A communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The application provides a communication method and device, relates to the technical field of communication, and is used for realizing communication between two terminal nodes and reducing communication delay and improving communication efficiency. The method comprises the following steps: a master anchor point respectively sends control information to a slave anchor point and a terminal device, the control information is used for indicating resources allocated to communication between the slave anchor point and the terminal device; when the slave anchor point and the terminal device receive the control information, the slave anchor point and the terminal device communicate by using the resources. In this way, the slave anchor point and the terminal device can directly communicate without forwarding by the master anchor point, so that the communication delay is reduced, the communication efficiency is improved, and the workload of the master anchor point is reduced to a certain extent.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In short-range wireless communication systems such as StarFlash and Bluetooth, management nodes and terminal nodes communicate through established connections. When communication is needed, the management node sends a scan access request to the terminal node, and the terminal node sends a scan access response, thus establishing a connection. Subsequently, the management node sends downlink signals to the terminal node through this connection, and the terminal node sends uplink signals to the management node, thereby achieving communication between them. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a communication method and apparatus for realizing communication between two terminal nodes, and reduces communication latency and improves communication efficiency during the communication process.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of this application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0005] Firstly, a communication method is provided, applied to a slave anchor point in a multi-anchor-point device, the multi-anchor-point device also including a master anchor point, such as a vehicle. The method includes: the slave anchor point receiving control information from the master anchor point, the control information indicating resources allocated for communication between the slave anchor point and a terminal device, the resources including time-domain resources and / or frequency-domain resources; when the slave anchor point receives the control information, the slave anchor point uses the resources to communicate with the terminal device, such as sending information to the terminal device or receiving information from the terminal device. The master anchor point can serve as a management node, and the slave anchor point and the terminal device can serve as terminal nodes. The management node can establish a connection between the two terminal nodes by allocating resources to realize communication between the two terminal nodes.

[0006] In the above technical solution, the master anchor point sends control information to the slave anchor point and the terminal device. This control information can be used to indicate the resources allocated for communication between the slave anchor point and the terminal device. When the slave anchor point and the terminal device receive the control information, they can use these resources to communicate. In this way, the slave anchor point and the terminal device can communicate directly without being forwarded by the master anchor point, thereby reducing communication latency, improving communication efficiency, and reducing the workload of the master anchor point to some extent.

[0007] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the resource includes time-domain resources, and the time-domain resources for communication between different anchor points in the multi-anchor device and the terminal device are different. For example, multiple anchor points communicate with the terminal device in different time slots. In the above possible implementation, when the multiple anchor points communicate with the terminal device using different time-domain resources, the same channel of the terminal device can be reused for communication, thereby improving the channel utilization of the terminal device.

[0008] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the slave anchor point receiving control information from the master anchor point includes: the slave anchor point receiving a broadcast frame or system management frame from the master anchor point, the broadcast frame or system management frame carrying the control information. In the above possible implementation, when multiple slave anchor points communicate with the terminal device, the master anchor point sends second control information to the multiple slave anchor points via a broadcast frame or system management frame. No one-to-one communication connection needs to be established between the master anchor point and the multiple slave anchor points, and control information can be sent to the multiple slave anchor points simultaneously, thereby saving the air interface time slot of the master anchor point and improving communication efficiency.

[0009] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the method further includes: the slave anchor point sending its time information to the master anchor point via a communication connection, wherein the communication connection is a Starlight Low Power (SLE) connection or a Bluetooth Low Power (BLE) connection, and the time information is used for resource determination; or, the slave anchor point sending its time information to the master anchor point via a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, and the time information is used for resource determination. In the above possible implementations, the slave anchor point can send time information to the master anchor point via a communication connection or a CAN bus, thereby improving the diversity and flexibility of communication between the slave anchor point and the master anchor point.

[0010] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the method further includes: the slave anchor sending a request message to the master anchor, the request message being used to request communication with the terminal device. In the above possible implementation, the slave anchor can request communication with the terminal device from the master anchor via the request message, thereby achieving communication with the terminal device.

[0011] Secondly, a communication method is provided, applied in a terminal device, for the terminal device to communicate with a multi-anchor-point device, the multi-anchor-point device including multiple anchor points, including a master anchor point and slave anchor points. The method includes: the terminal device receiving control information from the master anchor point, the control information indicating resources allocated to the slave anchor point for communication between the terminal device and the slave anchor point, the resources including time-domain resources and / or frequency-domain resources; when the terminal device receives the control information, the terminal device uses the resources to communicate with the slave anchor point, such as sending information to the slave anchor point or receiving information from the slave anchor point. The master anchor point can serve as a management node, and the slave anchor point and the terminal device can serve as terminal nodes. The management node can establish a connection between the two terminal nodes by allocating resources to realize communication between the two terminal nodes.

[0012] In one possible implementation of the second aspect, the resource includes time-domain resources, and the time-domain resources for communication between different anchor points in the multi-anchor device and the terminal device are different. For example, multiple anchor points communicate with the terminal device in different time slots.

[0013] In one possible implementation of the second aspect, the method further includes: the terminal device sending its time information to the main anchor point via a communication connection, the time information being used to determine the resource, and the communication connection being a Starlight Low Power (SLE) connection or a Bluetooth Low Power (BLE) connection.

