A communication method, a communication device, and a communication system

Abstract

The application provides a communication method, a communication device and a communication system. The method can be applied to a paging scenario. In the method, a network device dynamically adjusts an SSB period according to paging traffic volume. When the paging traffic volume is greater than a certain value, a short-period SSB is used, which can avoid problems such as paging congestion and missed paging. When the paging traffic volume is less than a certain value, a long-period SSB is used, which can maximize the continuous sleep opportunity of the network device and save energy of the network device. In this way, the overall performance of the communication system is improved, and the overall power consumption is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wireless communication, and more particularly to a communication method, communication device, and communication system. Background Technology

[0002] The synchronization signal and PBCH block (SSB), also known as the synchronization signal block, is a crucial structure in the physical layer of 5G mobile communication. The SSB comprises the primary synchronization signal (PSS), the secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and the physical broadcast channel (PBCH), integrating the synchronization signal and broadcast channel. It serves as the core reference for user equipment (UE) during initial cell access, synchronization, and measurement.

[0003] Currently, SSBs are typically transmitted periodically every 20 milliseconds (ms) to ensure that the UE can complete initial access and cell synchronization with low latency and acceptable search complexity. However, the high frequency of SSB transmission also means that the network side must wake up at least once every 20 ms, making it impossible to enter a deep sleep state, thus severely limiting the energy-saving potential of the base station side.

[0004] In some implementations, the SSB transmission period is extended to more than 20ms, such as 160ms, to improve network energy efficiency. However, an excessively long SSB transmission period may lead to performance degradation, such as longer paging delays or a significant increase in the UE's search complexity.

[0005] In the periodic transmission process of SSB, how to balance energy consumption and performance is a problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a communication method, communication device, and communication system that can reduce the overall power consumption of the communication system during the paging process and improve performance.

[0007] Firstly, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a network device, or by a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the network device, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the network device. This application does not limit this approach. The following description uses a network device (such as a base station) as an example.

[0008] The method includes: if the number of paging attempts per unit time is less than a first value, the network device periodically sends a synchronization signal block (SSB) to the terminal device in a first cycle; if the number of paging attempts per unit time is greater than a second value, the network device periodically sends a synchronization signal block (SSB) to the terminal device in a second cycle; wherein the first value is less than or equal to the second value, and the first cycle is greater than the second cycle.

[0009] In this method, the network device dynamically adjusts the SSB period based on paging traffic volume. When the paging traffic volume exceeds a second value, a short-cycle SSB (second cycle) is used to avoid paging congestion and missed calls. When the paging traffic volume is less than a first value, a long-cycle SSB (first cycle) is used, maximizing the network device's continuous sleep opportunities and achieving energy savings. This comprehensively improves the overall performance of the communication system and reduces overall power consumption.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the number of paging attempts per unit time being less than a first value includes: the ratio of the actual number of paging attempts per unit time to the first number of paging attempts being less than a first threshold; the number of paging attempts per unit time being greater than a second value includes: the ratio of the actual number of paging attempts per unit time to the first number of paging attempts being greater than a second threshold; the second threshold is greater than or equal to the first threshold. Wherein, the first number of paging attempts is the number of paging attempts per unit time such that the total system overhead of sending SSB scenarios in the first cycle is the same as the total system overhead of sending SSB scenarios in the second cycle.

[0011] In this method, the total system overhead is positively correlated with the paging traffic volume; that is, the higher the paging traffic volume, the higher the total system overhead. When the paging traffic volume is low, the total system overhead is low; when the paging traffic volume is high, the total system overhead is high. The SSB cycle is dynamically adjusted based on the paging traffic volume, i.e., the SSB cycle is dynamically adjusted based on the total system overhead. By dynamically adjusting the SSB cycle, the total system overhead is reduced.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the first paging count is the ratio of the system overhead difference per unit time to the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the first cycle in a single paging; wherein the system overhead difference is the difference between the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the second cycle and the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the first cycle.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, when periodically sending an SSB to the terminal device in a first cycle, if the number of paging attempts per unit time is greater than a second value within a consecutive first number of judgment cycles, then periodically sending an SSB to the terminal device in a second cycle; during the periodic sending of an SSB to the terminal device in the second cycle, if the number of paging attempts per unit time is less than a first value within a consecutive first number of judgment cycles, then periodically sending an SSB to the terminal device in the first cycle.

[0014] In this method, the SSB cycle is switched only when the conditions are met for multiple consecutive judgment cycles. This avoids system instability and increased processing complexity of network devices caused by frequent switching of SSB cycles.

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, while periodically sending an SSB to the terminal device in a first cycle, the network device also sends a wake-up signal to the terminal device and sends at least one set of integrated signals; wherein the wake-up signal is used to wake up the terminal device with low power, and the integrated signals are used for time-frequency synchronization between the terminal device and the network device after the terminal device is woken up, and to determine the location of the first SSB, which is used by the terminal device to determine the PO.

[0016] In this method, the network device sends a wake-up signal and an integration signal before the PO (Point of Purchase). The terminal device listens for the wake-up signal when there is no service and wakes up in response. This allows the terminal device to synchronize with the network device in time and frequency based on the synchronization signal in the integration signal and determine the location of the first SSB (Single Sub-Side). It can then select the paging channel to listen on based on the first SSB and listen for paging at the PO on that paging channel. The terminal device only needs to acquire one SSB (the first SSB) before the PO to successfully perform random access, reducing the reliance on a large number of SSBs during the paging wake-up process. This eliminates the need for the network device to wake up the terminal device prematurely, shortening the paging wake-up time and significantly reducing the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the time interval between the transmission time of the first SSB and the PO is less than the first cycle; the time interval between the wake-up signal and the PO is greater than the time interval between the transmission time of the first SSB and the PO, and less than the first cycle; the time interval between the transmission time of the integrated signal and the PO is greater than the time interval between the transmission time of the first SSB and the PO, and less than the time interval between the wake-up signal and the PO.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the integrated signal includes a synchronization signal and first information, wherein the synchronization signal is used for time-frequency synchronization between the terminal device and the network device, and the first information is used to indicate the time-frequency position of the SSB in the same beam as the synchronization signal.

[0019] In this method, the terminal device can perform time-frequency synchronization based on the synchronization signal in the integrated signal, and determine the time-frequency position of the SSB on the optimal beam based on the first information. In this way, the terminal device can accurately monitor the SSB without scanning multiple beams, thus reducing the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0020] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the at least one set of integrated signals is used by the terminal device to determine the optimal beam, and the terminal device receives the first SSB in the direction of the optimal beam.

[0021] In this method, the terminal device can determine the optimal beam based on the integrated signal and directly align with the optimal beam to receive the SSB, without having to scan on multiple beams, thus reducing the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0022] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the network device also receives capability information of the terminal device and determines, based on the capability information, that the terminal device does not support downlink wake-up signals but supports low-power wake-up signals.

[0023] In this method, the network device selects the wake-up signal based on the capabilities of the terminal device, thus adapting to terminal devices with various capabilities.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the number of paging attempts per unit time is the number of times a terminal device is woken up by a low-power wake-up signal per unit time.

[0025] Secondly, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a terminal device, or by a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the terminal device, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the terminal device. This application does not limit this approach. The following description uses a terminal device as an example.

[0026] The method includes: when the terminal device is in sleep mode, receiving a wake-up signal from the network device to wake up the main receiver of the terminal device; the main receiver receiving at least one set of integrated signals from the network device; the terminal device performing time-frequency synchronization according to the at least one set of integrated signals, and receiving a first synchronization signal block (SSB) according to the position indicated by the at least one set of integrated signals; the terminal device determining a paging opportunity (PO) according to the first SSB, and listening for paging messages at the PO.

[0027] In this method, the terminal device can perform time-frequency synchronization based on the integrated signal, no longer relying on multiple SSBs; the terminal device only needs to acquire one SSB (the first SSB) before the PO to successfully perform random access. In this way, the network device does not need to wake up the terminal device prematurely, shortening the paging wake-up time of the terminal device and significantly reducing the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0028] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the integrated signal includes a synchronization signal and first information, wherein the synchronization signal is used for time-frequency synchronization between the terminal device and the network device, and the first information is used to indicate the time-frequency position of the SSB in the same beam as the synchronization signal.

[0029] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the terminal device receiving a first synchronization signal block (SSB) based on a location indicated by at least one set of integrated signals includes: the terminal device determining an optimal beam based on at least one set of integrated signals, and receiving the first SSB at a first time-frequency position on the optimal beam; wherein the first time-frequency position is the time-frequency position indicated by first information in the integrated signals associated with the optimal beam.

[0030] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the time interval between the reception time of the first SSB and the PO is less than the period during which the network device transmits the SSB; the time interval between the wake-up signal and the PO is greater than the time interval between the reception time of the first SSB and the PO, and less than the period during which the network device transmits the SSB; the time interval between the reception time of the integrated signal and the PO is greater than the time interval between the reception time of the first SSB and the PO, and less than the time interval between the wake-up signal and the PO.

