Dormancy method, cell reselection method, device, related equipment, storage medium and computer program product

Abstract

The invention discloses a dormancy method, a cell reselection method and device, network equipment, a terminal, a storage medium and a computer program product. The method comprises the following steps: network equipment obtains a first number and a second number, the first number comprises the number of connected state terminals, and the second number comprises the number of non-connected state terminals; and under the condition that the first number is smaller than a first threshold value and the second number is smaller than a second threshold value, entering a dormant state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wireless communication, and more particularly to a sleep method, a cell reselection method, an apparatus, related equipment, a storage medium, and a computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, base stations can avoid energy waste by entering a sleep state. To ensure the continuity of service for terminals served by a base station, before the base station enters a sleep state, connected terminals within the cell served by that base station can be migrated to cells served by other base stations, thus ensuring that connected terminals can continue to receive service.

[0003] However, there is currently no effective solution to ensure the user experience of non-connected terminals when there are non-connected terminals residing in the cell served by the base station, and the base station can enter a dormant state. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the related technical problems, embodiments of this application provide a hibernation method, a cell reselection method, an apparatus, related equipment, a storage medium, and a computer program product.

[0005] The technical solution of this application embodiment is implemented as follows:

[0006] This application provides a hibernation method applied to a network device, including:

[0007] Obtain a first quantity and a second quantity, wherein the first quantity includes the number of connected terminals and the second quantity includes the number of non-connected terminals;

[0008] If the first quantity is less than the first threshold and the second quantity is less than the second threshold, the system enters a dormant state.

[0009] In the above scheme, before entering the hibernation state, the method further includes:

[0010] Send a first message to a non-connected terminal, the first message indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state;

[0011] The connected terminal is migrated to a first cell, which is different from the cell where the network device is located.

[0012] In the above scheme, the system information (SI) message sent by the network device includes the first information.

[0013] In the above scheme, the downlink control information (DCI) sent by the network device includes the first information.

[0014] In the above scheme, obtaining the second quantity includes:

[0015] The second quantity is determined using the acquired second information; wherein the second information includes dwell-related information sent when the terminal enters a non-connected state, the dwell-related information includes the identifier of the terminal and the time information of the terminal entering the non-connected state, and the dwell-related information is used by the network device to determine the state of the terminal.

[0016] The method in the above scheme further includes:

[0017] Receive the second information sent by the terminal that has entered the disconnected state.

[0018] This application also provides a cell reselection method applied to a terminal, wherein the terminal is in a disconnected state, including:

[0019] Receive first information sent by a network device, the first information indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state;

[0020] Perform a neighborhood reselection.

[0021] In the above scheme, the first information sent by the receiving network device includes:

[0022] The first information is obtained by reading the SI message.

[0023] In the above scheme, the first information sent by the receiving network device includes:

[0024] The first information is obtained by reading the DCI.

[0025] The method in the above scheme further includes:

[0026] The terminal enters the connected state from the disconnected state, sends second information to the network device, and then re-enters the disconnected state. The second information includes the terminal's residency-related information, which includes the terminal's identifier and the time information of when the terminal entered the disconnected state. The residency-related information is used by the network device to determine the terminal's state.

[0027] This application also provides a hibernation device, including:

[0028] An acquisition unit is used to acquire a first quantity and a second quantity, wherein the first quantity includes the number of connected terminals and the second quantity includes the number of non-connected terminals;

[0029] A sleep unit is used to enter a sleep state when the first quantity is less than a first threshold and the second quantity is less than a second threshold.

[0030] This application embodiment also provides a cell reselection device, installed in a terminal, wherein the terminal is in a disconnected state, including:

[0031] A receiving unit is configured to receive first information sent by a network device, the first information indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state.

[0032] The processing unit is used for cell reselection.

[0033] This application also provides a network device, including: a first processor and a first communication interface; wherein,

[0034] The first processor is configured to obtain a first quantity and a second quantity through the first communication interface, wherein the first quantity includes the number of connected terminals and the second quantity includes the number of non-connected terminals; and to enter a sleep state when the first quantity is less than a first threshold and the second quantity is less than a second threshold.

[0035] This application embodiment also provides a terminal, the terminal being in a non-connected state, including:

[0036] The second communication interface is used to receive first information sent by the network device, the first information indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state.

[0037] The second processor is used for cell reselection.

[0038] This application also provides a network device, including: a first processor and a first memory for storing a computer program capable of running on the processor.

[0039] Wherein, when the first processor is used to run the computer program, it executes the steps of any of the methods described above on the network device side.

[0040] This application also provides a terminal, including: a second processor and a second memory for storing computer programs capable of running on the processor.

[0041] Wherein, when the second processor is running the computer program, it executes the steps of any of the methods described above on the terminal side.

[0042] This application embodiment also provides a storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of any of the above-described methods on the network device side, or implements the steps of any of the above-described methods on the terminal side.

[0043] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of any of the above-described methods on the network device side or on the terminal side.

[0044] The sleep mode method, cell reselection method, apparatus, related equipment, storage medium, and computer program product provided in this application embodiment allow the network device to acquire a first quantity and a second quantity. The first quantity includes the number of connected terminals, and the second quantity includes the number of disconnected terminals. When the first quantity is less than a first threshold and the second quantity is less than a second threshold, the network device enters a sleep state. The solution provided in this application embodiment ensures that the network device only enters a sleep state when both the number of connected and disconnected terminals are relatively small, thus optimizing the sleep strategy and preventing the device from entering a sleep state even when the number of disconnected terminals is large, thereby protecting the user experience of disconnected terminals.

