Joint data and perceptual signal transmission mode

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to a first communication device (100) for operating in different transmission modes. When operating in a first transmission mode (TM1), the first communication device (100) transmits a data signal to a second communication device (300). When operating in a second transmission mode (TM2), the first communication device (100) sends joint data and a perceived signal to a second communication device (300). Accordingly, the second communication device (300) may be operated in a first reception mode (RM1) to receive the data signal from the first communication device (100), and may be operated in a second reception mode (RM2) to receive the joint data and a perceived signal from the first communication device (100). Therefore, data and perception information can be transmitted and / or received flexibly and efficiently. The invention further relates to a corresponding method and to a computer program.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a first communication device operating in different transmission modes and a second communication device operating in different receiving modes. Furthermore, this invention also relates to a corresponding method and a computer program. Background Technology

[0002] Reliable communication and sensing are the two main pillars of fifth-generation (B5G) networks. Traditionally, communication and sensing systems have been designed independently. These two systems typically use different waveforms, different frequency bands, independent hardware (HW), and different performance metrics, which is inefficient in terms of spectral efficiency, energy efficiency, HW efficiency, and joint design. In recent years, Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) has attracted much attention, not only improving efficiency but also enhancing communication performance through sensing signals (known as sensing-assisted communication) or enhancing sensing quality through communication signals (known as communication-assisted sensing). These two streams can also be jointly designed, known as Joint-Communications-and-Sensing (JCAS).

[0003] ISAC methods have a wide range of use cases, such as object detection and environment map construction in the delay-Doppler-spatial domain, high-precision localization and tracking, improved channel state information (CSI) estimation and tracking, enhanced radio management, imaging and environment reconstruction, and environment sensing (e.g., target detection, event detection, environment detection). Therefore, a practical and efficient ISAC framework is crucial. Since orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) transmission is widely used in wireless networks, candidate schemes for performing communication and sensing can be based on OFDM waveforms and their frame structures in 5G NR. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a solution that can reduce or solve the shortcomings and problems of traditional solutions.

[0005] Another objective of this invention is to provide an efficient and flexible scheme for joint data and sensing transmission.

[0006] The above and other objectives are achieved through the subject matter of the independent claims. Further embodiments of the invention are provided in the dependent claims.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the invention, the above and other objectives are achieved by a first communication device, which is used to: Operating in the first transmission mode, including sending data signals to the second communication device; It operates in a second transmission mode, including sending joint data and sensing signals to a second communication device.

[0008] The advantage of the first communication device according to the first aspect is that it can flexibly support both communication and sensing services simultaneously. Communication may also be referred to or represented herein as data communication. Furthermore, through different transmission modes, the first communication device can support different categories of waveforms and signaling for data transmission and / or sensing signals, depending on the capabilities of the second communication device. The proposed scheme is fully compatible with 5G NR signaling and has minimal impact on existing standards, especially in terms of data transmission. Moreover, the first communication device can efficiently use its power for dual purposes to improve spectral efficiency, energy efficiency, and power efficiency.

[0009] In one implementation of the first communication device according to the first aspect, the data signal is a 3GPP standard data signal.

[0010] The advantage of this implementation is that the data transmission format of 3GPP communication remains unchanged. In this way, the traditional frame structure can be used to support data transmission, thus not affecting traditional second communication devices that lack sensing capabilities, such as traditional user equipment (UE). Furthermore, through the first and second transmission modes, the standard frame structure of the 3GPP standard can be used to simultaneously achieve sensing and communication purposes.

[0011] In one implementation of the first communication device according to the first aspect, the joint data and sensing signal includes data signals and sensing signals separated in the time domain, frequency domain, and / or spatial domain.

[0012] The advantage of this implementation is that it can support communication and sensing separately in the orthogonal domains, and perform appropriate resource allocation and management in the frequency, time, and spatial domains. The separate mode is easy to implement; it only requires configuring available parameters and utilizing available hardware and resources.

[0013] In one implementation of the first communication device according to the first aspect, the combined data and sensing signal include a data signal superimposed on the sensing signal, and vice versa.

[0014] The advantage of this implementation is that it maximizes spectral efficiency and power efficiency by superimposing communication and sensing signals. By properly designing the sensing waveform, potential interference to the communication signal can be controlled. Furthermore, by aligning the sensing signals, interference-free communication can be supported. Therefore, if a traditional UE is unaware of the sensing mode, it can still recover data, and a UE with sensing capabilities can detect data while sensing the channel / environment. Thus, joint communication and sensing transmission can be supported without sacrificing efficiency and resources.

[0015] In one implementation of the first communication device according to the first aspect, the first communication device is used for: After receiving a sensing request message from the second communication device or after sending a sensing request message to the second communication device, the system operates in the second transmission mode, wherein the sensing request message indicates the reception or transmission of the combined data and sensing signal.

[0016] The advantage of this implementation is that the sensing process can be initiated by any of the communication devices. Therefore, a wide range of sensing services and applications can be supported based on the sensing request and device capabilities. For example, a second communication device can request sensing to detect intrusion, monitor the environment (e.g., temperature, humidity, etc.), or detect obstacles in its vicinity. Conversely, a first communication device can request sensing to detect potential obstructions / obstacles around the second communication device and use the sensing information for possible purposes, such as beam management, resource allocation, etc.

