Communication method and apparatus, chip system, and readable storage medium

Abstract

The application provides a communication method, device, chip system and readable storage medium. The method can include: a terminal device determines the number of times of sending message 3 based on the measurement result of a downlink reference signal and the corresponding relationship between the measurement result of the downlink reference signal and the number of times of sending message 3; and sends message 3 to a network device multiple times based on the number of times. The message 3 refers to message 3 in a random access process. The application can improve the reliability of message 3 transmission and reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, apparatus, chip system, and readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the massive number of low-power terminal devices places higher demands on the wide-area coverage and efficient data transmission of non-terrestrial networks (NTNs). Traditional IoT uplink transmission mechanisms face severe challenges in weak coverage scenarios. To address this issue, a contention-based early data transmission (CB-EDT) mechanism has been applied to NTN IoT systems. Under this mechanism, the network notifies terminal devices of available physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resources via system broadcast. Terminal devices can select appropriate PUSCH resources based on their own circumstances and directly send uplink data via contention-based message 3 (msg3).

[0003] However, in situations with poor network coverage or weak signal quality from terminal devices, the success rate of CB-EDT transmission may be affected, leading to data transmission failures, increased power consumption of terminal devices, and wasted network resources. Therefore, improving the transmission success rate of message 3 and reducing the power consumption of terminal devices are urgent problems to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a communication method, apparatus, chip system, and readable storage medium, which can improve the reliability of message transmission and reduce the power consumption of terminal devices.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication method executed by a terminal device. The method may include: the terminal device sending message 3 during a random access process to a network device, wherein the number of times message 3 is sent is determined based on the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the correspondence between the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the number of times message 3 is sent.

[0006] In this way, this application can determine the number of times message 3, which matches the measurement result of the downlink reference signal, needs to be sent. By sending message 3 to the network device multiple times, it is beneficial to ensure that the network device can accurately receive message 3, thereby improving the reliability of message 3 transmission.

[0007] In one possible implementation, after sending message 3 in the random access procedure to the network device, the method further includes: starting a contention resolution timer; in response to no scheduling information for message 4 in the random access procedure being detected during the operation of the contention resolution timer, and the number of times message 3 has been sent being less than the number of times it has been sent, sending message 3 to the network device and restarting the contention resolution timer.

[0008] As can be seen, during the retransmission of message 3, the terminal device can use the temporary identifier of the wireless network to monitor the scheduling information for message 4 during the operation of the contention resolution timer, thereby confirming in a timely manner whether message 3 has been successfully sent, and reducing the power consumption and signaling overhead of the terminal device.

[0009] In one possible implementation, after sending message 3 during the random access procedure to the network device, the method further includes: starting a contention resolution timer; and in response to no scheduling information for message 4 during the contention resolution timer's operation, an uplink resource timeout, and the number of times message 3 has been sent being less than the number of times it has been sent, sending message 3 to the network device and restarting the contention resolution timer. The uplink resources are used to send message 3.

[0010] In this way, the terminal device can improve the success rate of message 3 transmission by resending message 3 to the network device.

[0011] In one possible implementation, after sending message 3 in the random access procedure to the network device, the method further includes: starting a contention resolution timer; in response to no scheduling information for message 4 in the random access procedure being detected during the operation of the contention resolution timer, and the number of times message 3 has been sent equal to the number of times it has been sent, and receiving an indication from the network device, the terminal device sends message 3 to the network device. The indication is used to instruct the terminal device to retransmit message 3.

[0012] As can be seen, in this situation, message 3 fails to be sent, and the network device fails to receive message 3 successfully. If the terminal device receives an instruction from the network device, it can resend message 3 to the network device according to the instruction, thereby improving the success rate of message 3 transmission.

[0013] In one possible implementation, after sending message 3 in the random access procedure to the network device, the method further includes: starting a contention resolution timer; and in response to no scheduling information for message 4 in the random access procedure being detected during the operation of the contention resolution timer, and the number of times message 3 has been sent being equal to the number of times it has been sent, sending message 1 in the random access procedure to the network device.

[0014] In this situation, the terminal device can confirm that message 3 failed to be sent. By sending message 1 to the network device, the terminal device can request random access from the network device, so that it can send service data to the network device after successful random access.

[0015] In one possible implementation, after sending message 3 in the random access procedure to the network device, the method further includes: starting a contention resolution timer; and stopping the contention resolution timer in response to detecting scheduling information for message 4 in the random access procedure during the operation of the contention resolution timer and receiving message 4 from the network device.

[0016] In this way, the terminal device can determine that message 3 was successfully sent, meaning the network device has successfully received message 3. Therefore, the terminal device can stop the contention resolution timer. Correspondingly, the terminal device can stop monitoring scheduling information for message 4. Based on this, the power consumption of the terminal device can be reduced.

[0017] In one possible implementation, after sending message 3 to the network device, the terminal device increments the sent count of message 3 by 1; and after receiving message 4 from the network device, the terminal device resets the sent count of message 3 to zero.

[0018] In one possible implementation, as the number of times message 3 has been sent increments from zero, the terminal device uses the same temporary wireless network identifier to monitor scheduling information for message 4.

[0019] It is evident that by using the same temporary wireless network identifier to monitor the scheduling information for message 4 during the multiple transmissions of message 3, it is possible to promptly confirm whether message 3 has been successfully transmitted, and to reduce the power consumption and signaling overhead of the terminal device.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the temporary identifier of the wireless network is determined based on the system frame number, carrier identifier, and orthogonal overlay code identifier of the first uplink resource, wherein the first uplink resource is the uplink resource used by the terminal device to send message 3 to the network device when the number of times message 3 has been sent is zero.

[0021] In this way, a temporary wireless network identifier that can uniquely identify the terminal device can be calculated, which is beneficial for accurately monitoring the scheduling information of message 4.

[0022] In one possible implementation, as the number of times message 3 has been sent increments from zero, the uplink resources used by the terminal device each time it sends message 3 to the network device are different.

[0023] In this way, using different uplink resources to send message 3 helps reduce instability during the transmission process, improves the stability of the network connection, and thus increases the success rate of sending message 3 each time.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the method may further include: receiving system information from a network device, the system information including the correspondence between the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the number of times message 3 was sent.

[0025] It is evident that, by using the system information of the network device, the number of times message 3 is sent can be quickly and accurately determined based on the measurement results during the communication process.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the runtime of the contention resolution timer is determined at least based on the round-trip latency between the terminal device and the network device, as well as the processing time of the network device.

[0027] This allows for full consideration of the time required for sending message 3, for the network device to receive and process message 3, thus enabling the setting of a more accurate contention resolution timer duration, which is beneficial for monitoring scheduling information for message 4.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the terminal device includes a terminal device in a non-terrestrial network Internet of Things (NTN IoT) system, and the network device includes a network device in a non-terrestrial network Internet of Things system.

[0029] Therefore, the embodiments of this application can be applied to the Internet of Things (IoT) in non-terrestrial networks.

[0030] In one possible implementation, message 3 includes business data.

[0031] In this way, the terminal device can send service data to the network device through message 3 before completing the random access process, thereby improving the efficiency of service data transmission and reducing the power consumption and signaling consumption of the terminal device.

[0032] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide another communication method, which may include: sending a downlink reference signal to a terminal device; and in response to receiving message 3 from the terminal device, sending scheduling information for message 4 to the terminal device.

[0033] In one possible implementation, the method further includes sending system information to the terminal device, the system information including the correspondence between the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the number of times message 3 was sent.

[0034] The second aspect is the implementation on the network device side, which corresponds to the first aspect. The explanations, supplements, and descriptions of the beneficial effects of the first aspect also apply to the second aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0035] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, which includes a module for performing any of the methods described in the first aspect and its possible implementations, or the communication device includes a module for performing any of the methods described in the second aspect and its possible implementations.

[0036] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, the communication device comprising: one or more processors and a memory; the memory is coupled to the one or more processors, the memory being used to store computer program code, the computer program code including computer instructions, the one or more processors calling the computer instructions to cause the communication device to perform the method described as in the first aspect or any implementation thereof, or to perform the method described as in the second aspect or any implementation thereof.

[0037] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a chip system, which includes at least one processor, a memory, and an interface circuit. The memory, the interface circuit, and the at least one processor are interconnected via circuits. The at least one memory stores program instructions. When the program instructions are executed, they cause the chip system to perform the method described in the first aspect or any implementation thereof, or to perform the method described in the second aspect or any implementation thereof.

[0038] Sixthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, the computer program including program instructions, which, when executed, cause the method executed by the terminal device as described in the first aspect to be implemented, or cause the method executed by the network device as described in the second aspect to be implemented.

[0039] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product that, when executed by an electronic device, causes the method described in any of the first aspect and its possible implementations to be implemented, or causes the method executed by a network device in the method described in the second aspect to be implemented.

[0040] Eighthly, a communication system is provided, including the aforementioned terminal device and network device. Optionally, the communication system may further include other devices that communicate with the terminal device and / or network device. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system.

[0042] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a beam management report submission method provided in this application embodiment;

[0043] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a PUSCH resource corresponding to a CE level provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 5A and Figure 5B Two timing diagrams provided for embodiments of this application;

[0046] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a transmission message 3 provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0051] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] The terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or apparatuses.