[0045] Simultaneously, the terminal receives first information sent by the network device, indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state and the terminal is in a disconnected state; then, cell reselection is performed. The solution provided in this application embodiment allows a disconnected terminal to learn that the network device needs to enter a sleep state through the first information, thereby enabling timely cell reselection. In this way, the disconnected terminal will not reside in the cell corresponding to an already sleep-state network device, avoiding coverage loss and ensuring a better user experience for the disconnected terminal. Attached Figure Description

[0046] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a hibernation method according to an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a cell reselection method according to an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a non-connectivity terminal management method based on base station hibernation, serving as an application example of this application.

[0049] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a hibernation device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a cell reselection device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the network device structure according to an embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the terminal structure according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0053] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0054] In related technologies, the network side can improve the user experience and overall performance of the communication system by managing the mobility of terminals (which can also be understood as users, such as user equipment (UE)).

[0055] In practical applications, mobility management can be specifically divided into two categories: mobility management for connected terminals (also known as connected mobility management) and mobility management for non-connected terminals (also known as non-connected mobility management). The non-connected state can include the inactive state and the idle state.

[0056] Here, the mobility management process for connected terminals can include: when a terminal is in connected mode, the network side switches the cell the terminal is connected to through a handover mechanism (such as a fast handover mechanism), thereby achieving mobility management of the terminal. During this process, the terminal in connected mode is completely under the control of the network side. This process of performing mobility management (i.e., cell handover) for connected terminals can also be referred to as the network-controlled mobility process.

[0057] Mobility management procedures for non-connected terminals can include: When the terminal is in idle or inactive mode, it selects a cell to camp on (also known as a camping cell) and listens for SI messages (SIMessages) and paging messages sent by the network for that cell. The terminal can measure the signal quality of that cell and its neighboring cells according to preset rules (such as neighbor cell measurement rules and cell reselection rules), and select the cell with better signal quality to camp on based on the measurement results. Simultaneously, when the terminal needs to enter connected mode, it can initiate an access procedure (i.e., initiate a Radio Resource Control (RRC) establishment process or an RRC recovery process) in the camped cell. Here, the mobility management process for non-connected terminals can also be called the terminal-controlled cell reselection process (or cell selection process). In this process, a terminal in the non-connected state will periodically enter the connected state (which can also be understood as waking up) according to the paging cycle. In the connected state, it will listen for paging messages and SI messages, and initiate a cell reselection process according to preset rules, and then re-enter the non-connected state (which can also be understood as entering a sleep state). Here, the power consumption of the non-connected terminal is related to the paging cycle (the paging cycle is usually 1280ms). Specifically, the longer the paging cycle, the lower the power consumption of the non-connected terminal.

[0058] With the development of fifth-generation mobile communication technology (5G), the peak energy efficiency (also known as maximum energy efficiency, or simply peak energy efficiency) of 5G networks is far higher than that of 4G networks. However, 5G service load exhibits temporal imbalance (also known as tidal effect), meaning that base station load is higher during certain periods (high load periods) and lower during other periods (low load periods). During low load periods, fewer terminals need to access base stations. These terminals can connect to a small number of base stations or connect to multiple base stations in a distributed manner. In the case of multiple base stations connected in a distributed manner, multiple base stations need to consume power to maintain basic operation (also known as base station "idling"). Compared to the solution of connecting to a small number of base stations in a concentrated manner, this consumes a large amount of energy, resulting in serious energy waste.

[0059] In related technologies, to avoid energy waste by base stations during low-load periods, mobility management can be implemented for terminals to concentrate their access to a small number of base stations. Specifically, when a base station serves a small number of terminals, it can migrate those terminals to other base stations. This allows the base station to enter a sleep state by shutting down some power (i.e., power supply to active equipment), thereby reducing energy consumption. This technology of reducing energy consumption by entering a sleep state can also be called base station sleep technology.

[0060] In practical applications, the specific process for a base station to enter a dormant state can include: the base station determines whether it needs to enter a dormant state based on the actual number of connected terminals (which can also be understood as the current network user situation, such as the number of connected terminals in the cell served by the base station), and obtains a determination result; if the determination result indicates that it needs to enter a dormant state, the base station can migrate the terminals accessing the base station (i.e., connected terminals) to other cells served by other base stations (i.e., perform mobility management on the terminals accessing the base station), thereby ensuring that the terminals can continue to receive services; after the migration is completed, the base station can enter a dormant state to reduce energy consumption.

[0061] As can be seen from the above description, when a base station enters sleep mode, only connected terminals served by the base station are considered, while non-connected terminals camped within the cell served by the base station are not considered. Therefore, the base station entering sleep mode according to the above process may lead to a decline in the user experience for non-connected terminals, specifically in the following two aspects:

[0062] Firstly, since the mobility management process for non-connected terminals is usually controlled by the terminal side, the base station cannot proactively initiate mobility procedures for non-connected terminals (i.e., it cannot perform mobility management for non-connected terminals). Therefore, even if a base station has entered a dormant state, a non-connected terminal will still camp in the cell served by that base station and will not switch cells in a timely manner. When the non-connected terminal needs to enter a connected state, it will still prioritize sending an RRC establishment request (or RRC recovery request) to the dormant base station. However, the dormant base station cannot respond to the non-connected terminal's request, which will cause the non-connected terminal to enter a lost coverage state (also known as an RRC lost coverage state), resulting in a degraded user experience.