[0017] In one implementation of the first communication device according to the first aspect, the first communication device is used for: Receive a sensing capability message from the second communication device, wherein the sensing capability message indicates the sensing capability of the second communication device; The system operates in either the first transmission mode or the second transmission mode based on the perception capability message.

[0018] The advantage of this implementation is that the first communication device can support different types of second communication devices, namely traditional second communication devices and second communication devices with sensing capabilities. Furthermore, based on the sensing capability messages received from the second communication device, the first communication device can determine which transmission mode to operate in to support the requested message, and can also manage the parameters of the sensing waveform.

[0019] In one implementation of the first communication device according to the first aspect, the first communication device is used for: Send a transmission mode message to the second communication device, wherein the transmission mode message instructs the first communication device to send the data signal or the combined data and sensing signal.

[0020] The advantage of this implementation is that the second communication device is informed of the transmission mode used by the first communication device and can tune to that mode, making transmission more flexible and allowing sensing features to be added to the communication system. The sensing process and sensing targets, such as sensing resolution and application, can be flexibly configured according to the capabilities of the second communication device.

[0021] In one implementation of the first communication device according to the first aspect, the transmission mode message further indicates one or more parameters in a group for the joint data and the sensed signal, the group including: a start time instance, a stop time instance, a transmission bandwidth, and a sensed signal waveform.

[0022] The advantage of this implementation is that the second communication device is aware of the waveform parameters and configuration to perform sensing searches and achieve reliable sensing performance, thereby enabling the second communication device to acquire sensing signals. For example, to detect static / low-speed / high-speed objects at various sensing resolutions, various parameters of the combined data and sensing signals can be configured according to the application.

[0023] In one implementation of the first communication device according to the first aspect, the transmission mode message is any one of downlink control information (DCI), radio resource control (RRC), or synchronization signal block (SSB).

[0024] The advantage of this implementation is that available control signaling can be used and / or reconfigured to support communication and sensing services.

[0025] According to a second aspect of the invention, the above and other objectives are achieved by a second communication device, which is used to: Operating in the first receiving mode, including receiving data signals from the first communication device; It operates in a second receiving mode, including receiving joint data and sensing signals from a first communication device.

[0026] The advantage of the second communication device according to the second aspect is that the second communication device can be a conventional second communication device or a second communication device with sensing capabilities. By supporting a second receiving mode, the second communication device can support a wide range of sensing applications and services based on its capabilities, such as indoor and outdoor intrusion detection, obstacle detection and obstacle avoidance, obstruction detection and beam management, multipath component detection, and wireless channel parameter estimation.

[0027] In one implementation of the second communication device according to the second aspect, the data signal is a 3GPP standard data signal.

[0028] The advantage of this implementation is that the data transmission format of 3GPP communication remains unchanged. In this way, the traditional frame structure can be used to support data transmission, thus not affecting traditional second communication devices that lack sensing capabilities. Furthermore, by using both the first and second receive modes, the standard 3GPP frame structure can be used to simultaneously achieve sensing and communication purposes.

[0029] In one implementation of the second communication device according to the second aspect, the joint data and sensing signal includes data signals and sensing signals separated in the time domain, frequency domain, and / or spatial domain.

[0030] The advantage of this implementation is that it can support communication and sensing separately in the orthogonal domains, and perform appropriate resource allocation and management in the frequency, time, and spatial domains. The separate mode is easy to implement; it only requires configuring available parameters and utilizing available hardware and resources.

[0031] In one implementation of the second communication device according to the second aspect, the combined data and sensing signal include a data signal superimposed on the sensing signal, and vice versa.

[0032] The advantage of this implementation is that it maximizes spectral efficiency and power efficiency by superimposing communication and sensing signals. By properly designing the sensing waveform, potential interference to the communication signal can be controlled. Furthermore, by aligning the sensing signals, interference-free communication can be supported. Therefore, if a traditional UE is unaware of the sensing mode, it can still recover data, and a UE with sensing capabilities can detect data while sensing the channel / environment. Thus, joint communication and sensing transmission can be supported without sacrificing efficiency and resources.

[0033] In one implementation of the second communication device according to the second aspect, the second communication device is used for: Before receiving the combined data and sensing signals, a sensing request message is sent to the first communication device, wherein the sensing request message indicates the receipt of the combined data and sensing signals.

[0034] The advantage of this implementation is that the sensing process can be initiated by a second communication device. Therefore, a wide range of sensing services and applications can be supported based on the sensing request and device capabilities. For example, the second communication device can request sensing to detect intrusion, monitor the environment (e.g., temperature, humidity, etc.), or detect obstacles in its vicinity.

[0035] In one implementation of the second communication device according to the second aspect, the second communication device is used for: A sensing capability message is sent to the first communication device, wherein the sensing capability message indicates the sensing capability of the second communication device.

[0036] The advantage of this implementation is that the first communication device can be informed of the sensing capabilities of the second communication device and can decide which transmission mode to operate for the second communication device.

[0037] In one implementation of the second communication device according to the second aspect, the second communication device is used for: The first communication device receives a transmission mode message, wherein the transmission mode message instructs the first communication device to send the data signal or the combined data and sensing signal.