[0053] It should be understood that in this application, "at least one (item)" means one or more, and "more than" means two or more. "And / or" is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent three cases: only A exists, only B exists, and both A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one (item) of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one (item) of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0054] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0055] As used in this specification, the terms "component," "module," "system," etc., are used to refer to computer-related entities, hardware, firmware, combinations of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable file, an execution thread, a program, and / or a computer. As illustrated, applications running on computing devices and computing devices can both be components. One or more components may reside in a process and / or an execution thread, and components may be located on a single computer and / or distributed among two or more computers. Furthermore, these components can be executed from various computer-readable media on which various data structures are stored. Components can communicate, for example, via local and / or remote processes based on signals having one or more data packets (e.g., data from two components interacting with another component between a local system, a distributed system, and / or a network, such as the Internet interacting with other systems via signals).

[0056] The technical solutions provided in this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) systems, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) systems, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD) systems, sidelink communication systems, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) communication systems, non-terrestrial network (NTN) communication systems, 5th generation (5G) mobile communication systems, or new radio access technology (NR). Among these, 5G mobile communication systems can include non-standalone (NSA) and / or standalone (SA) networking. The technical solutions provided in this application can also be applied to future communication systems. This application does not limit the scope of these applications.

[0057] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a communication system 1000 used in an embodiment of this application. The communication system 1000 may include network devices, such as... Figure 1 The network device 110 is shown. The communication system 1000 may also include terminal devices, such as... Figure 1 The terminal device 120 shown. The network device 110 and the terminal device 120 can communicate via a wireless link.

[0058] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the communication system 1000 includes a wireless access network 100 and a core network. Optionally, the communication system 1000 may also include the Internet. Figure 1 The core network and the Internet are not shown in the diagram. The wireless access network 100 may include at least one wireless access network device (such as...). Figure 1110a and 110b in the above), may also include at least one terminal (such as Figure 1 (Referring to 120a-120j in the original text). Terminals connect wirelessly to the wireless access network (WLAN) equipment, which in turn connects to the core network via wireless or wired connections. The core network equipment and the WLAN equipment can be independent physical devices, or they can integrate the functions of the core network equipment and the logical functions of the WLAN equipment onto the same physical device. Alternatively, a single physical device can integrate some of the functions of both the core network equipment and the WLAN equipment. Terminals and WLAN equipment can be interconnected via wired or wireless connections. Figure 1 This is just an illustration; the communication system may also include other network devices, such as wireless repeaters and wireless backhaul devices. Figure 1 It is not shown in the middle.

[0059] The network equipment in this application can be network-side equipment such as access network equipment and core network equipment. Access network equipment is sometimes also called an access node. Access network equipment has wireless transceiver capabilities for communicating with terminals. Access network equipment includes, but is not limited to, base stations, evolved NodeBs (eNodeBs), transmission reception points (TRPs) in the aforementioned communication systems, next-generation NodeBs (gNBs) in 5G mobile communication systems, access network equipment or modules of access network equipment in open RAN (ORAN) systems, satellites in NTN communication systems, base stations in future mobile communication systems, or access nodes in WiFi systems. Access network equipment can also be modules or units capable of implementing some of the functions of a base station. Access network equipment can be a macro base station (such as...). Figure 1 110a), micro base stations or indoor stations (such as Figure 1In the context of 110b), the access network device can be a relay node or donor node, or a wireless controller in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. Optionally, the access network device can also be a server, wearable device, or vehicle-mounted device, etc. For example, the access network device in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be a roadside unit (RSU). Multiple access network devices in a communication system can be base stations of the same type or different types. Base stations can communicate with terminals directly or via relay stations. Terminals can communicate with multiple base stations in different access technologies. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the access network device. In this application, the access network device is referred to as a network device.

[0060] In this application, the means for implementing the functions of a network device can be a network device itself, or a means capable of supporting the network device in implementing those functions, such as a processor, circuit, chip, or chip system. This means can be installed in or connected to the network device. In the technical solutions provided in this application, the example of a network device being used to implement the functions of a network device is used to describe the technical solutions provided in this application.

[0061] Radio access network equipment can be a base station (BS), an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in a 5G mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system; it can also be a module or unit that performs some of the functions of a base station, for example, it can be a central unit (CU) or a distributed unit (DU). Here, the CU performs the functions of the radio resource control protocol and the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) of the base station, and can also perform the functions of the service data adaptation protocol (SDAP); the DU performs the functions of the radio link control layer and the medium access control (MAC) layer of the base station, and can also perform some or all of the physical layer functions. For specific descriptions of the above-mentioned protocol layers, please refer to the relevant technical specifications of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). A base station including both a CU and a DU can also be called a base station with separate CU and DU, such as a base station including gNB-CU and gNB-DU. The CU can also be separated into a CU control plane (CU-CP) and a CU user plane (CU-CP), such as a base station including gNB-CU-CP, gNB-CU-UP, and gNB-DU. Radio access network equipment can be macro base stations (e.g.,...) Figure 1 110a in the text), can also be a micro base station or an indoor station (such as... Figure 1 110b) in the text can also be a relay node or a donor node, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the wireless access network equipment. For ease of description, the following description uses a network device as an example of a wireless access network equipment.

[0062] In the embodiments of this application, the terminal device may also be referred to as user equipment (UE), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication device, user agent, or user apparatus.

[0063] Terminal devices can be devices that provide voice / data, such as handheld devices with wireless connectivity, in-vehicle devices, etc. For example, terminal devices may 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, 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 a wireless modem, wearable devices, terminal devices in 5G networks, or future evolution of public land mobile communication networks. Terminal devices in a network (PLMN), etc., are not limited to this in the embodiments of this application.

[0064] By way of example and not limitation, in this embodiment, the terminal device can also be a wearable device. Wearable devices, also known as wearable smart devices, are a general term for devices that utilize wearable technology to intelligently design and develop everyday wearables, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothing, and shoes. Wearable devices are portable devices that are worn directly on the body or integrated into the user's clothing or accessories. Wearable devices are not merely hardware devices, but also achieve powerful functions through software support, data interaction, and cloud interaction. Broadly speaking, wearable smart devices include those that are feature-rich, large in size, and can achieve complete or partial functions without relying on a smartphone, such as smartwatches or smart glasses, as well as those that focus on a specific type of application function and require the use of other devices such as smartphones, such as various smart bracelets and smart jewelry for vital sign monitoring.

[0065] In this embodiment, the device for implementing the functions of the terminal device can be the terminal device itself, or it can be any device capable of supporting the terminal device in implementing those functions, such as a chip system. This device can be installed in or used in conjunction with the terminal device. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete components. This embodiment only uses the terminal device as an example to illustrate the device for implementing the functions of the terminal device, and does not constitute a limitation on the solution of this embodiment.

[0066] Network devices and terminal devices can be fixed in location or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can be deployed on aircraft, balloons, and artificial satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the network devices and terminal devices.

[0067] The roles of network devices and terminal devices can be relative, for example, Figure 1 The helicopter or drone 120i can be configured as a mobile network device. For terminals 120j accessing the wireless access network 100 via 120i, drone 120i is a network device; however, for network device 110a, 120i is a terminal, meaning that 110a and 120i communicate via a wireless air interface protocol. Of course, 110a and 120i can also communicate via a network device-to-network device interface protocol; in this case, 120i is also a network device relative to 110a. Therefore, both network devices and terminal devices can be collectively referred to as communication devices. Figure 1 110a and 110b can be referred to as communication devices with network equipment functions. Figure 1 The 120a-120j in the text can be referred to as communication devices with terminal functions.

[0068] Network devices and / or terminal devices can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can also be deployed in the air on airplanes, balloons, and satellites. This application does not limit the scenario in which the network devices and terminal devices are located. Furthermore, terminal devices and network devices can be hardware devices, or software functions running on dedicated hardware or general-purpose hardware, such as virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform), or entities that include dedicated or general-purpose hardware devices and software functions. This application does not limit the specific form of the terminal devices and network devices.

[0069] Communication between network devices and terminals, between network devices, and between terminals can be conducted using licensed spectrum, unlicensed spectrum, or both simultaneously. Communication can be conducted using spectrum below 6 GHz, spectrum above 6 GHz, or both simultaneously. The embodiments of this application do not limit the spectrum resources used for wireless communication.

[0070] In the embodiments of this application, the functions of the network device can be executed by modules (such as chips) within the network device, or by a control subsystem that includes network device functions. This control subsystem, including network device functions, can be a control center in the aforementioned application scenarios such as smart grids, industrial control, intelligent transportation, and smart cities. Similarly, the functions of the terminal can be executed by modules (such as chips or modems) within the terminal, or by a device that includes terminal functions.

[0071] It is understood that the communication system described in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. Those skilled in the art will know that with the evolution of system architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0072] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, some terms used in the embodiments of this application will be explained below, so that those skilled in the art can understand them. This part is only for the purpose of understanding and should not be regarded as a specific limitation of this application.

