Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The application provides a communication method and device, which are suitable for the field of communication. The method comprises the following steps: receiving first information from a first network device, wherein the first information is used for configuring configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX of multiple areas, and the multiple areas belong to cells served by the first network device or belong to cells served by a second network device; and performing discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX of a first area corresponding to the first area, wherein the first area is an area to which a terminal belongs, and the first area is one of the multiple areas. The method can be applied to a scenario in which a terminal is in an idle state or an inactive state, and configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to each area in multiple areas are configured for the same cell, so that the configuration parameters of cell DTX / DRX are matched with the business demand of the area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communications, and particularly to communication methods and apparatus in the field of communications. Background Technology

[0002] Discontinuous transmission (DTX) / discontinuous reception (DRX) technology is one of the important technologies for achieving energy saving in network devices and terminals. For example, a network device can configure a terminal with a cell DTX and / or cell DRX pattern. This network device can be a network device connected to the terminal. When the network device activates the cell DTX and / or cell DRX modes, the network device and the terminal can perform discontinuous transmission, thereby achieving energy saving for both the network device and the terminal.

[0003] However, the aforementioned discontinuous transmission methods may not meet business requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a communication method and apparatus in order to match the DTX / DRX mode of the cell as closely as possible to the service requirements and improve the energy efficiency of network equipment and terminals.

[0005] Firstly, this application provides a communication method that can be executed by a terminal device. The terminal device can be the terminal itself, a component configured within the terminal (such as a processor, chip, chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions; this application does not limit the scope of the method. The following uses a terminal as an example.

[0006] For example, the method includes: receiving first information from a first network device, the first information being used to configure configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for multiple regions, wherein the multiple regions belong to cells served by the first network device, or the multiple regions belong to cells served by a second network device; and performing discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first region, wherein the first region is the region to which the terminal belongs, and the first region is one of the multiple regions.

[0007] The above method can be applied, for example, to scenarios where the terminal is in an idle / inactive state. In the above scheme, for the same cell, the first network device can configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for multiple areas. The configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for these multiple areas of the same cell can be the same or different. For example, the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX can be configured according to the service requirements of each area. In this way, it is easier to match the configuration parameters of cell DTX / DRX with service requirements, thereby improving the energy-saving effect of network devices and terminals.

[0008] It should be noted that in this application, the configuration parameters of cell DTX / DRX can be at the regional level, that is, each region corresponds to a set of cell DTX / DRX configuration parameters. Therefore, the possibility of using other names for these configuration parameters in future protocols is not excluded. For example, the configuration parameters of cell DTX / DRX can also be called the configuration parameters of regional DTX / DRX. This application does not limit this.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some possible implementations of the first aspect, when the first information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX for multiple regions, and the multiple regions belong to cells served by the second network device, the discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first region includes: receiving a synchronization signal block (SSB) broadcast by the second network device based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX corresponding to the first region; when the first information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX for multiple regions, and the multiple regions belong to cells served by the first network device, the discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first region includes: receiving an SSB broadcast by the first network device based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX corresponding to the first region.

[0010] In the above scheme, when multiple areas belong to cells served by the second network device, even if the terminal is in an idle state, it can still receive the cell DTX configuration parameters corresponding to multiple areas served by the second network device from the first network device. This facilitates discontinuous transmission between the terminal and the second network device when receiving SSBs broadcast by the second network device. Thus, unnecessary signal reception and transmission are reduced before the terminal connects to the network device, resulting in better energy efficiency for both the terminal and the network device. When multiple areas belong to cells served by the first network device, the first network device can receive SSBs broadcast by the first network device based on the cell DTX configuration parameters corresponding to the area where the terminal is located the next time it is in an idle state. It is understandable that when the terminal is in an idle state, if the first network device sends the configuration parameters of the cell DTX for multiple areas of its own, for example, by broadcasting the above configuration parameters in the system information block (SIB), then when the terminal is in an idle state, it will not be able to receive the SSB of the first network device discontinuously (because the SSB is received before the SIB). Therefore, the terminal can receive the SSB broadcast by the first network device based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the area where the terminal is located when it is in an idle state again. In this way, the terminal can reduce unnecessary signal reception and transmission before accessing the network device, thereby improving the energy-saving effect of the network device and the terminal.

[0011] Secondly, this application provides a communication method that can be executed by a network device. The network device can be the first network device itself, a component configured within the first network device (such as a processor, chip, chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the first network device. This application does not limit the scope of this method. The first network device is used as an example below.

[0012] For example, the method includes: sending first information for configuring configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX of multiple regions, wherein the multiple regions belong to cells served by a first network device, or the multiple regions belong to cells served by a second network device.

[0013] The first network device and the second network device mentioned above are different.

[0014] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some possible implementations of the second aspect, when the aforementioned multiple areas belong to cells served by the first network device, the method further includes: performing discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first area, wherein the aforementioned first area is the area to which the terminal belongs.

[0015] Optionally, when the first information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX for multiple regions, and the multiple regions belong to cells served by the first network device, the discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first region includes: sending SSB based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX corresponding to the first region.

[0016] The second aspect described above corresponds to the technical solution of the first aspect of this application. The beneficial effects achieved by each aspect and the corresponding feasible implementation are similar, and will not be repeated here.

[0017] In combination with the first and second aspects, in some possible implementations, the configuration parameters of cell DTX or cell DRX for each of the above multiple regions include multiple durations and multiple offsets. Each of the multiple durations is used to indicate the length of time the network device is in transmit mode or receive mode. The multiple offsets correspond one-to-one with the multiple durations, and each offset is used to indicate the starting position of the corresponding duration.

[0018] The aforementioned multiple durations and offsets can represent multiple durations and offsets within a single DTX / DRX cycle. In this scheme, the configuration parameters for cell DTX or cell DRX in each region can include multiple durations and offsets. This facilitates matching different service requirements and improves the energy efficiency of terminals and network equipment. For example, for regions with higher service demands, the corresponding durations can be longer, or in other words, the beam can serve more times.

[0019] In combination with the first and second aspects, in some possible implementations, at least two regions in the aforementioned plurality of regions have different durations within a single DTX or DRX cycle; and / or, at least two regions in the aforementioned plurality of regions have different durations; and / or, among the multiple durations corresponding to each region in the aforementioned plurality of regions, at least two durations have different lengths.