[0038] The advantage of this implementation is that the second communication device is informed of the transmission mode used by the first communication device and can tune to that mode, making transmission more flexible and allowing sensing features to be added to the communication system. The sensing process and sensing targets, such as sensing resolution and application, can be flexibly configured according to the capabilities of the second communication device.

[0039] In one implementation of the second communication device according to the second aspect, the transmission mode message further indicates one or more parameters in a group for the joint data and the sensed signal, the group including: a start time instance, a stop time instance, a transmission bandwidth, and a sensed signal waveform.

[0040] The advantage of this implementation is that the second communication device is aware of the waveform parameters and configuration to perform sensing searches and achieve reliable sensing performance, thereby enabling the second communication device to acquire sensing signals. For example, to detect static / low-speed / high-speed objects at various sensing resolutions, various parameters of the combined data and sensing signals can be configured according to the application.

[0041] In one implementation of the second communication device according to the second aspect, the transmission mode message is any one of DCI, RRC, or SSB.

[0042] The advantage of this implementation is that available control signaling can be used and / or reconfigured to support communication and sensing services.

[0043] According to a third aspect of the invention, the above and other objectives are achieved by a method for a first communication device, the method comprising: Operating in the first transmission mode, including sending data signals to the second communication device; It operates in a second transmission mode, including sending joint data and sensing signals to a second communication device.

[0044] The method described according to the third aspect can be extended to an implementation corresponding to the implementation of the first communication device according to the first aspect. Therefore, the implementation of the method includes one or more features of the corresponding implementation of the first communication device.

[0045] The advantages of the method described in the third aspect are the same as the advantages of the corresponding implementation of the first communication device described in the first aspect.

[0046] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the above and other objects are achieved by a method for a second communication device, the method comprising: Operating in the first receiving mode, including receiving data signals from the first communication device; It operates in a second receiving mode, including receiving joint data and sensing signals from a first communication device.

[0047] The method described according to the fourth aspect can be extended to an implementation corresponding to the implementation of the second communication device according to the second aspect. Therefore, the implementation of the method includes one or more features of the corresponding implementation of the second communication device.

[0048] The advantages of the method described in the fourth aspect are the same as the advantages of the corresponding implementation of the second communication device described in the second aspect.

[0049] This invention also relates to a computer program, characterized by having program code that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform any of the methods provided in this invention. Furthermore, this invention also relates to a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium and the computer program, wherein the computer program is contained within the computer-readable medium and may include one or more of the following: read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), hard disk drive, etc.

[0050] Other applications and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed implementation. Attached Figure Description

[0051] The accompanying drawings are intended to illustrate and explain different embodiments of the invention, in which: Figure 1 A first communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 2 A flowchart of a method for a first communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 3 A second communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 4 A flowchart of a method for a second communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 5 A communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 6 This illustrates transmission modes for different second communication devices according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 A type I frame structure for a second transmission mode according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 8 A Type II frame structure for a second transmission mode according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 9 Signaling related to transmission mode selection according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 10 The construction of joint data and sensing signals according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Detailed Implementation

[0052] OFDM waveforms and their frame structures in 5G NR are candidate solutions for performing communication and sensing. However, for dual-selective channels, i.e., high-dispersion channels in the delay and Doppler domains, OFDM waveforms may not be the optimal choice. Particularly in high-Doppler channels, the performance of OFDM systems degrades for both sensing and communication systems due to inter-carrier interference (ICI). For example, channel estimation quality and bit error rate (BER) decrease, and OFDM-based time-of-arrival (ToA) and location estimation may not achieve the required accuracy. On the other hand, in multipath channels, while the effects of inter-symbol interference (ISI) can be controlled by adding a cyclic prefix (CP), spectral efficiency may decrease. Furthermore, ToA and location estimation can still be complex and costly due to the need for iterative elimination of multipath effects in the time / frequency domain.

[0053] In summary, OFDM waveforms perform well in communication, but their performance in sensing is subpar in certain scenarios. To address these issues, orthogonal time-frequency space (OTFS) waveforms have been proposed to replace OFDM, but OTFS also has drawbacks, particularly in data transmission. Therefore, 5G-NR and its evolution require simultaneous support for both OFDM transmission and sensing transmission.

[0054] The recent 3GPP meeting discussed how to manage sensing and communication. One approach is to use orthogonal sensing and communication transmissions, such as different time slots or different frequency bands, or to use available reference signals to perform sensing and communication, which is not part of the joint design approach. The need for new waveform designs for sensing and communication is also under discussion.

[0055] According to embodiments of the present invention, a scheme is provided to support different transmission modes for sensing and communication in 5G-NR and its future evaluation. This scheme allows for flexible configuration of transmission modes in various scenarios, supporting both traditional user equipment (UE) without sensing features and more advanced ISAC UEs capable of collaborating with the network to support sensing features.

[0056] Figure 1 A first communication device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the first communication device 100 includes a processor 102, a transceiver 104, and a memory 106. The processor 102 is coupled to the transceiver 104 and the memory 106 via a communication device 108 known in the art. The first communication device 100 can be used for wireless and / or wired communication in a communication system. Wireless communication capability can be implemented using an antenna or antenna array 110 coupled to the transceiver 104, while wired communication capability can be implemented using, for example, a wired communication interface 112 coupled to the transceiver 104.

