Communication method and communication apparatus

Abstract

The communication method and the communication device provided by the embodiments of the present application relate to the field of communication. The method comprises: a network device (such as a base station) configures a period for a terminal device to change (switch) RV in a time unit group. In this way, in the case that the terminal device adopts RV cycling in the repeated transmission process, the network device can indicate the period for the terminal device to switch RV in a time unit group, instead of switching RV once per time unit, which helps to improve the reliability of uplink transmission.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] When satellite link resources are limited or the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the uplink channel is low, the reliability of data transmission between the network and terminal devices can be improved by using retransmission technology. However, this will consume more network resources and lead to a significant decrease in network capacity.

[0003] Currently, mobile communication standards are considering increasing uplink capacity by reusing uplink data from multiple terminal devices on the same time-frequency resources, thereby alleviating the uplink resource strain caused by repeated transmissions.

[0004] However, ensuring the reliability of uplink repetitive transmissions using the same resources across various terminal devices is a problem that urgently needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and a communication device, applicable to the field of communication. It can improve the reliability of uplink transmission.

[0006] Firstly, a communication method is provided, including:

[0007] Receive first information, the first information including first indication information, the first indication information being used to instruct N1 time unit groups to change the redundancy version RV of the data application once, where N1 is an integer greater than or equal to 1; transmit data in at least two time unit sets, each of the at least two time unit sets including N1 consecutive time unit groups, and the data application RV carried by different time units in each time unit set is the same, while the data application RV carried by time units in two adjacent time unit sets is different.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the method can be executed by the terminal device or by a chip in the terminal device.

[0009] According to the above scheme, network devices (such as base stations) can configure the RV change (or handover) cycle for terminal devices in units of time units. In this way, when terminal devices use RV cyclic handover during repeated transmissions, the network device can indicate the RV handover cycle for the terminal device in units of time units, instead of switching the RV once per time unit, which helps improve the reliability of uplink transmission.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the time unit group includes consecutive L...C Each time unit, L C The data carried in different time units within each time unit is covered by different code elements in the first codeword, which includes L. C Each code element.

[0011] Optionally, the first codeword may specifically be orthogonal cover codes (OCC).

[0012] Alternatively, the overlay method could be to multiply the data carried by the time unit with each symbol. For example, assuming the OCC sequence is [1, -1], then L... C The data carried in the first time unit of each time unit is multiplied by the first symbol (i.e., 1) in the OCC sequence [1, -1], so that the data carried in the second time unit is multiplied by the second symbol (i.e., -1) in the OCC sequence [1, -1].

[0013] According to the above scheme, terminal devices can apply OCC during data transmission, enabling them to reuse the same time and frequency resources with other terminal devices, thereby improving uplink capacity.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0015] Based on the number L of code elements contained in the first codeword C The time unit group is determined to include L C Each time unit.

[0016] According to the above scheme, the terminal device can determine the number of time units included in the time unit group. Furthermore, the terminal device can transmit data in N1 time unit groups, and the data carried in the N1 time unit groups have the same RV, which helps to maintain the orthogonality of OCC, thereby contributing to the reliability of uplink transmission.

[0017] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first information further includes second indication information, which is used to indicate the first codeword.

[0018] Optionally, the second indication information (or the first information) may be carried in downlink control information (DCI), and the first information may be contained in the DCI or may be the DCI.

[0019] According to the above scheme, the terminal device can determine the OCC sequence (i.e., the first codeword) configured by the base station for the terminal device. Further, the terminal device can determine the number L of code elements contained in the OCC sequence based on this sequence. C The time unit group is determined to include LC Each time unit.

[0020] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first information further includes third indication information, which is used to indicate whether to enable the RV cyclic mode or disable the RV fixed mode.

[0021] Optionally, the third indication information may be carried in a DCI, such as the third indication information being contained in a DCI or the third indication information being a DCI.

[0022] According to the above scheme, when the encoding benefit is greater when the terminal device uses the RV loop method for data transmission, the network device (such as the base station) can use the third indication information to configure the terminal device to use the RV loop method for data transmission, thereby improving the encoding benefit.

[0023] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: receiving second information, the second information including fourth indication information, the fourth indication information being used to indicate enabling RV fixed mode or de-enabling RV cyclic mode; and transmitting data in multiple time units, the data in different time units of the multiple time units using the same RV.

[0024] Optionally, the fourth indication information may be carried in a DCI, such as the fourth indication information being contained in a DCI or the fourth indication information being a DCI.

[0025] According to the above scheme, when the encoding benefits are greater when the terminal device uses the RV fixed method for data transmission, the network device (such as the base station) can be configured to use the RV fixed method for data transmission, thereby improving the encoding benefits.

[0026] Optionally, at least two of the first, second, third, and fourth indication information can be transmitted on the same DCI, or they can be transmitted on different DCIs. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0027] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, a set of time units carries N1*L of the same data transmission block. C Repeated 2 times.

[0028] According to the above scheme, the content carried by each time unit in a time unit set is the same, which helps to maintain the orthogonality within or between OCC groups and improve the reliability of uplink transmission.

[0029] Secondly, another communication method is provided, comprising: sending first information, the first information including first indication information for instructing N1 time unit groups to change the redundancy version RV of a data application once, where N1 is an integer greater than or equal to 1; receiving data in at least two time unit sets, each of the at least two time unit sets comprising consecutive N1 time unit groups, and the data application RV carried by different time units in each time unit set being the same, and the data application RV carried by time units in two adjacent time unit sets being different.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the method can be executed by a network device or by a chip within the network device.

[0031] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the time unit group includes consecutive L... C Each time unit, L C The data carried in different time units within each time unit is covered by different code elements in the first codeword, which includes L. C Each code element.

[0032] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: based on the number L of code elements contained in the first codeword C The time unit group is determined to include L C Each time unit.

[0033] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first information further includes second indication information, which is used to indicate the first codeword.

[0034] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first information also includes third indication information, which is used to indicate whether to enable the RV cyclic mode or disable the RV fixed mode.

[0035] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: sending second information, the second information including fourth indication information, the fourth indication information being used to indicate enabling RV fixed mode or de-enabling RV cyclic mode; receiving data in multiple time units, the data in different time units of the multiple time units using the same RV.

[0036] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, a set of time units carries N1*L of the same data transmission block. C Repeated 2 times.

[0037] Thirdly, a communication apparatus is provided for performing the method in any of the possible implementations of the first and second aspects described above. Specifically, the apparatus includes a module for performing the method in any of the possible implementations of the first and second aspects described above.

[0038] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide yet another communication device, including a processor coupled to a memory, which can be used to execute instructions in the memory to implement the method in any of the possible implementations of the first or second aspect described above. Optionally, the device further includes a memory. Optionally, the device further includes a communication interface, to which the processor is coupled.

[0039] In one implementation, the device is a terminal device. When the device is a terminal device, the aforementioned communication interface can be a transceiver, or an input / output interface.

[0040] In another implementation, the device is a chip integrated into the terminal device. When the device is a chip integrated into the terminal device, the aforementioned communication interface can be an input / output interface.

[0041] Fifthly, a processor is provided, comprising: an input circuit, an output circuit, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is used to receive signals through the input circuit and transmit signals through the output circuit, causing the processor to execute the method in any possible implementation of the first or second aspect described above.

[0042] In the specific implementation process, the processor can be a chip, the input circuit can be an input pin, the output circuit can be an output pin, and the processing circuit can be a transistor, gate circuit, flip-flop, 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 output to, for example, but not limited to, a transmitter and transmitted by the transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the processor and various circuits.

[0043] A sixth aspect provides a processing apparatus including a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to read instructions stored in the memory and to receive signals via a receiver and transmit signals via a transmitter to execute the method in any of the possible implementations of the first or second aspect described above.

[0044] Optionally, there may be one or more processors and one or more memories.

[0045] Alternatively, the memory can be integrated with the processor, or the memory can be set up separately from the processor.

[0046] In the specific implementation process, the memory can be a non-transitory memory, such as a read-only memory (ROM), which can be integrated on the same chip as the processor or set on different chips. The embodiments of this application do not limit the type of memory or the way the memory and processor are set.

[0047] It should be understood that the relevant data interaction process, such as sending instruction information, can be a process of outputting instruction information from the processor, and receiving capability information can be a process of the processor receiving input capability information. Specifically, the processed output data can be output to the transmitter, and the input data received by the processor can come from the receiver. Here, the transmitter and receiver can be collectively referred to as transceivers.

