beam from the stored multi-directional beams. Therefore, the first indication information may include at least one index information corresponding to the multi-directional beam. This reduces communication overhead.

[0080] The index and beamforming parameters corresponding to at least one multi-directional beam stored in the baseband unit 101 can be pre-stored by the baseband unit 101 itself, sent to the baseband unit 101 by the wireless unit 102, or sent to the baseband unit 101 by the network management system; there are no restrictions here.

[0081] When the target beamforming indication capability is a semi-static beamforming indication capability, both the baseband unit 101 and the wireless unit 102 store at least one index and beamforming parameters corresponding to a multi-directional beam. In this case, the baseband unit 101 can indicate the corresponding multi-directional beam to the wireless unit 102 either through the index or through the beamforming parameters, and the wireless unit 102 has the ability to synthesize the corresponding multi-directional beam in real time according to the beamforming parameters. Specifically, when beamforming parameters corresponding to multi-directional beams are stored in both the baseband unit 101 and the wireless unit 102, the baseband unit 101 can indicate the corresponding multi-directional beam to the antenna unit through the index. For multi-directional beams not stored in the antenna unit, the baseband unit 101 indicates the corresponding multi-directional beam through the beamforming parameters. For example, when the number of beamforming parameters for multi-directional beams that the wireless unit 102 can store is limited, the wireless unit 102 can store the corresponding index and beamforming parameters for some multi-directional beams. This reduces communication overhead and improves the flexibility of beamforming. Therefore, in this case, the first indication information may include at least one of the index and beamforming parameters.

[0082] The indexes and beamforming parameters corresponding to the multi-directional beams stored in the baseband unit 101 can be pre-stored by the baseband unit 101 itself. Alternatively, the indexes and beamforming parameters corresponding to the multi-directional beams stored in the baseband unit 101 can be transmitted to the baseband unit 101 by the wireless unit 102. Alternatively, the indexes and beamforming parameters corresponding to the multi-directional beams stored in the baseband unit 101 can be transmitted to the baseband unit 101 by the network management system.

[0083] When the target beamforming indication capability is a dynamic beamforming indication capability, the baseband unit 101 indicates the corresponding multi-directional beam to the wireless unit 102 through beamforming parameters. Furthermore, the wireless unit 102 has the ability to synthesize the corresponding multi-directional beam in real time based on the beamforming parameters, making beamforming more flexible. Therefore, in this case, the first indication information may include beamforming parameters corresponding to at least one multi-directional beam, enabling the wireless unit 102 to generate the corresponding multi-directional beam based on the beamforming parameters in the first indication information.

[0084] The network architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating 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.

[0085] Increasing the number of antennas (i.e., channels) in an antenna element increases the number of beams it can simultaneously transmit, thereby improving coverage and increasing system capacity. However, a higher number of antennas in an antenna element leads to higher cost, greater power consumption, and larger size. Furthermore, limitations imposed by hardware cost, size, and design complexity prevent the number of antennas from being increased indefinitely. Therefore, finding a way to improve the coverage of an antenna element without increasing its number of antennas remains a challenging problem to be solved in this field.

[0086] In this embodiment, multi-directional beamforming is used to improve the coverage of the antenna elements. As explained above, a multi-directional beamforming beam can include multiple lobes for communication. Compared to a traditional beamforming beam that transmits data through only one main lobe, multi-directional beamforming can simultaneously cover users in more directions. Therefore, with the same number of antennas, multi-directional beamforming can cover a larger area. In other words, for the same coverage area, multi-directional beamforming requires fewer antennas.

[0087] In the evolution of antenna elements, antenna elements that support multi-directional beams and those that do not will coexist. How to detect and control the multi-directional beam transmission of antenna elements that support multi-directional beams has become an urgent problem to be solved.

[0088] like Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in this application. This embodiment is applied to, for example... Figure 3 The architecture shown. In this embodiment, the first device can correspond to... Figure 3 The wireless unit in the middle, the second device can correspond to Figure 3 The baseband unit in the [structure / process]. This embodiment includes the following steps:

[0089] S401: The second device sends capability query information.