[0057] Processor 102 may be referred to as one or more general-purpose central processing units (CPUs), one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), one or more programmable logic devices, one or more discrete gates, one or more transistor logic devices, one or more discrete hardware components, or one or more chipsets. Memory 106 may be read-only memory, random access memory (RAM), or non-volatile RAM (NVRAM). Transceiver 104 may be transceiver circuitry, a power controller, or an interface providing the ability to communicate with other communication modules or communication devices (such as network nodes and network servers). Transceiver 104, memory 106, and / or processor 102 may be implemented in separate chipsets or in a common chipset.

[0058] The first communication device 100 is used to perform certain actions. In this invention, the first communication device 100 includes suitable means for performing these actions, such as a processor 102 and a transceiver 104.

[0059] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first communication device 100 is configured to: operate in a first transmission mode TM1, including sending data signals to the second communication device 300; and operate in a second transmission mode TM2, including sending combined data and sensing signals to the second communication device 300.

[0060] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first communication device 100 for the communication system 500 includes a transceiver configured to: operate in a first transmission mode TM1, including transmitting data signals to the second communication device 300; and operate in a second transmission mode TM2, including transmitting combined data and sensing signals to the second communication device 300.

[0061] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present invention, the first communication 100 for the communication system 500 includes a processor and a memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following operations: operating in a first transmission mode TM1, including sending data signals to the second communication device 300; and operating in a second transmission mode TM2, including sending combined data and sensing signals to the second communication device 300.

[0062] Figure 2 This illustrates that communication can be performed in the first communication device 100 (e.g., Figure 1 The flowchart shows the corresponding method 200 executed in the first communication device 100. Method 200 includes: operating in a first transmission mode TM1 202, including sending a data signal to the second communication device 300; and operating in a second transmission mode TM2 204, including sending combined data and sensing signals to the second communication device 300.

[0063] Figure 3 A second communication device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the second communication device 300 includes a processor 302, a transceiver 304, and a memory 306. The processor 302 is coupled to the transceiver 304 and the memory 306 via a communication device 308 known in the art. The second communication device 300 can be used for wireless and / or wired communication in a communication system. Wireless communication capability can be implemented using an antenna or antenna array 310 coupled to the transceiver 304, while wired communication capability can be implemented, for example, using a wired communication interface 312 coupled to the transceiver 304.

[0064] Processor 302 may be referred to as one or more general-purpose CPUs, one or more DSPs, one or more ASICs, one or more FPGAs, one or more programmable logic devices, one or more discrete gates, one or more transistor logic devices, one or more discrete hardware components, or one or more chipsets. Memory 306 may be read-only memory, RAM, or NVRAM. Transceiver 304 may be transceiver circuitry, a power controller, or an interface providing the ability to communicate with other communication modules or communication devices. Transceiver 304, memory 306, and / or processor 302 may be implemented in separate chipsets or in a common chipset.

[0065] The second communication device 300 is used to perform certain actions. In this invention, the second communication device 300 includes suitable means for performing these actions, such as a processor 302 and a transceiver 304.

[0066] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second communication device 300 is configured to: operate in a first receiving mode RM1, including receiving data signals from the first communication device 100; and operate in a second receiving mode RM2, including receiving combined data and sensing signals from the first communication device 100.

[0067] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the second communication device 300 for the communication system 500 includes a transceiver configured to: operate in a first receiving mode RM1, including receiving data signals from the first communication device 100; and operate in a second receiving mode RM2, including receiving combined data and sensing signals from the first communication device 100.

[0068] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present invention, a second communication device 300 for a communication system 500 includes a processor and a memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following operations: operating in a first receiving mode RM1, including receiving data signals from the first communication device 100; and operating in a second receiving mode RM2, including receiving combined data and sensing signals from the first communication device 100.

[0069] Figure 4 This illustrates that a second communication device 300 (e.g., Figure 3 The flowchart shows the corresponding method 400 executed in the second communication device 300 shown. Method 400 includes: operating in a first receiving mode RM1 402, including receiving data signals from the first communication device 100; and operating in a second receiving mode RM2 404, including receiving combined data and sensing signals from the first communication device 100.

[0070] Figure 5 A communication system 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The communication system 500 in the disclosed embodiment includes a first communication device 100 and a second communication device 300 for communication and operation within the communication system 500. In the illustrated embodiment, the first communication device 100 is configured as a network access node, and the second communication device 300 is configured as a client device. However, in other embodiments, the first communication device 100 may be configured as a client device, and the second communication device 300 may be configured as either a client device or a network access node. The first communication device 100, acting as a network access node, can be connected to a network (NW), such as a core network, via a communication interface. The communication system 500 may be a communication system according to 3GPP standards, such as a 5G system, in which case the client device may be a UE, and the network access node may be a next-generation nodeB (gNB), but the invention is not limited thereto.

[0071] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a first communication device 100 is configured to operate under a first transmission mode TM1 and a second transmission mode TM2. When operating under the first transmission mode TM1, the first communication device 100 transmits data signals to a second communication device 300. When operating under the second transmission mode TM2, the first communication device 100 transmits combined data and sensing signals to the second communication device 300. In this embodiment, more than two transmission modes can be defined; therefore, the first communication device 100 can operate under two or more different transmission modes TM1, TM2...TMn.