[0014] In one possible implementation of the second aspect, the method further includes: the terminal device sending a request message to the master anchor point, the request message being used to request communication with the slave anchor point.

[0015] Thirdly, a communication device is provided, which serves as an anchor point or a chip applied to the anchor point, and can perform the functions executed by the first device in the above method. These functions can be implemented in hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions.

[0016] In one possible implementation of the third aspect, the device includes a processing unit, a transmitting unit, and a receiving unit; the processing unit is configured to support the device in performing the corresponding functions in the above-described method; the transmitting unit and the receiving unit can be used to support the device in communicating with other anchor points or terminal devices.

[0017] In another possible implementation of the third aspect, the device includes a processor and a communication interface; the processor is configured to support the device in performing the corresponding functions in the methods described above; the communication interface is used to support communication between the device and other anchor points or terminal devices. Optionally, the device also includes a memory coupled to the processor, which stores necessary program instructions and data for the device.

[0018] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, which serves as a terminal device or is applied to a chip in a terminal device, and can perform the functions executed by the second device in the above-described method. These functions can be implemented in hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the aforementioned functions.

[0019] In one possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the device includes a processing unit, a transmitting unit, and a receiving unit; the processing unit is configured to support the device in performing the corresponding functions in the above method; the transmitting unit and the receiving unit can be used to support the device in communicating with multiple anchor points.

[0020] In another possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the device includes a processor and a communication interface; the processor is configured to support the device in performing the corresponding functions in the methods described above; the communication interface is used to support communication between the device and multiple anchor points. Optionally, the device also includes a memory coupled to the processor, which stores necessary program instructions and data for the device.

[0021] In another aspect of this application, a multi-anchor-point device is provided, comprising a plurality of anchor points, each anchor point including a communication device provided in the third aspect or any possible implementation thereof. Optionally, the multi-anchor-point device may be a vehicle or a device within a vehicle.

[0022] In another aspect of this application, a communication system is provided, the communication system including a multi-anchor device and a terminal device, the multi-anchor device including a plurality of anchor points that can communicate with the terminal device, the anchor points including the communication device provided in the third aspect or any possible implementation thereof, and the terminal device including the communication device provided in the fourth aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0023] In another aspect of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a device, cause the device to perform a communication method as provided in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0024] In another aspect of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a device, cause the device to perform the communication method provided by the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0025] In another aspect of this application, a computer program product is provided, comprising: a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when executed by a device, causes the device to perform the communication method provided by the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0026] In another aspect of this application, a computer program product is provided, comprising: a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when executed by a device, causes the device to perform the communication method provided by the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0027] It is understood that the beneficial effects achieved by any of the communication devices, communication systems, computer-readable storage media and computer program products provided above can be referred to in accordance with the beneficial effects of the communication methods provided above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating a scenario of contactless unlocking provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a scenario for distance measurement using multiple anchor points, provided as an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 4 This application provides a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between multiple anchor points and a terminal device in an embodiment of the present application.

[0032] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating yet another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of another first communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of another second communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, a, b, and c; where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0040] The embodiments of this application use terms such as "first" and "second" to distinguish objects with similar names, functions, or roles. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or order of execution. In this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is being described as an example, illustration, or illustration. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0041] Before introducing the embodiments of this application, the relevant scenarios involved in this application will be described first.

[0042] In short-range wireless communication systems such as StarFlash and Bluetooth, management nodes and terminal nodes can communicate through an established connection. When communication is needed, the management node sends a scan access request to the terminal node, and the terminal node sends a scan access response to the management node, thus establishing a connection. Subsequently, the management node sends downlink signals to the terminal node through this connection, and the terminal node sends uplink signals to the management node through the same connection, thereby achieving communication between them. For example,... Figure 1As shown, in a near-field contactless unlocking scenario, the mobile phone, acting as a car key, can measure the distance between itself and an anchor point on the vehicle, and unlock the car once the measured distance meets a certain threshold. In this example, the anchor point on the vehicle can serve as a management node, and the mobile phone can serve as a terminal node. The management node and the terminal node can connect to measure distances to achieve contactless unlocking of the vehicle.

[0043] In some scenarios, it is also necessary to enable communication between terminal nodes. For example, such as... Figure 2 As shown, in a near-field contactless unlocking scenario for a vehicle, the vehicle can include multiple anchor points, including a primary anchor point and multiple secondary anchor points. The primary anchor point can act as a management node to measure distances with the car key, which acts as a terminal node. Similarly, the multiple secondary anchor points can act as terminal nodes to measure distances with the car key, which also acts as a terminal node. The location of the car key is then determined based on the measured distances. In the example above, measuring distances between the vehicle's multiple anchor points and the car key improves distance measurement accuracy and precision, thereby increasing the accuracy and success rate of contactless unlocking and ultimately enhancing the user experience.

[0044] Therefore, how to achieve communication between terminal nodes, such as communication between the slave anchor point and the car key, is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved. In one possible implementation, the slave anchor point can send information to the car key through the master anchor point, and the car key can also send information to the slave anchor point through the master anchor point, that is, the master anchor point forwards the information. However, this method suffers from large communication latency and low communication efficiency.