[0063] Secondly, since base stations typically cannot know which non-connected terminals are camped in the cell they serve, when determining whether to enter a sleep state, the base station cannot simultaneously consider the number of connected and non-connected terminals. This can lead to the base station deciding to enter a sleep state even when there are a large number of non-connected terminals in the cell it serves. Consequently, many non-connected terminals will enter a state of lost coverage when attempting to return to a connected state. In this case, non-connected terminals need to initiate a cell reselection process to switch the cell they are camped in before they can return to a connected state. This process consumes a lot of time and communication resources, resulting in a poor user experience.

[0064] Based on this, in various embodiments of this application, the network device only enters the sleep state when the number of connected terminals and the number of non-connected terminals are both small, thus optimizing the sleep strategy and avoiding entering the sleep state when the number of non-connected terminals is large, thereby ensuring the user experience of non-connected terminals.

[0065] Meanwhile, non-connected terminals can learn from the first information that the network device needs to enter a sleep state, and thus perform cell reselection in a timely manner. In this way, non-connected terminals will not camp on the cell corresponding to the already sleep network device, which can avoid the loss of coverage and ensure the user experience of non-connected terminals.

[0066] This application provides a hibernation method applied to network devices, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the method includes:

[0067] Step 101: Obtain a first quantity and a second quantity, wherein the first quantity includes the number of connected terminals and the second quantity includes the number of non-connected terminals;

[0068] Step 102: If the first quantity is less than the first threshold and the second quantity is less than the second threshold, enter a sleep state.

[0069] In practical applications, the network device may specifically include a base station, such as a gNB. This application embodiment does not limit the name of the network device, as long as it performs its function.

[0070] Both the connected and disconnected terminals are terminals, which can be referred to as UEs or users, etc., and this application embodiment does not limit this. The connected terminal refers to a terminal in a connected state; the disconnected terminal refers to a terminal in a disconnected state, which may specifically include terminals in an idle state and terminals in an inactive state.

[0071] In practical applications, since the connected terminal has established a stable communication connection with the network device, the network device can determine the first quantity through the established communication connection. For example, the network device can determine the first quantity through measurement reports sent by the connected terminal, monitored performance indicators, and reports from network management tools. The specific implementation method by which the network device determines the first quantity is selected according to actual needs, and this application embodiment does not limit it. Here, the first quantity can also be understood as the number of connected terminals served by the network device, and this application embodiment does not limit the name of the first quantity.

[0072] Meanwhile, the network device can obtain the second quantity based on the residency-related information reported by the terminal. The second quantity can also be understood as the number of non-connected terminals residing within the cell served by the network device (i.e., the number of non-connected terminals within the service range of the network device). This application embodiment does not limit the name of the second quantity.

[0073] Specifically, in step 101, the network device can determine which terminals have entered the disconnected state based on all the second information obtained, and thus determine the second quantity. That is, in one embodiment, obtaining the second quantity includes:

[0074] Using the acquired second information, the second quantity is determined. The second information includes residency-related information sent when the terminal enters a non-connected state. The residency-related information includes the identifier of the terminal and the time information of the terminal entering the non-connected state. The residency-related information is used by the network device to determine the state of the terminal.

[0075] In practical applications, the second information may also be referred to as residency-related information, residency information, mobility management information, connection status information, or residency status information, etc., and this application embodiment does not limit it in this way. Specifically, the network device can determine the second quantity by using the number of terminal identifiers corresponding to all received residency information.

[0076] In practical applications, the terminal can report the second information to the network device when entering a non-connected state.

[0077] Based on this, in one embodiment, the method may further include:

[0078] Receive the second information sent by the terminal that has entered the disconnected state.

[0079] After determining the first quantity and the second quantity, the network device can determine whether the first quantity is less than a first threshold and whether the second quantity is less than a second threshold, obtaining a judgment result. Then, if the judgment result indicates that the first quantity is greater than or equal to the first threshold, or the second quantity is greater than or equal to the second threshold, the network device can determine that there are too many terminals (specifically including connected and disconnected terminals) within its service range, making it unsuitable to enter a sleep state, and continue normal operation. Alternatively, in step 102, if the judgment result indicates that the first quantity is less than the first threshold and the second quantity is less than the second threshold, the network device can determine that it needs to enter a sleep state. The first and second thresholds can be set according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0080] As can be seen from the above description, the network device only enters a sleep state when the number of connected terminals and non-connected terminals within its service range is relatively small. This optimizes the sleep strategy and prevents the network device from entering a sleep state even when there are many non-connected terminals within its service range, thus ensuring the user experience of non-connected terminals.

[0081] Once it is determined that the terminal needs to enter a hibernation state, the network device can migrate the connected terminal to a cell served by other network devices (i.e., perform mobility management on the connected terminal), thereby ensuring that the connected terminal can continue to receive service.

[0082] Based on this, in one embodiment, before entering the hibernation state, the method may further include:

[0083] The connected terminal is migrated to a first cell, which is different from the cell where the network device is located.