[0072] refer to Figure 5 The signal 502 transmitted from the first communication device 100 to the second communication device 300 can therefore be a data signal or a combination of data and sensing signals, depending on whether the first communication device 100 is operating in a first transmission mode TM1 or a second transmission mode TM2. When sending a signal to the second communication device 300, the first communication device 100 can switch between the two transmission modes TM1 and TM2, for example, depending on whether a sensing request is made to the second communication device 300. The first communication device 100 can also operate in the first transmission mode TM1 for one second communication device 300' and in the second transmission mode TM2 for another second communication device 300', and vice versa.

[0073] Accordingly, the second communication device 300 can operate in at least two different receiving modes to receive signals 502 transmitted from the first communication device 100. When the second communication device 300 operates in the first receiving mode RM1, it receives data signals from the first communication device 100. When the second communication device 300 operates in the second receiving mode RM2, it receives combined data and sensing signals from the first communication device 100.

[0074] The first communication device 100 can select transmission modes TM1, TM2...TMn based on, for example, a sensing request and the sensing capability of the receiving second communication device 300, such as... Figure 6 As shown. Figure 6 The following illustrates transmission modes for different second communication devices according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, it is assumed that one second communication device 300a is a conventional device without sensing capabilities, while the other second communication device 300b has sensing capabilities. Figure 6As indicated by the solid arrows, transmission mode TM1 for data signal transmission can be used in either of the second communication devices 300a or 300b. Transmission mode TM2 for combined data and sensing signal transmission can generally be used for transmission to the sensing-capable second communication device 300b. However, as indicated by the dashed arrows, transmission using transmission mode TM2 may be transparent to the non-sensing-capable second communication device 300a; that is, the second communication device 300a can receive and process the data signal in the combined data and sensing signal transmission while ignoring the sensing signal.

[0075] Other transmission modes TMn can be defined and used for jointly transmitting data and sensing other methods for the second communication device 300b with sensing capabilities, such as... Figure 6 As shown. For example, other transmission modes TMn can be defined for monostatic sensing, where the first communication device 100 and the second communication device 300 are the same communication device and are equipped with multiple transmit and multiple receive antennas. In this case, one possible way to transmit data and sense signals is to generate a single signal, but in two directions, i.e., separated in the spatial domain, one direction for the data signal and one direction for the sensing signal. Therefore, the second communication device 300a without sensing capability does not need to know the sensing signal. On the other hand, the second communication device 300b with sensing capability can search for the echo of the received signal from a specific direction to search for possible targets. In addition, other transmission modes TMn can be defined to handle specific sensing reference signals or specific waveforms defined in future versions of the 3GPP standard.

[0076] The data signal can be a 3GPP standard data signal, such as OFDM or Discrete Fourier Transforms (DFTs)-OFDM. Therefore, the first transmission mode TM1 can be a conventional transmission mode, in which the first communication device 100 transmits the data signal using a standard OFDM waveform (e.g., a 5G-NR OFDM waveform). When operating in the first transmission mode TM1, the first communication device 100 can function as a conventional 5G-NR transceiver. The first communication device 100 can operate in the first transmission mode TM1 when there is no sensing request, i.e., when there is no sensing signal to be transmitted to the second communication device 300. Correspondingly, the first receive mode RM1 can be a conventional receive mode for the second communication device 300 to receive 3GPP standard data signals (e.g., OFDM or DFTs-OFDM).

[0077] The second transmission mode TM2 can be used when sensing has been requested, i.e., when both data and sensing information need to be sent to the second communication device 300. Data and sensing information can be transmitted using joint data and sensing signals. The joint data and sensing signals can be constructed in different ways, for example, using multiplexing, interleaving, or overlay techniques.

[0078] In embodiments, the combined data and sensing signals may include data signals and sensing signals separated in the time, frequency, and / or spatial domains. Data signals may, for example, be multiplexed and / or interleaved with sensing signals in the time, frequency, and / or spatial domains. Sensing signals may be OFDM-compatible sensing signals or other predefined sensing signals. In embodiments, sensing signals may be available or modified reference signals defined in 5G-NR for uplink or downlink use. Sensing signals may also be future-specific sensing reference signals based on OFDM or OFDM-compatible signals. During sensing signal transmission in time, frequency, and / or spatial resources, data signal transmission may not be present. When data signals and sensing signals are separated in the time, frequency, and / or spatial domains, data transmission may therefore be discontinuous. In this case, the second transmission mode TM2 may be referred to as a low data payload mode.

[0079] Figure 7 A frame structure for transmitting data signals and sensing signals separated in the time domain is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention. In a first subframe F1, a first communication device 100 transmits a data signal, and in a subsequent second subframe F2, the first communication device 100 transmits a sensing signal. In a third subframe F3 following the second subframe F2, the first communication device 100 transmits a data signal again. Figure 7 In the frame structure shown (referred to here as the Type I frame structure), each subframe includes either a data signal or a sensing signal. When a sensing signal is transmitted, no data signal is transmitted, and vice versa. Therefore, the Type I frame structure results in discontinuous data transmission, which can be called a low data payload mode. The Type I frame structure can be used, for example, to support conventional communication devices without sensing capabilities, or to support orthogonal resource allocation for sensing and communication.