[0045] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a communication method in which a management node can allocate resources to two terminal nodes that need to communicate, enabling the two terminal nodes to communicate based on the allocated resources. That is, the management node can establish a connection between the two terminal nodes by allocating resources to achieve communication between them. For example, this method can be used to implement communication between a slave anchor point and a terminal device. Specifically, the master anchor point can send control information to the slave anchor point and the terminal device. This control information can be used to indicate the resources allocated for communication between the slave anchor point and the terminal device. When the slave anchor point and the terminal device receive the control information, they can use the resources to communicate. In this way, the slave anchor point and the terminal device can communicate directly without being forwarded by the master anchor point, thereby reducing communication latency, improving communication efficiency, and reducing the workload of the master anchor point to a certain extent.

[0046] The technical solutions provided in this application can be used in any communication system, such as a third-generation partnership project (3GPP) communication system, for example, a long-term evolution (LTE) system, a new radio (NR) system, a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) system, a device-to-device (D2D) communication system, a machine-to-machine (M2M) communication system, an internet of things (IoT) system, a narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) system, enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable and low-latency communication (URLLC), enhanced machine-type communication (eMTC), vehicular short-range wireless communication systems, and various types of future communication systems, such as non-terrestrial communication networks. Network (NTN) systems (such as satellite communication systems) and non-3GPP communication systems are not restricted.

[0047] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication system may include at least one terminal node and at least one management node. The terminal node can be connected to the management node via wired or wireless means, and the management node can be connected to the core network via wired or wireless means. The terminal node, referred to as a T node, can be a node that receives data scheduling information and sends data according to the data scheduling information in the communication system. The management node, referred to as a G node, can be a node that sends data scheduling information in the communication system.

[0048] In one possible example, the management node may include management node a through management node c, and the terminal node may include terminal node a through terminal node c.

[0049] Optionally, the terminal node can be a device with wireless transceiver capabilities or a chip or chip system that can be configured on the device, allowing users to access the network and providing voice and / or data connectivity to users. The terminal node can also be referred to as user equipment (UE), subscriber unit, terminal, mobile station (MS), or mobile terminal (MT), etc.

[0050] For example, the terminal node can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, or computer with wireless transceiver capabilities. The terminal node can also be a user station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal node, mobile terminal node, user terminal node, wireless communication device, user agent, user device, cellular phone, cordless phone, session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, wireless local loop (WLL) station, personal digital assistant (PDA), handheld device with wireless communication capabilities, computing device, processing device connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle device, wearable device, terminal node in the Internet of Things (IoT), smart home device (e.g., refrigerator, television, air conditioner, electricity meter, etc.), smart robot, robotic arm, workshop equipment, virtual reality (VR) terminal, augmented reality (AR) terminal, wireless terminal in industrial control, wireless terminal in autonomous driving, wireless terminal in telemedicine, wireless terminal in smart grid, and smart city. The following are not limited to wireless terminals in cities, smart homes, vehicles with vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication capabilities, intelligent connected vehicles, drones with UAV-to-UAV (U2U) communication capabilities, terminal nodes in future networks, or terminal nodes in future evolved public land mobile networks (PLMNs). The terminal node in this application can also be an on-board module, on-board component, on-board chip, or on-board unit built into a vehicle as one or more components or units. The terminal node can also be other devices with terminal functions; for example, it can be a device that performs terminal functions in D2D communication. The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal node. The device used to implement the terminal function can be a terminal node; it can also be a device that supports the terminal in implementing this function, such as a chip system. This device can be installed in the terminal or used in conjunction with the terminal. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system can be composed of chips or can include chips and other discrete devices.

[0051] Optionally, the management node can be any device deployed in the network capable of wireless communication with terminal nodes. It can also be a chip or chip system embedded in such devices, a logical node, a logical module, or a function implemented in software. It can be used to implement functions such as wireless physical control, resource scheduling and wireless resource management, wireless access control, and mobility management. Specifically, the management node can be used to provide access services to terminal nodes; for example, the management node can be a device that supports wired access or a device that supports wireless access.

[0052] For example, a management node can consist of one or more access network (AN) / radio access network (RAN) nodes. AN / RAN nodes can be: evolved Node B (gNB), transmission reception point (TRP), evolved Node B (eNB), radio network controller (RNC), Node B (NB), base station controller (BSC), base transceiver station (BTS), home base station (e.g., home evolved Node B, or home Node B, HNB), base band unit (BBU), or access point (AP), wireless relay node, wireless backhaul node, various forms of macro base station, micro base station (also known as small cell), relay station, access point, wearable device, vehicle-mounted device, etc.

[0053] In another example, the management node may include a baseband unit (BBU) and a remote radio unit (RRU). The BBU and RRU can be located in different locations; for example, the RRU can be deployed remotely to a high-traffic area, while the BBU is located in the central equipment room. Alternatively, the BBU and RRU can be located in the same equipment room. Furthermore, the BBU and RRU can be different components within the same rack.

[0054] In another example, the management node can be a device that includes centralized unit (CU) nodes, distributed unit (DU) nodes, or both CU and DU nodes. For instance, the management node can be logically divided into CUs and DUs, with some protocol layer functions centrally controlled by the CU, and the remaining partial or complete protocol layer functions distributed across the DU, which is then centrally controlled by the CU. CUs and DUs can be separate entities or included in the same network element, such as a BBU. Furthermore, the centralized unit (CU) can be further divided into a control plane (CU-CP) and a user plane (CU-UP).