[0031] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the terminal device also sends capability information to the network device, the capability information being used to indicate whether the terminal device supports downlink wake-up signals and / or low-power wake-up signals.

[0032] The second aspect is the implementation on the terminal device side, which corresponds to the first aspect. The explanations, supplements, and descriptions of the beneficial effects of the first aspect also apply to the second aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0033] Thirdly, a communication device is provided, comprising a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module is used to determine the number of paging attempts per unit time; the transceiver module is used to periodically send a synchronization signal block (SSB) to a terminal device in a first cycle when the number of paging attempts per unit time is less than a first value; the transceiver module is also used to periodically send a synchronization signal block (SSB) to the terminal device in a second cycle when the number of paging attempts per unit time is greater than a second value.

[0034] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, comprising a transceiver module. The transceiver module is configured to receive a wake-up signal from a network device when the terminal device is in sleep mode; the processing module is configured to wake up the main receiver of the terminal device after the transceiver module receives the wake-up signal from the network device; the transceiver module is further configured to receive at least one set of integrated signals from the network device through the main receiver; the processing module is further configured to perform time-frequency synchronization based on the at least one set of integrated signals; the transceiver module is further configured to receive a first synchronization signal block (SSB) based on the position indicated by the at least one set of integrated signals; the processing module is further configured to determine a paging timing point (PO) based on the first SSB and listen for paging messages at the PO.

[0035] The third and fourth aspects are the implementation on the device side corresponding to the first and second aspects. The explanations, supplements, and descriptions of the beneficial effects of the first and second aspects also apply to the third and fourth aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0036] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, including a processor. The processor is coupled to a memory and can be used to execute instructions or data in the memory to implement the method in any possible implementation of the first aspect described above. Optionally, the communication device further includes a memory. Optionally, the communication device further includes a communication interface, and the processor is coupled to the communication interface.

[0037] In one implementation, the communication interface may be a transceiver, or an input / output interface.

[0038] In another implementation, the communication device is a chip configured in a network device. When the communication device is a chip configured in a terminal device, the communication interface can be an input / output interface.

[0039] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided, including a processor. The processor is coupled to a memory and can be used to execute instructions or data in the memory to implement the method in any possible implementation of the second aspect described above. Optionally, the communication device further includes a memory. Optionally, the communication device further includes a communication interface, and the processor is coupled to the communication interface.

[0040] In one implementation, the communication interface may be a transceiver, or an input / output interface.

[0041] In another implementation, the communication device is a chip configured in a terminal device. When the communication device is a chip configured in a network device, the communication interface can be an input / output interface.

[0042] In a seventh aspect, a processor is provided, comprising: an input circuit, an output circuit, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive signals through the input circuit and transmit signals through the output circuit, causing the processor to execute a method in any possible implementation of any aspect.

[0043] In specific implementation, the processor can be one or more chips, the input circuit can be input pins, the output circuit can be output pins, and the processing circuit can be transistors, gate circuits, flip-flops, and various logic circuits. The input signal received by the input circuit can be received and input by, for example, but not limited to, a receiver, and the signal output by the output circuit can be, for example, but not limited to, output to and transmitted by a transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as both the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the processor and various circuits.

[0044] Eighthly, a communication device is provided, including a processor and a memory. The processor is used to read instructions stored in the memory, receive signals via a receiver, and transmit signals via a transmitter to execute the method in any possible implementation of any of the preceding aspects.

[0045] Optionally, the processor may be one or more, and the memory may be one or more.

[0046] Ninthly, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product comprising: a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when the computer program is run, causes a computer to perform a method in any possible implementation of any of the above aspects.

[0047] In a tenth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods in any possible implementation of any of the preceding aspects.

[0048] Eleventhly, embodiments of this application provide a chip system including one or more processors for calling and executing instructions stored in memory, causing the methods in any of the above aspects or possible implementations to be executed. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0049] The chip system may include input circuits or interfaces for transmitting information or data, and output circuits or interfaces for receiving information or data.

[0050] In a twelfth aspect, a communication system is provided, including the aforementioned terminal device and network device. Optionally, the communication system may further include other devices that communicate with the terminal device and / or network device. Attached Figure Description

[0051] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a communication system used in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the architecture of a network device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating a scenario example of the communication method provided in this application embodiment; Figures 4-5 A schematic diagram illustrating scenarios for waking up terminal devices under different SSB cycles; Figure 6 A schematic diagram illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating two different paging processes in a scenario where the network device periodically sends an SSB to the terminal device in the first cycle. Figures 8-9 Schematic diagrams illustrating two different paging methods provided in embodiments of this application; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of an SSB cycle switching process provided in an embodiment of this application; Figures 11-12 A schematic diagram of the interaction process in the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application, where SSB is sent in a short period of time; Figures 13-14 A schematic diagram of the interaction process in the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application, where SSB is sent over a long period; Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of a frame structure for an integrated signal in a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 16 Another flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 17 Another interactive flowchart of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application; Figures 18-19 A schematic diagram illustrating two different wake-up methods for paging provided in embodiments of this application; Figure 20 A schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 21 Another schematic block diagram of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0053] The technical solutions provided in this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) systems, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) systems, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD) systems, sidelink communication systems, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) communication systems, non-terrestrial network (NTN) communication systems, 5th generation (5G) mobile communication systems, or new radio access technology (NR). Among these, 5G mobile communication systems can include non-standalone (NSA) and / or standalone (SA) networking. The technical solutions provided in this application can also be applied to future communication systems. This application does not limit the scope of these applications.

[0054] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a communication system used in an embodiment of this application. The communication system 100 may include network devices, such as… Figure 1 The network device 110 is shown. The communication system 100 may also include terminal devices, such as... Figure 1 The terminal device 120 shown. The network device 110 and the terminal device 120 can communicate via a wireless link.

[0055] Figure 1 An exemplary network device 110 and a terminal device 120 are shown. Optionally, the communication system 100 may also include multiple network devices and / or multiple terminal devices.

[0056] The network equipment in this application can be network-side equipment such as access network equipment and core network equipment. Access network equipment is sometimes also called access node. Access network equipment has wireless transceiver capabilities and is used to communicate with terminal equipment. Access network equipment includes, but is not limited to, base stations, evolved NodeBs (eNodeBs), transmission reception points (TRPs) in the above-mentioned communication systems, next-generation NodeBs (gNBs) in 5G mobile communication systems, access network equipment or modules of access network equipment in open RAN (ORAN) systems, satellites in NTN communication systems, base stations in future mobile communication systems, or access nodes in Wi-Fi systems. Access network equipment can also be modules or units capable of implementing some of the functions of a base station. Access network equipment can be macro base stations, micro base stations, or indoor stations, relay nodes or donor nodes, or wireless controllers in cloud radioaccess network (CRAN) scenarios. Optionally, access network equipment can also be servers, wearable devices, or vehicle-mounted equipment, etc. For example, the access network equipment in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be a roadside unit (RSU). Multiple access network devices in a communication system can be base stations of the same type or different types. Base stations can communicate with terminal devices directly or via relay stations. Terminal devices can communicate with multiple base stations using different access technologies. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the access network equipment. In this application, the access network equipment is referred to as a network device.

[0057] In this application, the means for implementing the functions of a network device can be a network device itself, or a means capable of supporting the network device in implementing those functions, such as a processor, circuit, chip, or chip system. This means can be installed in or connected to the network device. In the technical solutions provided in this application, the example of a network device being used to implement the functions of a network device is used to describe the technical solutions provided in this application.

[0058] The terminal device in this application can be a wireless terminal device capable of receiving network device scheduling and instruction information. The wireless terminal device can be a device providing voice and / or data connectivity to a user, a handheld device with wireless connectivity, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem. For example, the terminal device can communicate with one or more core networks or the Internet via a radio access network (RAN). The terminal device can also be referred to as a terminal, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminal devices can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, or satellite communication, etc. The terminal can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable device, vehicle, aircraft (such as drone, helicopter, airplane), hot air balloon, ship, robot, robotic arm, or smart home device, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the form of the terminal device.

[0059] In this application, the apparatus for implementing the functions of a terminal device can be the terminal device itself, or any apparatus capable of supporting the terminal device in implementing those functions, such as a processor, circuit, chip, or chip system. This apparatus can be installed in or connected to the terminal device. In the technical solutions provided in this application, the example of a terminal device being used to implement the functions of a terminal device is used to describe the technical solutions provided in this application.

[0060] Access network equipment and / or terminal equipment can be fixed or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; on water; or in the air on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. This application does not limit the application scenarios of the access network equipment and terminal equipment. They can be deployed in the same or different scenarios; for example, both can be deployed on land simultaneously; or the access network equipment can be deployed on land while the terminal equipment is deployed on water, etc., and so on.