[0048] The processing device in the sixth aspect above can be a chip. The processor can be implemented in hardware or software. When implemented in hardware, the processor can be a logic circuit, integrated circuit, etc. When implemented in software, the processor can be a general-purpose processor that reads software code stored in memory. The memory can be integrated into the processor or located outside the processor and exist independently.

[0049] In a seventh aspect, a computer program product is provided, comprising: a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when executed, causes a computer to perform the method in any possible implementation of the first or second aspect described above.

[0050] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods in any of the possible implementations of the first or second aspect described above.

[0051] It should be understood that the second to eighth aspects of this application correspond to the technical solutions of the first aspect of this application, and the beneficial effects achieved by each aspect and the corresponding feasible implementation are similar, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0052] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a communication system used in an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 3A schematic diagram illustrating that two terminal devices multiplexing on the same time-frequency resources use the same OCC sequence length, as provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0055] Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating two terminal devices multiplexing on the same time-frequency resources using different lengths of the OCC sequence, provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating two terminal devices using different lengths of OCC sequences that reuse the same time-frequency resources, as provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the RV application for a first type of N1 time unit group data change provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0058] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the RV applied in the second type of N1 time unit group change once, provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0059] Figure 8 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0060] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the following points will be explained first:

[0061] In the embodiments of this application, "instruction" may include direct instruction, indirect instruction, explicit instruction, and implicit instruction. When describing a certain instruction information for indicating A, it can be understood that the instruction information carries A, directly indicates A, or indirectly indicates A.

[0062] In this embodiment of the application, " / " can indicate that the objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can mean A or B. "And / or" can be used to describe three relationships between the related objects. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. A and B can be singular or plural.

[0063] In the embodiments of this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more, such as three, four or more. Similar expressions (such as at least one, at least one, etc.) are analogous. "At least one of the following," "one or more of the following," or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, which may include only a single item or a combination of multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, or b, or c; a and b; or a and c; or b and c; or a, b, and c. Where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0064] In this embodiment of the application, for the convenience of describing the technical solution of the embodiment of the application, the terms "first" and "second" may be used for distinction. The terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the terms "first" and "second" are not necessarily different.

[0065] In this application, the words "exemplary," "example," or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary," "example," or "for example" should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. The use of words such as "exemplary," "example," or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner to facilitate understanding.

[0066] In this embodiment, "sending information / data" only indicates the direction of information / data transmission, including direct transmission via the device's communication interface (such as an air interface). "Sending" can also be understood as the "output" of the module interface. "Sending" can include indirect transmission by the processing unit through the communication interface, that is, after the processing unit outputs information / data through the module interface, it is transmitted to the device's communication interface and then sent out. "Receiving information / data" only indicates the direction of information / data transmission, including direct reception via the communication interface. "Receiving" can also be understood as the "input" of the module interface. "Receiving information / data" can include indirect reception by the processing unit through the communication interface, that is, after the communication interface receives information / data, it is transmitted to the module interface of the processing unit and then input to the processing unit. "Sending information / data to... (such as a terminal)" can be understood as the destination of the information being the terminal. It can include sending information / data directly or indirectly to the terminal. "Receiving information / data from... (such as a terminal)" can be understood as the source of the information being the terminal, and can include receiving information / data directly or indirectly from the terminal. Information / data may undergo necessary processing, such as format changes, between the source and destination, but the destination can understand the valid information / data from the source. Similar statements in this application can be understood in a similar way, and will not be repeated here.

[0067] The technical solutions of this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, 5th Generation (5G) communication systems, satellite communication systems, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) systems, and the solutions provided in this application can also be applied to future communication systems or other communication systems. This application does not limit these applications.

[0068] The terminal equipment in this application embodiment can also be referred to as: user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device, etc.

[0069] Terminal devices can be devices that provide voice / data connectivity to users, such as handheld devices with wireless connectivity, in-vehicle devices, etc. Currently, examples of terminal devices include: mobile phones, tablets, laptops, PDAs, mobile internet devices (MIDs), wearable devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving vehicles, wireless terminals in remote medical surgery, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, cellular phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to wireless modems, in-vehicle devices, wearable devices, terminal devices in 5G networks, or future public land mobile communication networks. This application does not limit the scope to terminal devices in a network (PLMN), etc.

[0070] The network equipment involved in this application can be a device that communicates with terminal devices. This network equipment can also be called an access network device or a wireless access network device. It can be a transmission reception point (TRP), an evolved NodeB (eNB or eNodeB) in an LTE system, a home base station (e.g., home evolved NodeB or home Node B, HNB), a base band unit (BBU), or a radio controller in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. Alternatively, the network equipment can be a relay station, access point, vehicle-mounted equipment, wearable devices, or network equipment in a 5G network or a network equipment in a future evolved PLMN network. It can also be an access point (AP) in a WLAN, or a gNB in ​​an NR system. The above-mentioned network equipment can also be a city base station, micro base station, pico base station, femtobase station, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0071] In a network architecture, network devices may include centralized unit (CU) nodes, distributed unit (DU) nodes, RAN devices including CU nodes and DU nodes, or RAN devices including control plane CU nodes (CU-CP nodes), user plane CU nodes (CU-UP nodes), and DU nodes.

[0072] Network equipment provides services to cells. Terminal devices communicate with cells through transmission resources (e.g., frequency domain resources, or spectrum resources) allocated by the network equipment. The cell can belong to a macro base station (e.g., macro eNB or macro gNB) or to a base station corresponding to a small cell. Small cells can include: metrocell, microcell, pico cell, femto cell, etc. These small cells have the characteristics of small coverage area and low transmission power, and are suitable for providing high-speed data transmission services.

[0073] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, firstly, in conjunction with Figure 1 The communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application will be described in detail.

[0074] Figure 1 An embodiment of the present application is illustrated, representing a communication system 100. The communication system 100 may include at least one network device, such as... Figure 1The network device 110 shown; the communication system 100 may also include at least one terminal device, such as Figure 1 The terminal device 120 shown. The network device 110 and the terminal device 120 can communicate via a wireless link.

[0075] 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.

[0076] The aforementioned communication devices, such as Figure 1 The network device 110 or terminal device 120 can be configured with multiple antennas. These multiple antennas may include at least one transmitting antenna for transmitting signals and at least one receiving antenna for receiving signals. Additionally, each communication device also includes a transmitter chain and a receiver chain, which, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, may include multiple components (e.g., processors, modulators, multiplexers, demodulators, demultiplexers, or antennas) related to signal transmission and reception. Therefore, network device 110 and terminal device 120 can communicate via multi-antenna technology.

[0077] Optionally, the communication system 100 may also include other network entities such as a network controller and a mobility management entity, but the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto.

[0078] It should be understood that Figure 1 The communication system 100 shown is merely an example. This application does not limit the specific architecture of the applicable system, nor does it limit the number and form of various devices contained in each communication system.

[0079] It should also be understood that in one possible implementation, network device 110 can act as a transmitter and terminal device 120 can act as a receiver, with network device 110 sending signals to terminal device 120; in another possible implementation, network device 110 can act as a receiver and terminal device 120 can act as a transmitter, with terminal device 120 sending signals to network device 110.

[0080] To better understand the methods provided in the embodiments of this application, the relevant technologies and terms involved in this application will be briefly explained below.

[0081] 1. Non-terrestrial network (NTN)

[0082] Because traditional terrestrial networks cannot provide seamless coverage, especially in areas where base stations cannot be deployed, such as the ocean, deserts, and the air, non-terrestrial satellite communication networks (or NTNs) are considered an important aspect of future wireless communication technology development. Satellite communication refers to communication conducted by terrestrial radio communication equipment using satellites as relays. A satellite communication system consists of a satellite component and a terrestrial component. The characteristics of satellite communication are: a large communication range; communication can be conducted between any two points within the coverage area of ​​the satellite's emitted radio waves; and it is less affected by land-based disasters.

[0083] Currently, NTN systems have large Earth-to-ground coverage radii and single-beam coverage areas, ranging from tens to hundreds of kilometers. This means that a large number of users (or terminal devices) may need to access the network simultaneously (or at similar times) within the same coverage area. However, limited time-frequency resources can only handle a certain number of data transmission requests. When the number of users accessing the network is large, some terminal devices may be in an uplink power-limited state due to insufficient uplink resources. This is especially true for NTN systems using low Earth orbit (LEO). LEO satellites move relatively quickly relative to the ground, have short overhead times for a given area, and exhibit strong dynamics in ground beam coverage. Consequently, a large number of users (or terminal devices) need to complete data transmission within a short period, leading to a more significant demand for uplink resources from ground users (or terminal devices).

