Communication method, device and system, computer program product and readable storage medium

Abstract

The invention provides a communication method, device and system, a computer program product and a readable storage medium. The method is suitable for a scene that terminal equipment is located in a signal blind area or an edge weak coverage area of source access network equipment. And under the condition that the first terminal accesses the source access network equipment, the position information of the first terminal sends a first message to the target collaborative terminal. And the source access network equipment provides the identifier of the target access network equipment for the first terminal through the target cooperative terminal, so that the first terminal can be switched from the source access network equipment to the target access network equipment. According to the method, the first terminal can acquire the target access network equipment provided by the source access network equipment through the target collaborative terminal under the condition that the first terminal does not communicate with the source access network equipment or cannot trigger base station switching, so that switching from the source access network equipment to the target access network equipment is facilitated. In this way, large service interruption delay and signaling overhead can be prevented, and continuity and stability of communication are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In addition to normal communication areas, the signal coverage area of ​​a base station also includes signal dead zones or weak coverage areas. Signal dead zones refer to areas where communication links are degraded or even interrupted due to obstructions from buildings, etc. Weak coverage areas refer to areas located at the edge of the signal coverage area. The communication link distance between weak coverage areas and the base station is relatively long, which may also lead to degraded or interrupted communication links.

[0003] When a terminal device is maintaining a communication connection with a base station, if it suddenly enters a signal blind spot or weak coverage area within the base station's signal coverage area, it becomes difficult for the uplink signaling sent by the terminal device to the base station to be successfully received by the base station. Furthermore, the terminal device cannot actively trigger a base station handover based on the existing base station handover mechanism, resulting in significant service interruption delays and signaling overhead. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a communication method, apparatus, system, computer program product, and readable storage medium that enables a terminal device to provide its current location information to a base station through a target cooperating terminal, so that the base station can provide a switchable target base station through the target cooperating terminal to trigger base station handover, thereby reducing service interruption latency and signaling overhead.

[0005] Firstly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a terminal device, or by a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the terminal device, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the terminal device. This application does not limit this. The following description assumes that the executing entity is a terminal device, i.e., a first terminal.

[0006] The method includes: a first terminal sending a first message to a target cooperating terminal, the first message indicating the location information of the first terminal; and then, the first terminal receiving a second message sent by the target cooperating terminal based on the first message, the second message indicating a target access network device.

[0007] In this scheme, the first terminal communicates with the source access network device via the target collaborative terminal. The target collaborative terminal is a terminal device that is connected to the same source access network device as the first terminal. It can be any terminal device among multiple terminal devices connected to the source access network device, or it can be a terminal device selected based on filtering conditions.

[0008] When the first terminal accesses the source access network device, it can provide its location information to the access network device through the target cooperating terminal, so that the access network device can determine a target access network device that can be switched to based on the location information of the first terminal, and the first terminal can switch from the source access network device to the target access network device.

[0009] In some cases, the first terminal can indirectly communicate with the source access network device via a target cooperating terminal when certain conditions are met in communication with the source access network device. For example, the first terminal may fail to send uplink signaling to the source access network device a large number of times, and / or the first terminal may be located in a preset area where uplink signaling is blocked due to signal blind spots, weak edge coverage areas, or other conditions, and / or the first terminal may have low battery power or other possible situations.

[0010] The first terminal sends a first message to the target cooperating terminal, the first message carrying the location information of the first terminal. The target cooperating terminal can directly forward the first message to the source access network device, or it can generate other new messages based on the location information carried in the first message, and then send the new messages carrying the location information of the first terminal to the source access network device.

[0011] Based on the location information of the first terminal sent by the target cooperating terminal, the source access network device determines a target access network device that can be switched to for the first terminal, and provides the identifier of the target access network device to the target cooperating terminal. The target cooperating terminal can provide its identifier to the first terminal by directly forwarding or by generating a new second message.

[0012] Therefore, even without communicating with the source access network device or triggering a base station handover, the first terminal can provide its location information to the source access network device through the target cooperating terminal, and obtain the target access network device provided by the source access network device, facilitating a handover from the source access network device to the target access network device. This prevents significant service interruption latency and signaling overhead, ensuring the continuity and stability of communication.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the step of the first terminal sending the first message to the target cooperating terminal is further defined.

[0014] Specifically, in response to entering a preset area, the first terminal sends a first message to the target cooperating terminal. The preset area includes signal blind spots or weak coverage areas within the signal coverage area of ​​the source access network device.

[0015] In this scheme, the uplink quality from the first terminal to the source access network device deteriorates or is interrupted when the first terminal is still within the signal coverage area of ​​the source access network device but enters a signal coverage blind spot or weak coverage area within that area. In this case, the first terminal communicates indirectly with the source access network device through a target cooperating terminal to trigger base station handover.

[0016] Therefore, when the first terminal is in a signal blind spot or weak coverage area, the existing base station handover mechanism cannot effectively trigger base station handover. Instead, it obtains the target access network device provided by the source access network device through the target cooperative terminal, and switches from the source access network device to the target access network device, thereby reducing the interruption latency of service data transmission and improving communication quality.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the scheme for determining the first terminal's entry into the preset area is further limited, providing multiple possible schemes. The subject executing the following schemes can be the first terminal or the source access network device.

[0018] Possible solution 1: The number of retransmissions and / or failures of the uplink signaling sent by the first terminal to the source access network device is greater than or equal to the number threshold.

[0019] If the first terminal is within a preset area, a deterioration or interruption in uplink quality will directly lead to the failure of uplink signaling transmission. Multiple failures can confirm that the first terminal is within the preset area, or other abnormal situations that cause uplink quality degradation. Determining whether the first terminal is within the preset area based on whether the number of retransmissions and / or failures of uplink signaling sent by the first terminal to the source access network device is greater than or equal to a threshold is simple, computationally inefficient, and highly accurate.

[0020] Possible solution 2: The real-time distance between the first terminal and the source access network device is greater than or equal to the distance threshold.

[0021] In this solution, when the first terminal is in a preset area such as a signal blind spot or a weak edge coverage area, the real-time distance between the first terminal and the source access network device will increase and exceed the normal communication link distance between the first terminal and the source access network device. Therefore, the solution sets the relationship between the distance threshold and the real-time distance to determine whether the first terminal is in the preset area, and can also more accurately determine whether the base station is in the preset area.

[0022] Possible solution 3: The location of the first terminal is within the coverage area of ​​the preset area.

[0023] In this solution, the location of the first terminal is directly compared with the coverage area of ​​a preset region to more accurately and directly determine whether the first terminal is within the preset region. The location of the first terminal can be indicated by latitude and longitude or other types of data, and the coverage area of ​​the preset region can be indicated by latitude and longitude ranges or other types of data ranges, such as the coverage area marked on a high-precision map. Taking the first terminal as the executing entity as an example, the first terminal has storage and calculation functions, pre-stores high-precision map data, and marks the coverage area of ​​the preset region on the high-precision map. The first terminal determines whether it is within the preset region based on its current location and the coverage area of ​​the preset region marked on the high-precision map.

[0024] In practice, any of the above methods can be used to determine whether the first terminal is in the preset area, or a combination of some of the above methods can be used to determine whether the first terminal is in the preset area.

[0025] For example, a combination of Scheme 1 and Scheme 2 is used for judgment. The first terminal first determines, based on Scheme 1, whether the number of retransmissions and / or failures of uplink signaling sent to the source access network device is greater than or equal to a threshold. If it is greater than or equal to the threshold, the first terminal then determines, based on Scheme 2, whether the real-time distance between the first terminal and the source access network device is greater than or equal to a distance threshold. If it is greater than or equal to the distance threshold, the first terminal is determined to be in a preset area.

[0026] In one possible implementation, multiple possible scenarios are provided for the real-time distance and distance threshold between the first terminal and the source access network device in the above scheme 2.

[0027] Case 1: The real-time distance is the straight-line distance between the first terminal and the source access network device, and the distance threshold is a preset constant.

[0028] Case 2: The real-time distance is the occlusion factor between the first terminal and the source access network device, and the distance threshold is the occlusion threshold.

[0029] Case 3: The real-time distance is a hybrid distance determined based on the straight-line distance and the occlusion factor, and the distance threshold is a preset constant.

[0030] To address different types of potential blind zones, various schemes are provided for determining whether a device is in a blind zone based on real-time distance and distance thresholds. In implementation, the communication protocol can pre-define which of the above conditions constitutes the judgment condition for Scheme 2. Alternatively, the source access network device can pre-instruct the first terminal device which of the above conditions constitutes the judgment condition for Scheme 2. Or, the first terminal can define its own judgment condition for Scheme 2; for example, satisfying one or any of the above conditions is considered as satisfying the judgment condition for Scheme 2, or satisfying all of the above conditions is considered as satisfying the judgment condition for Scheme 2, etc., without limitation.

[0031] One possible implementation provides a specific scheme for the first terminal to send a first message to the target cooperating terminal.

[0032] Specifically, the first terminal broadcasts a first message to at least one terminal, including the target cooperating terminal. In this scheme, the first terminal does not need to determine which terminal is the target cooperating terminal itself, but directly broadcasts the first message to at least one terminal in the surrounding area, and multiple terminals, including the target cooperating terminal, can receive the first message.

[0033] In one scenario, only the target cooperating terminal forwards the received first message to the source access network device.

[0034] In another scenario, multiple terminals forward the first received message to the source access network device. The source access network device can then select one terminal from among the multiple terminals as the target cooperating terminal and provide the target cooperating terminal with the identifier of the target access network device. There are several ways the source access network device can select a terminal as the target cooperating terminal. For example, the source access network device can select the terminal corresponding to the earliest received message as the target cooperating terminal; alternatively, it can select the terminal with the best signal quality or the best uplink among the terminals corresponding to the received messages; or it can obtain the target cooperating terminal through other filtering methods, etc., without limitation.

[0035] Therefore, by sending the first message via broadcast, the first terminal can effectively reduce the workload of selecting the target cooperating terminal, improve the success rate of sending the first message, thereby improving the success rate of base station handover and improving communication quality.

[0036] In one possible implementation, the method for determining the target cooperating terminal is further specified. The implementing entity of this method can be either the first terminal or the source access network device.

[0037] Specifically, first, at least one reachable terminal detected by the first terminal in the surrounding area is obtained, and then reachable terminals that meet the screening conditions from the at least one reachable terminal are selected as target cooperative terminals.

[0038] Among them, the screening criteria are associated with at least one of the following: link quality, coordination capability, home base station, movement speed, and movement direction of the reachable terminal.