[0080] In embodiments, the joint data and sensing signal includes a data signal superimposed on the sensing signal, and vice versa. The sensor signal portion can be superimposed, for example, with an existing OFDM sample in the cyclic prefix portion of an OFDM symbol that includes a cyclic prefix portion and a data portion. The sensor signal portion can, for example, overlay the cyclic prefix portion, i.e., the sensor signal can be positioned on top of one or more cyclic prefix samples. The sensor signal portion can also be positioned in a time slot within the cyclic prefix portion. A time slot can be obtained by silencing one or more cyclic prefix samples (e.g., not sending or deleting one or more cyclic prefix samples). When the joint data and sensing signal is based on the superposition of data and sensing signals, continuous data transmission can be achieved. In this case, the second transmission mode TM2 can be referred to as a high data payload mode.

[0081] Figure 8 A frame structure for transmitting a data signal superimposed on a sensing signal (or vice versa) according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In a first subframe F1, a first communication device 100 transmits a data signal. In a subsequent second subframe F2, the first communication device 100 transmits both the data signal and the sensing signal, wherein the data signal is superimposed on the sensing signal, and vice versa. In a third subframe F3 following the second subframe F2, the first communication device 100 again transmits only the data signal. Figure 8 In the frame structure shown (referred to here as Type II frame structure), subframes can include data, or data and sensing data. This ensures continuous data transmission. Therefore, Type II frame structure can support continuous data transmission without time interruption, which can be called a high data payload mode. Type II frame structure supports more advanced joint design of data and sensing signals, such as the overlay transmission described above.

[0082] Each transmission mode TM1, TM2...TMn can be associated with a binary form / format (e.g., binary index) to identify the transmission mode TM1, TM2...TMn. Table 1 shows the transmission mode definitions according to an embodiment of the present invention. This association table can be defined by the network to support different transmission modes. Transmission mode configuration can be configured based on this table or any other suitable representation of different transmission modes.

[0083] Table 1

[0084] Transmission mode configurations can also be defined in binary form, as shown in Table 2. A transmission mode configuration can include a set of parameters for configuring the transmission mode. This set of parameters may include, for example, control signaling, the type and / or capabilities of the second communication device, sensing parameters, sensing requirements / resolution, etc. Sensing parameters may include the number of targets and parameters related to the number of targets to be fed back after sensing measurements, such as delay, Doppler, angle of arrival, departure angle, and radar cross-section (RCS) for each target. Sensing parameters may also include sensing waveform type, transmission bandwidth, transmission start time, transmission stop time, and sensing mode. Each transmission mode and transmission mode configuration can have different parameter settings. For example, if the first transmission mode TM1 is active, there is no specific sensing configuration in the transmission mode configuration, but if the second transmission mode TM2 is active, the transmission mode configuration can define frame type, transmission bandwidth, start time, stop time, sensing waveform structure, sensing targets, etc. Therefore, the transmission mode configuration depends on the transmission mode.

[0085] Table 2

[0086] When sensing is not active, i.e., when there is no sensing signal to send, the first communication device 100 can operate in a first transmission mode TM1. In an embodiment, the first transmission mode TM1 can be the default transmission mode. When sensing is activated, for example, according to a sensing request, the first communication device 100 can switch to operating in a second transmission mode TM2. The sensing request can be initiated by the first communication device 100 or the second communication device 300. The sensing request can also be initiated by a network node or other communication device.

[0087] Figure 9 Signaling for determining transmission and reception modes between a first communication device 100 and a second communication device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In step I, the second communication device 300 sends a sensing capability message 520 to the first communication device 100, wherein the sensing capability message 520 indicates the sensing capability of the second communication device 300.

[0088] The first communication device 100 receives a sensing capability message 520 from the second communication device 300, and thus acquires the sensing capability of the second communication device 300 indicated in the sensing capability message 520. According to the sensing capability message 520, the first communication device 100 can operate in either a first transmission mode TM1 or a second transmission mode TM2. Therefore, the first communication device 100 can determine whether to operate in the first transmission mode TM1 or the second transmission mode TM2 based on the sensing capability of the second communication device 300. In this way, transmission can be adapted to the sensing capability of the second communication device 300.

[0089] exist Figure 9 In step II, a sensing transmission is requested. The first communication device 100 or the second communication device 300 may use sensing request messages 510, 510' to request sensing. When the second communication device 300 sends sensing request message 510 to the first communication device 100, sensing request message 510 indicates the reception of combined data and sensing signals. Before receiving the combined data and sensing signals, the second communication device 300 sends sensing request message 510 to the first communication device 100. The second communication device 300 may use sensing request 510 to indicate that it desires and / or is ready to receive combined data and sensing signals.

[0090] When the first communication device 100 sends a sensing request message 510' to the second communication device 300, the sensing request message 510' indicates the transmission of combined data and sensing signals. The first communication device 100 can use the sensing request 510' to indicate to the second communication device 300 that it will send combined data and sensing signals.

[0091] exist Figure 9 In step III, the first communication device 100 sends a transmission mode message 530 to the second communication device 300. The transmission mode message 530 instructs the first communication device 100 to send a data signal or a combined data and sensing signal. The transmission mode message 530 can be any one of downlink control information (DCI), radio resource control (RRC), or synchronization signal block (SSB).

[0092] The second communication device 300 receives a transmission mode message 530 from the first communication device 100 and thereby obtains an indication of whether the first communication device 100 is sending data signals or combining data and sensing signals, i.e., an indication of which transmission mode (TM1 or TM2) the first communication device 100 is using.