[0055] In another example, the management node may also be a device that includes a radio unit (RU), or a device that includes a CU, a DU, and a RU. The RU may be included in a radio frequency device or radio frequency unit, such as an RRU, an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH).

[0056] It is understood that CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names in different systems, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an open radioaccess network (O-RAN) system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of software and hardware modules.

[0057] Understandable Figure 3 The communication system shown is merely exemplary and does not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this application. In practical applications, the communication system may also include other nodes, such as other management nodes and / or other terminal nodes.

[0058] Optionally, the communication system provided in this application embodiment can be a SparkLink wireless communication system, also known as a SparkLink system. This means the communication system uses SparkLink technology for communication. SparkLink can be referred to as NearLink or SparkLink in English. SparkLink technology is a wireless communication technology that may only have the characteristics of Bluetooth without the features of Wi-Fi, or it may combine the features of both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. SparkLink technology can be used to achieve high-quality, low-power, secure, and reliable short-range communication. SparkLink technology uses wireless frequency bands for communication and features high transmission rate, low power consumption, and high security. SparkLink technology may include SparkLink Basic (SLB) access technology and SparkLink Low Energy (SLE) access technology. For example, the standard number of this star flash technology may include, but is not limited to: T / XS 00001-2022, T / XS10002-2022, T / XS20001-2022, T / XS10002-2023, T / XS 50001-2024, or T / XS 30013-2024, etc.

[0059] In one possible embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the multiple anchor points in this embodiment include a master anchor point G and multiple slave anchor points T. The master anchor point G can serve as a management node in the StarSpark system, and the multiple slave anchor points T and the terminal device T can serve as multiple terminal nodes in the StarSpark system. The master anchor point G and the multiple slave anchor points T can be connected via a controller area network (CAN) bus and / or a StarSpark connection. The master anchor point and the terminal device can be connected via a StarSpark connection. For example, the StarSpark connection can be an SLE connection, which can also be called an SLE bidirectional connection when used for bidirectional communication. Figure 4 Example (a) illustrates this by connecting the master anchor point G and the multiple slave anchor points T via a CAN bus. Figure 4 Example (b) illustrates this by connecting the main anchor point G and the multiple secondary anchor points T via an SLE connection. Figure 4 Example (c) illustrates the connection between the master anchor point G and the multiple slave anchor points T via a CAN bus and SLE.

[0060] In one example, when the communication system is a WiFi system, the aforementioned multiple anchor points can be referred to as multiple WiFi anchor points, which may include a primary WiFi anchor point and multiple secondary WiFi anchor points. Here, a WiFi anchor point can refer to an anchor point that communicates based on the WiFi protocol. In another example, when the communication system is a StarScan system, the aforementioned multiple anchor points can be referred to as multiple StarScan anchor points, which may include a primary StarScan anchor point and multiple secondary StarScan anchor points. Here, a StarScan anchor point can refer to an anchor point that communicates based on the StarScan protocol.

[0061] The anchor point in the application embodiments can also be called a communication anchor point, and the English term for anchor point is "anchor". Optionally, the anchor point can be a ranging module or a positioning module, or a module with other functions. This application embodiment does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0062] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method can be applied to the communication system described above and includes the following steps. The following description uses the example of a communication system comprising a multi-anchor-point device and a terminal device. The multi-anchor-point device includes a master anchor point and multiple slave anchor points, with the master anchor point serving as a management node, and the slave anchor points and the terminal device serving as terminal nodes.

[0063] S201: The primary anchor point sends first control information to the terminal device, the first control information indicating the resources allocated for communication between the secondary anchor point and the terminal device. Accordingly, the terminal device receives the first control information.

[0064] S202: The master anchor point sends second control information to the slave anchor point, the second control information indicating the resources allocated for communication between the slave anchor point and the terminal device. Accordingly, the slave anchor point receives the second control information.

[0065] The execution of S201 and S202 can be in any order. For example, S201 can be executed first, followed by S202, or S202 can be executed first, followed by S201, or S201 can be executed simultaneously. Figure 5 The following example illustrates the process of executing S201 first and then S202.

[0066] Optionally, the aforementioned resources may include time-domain resources and / or frequency-domain resources; wherein, the time-domain resources may include time units, time slots, frames, or symbols, etc., and the frequency-domain resources may include carriers, subcarriers, frequency points, or channels, etc. For example, the first control information is specifically used to indicate: the frequency point and time slot used by the terminal device when sending information to the anchor point, and / or, the frequency point and time slot used by the terminal device when receiving information sent by the anchor point. Similarly, the second control information is specifically used to indicate: the frequency point and time slot used by the anchor point when sending information to the terminal device, and / or, the frequency point and time slot used by the anchor point when receiving information sent by the terminal device.

[0067] Furthermore, the master anchor point can also indicate one or more other information, such as the communication rate, encoding method, or enabling information between the slave anchor point and the terminal device, through the aforementioned control information. Alternatively, the master anchor point can indicate one or more of the aforementioned information, such as the communication rate, encoding method, or enabling information, by sending other control information to the slave anchor point and the terminal device.