[0084] Of course, the network device can also inform the non-connected terminal that it is about to enter a sleep state, so that the non-connected terminal can perform cell reselection in a timely manner.

[0085] Based on this, in one embodiment, before entering the hibernation state, the method may further include:

[0086] Send a first message to the non-connected terminal, the first message indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state.

[0087] Here, the first information is used to inform the non-connected terminal that the network device is about to enter a sleep state. The first information can also be called sleep indication information. This application embodiment does not limit the name of the first information.

[0088] In practical applications, the network device can send the first information to the non-connected terminal via an SI message. That is, in one embodiment, the network device sends an SI message to the non-connected terminal, and the SI message sent by the network device includes the first information.

[0089] For example, the SI message can use 1 bit to indicate whether the network device needs to enter a sleep state. For example, when the bit is set to 1, it indicates that the network device needs to enter a sleep state; when the bit is set to 0, it indicates that the network device does not need to enter a sleep state. Alternatively, the bit can be set to 1 to indicate that the network device does not need to enter a sleep state, and set to 0 to indicate that the network device needs to enter a sleep state.

[0090] Specifically, after determining that it needs to enter a sleep state, the network device can modify the bit in the SI message to indicate that the network device needs to enter a sleep state, thus obtaining the modified SI message. Then, at one paging time, the network device sends a paging message to the non-connected terminal, and at the next paging time, sends the modified SI message to the non-connected terminal. The paging message contains indication information, which indicates that the SI message has been modified, so that the non-connected terminal can read the modified SI message at the next paging time after receiving the indication information. Accordingly, after receiving the paging message containing the indication information, the non-connected terminal reads the modified SI message at the next paging time, obtains the value of the bit in the modified SI message (i.e., obtains the first information), and determines that the network device needs to enter a sleep state.

[0091] Of course, the network device can also send the first information to the non-connected terminal via DCI. That is, in one embodiment, the DCI sent by the network device includes the first information. Here, the DCI may specifically include the DCI corresponding to the paging message (also called the paging DCI), and the non-connected terminal can receive the paging DCI at the paging time.

[0092] For example, 1 bit of information can be used in the DCI to indicate whether the network device needs to enter a sleep state; for example, when the bit is set to 1, it indicates that the network device needs to enter a sleep state, and when the bit is set to 0, it indicates that the network device does not need to enter a sleep state. Of course, the bit can also be set to 1 to indicate that the network device does not need to enter a sleep state, and set to 0 to indicate that the network device needs to enter a sleep state.

[0093] Specifically, after determining that the network device needs to enter a sleep state, it can set the value of the bit in the DCI so that the value of the bit is used to indicate that the network device needs to enter a sleep state; then, the network device sends the DCI to the non-connected terminal at a paging time; correspondingly, after receiving the DCI, the non-connected terminal can obtain the value of the bit from the DCI (i.e., obtain the first information), thereby determining that the network device needs to enter a sleep state.

[0094] In practical applications, after receiving the first information, the non-connected terminal can perform cell reselection in a timely manner. In this way, the non-connected terminal will not stay in the cell served by the dormant network device, thus avoiding the loss of coverage.

[0095] The sleep method provided in this application involves a network device acquiring a first quantity and a second quantity. The first quantity includes the number of connected terminals, and the second quantity includes the number of disconnected terminals. The device enters a sleep state when the first quantity is less than a first threshold and the second quantity is less than a second threshold. This solution optimizes the sleep strategy by ensuring that the network device only enters a sleep state when both the number of connected and disconnected terminals are relatively small. This avoids entering a sleep state even when the number of disconnected terminals is large, thus protecting the user experience of disconnected terminals.

[0096] Meanwhile, this application also provides a cell reselection method applied to a terminal, wherein the terminal is in a disconnected state, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the method includes:

[0097] Step 201: Receive first information sent by the network device, the first information indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state;

[0098] Step 202: Perform cell reselection.

[0099] In practical applications, the terminal in a non-connected state can also be called a non-connected terminal. This application does not limit the name of the terminal in the embodiments.

[0100] In practical applications, the terminal can report its residency information to the network device when entering a non-connected state. In this way, the network device can determine the number of non-connected terminals within its service range based on all the received residency information. At the same time, the network device can also determine the number of connected terminals it serves. Thus, the network device can determine whether it needs to enter a sleep state to reduce power consumption based on the determined number of non-connected terminals and the number of connected terminals.

[0101] Based on this, in one embodiment, the method may further include:

[0102] The terminal enters the connected state from the disconnected state, sends second information to the network device, and then re-enters the disconnected state. The second information includes the terminal's residency-related information, which includes the terminal's identifier and the time information of when the terminal entered the disconnected state. The residency-related information is used by the network device to determine the terminal's state.

[0103] Specifically, the terminal can periodically transition from a disconnected state to a connected state and report the second information, so that the network device can accurately know the terminal's state. Here, the terminal's state refers to either being in a connected state or being in a disconnected state. The period at which the terminal reports the second information can be set according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0104] In practical applications, the network device can determine which terminals have entered the non-connected state based on the terminal identifier (e.g., terminal ID) contained in each piece of second information, and thus determine the number of non-connected terminals corresponding to the network device. After obtaining the number of non-connected and connected terminals, the network device can enter a sleep state only when both the number of connected and non-connected terminals within its service range are relatively small. This optimizes the sleep strategy and prevents the network device from entering a sleep state even when there are many non-connected terminals within its service range, ensuring a better user experience for non-connected terminals.