[0084] Meanwhile, in some scenarios, satellite link resources may be severely limited, or the uplink transmission power of terminal equipment may be limited, resulting in a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the uplink signal, which may cause the base station to be unable to decode correctly.

[0085] In order to maintain an effective communication link between terminal devices and the network under limited link resources and power conditions, the decoding threshold can be obtained by repeatedly transmitting data encoded by forward error correction (FEC), thereby improving the reliability of uplink transmission.

[0086] 2. Forward error correction (FEC) coding

[0087] FEC encoding refers to the ability of a terminal device (i.e., the sender) to add redundant information to the original data. Correspondingly, the network device (i.e., the receiver), upon receiving the FEC-encoded data, can detect or correct errors in the data transmission.

[0088] Building upon FEC encoding, a retransmission technique is employed, where the sender repeatedly transmits the same FEC-encoded data to the receiver multiple times. Correspondingly, network devices can combine these multiple received data streams (e.g., soft combining) to increase the probability of correct decoding. Thus, retransmitting FEC-encoded data helps to capture the decoding threshold gain, thereby improving the reliability of data transmission between the network and terminal devices.

[0089] However, repeatedly transmitting the same data consumes significant network resources. This is especially true when there are many users (or terminal devices) within satellite coverage and uplink resources are limited, potentially leading to even greater uplink resource constraints. For example, suppose a terminal device in a low SNR environment needs to perform 32 repeated transmissions. Since each transmission requires additional time and frequency resources, this terminal device effectively consumes the resources needed for 32 terminal devices to transmit the same amount of data, resulting in a substantial decrease in network capacity in low SNR environments.

[0090] Currently, uplink capacity can be increased by reusing multiple terminal devices on the same time-frequency resources. For example, the 19th version (R-19) of the mobile communication standard introduced orthogonal cover codes (OCC) to enable multiple users (or multiple terminal devices) to reuse the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).

[0091] 3. Orthogonal cover codes (OCC)

[0092] OCC is an encoding method that can be used to distinguish different users (or terminal devices) and can include a set of mutually orthogonal OCC sequences. For ease of description, a set of mutually orthogonal OCC sequences will be referred to as an OCC group below. These mutually orthogonal OCC sequences allow different signals to be transmitted on the same time-frequency resources without interfering with each other. For example, taking an OCC sequence length of 2 (i.e., the OCC sequence includes 2 symbols), an OCC group may include two OCC sequences, [1, 1] and [1, -1], which are orthogonal.

[0093] When multiple terminal devices need to transmit data simultaneously, each terminal device can process its data (or signal) using an OCC sequence from an OCC group. Different terminal devices use different OCC sequences. Correspondingly, the receiving end receives the data from these different terminal devices after processing by mutually orthogonal OCC sequences, and can utilize the orthogonality of the OCC sequences to separate the original data from each terminal device. This allows multiple terminal devices to transmit data on the same time-frequency resource, achieving multiplexing of multiple terminal devices on the same time-frequency resource and improving uplink capacity.

[0094] In other words, when uplink resources are limited, it is possible to use OCC to reuse multiple terminal devices on the same time-frequency resources, thereby alleviating the uplink resource strain caused by repeated transmissions.

[0095] In addition, during the repeated transmission of FEC-encoded data, it is also necessary to consider the redundancy version (RV) used in each FEC encoding of the data. The RV refers to the redundant data version generated after the transport block undergoes channel coding and rate matching. RV values ​​can be, for example, 0, 1, 2, or 3. Different RVs provide different redundancy information; that is, using different RVs for the same data will result in different transmitted data content.

[0096] Currently, the implementation of RV used for data in the repeated FEC encoding process can be either RV fixed or RV cyclic. The following explains these two methods.

[0097] Fixed RV, also known as fixed RV, refers to the use of the same RV throughout repeated FEC encoding processes. In other words, during repeated transmissions of the same data, the content transmitted each time (including initial transmission and retransmission) always uses the same RV (e.g., RV0), and the same redundant information is sent in each retransmission.

[0098] It should be understood that this RV fixing implementation is suitable for stable channel conditions. However, in situations with poor channel conditions or limited channel link conditions, RV fixing may result in a high decoding failure rate because the receiver can only rely on the same redundant information for decoding due to limited error correction capabilities. Alternatively, it may require more retransmissions to decode, leading to longer data transmission delays and lower coding benefits.

[0099] RV cycling, also known as RV cyclic encoding, refers to the process where, during repeated FEC encoding, the transmitting end uses different RVs from a given RV sequence for encoding in a cyclical manner. This RV sequence can be predefined by the protocol or configured by the network for the terminal device via signaling; this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0100] If we assume the RV sequence is 0, 2, 3, 1, then during repeated FEC encoding, the content transmitted multiple times is encoded sequentially using RV0, RV2, RV3, and RV1 from the RV sequence. Correspondingly, the receiving end can superimpose redundant information from multiple transmissions, gradually increasing the amount of information needed for decoding, thus improving the decoding success rate and enhancing encoding efficiency.

[0101] However, if we consider applying OCC to improve uplink capacity based on this repeated transmission, the orthogonality of OCC may be affected by whether the terminal uses fixed RV or cyclic RV during encoding of the aforementioned repeated transmissions. Specifically, as follows.

[0102] For RV fixed transmission, the application of OCC on the basis of repeated transmission is likely to improve uplink capacity and alleviate the problem of limited uplink resources. However, if RV fixed transmission is used, the failure rate of decoding at the receiver may be high when the channel conditions are poor or unstable, resulting in a longer data transmission delay; or more retransmissions may be required to decode, which consumes more uplink resources.

[0103] However, using the RV (Recursive Variable) cyclic method might compromise the orthogonality of OCC (Optical Code Correction). Specifically, different RVs provide different redundancy information; that is, for the same data, if different RVs are used for encoding on different repetitions, the resulting encoded data will have different content. To maintain the orthogonality between different OCC sequences within an OCC group, the content covered by each symbol in the OCC sequence should be identical within the time unit (e.g., a time slot) covered by the OCC group. If the content of the same data is transmitted differently in multiple repetitions, it is difficult to maintain the orthogonality of OCC.

[0104] To effectively utilize OCC during repetitive transmissions and maintain OCC orthogonality, embodiments of this application propose that network devices (such as base stations) configure the RV change (handover) cycle for terminal devices on a time unit basis. Thus, when the terminal device uses RV cycling during repetitive transmissions, the network device can indicate the RV handover cycle for the terminal device on a time unit basis, rather than switching the RV once per time unit. This helps maintain OCC orthogonality and improves uplink transmission reliability.

[0105] The following is combined with Figures 2 to 7This application provides a detailed description of the communication method. The embodiments shown in this application illustrate the communication method provided by this application from the perspective of device interaction. The specific forms and numbers of the devices shown are merely examples and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation of the method provided in this application. Below, taking the sending end as a terminal device and the receiving end as a base station as an example, the communication method of the embodiments of this application will be described in detail. Figure 2 As shown, the communication method 200 includes, but is not limited to, the following S201 and S202.

[0106] S201, the base station sends first information to the terminal device. The first information includes first indication information, which is used to indicate that N1 time unit groups change the redundancy version RV of the data application once, where N1 is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0107] The time unit can be, for example, a slot, meaning the first indication information can be used to instruct the N1 slot groups to change the RV of the data application once. However, it should be understood that this application is not limited to this, and the time unit can also be in other forms, such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols, OFDM symbol groups, subframes, or frames. The specific time unit can be adjusted or replaced according to actual needs, and this application does not limit it.

[0108] Optionally, the N1 time unit groups can also be understood as the switching cycle (or simply RV switching cycle) of the RV for switching the data application during encoding by the terminal device. Changing the RV of the data application once every N1 time unit groups can be understood as the base station instructing the terminal device to change the RV of the data application once, on a time unit group basis. When the terminal device and the base station reach a consensus on the number of time units included in the time unit group, the base station can indicate this N1 to the terminal device to indicate the RV switching cycle.