[0068] In one possible embodiment, a communication connection may exist between the master anchor point and the terminal device. The master anchor point can send first control information to the terminal device through this communication connection, which may be established before the master anchor point sends the first control information. Optionally, the communication connection is an SLE connection or a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection. The SLE connection and the BLE connection can be used by the master anchor point to send information to the terminal device; furthermore, the SLE connection and the BLE connection can also be used by the terminal device to send information to the master anchor point.

[0069] In one possible embodiment, the master anchor point and the slave anchor point can be connected via a CAN bus, and the master anchor point can send second control information to the slave anchor point via the CAN bus.

[0070] In another possible embodiment, a communication connection may also exist between the primary anchor point and the secondary anchor point. The primary anchor point can send second control information to the secondary anchor point through this communication connection, which may be established before the primary anchor point sends the second control information. In one example, the communication connection is an SLE connection or a BLE connection, which can be used by the primary anchor point to send information to the secondary anchor point; furthermore, the SLE connection and the BLE connection can also be used by the secondary anchor point to send information to the primary anchor point.

[0071] Optionally, if the multi-anchor device includes multiple slave anchors, and all of these slave anchors need to communicate with the terminal device, the master anchor can send second control information to each of the multiple slave anchors. The communication resources between the different slave anchors and the terminal device may be at least partially different.

[0072] In one possible example, where all the multiple sub-anchor points need to communicate with the terminal device, S202 specifically involves the master anchor point sending second control information to the multiple sub-anchor points via a broadcast frame or a system management frame. The second control information indicates the communication resources between each of the multiple sub-anchor points and the terminal device; that is, the second control information is carried in the broadcast frame or system management frame and sent to all the sub-anchor points at once. Optionally, the resources indicated by the second control information include time-domain resources. The time-domain resources for communication between different anchor points in the multi-anchor device and the terminal device are different. For example, the multiple sub-anchor points can communicate with the terminal device in multiple different time slots.

[0073] S203: The terminal device communicates with the anchor point using the allocated resources.

[0074] In one possible embodiment, when the terminal device receives the first control information and the slave anchor receives the second control information, the terminal device can use the resources indicated by the first control information to communicate with the slave anchor, and the slave anchor can also use the resources indicated by the second control information to communicate with the terminal device. For example, the terminal device can use the resources to send information to the slave anchor or receive information from the slave anchor.

[0075] Furthermore, when the terminal device communicates with the slave anchor point, the master anchor point and the terminal device can also communicate. For example, the first control information sent by the master anchor point can also be used to indicate the resources allocated for communication between the master anchor point and the terminal device, so that the terminal device can also use the corresponding resources to send information to the master anchor point or receive information from the master anchor point.

[0076] In one possible example, ranging can be performed between the terminal device and the primary anchor point, and between the terminal device and multiple secondary anchor points, using resources allocated to each. For instance, the terminal device can exchange measurement frames bidirectionally with each anchor point. These bidirectional measurement frames can be used to determine channel state information between the terminal device and the anchor point. The channel state information between the terminal device and multiple anchor points (e.g., the primary anchor point and multiple secondary anchor points) can be used to determine the location information of the terminal device.

[0077] Optionally, for any anchor point, the anchor point may first send a first measurement frame to the terminal device, and the terminal device may then send a second measurement frame to the anchor point. In this way, the anchor point can obtain the channel state information between the anchor point and the terminal device based on the first and second measurement frames. Alternatively, for any anchor point, the terminal device may first send a second measurement frame to the anchor point, and the anchor point may then send a first measurement frame to the terminal device. In this way, the terminal device can obtain the channel state information between the anchor point and the terminal device based on the first and second measurement frames.

[0078] Optionally, the aforementioned channel state information may include: channel state information - in-phase (I) path and channel state information - quadrature (Q) path. The I path and the Q path can also be referred to as IQ data. The IQ data corresponding to each anchor point can be used to determine the transmission phase difference between the anchor point and the terminal device. This transmission phase difference is related to the distance between the anchor point and the terminal device, thus the IQ data corresponding to each anchor point can be used to determine the distance between the anchor point and the terminal device. The distances between multiple anchor points and the terminal device can be used to determine the location information of the terminal device.

[0079] For ease of understanding, the following example illustrates the communication method provided in this application embodiment by describing how the terminal device and the multiple anchor points (e.g., the main anchor point and multiple slave anchor points) bidirectionally interact with measurement frames using allocated resources.

[0080] The following Figure 6 and Figure 7 In this context, assuming the communication system is a Starflash system, the main anchor point is the main anchor point, and the multiple slave anchor points include slave anchor point 1 to slave anchor point 4. The multiple channel state information between the multiple slave anchor points and the terminal device is represented as IQ data 0 to IQ data 4, and the multiple distances between the multiple slave anchor points and the terminal device are represented as distance 0 to distance 4. Wherein, IQ data 0 represents the channel state information between the primary anchor point and the terminal device, and distance 0 represents the distance between the primary anchor point and the terminal device; IQ data 1 represents the channel state information between the secondary anchor point 1 and the terminal device, and distance 1 represents the distance between the secondary anchor point 1 and the terminal device; IQ data 2 represents the channel state information between the secondary anchor point 2 and the terminal device, and distance 2 represents the distance between the secondary anchor point 2 and the terminal device; IQ data 3 represents the channel state information between the secondary anchor point 3 and the terminal device, and distance 3 represents the distance between the secondary anchor point 3 and the terminal device; IQ data 4 represents the channel state information between the secondary anchor point 4 and the terminal device, and distance 4 represents the distance between the secondary anchor point 4 and the terminal device.