[0090] Accordingly, the first device receives the capability query information.

[0091] In one possible implementation, the capability query information is used to query the multi-directional beamforming capability of the first device, i.e., whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming.

[0092] In another possible implementation, the capability query information is used to query the beamforming indication capabilities supported by the first device. The beamforming indication capabilities indicate which form of multi-directional beamforming method the first device can accept. Beamforming indication capabilities may include at least one of static beamforming indication capabilities, semi-static beamforming indication capabilities, and dynamic beamforming indication capabilities. If the first device has the capability to store beamforming parameters corresponding to all multi-directional beams, then the beamforming indication capabilities supported by the first device may include static beamforming indication capabilities. If the first device has the capability to store beamforming parameters corresponding to some multi-directional beams, and the first device has the capability to generate multi-directional beams in real time, then the beamforming indication capabilities supported by the first device may include semi-static beamforming indication capabilities. If the first device has the capability to generate multi-directional beams in real time, then the beamforming indication capabilities supported by the first device may include dynamic beamforming indication capabilities.

[0093] In this embodiment, the beamforming parameters may include at least one of the following: number of lobes, phase, amplitude, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, and number of intra-symbol switching. Based on the beamforming parameters, the first device can generate corresponding multi-directional beams.

[0094] In another possible implementation, the capability query information is used to query the multi-directional beamforming capability of the first device, as well as the beamforming indication capability supported by the first device.

[0095] It should be noted that if the network architecture includes a network management system, the second device in step S401 can also send capability query information to the network management system. The capability query information can include the device identifier of the first device to request the capability information of the first device from the network management system. Step S401 is optional, meaning that the second device does not send capability query information, but the first device / network management system actively sends the capability information of the first device to the second device.

[0096] S402: The first device sends capability information.

[0097] Accordingly, the second device receives the capability information of the first device.

[0098] The capability information sent by the first device includes at least one of multi-directional beamforming capability and beamforming indication capability. When the capability query information is used to query the multi-directional beamforming capability of the first device, the capability information of the first device includes the multi-directional beamforming capability of the first device to indicate whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming. When the capability query information is used to query the beamforming indication capability supported by the first device, the capability information of the first device includes the beamforming indication capability supported by the first device. When the capability query information is used to query both the multi-directional beamforming capability and the beamforming indication capability supported by the first device, the capability information includes both the multi-directional beamforming capability and the beamforming indication capability supported by the first device. The multi-directional beamforming capability and the beamforming indication capability supported by the first device can be sent through a single message or through different messages; there is no restriction on this.

[0099] If the first device supports multi-directional beamforming, the second device can subsequently instruct the first device to use multi-directional beamforming to communicate with the terminal device. If the first device does not support multi-directional beamforming, the second device instructs the first device to generate the corresponding beam according to conventional beamforming. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the first device supports multi-directional beamforming, and the first and second devices further execute S403-S405.

[0100] The multi-directional beamforming capability of the first device can be indicated by a single bit. For example, a value of 1 for the bit indicating the beamforming capability of the first device indicates that the first device supports multi-directional beamforming; a value of 0 indicates that the first device does not support multi-directional beamforming. Alternatively, a value of 1 for the bit indicating the beamforming capability of the first device indicates that the first device does not support multi-directional beamforming; a value of 0 for the bit indicating the beamforming capability of the first device indicates that the first device supports multi-directional beamforming. Of course, the multi-directional beamforming capability of the first device can also be indicated by more bits, with different values ​​indicating whether the first device supports or does not support multi-directional beamforming.

[0101] When the capability information includes beamforming indication capability, the capability information may include the index (identifier) ​​corresponding to the beamforming indication capability supported by the first device.