[0109] Optionally, when the base station indicates to the terminal device to change the RV of the data application in units of time unit groups, N1 can be understood as the handover step size. For example, a handover step size of 1 (N1 = 1) means that the terminal device uses 1 time unit group as the RV handover cycle. As another example, a handover step size of 2 (N1 = 2) means that the terminal device uses 2 time unit groups as the RV handover cycle.

[0110] For ease of understanding, the following describes the implementation method in which the terminal device and the base station reach a consensus on the number of time units included in the time unit group.

[0111] Optionally, the number of time units in a time unit group can be determined based on the number of symbols contained in the first codeword used by the terminal device. That is, the terminal device determines the number of symbols contained in the first codeword (denoted as L). C The time unit group is determined to include L. C Each time unit. Optionally, the first codeword used by the terminal device may be predefined by the protocol, or it may be configured by the base station for the terminal device through signaling; this application does not impose any restrictions on this. For example, the first information includes second indication information, which is used to indicate the first codeword.

[0112] Optionally, the base station can send the first information (or the second indication information) to the terminal device through downlink control information (DCI), that is, the first information is included in the DCI or the first information can be the DCI, and this application does not limit this.

[0113] In a possible implementation, the first codeword can specifically be orthogonal cover codes (OCC). That is, the second indication information can be used to indicate the OCC.

[0114] Specifically, the second indication information (or the first information, such as DCI) includes field A, which represents the length of the OCC sequence (i.e., the number of symbols included in the OCC sequence). If field A is a first preset value, it indicates that the length of the OCC sequence is 2. If field A is a second preset value, it indicates that the length of the OCC sequence is 4. Assuming the base station configures the OCC sequence length for the terminal device to be 2, then field A in the second indication information (or the first information) is the first preset value. Accordingly, the terminal device receives the second indication information (or the first information) from the base station, and based on the fact that field A in the second indication information is the first preset value, the terminal device determines that the length of the OCC sequence is 2.

[0115] In another possible implementation, the field A representing the length of the OCC sequence can also be replaced with:

[0116] Field A indicates the OCC scheme used by the terminal device. This OCC scheme determines the length of the OCC sequence. If field A is a first preset value, it indicates an OCC scheme with an OCC sequence length of 2. If field A is a second preset value, it indicates an OCC scheme with an OCC sequence length of 4. Assuming the base station configures the terminal device to use an OCC scheme with an OCC sequence length of 2, then field A in the second indication information (or first information) is the first preset value. Accordingly, the terminal device receives the second indication information (or first information) from the base station, and based on the first preset value of field A in the second indication information, the terminal device determines that it is using an OCC scheme with an OCC sequence length of 2.

[0117] Optionally, the second indication information may further include field B, which represents the OCC index, or may also be referred to as the OCC sequence number. If field B is a third preset value, it indicates that an OCC sequence with OCC index 1 is used. If field B is a fourth preset value, it indicates that an OCC sequence with OCC index 2 is used. Assuming the base station configures the terminal device to use an OCC sequence with OCC index 1, then field B in the second indication information (or first information) is the third preset value. Accordingly, the terminal device receives the second indication information (or first information) from the base station, and based on the fact that field B in the second indication information is the third preset value, the terminal device determines that an OCC sequence with OCC index 1 should be used.

[0118] It is understandable that the base station can indicate to the terminal device which OCC sequence to use through fields A and B in the second indication information. For example, assuming the base station configures the terminal device to use an OCC sequence with an OCC length of 2 and an OCC index of 1, the terminal device can determine to use an OCC sequence with an OCC length of 2 and an OCC index of 1 based on field A being the first preset value and field B being the third preset value in the second indication information.

[0119] According to the above scheme, the terminal device can determine the OCC sequence (i.e., the first codeword) configured by the base station for the terminal device. Further, the terminal device can determine the number L of code elements contained in the OCC sequence based on this sequence. C The time unit group is determined to include L C Two time units. For example, if the terminal device determines that the number of symbols contained in the OCC sequence is 2 based on field A in the second indication information, it can determine that the time unit group includes 2 time units.

[0120] In addition, the time unit group includes continuous L CIn each time unit, the data carried in different time units is covered by different symbols in the OCC sequence (i.e., the first codeword). For example, assuming the terminal device determines that the OCC sequence is [1, -1] based on the second instruction information, the terminal device can determine that the time unit group includes two time units, and that two symbols from the OCC sequence [1, -1] are used to cover the two time units respectively. Specifically, the covering method could be to multiply the data carried in the time unit with each symbol; for example, multiplying the data carried in the first time unit with the first symbol (i.e., 1) in the OCC sequence [1, -1], and multiplying the data carried in the second time unit with the second symbol (i.e., -1) in the OCC sequence [1, -1].

[0121] Furthermore, the implementation method for determining N1 (i.e., the switching step size) will be described below.

[0122] When multiple terminal devices reuse the same time-frequency resources and apply OCC, the length of the OCC sequence may differ. The scenario of multiple terminal devices reused on the same time-frequency resources can be divided into two categories: multiple terminal devices using the same OCC sequence length or multiple terminal devices using different OCC sequence lengths. For ease of understanding, the following explanation uses two terminal devices reused on the same time-frequency resources as an example to illustrate the implementation methods for determining the specific value of N1 (i.e., the switching step size) for each terminal device in scenarios where the OCC sequence lengths are the same or different.

[0123] Scenario 1: Two terminal devices that reuse the same time-frequency resources use the same OCC sequence length.

[0124] Two terminal devices multiplexed on the same time-frequency resources may use OCC sequences of the same length. For example, both terminal devices may use OCC sequences of length 2, or both terminal devices may use OCC sequences of length 4. When two terminal devices multiplexed on the same time-frequency resources use OCC sequences of the same length, the switching step size corresponding to the two terminal devices may be the same, for example, both may be 1. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0125] like Figure 3As shown, suppose two terminal devices, terminal device 1 and terminal device 2, reuse the same time-frequency resources. Terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 use different OCC sequences within an OCC group of length 2. For example, terminal device 1 uses the OCC sequence [1, 1], and terminal device 2 uses the OCC sequence [1, -1]. The base station configures a handover step size of 1 for both terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 (that is, 1 RV switch per time unit group). Then, for terminal device 1, the first symbol (i.e., 1) in the OCC sequence [1, 1] is used to cover the data after the first FEC encoding of terminal device 1. Similarly, the second symbol (i.e., 1) in the OCC sequence [1, 1] is used to cover the data after the second FEC encoding of terminal device 1. The data encoded by terminal device 1 in both encodings is the same, and the RV used is the same (e.g., RV0). For terminal device 2, the first symbol (i.e., 1) in the OCC sequence [1, -1] is used to cover the data after the first FEC encoding of terminal device 2, and the second symbol (i.e., -1) in the OCC sequence [1, -1] is used to cover the data after the second FEC encoding of terminal device 2. The data encoded by terminal device 2 in the two encodings are the same and the RV used is the same (e.g., RV0).

[0126] Thus, for terminal device 1, the two symbols included in the OCC sequence [1, 1] can cover the same content, and for terminal device 2, the two symbols included in the OCC sequence [1, -1] can also cover the same content. After the base station receives the data corresponding to terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 carried in the first two time units, it can separate the original data of terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 according to the orthogonality between the OCC sequences [1, 1] and [1, -1].

[0127] Furthermore, for the two time units following the first two time units (i.e.) Figure 3 Even if the RV of the data application carried in the two time units corresponding to RV2 is different from the RV of the data application carried in the previous two time units, it will not affect the decoding of the data carried by terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 in the previous two time units. Therefore, after the previous two time units, terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 can switch RVs without breaking the orthogonality within the OCC group.

[0128] And so on, Figure 3 The two time units corresponding to RV3 will not affect the decoding of data of terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 carried by the two time units corresponding to RV2, and the two time units corresponding to RV4 will not affect the decoding of data of terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 carried by the two time units corresponding to RV3.

[0129] In other words, when multiple terminal devices reused on the same time-frequency resources use the same OCC sequence length, the base station can configure the handover step size of these multiple terminal devices to be 1. That is, RV handover with the OCC sequence length as the RV handover period will not destroy the orthogonality within the OCC group (or it can be understood as maintaining the orthogonality within the OCC group with a high probability).

[0130] Scenario 2: Two terminal devices that reuse the same time-frequency resources use OCC sequences of different lengths.