[0061] In practical applications, multiple network devices can work together to assist terminals in achieving wireless access, with different network devices each performing some of the functions of a base station. Figure 2 This diagram illustrates one possible network device architecture. For example, a network device can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU), etc. The CU and DU can be separate entities or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH).

[0062] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (Open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, and RU can implement different protocol layer functions.

[0063] In traditional 5G communication, terminal devices wake up periodically according to the discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle to listen for paging messages, resulting in high power consumption.

[0064] 5G-A introduces a low-power wake-up signal (LP-WUS). Unlike traditional 5G communication where the terminal device's main receiver (MR) periodically listens for paging messages, LP-WUS technology integrates a separate low-power wake-up receiver (LP-WUR) into the terminal device, allowing the MR to remain in deep sleep for extended periods when there is no service. When there is no service, the terminal device's MR enters deep sleep, and the LP-WUR listens for LP-WUS at extremely low power. When the network needs to page the terminal device, the network device sends LP-WUS, and the LP-WUR immediately wakes up the MR upon recognition. The MR then performs subsequent time-frequency synchronization, paging listening, and other processes. This mechanism significantly reduces the standby power consumption of the terminal device while maintaining low-latency response for the connection.

[0065] In scenarios with short SSB cycles, such as 20ms, network devices must boot up at least every 20ms, preventing them from entering deep sleep mode and resulting in high power consumption. To reduce network device power consumption, the SSB cycle can be extended, for example, to 160ms. For example... Figure 3 As shown, compared to an SSB period of 20ms, the power consumption of network devices is reduced by about 77% when the SSB period is 160ms.

[0066] However, the increased SSB period after adopting LP-WUS technology leads to a decrease in system performance. This is because when a terminal device wakes up from deep or ultra-deep sleep, it needs to acquire 3 to 5 SSB samples for synchronization in order to successfully decode the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). Taking 3 SSBs as an example... Figures 4-5 The diagram illustrates scenarios for waking up terminal devices under different SSB cycles.

[0067] For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, the terminal device needs to acquire at least 3 SSBs before the paging occasion (PO). Therefore, the terminal device needs to recognize LP-WUS before receiving 3 SSBs. The SSB cycle is 20ms, so the terminal device only needs to recognize LP-WUS and wake up in less than 60ms before the PO.

[0068] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, the terminal device needs to identify LP-WUS before receiving 3 SSBs. The SSB period is 160ms, so the terminal device needs to identify LP-WUS and wake up at least 320ms before PO.

[0069] It is evident that in LP-WUS technology scenarios, as the SSB cycle lengthens, the time required for each LP-WUS wake-up response by the terminal device increases, resulting in the terminal device needing to be woken up much earlier, significantly increasing power consumption on the terminal device side. Furthermore, with the extended SSB cycle, paging response time increases significantly, leading to a large number of unanswered paging calls during periods of high paging traffic; the long SSB cycle cannot meet paging demands, causing issues such as missed paging calls and paging congestion.

[0070] In view of this, this application provides a communication method in which the network device dynamically adjusts the SSB period according to the paging traffic volume. When the paging traffic volume is greater than a certain value, a short-period SSB (e.g., 20ms) is used to avoid paging congestion, missed calls, and other problems. When the paging traffic volume is less than a certain value, a long-period SSB (e.g., 160ms) is used to maximize the network device's continuous sleep opportunities and achieve energy saving of the network device.

[0071] In some embodiments, reference Figure 6 The network device determines the paging traffic volume. If the number of paging calls per unit time is less than a first value, the network device periodically sends an SSB to the terminal device in a first cycle; if the number of paging calls per unit time is greater than a second value, the network device periodically sends an SSB to the terminal device in a second cycle. The first value is less than or equal to the second value, and the first cycle is greater than the second cycle. In this embodiment, a first cycle of 160ms and a second cycle of 20ms are used as examples. It can be understood that the first cycle and / or the second cycle can be other values.

[0072] Furthermore, since the terminal device needs to acquire multiple SSBs to successfully parse the PDSCH, the timing of the network device sending LP-WUS to wake up the terminal device's MR is earlier, especially in scenarios where the network device periodically sends SSBs to the terminal device in the first cycle (long cycle), resulting in excessive power consumption and high latency for the terminal device.

[0073] This application provides a communication method in which, when paging is required, if the network device determines that the SSB period is the first period, it configures an integrated signal. This integrated signal includes a synchronization signal and first information. The synchronization signal is used for time-frequency synchronization between the terminal device and the network device; for example, the synchronization signal includes a PSS and an SSS. The first information indicates the time-frequency position of the SSB (e.g., the first SSB) in the same beam as the synchronization signal. The network device transmits the LP-WUS and the integrated signal before the PO. When there is no service, the terminal device listens for a wake-up signal (LP-WUR). Upon receiving the LP-WUS, it wakes up and receives the integrated signal via MR. The terminal device performs time-frequency synchronization with the network device based on the synchronization signal in the integrated signal and determines the optimal beam direction. It then receives the SSB (the first SSB) at the time-frequency position indicated by the first information in this optimal beam direction. Thus, the terminal device can select the paging channel to listen to based on the first SSB and listen for paging at the PO on that paging channel. In this method, the terminal device only needs to acquire one SSB (e.g., the first SSB) before the PO to successfully perform random access, reducing the dependence on a large number of SSBs during the paging wake-up process. In this way, network devices do not need to wake up terminal devices too early via LP-WUS, which shortens the paging wake-up time of terminal devices and significantly reduces the power consumption of terminal devices.

[0074] For example, Figure 7 This diagram illustrates two different paging procedures in a scenario where the network device periodically sends an SSB to the terminal device in a first cycle. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the network device sends SSBs every 160ms. For example, the network device sends SSB 1, SSB 2, SSB 3, etc.

[0075] In one implementation, the network device sends LP-WUS before sending SSB1, and the terminal device is woken up upon detecting LP-WUS. The terminal device's MR scans across multiple beams, and after receiving SSB1, SSB2, and SSB3, it performs time-frequency synchronization with the network device based on SSB1, SSB2, and SSB3 to determine the optimal beam. Channel estimation and PO determination are then performed based on the SSBs on the optimal beam. The terminal device's wake-up time is longer than two SSB cycles, resulting in higher power consumption and slower paging response.

[0076] In another implementation, after sending LP-WUS to the terminal device, the network device sends at least one set of integrated signals. Upon detecting LP-WUS, the terminal device is awakened, and its MR scans across multiple beams to receive at least one set of integrated signals. The integrated signals include a synchronization signal and first information. The terminal device performs time-frequency synchronization with the network device and determines the optimal beam based on the synchronization signal. Optionally, the network device can send multiple sets of integrated signals across multiple beams, for example... Figure 7As shown, the network device sends three sets of integrated signals from three different beams. Compared to sending a single integrated signal, sending multiple integrated signals allows the terminal device to perform more precise time-frequency synchronization, achieving finer synchronization and resulting in more accurate channel estimation, thus obtaining a more precise time-frequency location of the point of origin (PO). In one implementation, the terminal device determines the optimal beam based on the signal strength of the multiple integrated signals. The terminal device's receiver (MR) is directly aligned with this optimal beam direction, listening for the source signal block (SSB) at the time-frequency location indicated by the first information. For example, the terminal device receives SSB 3. The terminal device obtains the power PBCH based on SSB 3 and determines the specific time-frequency location of the PO based on the PBCH. Generally, the network device will place the PO in a location adjacent to the SSB, for example, Figure 7 The interval between the transmission times of PO and SSB 3 is greater than or equal to 1ms and less than 20ms. Therefore, the interval between the transmission time of the integrated signal and PO can be greater than the interval between SSB 3 and PO. For example, if the interval between SSB 3 and PO is 1ms, then the time interval between the transmission time of the integrated signal and PO is 1ms to 2ms. This allows the terminal device to receive at least one SSB before the PO after waking up. Correspondingly, the interval between the LP-WUS transmission time and PO is greater than the time interval between the transmission time of the integrated signal and PO, but less than one SSB cycle. This means the terminal device's wake-up time is less than one SSB cycle, significantly reducing power consumption and paging latency.

[0077] For example, Figures 8-9 The diagram illustrates two different paging methods provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0078] In one paging method, such as Figure 8 As shown, when a network device needs to initiate paging, it sends an LP-WUS to the terminal device. Upon receiving the LP-WUS, the terminal device is awakened, receives multiple SSBs, and listens for the PO based on these SSBs. If a matching paging is detected at the PO, a radio resource control (RRC) connection establishment or recovery process is initiated. If no matching paging is detected at the PO, the terminal device goes into sleep mode.

[0079] In another paging method, such as Figure 9As shown, when a network device needs to initiate a paging process, it determines the current paging traffic volume. If the number of paging attempts per unit time is less than a first value, the network device periodically sends an SSB to the terminal device at a first cycle (a long cycle, e.g., 160ms). Less than one SSB cycle (the first cycle) before the PO (Point of Purchase), the network device sends an LP-WUS and an integrated signal to the terminal device. Upon receiving the LP-WUS, the terminal device wakes up and listens for the integrated signal and SSB; it then listens for the PO based on the integrated signal and one SSB. If a matching paging is detected at the PO, the terminal device initiates a radio resource control (RRC) connection establishment or recovery process. If no matching paging is detected at the PO, the terminal device goes into sleep mode.