[0020] The number and / or length of durations corresponding to different regions can vary to match the business needs of each region and improve energy efficiency. Among the multiple durations corresponding to each region, at least two durations can have different lengths to match business needs. For example, when there are more business needs, the duration can be longer, or in other words, the time for which the beam provides service can be longer.

[0021] In combination with the first and second aspects, in some possible implementations, the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to each of the above multiple regions are related to the number of terminals in that region.

[0022] One possible implementation is that in areas with more terminals, the number of durations included in a DTX or DRX cycle in the corresponding cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters is greater, and / or each duration is longer.

[0023] In areas with a greater number of terminals, the corresponding business demands are likely to be greater. This means that more interaction with network devices is required. By configuring longer durations, the number of time periods during which network devices are in transmit / receive mode can be increased. By configuring longer durations, the length of time network devices are in transmit / receive mode can be increased. In this way, discontinuous transmission is matched with business demands, thereby improving the energy efficiency of network devices and terminals.

[0024] Optionally, the region with a larger number of terminals can be replaced with the region with greater business demand.

[0025] In combination with the first and second aspects, in some possible implementations, the aforementioned first information is carried in a system message.

[0026] By broadcasting the first information via system messages, terminals in an idle state can receive the first information, thereby facilitating discontinuous transmission between the terminal and network devices and saving energy consumption for both the terminal and network devices.

[0027] Combining the first and second aspects, in some possible implementations, each of the above-mentioned multiple regions is identified by identification information, and the correspondence between the above-mentioned multiple regions and multiple identification information is predefined or configured through system messages.

[0028] In other words, the network devices and terminals have the same definition of the area, which makes it easier for the terminal to determine the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to each area, and to more effectively carry out discontinuous transmission with the network devices.

[0029] Thirdly, this application provides a communication method that can be executed by a terminal device. The terminal device can be the terminal itself, a component configured within the terminal (such as a processor, chip, chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. This application does not limit the scope of the method. The following uses a terminal as an example.

[0030] For example, the method includes: receiving second information from a third network device, the third network device being a network device connected to a terminal, the second information being used to configure configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to N regions, the N regions belonging to a first cell, the first cell being a cell served by the third network device, and N being an integer greater than 1; receiving third information, the third information being used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N regions; and performing discontinuous transmission with the third network device according to the third information and the second information.

[0031] The above method can be applied, for example, to scenarios where the terminal is in a connected state. In the above scheme, for a single cell, the third network device can configure the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for N regions. These N regions' cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters can be the same or different; this application does not limit this. For example, the third network device can configure the corresponding cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters according to the service requirements of each region. This facilitates matching the cell DTX / DRX configuration parameters with service requirements, thereby improving the energy-saving effect of the network device and the terminal. Furthermore, since the terminal is in a connected state, after configuring the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for N regions, the third network device can activate the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N regions. This facilitates discontinuous transmission between the terminal and the network device in at least one region, achieving energy saving for both the terminal and the network device.

[0032] Optionally, the first cell mentioned above can also be a cell served by the fourth network device. Correspondingly, the discontinuous transmission with the third network device based on the third and second information is replaced by the discontinuous transmission with the fourth network device based on the third and second information.

[0033] Fourthly, this application provides a communication method that can be executed by a network device. This network device can be a third network device itself, a component configured within the third network device (such as a processor, chip, chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the third network device. This application does not limit the scope of this method. The following uses a third network device as an example.

[0034] For example, the method includes: sending second information, the second information being used to configure configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to N regions, wherein the N regions belong to a first cell, the first cell being a cell served by the third network device, and N being an integer greater than 1; sending third information, the third information being used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N regions; and performing discontinuous transmission with the terminal according to the third information and the second information.

[0035] The above-mentioned solution corresponds to the technical solution in the third aspect, and the beneficial effects achieved by the above-mentioned solution are similar to those in the third aspect, so they will not be repeated here.

[0036] Optionally, the first cell mentioned above can also be the cell served by the fourth network device. Correspondingly, instead of the third network device performing discontinuous transmission with the terminal based on the third and second information, the fourth network device can perform discontinuous transmission with the terminal based on the third and second information.

[0037] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some possible implementations of the fourth aspect, the above-mentioned sending of the second information includes: sending the second information to the terminal according to the location of the terminal, wherein the above-mentioned N areas are the N areas closest to the location of the terminal among the multiple areas included in the first cell.

[0038] In this way, on the one hand, it is not necessary to configure the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for all regions, which helps to reduce signaling overhead; on the other hand, configuring the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for the terminal in the N regions closest to the terminal's location is beneficial for configuring different cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for terminals in different locations, making it more targeted and easier to match the service needs of different regions.

[0039] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some possible implementations of the fourth aspect, the aforementioned third information includes a plurality of first indication fields, each of which corresponds to a cell, and each first indication field includes a plurality of second indication fields, each of which corresponds to a region, and each second indication field is used to indicate whether the corresponding region has activated cell DTX and / or cell DRX.

[0040] By adopting the above format, it is possible not only to indicate whether the cell DTX and / or cell DRX of a certain cell are active, but also to specifically indicate whether the cell DTX and / or cell DRX of a certain area in that cell are active. This helps to reduce the situation where the terminal cannot determine whether the cell DTX and / or cell DRX of each area are active.

[0041] Fifthly, this application provides a communication method that can be executed by a terminal device. The terminal device can be the terminal itself, a component configured within the terminal (such as a processor, chip, chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. This application does not limit the scope of the method. The following uses a terminal as an example.

[0042] For example, the method includes: receiving fourth information from a third network device, the third network device being a network device connected to a terminal, the fourth information being used to configure configuration parameters for cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to M regions, wherein the M regions belong to a first cell, the first cell being a cell served by the third network device, and M being an integer greater than 1; receiving fifth information, the fifth information being used to indicate N regions among the M regions, N being greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M, N being an integer, and the N regions being determined based on the location of the terminal; receiving sixth information, the sixth information being used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N regions; and performing discontinuous transmission with the third network device according to the fourth information, the fifth information, and the sixth information.

[0043] The above method can be applied, for example, to scenarios where the terminal is in a connected state. In the above scheme, the third network device (the network device that establishes a connection with the terminal) can configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for M areas, and instruct N areas to activate the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for at least one of the N areas, thereby facilitating discontinuous transmission by the terminal within the aforementioned at least one area. Unlike the method described in the third aspect, the method described in the fifth aspect can configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for more areas at once, reducing repetitive configuration steps and operation time, and improving the overall configuration efficiency.