[0102] Optionally, the capability information may also include the number of antennas of the first device, the supported coverage gain improvement capability, array splitting capability, etc., so that the first device can make more accurate beam selection based on the capability information. The supported coverage gain improvement capability is, for example, 3dB for 4 antennas, 6dB for 8 antennas, etc. Of course, the number of antennas and gain values ​​here are only examples and should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0103] It should be noted that step S402 is optional. For example, when the network architecture includes a network management system, the network management system can send the capability information of the first device to the second device. Alternatively, if the second device has already stored the capability information of the first device in advance, step S402 can be omitted.

[0104] S403: The first device sends multi-directional beam information.

[0105] Accordingly, the second device receives the multi-directional beam information.

[0106] In one possible implementation, the multi-directional beam information includes index set information, which includes at least one index corresponding to a multi-directional beam. The index in the index set information is the index corresponding to a multi-directional beam for which the first device supports static beamforming indication. Supporting static beamforming indication means supporting the indication of the corresponding multi-directional beam via an index. When both the first device and the second device store at least one index corresponding to a multi-directional beam and beamforming parameters, the first device sends the index set information to the second device, indicating to the second device the multi-directional beam corresponding to the beamforming parameters stored by the first device. Therefore, when the first device subsequently communicates with the terminal device, if the multi-directional beam determined by the second device is the multi-directional beam indicated in the index set information, the second device can send the index corresponding to the determined multi-directional beam to instruct the first device to generate the multi-directional beam corresponding to that index. Optionally, when the first device stores beamforming parameters corresponding to all multi-directional beams, i.e., when the first device supports all multi-directional beams for static beamforming indication, the index set information can be carried by one or more bits instead of the specific multi-directional beam indexes. In this case, the index set information is used to indicate that the first device supports static beamforming indication for all multi-directional beams, thereby reducing the communication overhead between the first and second devices. For example, when the bit used to indicate whether the first device supports static beamforming indication for all multi-directional beams is 1 (index set information), the index set information can be indicated to include the indices corresponding to all multi-directional beams, without needing to carry the index for each individual multi-directional beam. Alternatively, when the bit used to indicate whether the first device supports static beamforming indication for all multi-directional beams is 0 (index set information), the index set information can be indicated to include the indices corresponding to all multi-directional beams. Of course, more bits can also be used to carry the index set information; this is not limited here.

[0107] In another possible implementation, the multi-directional beam information includes index set information and beamforming parameters for at least one multi-directional beam corresponding to the index set information. For example, when the second device does not store the beamforming parameters corresponding to the multi-directional beam, the first device can send the index set information and the beamforming parameters for at least one corresponding multi-directional beam to the second device.

[0108] Multi-directional beam information and capability information can be sent through the same message or through different messages; there is no restriction here.

[0109] It should be noted that step S403 is optional. For example, when the network architecture includes a network management system, the network management system can send the capability information of the first device to the second device. Alternatively, when both the first and second devices store all the beamforming parameters corresponding to the multi-directional beams, the first device may not send the multi-directional beam information. If the second device does not receive the multi-directional beam information, it can be assumed that the multi-directional beams can all be indicated to the first device through the index.

[0110] S404: The second device sends a second indication message, which indicates the target beamforming indication capability.

[0111] Accordingly, the first device receives the second instruction information.

[0112] The second indication information indicates the target beamforming indication capability. The target beamforming indication capability is one of the beamforming indication capabilities supported by the first device.

[0113] In one possible implementation, each beamforming indication capability has a corresponding priority, and the second device can determine the beamforming indication capability with the highest priority as the target beamforming indication capability based on these priorities. In another possible implementation, the second device can randomly select one beamforming indication capability from those supported by the first device as the target beamforming indication capability. When the first device only supports one beamforming indication capability, the second device will determine that beamforming indication capability supported by the first device as the target beamforming indication capability.

[0114] After receiving the second indication information, the first device can switch its communication interface to the interface corresponding to the target beamforming indication capability, so that when it receives the first indication information later, it can accurately obtain the multi-directional beam selected by the second device.