[0080] If the number of paging attempts per unit time exceeds the second value, the network device periodically sends SSBs to the terminal device at a second cycle (short cycle, e.g., 20ms). At a point more than two SSB cycles (the second cycle) before the PO, the network device sends LP-WUS to the terminal device. Upon receiving LP-WUS, the terminal device wakes up and listens for SSBs; after receiving multiple (e.g., three) SSBs, it listens for the PO based on these SSBs. If a matching paging attempt is detected at the PO, the radio resource control (RRC) connection establishment or recovery process is initiated. If no matching paging attempt is detected at the PO, the terminal device goes into sleep mode.

[0081] compared to Figure 8 The paging method shown is as follows: Figure 9 The paging method shown dynamically adjusts the SSB period based on paging traffic volume. When paging traffic is low, a long-period SSB is used to increase the chance of network devices entering sleep mode and reduce network device power consumption. When paging traffic is high, a short-period SSB is used to reduce paging latency and avoid paging congestion and missed calls. Furthermore, by sending an integrated signal to the terminal device, high-precision time-frequency synchronization is achieved, enabling the terminal device to quickly determine the SSB on the optimal beam and listen for the PO based on that SSB. In this way, the terminal device does not need to rely on multiple SSBs to determine the PO, and the wake-up time is less than one SSB period, shortening the wake-up time of the terminal device in long-period SSB scenarios, reducing terminal device power consumption, and reducing paging latency.

[0082] In the communication method provided in this application, the network device periodically sends SSBs regardless of whether paging is initiated, and the system overhead of sending SSBs is fixed. The longer the period, the lower the system overhead of sending SSBs. For example, if the first period is 160ms and the second period is 20ms, the system overhead of sending SSBs with a long period is one-eighth of that of sending SSBs with a short period. When paging is initiated, in the scenario of sending SSBs with a short period, the network device sends LP-WUS to the terminal device; while in the scenario of sending SSBs with a long period, the network device needs to send LP-WUS and at least one set (e.g., three sets) of integrated signals to the terminal device. That is, in the scenario of sending SSBs with a long period, sending at least one set of integrated signals will cause additional system overhead. The greater the paging traffic, the greater the additional system overhead caused by sending integrated signals.

[0083] The total system overhead for long-cycle SSB transmission scenarios includes the system overhead of periodically transmitting SSBs, transmitting LP-WUS, and transmitting integrated signals. The total system overhead for short-cycle SSB transmission scenarios includes the system overhead of periodically transmitting SSBs and transmitting LP-WUS. As paging traffic increases, the system overhead of transmitting integrated signals will exceed the difference in system overhead caused by periodically transmitting SSBs.

[0084] In other words, when the paging traffic increases to a certain extent, the total system overhead of sending SSBs with a long cycle will be greater than that of sending SSBs with a short cycle.

[0085] In summary, total system overhead is negatively correlated with the SSB transmission period; that is, the longer the SSB transmission period, the lower the total system overhead. Total system overhead is positively correlated with paging traffic volume; that is, the higher the paging traffic volume, the higher the total system overhead. Based on a given SSB transmission period, we can obtain the paging traffic volume when the total system overhead for a long-period SSB transmission scenario is the same as that for a short-period SSB transmission scenario.

[0086] For example, when the total system overhead of a long-cycle SSB transmission scenario is the same as that of a short-cycle SSB transmission scenario, the number of paging attempts per unit time is denoted as P. th This is also known as the first paging attempt.

[0087] In one implementation, the first paging count is the ratio of the system overhead difference per unit time to the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the first cycle in a single paging; wherein the system overhead difference is the difference between the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the second cycle and the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the first cycle.

[0088] For example, P thIt can be obtained through formula (1).

[0089] Formula (1), in, It is the difference between the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the second cycle and the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the first cycle per unit time. This represents the total system overhead for a single paging scenario where an SSB is sent in the first cycle.

[0090] The ratio of the actual number of paging attempts per unit time to the number of first paging attempts is denoted as PBF, and is called paging busyness. For example, PBF can be obtained by formula (2).

[0091] Formula (2), in, This represents the actual number of paging attempts per unit of time.

[0092] when equal That is, the value of PBF is equal to 1, and the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the second cycle (short cycle) is the same as the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the first cycle (long cycle).

[0093] when Less than If the PBF value is less than 1, it means that the paging traffic is relatively small, and the total system overhead of sending SSB in the second cycle (short cycle) scenario is greater than the total system overhead of sending SSB in the first cycle (long cycle) scenario.

[0094] when Greater than If the PBF value is greater than 1, it indicates that the paging traffic is large and the total system overhead of sending SSB in the second cycle (short cycle) is smaller than that of sending SSB in the first cycle (long cycle).

[0095] In some embodiments, the value of PBF determines whether to send the SSB in a second period (short period) or in a first period (long period).

[0096] When the PBF value is less than the first threshold, the number of paging attempts per unit time is also less than the first value, indicating that the paging busy level is not busy. The network device sends SSB in the first cycle (long cycle). When paging is needed, the network device sends LP-WUS and integrated signals to the terminal device. In this example, the paging traffic is relatively small. The total system overhead of sending SSB in the second cycle (short cycle) scenario is greater than that of sending SSB in the first cycle (long cycle) scenario. Sending SSB in the first cycle (long cycle) is beneficial for the network device to reduce power consumption.

[0097] When the PBF value is greater than the second threshold, the corresponding number of paging attempts per unit time is greater than the second value, indicating a busy paging situation. The network device then sends SSBs in the second cycle (short cycle). Specifically, when paging is needed, the network device sends LP-WUS to the terminal device. In this example, the paging traffic is large. The total system overhead of sending SSBs in the second cycle (short cycle) scenario is smaller than that of sending SSBs in the first cycle (long cycle). Sending SSBs in the second cycle (short cycle) avoids the need for network device configuration integration signals, reducing the system overhead and complexity of the network device.

[0098] Optionally, the first threshold may be less than or equal to the second threshold.

[0099] When the first threshold equals the second threshold, for example, the values ​​of the first threshold and the second threshold can both be 1.

[0100] When the first threshold is less than the second threshold, for example, the first threshold is 0.8 and the second threshold is 1.2, a PBF value greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold indicates a moderate paging busy level. In one implementation, in this case, the network device maintains its current SSB cycle unchanged. This avoids frequent changes in the SSB transmission cycle of the network device.

[0101] In one implementation, the network device can calculate the PBF value in real time and determine whether to switch the SSB transmission period based on the PBF value.

[0102] After the network device starts up, it will send SSBs by default using either the first or second cycle.

[0103] Network devices calculate the PBF value in real time. In one example, the network device counts the number of PO (paging) dispatches (pager calls) once per second, obtaining... That is, the unit of time is 1 second. And PBF is calculated every N (N > 1) seconds; specifically, based on N... The average value of PBF is used to calculate the paging frequency (PBF), which reduces the impact of paging volume fluctuations. The time interval between calculating PBF is called a judgment period.

[0104] When the SSB cycle is the first cycle, if it is determined that the PBF value is greater than the second threshold (the number of paging attempts per unit time is greater than the second value) for M consecutive judgment cycles, then the system switches to periodically sending SSBs to the terminal device in the second cycle. Conversely, if the PBF value is less than the first threshold (the number of paging attempts per unit time is less than the first value) for M consecutive judgment cycles, then the system switches to periodically sending SSBs to the terminal device in the first cycle. This method ensures that the SSB cycle is switched only after the condition is met for M consecutive judgment cycles, thus avoiding system instability and increased network device processing complexity caused by frequent SSB cycle switching.

[0105] Furthermore, if it is determined that an SSB cycle switch is needed, the network device notifies the terminal device to change the SSB cycle. In one example, the network device notifies the terminal device to update system information, such as by carrying the SSB cycle through the system information configuration parameter ssb-periodicityServingCell. For example, if switching to the first cycle, the ssb-periodicityServingCell configuration value is 160ms; if switching to the second cycle, the ssb-periodicityServingCell configuration value is 20ms. After receiving the system information update instruction, the terminal device can save the updated SSB cycle. In one implementation, before the SSB cycle switch is complete, the network device processes terminal devices that have already received paging according to the previous SSB cycle; after the SSB cycle switch is complete, new paging is executed according to the new SSB cycle.