[0039] Specifically, reachable terminals that meet the screening criteria include at least one of the following: The device-to-device (D2D) link quality between the reachable terminal and the first terminal is greater than or equal to the D2D link quality threshold. The uplink quality between the reachable terminal and the source access network device is greater than or equal to the uplink quality threshold. The reachable terminal's collaborative capability is greater than the collaborative capability required by the collaborative task; the collaborative task is used to instruct the task of collaboratively forwarding data between the first terminal and the source access network device; The location of the reachable terminal is not within the preset area; The home base station of the reachable terminal is the source access network equipment.

[0040] After filtering reachable terminals based on one or more of the above filtering conditions, one or more candidate terminals can be obtained. The first terminal can directly select one candidate terminal as the target collaborative terminal from these one or more candidate terminals, either randomly or according to preset conditions.

[0041] In one specific example, the first terminal can calculate the total cost value of each candidate terminal and select the terminal with the lowest total cost value among the reachable terminals that meet the screening criteria as the target collaborative terminal. The total cost value is a value determined based on at least one cost function. This cost function is used to determine the cost value of the collaborative terminal performing the collaborative task based on corresponding device parameters. Different cost functions correspond to different device parameters. The associated device parameters can be, for example, the link quality between the terminal and the source access network device, real-time distance, obstruction factor, mobile speed, remaining battery power, and service type. The specific function type, determination method, device parameters, and weights of the cost function can be adaptively adjusted and are not limited.

[0042] Therefore, the target collaborative terminal selected through multiple screening conditions has stronger collaborative capabilities, can better perform collaborative tasks, improve the communication link quality between the first terminal and the target collaborative terminal, as well as between the target collaborative terminal and the source access network equipment, and thus improve the success rate of the first terminal in base station handover.

[0043] Secondly, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a network device, or by a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the network device, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the network device. This application does not limit this. The following description uses a network device (such as a satellite) as an example.

[0044] The method includes: a second terminal receiving a first message sent by a first terminal, the first message being used to indicate the location information of the first terminal, and both the first terminal and the second terminal being connected to the same source access network device; The second terminal sends a third message to the source access network device; the third message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal device. Upon receiving the fourth message from the source access network device, the second terminal sends a second message to the first terminal; the fourth message is used to instruct the target access network device, and the second message is used to instruct the target access network device.

[0045] In one possible implementation, the method by which the second terminal sends messages is limited.

[0046] In one scenario, when the second terminal sends a third message to the source access network device, it means that the second terminal forwards the first message as the third message to the source access network device.

[0047] And / or, the second terminal sending a second message to the first terminal device means that the second terminal forwards the fourth message as the second message to the first terminal device.

[0048] Therefore, when the second terminal acts as the target collaborative terminal of the first terminal, the second terminal does not need to parse and process the messages of the first terminal or the source access network device, but only forwards them, thereby reducing the computational load of the second terminal and improving communication efficiency.

[0049] In one possible implementation, the second terminal receiving the first message sent by the first terminal means that the second terminal receiving the first message broadcast by the first terminal.

[0050] In this scheme, the second terminal sends a third message to the source access network device based on the first message.

[0051] In one scenario, the second terminal receives a fourth message from the source access network device. The second terminal is selected as the target cooperating terminal by the source access network device, and based on the received fourth message, the second terminal needs to send a second message to the first terminal.

[0052] In another scenario, the second terminal does not receive the fourth message sent by the source access network device. In this case, the second terminal was not selected as the target cooperating terminal by the source access network device, or the second terminal failed to successfully receive the fourth message sent by the source access network device, and therefore the second terminal does not need to send the second message to the first terminal.

[0053] The second aspect is the implementation of the second terminal side, which corresponds to the first aspect. The explanations, supplements, and descriptions of the beneficial effects of the first aspect also apply to the second aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0054] Thirdly, a communication method is provided for use in access network devices, such as the source access network devices mentioned in the first and second aspects above.

[0055] The access network device receives a second message from the second terminal, which indicates the location information of the first terminal. Both the first and second terminals are connected to the same access network device. The access network device then sends a third message to the second terminal; this third message indicates the target access network device.

[0056] In one possible implementation, the access network device can also determine whether the first terminal is located in a preset area based on the location information of the first terminal; the preset area includes signal blind spots or weak coverage areas within the signal coverage area of ​​the source access network device. If the access network device determines that the first terminal is located in the preset area, it identifies the target access network device.

[0057] In this solution, the access network device re-determines whether the first terminal is in a preset area to determine the communication scenario that requires base station handover based on the preset area.

[0058] In one possible implementation, the access network device receiving the second message sent by the second terminal means that the access network device receives the second message sent by at least one terminal, where at least one terminal includes the second terminal.

[0059] In this case, the access network device can first determine the second terminal from at least one terminal; the second terminal is the terminal whose second message was first received by the access network device, or the second terminal is the terminal with the highest uplink quality with the source access network device.

[0060] Then, the access network device sends a third message to the identified second terminal, which then provides the identifier of the target access network device to the first terminal.

[0061] The third aspect is the implementation on the network device side, which corresponds to the first aspect. The explanations, supplements, and descriptions of the beneficial effects of the first and second aspects also apply to the third aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0062] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, which includes a processing module and a transceiver module.

[0063] The transceiver module is used to send a first message to the target collaborative terminal; the target collaborative terminal and the first terminal are connected to the same source access network device, and the first message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal. This transceiver module is used to receive a second message sent by the target collaborative terminal; the second message is used to instruct the target access network device. This processing module is used to switch from the source access network device to the target access network device based on the second message.

[0064] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, which includes a processing module and a transceiver module.

[0065] The transceiver module is used to receive a first message sent by the first terminal; the first message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal, and both the first terminal and the second terminal are connected to the same source access network device. This processing module is used to parse the first message, generate the second message, or determine whether to forward the second message to the source access network device.

[0066] This transceiver module is used to send a third message to the source access network device; the third message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal device. The transceiver module is used to send a second message to the first terminal when it receives a fourth message sent by the source access network device; the fourth message is used to indicate the target access network device, and the second message is used to indicate the target access network device.

[0067] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided, which includes a processing module and a transceiver module.

[0068] The transceiver module is used to receive a second message sent by the second terminal; the second message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal, and both the first terminal and the second terminal are connected to the same access network device.

[0069] This processing module is used to determine the target access network device based on the location information of the first terminal.

[0070] The transceiver module sends a third message to the second terminal; the third message is used to instruct the target access network device.

[0071] The fourth to sixth aspects are the implementations on the device side corresponding to the first to third aspects. The explanations, supplements and descriptions of the beneficial effects of the first to third aspects also apply to the fourth to sixth aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0072] In a seventh aspect, a communication device is provided, including a processor. The processor is coupled to a memory and can be used to execute instructions or data in the memory to implement the method in any possible implementation of the first aspect described above.

[0073] Optionally, the communication device also includes a memory.

[0074] Optionally, the communication device also includes a communication interface, to which the processor is coupled.

[0075] In one implementation, the communication interface may be a transceiver, or an input / output interface.

[0076] In another implementation, the communication device is a chip configured in a terminal device. When the communication device is a chip configured in a terminal device, the communication interface can be an input / output interface.

[0077] Eighthly, a communication device is provided, including a processor. The processor is coupled to a memory and can be used to execute instructions or data in the memory to implement the method in any possible implementation of the second aspect described above. Optionally, the communication device further includes a memory. Optionally, the communication device further includes a communication interface, and the processor is coupled to the communication interface.

[0078] In one implementation, the communication interface may be a transceiver, or an input / output interface.

[0079] In another implementation, the communication device is a chip configured in a satellite. When the communication device is a chip configured in a satellite, the communication interface can be an input / output interface.

[0080] A ninth aspect provides a processor, comprising: an input circuit, an output circuit, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive signals through the input circuit and transmit signals through the output circuit, causing the processor to execute a method in any possible implementation of any aspect.

[0081] In specific implementation, the processor can be one or more chips, the input circuit can be input pins, the output circuit can be output pins, and the processing circuit can be transistors, gate circuits, flip-flops, and various logic circuits. The input signal received by the input circuit can be received and input by, for example, but not limited to, a receiver, and the signal output by the output circuit can be, for example, but not limited to, output to and transmitted by a transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as both the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the processor and various circuits.

[0082] In a tenth aspect, a communication device is provided, including a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to read instructions stored in the memory, receive signals via a receiver, and transmit signals via a transmitter to execute the method in any possible implementation of any of the preceding aspects.

[0083] Optionally, the processor may be one or more, and the memory may be one or more.

[0084] Eleventhly, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product comprising: a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions), which, when the computer program is run, causes a computer to perform a method in any possible implementation of any of the preceding aspects.

[0085] In a twelfth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods in any possible implementation of any of the above aspects.

[0086] In a thirteenth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a chip system including one or more processors for calling and executing instructions stored in memory, causing the methods in any of the above aspects or any possible implementations of the above aspects to be executed. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0087] The chip system may include input circuits or interfaces for transmitting information or data, and output circuits or interfaces for receiving information or data.

[0088] In a fourteenth aspect, a communication system is provided, including the aforementioned terminal device and network device. Optionally, the communication system may further include other devices that communicate with the terminal device and / or network device. Attached Figure Description

[0089] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of base station handover for a UE based on the CHO handover mechanism. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the signal coverage area of ​​the base station involved in the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 A schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 A schematic block diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0090] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0091] The technical solutions provided in this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) systems, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) systems, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD) systems, sidelink communication systems, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) communication systems, non-terrestrial network (NTN) communication systems, 5th generation (5G) mobile communication systems, or new radio access technology (NR). Among these, 5G mobile communication systems can include non-standalone (NSA) and / or standalone (SA) networking. The technical solutions provided in this application can also be applied to future communication systems. This application does not limit the scope of these applications.

[0092] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system used in an embodiment of this application. The communication system may include network devices, such as... Figure 1 The network device 110 shown. The communication system may also include terminal devices, such as... Figure 1 The terminal device 120 shown. The network device 110 and the terminal device 120 can communicate via a wireless link.

[0093] Figure 1 An exemplary diagram shows a network device 110 and three terminal devices 120. Optionally, the communication system 100 may also include multiple network devices and / or one or more terminal devices.