[0081] In one possible example, such as Figure 6As shown, the method includes: a primary anchor point sending first control information to the terminal device via an SLE connection, and sending second control information to the secondary anchor points 1 to 4 via broadcast frames or system management frames; according to the resources indicated by the first and second control information, the terminal device sequentially interacts with the primary anchor point and the secondary anchor points 1 to 4 to exchange measurement frames. For example, the primary anchor point and the secondary anchor points 1 to 4 first receive the second measurement frames a' to e' from the terminal device, and then send the first measurement frames a to e to the terminal device, respectively. Subsequently, the terminal device determines IQ data 0 to IQ data 4 based on the aforementioned measurement frames and sends them to the main anchor point. The main anchor point determines distance 0 based on IQ data 0. The main anchor point sends IQ data 1 to the secondary anchor point 1 and receives distance 1 from the secondary anchor point 1. The main anchor point sends IQ data 2 to the secondary anchor point 2 and receives distance 2 from the secondary anchor point 2. The main anchor point sends IQ data 3 to the secondary anchor point 3 and receives distance 3 from the secondary anchor point 3. The main anchor point sends IQ data 4 to the secondary anchor point 4 and receives distance 4 from the secondary anchor point 4. Finally, the main anchor point determines the location information of the terminal device based on distances 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. Optionally, the main anchor point can also directly determine distances 0 to 4 based on the received IQ data 0 to IQ data 4.

[0082] Another possible example, such as Figure 7 As shown, the method includes: a primary anchor point sending first control information to the terminal device via an SLE connection, and sending second control information to the secondary anchor points 1 to 4 via broadcast frames or system management frames; according to the resources indicated by the first and second control information, the terminal device sequentially interacts with the primary anchor point and the secondary anchor points 1 to 4 using measurement frames. Specifically, the primary anchor point and the secondary anchor points 1 to 4 first receive the second measurement frames a' to e' from the terminal device, and then send the first measurement frames a to e to the terminal device. Afterwards, the terminal device determines IQ data 0 to IQ data 4 based on the aforementioned measurement frames and sends them to the primary anchor point; the primary anchor point determines distances 0 to 4 based on the IQ data 0 to IQ data 4; finally, the primary anchor point determines the location information of the terminal device based on distances 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. For example, distance 0 is determined based on IQ data 0, distance 1 is determined based on IQ data 1, distance 2 is determined based on IQ data 2, distance 3 is determined based on IQ data 3, and distance 4 is determined based on IQ data 4. Figure 7 The example given is that the main anchor point and the secondary anchor points 1 to 4 are not connected via a CAN bus.

[0083] Optionally, the aforementioned first and second control information can be used to control the ranging parameters between the master anchor point and the terminal device, as well as the ranging parameters between each slave anchor point and the terminal device. Optionally, the ranging parameters may include at least one of the following: the period of the measurement event, the number of measurements, or the length or type of the measurement signal, etc. Further, the master anchor point may also send enable information to the terminal device and the plurality of slave anchor points, which can be used to enable the terminal device and the plurality of slave anchor points to start sending or receiving measurement frames.

[0084] In the above example, the terminal device first sends a second measurement frame to the anchor point and then receives a first measurement frame from the anchor point. In other examples, where the anchor point first sends a first measurement frame to the terminal device and then receives a second measurement frame from the terminal device, each of the multiple slave anchor points can also send its own channel state information with the terminal device to the master anchor point. The master anchor point then determines the distance based on the multiple channel state information and determines the location information of the terminal device based on the distance. Alternatively, each of the multiple slave anchor points can send its own distance determined based on the channel state information to the master anchor point, and the master anchor point determines the location information of the terminal device based on the multiple distances.

[0085] Furthermore, before the master anchor point sends the first control information to the terminal device, the master anchor point can also obtain relevant information about the terminal device, or the terminal device can also send its own relevant information to the master anchor point. For example, the relevant information about the terminal device may include at least one of the following: device information, status information, or resource usage information. Similarly, before the master anchor point sends the second control information to the slave anchor point, the master anchor point can also obtain relevant information about the slave anchor point, or the slave anchor point can also send its own relevant information to the master anchor point. For example, the relevant information about the slave anchor point may include at least one of the following: device information, status information, or resource usage information.

[0086] In one possible embodiment, if the time information of the master anchor point is consistent with the time information of the slave anchor point, the method further includes: the terminal device sending its time information to the master anchor point; the master anchor point determining the resources allocated for communication between the slave anchor point and the terminal device based on the time information of the terminal device and the time information of the slave anchor point.

[0087] In another possible embodiment, if the time information of the master anchor point is inconsistent with the time information of the slave anchor point, the method may further include: the terminal device sending its time information to the master anchor point, and the slave anchor point sending its time information to the master anchor point; the master anchor point may determine the resources allocated to the communication between the slave anchor point and the terminal device based on the time information of the terminal device and the time information of the slave anchor point.