[0073] 1. Non-terrestrial network (NTN) communication system

[0074] NTN communication system is a non-periodic communication system that uses satellite technology. NTN communication system is not limited to a specific mobile communication standard, but can support a variety of communication technologies, including but not limited to 4G, 5G, and 6G.

[0075] Compared to terrestrial networks, NTN communication systems have advantages such as wide coverage, long communication distance, high reliability, high flexibility, and high throughput. They are not affected by geographical environment, climate conditions, or natural disasters and have been widely used in aviation communications, maritime communications, military communications, and other fields.

[0076] 2. Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT)

[0077] Narrowband Internet of Things (NIoT) is a low-power wide-area network communication technology designed specifically for the Internet of Things (IoT). Built on top of cellular networks, it consumes only about 180kHz of bandwidth and can be directly deployed on GSM, UMTS, or LTE networks to reduce deployment costs and enable smooth upgrades.

[0078] NB-IoT boasts advantages such as wide coverage, high connectivity, low power consumption, and low cost, making it suitable for various IoT application scenarios, such as smart metering, smart parking, and smart agriculture. Its low power consumption allows IoT devices to operate on batteries for years, while its wide coverage ensures stable connectivity even in remote areas or deep within buildings.

[0079] 3. Coverage enhancement (CE)

[0080] Coverage enhancement technology is a key technology in IoT communication used to improve the coverage and communication reliability of IoT devices. Specifically, it improves the communication performance of IoT devices by adjusting their transmission power and increasing the number of signal repetitions. In situations with weak signals or poor channel conditions, IoT devices can use higher transmission power or more signal repetitions to ensure successful data transmission to the base station or receiver.

[0081] Taking NB-IoT as an example, coverage enhancement technology defines multiple coverage enhancement levels (CE levels), each corresponding to different transmit power and signal repetition counts. IoT devices can select the appropriate coverage enhancement level for communication based on the current channel environment and coverage requirements. This not only improves communication reliability but also saves energy to some extent and extends the lifespan of IoT devices.

[0082] 4. Diversity Slotted Aloha (DSA) Protocol

[0083] The DSA protocol is an improved random multiple access protocol based on slotted Aloha (SA), suitable for scenarios such as the Internet of Things that require efficient and reliable communication.

[0084] In the DSA protocol, when sending data packets, the terminal device is allowed to send multiple (e.g., two) identical data packets, randomly distributing these identical packets across different time slots. This strategy aims to increase the probability of successful packet transmission. Compared to the traditional SA protocol, the DSA protocol can indeed improve throughput and reduce latency under moderate load. However, because it essentially retains the fundamental characteristics of the SA mechanism, its performance improvement may not be very significant.

[0085] 5. Contention-based random access (CBRA) procedure

[0086] CBRA refers to the process where a terminal device (such as a UE) randomly selects a preamble and initiates random access without assigning a dedicated preamble. Since multiple terminal devices may simultaneously select the same preamble for access, this access method involves contention, requiring a subsequent contention resolution process to determine which terminal device successfully accesses the network.

[0087] Contention-based random access procedures typically consist of four steps, also known as message 1 (msg1), message 2 (msg2), message 3 (msg3), and message 4 (msg4).

[0088] For example, taking the interaction between the UE and the base station as an example, a contention-based random access procedure may include, for instance, the following. Figure 2 The steps are shown.

[0089] S201, the UE sends message 1 to the base station. Correspondingly, the base station receives message 1.

[0090] Message 1 is used to transmit a random access preamble, which can also be called a random access preamble sequence. In other words, message 1 includes a preamble randomly selected by the UE. The UE can send message 1 to the base station through the physical random access channel (PRACH).

[0091] The main function of the preamble is to inform the base station that there is a random access request and enable the base station to estimate the transmission delay between itself and the UE.

[0092] S202, the base station sends message 2 to the UE. Correspondingly, the UE receives message 2.

[0093] After receiving the preamble, the base station will send a random access response (RAR) to the UE. Message 2 may include the RAR. The RAR may include information such as the result of the random access, uplink grant (ULgrant), and cell-radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI).

[0094] S203, the UE sends message 3 to the base station.

[0095] The UE can specify and send message 3 according to the UL grant in the RAR. The UE can send message 3 on the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).

[0096] Message 3 is the first scheduled transmission in the random access process, used to send the payload, such as an RRC connection request message. Optionally, Message 3 may include the UE's identity information and other relevant information. For example, the UE's identity information may include a temporary mobile subscriber identity (S-TMSI) or complete C-RNTI information.

[0097] After receiving message 3, the base station will resolve the contention based on the identity information.

[0098] S204, the base station sends message 4 to the UE. Correspondingly, the UE receives message 4.

[0099] Message 4 is the network device's response to Message 3, indicating whether the terminal device has successfully connected to the network device. Message 4 may include the UE's identity information, which the UE uses to determine its successful connection.

[0100] If the contention is resolved successfully, the UE can continue with subsequent network operations; if the contention is resolved unsuccessfully, the UE may need to re-initiate the random access procedure.

[0101] 6. Early Data Transmission (EDT)

[0102] EDT refers to the technology where the network begins sending some data to the terminal device (such as UE) before the terminal device (UE) performs a handover or random access, or the terminal device begins sending some data to the network device.

[0103] For example, EDT can be applied in handover scenarios. In mobile communication networks, when a terminal device switches from one base station to another, EDT can ensure seamless data continuity during the handover process, reducing the interruption time caused by the handover.

[0104] EDT can also be applied to random access scenarios. In scenarios such as the Internet of Things (IoT), terminal devices may need to establish a connection with network devices through a random access procedure. EDT can send data in advance during the random access process, thereby improving data transmission efficiency.

[0105] It should be understood that the technical terms used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and not as limiting. For example, as technology evolves, technical terms may also change, and other technical terms that have the same technical meaning should also apply to this application.

[0106] In NTN IoT systems, uplink data transmission faces numerous challenges, especially in situations with poor network coverage or weak signal quality from terminal devices. To address this issue, a contention-based advance data transmission (CB-EDT) mechanism can be employed in NTN IoT systems. Under this mechanism, network devices can notify terminal devices of available Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) resources for message 3 via system broadcast. Terminal devices can then select appropriate PUSCH resources based on their own circumstances and transmit uplink data, such as uplink service data, via message 3.

[0107] However, in cases of poor network coverage or poor signal quality of terminal devices, the success rate of uplink data transmission may be affected, leading to problems such as data transmission failure, increased power consumption of terminal devices, and waste of network resources.

[0108] In view of this, this application provides a communication method, apparatus, chip system, and readable storage medium, which can effectively improve the success rate of uplink data transmission and reduce the power consumption of terminal devices.

[0109] The solution provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the corresponding flowcharts. It is understood that the illustrative flowcharts provided in this application primarily use different devices (e.g., terminal devices, network devices) as examples of the execution subjects of this interactive illustration to illustrate the method, but this application does not limit the execution subjects of the interactive illustrations. For example, the devices (e.g., terminal devices, network devices) in the illustrative flowcharts can also be chips, chip systems, or processors that support the implementation of this method on the device, or logic modules or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the device.

[0110] As a general statement, the message or signaling interactions involved in the interaction process of this application embodiment can be standard messages or signaling or newly introduced messages or signaling. This application embodiment does not make specific limitations on this.

[0111] Please see Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication method can be applied to, for example... Figure 1 The communication system shown. It is understandable that... Figure 3 The terminal device in the middle can be Figure 1 Any terminal device in the context of network equipment can also refer to a component within that terminal device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system). Network equipment can be... Figure 1 Any access network device, or a device within an access network device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system).

[0112] like Figure 3 As shown, the communication method may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0113] S301, the network device sends a downlink reference signal to the terminal device. Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the downlink reference signal.

[0114] The downlink reference signal (RS), also known as the pilot signal, is a known signal provided by the transmitter to the receiver for channel estimation or channel sounding. The downlink reference signal provides a downlink reference point for the terminal equipment, helping the receiver understand the channel state and thus perform correct data reception and demodulation.

[0115] Optionally, the downlink reference signal may include channel state information resource signal (CSI-RS) or synchronization signal block (SSB) signals.

[0116] In this application, terminal devices may include terminal devices in non-terrestrial network Internet of Things (NTN IoT) systems. For example, terminal devices may include smart speakers, smart cameras, and other devices in smart homes, and smart sensors, smart controllers, and other devices in industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) systems. Network devices may include network devices in NTN IoT systems, such as terrestrial base stations, satellite gateways, and other devices.

[0117] S302, The terminal equipment measures the downlink reference signal and determines the measurement result of the downlink reference signal.

[0118] The network device periodically sends downlink reference signals, and the terminal device can measure each received downlink reference signal. Optionally, the measurement result of the downlink reference signal may include the measurement result of the downlink reference signal currently received (i.e., when the terminal device needs to send message 3). Optionally, the measurement result of the downlink reference signal may include the measurement results obtained by the terminal device in the most recent n measurements, or the average of the terminal device's most recent n measurement results, where n is an integer greater than 0.

[0119] The measurement result of the downlink reference signal can also be referred to as the received signal strength of the terminal equipment.