[0094] like Figure 1As shown, the network device 110 in this application may include network-side devices such as access network devices and core network devices. Access network devices are sometimes also called access nodes. Access network devices have wireless transceiver capabilities for communicating with terminal devices. Access network devices include, but are not limited to, base stations, evolved NodeBs (eNodeBs), transmission reception points (TRPs) in the aforementioned communication systems, next-generation NodeBs (gNBs) in 5G mobile communication systems, access network devices or modules of access network devices in open RAN (ORAN) systems, satellites in NTN communication systems, base stations in future mobile communication systems, or access nodes in WiFi systems. Access network devices can also be modules or units capable of implementing some of the functions of a base station. Access network devices can be macro base stations, micro base stations, indoor stations, relay nodes, donor nodes, or wireless controllers in cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenarios. Optionally, access network devices can also be servers, wearable devices, or vehicle-mounted devices, etc. For example, the access network equipment in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be a roadside unit (RSU). Multiple access network devices in a communication system can be base stations of the same type or different types. Base stations can communicate with terminal devices directly or via relay stations. Terminal devices can communicate with multiple base stations using different access technologies. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the access network equipment. In this application, access network equipment can also be referred to simply as network equipment.

[0095] In this application, the means for implementing the functions of a network device can be a network device itself, or a means capable of supporting the network device in implementing those functions, such as a processor, circuit, chip, or chip system. This means can be installed in or connected to the network device. In the technical solutions provided in this application, the example of a network device being used to implement the functions of a network device is used to describe the technical solutions provided in this application.

[0096] The terminal device 120 in this application can be a wireless terminal device capable of receiving network device scheduling and instruction information. The wireless terminal device can be a device providing voice and / or data connectivity to a user, a handheld device with wireless connectivity, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem. For example, the terminal device can communicate with one or more core networks or the Internet via a radio access network (RAN). The terminal device can also be referred to as a terminal, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminal devices can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, or satellite communication, etc. The terminal device can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable device, vehicle, aircraft (such as drone, helicopter, airplane), hot air balloon, ship, robot, robotic arm, or smart home device, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the form of the terminal device.

[0097] In this application, the apparatus for implementing the functions of a terminal device can be the terminal device itself, or any apparatus capable of supporting the terminal device in implementing those functions, such as a processor, circuit, chip, or chip system. This apparatus can be installed in or connected to the terminal device. In the technical solutions provided in this application, the example of a terminal device being used to implement the functions of a terminal device is used to describe the technical solutions provided in this application.

[0098] Access network equipment and / or terminal equipment can be fixed or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; on water; or in the air on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. This application does not limit the application scenarios of the access network equipment and terminal equipment. They can be deployed in the same or different scenarios; for example, both can be deployed on land simultaneously; or the access network equipment can be deployed on land while the terminal equipment is deployed on water, etc., and so on.

[0099] In practical applications, when the network equipment is an access network device, such as a base station, multiple base stations can cooperate to assist terminal devices in achieving wireless access. Different base stations each perform a portion of the functions of a complete base station. For example, a base station can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU). CUs and DUs can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radioheads (RRHs).

[0100] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (Open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, and RU can implement different protocol layer functions.

[0101] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the terminology used in this application will be briefly explained first. Optionally, the explanation of some terms may also refer to the explanations in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard protocol.

[0102] 1. UE accesses the base station.

[0103] The signal emitted by a base station covers a geographical area, known as the base station's signal coverage area. This coverage area is divided into multiple cells, which are the smallest units through which the base station provides services to the user (UE). When a UE is within the base station's coverage area, it can establish a communication connection with the base station and transmit data. The term "UE accessing the base station" can also be interpreted as the cell in which the UE accesses the base station.

[0104] A UE can access a base station using either a 2-step random access method or a 4-step random access method. Taking 4-step random access as an example, the UE access process includes: S1: The UE sends MSG1 (i.e., Random Access Request). Correspondingly, the base station receives MSG1.

[0105] Specifically, MSG1 carries a random preamble sequence, which the UE sends to the base station on the physical random access channel (PRACH). The random preamble sequence is used by the UE to initiate an access request to the base station.

[0106] S2: The base station sends MSG2 (i.e., random access response) based on MSG1. Correspondingly, the base station receives MSG2.

[0107] Upon receiving the random preamble sequence, the base station sends a random access response to the UE on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). The random access response includes information such as uplink scheduling authorization, time advance (TA), and cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), preparing resources and synchronization for the UE to send subsequent messages.

[0108] S3: The UE sends MSG3 (i.e., Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection Request). Correspondingly, the base station receives MSG3.

[0109] According to the authorization in MSG2, the UE sends an RRC connection request (including UE identifier and other information) on the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), and at the same time completes the uplink time synchronization adjustment, and formally applies to the base station to establish an RRC connection.

[0110] S4: The base station sends MSG4 (i.e., RRC connection response) based on MSG3. Correspondingly, the UE receives MSG4.

[0111] After receiving the RRC connection request, the base station sends an RRC connection establishment message to the UE on the PDSCH to complete the final establishment of the RRC connection. The UE then enters the connected state and can conduct subsequent data transmission with the base station.

[0112] 2. The UE performs base station handover (HO).

[0113] When a UE performs a base station handover, it means that the UE switches from the currently connected base station to another base station. The base station currently connected to the UE is called the source base station, home base station, or serving base station, and the base station after the UE hands over is called the target base station.

[0114] Based on existing communication protocols, factors that may cause a UE to switch base stations include: the UE leaving the signal coverage area of ​​the source base station, and a deterioration in the signal quality of the source base station.

[0115] There are several methods for UE to perform base station handover, such as conditional handover (CHO) and L1 / L2 triggered mobility (LTM) handover. For an example of CHO handover, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the base station handover process for a UE based on the CHO handover mechanism. Figure 2 As shown, the UE's base station handover process mainly includes the following steps: S210, when the UE is accessing the source base station, the UE continuously measures the signal quality of the source base station and / or the candidate base station.

[0116] The source base station sends measurement configuration to the UE via RRC reconfiguration messages. The measurement configuration is used to configure handover events that trigger base station handover based on measurement results, such as A1-A5, B1-B3 events, etc. Handover events are associated with the signal quality measurement results of the source cell and / or neighboring cells adjacent to the source cell. The triggering conditions for different events are not exactly the same.

[0117] S220, the UE monitors whether the signal quality of the source base station and / or candidate base station meets the triggering conditions of the A3 / A5 event.

[0118] If not, return to execute S210.

[0119] If so, then execute S230, and the UE reports a measurement report to the base station.

[0120] If the UE successfully reports the measurement report to the base station, it can execute the base station handover procedure from S240a to S270a.

[0121] If the UE fails to report a measurement report to the source base station (e.g. due to obstruction), the S240b procedure and subsequent procedures are executed, and the UE triggers a radio link failure (RLF).

[0122] In one scenario, the UE's base station handover process includes: S240a, the source base station receives the measurement report and selects the target base station.

[0123] S250a, the source base station sends a handover command to the UE, instructing the UE to hand over to the target base station.

[0124] S260a, the UE switches from the source base station to the target base station.

[0125] S270a, the UE sends an RRC reconfiguration complete message to the target base station.

[0126] In another scenario, the UE's RLF recovery process includes: S240b, UE confirms triggering RLF radio link failure.

[0127] S250b, UE selects RLF recovery mode.

[0128] When the RLF recovery method is RRC reconstruction, S261b is executed, and the UE initiates the RRC reconstruction procedure to the source base station, requesting to re-establish the RRC connection with the source base station.

[0129] When the RLF recovery mode is base station reselection, S262b is executed, and the UE performs a base station reselection operation to establish an RRC connection with the reselected target base station.

[0130] For the specific implementation schemes of the above CHO switching process and RLF recovery process, please refer to the relevant standards, which will not be elaborated here.

[0131] 3. Signal blind spots and weak coverage areas at the edges of the signal coverage area.

[0132] A signal dead zone refers to an area within the signal coverage area where signal transmission is obstructed by buildings, underground spaces, or cell edges. A weak coverage area at the edge refers to a long-term weak coverage area located at the edge of one or more cells within the signal coverage area. Weak coverage areas at the edge are also known as weak coverage areas or weak signal coverage areas.

[0133] like Figure 3 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the signal coverage area of ​​a base station involved in the communication method provided in this application embodiment. Figure 3 In this scenario, the source base station accessed by the UE is base station 1, and the UE is currently located within the signal coverage area of ​​base station 1. Within the signal coverage area of ​​base station 1, there are multiple communicable areas corresponding to cells, such as the communicable area S1 corresponding to Cell 1. Additionally, there may be signal blind spots S2 and weak edge coverage areas S3 within the signal coverage area of ​​base station 1.

[0134] like Figure 3As shown, within the signal coverage area of ​​a base station, while maintaining a communication connection with the source base station, the UE may suddenly move from a communicable area S1 into a signal blind zone S2 or a weak edge coverage area S3. For example, the UE may be carried by a user from outdoors into the interior of a reinforced concrete building or the entrance to an underground parking lot, or through narrow streets between tall buildings, severely obstructed corners, under overpasses, tunnel entrances, or other partially obstructed areas.

[0135] When a UE suddenly enters a signal dead zone or a weak coverage area from a communicable area, its communication connection will suddenly weaken. For example, a UE may suddenly enter a signal dead zone, resulting in a large-scale abrupt fading. The UE's received power, signal-to-noise ratio (SINR), and other signal quality data will drop significantly within a very short period. In some cases (e.g., the signal quality data of other base stations may not reach the base station handover threshold or the trigger threshold for events such as A3 / A5), the UE may not have completed the measurement and reporting of the target base station before entering the signal dead zone. If the UE is currently accessing the source base station (e.g., base station 1) and is in the source base station's signal dead zone, and has not had time to prepare for handover, it may not reach the threshold for triggering handover to the target base station (e.g., base station 2 or base station 3) based on events such as A3 / A5, and therefore cannot trigger base station handover based on the existing base station handover mechanism.

[0136] Alternatively, the UE may suddenly enter a weak coverage area at the edge of the source base station. Due to factors such as increased path loss between the UE and the source base station, obstruction by surrounding buildings, etc., the link quality between the UE and the source base station approaches the interruption threshold. The UE may be subject to slight external obstruction or changes in its own posture, which may cause the link quality of the UE to fall below the interruption threshold, thus leading to the link interruption between the UE and the source base station.

[0137] When a UE is in a signal blind zone or weak coverage area of ​​the source base station, when the UE sends uplink control information (such as scheduling request (SR), random access channel (RACH)) to the source base station, it is easy for downlink measurement feedback to be difficult to complete in a timely manner, uplink control signaling to be severely interfered with or directly lost, which makes it difficult for the UE to trigger the handover preparation of the UE from the source base station to the nearby candidate base station in a timely manner.

[0138] It should be understood that the technical terms used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and not as limiting. For example, as technology evolves, technical terms may also change, and other technical terms that have the same technical meaning should also apply to this application.

[0139] As can be seen from the above, if a UE suddenly enters a signal blind spot or weak coverage area within the signal coverage area of ​​the base station while maintaining a communication connection with the base station, it is difficult for the uplink signaling sent by the UE base station to be successfully fed back by the base station. Furthermore, the UE cannot actively trigger base station handover based on the existing base station handover mechanism, resulting in significant service interruption delay and signaling overhead.