[0088] Furthermore, before the master anchor point sends the first control information to the terminal device, if the terminal device needs to communicate with the slave anchor point, it can also send a first request message to the master anchor point, which requests communication with the slave anchor point. And / or, before the master anchor point sends the first control information to the terminal device, if the terminal device needs to communicate with the slave anchor point, the slave anchor point can also send a second request message to the master anchor point, which requests communication with the terminal device. Thus, when the master anchor point receives the aforementioned request message, it can allocate resources for communication between the slave anchor point and the terminal device.

[0089] In this embodiment, the master anchor point can send first control information and second control information to the terminal device and the slave anchor points respectively. The first and second control information can be used to indicate the resources allocated for communication between the slave anchor point and the terminal device. When the slave anchor point and the terminal device receive the corresponding control information, they can communicate using those resources. This allows direct communication between the slave anchor point and the terminal device without the need for forwarding by the master anchor point, thereby reducing communication latency, improving communication efficiency, and reducing the workload of the master anchor point to some extent. Furthermore, when multiple slave anchor points need to communicate with the terminal device, the master anchor point can send second control information to these multiple slave anchor points via broadcast frames or system management frames. This eliminates the need for a one-to-one connection between the master anchor point and the multiple slave anchor points, and allows the master anchor point to send second control information to multiple slave anchor points simultaneously, thus saving air interface time slots and improving communication efficiency.

[0090] The above primarily describes the solutions provided by the embodiments of this application from the perspective of the interaction between each anchor point and the terminal device. It is understood that, in order to achieve the above functions, the anchor points and terminal devices include corresponding hardware structures and / or software modules for executing each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and algorithm steps of the examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0091] This application embodiment can divide the anchor point and terminal device into functional modules according to the above method example. For example, each function can be divided into a separate functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. It should be noted that the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods. The following description uses the division of each function into separate functional modules as an example.

[0092] When using integrated units, Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a first communication device according to the above embodiments is shown. The device can be an anchor point or a chip applied to the anchor point. The device includes a transmitting unit 301, a receiving unit 302, and a processing unit 303. In one possible embodiment, when the device is the main anchor point, the transmitting unit 301 can be used to support the device in performing steps S201 and S202 in the above method embodiments; the receiving unit 302 can be used to support the device in performing steps in the above method embodiments of receiving time information from the anchor point, receiving time information from the terminal device, or receiving request information from the anchor point or the terminal device; the processing unit 303 can be used to support the device in performing steps in the above method embodiments of allocating resources for communication between the slave device and the terminal device. In another possible embodiment, when the device is the slave anchor point, the transmitting unit 301 can be used to support the device in performing steps S203 of the above method embodiments of sending information or sending time information to the main anchor point; the receiving unit 302 can be used to support the device in performing steps S203 of the above method embodiments of receiving information or receiving second control information; the processing unit 303 can be used to support the device in performing steps such as parsing the second control information in the above method embodiments. All relevant content of each step involved in the above method embodiments can be referenced from the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and will not be repeated here in the embodiments of this application.

[0093] Based on hardware implementation, the processing unit 303 in this application embodiment can be the processor of the device, the sending unit 301 can be the transmitter of the device, and the receiving unit 302 can be the receiver of the device. The transmitter can usually be integrated with the receiver as a transceiver. The specific transceiver can also be called a communication interface or interface circuit.

[0094] like Figure 9 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of another first communication device involved in the above embodiments provided in this application. The device can be used as an anchor point or a chip applied to the anchor point. The device includes: a processor 312, a memory 311, a communication interface 313 and a bus 314. The processor 312, the memory 311 and the communication interface 313 are connected through the bus 314.

[0095] The processor 312 is used to control and manage the operation of the device. In one possible embodiment, the processor 312 can be used to support the device in performing the step of allocating resources for communication between the slave device and the terminal device in the above method embodiments, and / or other steps described herein. In another possible embodiment, the processor 312 can be used to support the device in parsing control information in the above method embodiments, and / or other steps described herein. The communication interface 313 is used to support the device in communication, such as supporting the device to communicate with other anchor points or terminal devices.

[0096] In this embodiment, processor 312 may be a central processing unit, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It can implement or execute various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. The processor may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, etc. The bus 314 may include an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc.

[0097] When using integrated units, Figure 10A schematic diagram of a second communication device involved in the above embodiments is shown. This device can be a terminal device or a chip applied to a terminal device. The device includes a receiving unit 401, a transmitting unit 402, and a processing unit 403. In one possible embodiment, the receiving unit 401 can be used to support the device in receiving the first control information in S201 of the above method embodiment, or in receiving information in S203 of the above method embodiment; the transmitting unit 402 can be used to support the device in transmitting information in S203 of the above method embodiment, or in transmitting time information to the main anchor point; the processing unit 403 can be used to support the device in parsing the first control information in the above method embodiment, and / or other processes described herein. All relevant content of each step involved in the above method embodiments can be referenced to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and will not be repeated here.

[0098] Based on hardware implementation, the processing unit 403 in this application embodiment can be the processor of the device, the receiving unit 401 can be the receiver of the device, and the sending unit 402 can be the transmitter of the device. The transmitter can usually be integrated with the receiver as a transceiver. The specific transceiver can also be called a communication interface or interface circuit.