[0131] Two terminal devices sharing the same time-frequency resources may use OCC sequences of different lengths. For example, one terminal device might use an OCC sequence of length 2, while the other uses an OCC sequence of length 4. That is, the two terminal devices use OCC sequences from different OCC groups. In this case, if the two terminal devices continue to use the same handover step size, it may disrupt the orthogonality between the OCC groups corresponding to the two terminal devices.

[0132] For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, assume that the length of the OCC sequence used by terminal device 1 is 2 (for example, the OCC sequence is [1, 1]) and the length of the OCC sequence used by terminal device 2 is 4 (for example, the OCC sequence is [1, -1, -1, 1]). That is, the OCC sequences used by the two terminal devices are OCC sequences from OCC groups of different lengths.

[0133] In theory, when a base station receives such... Figure 4 The first two time units shown, carrying data from terminal device 1, need to be decoded according to the orthogonality of OCC. However, for terminal device 2, the base station, upon receiving data such as... Figure 4 The data from terminal device 2, carried in the four time units shown, can only be decoded according to the orthogonality of OCC. However, terminal device 1 uses different RVs in the corresponding four time units, meaning the data content in these four time units is different. This causes the data from terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 in these four time units to be unable to be decoded according to the orthogonality of OCC. Therefore, if two terminal devices multiplexed on the same time-frequency resources use different OCC sequence lengths, using the same switching step size may lead to the inability to decode data according to the orthogonality of OCC, meaning that the orthogonality between OCC groups is likely not maintained.

[0134] Therefore, in this case, for terminal device 1 using an OCC sequence of length 2, the switching step size can be 2 (i.e., N1 = 2), meaning terminal device 1 switches RV every 4 time units. For terminal device 2 using an OCC sequence of length 4, the switching step size can be 1 (i.e., N1 = 1), meaning terminal device 2 switches RV every 4 time units. In this way, after time unit alignment, terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 can decode data based on the orthogonality of the OCC.

[0135] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, terminal device 1 uses an OCC sequence with a length of 2 (e.g., OCC sequence [1, 1]), and terminal device 2 uses an OCC sequence with a length of 4 (e.g., OCC sequence [1, -1, -1, 1]). Therefore, the handover step size for terminal device 1 can be configured to be 2, and the handover step size for terminal device 2 to be 1. In this way, theoretically, the base station can receive a handover sequence with a length of 2 (e.g., OCC sequence [1, -1, -1, 1]). Figure 5 The data from terminal device 2 carried in the first four of the 16 time units shown can be decoded based on the orthogonality of the OCC (Optical Classification). Meanwhile, for terminal device 1, the RV (Real-Time Capacity) applied to the data carried in these four time units is the same, and the original data of terminal device 1 carried in these four time units is identical. This ensures that the encoded data carried in these four time units is identical. Therefore, the data from terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 carried in these first four time units can be decoded based on the orthogonality between OCC groups.

[0136] In addition, for Figure 5 The base station receives, such as Figure 5 The data carried in the first four time units shown can be understood as one time alignment. During this time alignment, the base station can decode the data based on the orthogonality of the OCC.

[0137] And so on, the base station receives, such as Figure 5 The data carried in time units 5 through 8, as shown, can be decoded. That is, the base station receiving the data carried in time unit 8 can be understood as a second time alignment. During this second time alignment, the base station can decode based on the orthogonality of the OCC (Optical Classification). Furthermore, the base station receives data such as... Figure 5 The data carried in time units 9 to 12, as shown, can be decoded a third time. The base station receives the data as follows: Figure 5 The data carried in time units 13 to 16, as shown, can be decoded a fourth time.

[0138] In other words, when multiple terminal devices multiplexed on the same time-frequency resources use different OCC sequence lengths, the base station can configure different handover step sizes for these terminal devices. For example, a terminal device using an OCC sequence length of 2 can be configured with a handover step size of 2, and a terminal device using an OCC sequence length of 4 can be configured with a handover step size of 1. This ensures that orthogonality between different OCC groups is satisfied during time alignment. This allows decoding to be performed based on the orthogonality between OCC groups even when two terminal devices multiplexed on the same time-frequency resources use different OCC sequence lengths, thereby improving the reliability of uplink transmission.

[0139] It should be noted that the above-mentioned cases where multiple terminal devices multiplexed on the same time-frequency resources use different OCC sequence lengths, and the terminal device using an OCC sequence length of 2 can be configured with a handover step size of 2, and the terminal device using an OCC sequence length of 4 can be configured with a handover step size of 1, are merely illustrative examples, and this application is not limited thereto. If multiple terminal devices multiplexed on the same time-frequency resources use different RV values, the base station can also configure the handover step size used by these multiple terminal devices to be other values, so that the RV handover period of the multiple terminal devices multiplexed on the same time-frequency resources is the same (i.e., N1*L). C (Same), so that it is easy to maintain the orthogonality between OCC groups during the RV switching cycle of the same multiple terminal devices.

[0140] For example, among multiple terminal devices multiplexed on the same time-frequency resources, one terminal device uses an OCC sequence of length 2, and another terminal device uses an OCC sequence of length 8. Then, for the terminal device using an OCC sequence of length 2, a handover step size of 4 can be configured, and for the terminal device using an OCC sequence of length 8, a handover step size of 1 can be configured. This configuration ensures that the RV handover period of the multiple terminal devices multiplexed on the same time-frequency resources is the same (i.e., N1*L). C (Similar to each other), it is easy to maintain the orthogonality between OCC groups.

[0141] The following section further explains how the base station indicates N1 time unit groups to the terminal device.

[0142] Optionally, the base station can send the first indication information to the terminal device via downlink control information (DCI), that is, the first indication information is included in the DCI or the first indication information can be the DCI, and this application does not limit this. In addition, this application is not limited to this, the first information can also be a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) or a physical layer (also referred to as layer 1, L1) message.

[0143] Accordingly, the terminal device receives the first indication information from the base station, and based on the first indication information, the terminal device can determine the RV of the data application to be changed once every N1 time unit groups.

[0144] Optionally, the first indication information and the second indication information can be transmitted through the same DCI, or they can be transmitted separately; this application does not impose any restrictions on this. Furthermore, even if the first indication information and the second indication information are transmitted separately, this application does not restrict the order in which the base station transmits the first indication information and the second indication information.

[0145] The specific implementation methods for the first instruction information may include, but are not limited to, the following methods 1, 2, and 3:

[0146] Method 1: The first indication information is used to indicate the number of time units included in the N1 time unit groups.

[0147] Optionally, the first indication information (or first information, such as DCI) includes a field C, which represents the number of time units included in the N1 time unit groups (or understood as RV handover cycles). For example, if the base station determines that the RV handover cycle includes 4 time units, then field C in the first indication information is 4.

[0148] Accordingly, the terminal device receives first indication information from the base station. Based on field C in the first indication information, the terminal device can determine the RV handover period used by the terminal device. For example, if field C is 4, the terminal device can determine that the RV handover period used by the terminal device is 4 time units. In other words, the base station can directly indicate to the terminal device the number of time units included in the N1 time unit group through field C.

[0149] Optionally, after determining N1, the base station can determine the RV handover period through N1 and the length of the OCC sequence allocated by the base station to the terminal device, and indicate the RV handover period to the terminal device through field C in the first indication information.

[0150] Method 2: The first indication information is used to indicate the value of N1.

[0151] Optionally, the first indication information (or first information, such as DCI) includes a field D, which represents N1. Assuming the base station determines N1 to be 2, then field D in the first indication information is 2.

[0152] Accordingly, the terminal device receives first indication information from the base station. Based on field D in the first indication information, the terminal device can determine N1 time unit groups. For example, if field D is 2, N1 is determined to be 2. In other words, the base station can directly indicate the value of N1 to the terminal device through field D.

[0153] Method 3: The first indication information is used to indicate N1.

[0154] Optionally, the first indication information (or first information, such as DCI) includes a field E, which is used to indicate N1. If field E is a fifth preset value, it indicates that N1 is 1. If field E is a sixth preset value, it indicates that N1 is 2. Assuming the base station determines that N1 is 2, then field E in the first indication information (or first information) is the sixth preset value.

[0155] Accordingly, the terminal device receives the first indication information (or first information) from the base station. Based on the fact that field E in the first indication information is the sixth preset value, the terminal device determines that N1 is 2, that is, the terminal device switches RV with a switching step size of 2.