[0120] Optionally, the measurement results of the downlink reference signal may include any one of the following: reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), or signal to interference plus noise ratio (SNR).

[0121] S303, The terminal device determines the number of times message 3 will be sent, based at least on the measurement results of the downlink reference signal.

[0122] Message 3 is a random access request message sent by a terminal device to a network device. Message 3 includes a first contention resolution identity (CRID). This CRID is a unique 48-bit identifier used to identify the terminal device and helps it confirm whether it has successfully accessed the network.

[0123] The number of times message 3 is sent refers to the number of times the terminal device sends message 3 to the network device. For example, if the number of times message 3 is sent is 3, it means that the terminal device needs to send message 3 to the network device 3 times within 3 transmission opportunities, or it can be said that it sends 3 identical messages 3 to the network device. Optionally, a transmission opportunity can represent a moment in time, and message 3 can be sent once within a transmission opportunity.

[0124] Optionally, after the terminal device sends message 3 for the first time, the message 3 sent to the network device may be a copy of the first message 3 sent. This copy may also be called a DSA copy.

[0125] Optionally, message 3 may also include some service data that the terminal device wants to send to the network device. If message 3 is successfully sent, the terminal device can use a contention-based advance data delivery (CB-EDT) mechanism to transmit the service data to the network device in advance before completing the random access process, thereby improving the efficiency of service data transmission.

[0126] For example, if the terminal device is an IoT device in an NTN IoT system, its business data may include the device's energy consumption data, operating status data, etc., which this application does not limit. Energy consumption data can be used to provide feedback on the terminal device's energy consumption, such as power consumption and energy utilization efficiency. Operating status data can be used to provide feedback on the terminal device's operating status, such as whether a malfunction has occurred.

[0127] Optionally, message 3 may also include the identity identifier of the terminal device, which helps the network device to identify and authenticate the terminal device.

[0128] Optionally, after determining the measurement result of the downlink reference signal, the terminal device can determine the number of times message 3 will be sent based on the measurement result of the downlink reference signal and the correspondence between the measurement result value range and the number of transmissions. Each measurement result value range can correspond to one transmission count.

[0129] For example, assuming the measurement result is in dB, the range of the measurement result can include a first range, a second range, and a third range. If the measurement result is within the first range, the number of times message 3 is sent is determined to be N1; if the measurement result is within the second range, the number of times message 3 is sent is determined to be N2; if the measurement result is within the third range, the number of times message 3 is sent is determined to be N3. The maximum measurement result in the first range is less than or equal to the minimum measurement result in the second range, and the maximum measurement result in the second range is less than or equal to the minimum measurement result in the third range. N1 is greater than N2, N2 is greater than N3, and N1, N2, and N3 are positive integers.

[0130] It is evident that a larger measurement result indicates a higher received signal strength from the terminal device, a better current channel condition, and a higher probability of successful transmission of message 3. Therefore, to save on the overhead and signaling overhead of transmitting message 3, when the measurement result falls within a larger range of values, the terminal device can send message 3 fewer times. Conversely, a smaller measurement result indicates a lower received signal strength from the terminal device, a worse current channel condition, and a lower probability of successful transmission of message 3. Therefore, to ensure a high success rate, the terminal device can send message 3 more times to ensure that the network device can successfully receive message 3.

[0131] Optionally, the correspondence between the measurement result range and the number of transmissions can be stored in a mapping table or other arbitrary data structure.

[0132] Optionally, the terminal device may be pre-configured with this correspondence, so that the terminal device can conveniently use the correspondence to determine the number of times message 3 is sent when it is in working state.

[0133] For example, the correspondence between the range of measurement results and the number of transmissions can be shown in Table 1.

[0134] Table 1 Correspondence Table

[0135] Measurement result range Number of times message 3 was sent <![CDATA[n0 < measurement result ≤ n1]]> <![CDATA[T0]]> <![CDATA[n1 < measurement result ≤ n2]]> <![CDATA[T1]]> <![CDATA[n2 < measurement result ≤ n3]]> <![CDATA[T2]]> …… …… <![CDATA[n t <Measurement result ≤ n t+1 > <![CDATA[T t ]]>

[0136] As shown in Table 1, n0 to n t+1 The size increases sequentially from T0 to T t The size decreases sequentially, T t Greater than or equal to 1. For example, n0 < measurement result ≤ n1 can represent the first range, n1 < measurement result ≤ n2 can represent the second range, and n2 < measurement result ≤ n3 can represent the third range; T0 represents N1 times, T1 represents N2 times, and T3 represents N3 times.

[0137] In one possible implementation, different coverage enhancement levels (CE levels) can be defined based on the different value ranges of the downlink reference signal measurement results. Each channel level corresponds to a measurement result value range and a set number of transmissions. Optionally, the network device can allocate different PUSCH resources to each CE level.

[0138] The following example illustrates the division into three CE levels. CE levels can include CE level 0, CE level 1, and CE level 3. CE level 0 represents a standard coverage area, suitable for areas with strong signals. If the downlink reference signal measurement corresponds to CE level 0, the terminal device typically does not require additional retransmissions. CE level 1 represents medium coverage enhancement, suitable for areas with weak signals. In this case, the terminal device can enhance coverage by increasing the number of retransmissions. CE level 2 represents the highest coverage enhancement, suitable for areas with very weak signals. In this case, the terminal device can ensure reliable communication through more retransmissions and higher power.

[0139] Optionally, the correspondence between the measurement result range and the number of transmissions may also include the correspondence between the measurement result range, the number of transmissions, and the CE level. For example, please refer to Table 2, which provides an embodiment of this application.

[0140] Another type of correspondence table.

[0141] Table 2 Correspondence Table

[0142] Measurement result range CE level Number of times message 3 was sent <![CDATA[First range: n0 < measurement result ≤ n1]]> 2 <![CDATA[T0]]> <![CDATA[Second range: n1 < measurement result ≤ n2]]> 1 <![CDATA[T1]]> <![CDATA[Third range: n2 < measurement result ≤ n3]]> 0 <![CDATA[T2]]>

[0143] As shown in Table 2, when the downlink reference signal measurement result is included in the first range, the coverage enhancement level can be determined to be CE level 2 and the number of times message 3 is sent is T0. When the downlink reference signal measurement result is included in the second range, the coverage enhancement level can be determined to be CE level 1 and the number of times message 3 is sent is T1. When the downlink reference signal measurement result is included in the third range, the coverage enhancement level can be determined to be CE level 0 and the number of times message 3 is sent is T2. Where T2 < T1 < T0.

[0144] As can be seen, the terminal device can determine the strength of the current received signal based on the measurement results of the downlink reference signal, and thus dynamically adjust the number of times message 3 needs to be sent. In this way, when the received signal strength is strong, fewer messages 3 can be sent; when the received signal strength is weak, more messages 3 can be sent, thereby ensuring the reliability of message 3 transmission while saving transmission and signaling overhead.

[0145] In one possible implementation, the terminal device may receive system broadcast information from the network device, which includes the correspondence between the measurement result value range and the number of transmissions. Optionally, the broadcast information may also include uplink resources corresponding to each number of transmissions, which may include PUSCH resources.

[0146] Optionally, PUSCH resources may include time-domain, frequency-domain, and possibly code-domain resources to ensure that the terminal device can successfully send messages under different signal strengths received by the terminal device.

[0147] In one possible implementation, network devices can broadcast the mapping relationship and PUSCH resources to multiple devices via a system information block (SIB). Correspondingly, terminal devices can receive this system broadcast information. After receiving the mapping relationship and PUSCH resources, the terminal device can select the appropriate PUSCH resources and the number of transmissions based on the currently determined downlink reference signal measurement results.

[0148] For example, please see Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of PUSCH resources corresponding to a CE level provided in an embodiment of this application. Assuming the coverage enhancement levels are divided into CE level 0 to CE level 2, the PUSCH resources corresponding to each level can be as follows: Figure 4 As shown, each small square represents a resource block. If the terminal device determines the coverage enhancement level to be CE level 2 based on the measurement results of the downlink reference signal, it can select as follows: Figure 4 The PUSCH resource in CE level 2 is used, and three different resources are selected from it to transmit message 3. For example, Figure 4 The resource block labeled ① can be called the first uplink resource. The terminal device can use the first uplink resource to send message 3 to the network device for the first time. When sending message 3 for the second time, the resource block labeled ② can be used. When sending message 3 for the third time, the resource block labeled ③ can be used.

[0149] In this way, network devices can dynamically allocate optimal uplink resources to each terminal device based on current network load, channel conditions, and terminal device requests. In contention-based random access, multiple terminal devices may simultaneously attempt to access the network. Using different uplink resources to send messages helps reduce transmission conflicts between different terminal devices, thereby improving transmission reliability.

[0150] Each time the terminal device sends message 3 to the network device, it can use different uplink resources. Using different uplink resources helps reduce instability during transmission and improves network connection stability. This helps the terminal device successfully send message 3 with fewer retransmissions, thus reducing user wait time and improving user experience. Furthermore, by reducing transmission conflicts and the number of transmissions, the terminal device can save energy consumption.

[0151] S304, the terminal device sends message 3 to the network device and starts a contention resolution timer.