[0106] For example, Figure 10 This paper illustrates a flowchart of an SSB cycle switching process provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0107] like Figure 10As shown, the network device initially defaults to sending SSBs using the second period (short period). The network device calculates the PBF in real time and determines the range of the PBF. If it is determined that the PBF value is less than the first threshold (e.g., 0.8) for M consecutive determination periods, the system information configuration parameter ssb-periodicityServingCell is set to 160ms, and a system information change notification is triggered. The terminal device receives the system information change notification and saves the value of the system information configuration parameter ssb-periodicityServingCell. The network device then sends SSBs using the first period (long period). Further, the network device continues to calculate the PBF in real time and determines the range of the PBF. If it is determined that the PBF value is greater than the second threshold (e.g., 1.2) for M consecutive determination periods, the system information configuration parameter ssb-periodicityServingCell is set to 20ms, and a system information change notification is triggered. The terminal device receives the system information change notification and saves the value of the system information configuration parameter ssb-periodicityServingCell. The network device then sends SSBs using the second period (short period).

[0108] In this embodiment, the network device calculates the Page Format Failure Rate (PBF) in real time based on the number of paging requests and dynamically switches the SSB (Service Block Signal) cycle based on the PBF value. When the PBF is less than a first threshold, the first cycle is used to send the SSB, meaning a longer cycle is used when the paging volume is small, reducing the network device's power consumption. Furthermore, because the paging volume is small, the additional system overhead from sending integrated signals is minimal, resulting in high overall system performance. When the PBF is greater than a second threshold, the second cycle is used to send the SSB, meaning a shorter cycle is used when the paging volume is large, avoiding excessive system overhead caused by sending a large number of integrated signals during paging. Since the system overhead of sending SSBs and the system overhead of sending integrated signals are fixed, the calculated... Since PBF is a fixed value and the actual number of paging attempts is configured by the network device, real-time calculation of PBF does not generate significant computational overhead, thus reducing the configuration complexity of the network device. Furthermore, the system overhead of determining the SSB cycle based on the PBF value is also minimal. In summary, the method of dynamically adjusting the SSB cycle based on the PBF value generally reduces system overhead and improves the system performance of the paging process.

[0109] In some embodiments, when a short period (second period) of SSB transmission is used, after the network device wakes up the terminal device (UE) via a wake-up signal (e.g., LP-WUS), the UE performs time-frequency synchronization based on multiple SSBs. The wake-up signal needs to precede the PO by several (e.g., 2) SSB periods.

[0110] For example, Figures 11-12This illustration shows an interactive flow diagram of the communication method provided in this application, where SSBs are sent in a short period of time.

[0111] like Figure 11 As shown, the method includes: S901, Network devices broadcast system information.

[0112] System information broadcasting includes the master information block (MIB) and the system information block (SIB).

[0113] In one implementation, the network device can configure LP-WUS related parameters in the SIB. For example, this may include: LP-WUS resources, such as WUS sequence IDs, time-domain location T0 (i.e., WUS Occasion), etc.

[0114] Subgrouping involves dividing each UE into several subgroups to reduce false wake-ups.

[0115] Time offset T PO_LO This is a fixed time offset from the WUS Occasion to the associated PO, indicating the time interval between the LP-WUS and the PO, ensuring the master receiver has sufficient time to complete synchronization and measurement. For example, in the case of transmitting SSB using a short period (second period), the time offset T... PO_LO More than two second cycles are required so that the terminal device can detect at least three SSBs after waking up.

[0116] S902: Before entering sleep mode, the UE receives a system information broadcast and saves relevant LP-WUS parameters. Afterwards, it enters sleep mode (MR enters deep sleep mode), and the UE listens for wake-up signals with low power.

[0117] For example, during the MR's sleep period, the LP-WUR listens for a wake-up signal at time T0. If no WUS is detected at time T0, the LP-WUR continues listening, and the MR remains in deep sleep. If a WUS is detected at time T0, the MR is immediately woken up.

[0118] Furthermore, when the network device needs to initiate a paging process, it continues with subsequent steps. For example... Figure 12 As shown, the method includes: S903 When downlink data arrives, the network device sends a wake-up signal with low power consumption.

[0119] When the network device detects the arrival of downlink data (such as data sent from the core network), it needs to page the UE in idle (RRC_IDLE) or inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) state. The network device calculates the target PO time based on the UE ID and adds the paging record to the queue corresponding to the PO time sequence. Based on the UE's historical location or uplink measurements, the network device determines the current optimal beam direction N. If the corresponding PO queue is not empty, the network device generates LP-WUS and transmits the LP-WUS signal on beam N at time T0. For example, WUS bit=1.

[0120] S904 and UE's LP-WUR detect the wake-up signal and wake up MR.

[0121] The LP-WUR listens and decodes, detects WUS bit=1, and triggers MR wake-up. MR is powered on.

[0122] S905, UE's MR receives multiple SSBs.

[0123] The network device periodically sends an SSB in the second cycle. The UE's MR in T PO_LO The system receives multiple SSBs within a window and performs time-frequency synchronization based on these SSBs. It can also measure multiple SSBs (e.g., signal quality) to determine the optimal beam. The UE then uses the SSBs on the optimal beam to obtain system information from the PBCH, performing fine-grained time synchronization and channel estimation.

[0124] S906, Network devices send paging messages at PO.

[0125] The network device sends a paging message via PDCCH (or PDSCH) on the pre-calculated PO resources. The paging message contains the identifier of the target UE.

[0126] S907, UE's MR decoding paging message.

[0127] In one implementation, the UE determines the PO time based on the PBCH.

[0128] At time PO, the UE's MR decodes the PDCCH (or PDSCH) and extracts the UE identifier from the paging message. It compares the UE identifier in the paging message with its own UE identifier. If the UE identifier in the paging message includes its own UE identifier, it indicates a paging from this UE, and immediately sends Msg1 on the physical random access channel (PRACH) within the same uplink window to initiate a random access procedure and establish or restore an RRC connection. If the UE identifier in the paging message does not include its own UE identifier, it indicates a paging from this UE, and the UE disables MR, enters deep sleep, while the LP-WUR continues to listen for wake-up signals.

[0129] In other embodiments, a long period (first period) is used to transmit the SSB. After the network device wakes up the terminal device (UE) with a wake-up signal (e.g., LP-WUS), it also sends an integrated signal to the UE. The UE performs time-frequency synchronization based on the integrated signal, so only one SSB is needed to determine the PO. The wake-up signal precedes the PO by less than one SSB period.

[0130] For example, Figures 13-14 This illustration shows an interactive flow diagram of the communication method provided in this application embodiment, where SSB is sent over a long period.

[0131] like Figure 13 As shown, the method includes: S1001, Network devices broadcast system information.

[0132] In one implementation, the network device can configure LP-WUS related parameters in the SIB. For example, LP-WUS related parameters may include: LP-WUS resources, such as WUS sequence IDs, time-domain location T0 (i.e., WUS Occasion), etc.

[0133] Subgrouping involves dividing the UE into several subgroups to reduce false wake-ups.

[0134] Time offset T PO_LO The time offset T represents the fixed time offset from the WUS Occasion to the associated PO, indicating the time interval between the LP-WUS and the PO, ensuring the master receiver has sufficient time to complete synchronization and measurement. For example, when using a long period (first period) to transmit SSBs, the UE can perform time-frequency synchronization based on the integrated signal, and successfully decode the paging message by receiving one SSB; therefore, the time offset T... PO_LO It can be set to a value less than one first cycle.

[0135] In one implementation, network devices can configure integrated signal-related parameters in the MIB or SIB.

[0136] For example, integrated signal-related parameters may include: The Paging Window Offset (PO-window-offset) is a time offset value that indicates at what point in time the UE should start listening before the Paging Window begins, in order to prepare to receive the integrated signal triggered specifically for this paging.

[0137] S1002. Before entering sleep mode, the UE receives a system information broadcast and saves LP-WUS related parameters and integrated signal related parameters. After that, it enters sleep mode (MR enters deep sleep mode), and the UE listens for wake-up signals with low power consumption.

[0138] The specific implementation of S1002 can be found in S902, and will not be elaborated here.

[0139] Furthermore, when the network device needs to initiate a paging process, it continues with subsequent steps. For example... Figure 14 As shown, the method includes: S1003. When downlink data arrives, the network device sends a wake-up signal with low power consumption.

[0140] S1004, UE's LP-WUR detects the wake-up signal and wakes up MR.

[0141] The specific implementations of S1003-S1004 can be found in S903-S904, and will not be elaborated here.

[0142] S1005, Network devices send integrated signals.

[0143] The network device generates an integrated signal. In one implementation, the integrated signal includes a PSS / SSS for providing time-frequency synchronization capability; it also includes first information, such as a Beam-Index, associated with a periodically transmitted SSB, indicating the time-frequency position of the SSB in the same beam as the PSS / SSS.

[0144] For example, Figure 15 This illustration shows a frame structure diagram of an integrated signal in a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 15 As shown, symbol 0 carries the PSS of the integrated signal, and symbol 1 carries the SSS of the integrated signal and the first information (Beam-Index). That is to say, one integrated signal occupies two symbol positions.

[0145] If the corresponding PO queue is empty, the network device remains silent and does not send any subsequent signals.