[0105] In practical applications, once the network device determines that it needs to enter a sleep state, it can inform the terminal of the upcoming sleep state through the first information.

[0106] Specifically, the network device can send the first information to the terminal via an SI message; of course, the network device can also send the first information to the terminal via a DCI message.

[0107] In one embodiment, when the network device sends the first information to the terminal via an SI message, the specific implementation of step 201 may include:

[0108] The first information is obtained by reading the SI message.

[0109] Specifically, after determining that it needs to enter a sleep state, the network device can modify the SI message to include the first information. Then, at one paging time, the network device sends a paging message to the terminal, and at the next paging time, it sends the modified SI message to the terminal. The paging message includes indication information, which indicates that the SI message has been modified, so that the terminal can read the modified SI message at the next paging time after receiving the indication information. Accordingly, after receiving the paging message containing the indication information, the terminal reads the modified SI message at the next paging time to obtain the first information.

[0110] In one embodiment, when the network device sends the first information to the terminal via DCI, the specific implementation of step 201 may include:

[0111] The first information is obtained by reading the DCI.

[0112] Specifically, after determining that it needs to enter a sleep state, the network device can send the DCI to the terminal at a paging time. The DCI contains the first information. Correspondingly, after receiving the DCI, the terminal can read the DCI to obtain the first information.

[0113] After obtaining the first information, the terminal can determine that the network device corresponding to the cell it is currently camped on is about to enter a dormant state. In order to avoid loss of coverage, in step 202, the terminal can initiate a cell reselection process to migrate to a cell corresponding to another base station that is not in a dormant state, thereby ensuring the user experience of the terminal.

[0114] The cell reselection method provided in this application embodiment involves a terminal receiving first information sent by a network device, the first information indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state and the terminal is in a disconnected state; then, cell reselection is performed. The solution provided in this application embodiment allows a disconnected terminal to learn that the network device needs to enter a sleep state through the first information, thereby enabling timely cell reselection. In this way, the disconnected terminal will not reside in the cell corresponding to an already sleep-state network device, avoiding coverage loss and ensuring a better user experience for the disconnected terminal.

[0115] The following section provides a more detailed description of this application with reference to application examples.

[0116] This application provides an example of a non-connectivity terminal management method based on base station hibernation, such as... Figure 3 As shown, it includes the following steps:

[0117] Step 301: The base station (i.e., the network device mentioned above) determines (or evaluates) the number of connected terminals based on the real-time network situation, and then executes step 302; wherein, the base station may specifically include a 5G base station;

[0118] Step 302: The base station determines whether the number of connected terminals is less than the first threshold (i.e., the first threshold mentioned above);

[0119] If the judgment result indicates that the number of connected terminals is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the base station does not enter the sleep state and executes step 301 again after a preset period of time.

[0120] If the judgment result indicates that the number of connected terminals is less than the first threshold, proceed to step 303;

[0121] The preset time period refers to the periodic interval during which the base station assesses whether it needs to enter a sleep state (which can also be understood as the assessment period); the first threshold value can be set according to actual needs.

[0122] Step 303: The base station determines the number of non-connectivity terminals camped in the cell corresponding to the base station based on the obtained camping information (i.e., the second information mentioned above);

[0123] If the number of non-connected terminals is not 0, proceed to step 304;

[0124] If the number of non-connected terminals is 0, proceed to step 307;

[0125] In practical applications, the dwell information reported by a non-connected terminal to the base station may include: the terminal's identification information (such as terminal ID), the terminal's status, and dwell time information (i.e., the time information when it entered the non-connected state). Specifically, the non-connected terminal can periodically update and report its dwell information according to a predetermined period to ensure the accuracy of the dwell information obtained by the base station. The predetermined period can be set according to actual needs.

[0126] Step 304: The base station determines whether the number of confirmed non-connected terminals is less than the second threshold (i.e., the aforementioned second threshold);

[0127] If the judgment result indicates that the number of non-connected terminals is greater than or equal to the second threshold, the base station does not enter the sleep state and executes step 301 again after a preset period of time.

[0128] If the judgment result indicates that the number of non-connected terminals is less than the second threshold, proceed to step 305;

[0129] Step 305: The base station sends a sleep instruction to the non-connected terminal to inform the non-connected terminal that the base station is about to enter a sleep state;

[0130] In practical applications, the specific implementation of the base station sending a sleep instruction to a non-connected terminal can include the following two methods:

[0131] The first method defines a 1-bit information in the SI message. The value of this bit is used to indicate whether the base station is about to enter sleep mode. This bit can be called a sleep indicator. For example, if the value of this bit is equal to 1, it means that the base station is about to enter sleep mode. If the value of this bit is equal to 0, it means that the base station is in normal working mode (i.e., not entering sleep mode). When the base station needs to send a sleep indicator to a non-connected terminal, the base station can change (or modify) the value of this bit in the SI message and send the system message change indication information through a paging message. In this way, after the non-connected terminal receives the system message change indication information at a paging time, it can read the changed value of this bit in the system message at the next paging time, thereby knowing that the base station is about to enter sleep mode (i.e., obtaining the sleep indicator), and then can execute step 306.