[0152] When the terminal device sends message 3 to the network device for the first time, it can use the first uplink resource. The first uplink resource is an uplink resource pre-configured by the network device for the terminal device. For example, the first uplink resource may include... Figure 4 The resource block with the designation ③.

[0153] The contention resolution timer is used to limit the time spent waiting for message 4 from the network device.

[0154] In wireless communication networks, during contention-based random access procedures, multiple terminal devices may use the same random access preamble to initiate access requests. This can lead to contention conflicts when attempting to access the network. Contention resolution mechanisms can mitigate this problem to some extent.

[0155] For example, when a terminal device sends message 3, it starts a contention resolution timer. If the terminal device receives message 4 before the contention resolution timer expires, and the information carried in message 4 matches that of message 3 (e.g., the contention resolution identifier in message 4 is the same as that in message 3), then the terminal device considers itself to have won the contention. If the terminal device does not receive message 4 before the contention resolution timer expires, or if the received message 4 does not match message 3, then the terminal device considers itself to have lost the contention and may need to re-initiate the random access procedure.

[0156] Optionally, the duration of the contention resolution timer (which may be simply referred to as the timer duration) is determined based at least on the round-trip latency between the terminal device and the network device and the processing time of the network device. Optionally, the duration of the contention resolution timer may also be dynamically adjusted based on the provisions of the communication standard protocol (such as the 3GPP communication standard protocol) and in combination with the real-time network status.

[0157] The round-trip time between the terminal device and the network device refers to the total time it takes for a data packet to travel from the sender to the receiver and back. The processing time of the network device refers to the time required for the network device to receive message 3 and analyze and process it. Optionally, both the round-trip time and the processing time can be configured by the network device.

[0158] S305, the terminal device monitors scheduling information for message 4 during the operation of the contention resolution timer based on the temporary identifier of the wireless network.

[0159] The radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) is an identifier used to identify the terminal device. After sending message 3, the terminal device can use the RNTI to monitor whether there is scheduling information for message 4 in the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH). If scheduling information for message 4 is detected in the PDCCH, and the RNTI in message 4 matches the RNTI, then message 4 indicates that it is a response to message 3.

[0160] Optionally, the scheduling information for message 4 refers to the downlink control information (DCI) used to schedule message 4. The scheduling information for message 4 may include time-frequency resource location, identification information, and other control information. The time-frequency resource location refers to the specific time and frequency resource location on which message 4 is transmitted on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). This information is sent to the terminal device via the PDCCH to indicate when and where the terminal device should receive message 4. The identification information for message 4 includes a temporary radio network identifier, used to help the terminal device determine whether message 4 matches the information of its sent message 3. Other control information may include information such as modulation and coding schemes, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) configuration, etc., which helps the terminal device correctly decode and receive message 4.

[0161] In one possible implementation, the terminal device may determine the temporary identifier of the wireless network based at least on the first uplink resource. The first uplink resource refers to the uplink resource used by the terminal device when it first sends message 3 to the network device.

[0162] Optionally, the terminal device may determine the temporary identifier of the wireless network based on the system frame number, carrier identifier, and orthogonal coverage code identifier of the first uplink resource.

[0163] The system frame number of the first uplink resource can refer to the system frame number (SFN) of the first resource block. The system frame number (SFN) is a parameter used to identify frame sequence numbers in a wireless communication network; it is typically counted in units of radio frames. The carrier identifier is used to distinguish different carriers or frequency resources. The orthogonal coverage code can be used to distinguish different signals or data streams transmitted within the same resource block.

[0164] For example, a temporary wireless network identifier can be calculated using the following formula:

[0165] RNTI=1+floor(SFN / 4)+256*carrier_id+OCC_id

[0166] Wherein, SFN represents the system frame number of the first uplink resource. floor(SFN / 4) represents the integer part of the system frame number (SFN) divided by 4. carrier_id represents the carrier identifier of the first uplink resource. OCC_id represents the orthogonal coverage code identifier of the first uplink resource.

[0167] S306, the terminal device responds to the fact that during the operation of the contention resolution timer, no scheduling information for message 4 is detected, or no scheduling information for message 4 is detected and the uplink resource timeout occurs, and the number of times message 3 has been sent is less than the number of times it has been sent, by sending message 3 to the network device and restarting the contention resolution timer.

[0168] If the terminal device does not detect scheduling information for message 4 during the contention resolution timer's operation, it indicates that the contention resolution timer has expired and the terminal device failed to receive message 4. Alternatively, if the terminal device does not detect scheduling information for message 4 during the contention resolution timer's operation, and the uplink resources used to transmit message 3 have expired, it also indicates that the terminal device failed to receive message 4.

[0169] Uplink resource timeout refers to the PUSCH resource used to send message 3 timeout. When the uplink resource times out, the terminal device can use other uplink resources to resend message 3.

[0170] Optionally, uplink resource timeout may include, but is not limited to, the following situations:

[0171] (1) During contention-based random access, multiple UEs may attempt to access the network simultaneously, leading to a shortage of PUSCH resources. If the terminal device fails to obtain the required PUSCH resources in time, an uplink resource timeout will occur.

[0172] (2) Network devices need to schedule PUSCH resources according to the current network conditions and the needs of each UE. Under conditions such as heavy network load, the allocation of PUSCH resources may be delayed, which may lead to uplink resource timeout of the terminal device.

[0173] (3) The PUSCH resources allocated by the network device to the terminal device have a certain usage period. If the terminal device uses the PUSCH resources for a longer period than the usage period during the operation of the contention resolution timer, it will cause the uplink resource to time out.

[0174] For example, please see Figure 5A and Figure 5B This is a timing diagram provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0175] like Figure 5AAs shown, t0 represents the moment when the terminal device sends message 3 to the network device, t1 represents the moment when the uplink resources used to send message 3 timed out, and t2 represents the moment when the contention resolution timer timed out. It can be seen that t0 to t2 represent the duration of the contention resolution timer. If, at time t1, the number of times message 3 has been sent is less than the number of times it has been sent, and the terminal device has not yet detected scheduling information for message 4, then the contention resolution timer has not yet timed out, but the uplink resources have. Therefore, at time t1, the terminal device can use different uplink resources to resend message 3 to the network device, restart the contention resolution timer, and monitor the scheduling information for message 4 during the restarted contention resolution timer's operation.

[0176] Correspondingly, if the terminal device has detected the scheduling information for message 4 between t0 and t1 and has received message 4 from the network device, then the terminal device does not need to resend message 3 to the network device.

[0177] like Figure 5B As shown, t0 represents the moment when the terminal device sends message 3 to the network device, t2 represents the moment when the contention resolution timer expires, and t3 represents the moment when the uplink resources used to transmit message 3 expires. It can be seen that t0 to t2 represent the duration of the contention resolution timer. If, at time t2, the number of times message 3 has been sent is less than the number of times it has been sent, and the terminal device still has not detected scheduling information for message 4, it can be concluded that the terminal device has not detected scheduling information for message 4 during the operation of the contention resolution timer, and the uplink resources used to transmit message 3 have not yet expired. In this case, the terminal device can resend message 3 to the network device and restart the contention resolution timer.

[0178] The number of times message 3 has been sent refers to the total number of times the terminal device has sent message 3 to the network device. For example, if the number of times message 3 has been sent is determined to be 3 based on the measurement results of the downlink reference signal, and the current number of times message 3 has been sent is 2, it means that the number of times message 3 has been sent is less than the total number of times it has been sent, and the terminal device still needs to send message 3 to the network device 1 more time.

[0179] When the number of times message 3 has been sent is less than the number of times it has been sent, once the terminal device has completed sending the previous message 3, the terminal device can immediately restart the contention resolution timer in order to continue monitoring the scheduling information for message 4.

[0180] As can be seen, the terminal device can use the same contention resolution timer for multiple monitoring sessions throughout the process. Using the same contention resolution timer ensures that the terminal device waits for the network device's response within the same time frame after each transmission of message 3, thus maintaining the timeliness of the contention resolution process. If the terminal device uses a different contention resolution timer for each transmission of message 3, it may lead to inconsistent waiting times and wasted resources. Conversely, using the same contention resolution timer can standardize the waiting time after each transmission of message 3, reducing unnecessary waiting and energy consumption.

[0181] S307, The terminal device monitors the scheduling information for message 4 during the operation of the contention resolution timer based on the temporary identifier of the wireless network.

[0182] After the terminal device sends message 3 again, it can continue to monitor scheduling information for message 4 based on the temporary identifier of the wireless network during the contention resolution timer. For example, as Figure 5A or Figure 5B As shown, after the terminal device retransmits message 3 and restarts the contention resolution timer, it can continue to monitor the scheduling information for message 4 during the operation of the restarted contention resolution timer based on the same wireless network temporary identifier.

[0183] For example, assuming message 3 is sent 3 times, after the terminal device sends message 3 to the network device for the first time, it can start a contention resolution timer and monitor based on the same temporary wireless network identifier. When the contention resolution timer expires, the terminal device can send message 3 to the network device a second time and restart the contention resolution timer, while continuing to monitor based on the temporary wireless network identifier. When the contention resolution timer expires again and no scheduling information for message 4 is detected, the terminal device can send message 3 to the network device a third time and restart the contention resolution timer, while continuing to monitor based on the temporary wireless network identifier.