[0146] If the corresponding PO queue is not empty, the network device sends at least one integrated signal at the time indicated by PO-window-offset. The network device sends the integrated signal after sending LP-WUS, ensuring that the UE receives at least one SSB; for example, the integrated signal can be sent 1-2 milliseconds before the PO start time. In one implementation, the network device sends multiple integrated signals on multiple beams, allowing the UE to receive multiple integrated signals on multiple beams.

[0147] S1006, UE's MR receiver integrated signal.

[0148] MR listens for integrated signals based on the time indicated by PO-window-offset.

[0149] S1007. The UE completes time-frequency synchronization based on the integrated signal and receives the SSB based on the specific time-frequency position of the integrated signal on the optimal beam.

[0150] Network devices periodically send SSBs in the first cycle.

[0151] The UE performs time-frequency synchronization based on the PSS / SSS in the integrated signal. The UE can also measure multiple integrated signals (e.g., signal quality) to determine the optimal beam N. The first information in the integrated signal on this optimal beam indicates the precise video position of the SSB on that beam. The UE can directly align with beam N and receive an SSB at the time-frequency position indicated by the first information in the integrated signal on beam N.

[0152] In this way, the UE can directly determine the precise location of an SSB based on the integrated signal, without needing to perform beam scanning to receive the SSB or to measure the SSB to determine the optimal beam. This saves the UE's SSB scanning time, thereby reducing UE wake-up time and lowering UE power consumption.

[0153] The UE obtains the PBCH in the SSB and performs fine time synchronization and channel estimation based on the PBCH.

[0154] S1008, The network device sends a paging message at PO.

[0155] S1009, UE's MR decoding paging message.

[0156] The specific implementations of S1008-S1009 can be found in S906-S907, and will not be elaborated here.

[0157] In this embodiment, an integrated signal, including PSS / SSS and Beam Index, is added after LP-WUS. The UE only needs to receive this integrated signal a very short time before PO to complete time-frequency synchronization and beam alignment, without having to wait for multiple SSB cycles in advance. When the SSB is transmitted in the first cycle (long cycle), this method unlocks the energy-saving potential of network equipment and significantly shortens the UE wake-up time, thereby achieving coordinated energy saving of network equipment and terminal equipment as a whole.

[0158] The communication method provided in this application dynamically switches the SSB cycle based on paging traffic volume. When paging traffic is heavy, a short-cycle SSB is used, without increasing system overhead compared to existing technologies. When paging traffic is light, a long-cycle SSB is used to reduce the transmission frequency of network devices, lowering system overhead on the network device side and providing the possibility for network devices to sleep for extended periods. Furthermore, in long-cycle scenarios, integrated signal-assisted reception of the SSB is used, enabling the terminal device to be woken up and receive paging messages quickly. The system overhead in this case is lower than that of the network device in short-cycle scenarios. Overall, this method reduces system overhead compared to existing technologies. This method not only significantly reduces total system overhead when paging traffic is idle, but also ensures paging performance during peak paging periods by dynamically switching the SSB cycle, providing a better energy-saving solution for power-sensitive IoT networks in the future. The communication method provided in this application, by dynamically adjusting the SSB cycle according to paging traffic volume, also allows network devices to enter deep sleep when traffic is not heavy, which helps reduce the energy consumption of network devices. In long-cycle SSB, the paging wake-up time is shortened by integrating signals, which reduces the power consumption on the UE side. Compared with existing technologies, this has more advantages in energy saving on both the network and UE sides.

[0159] In 6G, a new downlink wake-up signal (DL WUS) is designed for UEs in non-connected states to assist them in determining whether they need to listen to the Page Request (PO). When the core network needs to page a UE in an idle or inactive state, the network device first calculates the PO corresponding to the UE and its UE subgroup based on the UE's temporary identifier (e.g., 5G-S-TMSI), and sends the DL WUS on the dedicated monitoring opportunity (MO) before the PO, carrying the corresponding UE subgroup identifier. In Energy Efficiency Processing (EEP) mode, the UE only listens to the DL WUS through a Low Power Wake-up Receiver (LP-WUR). If the DL WUS is detected and the UE subgroup identifier in the DL WUS matches the UE's UE subgroup identifier, the MR (Member Receiver) is woken up. The MR then receives the complete paging message on the subsequent PO and performs a precise match by comparing the 5G-S-TMSI list in the paging message. If the match is successful, the UE initiates random access to establish an RRC connection. This two-level matching mechanism effectively avoids the UE frequently waking up the MR to listen to the PO, significantly reducing power consumption while ensuring paging reliability.

[0160] The communication method provided in this application embodiment can also be applied to network devices and terminal devices that support DL WUS functionality.

[0161] The UE can report its own capability information, such as supported subcarrier spacing and number of receive antennas, to the network device during registration or RRC connection establishment. The core network (e.g., AMF) stores this information and transmits it to the network device via the PAGING message on the N2 interface when paging is required, to assist the network device in making paging decisions and scheduling resources.

[0162] The communication method provided in this application embodiment allows the UE to report support for DL ​​WUS capabilities, LP-WUS capabilities, etc. The network device configures LP-WUS or DL ​​WUS according to the UE's capabilities. For example, Figure 16 This paper illustrates another flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0163] like Figure 16As shown, the network device calculates the PBF based on a stable configuration and dynamically configures the SSB period to either the first or second period based on the PBF. Further, the network device determines the wake-up signals supported by the target UE based on the capability information reported by the target UE. If the UE supports DL WUS, it paging the UE according to the procedure for waking the UE via DL WUS; if the UE does not support DL WUS but supports LP-WUS, it dynamically switches the SSB scheme based on paging traffic volume, waking the UE via LP-WUS and paging the UE. After waking up via DL WUS or LP-WUS, the UE receives the SSB and listens for paging messages on the PO.

[0164] The following is a detailed introduction to the plan.

[0165] For example, Figure 17 Another interactive flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application is shown. For example... Figure 17 As shown, the method includes: S1301, UE initiates registration.

[0166] After the UE powers on or enters a new tracking area, it initiates registration. The UE sends an RRC setup request to the network device and sends a non-access stratum (NAS) message, such as a registration request. The network device establishes an RRC connection for the UE and forwards the NAS message to the AMF entity in the core network.

[0167] S1302. The network device sends a capability reporting request to the UE to request the UE to report capability information.

[0168] S1303 After receiving the capability reporting request, the UE reports capability information to the network device.

[0169] In one implementation, the capability information includes LP-WUS capability information and DL WUS capability information. The LP-WUS capability information indicates whether LP-WUS is supported, and the DL WUS capability information indicates whether DL WUS is supported. In one possible implementation, the LP-WUS capability information is an OOK-type low-power wake-up signal, indicating whether it is supported or not. The DL WUS capability information is an OFDM sequence-type wake-up signal, including a first indication indicating whether it is supported or not; and a second indication indicating the UE subgroup identifier, etc.

[0170] S1304. Network devices' ability to forward UE information to the core network.

[0171] In one implementation, the network device sends the UE's capability information to the AMF via the NGAP: UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION message.

[0172] AMF stores the UE's capability information in the UE context and associates it with the UE's temporary identifier (5G-S-TMSI).

[0173] S1305. The network device receives a paging message from the core network.

[0174] When the core network triggers paging, user plane data arrives at the core network's UPF entity. The UPF entity notifies the core network's SMF entity that the UE has downlink data to be transmitted. The SMF entity then notifies the AMF entity. The AMF entity determines that the UE's state is CM-IDLE (idle state), and then, based on the UE's last registered tracking area (TA), sends an NGAP:PAGING message to all network devices (base stations) within that area to initiate paging.

[0175] In one example, the PAGING message contains the following information: The UE's temporary identifier, such as 5G-S-TMSI, is used by network devices to calculate the paging timing.

[0176] DL WUS / LP-WUS capability information, such as wake-up-signal-supported = DL-WUS or LP-WUS. wake-up-signal-supported = DL-WUS indicates support for DL ​​WUS, and wake-up-signal-supported = LP-WUS indicates support for LP-WUS.

[0177] The paging DRX cycle is used to calculate the paging timing.

[0178] List of paging and tracking area identifiers.

[0179] S1306. The network device calculates the PBF value in real time and dynamically adjusts the SSB period to the first or second period based on the PBF.

[0180] The paging count used in calculating PBF is the number of paging triggered via LP-WUS. If it is determined based on PBF that the SSB cycle needs to be changed, a system information update is triggered, for example, by modifying the value of the system information configuration parameter ssb-periodicityServingCell.

[0181] S1307. The network device determines the type of wake-up signal based on the capability information of the target UE being paged.

[0182] The network device obtains the UE's temporary identifier, such as 5G-S-TMSI, from the NGAP message and uses it to calculate PO.

[0183] The network device obtains the UE's capability information from the NGAP message and determines the type of wake-up signal based on the UE's capability information.