[0044] Optionally, the first cell mentioned above can also be a cell served by the fourth network device. Correspondingly, the non-continuous transmission with the third network device based on the fourth, fifth, and sixth information is replaced by the non-continuous transmission with the fourth network device based on the fourth, fifth, and sixth information.

[0045] Sixthly, this application provides a communication method that can be executed by a network device. The network device can be a third network device itself, a component configured within the third network device (such as a processor, chip, chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the third network device. This application does not limit the scope of this method. The following uses a third network device as an example.

[0046] For example, the method includes: sending fourth information, which is used to configure configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to M regions, wherein the M regions belong to a first cell, which is a cell served by a third network device, and M is an integer greater than 1; sending fifth information, which is used to indicate N regions among the M regions, where N is greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M, and N is an integer, and the N regions are determined according to the location of the terminal; sending sixth information, which is used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N regions; and performing discontinuous transmission with the terminal according to the fourth, fifth, and sixth information.

[0047] The above-mentioned solution corresponds to the technical solution in the fifth aspect. The beneficial effects achieved by the above-mentioned solution are similar to those in the fifth aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0048] Optionally, the first cell mentioned above can also be the cell served by the fourth network device. Correspondingly, instead of the third network device performing discontinuous transmission with the terminal based on the fourth, fifth, and sixth information, the fourth network device performs discontinuous transmission with the terminal based on the fourth, fifth, and sixth information.

[0049] In conjunction with the sixth aspect, in some possible implementations of the sixth aspect, the aforementioned fourth information is carried in a radio resource control (RRC) message; and / or, the aforementioned fifth information is carried in a medium access control control element (MAC CE); and / or, the aforementioned sixth information is carried in downlink control information (DCI).

[0050] In conjunction with the sixth aspect, in some possible implementations of the sixth aspect, the aforementioned DCI is scrambled using a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), which is region-dependent. This allows the terminal to perform blind detection based solely on the RNTI corresponding to its own region, simplifying the blind detection process.

[0051] In conjunction with the sixth aspect, in some possible implementations of the sixth aspect, the aforementioned sixth information includes a plurality of first indication fields, each of which corresponds to a cell, and each first indication field includes a plurality of second indication fields, each of which corresponds to a region, and each second indication field is used to indicate whether the corresponding region has activated cell DTX and / or cell DRX.

[0052] By adopting the above format, it is possible not only to indicate whether the cell DTX and / or cell DRX of a certain cell are active, but also to specifically indicate whether the cell DTX and / or cell DRX of a certain area in that cell are active. This helps to reduce the situation where the terminal cannot determine whether the cell DTX and / or cell DRX of each area are active.

[0053] Seventhly, this application provides a communication method that can be executed by a terminal device. The terminal device can be the terminal itself, a component configured within the terminal (such as a processor, chip, chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. This application does not limit the scope of this method. The following uses a terminal as an example.

[0054] For example, the method includes: receiving seventh information from a third network device, the third network device being a network device connected to a terminal, the seventh information being used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to a first region, the first region being the region where the terminal is located, the first region being one of a plurality of regions included in a first cell, the first cell being a cell served by the third network device, and terminals belonging to different regions in the first cell having different configuration parameters for cell DTX and / or cell DRX; receiving eighth information, the eighth information being used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first cell; and performing discontinuous transmission with the third network device according to the seventh information and the eighth information.

[0055] The above method can be applied, for example, to scenarios where the terminal is in a connected state. In the above scheme, when the terminal is in a connected state, for the same cell, the third network device can configure different cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for terminals in different areas, thereby facilitating the matching of service requirements in different areas. Unlike the methods described in the third and fifth aspects, in the method described in the seventh aspect, for any given terminal, the third network device can configure only the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for that terminal in one area. Terminals belonging to different areas have different cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters, which helps to save signaling overhead.

[0056] Optionally, the first cell mentioned above can also be a cell served by the fourth network device. Correspondingly, instead of the terminal performing discontinuous transmission with the third network device based on the seventh and eighth information mentioned above, the terminal performs discontinuous transmission with the fourth network device based on the seventh and eighth information mentioned above.

[0057] Eighthly, this application provides a communication method that can be executed by a network device. The network device can be a third network device itself, a component configured within the third network device (such as a processor, chip, chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the third network device. This application does not limit the scope of this method. The following uses a third network device as an example.

[0058] For example, the method includes: sending seventh information, which is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to a first region, wherein the first region is the region where the terminal is located, the first region is one of a plurality of regions included in a first cell, the first cell is a cell served by a third network device, and the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to terminals belonging to different regions in the first cell are different; sending eighth information, which is used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first cell; and performing discontinuous transmission with the terminal according to the seventh and eighth information.

[0059] The above-mentioned solution corresponds to the technical solution in the seventh aspect. The beneficial effects achieved by the above-mentioned solution are similar to those in the seventh aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0060] Optionally, the first cell mentioned above can also be the cell served by the fourth network device. Correspondingly, instead of the third network device performing discontinuous transmission with the terminal based on the seventh and eighth information mentioned above, the fourth network device performing discontinuous transmission with the terminal based on the seventh and eighth information mentioned above.

[0061] In conjunction with aspects three through eight, in some possible implementations, the configuration parameters of cell DTX or cell DRX for each region include multiple durations and multiple offsets. Each of the multiple durations is used to indicate the length of time the network device is in transmit or receive mode. The multiple offsets correspond one-to-one with the multiple durations, and each offset is used to indicate the starting position of the corresponding duration.

[0062] The aforementioned multiple durations and offsets can represent multiple durations and offsets within a single DTX / DRX cycle. In this scheme, the configuration parameters for cell DTX or cell DRX in each region can include multiple durations and offsets. This facilitates matching different service requirements and improves the energy efficiency of terminals and network equipment. For example, for regions with higher service demands, the corresponding durations can be longer, or in other words, the beam can serve more times.

[0063] In conjunction with aspects three through eight, in some possible implementations, at least two of the multiple regions corresponding to a cell have different durations within a single DTX or DRX cycle; and / or, at least two of the multiple regions corresponding to a cell have different durations; and / or, among the multiple durations corresponding to each region, at least two durations have different lengths.