[0184] As can be seen, during this process, terminal devices can use the same RNTI (Radio Network Temporary Identifier) ​​for monitoring. This simplifies the signaling process, allowing terminal devices to accurately detect the presence of message 4's scheduling information in the PDCCH during each monitoring cycle. Simultaneously, it avoids the signaling overhead and complexity caused by frequently changing the RNTI during message 3 retransmission.

[0185] For example, please see Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of transmitting message 3 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 6As shown, assuming message 3 is sent N times, the terminal device can send message 3 to the network device N times through different resource blocks. After each transmission of message 3, a contention resolution timer is used for timing, and a temporary wireless network identifier is used to detect the scheduling of message 4. For example, the terminal device can send message 3 through the first resource block the first time, the second resource block the second time, and the Nth resource block the Nth time.

[0186] S308: After receiving message 3, the network device sends scheduling information and message 4 to the terminal device in response to message 4.

[0187] If a network device receives message 3 from a terminal device, it can send scheduling information for message 4, along with message 4, via the PDCCH. This scheduling information includes a temporary wireless network identifier, which can be used to indicate that message 3 from the terminal device has been received.

[0188] S309, the terminal device responds to the detection of scheduling information for message 4 during the operation of the contention resolution timer and receives message 4 from the network device, confirming that message 3 was sent successfully.

[0189] The terminal device can determine whether the detected message 4 is a response to its previously sent message 3 based on the temporary identifier of the wireless network. If message 4 includes the temporary identifier, it can be determined that message 4 is the information required by the terminal device. When the terminal device receives message 4 from the network device, it indicates that the terminal device has completed contention resolution. Therefore, the terminal device can confirm that message 3 was successfully sent and that the network device has successfully received message 3.

[0190] Optionally, after confirming the successful transmission of message 3, the terminal device can stop monitoring the PDCCH, that is, stop monitoring the scheduling information for message 4, and stop or terminate the contention resolution timer. This helps the terminal device reduce power consumption.

[0191] Optionally, after detecting the scheduling information for message 4, the terminal device may stop sending message 3 to the network device. For example, if the number of times message 3 has been sent is 4, and the current number of times message 3 has been sent is 2, the terminal device may stop sending message 3 to the network device after detecting the scheduling information for message 4.

[0192] In one possible implementation, if the terminal device is an IoT device within an IoT network, it can carry service data in message 3 based on the CB-EDT mechanism, i.e., send service data via message 3. Therefore, after confirming that message 3 has been successfully received by the network device, the terminal device does not need to resend the service data to the network device. In this way, the terminal device does not need to perform the following steps: Figure 2The four-step random access process shown can send service data to network devices in advance, thereby improving the efficiency and flexibility of service data transmission. Furthermore, it can avoid the power consumption and latency caused by the terminal device completing the four-step random access process.

[0193] In one possible implementation, when the terminal device detects that no scheduling information for message 4 has been detected during the operation of the contention resolution timer, and the number of times message 3 has been sent is equal to the number of times it has been sent, the terminal device can confirm that message 3 has failed to be sent, i.e., it has not been successfully received by the network device.

[0194] In this scenario, optionally, if the terminal device receives an indication from the network device, the terminal device may continue to send message 3 to the network device based on the indication. This indication is used to instruct the terminal device to retransmit message 3. Furthermore, after each transmission of message 3, the terminal device starts a contention resolution timer and continues to monitor scheduling information for message 4 based on the temporary identifier of the wireless network.

[0195] Optionally, if the aforementioned confirmation message 3 fails to be sent, the terminal device may send message 1 to the network device, thereby enabling the connection as described above. Figure 2 The random access method shown requests access to the network device and sends service data to the network device after successful access.

[0196] Through the embodiments of this application, the terminal device can select the appropriate number of times message 3 is sent and the uplink resources used for each message 3 transmission based on its received signal strength. This allows for sending more messages 3 to the network device when the received signal strength is weak, increasing the probability of successful message 3 transmission; and sending fewer messages 3 to the network device when the received signal strength is strong. This ensures the success rate of message 3 transmission while reducing the power consumption and signaling overhead of the terminal device. Furthermore, during the retransmission of message 3 to the network device, the terminal device uses the same RNTI and contention resolution timer to monitor the scheduling information of message 4. This avoids the signaling overhead and complexity caused by frequently changing the RNTI and contention resolution timer during message 3 retransmission, saving terminal device costs and improving message transmission efficiency.

[0197] Please see Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication method can be applied to, for example... Figure 1 The communication system shown. It is understandable that... Figure 7 The terminal device in the middle can be Figure 1 Any terminal device in the context of network equipment can also refer to a component within that terminal device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system). Network equipment can be... Figure 7Any access network device, or a device within an access network device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system).

[0198] like Figure 7 As shown, the communication method may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0199] S701, The terminal device sends message 3 during the random access process to the network device.

[0200] The number of times message 3 is sent is determined based on the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the correspondence between the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the number of times message 3 is sent.

[0201] The correspondence between the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the number of times message 3 was sent can be referred to as... Figure 3 The S303 shown illustrates the correspondence between the measurement range of the downlink reference signal and the number of transmissions.

[0202] For details, please refer to, such as Figure 3 The descriptions in S301 to S303 are shown.

[0203] Optionally, message 3 may include service data. This allows the terminal device to send service data to the network device via message 3, thereby improving the efficiency of service data transmission.

[0204] S702, the terminal device increments the sent count of message 3 by 1.

[0205] This helps the terminal device accurately determine the relationship between the number of times message 3 has been sent and the number of times message 3 has been sent, thus facilitating an accurate decision on whether to resend message 3 to the network device.

[0206] S703, the terminal device starts a contention resolution timer and monitors the scheduling information for message 4 in the random access process during the operation of the contention resolution timer based on the temporary identifier of the wireless network.

[0207] Specifically, please refer to, for example Figure 3 The descriptions in S304 and S305 are shown.

[0208] S704, the terminal device responds to the fact that no scheduling information for message 4 was detected during the contention resolution timer operation, and the number of times message 3 has been sent is less than the number of times it has been sent, by sending message 3 to the network device and restarting the contention resolution timer.

[0209] If a terminal device fails to detect scheduling information for message 4 during the contention resolution timer after sending message 3, it indicates that message 3 transmission has failed. If the number of times message 3 has been sent is less than the maximum allowed, the terminal device can resend message 3 to the network device to improve the success rate. Furthermore, after retransmitting message 3, the terminal device can restart the contention resolution timer to re-detect scheduling information for message 4 based on the same temporary wireless network identifier.

[0210] S705, the terminal device increments the sent count of message 3 by 1.

[0211] Optionally, in S706, the terminal device responds to the fact that no scheduling information for message 4 is detected during the contention resolution timer operation, the uplink resource timeout occurs, and the number of times message 3 has been sent is less than the number of times it has been sent, by sending message 3 to the network device and restarting the contention resolution timer.

[0212] Of these, the uplink resources are used to send message 3.

[0213] Optionally, in S707, the terminal device increments the sent count of message 3 by 1.

[0214] S708, in response to receiving message 3 from the terminal device, the network device sends scheduling information and message 4 to the terminal device in response to message 4.

[0215] If a network device receives message 3 from a terminal device, it can send scheduling information for message 4 and message 4 via PDCCH. This scheduling information includes a temporary wireless network identifier, which can be used to indicate that message 3 from the terminal device has been received.

[0216] S709, the terminal device responds to detecting scheduling information for message 4 in the random access process during the operation of the contention resolution timer, and receives message 4 from the network device, and stops the contention resolution timer.

[0217] For details, please refer to, such as Figure 3 The description in S309 is shown.

[0218] S710, the terminal device resets the sent count of message 3 to zero.

[0219] In this way, when the terminal device sends another message 3 in another random access process, the terminal device can re-record the number of times the other message 3 has been sent.

[0220] The following describes the communication device involved in the embodiments of this application.

[0221] Please see Figure 8 , Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device may include a communication unit 810 and a processing unit 820. The communication unit 810 may be a device that has signal input (receiving) or output (transmitting) capabilities, used for transmitting signals to other devices or other components within a device.

[0222] The processing unit 820 can be a device with processing capabilities, and may include one or more processors. The processor can be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor. The processor can be a baseband processor or a central processing unit (CPU). The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the CPU can be used to control the device (e.g., a host node, relay node, or chip), execute software programs, and process data from the software programs.

[0223] The communication device can be used in a terminal device. Specifically, the communication device can be a terminal device or a device used in a terminal device, such as a chip. The communication device includes:

[0224] The communication unit 810 is used to send message 3 during the random access process to the network device. The number of times message 3 is sent is determined based on the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the correspondence between the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the number of times message 3 is sent.

[0225] In one possible implementation, processing unit 820 is configured to start a contention resolution timer. Communication unit 810 is further configured to, in response to the fact that no scheduling information for message 4 in the random access process is detected during the operation of the contention resolution timer, and the number of times message 3 has been sent is less than the number of times it has been sent, send message 3 to the network device and restart the contention resolution timer.