[0115] It should be noted that step S404 is optional. For example, when the first device only supports one beamforming indication capability, the second device may not send the second indication information to the radio unit. Both the first device and the second device use the beamforming indication capability supported by the first device as the target beamforming indication capability.

[0116] S405: The second device sends a first indication message, which indicates at least one multi-directional beam.

[0117] Accordingly, the first device receives the first instruction information.

[0118] The first indication information indicates at least one multi-directional beam, thereby the first device generates a corresponding multi-directional beam based on the first indication information. The at least one multi-directional beam indicated by the first indication information is a multi-directional beam selected by the second device for communication between the first device and the terminal device. When scheduling the terminal device, the second device can determine the at least one multi-directional beam that the first device needs to generate based on the location and time-frequency resources of the scheduled terminal device. The second device generates the corresponding multi-directional beam based on the first indication information.

[0119] When the target beamforming indication capability is a static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information may include index information corresponding to at least one of the multi-directional beams. When the target beamforming indication capability is a semi-static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information may include at least one of an index and beamforming parameters. When the target beamforming indication capability is a dynamic beamforming indication capability, the first indication information may include beamforming parameters corresponding to at least one multi-directional beam.

[0120] In this embodiment, multi-directional beamforming can simultaneously indicate multiple directions, enabling coverage of more users without increasing the number of antennas, improving spectrum utilization efficiency, reducing device cost and power consumption, and allowing for device miniaturization. The second device, through negotiation with the first device or network management system, can discover the first device supporting multi-directional beamforming capabilities and negotiate beamforming indication capabilities with it. Therefore, when communication with a terminal device is required, the second device can instruct the first device to generate corresponding multi-directional beams through first indication information, thereby improving the coverage range of the first device and increasing spectrum utilization.

[0121] like Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in this application. The communication device 500 is applied to a first device. The communication device 500 can be a software module or a chip system. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices. The communication device 500 includes an indication information transceiver module 501 and a beam generation module 502. The indication information transceiver module 501 is used to receive first indication information, which indicates at least one multi-directional beam. Each multi-directional beam includes at least two lobes pointing in different directions for communication, and each lobe corresponds to a channel. The beam generation module 502 is used to generate at least one corresponding multi-directional beam based on the first indication information.

[0122] In one possible implementation, the indication information transceiver module 501 is used to receive second indication information, which indicates the target beamforming indication capability. The target beamforming indication capability is one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0123] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information corresponding to at least one multi-directional beam.

[0124] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a semi-static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information of at least one multi-directional beam or beamforming parameters. The beamforming parameters include at least one of the following: number of lobes used for communication, phase, amplitude, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, and number of intra-symbol switching.

[0125] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a beamforming dynamic indication capability, the first indication information includes beamforming parameters, which include at least one of the following: number of lobes used for communication, phase, amplitude, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, and number of intra-symbol switching.

[0126] In one possible implementation, the indication information transceiver module 501 is used to send capability information of the first device to the second device. The capability information includes at least one of multi-directional beamforming capability and beamforming indication capability. The multi-directional beamforming capability indicates whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming. The beamforming indication capability includes at least one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0127] In one possible implementation, the indication information transceiver module 501 is used to send multi-directional beam information to the second device. The multi-directional beam information includes index set information, which includes at least one index corresponding to a multi-directional beam. The index in the index set information is the index corresponding to a multi-directional beam for which the first device supports static beamforming indication; or the multi-directional beam information includes index set information and beamforming parameters of at least one multi-directional beam corresponding to the index set information.

[0128] like Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in this application. The communication device 600 is applied to a second device. The communication device 600 can be a software module or a chip system. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices. The communication device 600 includes an indication information transceiver module 601. The indication information transceiver module 601 is used to send first indication information to the first device. The first indication information is used to indicate at least one multi-directional beam that the first device needs to generate. Each multi-directional beam includes at least two lobes pointing in different directions, and each lobe corresponds to a channel.