[0132] The second method: Define a base station sleep indication signal (Sleep Indication Signal) in the DCI (specifically, it may include a paging DCI). This signal may include 1 bit of information, the value of which indicates whether the base station is about to enter sleep mode. For example, if the value of this bit is equal to 1, it means that the base station is about to enter sleep mode; if the value of this bit is equal to 0, it means that the base station is in normal working mode (i.e., not entering sleep mode). When the base station needs to send a sleep indication to a non-connected terminal, the base station can send a paging DCI to the non-connected terminal and set this bit in the paging DCI so that the value of this bit indicates that the base station is about to enter sleep mode. In this way, after receiving the paging DCI at a paging time, the non-connected terminal can read the value of this bit in the paging DCI and thus know that the base station is about to enter sleep mode (i.e., obtain the sleep indication), and then can execute step 306.

[0133] Step 306: The non-connected terminal initiates the cell reselection process, thereby migrating to the cell corresponding to another base station that is not in hibernation (which can also be understood as migrating to a neighboring base station);

[0134] In practical applications, the cell reselection process initiated by a non-connected terminal can also be understood as a mobility operation performed by the non-connected terminal, or as initiating a mobility process.

[0135] Step 307: The base station migrates the connected terminal to the cell corresponding to another base station that does not hibernate;

[0136] In practical applications, steps 305 and 307 can be executed simultaneously or at different times. If they are executed at different times, the execution order of steps 305 and 307 can be set according to actual needs.

[0137] Step 308: The base station enters sleep mode.

[0138] The solution provided in this application example assesses the camping status of non-connected terminals by having them proactively report relevant information. Simultaneously, when attempting to enter a dormant state, the base station evaluates the number of non-connected terminals in addition to the number of connected terminals. If the number of non-connected terminals is higher than or equal to a threshold, the target base station will not enter a dormant state to ensure user service. If the number of non-connected terminals is lower than the threshold, the base station sends a base station dormant instruction to the non-connected terminals, allowing them to be aware of the base station's status change before it goes into dormancy. Upon receiving the dormant instruction, the non-connected terminals can proactively initiate a cell reselection process to find and migrate to other suitable cells, ensuring they camp on a suitable cell before the base station goes into dormancy and avoiding coverage loss. Thus, by migrating users within the network, a small number of base stations can provide service to all users, allowing some base stations to enter dormancy, optimizing network resource allocation and utilization efficiency. Simultaneously, it ensures a good communication experience for users within the service range of dormant base stations.

[0139] To implement the method provided on the network device side in this application embodiment, this application embodiment also provides a hibernation device, which is installed on the network device, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the device includes:

[0140] Acquisition unit 401 is used to acquire a first quantity and a second quantity, wherein the first quantity includes the number of connected terminals and the second quantity includes the number of non-connected terminals;

[0141] The sleep unit 402 is used to enter a sleep state when the first quantity is less than a first threshold and the second quantity is less than a second threshold.

[0142] In one embodiment, before entering the hibernation state, the device may further include:

[0143] The first sending unit is used to send first information to a non-connected terminal, the first information indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state;

[0144] The migration unit is used to migrate a connected terminal to a first cell, which is different from the cell where the network device is located.

[0145] In one embodiment, the acquisition unit 401 is specifically used for:

[0146] The second quantity is determined using the acquired second information; wherein the second information includes dwell-related information sent when the terminal enters a non-connected state, the dwell-related information includes the identifier of the terminal and the time information of the terminal entering the non-connected state, and the dwell-related information is used by the network device to determine the state of the terminal.

[0147] In one embodiment, the acquisition unit 401 is specifically used for:

[0148] Receive the second information sent by the terminal that has entered the disconnected state.

[0149] In practical applications, the acquisition unit 401 and the migration unit can be implemented by the processor in the hibernation device in combination with the communication interface, the hibernation unit 402 can be implemented by the processor in the hibernation device, and the first sending unit can be implemented by the communication interface in the hibernation device.

[0150] It should be noted that the hibernation device provided in the above embodiments is only illustrated by the division of the above-described program units when it enters hibernation. In practical applications, the above processing can be assigned to different program units as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different program units to complete all or part of the processing described above. In addition, the hibernation device and the hibernation method embodiments provided in the above embodiments belong to the same concept, and their specific implementation process can be found in the method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0151] To implement the terminal-side method of this application embodiment, this application embodiment also provides a cell reselection device, which is installed on the terminal, wherein the terminal is in a disconnected state, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the device includes:

[0152] The receiving unit 501 is used to receive first information sent by the network device, the first information indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state;

[0153] Processing unit 502 is used for cell reselection.

[0154] In one embodiment, the receiving unit 501 is specifically used for:

[0155] The first information is obtained by reading the SI message.

[0156] In one embodiment, the receiving unit 501 is specifically used for:

[0157] The first information is obtained by reading the DCI.

[0158] In one embodiment, the device may further include:

[0159] The second sending unit is configured to enter the connected state from the disconnected state, send second information to the network device, and re-enter the disconnected state. The second information includes the terminal's camping-related information, which includes the terminal's identifier and the time information of the terminal entering the disconnected state. The camping-related information is used by the network device to determine the terminal's state.