[0140] In view of this, this application provides a communication method in which, while maintaining a communication connection with the source base station, the UE enters a signal blind spot or weak coverage area within the signal coverage area of ​​the source base station. The UE then provides its location information to the source base station via a target cooperating terminal. The source base station determines a target base station that the UE can switch to and forwards the identifier of the target base station to the UE via the target cooperating terminal. This allows the UE to switch from the source base station to the target base station as quickly as possible, reducing service interruption latency and signaling overhead, and ensuring communication continuity.

[0141] The solution provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the corresponding flowcharts. It is understood that the illustrative flowcharts provided in this application primarily use different devices (e.g., terminal devices, network devices) as examples of the execution subjects of this interactive illustration to illustrate the method, but this application does not limit the execution subjects of the interactive illustrations. For example, the devices (e.g., terminal devices, network devices) in the illustrative flowcharts can also be chips, chip systems, or processors that support the implementation of this method on the device, or logic modules or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the device.

[0142] As a general statement, the message or signaling interactions involved in the interaction process of this application embodiment can be standard messages or signaling or newly introduced messages or signaling. This application embodiment does not make specific limitations on this.

[0143] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. It can be understood that... Figure 4 The UE in the middle can be Figure 1 Any terminal device in the context can also refer to a device within the terminal device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system). Figure 4 The source base station and / or target base station in the data can be Figure 1 Any access network device, or a component within an access network device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system). Figure 4 As shown, the communication method provided in this embodiment mainly includes the following steps: S400: When the UE is in a preset area, it determines the target cooperating terminal.

[0144] The preset area refers to the region within the signal coverage area of ​​the source base station, which includes signal blind spots or weak edge coverage areas within the signal coverage area of ​​the source base station. For explanations of source base stations, signal blind spots, and weak edge coverage areas, please refer to the preceding text; they will not be repeated here.

[0145] In the solution provided in this embodiment, the UE is located within the signal coverage area of ​​the source base station. With an established RRC connection already established, the UE communicates with the source base station within this coverage area. However, in some cases, the UE moves within the coverage area and enters a pre-defined area, preventing normal communication with the source base station. For example, the UE may fail to successfully send uplink signaling to the source base station, or it may fail to receive downlink signaling from the source base station.

[0146] After entering the signal coverage area of ​​the source base station, the UE can continuously or periodically determine whether it is within a preset area. In some embodiments, there can be multiple methods for the UE to determine whether it is within the preset area. For example, the UE may determine whether the number of signaling failures or signaling retransmissions exceeds a predetermined threshold, or the UE may determine whether its location is within a predetermined area.

[0147] When the UE is in a preset area, it remains within the signal coverage area of ​​the source base station and maintains an RRC connection with the source base station, but it cannot communicate normally with the source base station and cannot trigger the existing base station handover process. The solution provided in this embodiment, when the UE is in a preset area, first determines the target cooperating terminal and indirectly implements the base station handover process through the target cooperating terminal.

[0148] In this embodiment, the target cooperating terminal refers to a terminal device that accesses the same source base station as the UE, or the target cooperating terminal is one of multiple terminals that access the same source base station as the UE, and the target cooperating terminal is not located in a preset area. In this case, the target cooperating terminal maintains an RRC connection with the source base station and can communicate normally.

[0149] There are several methods for a UE to determine a target cooperating terminal. For example, the UE can first identify multiple cooperating terminals accessing the same source base station, and then randomly select one as the target cooperating terminal. Alternatively, the UE can select the cooperating terminal with better signal quality as the target cooperating terminal. Or, the UE can attempt to establish a communication connection with the cooperating terminal and designate the first cooperating terminal with which the connection is established as the target cooperating terminal, etc., without limitation. The methods for the UE to determine the target cooperating terminal will be explained in detail later and will not be elaborated here.

[0150] S410, the UE sends the first information to the target cooperating terminal.

[0151] Correspondingly, the target cooperating terminal receives the first information sent by the UE.

[0152] The first piece of information includes the UE's location information.

[0153] When the UE determines that it is in a preset area, it generates first information, which includes the UE's location information. After establishing a communication connection with a determined target cooperative terminal, the UE sends the first information to the target cooperative terminal so that the target cooperative terminal can obtain the first information.

[0154] In some embodiments, the first information may carry other information besides the UE's location information, such as the UE's resource request, sensing request, etc. The resource request is used to instruct the UE to request the source base station to configure communication resources, and the sensing request is used to instruct the UE to request the source base station to sense the UE's location information or the UE's communication status, etc., without limitation.

[0155] In this application, the location information of the UE can be implemented in various ways. For example, the location information of the UE may include the latitude and longitude of the UE and a geographic location identifier. Alternatively, the location information of the UE may include the identifier of the cell where the UE is located, or an indicator corresponding to the location information of the UE, etc., without limitation.

[0156] S420, the target cooperating terminal sends the second information to the source base station.

[0157] Correspondingly, the source base station receives the second information sent by the target cooperating terminal.

[0158] The second piece of information includes the UE's location information.

[0159] When the target cooperating terminal receives the first information sent by the UE, it generates second information based on the first information and sends the second information to the source base station. The second information sent by the target cooperating terminal to the source base station also carries the UE's location information.

[0160] In some embodiments, the first information and the second information are the same information. The target cooperating terminal may not parse the first information and directly forward the first information as the second information to the source base station.

[0161] In other embodiments, the first information and the second information are different. After parsing the first information, the target cooperating terminal repackages the UE's location information and other information carried in the first information to generate the second information, and then sends the second information to the source base station.

[0162] In some implementations, the target cooperating terminal may also carry its own identifier in the second information, so that the source base station can know the identifier of the target cooperating terminal.

[0163] S430, the source base station sends third information to the target cooperating terminal.

[0164] Correspondingly, the target cooperating terminal receives the third information from the source base station.

[0165] The third piece of information includes the identifier of the target base station.

[0166] In the solution provided in this embodiment, the source base station receives second information sent by the target cooperating terminal, obtains the UE's location information, and determines, based on the UE's location information, that the UE is in a preset area and cannot communicate normally with the source base station. In this case, the source base station determines a target base station that the UE can switch to based on the UE's location information. The source base station generates third information carrying the identifier of the target base station, and sends the third information to the target cooperating terminal.

[0167] S440, the target cooperating terminal sends the fourth information to the UE.

[0168] Correspondingly, the UE receives the fourth information sent by the target cooperating terminal.

[0169] The fourth piece of information includes the identifier of the target base station.

[0170] When the target cooperative terminal receives the third information sent by the source base station, it generates the fourth information based on the identifier of the target base station carried in the third information and sends the fourth information to the UE.

[0171] In one scenario, the fourth piece of information is the same as the third piece of information. In this case, the target cooperating terminal can skip parsing the third piece of information and directly forward it to the UE as the fourth piece of information.

[0172] In another scenario, the fourth information is different from the third information. In this case, after receiving the third information, the target cooperating terminal parses it, generates the fourth information based on its content, and then sends the fourth information to the source base station.

[0173] S450, the UE switches from the source base station to the target base station.

[0174] The UE obtains the fourth piece of information and parses it to obtain the identifier of the target base station. Based on the identifier of the target base station, the UE switches from the source base station to the target base station.

[0175] In this way, after the UE enters the preset area, it can switch from the source base station to the target base station even if the triggering conditions for base station handover are not met, thus ensuring the continuity of UE communication.

[0176] In some embodiments, the fourth information may also carry other information about the target base station, such as the target base station's access configuration and resource configuration, to facilitate the UE's successful access to the target base station.

[0177] It should be noted that during the process of determining a target base station for the UE to handover, the source base station performs related operations. For example, the source base station can interact with at least one candidate base station, including the target base station, to select the candidate base station that can be handed over as the target base station, and send a handover request to the target base station. For example, the source base station can send a handover request to the target base station through the Xn interface, providing the target base station with relevant information such as the UE's capabilities and service type, so that the target base station can prepare access resources for the UE in advance. After performing access control and resource allocation, the target base station sends a handover request response to the source base station. Upon receiving the handover request response from the target base station, the source base station determines that the target base station is a handoverable target base station, and provides the identifier of the target base station to the UE through the target cooperating terminal.

[0178] For details on the specific implementation scheme of UE handover from source base station to target base station, please refer to the relevant descriptions and standards of cell handover mentioned above, which will not be elaborated here.

[0179] It should be noted that the first to fourth information items mentioned above are only used to distinguish different signaling messages and are not intended to limit the specific signaling message names. For example, the first information item can be replaced with "first message," the second information item can be replaced with "third message," the third information item can be replaced with "fourth message," and the fourth information item can be replaced with "second message." Alternatively, they can be replaced with other names without limitation.

[0180] In summary, the communication method provided in this application allows a UE to proactively provide its location information to a source base station via a target cooperating terminal connected to the same source base station when the UE is in a blind zone or a weak coverage area at the cell edge, and to receive the target base station's identifier from the source base station based on the location information, thereby switching from the source base station to the target base station. This ensures that even if the UE is in a blind zone while in connected mode and cannot trigger cell handover based on an event, base station handover can still be achieved through the target cooperating terminal, guaranteeing communication continuity.

[0181] Based on the above embodiments, specific implementation methods for some steps in the main embodiments can also be provided, such as the following specific implementation methods 1-3. Specific implementation methods 1-3 will be described in detail below.

[0182] Specific implementation method 1: Determining the UE to be in a preset area.

[0183] The above Figure 4In the provided embodiments, there are two steps involved in determining that the UE is in a preset area. The first step is that the UE determines itself to be in the preset area before executing S400. The second step is that after receiving the second information sent by the target cooperating terminal, the source base station can also determine whether the UE is in the preset area through the UE's location information carried in the second information. For the first step, the specific implementation scheme for the UE determining itself to be in the preset area can include the following schemes 1, 2, and 3. For the second step, the specific implementation scheme for the source base station determining that the UE is in the preset area can include the following schemes 2 and 3.

[0184] Option 1: If the number of retransmissions / failures of the uplink signaling sent by the UE to the source base station exceeds the threshold, it is determined that the UE is in a preset area.

[0185] The number of retransmissions / failures of uplink signaling sent by the UE to the source base station can refer to the number of times the UE retransmits or the number of failed retransmissions of a particular uplink signaling request after a failure to send it to the source base station. For ease of description, we will use the number of retransmissions as an example.

[0186] The number of times a UE can retransmit uplink signaling can be for a specific type of uplink signaling, such as resource request signaling or link recovery signaling. Alternatively, it can be for any type of uplink signaling sent by the UE to the source base station.