[0129] In one possible implementation, the indication information transceiver module 601 is used to send second indication information to the first device. The second indication information indicates the target beamforming indication capability, which is one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0130] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information corresponding to at least one multi-directional beam.

[0131] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a semi-static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information of at least one multi-directional beam or beamforming parameters. The beamforming parameters include at least one of phase, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, number of intra-symbol switching, and amplitude.

[0132] In one possible implementation, when the target beamforming indication capability is a beamforming dynamic indication capability, the first indication information includes beamforming parameters, which include at least one of phase, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, number of intra-symbol switching, and amplitude.

[0133] In one possible implementation, the communication device further includes a processing module 602. The processing module 602 is configured to acquire capability information of the first device, the capability information including at least one of multi-directional beamforming capability and beamforming indication capability. The multi-directional beamforming capability indicates whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming, and the beamforming indication capability includes at least one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0134] In one possible implementation, the indication information transceiver module 601 is used to receive multi-directional beam information from the first device. The multi-directional beam information includes index set information, which includes at least one index corresponding to a multi-directional beam. The index in the index set information is the index corresponding to a multi-directional beam for which the first device supports static beamforming indication; or the multi-directional beam information includes index set information and beamforming parameters of at least one multi-directional beam corresponding to the index set information.

[0135] like Figure 7 As shown, Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in this application. The communication device 700 is applied to network management. The communication device 700 can be a software module or a chip system. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices. The communication device 700 includes a transceiver module 701 and a storage module 702.

[0136] Storage module 702 is used to store multi-directional beam information corresponding to the first device. Transceiver module 701 is used to send the multi-directional beam information corresponding to the first device to the second device. The multi-directional beam information includes index set information, which includes at least one index corresponding to a multi-directional beam. The index in the index set information is the index corresponding to a multi-directional beam for which the first device supports beamforming static indication. The multi-directional beam includes at least two lobes pointing in different directions for communication, and each lobe corresponds to a channel; or the multi-directional beam information includes index set information and beamforming parameters of at least one multi-directional beam corresponding to the index set information.

[0137] In one possible implementation, storage module 702 is used to store capability information of the first device. Transceiver module 701 is used to send the capability information of the first device to a second device. The capability information includes at least one of multi-directional beamforming capability and beamforming indication capability. The multi-directional beamforming capability indicates whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming. The beamforming indication capability includes at least one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

[0138] like Figure 8 As shown, Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, the communication device 800 may be... Figure 4 The first device in the system is, for example, a RU, RRU, or AAU. Alternatively, the communication device 800 can be... Figure 4 The second device in the system could be a DU, CU, BBU, etc. Alternatively, the communication device 800 could be a network management system.

[0139] The communication device 800 includes a bus 801, a processor 802, a communication interface 803, and a memory 804. The processor 802, the memory 804, and the communication interface 803 communicate with each other via the bus 801.

[0140] The 801 bus can be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Buses can be categorized as address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 8 The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0141] The processor 802 can be any one or more of the following processors: central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), microprocessor (MP), or digital signal processor (DSP).

[0142] Memory 804 may include volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM). Memory 804 may also include non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, hard disk drive (HDD), or solid state drive (SSD).

[0143] The memory 804 can be used to store software code related to the routing processing method, and the processor 802 can execute the steps of the routing processing method and schedule other units to achieve the corresponding functions.

[0144] It should be understood that the communication device 800 can be a centralized or distributed device, and the processor 802 in the communication device 800 can be a hardware circuit (such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor or a microcontroller, etc.) or a combination of these hardware circuits. For example, the processor can be a hardware system with instruction execution capabilities, such as a CPU or a DSP, or a hardware system without instruction execution capabilities, such as an ASIC or an FPGA, or a combination of the aforementioned hardware systems without instruction execution capabilities and hardware systems with instruction execution capabilities.

[0145] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a computer, implements the communication method flow of the above-described method embodiments.

[0146] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0147] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a computer, implements the communication method flow of the above-described method embodiments.