[0160] In practical applications, the receiving unit 501 can be implemented by the communication interface in the cell reselection device, and the processing unit 502 and the second sending unit can be implemented by the processor in the cell reselection device in combination with the communication interface.

[0161] It should be noted that the cell reselection device provided in the above embodiments is only illustrated by the division of the above-described program units when performing cell reselection. In practical applications, the above processing can be assigned to different program units as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different program units to complete all or part of the processing described above. In addition, the cell reselection device and the cell reselection method embodiments provided in the above embodiments belong to the same concept, and their specific implementation process can be found in the method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0162] Based on the hardware implementation of the above program modules, and in order to implement the method on the network device side of the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application also provide a network device, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the network device 600 includes:

[0163] The first communication interface 601 is capable of exchanging information with the terminal;

[0164] The first processor 602 is connected to the first communication interface 601 to enable information interaction with the terminal and to execute the methods provided by one or more technical solutions on the network device side when running a computer program.

[0165] The computer program is stored in the first memory 603.

[0166] Specifically, the first processor 602 is used for:

[0167] The system obtains a first quantity and a second quantity through the first communication interface 601, wherein the first quantity includes the number of connected terminals and the second quantity includes the number of disconnected terminals; and enters a sleep state when the first quantity is less than a first threshold and the second quantity is less than a second threshold.

[0168] In one embodiment, before entering the sleep state, the first communication interface 601 is used for:

[0169] Send a first message to a non-connected terminal, the first message indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state;

[0170] The first processor 602 is further configured to:

[0171] The connected terminal is migrated to a first cell, which is different from the cell where the network device is located.

[0172] In one embodiment, the first processor 602 is specifically used for:

[0173] The second quantity is determined using the acquired second information; wherein the second information includes dwell-related information sent when the terminal enters a non-connected state, the dwell-related information includes the identifier of the terminal and the time information of the terminal entering the non-connected state, and the dwell-related information is used by the network device to determine the state of the terminal.

[0174] In one embodiment, the first communication interface 601 is further configured to:

[0175] Receive the second information sent by the terminal that has entered the disconnected state.

[0176] It should be noted that the specific processing procedures of the first processor 602 and the first communication interface 601 can be understood by referring to the above method.

[0177] Of course, in practical applications, the various components in network device 600 are coupled together through bus system 604. It can be understood that bus system 604 is used to implement communication between these components. In addition to a data bus, bus system 604 also includes a power bus, a control bus, and a status signal bus. However, for clarity, in... Figure 6 The general designated all buses as Bus System 604.

[0178] The first memory 603 in this embodiment is used to store various types of data to support the operation of the network device 600. Examples of such data include any computer program used to operate on the network device 600.

[0179] The methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be applied to the first processor 602, or implemented by the first processor 602. The first processor 602 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, each step of the above method can be completed by the integrated logic circuit of the hardware or by instructions in the form of software in the first processor 602. The first processor 602 may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The first processor 602 can implement or execute the methods, steps and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, etc. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly reflected as being executed by a hardware decoding processor, or being executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software modules may be located in a storage medium, which is located in the first memory 603. The first processor 602 reads the information in the first memory 603 and completes the steps of the aforementioned method in combination with its hardware.

[0180] In an exemplary embodiment, the network device 600 may be implemented by one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), DSPs, programmable logic devices (PLDs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), general-purpose processors, controllers, microcontrollers (MCUs), microprocessors, or other electronic components to perform the aforementioned method.

[0181] Based on the hardware implementation of the above program modules, and in order to implement the terminal-side method of the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application also provide a terminal, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the terminal 700 includes:

[0182] The second communication interface 701 is capable of exchanging information with network devices;

[0183] The second processor 702 is connected to the second communication interface 701 to enable information interaction with network devices and to execute the methods provided by one or more of the above-mentioned terminal-side technical solutions when running computer programs.

[0184] The computer program is stored in the second memory 703.

[0185] Specifically, the second communication interface 701 is used for:

[0186] Receive first information sent by a network device, the first information indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state;

[0187] The second processor 702 is used for:

[0188] Perform a neighborhood reselection.

[0189] In one embodiment, the second processor 702 is specifically used for:

[0190] The first information is obtained by reading the SI message through the second communication interface 701.

[0191] In one embodiment, the second processor 702 is specifically used for:

[0192] The first information is obtained by reading the DCI through the second communication interface 701.

[0193] In one embodiment, the second processor 702 is further configured to:

[0194] The terminal enters the connected state from the disconnected state, sends second information to the network device, and then re-enters the disconnected state. The second information includes the terminal's residency-related information, which includes the terminal's identifier and the time information of when the terminal entered the disconnected state. The residency-related information is used by the network device to determine the terminal's state.

[0195] It should be noted that the specific processing procedures of the second processor 702 and the second communication interface 701 can be understood by referring to the above method.

[0196] Of course, in practical applications, the various components in terminal 700 are coupled together through bus system 704. It can be understood that bus system 704 is used to implement communication between these components. In addition to a data bus, bus system 704 also includes a power bus, a control bus, and a status signal bus. However, for clarity, in... Figure 7 The general designated all buses as Bus System 704.

[0197] The second memory 703 in this embodiment is used to store various types of data to support the operation of the terminal 700. Examples of such data include any computer program used to operate on the terminal 700.