[0064] The number and / or length of durations corresponding to different regions can vary to match the business needs of each region and improve energy efficiency. Among the multiple durations corresponding to each region, at least two durations can have different lengths to match business needs. For example, when there are more business needs, the duration can be longer, or in other words, the time for which the beam provides service can be longer.

[0065] In conjunction with aspects three through eight, in some possible implementations, the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for each region are related to the number of terminals in that region.

[0066] One possible implementation is that the more terminals a region has, the more durations are included in a DTX or DRX cycle in the corresponding cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters, and / or the longer each duration is.

[0067] In areas with a greater number of terminals, the corresponding business demands are likely to be greater. This means that more interaction with network devices is required. By configuring longer durations, the number of time periods during which network devices are in transmit / receive mode can be increased. By configuring longer durations, the length of time network devices are in transmit / receive mode can be increased. In this way, discontinuous transmission is matched with business demands, thereby improving the energy efficiency of network devices and terminals.

[0068] Optionally, the region with a larger number of terminals can be replaced with the region with greater business demand.

[0069] Ninthly, this application provides a communication apparatus capable of implementing the methods described in the first to eighth aspects and any possible implementations of the first to eighth aspects. The apparatus includes corresponding modules for performing the described methods. The modules included in the apparatus can be implemented in software and / or hardware.

[0070] In a tenth aspect, this application provides a communication device comprising at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to execute a computer program in memory to implement the methods described in the first to eighth aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0071] Optionally, the device further includes a communication interface, to which the at least one processor is coupled. The communication interface is used to receive signals from other communication devices outside the device and transmit them to the at least one processor, or to send signals from the at least one processor to other communication devices outside the device. Exemplarily, the communication interface may be a transceiver, circuit, bus, module, pin, or other type of communication interface.

[0072] Optionally, the device further includes a memory for storing program instructions and data. The memory is coupled to at least one processor, which, when executing the instructions stored in the memory, can implement the methods described in the preceding aspects.

[0073] In one aspect, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program (or instructions) that, when executed, implements the methods described in the first to eighth aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0074] In a twelfth aspect, this application provides a computer program product including instructions that, when executed, implement the methods described in the first to eighth aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0075] In a thirteenth aspect, this application provides a chip system including at least one processor for supporting the implementation of the functions involved in the first to eighth aspects and any possible implementation of the first to eighth aspects, such as receiving or processing data involved in the above methods.

[0076] In one possible design, the chip system also includes a memory for storing program instructions and data, which may be located within or outside the processor.

[0077] In one possible design, the chip system further includes an interface circuit and / or a power supply circuit, wherein the interface circuit is used to transmit data and the power supply circuit is used to supply power to the chip system.

[0078] The chip system can consist of chips or include chips and other discrete components.

[0079] It should be understood that aspects nine to thirteen of this application correspond to the technical solutions of aspects one to eight of this application, and the beneficial effects achieved by each aspect and the corresponding feasible implementation are similar, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0080] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a network architecture for NTN communication provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0081] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another network architecture for NTN communication provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0082] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a terrestrial communication network;

[0083] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the NTN communication network architecture;

[0084] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a network architecture that integrates NTN and terrestrial networks;

[0085] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another network architecture that integrates NTN and terrestrial networks;

[0086] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the network architecture for air-to-ground communication;

[0087] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of multi-star coordination;

[0088] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing that a cell's DTX is active (or a cell's DRX is active).

[0089] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of configuring DTX / DRX mode and activating / deactivating DTX / DRX on network devices.

[0090] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the format of downlink control information (DCI) 2_9;

[0091] Figure 12 This is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0092] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the cell DTX / DRX mode for region X provided in this application;

[0093] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of an SSB scan provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0094] Figure 15 This is a schematic flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0095] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the N regions provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0096] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the DCI format provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0097] Figure 18 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0098] Figure 19 This is a schematic flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0099] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the DTX / DRX modes corresponding to different terminals provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0100] Figure 21 This is a schematic block diagram of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0101] Figure 22 This is another schematic block diagram of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0102] Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram of an open wireless access network system shown in an embodiment of this application;

[0103] Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of a RAN intelligent controller (RIC) architecture communication system shown in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0104] To facilitate understanding of the technical solution provided in this application, the following points are made first:

[0105] First, in this application, the terms “comprising” and “having” and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such as an apparatus, system, product or device that includes a series of modules, units or units, and is not necessarily limited to those listed, but may include other modules, units or units not listed or inherent to such apparatus, system, product or device.

[0106] Second, in this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following related objects, but it does not exclude the possibility of indicating an "and" relationship; the specific meaning can be understood in context. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of singular or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c; a and b; a and c; b and c; or a and b and c. Here, a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0107] Third, in this application, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "send information to a terminal" can be understood as the destination of the information being the terminal, which can include direct transmission via the air interface or indirect transmission via the air interface from other units or modules. "Receive information from a network device" can be understood as the source of the information being the network device, which can include direct reception from the network device via the air interface or indirect reception from the network device via the air interface from other units or modules. "Send" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receive" can also be understood as the "input" of the chip interface.

[0108] In other words, sending and receiving can occur between devices, such as between network devices and terminals; or they can occur within a device, such as between components, modules, chips, software modules, or hardware modules within a device via a bus, wiring, or interface.

[0109] Fourth, in this application, “when…”, “if” and “if” all refer to the device making a corresponding processing under certain objective circumstances, and are not limited to a time, nor do they require the device to make a judgment when it is implemented, nor do they mean that there are other limitations.

[0110] Fifth, in this application, the words "example," "exemplarily," "for example," or "such as" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design described as "example," "exemplarily," "for example," or "such as" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the words "example," "exemplarily," "for example," or "such as" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0111] Sixth, in this application, the term "terminal" may also be referred to as terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals may include, but are not limited to: mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, mixed reality (MR) devices, extended reality (XR) devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, vehicle-mounted equipment, wireless terminals in autonomous driving, wireless terminals in remote medical care, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, wearable devices, video players, and full-range projectors, etc. This application does not limit the specific type of terminal.