[0187] Furthermore, the number of times the UE can retransmit uplink signaling can be limited to the number of times the UE retransmits the uplink signaling within a certain period after the first failure to transmit the uplink signaling.

[0188] In practice, the UE predetermines a threshold number of times it can retransmit uplink signaling to the source base station. This threshold number can be provided to the UE by the source base station or set by the UE itself; there is no limitation on the number of times it can retransmit uplink signaling.

[0189] In one possible example, this threshold number can be less than the number of retransmissions required by existing RLF recovery mechanisms. For example, this threshold number could be 3 to 5.

[0190] In this way, if the UE detects multiple uplink control or access signaling failures in a short period of time, and the number of failures is significantly less than the counting threshold used to trigger RLF, the UE can determine in advance that there is a risk of being in a signal blind zone or weak coverage area before the standard RLF triggering conditions are met, thereby proactively initiating the cooperative terminal discovery and assistance process and avoiding entering the formal RLF and reconstruction branch.

[0191] The specific application process is as follows: When the UE fails to send uplink signaling to the source base station, it can start monitoring the number of retransmissions of the uplink signaling. When the number of retransmissions reaches the threshold, the UE considers itself to be in a preset area.

[0192] Option 2: The UE's real-time location is within the coverage area of ​​the preset area, which means the UE is determined to be in the preset area.

[0193] In this solution, the coverage area of ​​the preset area can refer to the geographical range corresponding to the preset area, which can be represented by various data objects such as latitude and longitude, cell number, and map data. Optionally, the coverage area of ​​the preset area can be represented by relevant data from a high-precision map. A high-precision map is a base map marked with detailed information such as latitude and longitude, cell number, and preset area.

[0194] In one scenario, the executor of this solution can be a UE, used to determine whether it is within a preset area. In this case, the UE needs to pre-store relevant data regarding the coverage area of ​​the preset area, such as data marked with a preset high-precision map. This solution is applicable to terminal devices with storage and computing capabilities.

[0195] When the executor is the UE, the UE obtains its own location information, compares its own location information with the relevant data of the coverage area of ​​the preset area stored in advance, determines whether the UE's location is within the coverage area of ​​the preset area, and thus determines whether the UE is in the preset area.

[0196] This solution can be implemented independently without combining it with Solution 1. That is, during the UE's access to the source base station, a comparison is made in real-time or periodically to determine whether the UE is within the preset area. Alternatively, this solution can be used in conjunction with Solution 1. That is, only when the UE's retransmission count exceeds a threshold as determined by Solution 1, does the UE determine whether it is indeed within the preset area based on its own location information and the coverage area of ​​the preset area. Using both solutions in combination can improve the accuracy of the results.

[0197] In another scenario, the implementing entity for this solution can also be the source base station. The source base station typically stores and updates relevant data from high-precision maps. It can utilize existing high-precision maps to accurately determine whether the UE is within a preset area.

[0198] In this scheme, the source base station can determine whether the UE is in a preset area based on the UE's location information and relevant data from a high-precision map, upon receiving the UE's location information forwarded by the target cooperating terminal. Alternatively, the source base station can also determine whether the UE is in a preset area based on the UE's last transmitted location information and relevant data from a high-precision map, if the downlink signaling sent to the UE is not successfully received, or if no uplink signaling sent by the UE is received for a continuous period of time. No limitation is imposed.

[0199] In some optional implementations, if the UE has location acquisition capabilities and high-precision map storage or computing capabilities, it can further calculate whether the UE is in a preset area based on the terminal's current location, the base station location, and occlusion information in the map. In this way, the UE triggers the base station handover mechanism before the RLF (Remote Link Response), and completes the selection of cooperative terminals, environmental information reporting, and optimized selection of target base stations or target cells before the radio link completely fails, thereby significantly reducing the probability of service interruption and handover latency.

[0200] Option 3: If the real-time distance between the UE and the source base station is greater than the distance threshold, the UE is determined to be in the preset area.

[0201] The distance between the UE and the source base station can refer to the straight-line distance between the UE and the source base station. This straight-line distance can also be described as the link distance, propagation distance, direct path length, etc. between the UE and the source base station.

[0202] The UE can predetermine a distance threshold, which limits the maximum distance between the UE and the source base station. Optionally, this distance threshold can be determined based on the shortest direct path or the shortest available path that meets communication quality requirements between the UE and the source base station. The distance threshold can be a constant provided to the UE by the source base station, or it can be a constant determined by the UE according to service requirements, etc., without limitation.

[0203] In one specific example, the location of the UE is used... The location of the source base station is shown in the diagram. This illustrates that the real-time distance between the UE and the source base station is represented by... Indication, i.e. Distance threshold can be used Indication.

[0204] The scheme for determining whether a UE is in a preset area based on the real-time distance between the UE and the source base station and the distance threshold can be exemplified by the following examples 1 to 3.

[0205] Example 1 provides a blind spot caused solely by distance, denoted as a distance-type blind spot. Example 2 provides a blind spot caused by occlusion, denoted as an occlusion-type blind spot. Example 3 provides a blind spot caused by a combination of factors, including distance and occlusion, denoted as a mixed-type blind spot.

[0206] The methods for determining whether a UE is within a preset area may differ depending on the type of blind zone. However, the method for obtaining real-time distance can be the same, both being determined by... Obtained. In Example 1, real-time distance can be obtained through... This indicates that the distance threshold is reached through... In Example 2, the real-time distance corresponds to the occlusion determination value, which is expressed as follows: This indicates that the distance threshold corresponds to the occlusion threshold, through... In Example 3, the real-time distance corresponds to the fusion decision value, expressed as follows: This indicates that the distance threshold corresponds to the fusion threshold, through... express.

[0207] Example 1: The preset area is a distance blind zone, where the real-time distance between the UE and the source base station is greater than or equal to the distance threshold. If so, it means that the UE is in the preset area.

[0208] In this example, the distance threshold It could be a constant set by the source base station based on factors such as link budget, frequency band, and system bandwidth. In this case, the UE is far from the source base station, and the geometric distance between the UE and the source base station exceeds the allowable range of the link.

[0209] Example 2: The preset area is an obstruction-type blind zone, where the obstruction determination value between the UE and the source base station is greater than or equal to the obstruction threshold. This confirms that the UE is in a preset area.

[0210] The occlusion decision value refers to the quantified value of the occlusion factor, which refers to the position of the UE. Location of the source base station During wireless propagation, additional large-scale and fading numerical variation factors introduced by obstructions such as buildings, terrain, and bridges are used in the obstruction decision quantity. This illustrates that the obstruction decision parameters may differ depending on the specific wireless propagation process. The UE or the source base station can determine this through a function. The function retrieves information related to obstructions during wireless propagation, including building height, material, whether it is an underground passage, line-of-sight (LOS) / non-line-of-sight (NLOS) classification, ray tracing, and geographic path loss model. The source base station can then query the specific values ​​of the obstruction factor by combining relevant data from a high-precision map.

[0211] In obstructed blind spots, if the real-time distance between the UE and the source base station is large, the link will be interrupted due to obstruction, and the UE will be in the preset area.

[0212] Example 3: The preset area is a hybrid blind zone, where the fusion decision value between the UE and the source base station is greater than or equal to the fusion threshold. This confirms that the UE is in a preset area.

[0213] in, ; , Used to adjust the relative weights of distance and occlusion. .

[0214] In this example, the UE is in a hybrid blind zone determined by both distance and occlusion, and link interruptions may occur due to both factors. The weights related to real-time distance are... Weights related to the amount of occlusion judgment The value can be predetermined or determined through network self-supervised learning; there is no limitation.

[0215] In one alternative approach, the real-time distance and occlusion determination values ​​mentioned above can be normalized first, and then weighted and summed.

[0216] For example, for real-time distance After normalization, we get Furthermore, the occlusion decision quantity is normalized to obtain... Then, the normalized real-time distance and occlusion decision are weighted and summed to obtain: , .

[0217] Normalizing values ​​of different magnitudes and units to the same scale for fair weighting can prevent some values ​​from having an excessive impact on the results, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the results.

[0218] It should be noted that the names of the parameters mentioned above, such as real-time distance, distance, occlusion determination quantity, occlusion threshold, fusion decision quantity, and fusion threshold, are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit other possible implementation methods.

[0219] In specific embodiments, the schemes for determining preset areas for different types of blind spots provided in Examples 1 and 3 above can be used individually or in combination. For example, when the UE is the executing entity, the UE can determine whether it is within the preset area based on the scheme provided in Example 1 above, using the location and distance threshold of the source base station obtained in advance by the UE. When the source base station is the executing entity, the source base station can determine whether the UE is within the preset area based on the scheme provided in Example 3 above, using the location of the UE provided by the target cooperating terminal and the real-time location of the source base station. The accuracy of the result determined based on multiple factors will be higher.

[0220] The methods for determining whether a UE is in a preset area, provided by Schemes 1 to 3 above, can be used individually to improve the sensitivity of determining whether a UE is in a preset area and reduce the computational load. Alternatively, they can be used in combination to improve the accuracy of the results.

[0221] Specific implementation method 2: Determine the target cooperative terminal of the UE.

[0222] The foregoing Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the UE provides its location information to the source base station through a target cooperating terminal. The target cooperating terminal is a terminal device that accesses the same source base station as the UE, and the target cooperating terminal is not located in a preset area. In this embodiment, the UE can determine the target cooperating terminal for information forwarding, or the source base station can determine the target cooperating terminal for information forwarding for the UE. Taking the UE determining the target cooperating terminal for itself as an example, schemes 4 to 6 below provide several possible schemes for determining the target cooperating terminal.

[0223] Option 4: The UE uses a screening mechanism to select target collaborative terminals.

[0224] Optionally, the UE selects reachable terminals that meet the selection criteria from at least one reachable terminal as the target cooperating terminal.

[0225] A reachable terminal refers to a terminal that the UE can establish a device-to-device (D2D) connection with. The specific implementation of a D2D connection can be a PC5 interface connection. The process by which the UE selects a reachable terminal that meets the selection criteria from at least one reachable terminal as the target cooperating terminal mainly includes the following steps: Step 1: The UE obtains the set of reachable terminals.

[0226] Specifically, step 1 may include the following steps 1.1 and 1.2: Step 1.1: The UE can first detect terminals existing in the nearby area, denoted as neighboring terminals. The set of neighboring terminals can be denoted as... , ,in, The neighboring terminals detected by the UE.

[0227] Step 1.2: The UE attempts to establish a D2D connection with neighboring terminals to obtain reachable terminals. The set of reachable terminals can be denoted as... , .