[0156] Alternatively, this field E may also be referred to as the Redundancy Version Cycle Indicator (or RV Cycle Indicator), or the Redundancy Version Valid Cycle Indicator (or RV Valid Cycle Indicator).

[0157] Optionally, this field E can be denoted as RVstep, and the fifth preset value can be, for example, 0, meaning the terminal device can determine the switching step size as 1 based on RVstep=0 in the first instruction information. The sixth preset value can be, for example, 1, meaning the terminal device can determine the switching step size as 2 based on RVstep=1 in the first instruction information.

[0158] It should be understood that the aforementioned fifth preset value, sixth preset value, and the value of N1 corresponding to the fifth preset value and sixth preset value can be predefined by the protocol, or can be configured by the base station for the terminal device through signaling. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0159] According to method 1, method 2, or method 3 described above, the base station can indicate N1 time unit groups (or understand it as RV handover cycles) to the terminal device through the first indication information. The specific method 1, method 2, or method 3 used for the first indication information can be predefined by the protocol, or multiple methods can be predefined by the protocol. The first indication information indicates the specific method used and the corresponding specific value. For example, the first indication information indicates the use of method 1, and the number of time units included in the N1 time unit groups is 4. Another example is that the first indication information indicates the use of method 2, and the value of N1 is 2. Yet another example is that the first indication information indicates the use of method 3, and the first indication information (or field E) includes a sixth preset value.

[0160] It should be understood that in methods 2 and 3 of the aforementioned first indication information, the first indication information sent by the base station to the terminal device is used to indicate N1 or the value of N1. Therefore, the terminal device and the base station need to reach a consensus on the number of time units included in the time unit group (i.e., the length of the OCC sequence). In this way, the terminal device can determine the RV of data application after changing N1 time unit groups once based on the first indication information and the number of time units included in the time unit group. However, it should be understood that this does not mean that the base station will not send the second indication information to the terminal device when the first indication information adopts method 1 in this embodiment. Although the base station can directly indicate the RV switching period to the terminal device through this method 1, the terminal device still needs to determine the code symbols used by the data carried in different time units in the time unit group based on the second indication information.

[0161] To facilitate understanding, the following will be combined with... Figure 6 The RV applied to N1 time unit groups after a single data change is explained. For example, assuming the terminal device determines the OCC sequence as [1, -1] based on the second indication information, meaning the length of the OCC sequence (or the number of symbols included in the OCC sequence) is 2, then the terminal device can determine that the time unit group includes 2 consecutive time units. Furthermore, if the terminal device determines N1 to be 2 based on the first indication information, then the N1 time unit groups include 4 consecutive time units. Therefore, in cases such as... Figure 6 In the eight time units shown, the data carried in the first four time units uses one RV (e.g., RV0), and the data carried in these four time units is sequentially overlaid with symbol 1, symbol-1, symbol 1, and symbol-1. After these first four time units, the RV used for the data is changed once, that is, the data carried in the last four time units uses another RV (e.g., RV2). Furthermore, the data carried in these last four time units is also sequentially overlaid with symbol 1, symbol-1, symbol 1, and symbol-1.

[0162] It should be noted that, Figure 6The N1 time unit groups shown, comprising four consecutive time units, are merely an exemplary description for ease of understanding of the RV of a single data application change within the N1 time unit groups, and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. In practical applications, the specific number of time units included in the N1 time unit groups may be predefined by the protocol, or it may be configured by the base station for the terminal device through signaling (such as first indication information and / or second indication information), and this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0163] Optionally, the base station can use the first information to configure the terminal device to use an RV cyclic implementation method to determine the RV used during data transmission. That is, when the terminal device performs RV switching, it can switch according to the RV cyclic method.

[0164] Optionally, the first information also includes third indication information, which is used to indicate whether to enable RV loop mode or disable RV fixed mode. Enabling RV loop mode can also be understood as the terminal device using RV loop mode for data transmission, and disabling RV fixed mode can also be understood as the terminal device stopping the use of RV fixed mode for data transmission.

[0165] Specifically, the third indication information (or the first information, such as DCI) includes a field F, which indicates whether RV cycle mode is enabled. If field F is a seventh preset value, it indicates that RV cycle mode is enabled. If field F is an eighth preset value, it indicates that the third indication information does not enable RV cycle mode (or can also be understood as enabling RV fixed mode). If the base station determines that the terminal device enables RV cycle mode, then field F in the third indication information (or first information) is the seventh preset value. Accordingly, the terminal device receives the third indication information (or first information) from the base station, and based on the fact that field F in the third indication information is the seventh preset value, the terminal device determines that it enables RV cycle mode.

[0166] Optionally, the RV sequence used by the terminal device when enabling RV cyclic mode can be predefined by the protocol, or it can be configured by the base station for the terminal device through signaling; this application does not impose any restrictions on this. For example, the first information may also include fifth indication information, which is used to indicate the RV sequence used by the terminal device.

[0167] According to the above scheme, the base station can configure the terminal device to enable RV cyclic mode (or disable RV fixed mode) through the third indication information (or the first information). Thus, when the terminal device achieves greater coding benefits by using RV cyclic mode for data transmission, the base station can configure the terminal device to use RV cyclic mode for data transmission, thereby improving coding benefits.

[0168] It is understood that at least two of the aforementioned first, second, and third indication information can be transmitted using the same DCI, or they can be transmitted separately using different DCIs; this application does not impose any restrictions on this. Furthermore, even when at least two of the first, second, and third indication information are transmitted separately, this application does not restrict the order in which the base station transmits the DCIs separately.

[0169] After receiving the first information from the base station, the terminal device can execute S202.

[0170] S202, the terminal device sends data to the base station in at least two time unit sets, each of the at least two time unit sets comprising N1 consecutive time unit groups, and the data carried by different time units in each time unit set has the same RV, while the data carried by time units in two adjacent time unit sets have different RVs.

[0171] In this context, the RV (Reference Vehicle) for data applications differs between two adjacent time unit sets. This means the terminal device changes the RV for data applications every N1 time unit groups. The specific terminal device can switch (change) its RV based on the RV sequence.

[0172] For ease of understanding, the following is... Figure 6 Based on the corresponding implementation, taking an RV sequence of 0, 2, 3, 1 as an example, the application of RV to a single data change in N1 time unit groups is further explained. Figure 6 Similarly, in the implementation, N1 time unit groups (i.e., time unit sets) include 4 consecutive time units. The terminal device switches RV once every 4 time units. The specific switching can be performed according to the RV sequence.

[0173] Then in such Figure 7 In the 16 time units shown, the data carried by the first time unit set (i.e., time units 1-4) is assigned an RV (such as the first RV in the RV sequence, i.e., RV0). Then, the RV is switched once in the next time unit set (i.e., the second time unit set). For example, the data carried by the second time unit set (i.e., time units 5-8) is assigned an RV (such as the second RV in the RV sequence, i.e., RV2). This continues, with the data carried by the third time unit set (i.e., time units 9-12) being assigned an RV (such as the third RV in the RV sequence, i.e., RV3), and the data carried by the fourth time unit set (i.e., time units 13-16) being assigned an RV (such as the fourth RV in the RV sequence, i.e., RV1).

[0174] in addition, Figure 7Different time units within each time unit group are covered using different symbols from the OCC sequence [1, -1]. See [link to documentation] for details. Figure 6 The relevant descriptions of the embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0175] To improve the flexibility of the RV (Real Value) configuration for data applications carried by terminal devices in different time units, this application embodiment also proposes that the base station can determine the RV used in the data transmission process by configuring the terminal device with a fixed RV, that is, the terminal device uses the same RV in a fixed manner during data transmission.

[0176] Optionally, the base station may send second information to the terminal device, the second information including fourth indication information, which is used to indicate whether to enable RV fixed mode or disable RV cyclic mode. Enabling RV fixed mode can also be understood as the terminal device using RV fixed mode for data transmission, and disabling RV cyclic mode can also be understood as the terminal device stopping the use of RV cyclic mode for data transmission.

[0177] Optionally, the base station can send the second information (or the fourth indication information) to the terminal device through the DCI, that is, the second information is included in the DCI or the second information can be the DCI, and this application does not limit this.