[0226] In one possible implementation, the processing unit 820 is further configured to start a contention resolution timer. The communication unit 810 is further configured to, in response to the following: no scheduling information for message 4 in the random access process is detected during the operation of the contention resolution timer, uplink resources time out, and the number of times message 3 has been sent is less than the number of times it has been sent, send message 3 to the network device and restart the contention resolution timer. The uplink resources are used to send message 3.

[0227] In one possible implementation, the processing unit 820 is further configured to start a contention resolution timer. The communication unit 810 is further configured to send message 1 in the random access process to the network device in response to the fact that no scheduling information for message 4 in the random access process is detected during the operation of the contention resolution timer, and the number of times message 3 has been sent is equal to the number of times it has been sent.

[0228] In one possible implementation, the processing unit 820 is further configured to start a contention resolution timer. The communication unit 810 is further configured to send message 3 to the network device in response to the fact that no scheduling information for message 4 in the random access process is detected during the operation of the contention resolution timer and the number of times message 3 has been sent is equal to the number of times it has been sent, and upon receiving an indication message from the network device. The indication message is used to instruct the terminal device to retransmit message 3.

[0229] In one possible implementation, the processing unit 820 is further configured to initiate a contention resolution timer; and in response to detecting scheduling information for message 4 in the random access process during the operation of the contention resolution timer and receiving message 4 from the network device, to stop the contention resolution timer.

[0230] In one possible implementation, the processing unit 820 is further configured to increment the number of times message 3 has been sent by 1 after sending message 3 to the network device; and to reset the number of times message 3 has been sent to zero after receiving message 4 from the network device.

[0231] In one possible implementation, the processing unit 820 is also configured to monitor scheduling information for message 4 using the same wireless network temporary identifier as the number of times message 3 has been sent increments from zero.

[0232] In one possible implementation, the temporary identifier of the wireless network is determined based on the system frame number, carrier identifier, and orthogonal overlay code identifier of the first uplink resource. The first uplink resource is the uplink resource used by the terminal device to send message 3 to the network device when the number of times message 3 has been sent is zero.

[0233] In one possible implementation, as the number of times message 3 has been sent increments from zero, the uplink resources used each time message 3 is sent to the network device are different.

[0234] In one possible implementation, the communication unit 810 is also configured to receive system information from the network device. This system information includes the correspondence between the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the number of times message 3 was sent.

[0235] In one possible implementation, the runtime of the contention resolution timer is determined at least based on the round-trip latency between the terminal device and the network device, as well as the processing time of the network device.

[0236] In one possible implementation, the terminal device includes a terminal device in a non-terrestrial network IoT system, and the network device includes a network device in a non-terrestrial network IoT system.

[0237] In one possible implementation, message 3 includes business data.

[0238] The above are merely examples; for detailed steps or procedures, please refer to the descriptions in the foregoing embodiments.

[0239] Please see Figure 9 , Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a communication device 900 provided in an embodiment of this application. It should be understood that the communication device 900 may have a... Figure 9 The more or fewer components shown can be combined into two or more components, or they can have different component configurations. Figure 9 The various components shown can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software, including one or more signal processing and / or application-specific integrated circuits.

[0240] The communication device 900 may include: a processor 910, an external memory interface 920, an internal memory 921, a universal serial bus (USB) interface 930, a charging management module 940, a power management module 941, a battery 942, an antenna 1, an antenna 2, a mobile communication module 950, a wireless communication module 960, an audio module 970, a speaker 970A, a receiver 970B, a microphone 970C, a headphone jack 970D, a sensor module 980, buttons 990, a motor 991, an indicator 992, a camera 993, a display screen 994, and a subscriber identification module (SIM) card interface 995, etc. The sensor module 980 may include a pressure sensor 980A, a gyroscope sensor 980B, a barometric pressure sensor 980C, a magnetic sensor 980D, an accelerometer sensor 980E, a distance sensor 980F, a proximity sensor 980G, a fingerprint sensor 980H, a temperature sensor 980J, a touch sensor 980K, an ambient light sensor 980L, a bone conduction sensor 980M, etc.

[0241] It is understood that the structure illustrated in the embodiments of this application does not constitute a specific limitation on the communication device 900. In other embodiments of this application, the communication device 900 may include more than Figure 9 This may involve more or fewer components, or combining certain components, or splitting certain components, or different component arrangements. Figure 9 The components shown can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both.

[0242] The processor 910 may include one or more processing units, such as an application processor (AP), a modem processor, a graphics processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a controller, memory, a video codec, a digital signal processor (DSP), a baseband processor, and / or a neural network processing unit (NPU). These different processing units may be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors.

[0243] The controller can serve as the central nervous system and command center of the communication device 900. The controller can generate operation control signals based on the instruction opcode and timing signals to control the fetching and execution of instructions.

[0244] The processor 910 may also include a memory for storing instructions and data. In some embodiments, the memory in the processor 910 is a cache memory.

[0245] In some embodiments, the processor 910 may include one or more interfaces. Interfaces may include an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) interface, an inter-integrated circuit sound (I2S) interface, a pulse code modulation (PCM) interface, a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) interface, a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI), a general-purpose input / output (GPIO) interface, a subscriber identity module (SIM) interface, and / or a universal serial bus (USB) interface, etc.

[0246] It is understood that the interface connection relationships between the modules illustrated in the embodiments of this application are merely illustrative and do not constitute a structural limitation on the communication device 900. In other embodiments of this application, the communication device 900 may also employ different interface connection methods or a combination of multiple interface connection methods as described in the above embodiments.

[0247] The communication device 900 implements display functions through a GPU, a display screen 994, and an application processor. The GPU is a microprocessor for image processing, connecting the display screen 994 and the application processor. The GPU is used to perform mathematical and geometric calculations and for graphics rendering. The processor 910 may include one or more GPUs, which execute program instructions to generate or modify display information.

[0248] The display screen 994 is used to display images, videos, etc. The display screen 994 includes a display panel. The display panel can be a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED), a flexible light-emitting diode (FLED), a Miniled LED, a MicroLED, a Micro-OLED, a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED), etc. In some embodiments, the communication device 900 may include one or N display screens 994, where N is a positive integer greater than 1. In the embodiments of this application, the display screen 994 can be used to display a user interface, such as a first operable interface of a first application.

[0249] The communication device 900 can perform shooting functions through an ISP, camera 993, video codec, GPU, display screen 994, and application processor.

[0250] The ISP is used to process data fed back from the camera 993. For example, when taking a picture, the shutter is opened, and light is transmitted through the lens to the camera's photosensitive element. The light signal is converted into an electrical signal, and the camera's photosensitive element transmits the electrical signal to the ISP for processing, transforming it into an image visible to the naked eye.

[0251] Camera 993 is used to capture still images or videos. An object is projected onto a photosensitive element by generating an optical image through the lens. The photosensitive element can be a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) phototransistor.

[0252] A digital signal processor (DSP) is used to process digital signals. Besides digital image signals, it can also process other digital signals. For example, when the communication device 900 is selecting a frequency, the DSP is used to perform Fourier transforms on the frequency energy.

[0253] Video codecs are used to compress or decompress digital video. Communication device 900 can support one or more video codecs. Thus, communication device 900 can play or record video in various encoding formats, such as Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) 1, MPEG2, MPEG3, MPEG4, etc.

[0254] NPU stands for Neural Network (NN) Computing Processor. By borrowing the structure of biological neural networks, such as the transmission patterns between neurons in the human brain, it can rapidly process input information and continuously learn on its own. NPUs can enable intelligent cognitive applications in communication devices, such as image recognition, facial recognition, speech recognition, and text understanding.

[0255] The external storage interface 920 can be used to connect an external memory card, such as a Micro SD card, to expand the storage capacity of the communication device 900. The external memory card communicates with the processor 910 through the external storage interface 920 to perform data storage functions. For example, compressed driver files or other files can be saved on the external memory card.

[0256] Internal memory 921 can be used to store computer executable program code, which includes instructions. Processor 910 executes various functional applications and data processing of communication device 900 by running the instructions stored in internal memory 921. Internal memory 921 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system, applications required for at least one function (such as fingerprint recognition), etc. The data storage area may store data created during the use of communication device 900 (such as touch data), etc. Furthermore, internal memory 921 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, universal flash storage (UFS), etc.

[0257] The communication device 900 can implement audio functions, such as music playback and recording, through an audio module 970, a speaker 970A, a receiver 970B, a microphone 970C, a headphone jack 970D, and an application processor.

[0258] The pressure sensor 980A is used to sense pressure signals and can convert the pressure signals into electrical signals. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 980A may be located on the display screen 994.

[0259] The gyroscope sensor 980B can be used to determine the motion attitude of the communication device 900. In some embodiments, the angular velocity of the communication device 900 about three axes (i.e., the x, y, and z axes) can be determined by the gyroscope sensor 980B.

[0260] The distance sensor 980F is used to measure distance. The communication device 900 can measure distance via infrared or laser.

[0261] The ambient light sensor 980L is used to detect ambient light intensity. The communication device 900 can adaptively adjust the brightness of the display screen 994 based on the detected ambient light intensity. The ambient light sensor 980L can also be used to automatically adjust the white balance when taking pictures.