[0112] In one possible scenario, network equipment (also known as radio access network (RAN) nodes) can be base stations (BS), evolved NodeBs (eNodeBs), transmission reception points (TRPs), home evolved NodeBs (or home Node Bs, HNBs), Wi-Fi access points (APs), mobile switching centers, next-generation NodeBs (gNBs) in 5G mobile communication systems, or base stations in future mobile communication systems. RAN nodes can also be devices that perform base station functions in device-to-device (D2D) communication systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication systems, and internet-to-things (IoT) communication systems. RAN nodes can also be RAN nodes within an NTN (Network Node Network), meaning RAN nodes can be deployed on high-altitude platforms or satellites. RAN nodes can be macro base stations, micro base stations, indoor stations, relay nodes, donor nodes, etc., or radio controllers in cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenarios, or nodes in open radio access network (O-RAN or ORAN) scenarios. Optionally, RAN nodes can also be servers, wearable devices, vehicles, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, in V2X technology, RAN nodes can be roadside units (RSUs). Of course, RAN nodes can also be nodes in the core network.

[0113] In another possible scenario, multiple RAN nodes collaborate to assist the terminal in achieving wireless access, with each RAN node performing a portion of the base station's functions. For example, a RAN node can be a CU, a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU). CUs and DUs can be configured separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radio heads (RRHs).

[0114] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an open RAN (ORAN or O-RAN) system, CU can also be called open CU (O-CU), DU can also be called open DU (O-DU), CU-CP can also be called open CU-CP (O-CU-CP), CU-UP can also be called open CU-UP (O-CU-UP), and RU can also be called open RU (O-RU).

[0115] Any one of the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU units can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. That is, the wireless access network device in this application can be a virtualized device, for example, implemented through general-purpose hardware and instantiated virtualization functions, or dedicated hardware and instantiated virtualization functions. The general-purpose hardware can be a server, such as a cloud server.

[0116] Seventh, in the embodiments of this application, the terminal and / or network device may execute some or all of the steps in each embodiment. These steps or operations are merely examples, and the embodiments of this application may also execute other operations or variations thereof. Furthermore, the steps may be executed in different orders as presented in the embodiments, and it is not necessary to execute all the operations in the embodiments of this application. Moreover, the sequence number of each step does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0117] To better understand the methods provided in the embodiments of this application, the terms involved in this application will be explained in detail below.

[0118] 1. NTN Communication: Compared to terrestrial communication, NTN communication offers advantages such as large coverage area and flexible networking. NTN communication utilizes devices such as drones, high-altitude platform stations (HAPS), and satellites to create networks, providing data transmission and voice communication services to terminals. High-altitude platform stations (HAPS) are typically located at altitudes of 8–50 kilometers above the ground. Based on satellite orbital altitude, satellite communication systems can be categorized into three types: geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite communication systems (also known as synchronous orbit satellite systems); medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite communication systems; and low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication systems. GEO satellites orbit at an altitude of 35,786 km. The advantage of GEO satellite communication is its ability to remain relatively stationary relative to the ground and provide a large coverage area. MEO satellites orbit at altitudes between 2,000 km and 35,786 km. The advantage of MEO satellite communication is that it can achieve global coverage with a relatively small number of satellites. MEO satellites are primarily used for positioning and navigation. LEO satellites orbit at altitudes ranging from 300km to 2000km. Compared to MEO and GEO satellites, LEO satellites orbit at lower altitudes, offering advantages such as lower data propagation latency, less transmission loss, and relatively lower launch costs. Therefore, LEO satellite communication has gained widespread attention in recent years.

[0119] Depending on the payload type, NTN networks include two network architectures: regenerative architecture and transparent architecture. The following will combine... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The above network architecture will be explained.

[0120] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a network architecture for NTN communication provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0121] like Figure 1As shown, during communication between the terminal and the base station, the satellite communicates with the gateway station (also known as a gateway or signaling station) via the Uu interface, the base station communicates with the 5th-generation core network (CN) via the next-generation (NG) interface, and the CN communicates with the data network via the N6 interface. The network communication segment between the terminal and the base station is called the remote radio unit (RAN unit), and the RAN node is used to ensure normal communication between the terminal and the CN. Figure 1 In the network architecture shown, the satellite can operate in transparent mode, for example. In this mode, the satellite can act as a relay for radio frequency filtering, frequency conversion, and amplification, regenerating the physical layer signal so that it is invisible to the protocol layer above the physical layer. The gateway station has the functions of a base station or part of a base station; in this case, the gateway station can be considered a base station. Alternatively, the base station can be deployed separately from the gateway station. In this case, the delay of the feeder link includes both the delay from the satellite to the gateway station and the delay from the gateway station to the base station. The base station can be deployed on the ground, for example.

[0122] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another network architecture for NTN communication provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0123] like Figure 2 As shown, in this network architecture, for example, the satellite can operate in regenerative mode. In this mode, the satellite has data processing capabilities and functions as a base station or partially as one. The satellite can be considered a base station, or a base station can be deployed on the satellite, or the functions of a base station or partially integrated on the satellite. The satellite can communicate with the terminal via the Uu interface, and with the CN via the NG interface. The CN communicates with the data network via the N6 interface. During the communication between the satellite and the CN, the gateway station connects network segments using different protocols to ensure normal communication. In the satellite-gateway station network segment, the NG interface is the NG interface deployed in the satellite radio interface (SRI). The RAN node ensures normal communication between the terminal and the CN.

[0124] Optionally, in Figure 1 or Figure 2 In the network architecture shown, the satellites can be GEO satellites, MEO satellites, or LEO satellites. The satellites can also be replaced by other NTN devices such as HAPS devices and drones. This application does not limit the type of satellites.

[0125] It should be understood that, for the sake of brevity, the following will not be discussed further here. Figure 1 and Figure 2 To provide a more detailed explanation, regarding Figure 1 and Figure 2 A more detailed explanation of the architecture shown can be found in the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) technical report (TR) 23.501.

[0126] It should also be understood that the method provided in this application is applicable to terrestrial communication scenarios, satellite communication scenarios, scenarios where terrestrial networks and NTNs converge, and air-to-ground (ATG) communication scenarios; this application does not limit it in any way. The following will combine... Figures 3 to 7 The above scenarios will be described in detail.

[0127] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a terrestrial communication network.

[0128] like Figure 3 As shown, the communication system may include at least one network device, such as... Figure 3 The base station shown; the communication system may also include at least one terminal, such as Figure 3 The two terminals shown can communicate with each other via a wireless link.

[0129] Figure 3 An exemplary diagram shows one network device and two terminals, but this should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. Optionally, the communication system may also include more or fewer network devices and terminals. Network devices may be routers, base stations, etc., and terminals may be mobile phones, tablets, smart bracelets, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the types of terminals and network devices.