[0178] Specifically, the fourth indication information (or the second information, such as DCI) includes a field G, which indicates whether RV fixed mode is enabled. For example, if field G is the ninth preset value, it indicates that RV fixed mode is enabled. If field G is the tenth preset value, it indicates that the fourth indication information does not enable RV fixed mode (or can also be understood as enabling RV cyclic mode). If the base station determines that the terminal device enables RV fixed mode, then field G in the fourth indication information (or the second information) is the ninth preset value. Accordingly, the terminal device receives the fourth indication information (or the second information) from the base station, and based on the fact that field G in the fourth indication information is the ninth preset value, the terminal device determines that it enables RV fixed mode.

[0179] Optionally, fields F and G can be the same field, such as field H (which is sent via third information). Field H indicates the redundant version mode used. For example, if field H is the eleventh preset value, it indicates that RV cyclic mode is enabled (or RV fixed mode is disabled). If field H is the twelfth preset value, it indicates that RV fixed mode is enabled (or RV cyclic mode is disabled). If the base station determines that the terminal device enables RV cyclic mode, then field H in the third information is the eleventh preset value. Accordingly, the terminal device receives the third information from the base station, and the terminal device determines that the terminal device enables RV cyclic mode based on the eleventh preset value of field H in the third information.

[0180] Optionally, this field H can also be called the redundant version mode indicator bit (denoted as RVcycEnableFlag), but this application is not limited to this. The naming of the specific field H can be predefined by the protocol, and this application does not restrict it.

[0181] According to the above scheme, the base station can configure the terminal device to enable RV fixed mode (or disable RV cyclic mode) through the second / third information. Thus, when the terminal device achieves greater coding benefits when using RV fixed mode for data transmission, the base station can configure the terminal device to use RV fixed mode for data transmission, thereby improving coding benefits.

[0182] It should also be noted that, to maintain the orthogonality of OCC, all time units within a time unit set must carry the same content. This can be understood as a time unit set comprising N1 consecutive time unit groups, or N1*L consecutive time unit groups. C A time unit, that is, a set of time units containing N1*L C Each time unit carries the same content. For example, a set of time units can carry N1*L of the same data transmission block. C Each repetition carries a time unit within a set of time units.

[0183] Optionally, the base station may also send a sixth indication information to the terminal device, which indicates the number of repetitions of the data transmission block (denoted as repeatNum). Optionally, the sixth indication information may include a field I, which represents the number of repetitions. Assume the base station determines the number of repetitions to be 4 (e.g., N1*L). C =4), then field I in the sixth instruction information is 4.

[0184] Accordingly, the terminal device receives the sixth indication information from the base station. Based on field I in the sixth indication information, the terminal device can determine the number of repetitions of the data transmission block. For example, if field I is 4, the number of repetitions is determined to be 4.

[0185] According to the above scheme, the content carried by each time unit in a time unit set is the same, which helps to maintain the orthogonality within or between OCC groups and improve the reliability of uplink transmission.

[0186] It is understood that at least one of the first to sixth indication information mentioned above can be transmitted via DCI. Based on this, embodiments of this application further propose adding at least one of the first to sixth indication information to the DCI format. For ease of understanding, the following description, in conjunction with Table 1, uses adding the first to sixth indication information to the DCI format as an example, but this application is not limited thereto.

[0187] Table 1 shows the multiple fields included in DCI, and the DCI format bits corresponding to each field for DCI format 0_0, DCI format 0_1, and DCI format 0_2. The multiple fields included in each DCI are described in turn below.

[0188] As shown in Table 1, the DCI identifier indicates the DCI format type. The DCI format 0_0 occupies 1 bit, DCI format 0_1 ​​occupies 1 bit, and DCI format 0_2 occupies 1 bit. Similarly, the bit positions for other fields corresponding to DCI format 0_0, DCI format 0_1, and DCI format 0_2 are also shown in Table 1. For simplicity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0189] The carrier indicator is used to indicate which component carrier the current scheduling is targeting in a carrier aggregation scenario.

[0190] The dynamic feedback indicator (DFI) flag is used to trigger or adjust the feedback mechanism of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgment (ACK).

[0191] A HARQ-ACK bitmap is used to indicate the acknowledgment status of multiple HARQ processes in bitmap form.

[0192] Transmit power control (TPC) commands are used to adjust the transmit power of the uplink channel of a terminal device.

[0193] The uplink (UL) / supplementary uplink (SUL) indicator indicates whether the uplink type is normal uplink (UL) or supplementary uplink (SUL).

[0194] The bandwidth part (BWP) indicator is used to switch the currently active bandwidth part (BWP) of the terminal device.

[0195] The frequency domain resource assignment is used to allocate frequency domain resources.

[0196] The time domain resource assignment is used to allocate time domain resources.

[0197] The frequency hopping flag is used to indicate whether frequency hopping is enabled.

[0198] A modulation and coding scheme (MCS) is used to indicate the modulation and coding scheme.

[0199] The new data indicator is used to identify whether the current transmission is new data or retransmission data.

[0200] Redundancy version (RV) defines the encoding version used during HARQ retransmission (e.g., RV 0, 1, 2, 3).

[0201] The HARQ process number is used to indicate the HARQ process number corresponding to the current data transmission.

[0202] The above can be understood as the various fields included in the existing DCI format and the corresponding functions of each field.

[0203] The following describes at least one newly added field in the embodiments of this application.

[0204] The Redundancy Version Mode Indicator (RVcycEnableFlag) indicates whether RV cyclic or RV fixed is used. For example, RVcycEnableFlag = 0 indicates RV cyclic is used, and RVcycEnableFlag = 1 indicates RV fixed is used. This Redundancy Version Mode Indicator can be understood as the third or fourth indicator information mentioned above, which will not be repeated here.

[0205] Optionally, the redundant version mode indicator bit (RVcycEnableFlag) occupies 1 bit.

[0206] The RV handover step size (RVstep) is used to indicate N1. For example, when RVstep = 0, N1 is indicated as 1, meaning the terminal device performs RV handover with a handover cycle of one time unit group (or the length of one OCC sequence). As another example, when RVstep = 1, N1 is indicated as 2, meaning the terminal device performs RV handover with a handover cycle of two time unit groups (or the length of two OCC sequences). This RV handover step size can be understood as the first indication information mentioned above; please refer to the description above for details, which will not be repeated here.

[0207] Optionally, the RV switching step size (RVstep) occupies 1 bit.

[0208] The OCC scheme is used to determine the length of the OCC sequence. For example, different preset values ​​for the OCC scheme can indicate OCC sequences of different lengths. This OCC scheme can be included in the second indication information above, which can be referred to in the above description and will not be repeated here.

[0209] Optionally, the OCC mechanism (scheme) occupies 1 bit or 2 bits.

[0210] The OCC sequence number (index) indicates which specific OCC sequence is used. For example, the OCC index can indicate the index of the OCC sequence used. This OCC index can also be included in the second indication information mentioned above, as described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0211] Optionally, the OCC serial number (index) occupies 2 bits or 3 bits.

[0212] The repetition number (repetitonNum) indicates the number of times the terminal device sends a data transmission block. This repetition number can correspond to the sixth indication information mentioned above, which can be found in the description above and will not be repeated here.

[0213] Optionally, the number of repetitions (repetitonNum) occupies 4 or 5 bits.

[0214] Table 1

[0215]

[0216]

[0217] According to the above scheme, the base station can indicate to the terminal device, through at least one newly added indication information (or field) in the DCI, the RV used for data carried in each time unit during the process of using OCC in conjunction with repetitive transmission technology, thereby improving the flexibility of the base station in instructing the terminal device on the RV used for data carried in each time unit. Compared with using a fixed RV, higher coding benefits can be obtained. Compared with the original RV cycle where the RV is switched once per time unit, the probability of maintaining OCC orthogonality is increased, which helps to improve the reliability of uplink transmission.

[0218] The above text combined Figures 2 to 7 The communication method of the embodiments of this application is described in detail below, in conjunction with Figure 8 This application describes in detail the communication apparatus according to embodiments of the present application. The communication apparatus includes modules or units for performing each part of the above embodiments. The modules or units may be software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. The following is only a brief illustrative example of the communication apparatus; for details of the implementation, please refer to the description of the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated below.

[0219] Figure 8 A schematic block diagram of a communication device 800 provided in an embodiment of this application is shown. The device 800 includes a processor 801 and a transceiver 802.

[0220] Optionally, the device 800 may further include a memory 803, wherein the memory 803 is used to store instructions. The processor 801, transceiver 802, and memory 803 communicate with each other via internal interconnection paths. The processor 801 executes the instructions stored in the memory 803 to control the transceiver 802 to transmit and / or receive signals.