[0093] In an embodiment, the transmission mode message 530 also indicates one or more parameters in a group for the joint data and sensed signal, the group including: a start time instance, a stop time instance, a transmission bandwidth, and a sensed signal waveform. The start time instance and stop time instance define when the joint data and sensed signal are transmitted, and the transmission bandwidth defines the bandwidth for the transmission of the joint data and sensed signal. The sensed waveform can be defined, for example, by a sensed sequence in the time / frequency / spatial domain, a pulse repetition interval (PRI), a coherent pulse interval (CPI), etc. The sensed signal waveform can be, for example, a waveform similar to that of a pulse radar, comprising multiple pulses with a specific pattern in the time domain. For example, a transmitter can transmit N pulses in the time domain. If each pulse has a duration Tp, and only one pulse is transmitted in the PRI, denoted as T, then the CPI becomes N×T, which is the entire observation time of the sensed signal. Therefore, the transmission mode message 530 can instruct the second communication device 300 to receive and decode the joint data and sensed signal.

[0094] According to transmission mode message 530, in Figure 9 In step IV, the first communication device 100 and the second communication device 300 are configured to selected transmission and reception modes, respectively. The transmission and reception modes can be selected, for example, based on sensing request messages 510, 510' and / or sensing capability message 520. In the illustrated embodiment, assuming sensing request messages 510, 510' have been sent and the second communication device 300 supports sensing, the first communication device 100 tunes to sensing and begins operation in the second transmission mode TM2, while the second communication device 300 begins operation in the second reception mode RM2.

[0095] In step V, after receiving a sensing request message 510 from the second communication device 300 or after sending a sensing request message 510' to the second communication device 300, the first communication device 100 operates in the second transmission mode TM2. Sensing request messages 510 and 510' indicate the reception or transmission of combined data and sensing signals. Therefore, the first communication device 100 sends combined data and sensing signals to the second communication device 300. The second communication device 300 receives the combined data and sensing signals and can perform sensing measurements on the sensing portion of the combined data and sensing signals. As previously described, the sensing portion can be received as a separate signal or superimposed on the data signal.

[0096] According to the 3GPP implementation of the present invention, in order to transmit sensing signals, a specific delay-Doppler-spatial domain sensing reference signal can be used for each transceiver of the first communication device 100, i.e., orthogonal sensing sequences can be multiplexed for each transceiver. Then, a time-domain corresponding signal can be generated. This transmission scheme can also include OFDM-based sensing signals. Furthermore, any signal similar to radar can be used. For the second transmission mode TM2 where data and sensing signals are separated, sensing signals can be transmitted through t sensing resource units. For the second transmission mode TM2 where data and sensing signals are superimposed, the sensing signals can be added to a 5G-NR OFDM signal, and then the superimposed data and sensing signals can be transmitted. For example, as... Figure 10 As shown, a sensing waveform can be generated based on a delay-Doppler domain reference signal (DD-RS) transmitted to the time domain or based on any radar-like signal used for sensing and tracking in the time domain. The sensing waveform can then be superimposed on a 5G-NR OFDM signal or a 5G DFTs-OFDM signal to generate superimposed data and a sensing signal. At the second communication device 300, sensing processing can be performed to estimate sensing parameters by receiving the sensing signal as a separate signal or a superimposed signal. The sensing reference signal parameters can be defined in the transmission mode configuration.

[0097] The first communication device in this article can also be represented as a network access node or a client device, and the second communication device in this article can also be represented as a network access node or a client device.

[0098] In this document, a network access node can also be referred to as a wireless network access node, access network access node, access point (AP), or base station (BS), such as a radio base station (RBS). In some networks, a base station may be called a transmitter, "gNB," "gNodeB," "eNB," "eNodeB," "NodeB," or "B node," depending on the standards, technologies, and terminology used. Depending on the transmission power, and thus also the cell size, a wireless network access node can be of different categories or types, such as a macro eNodeB, a home eNodeB, or a pico cell. A wireless network access node can also be a site, i.e., any device connected to wireless medium (WM) with IEEE 802.11-compliant media access control (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) interfaces. Wireless network access nodes can be used to communicate in the following: 3GPP-related long term evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, new radio (NR) and other fifth-generation (5G) wireless systems and their evolution, as well as IEEE-related Wi-Fi, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) and their evolution.

[0099] In this document, a client device can refer to a user device / user equipment (UE), a mobile station, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a sensor device, a wireless terminal, and / or a mobile terminal, and is capable of wireless communication in a wireless communication system (sometimes also called a cellular wireless system). A UE can also be referred to as a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a wirelessly capable computer tablet, or a laptop. For example, in this context, a UE can be a portable, pocket-sized, handheld, computer-configurable, or vehicle-mounted mobile device capable of transmitting voice and / or data with another communication entity (e.g., another receiver or server) via a radio access network (RAN). A UE can also be a site, i.e., any device connected to WM with IEEE 802.11 compliant MAC and PHY interfaces. A UE can be used for communication in 3GPP-related LTE, Advanced LTE, 5G wireless systems (e.g., NR) and their evolutions, as well as in IEEE-related Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and their evolutions.