[0130] Optionally, the above-mentioned communication system may also include other network entities such as network controllers and mobility management entities, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto.

[0131] It should also be understood that the method provided in the embodiments of this application can be applied to various communication systems, including NR communication systems. Figure 3 The communication system shown is merely an example. This application does not limit the specific architecture of the applicable system, nor does it limit the number and form of various devices contained in each communication system.

[0132] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the NTN communication network architecture.

[0133] like Figure 4As shown in a), the communication system may include satellites, terminals, and network equipment (such as...). Figure 4 (The gateway stations and base stations shown). Satellites and terminals (such as...) Figure 4 The link between the aircraft, mobile phone (or other types of terminal shown) is called a service link, and the link between the satellite and the gateway station is called a feeder link. Figure 4 The communication system shown could be, for example, a network architecture where the satellite operates in transparent transmission mode, where the satellite is responsible for signal forwarding but has no data processing capabilities. The gateway station has the functions of a base station or some of the functions of a base station; in this case, the gateway station can be considered a base station. Alternatively, the base station can be deployed separately from the gateway station. In this case, the delay of the feeder link includes both the delay from the satellite to the gateway station and the delay from the gateway station to the base station. The base station could, for example, be deployed on the ground.

[0134] like Figure 4 As shown in b) of the diagram, in the regenerative architecture, the satellite possesses all or part of the functions of a base station; in other words, the satellite can perform data processing. Exemplarily, the complete base station is located on the satellite; or, the distributed unit (DU) of the base station is located on the satellite, while the centralized unit (CU) of the base station is located on the ground. These forms are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments in this application. The link between the satellite / base station and the terminal is called a service link.

[0135] It should be understood that the satellite can also be replaced by other NTN devices such as HAPS equipment and drones, and this application does not limit the type of such devices.

[0136] Figure 5 and Figure 6 It is a network architecture that integrates terrestrial networks and NTN. Among them, in Figure 5 In the network architecture shown, NTN devices (such as satellites, HAPS devices, or drones) operate in transparent mode. Figure 6 In the network architecture shown, the NTN devices operate in regeneration mode. Figure 5 and Figure 6 In the network architecture shown, NTN devices are exemplified by GEO satellites, LEO satellites, HAPS devices, or drones, but this application does not limit their types.

[0137] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a network architecture that integrates NTN and terrestrial networks.

[0138] like Figure 5 As shown, base stations in the terrestrial network ( Figure 5 Ground-based base stations (referred to as terrestrial base stations in NTN) and satellite base stations (referred to as satellite base stations to distinguish them from terrestrial network base stations) can communicate through a common core network, or through interfaces defined between base stations for more timely assistance and interconnection. NTN equipment (such as...) Figure 5 GEO satellites, LEO satellites, HAPS equipment, or drones in the network can communicate with the gateway station via the Uu interface, and base stations in the NTN can communicate with the core network via the NG interface. Satellite base stations can be deployed on the ground, for example.

[0139] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another network architecture that integrates NTN and terrestrial networks.

[0140] like Figure 6 As shown, with Figure 5 The difference is that base stations in NTN are deployed on NTN equipment (which can be called airborne base stations). In other words, NTN equipment has data processing capabilities and functions as a base station or some of the functions of a base station. In this case, NTN equipment can be regarded as a base station. Base stations in terrestrial networks and base stations in NTN can be interconnected and communicate with each other through a common core network, or through interfaces defined between base stations to achieve more timely assistance and interconnection.

[0141] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the network architecture for air-to-ground communication.

[0142] like Figure 7 As shown, this communication system includes network equipment and terminals. The network equipment can be, for example, a ground base station, and the terminals can be, for example, high-altitude aircraft, in-flight handheld terminals, etc. The terminals are located within the service range of the base station, for example... Figure 7 The circular area shown has a diameter of 100 to 300 kilometers.

[0143] It should be understood that Figure 7 The network architecture shown uses three base stations and three terminals as an example, but this should not be construed as limiting this application. For example, the above network architecture may include more or fewer network devices, and each network device may have a greater number of terminals within its coverage area.

[0144] It's easy to understand that NTN devices (taking satellites as an example) may be limited by manufacturing and launch costs, thus affecting onboard data processing capabilities and transmission power. Currently, satellite communication networks may not be able to provide terminals with communication rates comparable to terrestrial communication networks. To overcome this limitation and improve the overall signal processing capabilities and communication throughput of satellite networks, the number of satellites can be increased to compensate for the limitations of a single satellite's communication capabilities. For example, multiple satellites can work together to provide communication services to terminals (this can be called multi-satellite collaboration, or multi-star collaboration, etc.), meaning that the terminal can communicate with multiple satellites capable of communication.

[0145] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of multi-star coordination.

[0146] like Figure 8 As shown, satellites 1, 2, 3, and 4 can work together to provide services to the terminal. Compared to a single satellite providing services to the terminal, this can effectively improve communication reliability and data transmission rate. For example, satellites 1, 2, 3, and 4 can be medium Earth orbit (MEO) or low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites; this application does not limit the type of satellite.

[0147] 2. Cell DTX and Cell DRX: These are important technologies for network energy saving (NES). In existing technologies, when a terminal is in a connected state, the network device connected to the terminal can activate or deactivate the cell DTX / DRX mode (also simply referred to as activating or deactivating cell DTX / DRX). That is, cell DTX / DRX can be in an active or deactivated state. Cell DTX / DRX being active means that the network device and the terminal are communicating using cell DTX / DRX technology. Conversely, cell DTX / DRX being deactivated means that the network device and the terminal are not communicating using cell DTX / DRX technology.

[0148] 3. Activation and Deactivation: These are examples used to indicate whether the DTX / DRX mode / technology is in use. Activation can also be called enabling, and deactivation can also be called disabling. Correspondingly, activating cell DTX / DRX can also be called enabling cell DTX / DRX, and deactivating cell DTX / DRX can also be called disabling cell DTX / DRX. This application does not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0149] When the cell DTX is active (or DTX is activated), the network device can send information during the transmission mode period (also known as the DTX on time period). Correspondingly, the terminal can enable / enable the receiving function during this period to receive information from the network device. The network device can also not send information during the non-transmission period (also known as the DTX off time period). For example, in low-power mode, the terminal can disable the receiving function and not receive information from the network device during this period.