[0221] It should be understood that the device 800 may specifically be a terminal device or a network device as described in the above embodiments, and may be used to execute the various steps and / or processes corresponding to the terminal device or network device in the above method embodiments. Optionally, the memory 803 may include a read-only memory and a random access memory, and provide instructions and data to the processor. A portion of the memory may also include non-volatile random access memory. For example, the memory may also store device type information. The processor 801 may be used to execute instructions stored in the memory, and when the processor 801 executes instructions stored in the memory, the processor 801 is used to execute the various steps and / or processes of the above method embodiments. The transceiver 802 may include a transmitter and a receiver, the transmitter may be used to implement the various steps and / or processes corresponding to the transceiver for performing a transmitting action, and the receiver may be used to implement the various steps and / or processes corresponding to the transceiver for performing a receiving action.

[0222] In one possible implementation, the device 800 is used to implement the steps corresponding to the terminal device in the method 200 described above.

[0223] Transceiver 802 is used to receive first information, the first information including first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate that N1 time unit groups change the redundancy version RV of the data application once, where N1 is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0224] Optionally, the transceiver 802 is also configured to transmit data in at least two time unit sets, each of the at least two time unit sets comprising N1 consecutive time unit groups, wherein the data carried by different time units in each time unit set has the same RV, and the data carried by time units in two adjacent time unit sets have different RVs.

[0225] Optionally, the time unit group includes consecutive L... C Each time unit, L C The data carried in different time units within each time unit is covered by different code elements in the first codeword, which includes L. C Each code element.

[0226] Processor 801 is used to determine the number L of symbols contained in the first codeword. C The time unit group is determined to include L C Each time unit.

[0227] Optionally, the first information may further include second indication information, which is used to indicate the first codeword.

[0228] Optionally, the first information may also include third indication information, which indicates whether to enable the RV cycle mode or disable the RV fixed mode.

[0229] Optionally, the transceiver 802 is also configured to receive second information, the second information including fourth indication information, the fourth indication information being used to indicate enabling RV fixed mode or de-enabling RV cyclic mode.

[0230] Optionally, the transceiver 802 is also used to transmit data in multiple time units, wherein the data in different time units of the multiple time units uses the same RV.

[0231] Optionally, a set of time units carries N1*L of the same data transmission block. C Repeated 2 times.

[0232] In another possible implementation, the device 800 is used to implement the steps corresponding to the base station in the method 200 described above.

[0233] Transceiver 802 is used to transmit first information, the first information including first indication information, the first indication information being used to instruct N1 time unit groups to change the redundancy version RV of a data application once, where N1 is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0234] Optionally, the transceiver 802 is also configured to receive data in at least two time unit sets, each of the at least two time unit sets comprising N1 consecutive time unit groups, wherein the data carried by different time units in each time unit set has the same RV, and the data carried by time units in two adjacent time unit sets have different RVs.

[0235] Optionally, the time unit group includes consecutive L... C Each time unit, L C The data carried in different time units within each time unit is covered by different code elements in the first codeword, which includes L. C Each code element.

[0236] Processor 801 is used to determine the number L of symbols contained in the first codeword. C The time unit group is determined to include L C Each time unit.

[0237] Optionally, the first information may further include second indication information, which is used to indicate the first codeword.

[0238] Optionally, the first information may also include third indication information, which indicates whether to enable the RV cycle mode or disable the RV fixed mode.

[0239] Optionally, the transceiver 802 is also used to transmit a second message, the second message including a fourth indication message, the fourth indication message being used to indicate whether to enable RV fixed mode or disable RV cyclic mode.

[0240] Optionally, the transceiver 802 is also configured to receive data in multiple time units, wherein the data in different time units of the multiple time units uses the same RV.

[0241] Optionally, a set of time units carries N1*L of the same data transmission block. C Repeated 2 times.

[0242] In the embodiments of this application, Figure 8 The device 800 in the middle can also be a chip, such as a SOC, a modem, etc.

[0243] It should be understood that, in the embodiments of this application, the processor may be a central processing unit (CPU), or it may be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0244] In implementation, each step of the above method can be completed by integrated logic circuits in the processor's hardware or by instructions in software. The steps of the method disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly manifested as execution by a hardware processor, or as a combination of hardware and software modules within 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 executes the instructions in the memory, combining them with its hardware to complete the steps of the above method. To avoid repetition, detailed descriptions are omitted here.

[0245] Some embodiments of this application provide a chip system applied to a terminal device. The chip system includes at least one processor and an interface for receiving instructions and transmitting them to the at least one processor. The at least one processor executes instructions to cause the terminal to perform the aforementioned communication method. The chip system may be a modem, or a system-on-a-chip (SoC) including a modem, and the aforementioned method may be implemented by a modem.

[0246] The modem can include a NAS (non-access stratum) layer, an RRC layer, a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, a MAC layer, and a PHY layer. Each of these layers can be a software module. The modem can interact with network devices via an antenna.

[0247] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program that implements the methods shown in the above-described method embodiments.

[0248] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions). When the computer program is run on a computer, the computer can execute the methods shown in the above-described method embodiments.

[0249] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the modules and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0250] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and modules described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0251] In the 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 modules is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple modules 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 modules may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0252] The modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. Similarly, the components shown as modules may or may not be physical modules; they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network modules. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment, depending on actual needs.

[0253] In addition, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing module, or each module can exist physically separately, or two or more modules can be integrated into one module.

[0254] If a function is implemented as a software module and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, or the parts that contribute to the prior art, or parts of the technical solutions, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods of the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0255] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the protection scope of the embodiments of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the embodiments of this application should be included within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of the embodiments of this application should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, include: Receive first information, the first information including first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate that N1 time unit groups change the redundancy version RV of the data application once, where N1 is an integer greater than or equal to 1; Data is transmitted in at least two time unit sets, each of the at least two time unit sets comprising N1 consecutive time unit groups, and the data carried by different time units in each time unit set uses the same RV, while the data carried by time units in two adjacent time unit sets uses different RVs.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The time unit group includes consecutive L C A time unit, the L C The data carried in different time units within each time unit is respectively covered by different code elements in the first codeword, the first codeword including L C Each code element.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: Based on the number L of code elements contained in the first codeword C The time unit group is determined to include L C Each time unit.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The first information also includes second indication information, which is used to indicate the first codeword.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The first information also includes third indication information, which is used to indicate whether to enable RV cycle mode or disable RV fixed mode.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive second information, the second information including fourth indication information, the fourth indication information being used to indicate whether to enable RV fixed mode or disable RV cyclic mode; Data is transmitted in multiple time units, and the data in different time units of the multiple time units uses the same RV.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, One set of time units carries N1*L of the same data transmission block. C Repeated 2 times.

8. A communication method, characterized in that, include: Send first information, the first information including first indication information, the first indication information being used to instruct N1 time unit groups to change the redundancy version RV of the data application once, where N1 is an integer greater than or equal to 1; Data is received in at least two time unit sets, each of the at least two time unit sets comprising N1 consecutive time unit groups, and the data carried by different time units in each time unit set uses the same RV, while the data carried by time units in two adjacent time unit sets uses different RVs.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The time unit group includes consecutive L C A time unit, the L C The data carried in different time units within each time unit is respectively covered by different code elements in the first codeword, the first codeword including L C Each code element.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The method further includes: Based on the number L of code elements contained in the first codeword C The time unit group is determined to include L C Each time unit.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, The first information also includes second indication information, which is used to indicate the first codeword.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that, The first information also includes third indication information, which is used to indicate whether to enable RV cycle mode or disable RV fixed mode.

13. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a second message, the second message including a fourth indication message, the fourth indication message being used to indicate whether to enable RV fixed mode or disable RV cyclic mode; Data is received in multiple time units, and the data in different time units of the multiple time units uses the same RV.

14. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that, One set of time units carries N1*L of the same data transmission block. C Repeated 2 times.

15. A communication device, characterized in that, Includes a processor, which is coupled to a memory; The memory stores computer-executed instructions; The processor executes computer execution instructions stored in the memory, causing the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or to perform the method as described in any one of claims 8 to 14.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or implements the method as described in any one of claims 8 to 14.

17. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes at least one processor and a communication interface, the communication interface and the at least one processor being interconnected via a line, the at least one processor being configured to run a computer program or instructions to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, or to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 14.

18. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes a computer program that, when run, causes a computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or causes a computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 8 to 14.

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