[0100] Furthermore, any method provided in the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in a computer program having code means, which, when run by a processing means, causes the processing means to perform the steps of the method. The computer program is included in a computer-readable medium of the computer program product. The computer-readable medium can substantially include any memory, such as the aforementioned ROM, PROM, EPROM, flash memory, EEPROM, or hard disk drive.

[0101] Furthermore, it should be recognized that the first and second communication devices include the necessary communication capabilities in the form of functions, devices, units, elements, etc., for performing or implementing embodiments of the present invention. Examples of other such devices, units, elements, and functions include: processors, memories, buffers, control logic, encoders, decoders, rate matchers, de-rate matchers, mapping units, multipliers, decision units, selection units, switches, interleavers, deinterleavers, modulators, demodulators, inputs, outputs, antennas, amplifiers, receiving units, transmitting units, DSPs, TCM encoders, TCM decoders, power supply units, power feeders, communication interfaces, communication protocols, etc., which are suitably arranged together to execute the scheme.

[0102] Therefore, one or more processors in the first and second communication devices may include, for example, a CPU, processing unit, processing circuitry, processor, ASIC, microprocessor, or other processing logic capable of interpreting and executing instructions. Thus, the term "processor" can refer to a processing circuitry system that includes multiple processing circuits (e.g., any, some, or all of the aforementioned processing circuits). The processing circuitry system can also perform data processing functions for inputting, outputting, and processing data, including data buffering and device control functions such as call processing control, user interface control, etc.

[0103] Finally, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but also relates to and incorporates all embodiments within the scope of the appended independent claims.

Claims

1. A first communication device (100), characterized in that, Used for: Operating in the first transmission mode (TM1), including sending data signals to the second communication device (300); It operates in the second transmission mode (TM2), including sending joint data and sensing signals to the second communication device (300).

2. The first communication device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The data signal is a 3GPP standard data signal.

3. The first communication device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The combined data and sensing signals include data signals and sensing signals separated in the time domain, frequency domain, and / or spatial domain.

4. The first communication device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The combined data and sensing signals include data signals superimposed on sensing signals, and vice versa.

5. The first communication device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, Used for: After receiving a sensing request message (510) from the second communication device (300) or after sending a sensing request message (510') to the second communication device (300), the system operates in the second transmission mode (TM2), wherein the sensing request message (510, 510') indicates the reception or transmission of the combined data and sensing signal.

6. The first communication device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, Used for: Receive a sensing capability message (520) from the second communication device (300), wherein the sensing capability message (520) indicates the sensing capability of the second communication device (300); It operates in the first transmission mode (TM1) or the second transmission mode (TM2) according to the perception capability message (520).

7. The first communication device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, Used for: Send a transmission mode message (530) to the second communication device (300), wherein the transmission mode message (530) instructs the first communication device (100) to send the data signal or the combined data and sensing signal.

8. The first communication device (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The transmission mode message (530) also indicates one or more parameters in a group for the joint data and sensed signal, the group including: start time instance, stop time instance, transmission bandwidth and sensed signal waveform.

9. The first communication device (100) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The transmission mode message (530) is any one of downlink control information (DCI), radio resource control (RRC), or synchronization signal block (SSB).

10. A second communication device (300), characterized in that, Used for: Operating in the first receiving mode (RM1), including receiving data signals from the first communication device (100); Operating in the second receiving mode (RM2), it includes receiving combined data and sensing signals from the first communication device (100).

11. The second communication device (300) according to claim 10, characterized in that, The data signal is a 3GPP standard data signal.

12. The second communication device (300) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The combined data and sensing signals include data signals and sensing signals separated in the time domain, frequency domain, and / or spatial domain.

13. The second communication device (300) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The combined data and sensing signals include data signals superimposed on sensing signals, and vice versa.

14. The second communication device (300) according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that, Used for: Before receiving the combined data and sensing signals, a sensing request message (510) is sent to the first communication device (100), wherein the sensing request message (510) indicates the receipt of the combined data and sensing signals.

15. The second communication device (300) according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that, Used for: A sensing capability message (520) is sent to the first communication device (100), wherein the sensing capability message (520) indicates the sensing capability of the second communication device (300).

16. The second communication device (300) according to any one of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that, Used for: A transmission mode message (530) is received from the first communication device (100), wherein the transmission mode message (530) instructs the first communication device (100) to send the data signal or the combined data and sensing signal.

17. The second communication device (300) according to claim 16, characterized in that, The transmission mode message (530) also indicates one or more parameters in a group for the joint data and sensed signal, the group including: start time instance, stop time instance, transmission bandwidth and sensed signal waveform.

18. The second communication device (300) according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that, The transmission mode message (530) is any one of DCI, RRC or SSB.

19. A method (200) for a first communication device (100), characterized in that, The method (200) includes: Operating in the first transmission mode (TM1) (202), including sending data signals to the second communication device (300); Operating in the second transmission mode (TM2) (204), including sending joint data and sensing signals to the second communication device (300).

20. A method (400) for a second communication device (300), characterized in that, The method (400) includes: Operating in the first receiving mode (RM1) (402), including receiving data signals from the first communication device (100); Operating in the second receiving mode (RM2) (404), including receiving joint data and sensing signals from the first communication device (100).

21. A computer program having program code, characterized in that, The program code is used to: execute the method according to claim 19 or 20 when the computer program is run on a computer.

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