[0184] In one implementation, if it is determined that the UE supports DL WUS, the network device determines to send DL WUS at the DL WUS monitoring timing (MO) before the PO, which carries the UE subgroup identifier to which the UE belongs.

[0185] If it is determined that the UE supports LP-WUS (but does not support DL WUS), the network device will send LP-WUS at time T0 before PO.

[0186] S1308, The network device sends a wake-up signal.

[0187] When it is determined to send DL WUS, the network device sends DL WUS based on OFDM sequence on the calculated MO, which carries the UE subgroup identifier to which the UE belongs.

[0188] If the network device determines to send LP-WUS, it sends the LP-WUS with the OOK waveform at time T0. If the SSB period is long, the network device also sends an integrated signal to the UE after sending LP-WUS.

[0189] S1309, The UE receives the wake-up signal and wakes up.

[0190] For UEs that support DL WUS, the MO uses its Low Power Receiver (LP-WUR) to listen for DL ​​WUS. If DL WUS is received, the UE subgroup identifier in the DL WUS is obtained; if it is determined that the UE subgroup identifier in the DL WUS matches the identifier of its own UE subgroup, the MR is woken up. If DL WUS is not received, or the UE subgroup identifier in the DL WUS does not match the identifier of its own UE subgroup, the UE continues to sleep.

[0191] For UEs that support LP-WUS (but not DL WUS), their low-power receiver (LP-WUR) listens for LP-WUS at time T0. If LP-WUS is received, the MR is woken up; if LP-WUS is not received, the UE continues to sleep. If it is a long-cycle SSB, the UE also receives the integrated signal after waking up.

[0192] S1310, The network device sends a paging message.

[0193] In one implementation, the network device schedules the PDSCH via the PDCCH on the PO. The paging message carried by the PDSCH contains the UE's 5G-S-TMSI.

[0194] S1311. After the UE is woken up, it receives a paging message.

[0195] After the UE wakes up, it listens for the PDCCH on the PO and decodes the PDSCH. The UE extracts the UE identifier from the paging message and compares it with its own UE identifier. If the UE identifier in the paging message includes its own UE identifier, it indicates that the paging is from this UE, and a random access procedure is initiated to restore the RRC connection. If the UE identifier in the paging message does not include its own UE identifier, it indicates that the paging is not from this UE, and the UE goes to sleep.

[0196] The communication method provided in this application embodiment switches the wake-up mode according to the UE's capabilities, and can be applied to UEs with various capabilities.

[0197] For example, Figures 18-19 The illustration shows a paging method with two different wake-up modes provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0198] In one paging method, such as Figure 18 As shown, the network device periodically sends SSBs, which the UE receives. When the network device needs to initiate paging, it sends a DL WUS to the UE. In one scenario, the UE receives the DL WUS and makes a judgment. If the UE subgroup identifier in the DL WUS matches the UE's own UE subgroup identifier, the UE wakes up and listens for paging messages on the associated PO. If the DL WUS is not received, or the UE subgroup identifier in the DL WUS does not match its own UE subgroup identifier, the UE remains in sleep mode.

[0199] In another paging method, such as Figure 19 As shown, when a network device needs to initiate paging, it determines the capabilities of the target UE. If the UE supports DL WUS, then... Figure 18 The method is executed as follows: If the UE does not support DL WUS but supports LP-WUS, the network device sends LP-WUS to the UE. Upon receiving LP-WUS, the UE is woken up. Optionally, in a long-cycle SSB scenario, the network device also sends an integration signal to the UE. Further, the UE determines the PO based on the SSB and listens for paging messages at the PO. If a paging message corresponding to itself is heard, for example, if the UE identifier in the paging message includes its own UE identifier, a random access procedure is initiated to establish or restore an RRC connection. If no paging message corresponding to itself is heard, for example, if no paging message is heard, or if the UE identifier in the paging message does not include its own UE identifier, the UE continues to sleep.

[0200] compared to Figure 18 paging methods, Figure 19 The paging method shown can select the corresponding wake-up method to wake up the UE according to the UE's capabilities, so that the communication method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to UEs with various capabilities.

[0201] It is understood that the above-described illustrative flowcharts provided in this application mainly use different devices (e.g., UE, network device) as examples to illustrate the method, but this application does not limit the execution subject of the interaction. For example, the device (e.g., UE, network device) in the illustrative flowcharts can also be a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the device in implementing the method, or it can be a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the device.

[0202] As a general statement, the message or signaling interactions involved in the interaction process of this application embodiment can be standard messages or signaling or newly introduced messages or signaling. This application embodiment does not make specific limitations on this.

[0203] It should be understood that the flowcharts or scene diagrams shown in the above embodiments are merely for ease of understanding and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application to the examples shown in the figures. In fact, those skilled in the art can understand the concepts based on... Figures 1 to 19 The examples in the document can be transformed into equivalent ways to obtain more implementations.

[0204] The above text combined Figures 1 to 19 This document describes in detail the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application. The following will combine... Figures 20 to 21 The device embodiments of this application are described in detail below. It should be understood that the communication device of this application embodiment can execute the various communication methods of the foregoing embodiments of this application, that is, the specific working processes of the various products below can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments.

[0205] In the embodiments described above, the terminal device may execute some or all of the steps in each embodiment; the network device may execute some or all of the steps in each embodiment. These steps or operations are merely examples, and the embodiments of this application may also perform other operations or variations thereof. Furthermore, the steps may be executed in different orders as presented in the embodiments, and it is not necessary to execute all the operations in the embodiments of this application. Moreover, the sequence number of each step does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0206] Figure 20 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 20As shown, the communication device 1500 may include a communication module 1520. The communication module 1520 can implement corresponding communication functions, which can be internal communication functions of the communication device 1500 or communication functions between the communication device 1500 and other devices. Optionally, the communication module 1520 may also be referred to as a communication interface or transceiver module. Optionally, the communication device 1500 further includes a processing module 1510. The processing module 1510 can implement corresponding processing functions.

[0207] Optionally, the communication device 1500 further includes a storage module, which can be used to store instructions and / or data; the processing module 1510 can read the instructions and / or data in the storage module so that the communication device 1500 can implement the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0208] In one possible design, the communication device 1500 may correspond to the terminal device in the above method embodiments, or to a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the terminal device. The communication device 1500 may be used to perform the steps or processes performed by the terminal device in any of the above method embodiments.

[0209] For example, the communication module 1520 is used to receive a wake-up signal from the network device when the terminal device is in sleep mode; The processing module 1510 is used to wake up the main receiver of the terminal device after the communication module 1520 receives a wake-up signal from the network device; Communication module 1520 is also used to receive at least one set of integrated signals from network devices via a main receiver; Processing module 1510 is also used to perform time-frequency synchronization based on at least one set of integrated signals; The communication module 1520 is also configured to receive a first synchronization signal block SSB according to a position indicated by at least one set of integrated signals; The processing module 1510 is also used to determine the paging timing PO based on the first SSB, and to listen for paging messages at the PO.

[0210] Optionally, the processing module 1510 is specifically used to determine the optimal beam based on at least one set of integrated signals; The communication module 1520 is specifically used to receive a first SSB at a first time-frequency position on the optimal beam; wherein, the first time-frequency position is the time-frequency position indicated by the first information in the integrated signal associated with the optimal beam; Optionally, the communication module 1520 is also used to send capability information to the network device, the capability information being used to indicate whether the terminal device supports downlink wake-up signals and / or low-power wake-up signals.

[0211] The above are merely examples; for detailed steps or procedures, please refer to the descriptions in the foregoing embodiments.

[0212] In one possible design, the communication device 1500 may correspond to the network device in the above method embodiments, or to a component (such as a circuit, chip, or chip system) configured in the network device. The communication device 1500 may be used to perform the steps or processes performed by the network device in any of the above method embodiments.

[0213] For example, the processing module 1510 is used to determine the number of paging attempts per unit time. The communication module 1520 is used to periodically send a synchronization signal block SSB to the terminal device in a first cycle when the number of paging attempts per unit time is less than a first value. The communication module 1520 is also used to periodically send a synchronization signal block SSB to the terminal device in a second cycle when the number of paging attempts per unit time is greater than a second value.

[0214] Optionally, the communication module 1520 is further configured to send a wake-up signal to the terminal device and send at least one set of integrated signals; wherein the wake-up signal is used to wake up the terminal device with low power, and the integrated signals are used for the terminal device to perform time-frequency synchronization with the network device after being woken up, and to determine the location of the first SSB, which is used by the terminal device to determine the PO; Optionally, the communication module 1520 is also used to receive capability information of the terminal device and determine, based on the capability information, that the terminal device does not support downlink wake-up signals but supports low-power wake-up signals.

[0215] The above are merely examples; for detailed steps or procedures, please refer to the descriptions in the foregoing embodiments.

[0216] Figure 21 This is another schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 1600 may be a chip, chip system, or processor, etc., in a terminal device or network device that implements the above-described methods. The communication device 1600 can be used to implement the methods described in the above-described method embodiments; for details, please refer to the descriptions in the above-described method embodiments.