[0148] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0149] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units, and may be electrical or other forms.

[0150] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0151] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0152] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the technical solution of this application can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a first device, and the method includes: Receive first indication information, the first indication information indicating at least one multi-directional beam, each of the multi-directional beams including at least two lobes pointing in different directions for communication, each of the lobes corresponding to a channel; Based on the first indication information, at least one corresponding multi-directional beam is generated.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive second indication information, the second indication information indicating target beamforming indication capability, the target beamforming indication capability being one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the target beamforming indication capability is a static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information corresponding to at least one of the multi-directional beams.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the target beamforming indication capability is a semi-static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes at least one index information of the multi-directional beam or beamforming parameters. The beamforming parameters include at least one of the following: number of lobes for communication, phase, amplitude, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, and number of intra-symbol switching.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the target beamforming indication capability is a beamforming dynamic indication capability, the first indication information includes beamforming parameters, which include at least one of the following: number of beamlobes used for communication, phase, amplitude, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, and number of intra-symbol switching.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: The capability information of the first device is sent to the second device. The capability information includes at least one of multi-directional beamforming capability and beamforming indication capability. The multi-directional beamforming capability indicates whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming. The beamforming indication capability includes at least one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send multi-directional beam information to the second device. The multi-directional beam information includes index set information. The index set information includes at least one index corresponding to a multi-directional beam. The index in the index set information is the index corresponding to a multi-directional beam that the first device supports static beamforming indication. Alternatively, the multi-directional beam information may include index set information and beamforming parameters of at least one multi-directional beam corresponding to the index set information.

8. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a second device, and the method includes: Send a first indication message to the first device. The first indication message is used to indicate at least one multi-directional beam that the first device needs to generate. Each multi-directional beam includes at least two lobes pointing in different directions, and each lobe corresponds to a channel.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a second indication message to the first device, the second indication message indicating the target beamforming indication capability, the target beamforming indication capability being one of the following: beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the target beamforming indication capability is a static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes index information corresponding to at least one of the multi-directional beams.

11. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the target beamforming indication capability is a semi-static beamforming indication capability, the first indication information includes at least one index information of the multi-directional beam or beamforming parameters. The beamforming parameters include at least one of phase, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, number of intra-symbol switching, and amplitude.

12. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the target beamforming indication capability is a beamforming dynamic indication capability, the first indication information includes beamforming parameters, and the beamforming parameters include at least one of phase, azimuth angle, time slot interval length, number of inter-symbol switching, number of intra-symbol switching, and amplitude.

13. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that, Before sending the second instruction information to the first device, the method further includes: The capability information of the first device is obtained, the capability information including at least one of multi-directional beamforming capability and beamforming indication capability, the multi-directional beamforming capability indicating whether the first device supports multi-directional beamforming, and the beamforming indication capability including at least one of beamforming static indication capability, beamforming semi-static indication capability, and beamforming dynamic indication capability.

14. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that, Before sending the first instruction information to the first device, the method further includes: Receive multi-directional beam information from the first device, the multi-directional beam information including index set information, the index set information including at least one index corresponding to the multi-directional beam, and the index in the index set information being the index corresponding to the multi-directional beam for which the first device supports beamforming static indication; Alternatively, the multi-directional beam information may include index set information and beamforming parameters of at least one multi-directional beam corresponding to the index set information.

15. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a module for performing the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. A communication device, characterized in that, Including processor and memory: The processor is configured to execute a computer program or instructions stored in the memory, wherein when the processor executes the computer program or instructions, the method described in any one of claims 1 to 14 is performed.

17. A chip, characterized in that, The method includes a processor coupled to a memory for executing a computer program or instructions stored in the memory, wherein when the processor executes the computer program or instructions, the method described in any one of claims 1 to 14 is performed.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer stores instructions that, when executed on the computer, cause the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 14.

19. A computer program product, characterized in that, The device stores computer-readable instructions, which, when read and executed by the communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 14.

Images