[0228] in, UE itself is With neighboring terminals The link quality of the D2D connection (sidelink) between them, such as SINR, RSRP, etc. This represents the link quality threshold for D2D connections. The neighboring terminals detected by the UE are terminal devices whose link quality for establishing a D2D connection with the UE is greater than or equal to the link quality threshold. Neighbor Terminal The uplink quality between the base station it is connected to, i.e., the home base station. This represents the uplink quality threshold. The neighboring terminals detected by the UE must simultaneously meet the requirement that the uplink quality with the home base station is ≥ the link quality threshold. Neighboring terminals The home base station is denoted as .

[0229] Step 2: The UE selects a cooperating terminal from the set of reachable terminals.

[0230] A cooperative terminal refers to a terminal device among the reachable terminals that the UE can detect and that can engage in cooperative communication. The process by which the UE selects a cooperative terminal from the set of reachable terminals mainly includes: Step 2.1: The UE performs a first screening from the set of reachable terminals according to the first screening condition, and deletes unqualified reachable terminals.

[0231] The first screening criterion may include at least one of the following: Condition 1: The D2D link quality is reliable. Optional, specific constraints on the reliability of the D2D link quality may include: .in, This represents the minimum link quality of a D2D connection. Greater than .

[0232] Condition 2: The uplink quality from the cooperating terminal to the home base station is reliable. Optionally, specific constraints on uplink quality reliability may include: .in, This represents the minimum uplink quality. > .

[0233] Condition 3: The collaborative terminal has sufficient collaborative capabilities to undertake the collaborative task. Collaborative capabilities can include, for example, remaining battery power, processing capacity, collaborative license status, historical collaborative success rate, and device capability level. Optionally, specific limitations on ensuring sufficient available battery power for collaborative tasks may include: Alternatively, parameters of other collaborative capabilities of the collaborative terminal can be set to meet the minimum requirements of the collaborative task, thus filtering out available collaborative terminals capable of undertaking collaborative tasks.

[0234] Condition 4: The collaborating terminal itself is not in the preset area. For a detailed implementation scheme of how the UE determines whether the collaborating terminal is in the preset area, please refer to the possible implementation schemes for determining whether the UE is in the preset area provided in the aforementioned Specific Implementation Method 1, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0235] The UE can perform an initial screening of reachable terminals in the reachable terminal set based on one or more of the conditions 1 to 4 above, to obtain a candidate cooperative set. Candidate Collaboration Set This includes some available collaborative terminals, denoted as candidate collaborative terminals. In some cases, if the candidate collaborative set... If the value is empty, the UE can reduce the first filtering condition or use other filtering conditions to filter the target cooperative terminal.

[0236] Step 2.2: The UE constructs the first feature vector of each cooperating terminal. The features involved include the distance between the cooperating terminal and the source base station, the cooperating capability of the cooperating terminal, the movement speed of the cooperating terminal, and the movement direction.

[0237] Optionally, for collaborative terminals Its first feature vector can be: .

[0238] in, This indicates the link quality of the D2D connection between the UE and the cooperating terminal. Indicates the uplink quality between the UE and the source base station. Indicates the distance between the UE and the cooperating terminal. Indicates the distance from the cooperating terminal to the base station. Indicates the occlusion factor between the UE and the cooperating terminal. This indicates the collaborative capabilities of the collaborative terminals. This indicates the speed / direction of the collaborative terminal's movement.

[0239] Step 2.3: The UE obtains the comprehensive link index of each cooperative terminal based on the first feature vector of each cooperative terminal.

[0240] Optionally, the comprehensive link metric can be expressed as: .

[0241] During the calculation process, the UE can define sub-cost functions f1-f5, and generate the first total cost function based on the sub-cost functions f1-f5. Then, the UE determines the target cooperating terminal based on the intermediate function.

[0242] in, .

[0243] .

[0244] in, Cost function With link quality Inversely proportional, the better the link quality (i.e., the higher the value), the lower the cost. The cost is directly proportional to the distance, the amount of obstruction, and the speed. Cost function and Inversely proportional, the larger the remaining battery power in the terminal, the smaller the cost.

[0245] Weights corresponding to each cost function It can be configured or adjusted according to business type.

[0246] Finally, the total agency value for each collaborative terminal is calculated, and the collaborative terminal with the lowest total agency value is selected as the target collaborative terminal.

[0247] In some alternative approaches, the above features can be normalized or converted to dimensionless values ​​using a monotonic mapping function before being used to calculate the cost value. This avoids the influence of the magnitude difference between the values ​​of different features on the results and improves the accuracy of the calculated cost value and total cost value. Specific normalization or monotonic function mapping schemes can be found in commonly used formulas and will not be elaborated further.

[0248] Based on steps 1 and 2 above, the UE can filter out the target cooperating terminal. Establishing a D2D link between the UE and the target cooperating terminal includes the following two steps: The UE establishes a unicast link with the target cooperating terminal on the PC5 interface through a three-step handshake mechanism of "request-response-acknowledgment", and establishes a dedicated sidelink bearer on this basis.

[0249] After the UE establishes a D2D connection with the target cooperative terminal, the UE can execute S410, providing its own location to the target cooperative terminal via first information. The target cooperative terminal then uses its uplink with the source base station to send second information, carrying the UE's location, resource requests, and sensing requests, to the source base station. This allows the source base station to obtain the UE's location information and determine the target base station for the UE based on that information. Subsequently, the source base station provides the target base station's identifier to the target cooperative terminal, which then provides it to the UE, enabling the UE to switch from the source base station to the target base station.

[0250] The scheme for determining the target cooperating terminal provided in Scheme 4 above allows the UE to select, from multiple detected reachable terminals, a terminal with reliable D2D link quality, reliable uplink, and sufficient cooperative capabilities to undertake cooperative tasks as the target cooperating terminal through multiple filtering conditions. Selecting a better target cooperating terminal through multiple filtering conditions can improve communication reliability and accelerate the UE's rapid base station handover.

[0251] Option 5: The UE selects the target cooperating terminal through an always-connected mechanism.

[0252] The always-connected mechanism means that the UE always maintains a connection with at least one cooperative terminal (e.g., D2D connection). When the UE is in a preset area, it selects one of the always-connected cooperative terminals as the target cooperative terminal.

[0253] In practice, the connection between the UE and at least one cooperating terminal can be a weak connection, i.e., a D2D connection with relatively poor signal strength and low communication link quality, to reduce resource consumption and device power consumption. This ensures that the UE can quickly establish a high-quality D2D connection with the cooperating terminal while avoiding excessive resource and power consumption.

[0254] In this scheme, the UE can maintain a weak connection with at least one cooperating terminal at all times, and the UE continuously maintains a set of cooperating terminals, which may include cooperating terminals that still maintain a weak connection. When the UE is in a preset area, the UE selects a cooperating terminal from the set of cooperating terminals as the target cooperating terminal. The UE can randomly select a cooperating terminal as the target cooperating terminal, or the UE can select a cooperating terminal as the target cooperating terminal according to filtering conditions, such as one or more of the filtering conditions 1 to 4 mentioned above, without further specification.

[0255] Option 6: The UE adopts a broadcast response mechanism to select the target cooperating terminal.

[0256] The broadcast response mechanism refers to the UE broadcasting its own location information to other terminals in the surrounding area when it needs the assistance of a target cooperating terminal to forward its location information. One or more terminals in the surrounding area can respond to the UE's broadcast and forward the UE's location information to the source base station as a target cooperating terminal.

[0257] One possible approach is that at least one terminal receives the location information broadcast by the UE and sends the UE's location information to the source base station. The source base station designates the terminal that first received the UE's location information as the target cooperating terminal, or selects a terminal with relatively good uplink quality as the target cooperating terminal. The source base station then sends the identifier of the target base station to the UE through this target cooperating terminal.

[0258] Another alternative approach is that the UE receives broadcast-based feedback from at least one terminal, from which the UE identifies one terminal as the target cooperating terminal. The UE then sends first information to this cooperating terminal, and the target cooperating terminal sends second information carrying the UE's location information to the source base station, and receives fourth information carrying the identifier of the target base station from the target cooperating terminal.

[0259] The schemes for determining the target collaborative terminal provided by Schemes 4 to 6 above can all be used to determine the target collaborative terminal.

[0260] Specific implementation method 3: Determine the target base station that the UE can switch to.

[0261] The solution provided in this embodiment allows the source base station to determine the target base station that the UE can switch to after receiving the UE's location information forwarded by the target cooperating terminal.

[0262] In one possible approach, the process by which the source base station determines the target base station includes: Step 1: The source base station establishes a candidate base station set. .

[0263] Specifically, the source base station can select base stations whose signal coverage covers the location of the UE as candidate base stations based on the UE's location information. The source base station can filter out base stations that do not meet the initial screening conditions based on the network deployment, and include the screened candidate base stations in the candidate base station set B.

[0264] Base stations that do not meet the screening criteria can refer to base stations that are largely unusable for UE access. Examples of base stations that do not meet the initial screening criteria include those with no signal connection to the source base station, those with excessive load, those too far from the UE, or those with numerous obstructions between them. The source base station can first screen base stations within its signal coverage area, including the UE's location, according to the screening criteria to obtain a candidate base station set B.

[0265] Step 2: The source base station constructs the second feature vector corresponding to each candidate base station based on the candidate base station set B.

[0266] For candidate base stations i Its second eigenvector .

[0267] in, Indicates the geometric distance between the UE and the candidate base station. ,in Indicates the location of the UE. Indicates candidate base station The location. Indicates candidate base station i occlusion factor, . Indicates UE to candidate base station Link quality between them This indicates inter-site angle matching, which is used to indicate whether candidate base stations are aligned with the main lobe. Indicates candidate base station i The load.

[0268] Step 3: The source base station selects the best base station as the target base station based on the second feature vector of each candidate base station in the candidate base station set B.

[0269] Specifically, for each candidate base station, a sub-cost function is constructed for the second feature vector corresponding to that candidate base station. - Then construct the second total value based on the sub-cost function. The source base station selects the candidate base station with the lowest total value as the target base station based on the total value of each candidate base station.

[0270] Wherein, cost function - as follows: ;distance The smaller, the higher the cost The smaller; ; Occlusion determination quantity The smaller, the lower the cost; Link quality between UE and candidate base station The higher the value, the lower the cost; ;in, Indicates the UE's orientation angle. Indicates the orientation angle of the main lobe center. This represents the distance of the UE from the center of the main lobe; the smaller the distance, the lower the cost. , This indicates the load of the candidate base station. The smaller the load of the candidate base station, the lower the cost.

[0271] The second total function determined based on the cost function It can be: .

[0272] Among them, the weights of each cost function , ... It can be configured adaptively without limitations.