[0217] like Figure 21 As shown, the communication device 1600 may include one or more processors 1610, which may also be referred to as processing units or processing modules, and can implement certain control functions. The processor 1610 may be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, such as a baseband processor or a central processing unit. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the central processing unit can be used to control the communication device 1600 (e.g., a base station, baseband chip, user, user chip), execute software programs, and process data from the software programs.

[0218] In an alternative design, the processor 1610 may also store instructions and / or data that can be executed by the processor 1610 to cause the communication device 1600 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0219] In another alternative design, the communication device 1600 may include a communication interface 1620 for implementing receiving and transmitting functions. For example, the communication interface 1620 may be a transceiver circuit, interface, interface circuit, or transceiver. The transceiver circuit, interface, interface circuit, or transceiver for implementing receiving and transmitting functions may be separate or integrated. The aforementioned transceiver circuit, interface, interface circuit, or transceiver may be used for reading and writing code / data, or it may be used for transmitting or relaying signals.

[0220] Optionally, the communication device 1600 may include one or more memories 1630, which may store instructions that can be executed on the processor 1610, causing the communication device 1600 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. Optionally, the memories 1630 may also store data. Optionally, the processor 1610 may also store instructions and / or data. The processor 1610 and the memories 1630 may be provided separately or integrated together.

[0221] It should be understood that, in one possible design, the steps in the method embodiments provided in this application can be implemented by integrated logic circuits in the processor's hardware or by instructions in software form. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly implemented by a hardware processor, or implemented by a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor. The software modules can reside in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. This storage medium is located in memory, and the processor reads information from the memory and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above method. To avoid repetition, detailed descriptions are not provided here.

[0222] In one implementation, the communication device 1600 may correspond to the terminal device in the above method embodiments and may be used to execute the various steps and / or processes executed by the terminal device in the above method embodiments. The processor 1610 may be used to execute instructions stored in the memory 1630, and when the processor 1610 executes the instructions stored in the memory, the processor 1610 is used to execute the various steps and / or processes of the above method embodiments corresponding to the terminal device.

[0223] In another implementation, the communication device 1600 may correspond to the network device in the above method embodiments and may be used to execute the various steps and / or processes executed by the network device in the above method embodiments. The processor 1610 may be used to execute instructions stored in the memory 1630, and when the processor 1610 executes the instructions stored in the memory, the processor 1610 is used to execute the various steps and / or processes of the above method embodiments corresponding to the network device.

[0224] It should be understood that the aforementioned processing device can be one or more chips. For example, the processing device can be a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a system-on-chip (SoC), a central processor unit (CPU), a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a programmable logic device (PLD), or other integrated chips.

[0225] It is understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous linked dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory used in the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0226] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, this application also provides a chip system, which includes one or more processors for calling and executing instructions stored in memory, thereby causing the method described in the embodiments of this application to be executed. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0227] The chip system may include input circuits or interfaces for transmitting information or data, and output circuits or interfaces for receiving information or data.

[0228] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, this application also provides a communication system, which includes the aforementioned network device and terminal device.

[0229] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, this application also provides a computer program product, which includes: computer program code, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute the various steps or processes executed by the network device or terminal device in any of the foregoing method embodiments.

[0230] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing program code, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute the various steps or processes executed by the network device or terminal device in any of the foregoing method embodiments.

[0231] The computer-readable storage medium may be the aforementioned volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or it may include both volatile memory and non-volatile memory.

[0232] In the embodiments of this application, the terms and English abbreviations are exemplary examples given for ease of description and should not be construed as limiting the application in any way. This application does not preclude the possibility of defining other terms that can achieve the same or similar functions in existing or future agreements.

[0233] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When these computer instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated.

[0234] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0235] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the sequence number of each process does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0236] In summary, the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the technical solution of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to network devices, the method includes: If the number of paging attempts per unit time is less than the first value, a synchronization signal block (SSB) is periodically sent to the terminal device in the first cycle. If the number of paging attempts per unit time exceeds the second value, a synchronization signal block (SSB) is periodically sent to the terminal device in the second cycle. Wherein, the first value is less than or equal to the second value, the first period is greater than the second period, the first period is greater than 20 milliseconds, and the second period is less than or equal to 20 milliseconds; Under the condition of periodically sending SSB to the terminal device in the first cycle, Send a wake-up signal to the terminal device and send at least one set of integrated signals; the wake-up signal is used to wake up the terminal device with low power consumption, and the integrated signals include a synchronization signal and first information. The synchronization signal is used for the terminal device to perform time-frequency synchronization with the network device, and the first information is used to indicate the time-frequency position of a first SSB in the same beam as the synchronization signal. The first SSB is used by the terminal device to determine the paging opportunity PO.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of paging attempts per unit time being less than the first value includes: The ratio of the actual number of paging attempts per unit time to the first number of paging attempts is less than a first threshold; wherein, the first number of paging attempts is the number of paging attempts per unit time when the total system overhead of sending SSB scenarios in the first cycle is the same as the total system overhead of sending SSB scenarios in the second cycle.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The number of paging attempts per unit time being greater than the second value includes: The ratio of the actual number of paging attempts per unit time to the number of first paging attempts is greater than the second threshold; the second threshold is greater than or equal to the first threshold.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first paging count is the ratio of the system overhead difference per unit time to the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the first cycle in a single paging; wherein the system overhead difference is the difference between the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the second cycle and the total system overhead of the SSB scenario sent in the first cycle.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the number of paging attempts per unit time is greater than the second value within a first number of consecutive judgment periods, then the SSB is periodically sent to the terminal device in the second period. During the periodic transmission of SSB to the terminal device in the second cycle, if the number of paging attempts per unit time is less than a first value within a first number of consecutive judgment cycles, then the SSB is periodically transmitted to the terminal device in the first cycle.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The time interval between the transmission time of the first SSB and the PO is less than the first period; The time interval between the wake-up signal and the PO is greater than the time interval between the transmission time of the first SSB and the PO, but less than the first period; The time interval between the transmission time of the integrated signal and the PO is greater than the time interval between the transmission time of the first SSB and the PO, and less than the time interval between the wake-up signal and the PO.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The at least one set of integrated signals is also used by the terminal device to determine the optimal beam, and by the terminal device to receive the first SSB in the direction of the optimal beam.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The method further includes: The system receives capability information from the terminal device and determines, based on the capability information, that the terminal device does not support downlink wake-up signals but supports low-power wake-up signals.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The number of paging attempts per unit time refers to the number of times a terminal device is woken up by a low-power wake-up signal per unit time.

10. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a terminal device, the method includes: When the terminal device is in sleep mode, it receives a wake-up signal from the network device, which wakes up the main receiver of the terminal device. The main receiver receives at least one set of integrated signals from the network device; the integrated signals include a synchronization signal and first information, the synchronization signal is used for time-frequency synchronization between the terminal device and the network device, and the first information is used to indicate the time-frequency position of the synchronization signal block SSB that is in the same beam as the synchronization signal; The terminal device performs time-frequency synchronization with the network device according to the synchronization signal, and receives the first SSB according to the time-frequency position indicated by the first information; The terminal device determines the paging timing PO based on the first SSB, and listens for paging messages at PO; The first SSB is one of a plurality of SSBs sent by the network device in a first period; wherein, if the number of paging attempts on the network device per unit time is less than a first value, the plurality of SSBs are sent in the first period; if the number of paging attempts on the network device per unit time is greater than a second value, the plurality of SSBs are sent in a second period; wherein, the first value is less than or equal to the second value, the first period is greater than 20 milliseconds, and the second period is less than or equal to 20 milliseconds.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The terminal device receiving the first SSB according to the time-frequency location indicated by the first information includes: The terminal device determines the optimal beam based on the first information and receives the first SSB at a first time-frequency position on the optimal beam; wherein, the first time-frequency position is the time-frequency position indicated by the first information in the integrated signal associated with the optimal beam.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The time interval between the reception time of the first SSB and the PO is less than the period during which the network device sends the SSB; The time interval between the wake-up signal and the PO is greater than the time interval between the reception time of the first SSB and the PO, and less than the period during which the network device sends the SSB. The time interval between the reception time of the integrated signal and the PO is greater than the time interval between the reception time of the first SSB and the PO, and less than the time interval between the wake-up signal and the PO.

13. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send capability information to the network device, the capability information being used to indicate whether the terminal device supports downlink wake-up signals and / or low-power wake-up signals.

14. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes at least one processor coupled to a memory storing a program or instructions, wherein the processor executes the program or instructions to cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-13.

15. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program or instructions stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program or instructions are executed, they cause the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-13.

16. A communication system, characterized in that, Includes the communication device as described in claim 14.

17. A chip system, characterized in that, The chip system includes one or more processors, which are configured to retrieve and execute instructions stored in memory, such that the method described in any one of claims 1-13 is executed.

Images