[0099] like Figure 11 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of another second communication device involved in the above embodiments provided in this application. The device can be used as a terminal device or a chip applied to a terminal device. The device includes: a processor 412, a memory 411, a communication interface 413 and a bus 414. The processor 412, the memory 411 and the communication interface 413 are connected through the bus 414.

[0100] The processor 412 is used to control and manage the operation of the device. In one possible embodiment, the processor 412 can be used to support the device in parsing the first control information in the above method embodiments, and / or other processes described herein. The communication interface 413 is used to support the device in communication, such as supporting the device to communicate with one or more anchor points.

[0101] In this embodiment, processor 412 may be a central processing unit, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It can implement or execute various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. The processor may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, etc. The bus 414 may include an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc.

[0102] In another embodiment of this application, a multi-anchor-point device is provided, comprising a plurality of anchor points, including a main anchor point and a plurality of secondary anchor points. The main anchor point can be used to support the execution of the steps of the main anchor point in the above method embodiments, and the secondary anchor points can be used to execute the steps of the secondary anchor points in the above method embodiments. Optionally, the multi-anchor-point device may be a vehicle or a device in a vehicle.

[0103] In another embodiment of this application, a communication system is provided, which includes a multi-anchor device and a terminal device; wherein, the multi-anchor device can be the multi-anchor device provided above, used to perform the steps of the main anchor point and multiple slave anchor points in the method embodiment provided above; the terminal device can be used to perform the steps of the terminal device in the method embodiment provided above.

[0104] It is understood that all relevant content of each step involved in the above method embodiments can be referenced in the embodiments of the communication device, the embodiments of the multi-anchor device, and the embodiments of the communication system, and will not be repeated here.

[0105] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or units is merely a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another apparatus, or some features may be ignored or not executed.

[0106] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. A component shown as a unit can be one or more physical units; that is, it can be located in one place or distributed in multiple different locations. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0107] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a readable storage medium. This readable storage medium may include various media capable of storing program code, such as a USB flash drive, external hard drive, read-only memory, random access memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the embodiments of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product.

[0108] In another embodiment of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which stores computer-executable instructions that are executed by a device (which may be a microcontroller, chip, etc.) or a processor when executing the steps of the anchor point in the above method embodiment.

[0109] In another embodiment of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which stores computer-executable instructions that are executed by a device (which may be a microcontroller, chip, etc.) or a processor when executing the steps of the terminal device in the above method embodiment.

[0110] In another embodiment of this application, a computer program product is also provided, the computer program product including computer instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a device, cause the device to perform the steps of the anchor points in the above method embodiments.

[0111] In another embodiment of this application, a computer program product is also provided, the computer program product including computer instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a device, cause the device to perform the steps of the terminal device in the above method embodiment.

[0112] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, A method for use as a secondary anchor point in a multi-anchor-point device, the multi-anchor-point device further comprising a primary anchor point, the method comprising: The slave anchor receives control information from the master anchor, the control information being used to indicate the resources allocated for communication between the slave anchor and the terminal device; When the slave anchor receives the control information, the slave anchor uses the resources to communicate with the terminal device.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The resources include time-domain resources, and the time-domain resources for communication between different anchor points and the terminal device in the multi-anchor-point device are different.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The receiving of control information from the main anchor point from the anchor point includes: The anchor point receives a broadcast frame or system management frame from the main anchor point, the broadcast frame or system management frame carrying the control information.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The method further includes: The slave anchor point sends its time information to the master anchor point via a communication connection, wherein the communication connection is a Starlight Low Energy (SLE) connection or a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection, and the time information is used for resource determination; or, The slave anchor point sends its time information to the master anchor point via the controller area network (CAN) bus. This time information is used to determine the resource.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The method further includes: The request information is sent from the anchor point to the main anchor point, and the request information is used to request communication with the terminal device.

6. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied in a terminal device, for the terminal device to communicate with a multi-anchor-point device, the multi-anchor-point device including multiple anchor points, the multiple anchor points including a master anchor point and slave anchor points, the method includes: The terminal device receives control information from the master anchor point, the control information being used to indicate the resources allocated for communication between the slave anchor point and the terminal device; When the terminal device receives the control information, the terminal device uses the resources to communicate with the anchor point.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The resources include time-domain resources, and the time-domain resources for communication between different anchor points and the terminal device in the multi-anchor-point device are different.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device sends its time information to the main anchor point via a communication connection. The time information is used to determine the resource. The communication connection is either a Starlight Low Power SLE connection or a Bluetooth Low Power BLE connection.

9. The method according to any one of claims 6-8, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device sends a request message to the main anchor point, the request message being used to request communication with the secondary anchor point.

10. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes modules or units for implementing the method of any one of claims 1-9.

11. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions that, when the processor executes the instructions in the memory, cause the device to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 1-5.

12. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions that, when the processor executes the instructions in the memory, cause the device to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 6-9.

13. A multi-anchor point device, characterized in that, The multi-anchor device includes multiple anchor points, including a master anchor point and slave anchor points. The master anchor point is used to communicate with the slave anchor points and the terminal device, and the slave anchor points are used to support the multi-anchor device in performing the communication method as described in any one of claims 1-5.

14. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores instructions that, when executed on the device, cause the device to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 1-9.

15. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a computer program that, when executed by a device, causes the device to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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