[0150] When the cell's DRX is active (or DRX is activated), the network device can receive information during the time period it is in receive mode (also known as the DRX on time period). Correspondingly, the terminal can enable / enable the transmit function during this time period and send information to the network device. The network device can not receive information during the time period it is not in receive mode (also known as the DRX off time period). For example, if it is in low power mode, the terminal can disable the transmit function and not send information to the network device during this time period.

[0151] It can be seen that the power consumption of network devices and terminals is lower during the periods when DRX is off and / or DTX is off. Therefore, when DTX / DRX is active, it can be considered that the goal of energy saving for network devices and terminals has been achieved.

[0152] For example, Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating a cell DTX (or cell DRX) state that is active. When cell DTX (or cell DRX) is active, the time period during which the network device is in transmit mode (or receive mode) can be as follows: Figure 9 As shown in the raised portion, the time period during which no information is sent (or no information is received) can be as follows: Figure 9 The recessed portion is shown in the figure. The DTX period (or DRX period) can refer to the time interval between two consecutive moments when the system begins to enter the transmit mode (or receive mode), or the DTX period (or DRX period) can refer to the time interval between two consecutive moments when the system begins to enter the non-transmit mode (or non-receive mode).

[0153] As mentioned above, network devices can activate or deactivate cell DTX / DRX. Before that, network devices can configure the DTX / DRX mode (pattern) for the terminal, or in other words, indicate the cell DTX / DRX configuration parameters to the terminal.

[0154] For example, Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of configuring DTX / DRX mode and activating / deactivating DTX / DRX on network devices.

[0155] In step 1001, the network device sends configuration information to the terminal, which is used to configure the cell's DTX / DRX mode. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the configuration information.

[0156] As one possible implementation, the above configuration information can be carried in an RRC message. In this application, each cell can be configured with one cell DTX / DRX mode, meaning that the terminals within this cell all have the same cell DTX / DRX mode.

[0157] In step 1002, the network device sends activation information to the terminal, which can be used to activate the cell DTX / DRX. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the activation information. Alternatively, in step 1003, the network device sends deactivation information to the terminal, which can be used to deactivate the cell DTX / DRX. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the deactivation information.

[0158] As one possible implementation, the activation / deactivation information mentioned above can be carried in a group common DCI (such as DCI 2_9). Activating / deactivating DTX / DRX through a group common DCI allows for the simultaneous activation / deactivation of DTX / DRX in multiple cells, thereby simplifying the complexity of control signaling and improving the efficiency of the activation / deactivation process.

[0159] For example, Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the DCI 2_9 format. (For example...) Figure 11 As shown, this DCI 2_9 can include multiple blocks. Figure 11 Only two blocks are shown (the ellipsis indicates more blocks). Each block corresponds to the DTX / DRX configuration of a cell. For example, block #i contains the DTX / DRX configuration associated with cell i. Within each block, the activation / deactivation of a specific cell's DTX / DRX can be indicated by binary bits of 0 and 1. For instance, if the indicator bit for the DTX configuration in block #i is 1, it means that cell i's DTX is activated; if the indicator bit for the DTX configuration in block #i is 0, it means that cell i's DTX is not activated.

[0160] After receiving activation / deactivation information, the terminal can adjust its receiving and transmitting behavior accordingly. For example, when DRX of a cell is activated, the terminal can enter discontinuous transmission mode; when DTX of a cell is activated, the terminal can enter discontinuous reception mode.

[0161] 4. Connected State: When a terminal is in connected state, it can mean that an RRC connection has been established between the terminal and the network, or it can be called RRC connected state. Figure 10 The method shown can be applied, for example, to scenarios where the terminal is in a connected state.

[0162] 5. Idle State (or Inactive State): The terminal being in the idle state can refer to being in the RRC idle state. In this state, no RRC connection is established between the terminal and the network. Although no RRC connection is established, the terminal can monitor broadcast messages from network devices, such as SSBs.

[0163] In some scenarios, Figure 10 The discontinuous transmission mode shown may not meet business requirements. For example, Figure 10 In the method shown, each cell can be configured with a cell DTX / DRX mode. That is, the terminals in this cell receive the same cell DTX / DRX mode. However, in this cell, there may be some areas with less service (e.g., fewer terminals and fewer services in these areas), and there may be less interaction between terminals and network devices in these areas. On the other hand, there may be some areas with more service, and there may be more interaction between terminals and network devices in these areas. Therefore, if the same cell DTX / DRX mode is used in the cell, it may not be able to adapt to the service requirements.

[0164] In view of this, this application provides a communication method in which network devices can configure the corresponding cell DTX configuration parameters and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for different areas of the same cell, thereby facilitating the adaptation to the service needs of different areas.

[0165] One example is when the terminal is in an idle / inactive state. For a cell, the first network device can broadcast the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX for multiple areas of that cell, so that the terminal can perform discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of the corresponding cell DTX and / or cell DRX according to its own area.

[0166] Another example is when the terminal is in a connected state. For a cell, a third network device (referring to the network device that establishes a connection with the terminal) can configure the terminal with the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for N areas of the cell, and activate the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for at least one of the above N areas to enable the terminal to perform discontinuous transmission.

[0167] Another example is when the terminal is in a connected state. For a cell, a third network device (referring to the network device that has established a connection with the terminal) can configure the cell DTX configuration parameters and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for M areas of the cell for the terminal, and instruct N areas among the aforementioned M areas to activate the cell DTX configuration parameters and / or cell DRX configuration parameters of at least one of the aforementioned N areas, so that the terminal can perform discontinuous transmission.

[0168] Another example is when the terminal is in a connected state. The third network device (referring to the network device that establishes a connection with the terminal) can configure the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for the area where the terminal is located, and activate the aforementioned cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters to enable the terminal to perform discontinuous transmission. The third network device configures different cell discontinuous transmission DTX and / or cell discontinuous reception DRX configuration parameters for terminals in different areas.

[0169] The communication method provided in this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0170] The method provided in this application can be applied to Figures 1 to 7 The method shown in this application can also be applied to other networks, and this application does not limit this application.

[0171] The following describes in detail the methods provided in the embodiments of this application, using a terminal or network device (such as a first network device or a third network device) as the execution subject (a network device is an example of a network apparatus, and a terminal is an example of a terminal apparatus). The specific forms and quantities of the devices shown are merely examples and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation of the methods provided in this application. In the embodiments shown below, the terminal can also be replaced by components configured in the terminal (such as chips, chip systems, processors, etc.), or by logic modules or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the terminal. Similarly, the network device can also be replaced by components configured in the network device (such as chips, chip systems, processors, etc.), or by logic modules or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the network device. For example, the aforementioned network device could be... Figures 1 to 7The network architecture shown includes base stations (terrestrial base stations, satellite base stations, airborne base stations, etc.). It should be noted that in a transparent transmission architecture, information sent by network devices can be forwarded via NTN devices (such as satellites).