[0198] The methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be applied to, or implemented by, the second processor 702. The second processor 702 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. During implementation, each step of the above method can be completed by the integrated logic circuitry of the hardware or by instructions in the form of software within the second processor 702. The second processor 702 may be a general-purpose processor, a DSP, or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The second processor 702 can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, etc. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly manifested as execution by a hardware decoding processor, or execution by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software modules may be located in a storage medium, specifically a second memory 703. The second processor 702 reads information from the second memory 703 and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the aforementioned method.

[0199] In an exemplary embodiment, terminal 700 may be implemented by one or more ASICs, DSPs, PLDs, CPLDs, FPGAs, general-purpose processors, controllers, MCUs, microprocessors, or other electronic components to perform the aforementioned method.

[0200] It is understood that the memories (first memory 603, second memory 703) in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or both. 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), ferromagnetic random access memory (FRAM), flash memory, magnetic surface memory, optical disc, or compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM); magnetic surface memory can be disk storage or magnetic tape storage. 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), Synchronous Static Random Access Memory (SSRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDRSDRAM), Enhanced Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (ESDRAM), SyncLink Dynamic Random Access Memory (SLDRAM), and Direct Rambus Random Access Memory (DRRAM).The memories described in the embodiments of this application are intended to include, but are not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memories.

[0201] In an exemplary embodiment, this application also provides a storage medium, namely a computer storage medium, specifically a computer-readable storage medium. For example, it may include a first memory 603 storing a computer program, which can be executed by a first processor 602 of a network device 600 to complete the steps described in the aforementioned network device-side method. Another example is a second memory 703 storing a computer program, which can be executed by a second processor 702 of a terminal 700 to complete the steps described in the aforementioned terminal-side method. The computer-readable storage medium may be a memory such as FRAM, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, Flash Memory, magnetic surface memory, optical disc, or CD-ROM.

[0202] In an exemplary embodiment, this application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that can be executed by a first processor 602 of a network device 600 to complete the steps described in the aforementioned network device-side method, or the computer program can be executed by a second processor 702 of a terminal 700 to complete the steps described in the aforementioned terminal-side method.

[0203] It should be noted that terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0204] Furthermore, the technical solutions described in the embodiments of this application can be combined arbitrarily without conflict.

[0205] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A method for inducing dormancy, characterized in that, Applied to network devices, including: Obtain a first quantity and a second quantity, wherein the first quantity includes the number of connected terminals and the second quantity includes the number of non-connected terminals; If the first quantity is less than the first threshold and the second quantity is less than the second threshold, the system enters a dormant state.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before entering the hibernation state, the method further includes: Send a first message to a non-connected terminal, the first message indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state; The connected terminal is migrated to a first cell, which is different from the cell where the network device is located.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The system information (SI) message sent by the network device includes the first information.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The downlink control information (DCI) sent by the network device includes the first information.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The acquisition of the second quantity includes: The second quantity is determined using the acquired second information; wherein the second information includes dwell-related information sent when the terminal enters a non-connected state, the dwell-related information includes the identifier of the terminal and the time information of the terminal entering the non-connected state, and the dwell-related information is used by the network device to determine the state of the terminal.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive the second information sent by the terminal that has entered the disconnected state.

7. A cell reselection method, characterized in that, Applied to a terminal, wherein the terminal is in a non-connected state, including: Receive first information sent by a network device, the first information indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state; Perform a neighborhood reselection.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first information sent by the receiving network device includes: The first information is obtained by reading the SI message.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first information sent by the receiving network device includes: The first information is obtained by reading the DCI.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal enters the connected state from the disconnected state, sends second information to the network device, and then re-enters the disconnected state. The second information includes the terminal's residency-related information, which includes the terminal's identifier and the time information of when the terminal entered the disconnected state. The residency-related information is used by the network device to determine the terminal's state.

11. A hibernation device, characterized in that, include: An acquisition unit is used to acquire a first quantity and a second quantity, wherein the first quantity includes the number of connected terminals and the second quantity includes the number of non-connected terminals; A sleep unit is used to enter a sleep state when the first quantity is less than a first threshold and the second quantity is less than a second threshold.

12. A cell reselection device, characterized in that, The terminal is configured to be in a non-connected state, including: A receiving unit is configured to receive first information sent by a network device, the first information indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state. The processing unit is used for cell reselection.

13. A network device, characterized in that, include: A first processor and a first communication interface; wherein... The first processor is configured to obtain a first quantity and a second quantity through the first communication interface, wherein the first quantity includes the number of connected terminals and the second quantity includes the number of non-connected terminals; and to enter a sleep state when the first quantity is less than a first threshold and the second quantity is less than a second threshold.

14. A terminal, characterized in that, The terminal is in a disconnected state, including: The second communication interface is used to receive first information sent by the network device, the first information indicating that the network device is about to enter a sleep state. The second processor is used for cell reselection.

15. A network device, characterized in that, include: A first processor and a first memory for storing computer programs capable of running on the processor. Wherein, when the first processor is used to run the computer program, it performs the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

16. A terminal, characterized in that, include: A second processor and a second memory for storing computer programs that can run on the processor. Wherein, when the second processor is used to run the computer program, it performs the steps of the method according to any one of claims 7 to 10.

17. A storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, or the steps of the method according to any one of claims 7 to 10.

18. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, or the steps of the method according to any one of claims 7 to 10.

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