[0273] The reference function used by the source base station to determine the target base station based on each candidate base station is: .

[0274] In other words, the source base station selects the candidate base station with the lowest second-to-last generation value as the target base station.

[0275] The above implementation provides a specific way to determine the target base station. The functions and parameters involved can be adaptively adjusted and are not intended to limit other possible implementations.

[0276] In some cases, the target base station determined by the source base station for the UE based on the above scheme may be the source base station itself. In this case, the source base station can provide its own identifier as the identifier of the target base station to the target cooperating terminal, so that the target cooperating terminal can provide it to the UE. Alternatively, the source base station can also directly forward the content of the downlink signaling sent to the UE to the UE through the target cooperating terminal, so as to indirectly interact with the UE through the target cooperating terminal in the event that normal communication cannot be restored, thus ensuring the transmission of service data.

[0277] In summary, the communication method provided in this application offers a base station handover solution when existing event-triggered base station handover mechanisms fail. In complex obstruction environments such as signal blind spots or weak coverage areas, the UE can provide its location information to the source base station based on the target cooperative terminal to request the identifier of the target base station that can be switched to. This fully leverages the cooperative capabilities of existing UE-D2D connections without requiring the deployment of a large number of small base stations or indoor distributed systems across the entire network, improving edge experience and system capacity in macro base station coverage scenarios. Utilizing the cooperative terminal and high-precision maps for a priori fusion analysis and obstruction inference significantly improves the accuracy and spatial resolution of blind spot and weak coverage determination.

[0278] The communication schemes provided in the above embodiments of this application have a variety of typical application scenarios, such as the following scenarios 1 to 3.

[0279] Scenario 1: Urban canyon corner / high-rise building shadow (sudden occlusion blind spot).

[0280] While a UE (handheld by a pedestrian and / or located in a vehicle / vehicle terminal) is moving along a road, it suddenly enters an NLOS shadow area at a corner of an urban canyon / in the shadow of a tall building. The downlink from the UE's serving cell to the UE may still be available for a short time, but the UE's uplink SR / PUCCH / PUSCH will rapidly fading or even be interrupted due to the sudden obstruction blind spot.

[0281] Based on existing communication protocols, UEs cannot report measurements or uplink resource requests in a timely manner, making it difficult for the source base station to detect that it has entered a blind zone. HO triggering is delayed, which may eventually trigger RLF.

[0282] Based on the scheme in this application, after the UE detects that the number of consecutive SR / RACH failures exceeds a threshold within a short period (but is less than the number of RLF failures, and has not yet reached the number of times to trigger RLF), it actively connects to the target coordinating terminal via the PC5 interface. The target coordinating terminal reports the UE's location / relative location, D2D link quality, and measurements of multiple base stations. The source base station determines the blind spot risk based on map occlusion factors, selects a target base station that can be switched, and sends auxiliary handover information to the UE through the target coordinating terminal, prompting the UE to quickly switch to the target base station.

[0283] This allows the UE to complete handover preparations before "reporting link breakage" to the source base station in the corner shadow area, thus shortening the interruption latency.

[0284] Scenario 2: Tunnel / under bridge / underpass (UE quickly enters blind spot + strong occlusion in blind spot).

[0285] When a UE inside a vehicle enters a tunnel or goes under a bridge, the strong obstruction causes a sudden increase in the UE's uplink path loss, and the entry time is short and the changes are rapid.

[0286] Based on existing communication protocols, traditional HO handover mechanisms rely on measurement event triggering and reporting, which cannot keep up with "instantaneous deep fading," leading to an increased SR / RACH failure rate when entering the tunnel entrance. Even if the UE can successfully report, the HO command sent by the source base station may not be successfully received by the UE, causing the HO handover to fail to trigger.

[0287] Based on the solution proposed in this application, the UE can choose to use "location + map risk" to predict the upcoming tunnel entrance, which can trigger target cooperative terminal cooperative communication in advance, or trigger target cooperative terminal cooperative communication based on "SR / RACH failure count reaching a threshold". The target cooperative terminal assists in reporting to the source base station, which selects a target base station more suitable for tunnel coverage (such as a small cell / dedicated RRH in the tunnel) and provides synchronization / cell information through the target cooperative terminal, enabling the UE to complete access before entering the depths of the tunnel. In this way, tunnel entrance handover failures can be effectively reduced, avoiding RLF reconstruction.

[0288] Scenario 3: Basement entrance / underground parking lot (weak coverage area caused by asymmetry between up and down traffic).

[0289] As the UE enters the parking garage entrance, the coverage of external macro base stations rapidly diminishes. There may be no base station coverage in the parking garage, or small base stations may exist, but the UE may not have enough time to report the measurement results based on standard measurements, thus preventing handover. Ground base stations cannot receive the UE's measurement results and uplink signaling, and small base stations in the parking garage cannot prepare for access in advance, resulting in slow or no UE access.

[0290] Based on the scheme in this application, the UE triggers coordination at the entrance, identifies a target coordination terminal in areas where there is still signal on the ground and / or near the entrance of the underground parking garage, and reports the UE's location information to the underground parking garage small base station or the ground base station through the target coordination terminal. The source base station can use a high-precision map to determine whether the UE's obstruction factor is large, whether to switch to another ground base station or access the underground parking garage small base station, and thus determine a target base station that the UE can switch to. In this way, the probability of call drop at the entrance of the underground parking garage can be reduced, and the service interruption latency can be reduced.

[0291] It should be understood that Figures 1 to 4 The flowcharts or scene diagrams shown are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application to the examples illustrated. In fact, those skilled in the art can interpret the embodiments based on... Figures 1 to 4 The examples in the document can be transformed into equivalent ways to obtain more implementations.

[0292] The above text combined Figures 1 to 4 This document describes in detail the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application. The following will combine... Figures 5 to 6 The device embodiments of this application are described in detail below. It should be understood that the communication device of this application embodiment can execute the various communication methods of the foregoing embodiments of this application, that is, the specific working processes of the various products below can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments.

[0293] In the embodiments described above, the terminal device may execute some or all of the steps in each embodiment; the network device may execute some or all of the steps in each embodiment. These steps or operations are merely examples, and the embodiments of this application may also perform other operations or variations thereof. Furthermore, the steps may be executed in different orders as presented in the embodiments, and it is not necessary to execute all the operations in the embodiments of this application. Moreover, the sequence number of each step does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0294] Figure 5 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 5 As shown, the communication device 500 may include a communication module 520. The communication module 520 can implement corresponding communication functions, which can be internal communication functions of the communication device 500 or communication functions between the communication device 500 and other devices. Optionally, the communication module 520 may also be referred to as a communication interface or transceiver module. Optionally, the communication device 500 also includes a processing module 510. The processing module 510 can implement corresponding processing functions.

[0295] Optionally, the communication device 500 further includes a storage module, which can be used to store instructions and / or data; the processing module 510 can read the instructions and / or data in the storage module so that the communication device 500 can implement the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0296] In one possible design, the communication device 500 may correspond to the first terminal in the above method embodiments, or to a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the first terminal. The communication device 500 can be used to execute the steps or processes performed by the terminal device in any of the above method embodiments.

[0297] For example, the communication module 520 is used to send a first message to the target collaborative terminal; the target collaborative terminal and the first terminal are connected to the same source access network device, and the first message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal; Communication module 520 is used to receive a second message sent by the target cooperative terminal; the second message is used to instruct the target access network device; The processing module 510 is used to switch from the source access network device to the target access network device based on the second message.

[0298] Furthermore, the communication module 520 is specifically used to: in response to the first terminal entering the preset area, send a first message to the target collaborative terminal; The preset area includes signal blind spots or weak coverage areas within the signal coverage area of ​​the source access network equipment.

[0299] Optionally, the communication module 520 is specifically used for: Broadcast the first message to at least one terminal; at least one terminal includes the target cooperating terminal.

[0300] Furthermore, the processing module 510 is specifically used to determine that the first terminal has entered the preset area based on at least one of the following: The number of retransmissions and / or failures of the first terminal sending uplink signaling to the source access network device is greater than or equal to the number of times the threshold is applied. The distance between the first terminal and the source access network device is greater than or equal to the distance threshold. The location of the first terminal is within the coverage area of ​​the preset region.

[0301] Optionally, the processing module 510 is configured to determine that the distance between the first terminal and the source access network device is greater than or equal to a distance threshold based on at least one of the following: The distance and distance threshold between the first terminal and the source access network equipment satisfy any one of the following: The real-time distance is the straight-line distance between the first terminal and the source access network device, and the distance threshold is a preset constant. The distance corresponds to the occlusion determination quantity between the first terminal and the source access network device, and the distance threshold is the occlusion threshold. The distance corresponds to the fusion decision quantity determined based on the straight-line distance and occlusion factor, and the distance threshold is the fusion threshold.

[0302] Optionally, the processing module 510 is used to determine the target coordination terminal based on the following scheme: Among at least one reachable terminal detected by the first terminal in the surrounding area, the reachable terminal that meets the screening criteria is selected as the target cooperative terminal; wherein, the screening criteria are associated with at least one of the reachable terminal's link quality, cooperative capability, home base station, movement speed, and movement direction.

[0303] Optionally, the processing module 510 is used to determine the target coordination terminal based on at least one of the following screening criteria: The device-to-device (D2D) link quality between the reachable terminal and the first terminal is greater than or equal to the D2D link quality threshold. The uplink quality between the reachable terminal and the source access network device is greater than or equal to the uplink quality threshold. The reachable terminal's collaborative capability is greater than the collaborative capability required by the collaborative task; the collaborative task is used to instruct the task of collaboratively forwarding data between the first terminal and the source access network device; The location of the reachable terminal is not within the preset area; The home base station of the reachable terminal is the source access network equipment.

[0304] Optionally, the processing module 510 is used to determine the target coordination terminal based on at least one of the following screening criteria: Choose any one of the reachable terminals that meets the screening criteria as the target collaborative terminal; or... Among the reachable terminals that meet the screening criteria, the terminal with the lowest total cost value is selected as the target collaborative terminal. The total cost value is a value determined based on at least one cost function. At least one cost function is used to determine the cost value of the collaborative terminal performing the collaborative task according to the corresponding device parameters. Different cost functions correspond to different device parameters.

[0305] The above are merely examples; for detailed steps or procedures, please refer to the descriptions in the foregoing embodiments.

[0306] In one possible design, the communication device 500 may correspond to the second terminal in the above method embodiments, or to a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the first terminal. The communication device 500 can be used to execute the steps or processes performed by the terminal device in any of the above method embodiments.

[0307] For example, the communication module 520 is used to receive a first message sent by the first terminal; the first message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal, and both the first terminal and the second terminal are connected to the same source access network device; The processing module 510 is used to parse the first message, generate the second message, or determine whether to forward the second message to the source access network device.