[0262] Touch sensor 980K, also known as a "touch panel," can be located on display screen 994. The touch sensor 980K and display screen 994 together form a touchscreen, also known as a "touch screen." Touch sensor 980K detects touch operations applied to or near it. The touch sensor can transmit the detected touch operation to the application processor to determine the type of touch event. Visual output related to the touch operation can be provided through display screen 994. In other embodiments, touch sensor 980K may also be located on the surface of communication device 900, in a different position than display screen 994. In this embodiment, the touchscreen composed of touch sensor 980K and display screen 994 is used to detect touch events.

[0263] Buttons 990 include a power button, volume buttons, etc. Buttons 990 can be mechanical buttons or touch-sensitive buttons. The communication device 900 can receive button input and generate key signal inputs related to user settings and function control of the communication device 900.

[0264] In addition, an operating system runs on top of the aforementioned components. Examples include iOS, Android (open-source operating system), and Windows. Optionally, the operating system of the communication device 900 can adopt a layered architecture, event-driven architecture, microkernel architecture, microservice architecture, or cloud architecture.

[0265] Please see Figure 10 , Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. It is understood that the communication device includes, for example, modules, units, elements, circuits, or interfaces, which are appropriately configured together to execute this solution. The communication device can be a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet computer, or a component (e.g., a chip) within these devices, used to implement the methods described in the method embodiments.

[0266] like Figure 10 As shown, the communication device may include one or more processors 1010, which may also be referred to as processing units, and can implement certain control functions. The processor 1010 may be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, such as a baseband processor or a central processing unit. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the central processing unit can be used to control the communication device, execute software programs, and process data from the software programs.

[0267] In an alternative design, processor 1010 may include program 1011 (sometimes referred to as code or instructions) that can be run on processor 1010 to cause the communication device to perform the methods described in the method embodiments.

[0268] In another alternative design, the processor 1010 may include a communication unit for implementing receiving and transmitting functions. For example, this communication unit may be a transceiver circuit, an interface, an interface circuit, or a communication interface. The transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit for implementing receiving and transmitting functions may be separate or integrated together. The aforementioned transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit can be used for reading and writing code / data, or it can be used for transmitting or relaying signals.

[0269] In another possible design, the communication device may include a circuit that can perform the functions of sending, receiving, or communicating in the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0270] Optionally, the communication device may include one or more memories 1020 storing a program 1021 (sometimes referred to as code or instructions). The program 1021 may be executed on the processor 1010, causing the communication device to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0271] Optionally, the processor 1010 and / or memory 1020 may also store data. The processor and memory can be configured separately or integrated together. For example, the correspondence described in the above method embodiments can be stored in memory or in the processor.

[0272] Optionally, the communication device may also include a transceiver 1030 and / or an antenna 1040. The processor 1010, sometimes referred to as a processing unit, controls the communication device (e.g., a terminal device). The transceiver 1030, sometimes referred to as a communication unit, transceiver, transceiver circuit, or transceiver, is used to implement the transmission and reception functions of the communication device via the antenna 1040.

[0273] Optionally, the communication device can be used to perform the embodiments of this application. Figure 3 or Figure 7 Any method described.

[0274] In one embodiment, the communication device can be a terminal device, a device within a terminal device, or a device compatible with a terminal device. When the computer program instructions stored in the memory 1020 are executed, the processor 1010 performs the operations performed by the processing unit 820 in the above embodiment. The transceiver 1030 performs the operations performed by the communication unit 810 in the above embodiment, and the transceiver 1030 is also used to send information to other communication devices besides the communication device. The terminal device or the device within the terminal device can also be used to perform the operations described above. Figure 3 or Figure 7Any method executed by the terminal device in the method embodiments will not be described in detail here.

[0275] The processors and transceivers described in this application can be implemented on integrated circuits (ICs), analog ICs, radio frequency interface chips (RFICs), mixed-signal ICs, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), electronic devices, etc.

[0276] The communication device described in the above embodiments may be a terminal device or a network device, but the scope of the device described in this application is not limited thereto, and the structure of the communication device may vary. Figure 10 The device has limitations. It can be a standalone device or part of a larger device.

[0277] For example, the communication device could be:

[0278] (1) An independent integrated circuit IC, or chip, or chip system or subsystem;

[0279] (2) A collection of one or more ICs, optionally, the collection of ICs may include a storage component for storing data and / or instructions;

[0280] (3) ASIC, such as modem (mobile station modem, MSM);

[0281] (4) Modules that can be embedded in other devices.

[0282] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a communication device, can implement the method provided in the above-described method embodiments.

[0283] This application also provides a computer program product that, when run on a computer or processor, causes a communication device to perform one or more steps of any of the methods described above. If the constituent modules of the aforementioned devices are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0284] This application provides a chip, including a processor, for calling and executing instructions stored in a memory, causing a communication device on which the chip is installed to perform any of the methods described above.

[0285] This application embodiment also provides another chip, including: an input interface, an output interface, and a processing circuit. The input interface, the output interface, and the processing circuit are connected via internal connection paths. The processing circuit is used to execute any of the methods described above. Optionally, the chip also includes a memory. The input interface, the output interface, the processor, and the memory are connected via internal connection paths. The processor is used to execute code in the memory. When the code is executed, the processor is used to execute any of the methods described above.

[0286] This application also provides a chip system including at least one processor and a communication interface. The communication interface and the at least one processor are interconnected via a circuit. The at least one processor is used to run computer programs or instructions to perform any of the methods described above. This chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0287] This application also provides a communication system, which includes a terminal device and a network device, as detailed in the following description. Figure 3 The method shown in the method embodiment.

[0288] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. A computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media can be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., digital versatile discs (DVDs)), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state disks (SSDs)).

[0289] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. This program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes described in the above method embodiments. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0290] In summary, the above description is merely an embodiment of the technical solution of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made based on the disclosure of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A communication method performed by a terminal device, the method comprising: include: Send message 3 during the random access process to the network device, wherein the number of times message 3 is sent is determined based on the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the correspondence between the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the number of times message 3 is sent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, After sending message 3 during the random access process to the network device, the method further includes: Start the race conflict resolution timer; In response to the fact that no scheduling information for message 4 in the random access process is detected during the operation of the contention resolution timer, and the number of times message 3 has been sent is less than the number of times it has been sent, message 3 is sent to the network device and the contention resolution timer is restarted.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, After sending message 3 during the random access process to the network device, the method further includes: Start the race conflict resolution timer; In response to the absence of scheduling information for message 4 in the random access process during the operation of the contention resolution timer, an uplink resource timeout, and the fact that the number of times message 3 has been sent is less than the number of times it has been sent, message 3 is sent to the network device and the contention resolution timer is restarted, wherein the uplink resources are used to send message 3.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, After sending message 3 during the random access process to the network device, the method further includes: Start the race conflict resolution timer; In response to the fact that no scheduling information for message 4 in the random access procedure is detected during the operation of the contention resolution timer, and the number of times message 3 has been sent is equal to the number of times it has been sent, message 1 in the random access procedure is sent to the network device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, After sending message 3 during the random access process to the network device, the method further includes: Start the race conflict resolution timer; In response to the fact that no scheduling information for message 4 in the random access process is detected during the operation of the contention resolution timer and the number of times message 3 has been sent is equal to the number of times it has been sent, and an indication message is received from the network device, the terminal device sends message 3 to the network device; the indication message is used to instruct the terminal device to retransmit message 3.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After sending message 3 during the random access process to the network device, the method further includes: Start the race conflict resolution timer; In response to the detection of scheduling information for message 4 in the random access process during the operation of the contention resolution timer, and upon receiving message 4 from the network device, the contention resolution timer is stopped.

7. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, After sending message 3 to the network device, the number of times message 3 has been sent is incremented by 1; and, After receiving message 4 from the network device, the number of times message 3 has been sent is reset to zero.

8. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, As the number of times message 3 has been sent increases from zero, the same temporary wireless network identifier is used to monitor the scheduling information for message 4.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The temporary identifier of the wireless network is determined based on the system frame number, carrier identifier, and orthogonal coverage code identifier of the first uplink resource, wherein the first uplink resource is the uplink resource used by the terminal device to send the message 3 to the network device when the number of times the message 3 has been sent is zero.

10. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, As the number of times message 3 has been sent increases from zero, the uplink resources used each time message 3 is sent to the network device are different.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive system information from the network device, the system information including the correspondence between the measurement results of the downlink reference signal and the number of times message 3 was sent.

12. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, The runtime of the contention resolution timer is determined based at least on the round-trip time between the terminal device and the network device, and the processing time of the network device.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, The terminal device includes terminal devices in a non-terrestrial network Internet of Things (IoT) system, and the network device includes network devices in the non-terrestrial network IoT system.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that, Message 3 includes business data.

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

16. A chip system, characterized in that, The chip system includes one or more processors, which are configured to retrieve and execute instructions stored in memory, such that the method as described in any one of claims 1-14 is performed.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program or instructions stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program or instructions are executed, they cause the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-14.

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