[0308] The communication module 520 sends a third message to the source access network device; the third message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal device. The communication module 520 is used to send a second message to the first terminal when it receives a fourth message sent by the source access network device; the fourth message is used to indicate the target access network device, and the second message is used to indicate the target access network device.

[0309] Optionally, the communication module 520 is specifically used for: The first message is forwarded as the third message to the source access network device; And / or, The fourth message is forwarded to the first terminal device as the second message.

[0310] Optionally, the communication module 520 is specifically used for: Receive the first message broadcast by the first terminal; If the fourth message is not received from the source access network device, the second message will not be sent to the first terminal.

[0311] The above are merely examples; for detailed steps or procedures, please refer to the descriptions in the foregoing embodiments.

[0312] In one possible design, the communication device 500 may correspond to the network device in the above method embodiments, or to a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the network device. The communication device 500 can be used to perform the steps or processes performed by the network device in any of the above method embodiments.

[0313] The communication module 520 is used to receive a second message sent by the second terminal; the second message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal, and both the first terminal and the second terminal are connected to the same access network device.

[0314] The processing module 510 is used to determine the target access network device based on the location information of the first terminal.

[0315] Optionally, the processing module 510 can also be used for: Based on the location information of the first terminal, it is determined whether the first terminal is in a preset area; the preset area includes signal blind spots or weak coverage areas within the signal coverage area of ​​the source access network device. If the first terminal is located in a preset area, the identifier of the target access network device is determined.

[0316] Optionally, the communication module 520 is specifically used for: Receive a second message sent by at least one terminal; at least one terminal includes the second terminal; Processing module 510 can also be used for: A second terminal is determined from at least one terminal; the second terminal is the terminal whose second message was first received by the access network device, or the second terminal is the terminal with the highest uplink quality with the source access network device.

[0317] The above are merely examples; for detailed steps or procedures, please refer to the descriptions in the foregoing embodiments.

[0318] Figure 6 This is a schematic block diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 600 may be a chip, chip system, or processor, etc., in a terminal device or network device that implements the above-described methods. The communication device 600 can be used to implement the methods described in the above-described method embodiments; for details, please refer to the descriptions in the above-described method embodiments.

[0319] like Figure 6As shown, the communication device 600 may include one or more processors 610, which may also be referred to as processing units or processing modules, and can implement certain control functions. The processor 610 may be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, such as a baseband processor or a central processing unit. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the central processing unit can be used to control the communication device 600 (e.g., a base station, baseband chip, user, user chip), execute software programs, and process data from the software programs.

[0320] In an alternative design, the processor 610 may also store instructions and / or data that can be executed by the processor 610 to cause the communication device 600 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0321] In another alternative design, the communication device 600 may include a communication interface 620 for implementing receiving and transmitting functions. For example, the communication interface 620 may be a transceiver circuit, interface, interface circuit, or transceiver. The transceiver circuit, interface, interface circuit, or transceiver for implementing receiving and transmitting functions may be separate or integrated. The aforementioned transceiver circuit, interface, interface circuit, or transceiver may be used for reading and writing code / data, or it may be used for transmitting or relaying signals.

[0322] Optionally, the communication device 600 may include one or more memories 630, which may store instructions that can be executed on the processor 610, causing the communication device 600 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. Optionally, the memories 630 may also store data. Optionally, the processor 610 may also store instructions and / or data. The processor 610 and the memories 630 may be provided separately or integrated together.

[0323] It should be understood that, in one possible design, the steps in the method embodiments provided in this application can be implemented by integrated logic circuits in the processor's hardware or by instructions in software form. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly implemented by a hardware processor, or implemented by a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor. The software modules can reside in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. This storage medium is located in memory, and the processor reads information from the memory and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above method. To avoid repetition, detailed descriptions are not provided here.

[0324] In one implementation, the communication device 600 may correspond to the terminal device in the above method embodiments and may be used to execute the various steps and / or processes executed by the terminal device in the above method embodiments. The processor 610 may be used to execute instructions stored in the memory 630, and when the processor 610 executes the instructions stored in the memory, the processor 610 is used to execute the various steps and / or processes of the above method embodiments corresponding to the terminal device.

[0325] In another implementation, the communication device 600 may correspond to the network device in the above method embodiments and may be used to execute the various steps and / or processes executed by the network device in the above method embodiments. The processor 610 may be used to execute instructions stored in the memory 630, and when the processor 610 executes the instructions stored in the memory, the processor 610 is used to execute the various steps and / or processes of the above method embodiments corresponding to the network device.

[0326] It should be understood that the aforementioned processing device can be one or more chips. For example, the processing device can be a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a system-on-chip (SoC), a central processor unit (CPU), a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a programmable logic device (PLD), or other integrated chips.

[0327] It is understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous linked dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory used in the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0328] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, this application also provides a chip system, which includes one or more processors for calling and executing instructions stored in memory, thereby causing the method described in the embodiments of this application to be executed. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0329] The chip system may include input circuits or interfaces for transmitting information or data, and output circuits or interfaces for receiving information or data.

[0330] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, this application also provides a communication system, which includes the aforementioned network device and terminal device.

[0331] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, this application also provides a computer program product, which includes: computer program code, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute the various steps or processes executed by the network device or terminal device in any of the foregoing method embodiments.

[0332] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing program code, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute the various steps or processes executed by the network device or terminal device in any of the foregoing method embodiments.

[0333] The computer-readable storage medium may be the aforementioned volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or it may include both volatile memory and non-volatile memory.

[0334] In the embodiments of this application, the terms and English abbreviations are exemplary examples given for ease of description and should not be construed as limiting the application in any way. This application does not preclude the possibility of defining other terms that can achieve the same or similar functions in existing or future agreements.

[0335] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When these computer instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated.

[0336] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0337] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the sequence number of each process does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0338] In summary, the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the technical solution of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a first terminal, the method includes: A first message is sent to the target collaborative terminal; the target collaborative terminal and the first terminal are connected to the same source access network device, and the first message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal. Receive a second message sent by the target collaborative terminal; the second message is used to instruct the target access network device; Based on the second message, the device is switched from the source access network device to the target access network device.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of sending the first message to the target collaborative terminal includes: In response to the first terminal entering the preset area, a first message is sent to the target collaborative terminal; The preset area includes signal blind spots or weak coverage areas within the signal coverage area of ​​the source access network device.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The scheme for determining that the first terminal enters the preset area includes at least one of the following: The number of retransmissions and / or failures of the first terminal sending uplink signaling to the source access network device is greater than or equal to the number threshold. The distance between the first terminal and the source access network device is greater than or equal to a distance threshold. The location of the first terminal is within the coverage area of ​​the preset area.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The distance between the first terminal and the source access network device and the distance threshold satisfy any one of the following: The real-time distance is the straight-line distance between the first terminal and the source access network device, and the distance threshold is a preset constant. The distance corresponds to the occlusion determination amount between the first terminal and the source access network device, and the distance threshold is the occlusion threshold. The distance corresponds to a fusion decision value determined based on the straight-line distance and the occlusion factor, and the distance threshold is the fusion threshold.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Sending the first message to the target collaborative terminal includes: Broadcast a first message to at least one terminal; the at least one terminal includes the target cooperating terminal.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The target cooperating terminal is included among at least one reachable terminal detected by the first terminal in the surrounding area, and among reachable terminals that meet the screening criteria; wherein, the screening criteria are associated with at least one of the reachable terminal's link quality, cooperating capability, home base station, movement speed, and movement direction.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The reachable terminals that meet the screening criteria include at least one of the following: The device-to-device (D2D) link quality between the reachable terminal and the first terminal is greater than or equal to the D2D link quality threshold. The uplink quality between the reachable terminal and the source access network device is greater than or equal to the uplink quality threshold. The collaborative capability of the reachable terminal is greater than the collaborative capability required by the collaborative task; The collaborative task is used to instruct a task for collaboratively forwarding data between the first terminal and the source access network device; The location of the reachable terminal is not in the preset area; The home base station of the reachable terminal is the source access network device.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The target collaborative terminal is any one of the reachable terminals that meet the screening criteria; or, The target collaborative terminal is the terminal with the lowest total cost value among the reachable terminals that meet the screening conditions; the total cost value is a value determined based on at least one cost function, which is used to determine the cost value of the collaborative terminal performing the collaborative task according to the corresponding device parameters, and different device parameters correspond to different cost functions.

9. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a second terminal, the method includes: Receive a first message sent by a first terminal; the first message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal, and both the first terminal and the second terminal are connected to the same source access network device; Send a third message to the source access network device; the third message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal device; Upon receiving the fourth message sent by the source access network device, a second message is sent to the first terminal; the fourth message is used to indicate the target access network device, and the second message is used to indicate the target access network device.

10. The communication method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Sending the third message to the source access network device includes: The first message is forwarded to the source access network device as the third message; And / or, Sending the second message to the first terminal device includes: The fourth message is forwarded to the first terminal device as the second message.

11. The communication method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The receiving of the first message sent by the first terminal includes: Receive the first message broadcast by the first terminal; The method further includes: If the fourth message is not received from the source access network device, the second message will not be sent to the first terminal.

12. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to access network equipment, the method includes: Receive a second message sent by the second terminal; the second message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal, and both the first terminal and the second terminal are connected to the access network device; A third message is sent to the second terminal; the third message is used to instruct the target access network device.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The method further includes: Based on the location information of the first terminal, it is determined whether the first terminal is in a preset area; the preset area includes signal blind spots or weak coverage areas within the signal coverage area of ​​the access network device. If the first terminal is determined to be in a preset area, the identifier of the target access network device is determined.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The receiving of the second message sent by the second terminal includes: Receive a second message sent by at least one terminal; the at least one terminal includes the second terminal; Before sending the third message to the second terminal, the method further includes: The second terminal is determined from the at least one terminal; the second terminal is the terminal whose second message was first received by the access network device, or the second terminal is the terminal with the highest uplink quality with the source access network device.

15. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes at least one processor coupled to a memory storing a program or instructions, the processor executing the program or instructions to cause the device to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, or the method as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, or the method as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14.

16. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program or instructions stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program or instructions are executed, they cause the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, or the method as described in any one of claims 9 to 11, or the method as described in any one of claims 12 to 14.

17. A communication system, characterized in that, Includes the communication device as described in claim 15.

18. A chip system, characterized in that, The chip system includes one or more processors, which are configured to retrieve and execute instructions stored in memory, such that the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8 is executed, or the method as described in any one of claims 9 to 11 is executed, or the method as described in any one of claims 12 to 14 is executed.

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