[0172] Figure 12 This is a schematic flowchart of the communication method 1200 provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0173] Figure 12 The method 1200 shown includes steps 1201 and 1202. The individual steps in method 1200 are described in detail below.

[0174] In step 1201, the first network device sends first information, which is used to configure the DTX and / or DRX configuration parameters of multiple areas, wherein the multiple areas belong to cells served by the first network device, or the multiple areas belong to cells served by a second network device. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the first information.

[0175] The aforementioned terminal may be in an idle / inactive state, for example.

[0176] The configuration parameters for DTX and / or DRX in a cell will be explained below, depending on the specific circumstances.

[0177] Scenario 1: When the above multiple areas belong to the cells served by the first network device, taking any one of the above multiple areas (denoted as Area 1) as an example, the configuration parameters of the cell DTX of Area 1 are used to determine the time period during which the first network device is in the transmitting mode for Area 1, and the configuration parameters of the cell DRX of Area 1 are used to determine the time period during which the first network device is in the receiving mode for Area 1.

[0178] Scenario 2: When the aforementioned multiple areas belong to cells served by the second network device, taking any one of the multiple areas (denoted as Area 2) as an example, the configuration parameters of the cell DTX of Area 2 are used to determine the time period during which the second network device is in transmit mode for Area 2, and the configuration parameters of the cell DRX of Area 2 are used to determine the time period during which the second network device is in receive mode for Area 1. The aforementioned second network device can be one or more.

[0179] It should be noted that, in this application, "time period" refers to a time range / interval. The time period during which the first network device is in transmitting mode for region one can refer to the time interval during which the first network device is in transmitting mode for region one. That is, the first network device can send signals to terminals in region one within this time interval. Similarly, the time period during which the first network device is in receiving mode for region one can refer to the time interval during which the first network device is in receiving mode for region one. That is, the first network device can receive signals sent by terminals in region one within this time interval. Likewise, the understanding of the time period during which the second network device is in transmitting / receiving mode for region two is similar to that of the first network device, and will not be repeated here.

[0180] For example, a time period can be represented in Universal Time, such as 7:30-7:40. A time period can also be represented in time slots, such as the second to the fourth time slot. A time period can also be represented in subframes, such as the second to the fourth subframe. A time period can also be represented in frames, such as the second to the fourth frame. This application does not limit the representation of time periods, and they will not be listed here.

[0181] It should be noted that in this application, the configuration parameters of cell DTX / DRX can be at the regional level, that is, each region corresponds to a set of cell DTX / DRX configuration parameters. Therefore, the possibility of using other names for these configuration parameters in future protocols is not excluded. For example, the configuration parameters of cell DTX / DRX can also be called the configuration parameters of regional DTX / DRX. This application does not limit this.

[0182] Table 1 shows an example of the first information. As shown in Table 1, the first network device can send the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to each of N areas (such as area 1 to area N). Here, N is a positive integer. The aforementioned N areas can belong to cells served by the first network device or cells served by the second network device; this application does not limit this.

[0183] Table 1

[0184]

[0185] Optionally, each of the aforementioned multiple regions is identified by identification information. The correspondence between these multiple regions and the multiple identification information is predefined or configured through system messages. In other words, the network devices and terminals have consistent definitions of the regions, which facilitates the terminals in determining the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to each region, enabling more effective discontinuous transmission with the network devices.

[0186] One possible implementation of the first network device sending the first information is that the first network device broadcasts the first information, for example, the first information can be carried in a system message (or system information).

[0187] One example is that the first network device can broadcast the cell DTX and / or DRX configuration parameters of multiple areas in the cell it serves. Correspondingly, even if the terminal is in an idle state, it can obtain the cell DTX and / or DRX configuration parameters of multiple areas in the cell served by the first network device. This facilitates the terminal to perform discontinuous transmission with the first network device based on the aforementioned cell DTX and / or DRX configuration parameters, thereby improving the energy-saving effect of the terminal and the network device.

[0188] Another example is that the first network device can also broadcast the cell DTX and / or DRX configuration parameters of multiple areas in the cell served by the second network device. Correspondingly, even if the terminal is in an idle state, it can receive the cell DTX configuration parameters and / or cell DRX configuration parameters of multiple areas of the second network device from the first network device. This facilitates the terminal to perform discontinuous transmission with the second network device earlier. For example, the terminal in an idle state can perform discontinuous transmission before accessing the network device. In this way, the terminal can reduce unnecessary signal reception and transmission before accessing the network device, thereby making the energy-saving effect of the terminal and the network device better.

[0189] It should be noted that the multiple areas of the cell served by the first network device mentioned above can be all areas of the cell served by the first network device, or only some areas. This application does not limit this.

[0190] For example, the multiple areas of the cell served by the first network device can be the N areas of the cell served by the first network device that are closest to the location of the terminal.

[0191] Similarly, the multiple areas of the cell served by the second network device mentioned above can be all areas of the cell served by the second network device, or they can be some areas. This application does not limit this.

[0192] Optionally, when the first network device sends the cell DTX and / or DRX configuration parameters for multiple areas of the cell served by the second network device, the first network device can obtain the cell DTX and / or DRX configuration parameters for multiple areas of the cell served by the second network device in any of the following ways:

[0193] Implementation Method 1: The first network device receives configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX from multiple regions of the second network device. In other words, the second network device can send configuration parameters of its own cell DTX and / or cell DRX from multiple regions to the first network device, thereby facilitating the first network device to broadcast these parameters so that the terminal can obtain them through the broadcast message from the first network device.

[0194] Implementation Method Two: The first network device predicts the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for multiple areas of the second network device based on historical data from the second network device. This historical data indicates the distribution of terminals served by the second network device. By predicting these parameters through the first network device, the second network device does not need to report these parameters, which helps reduce signaling overhead.

[0195] After the first network device obtains the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX of multiple areas of the second network device through any of the above implementation methods, it can broadcast the above configuration parameters so that the terminal can obtain the above configuration parameters and perform discontinuous transmission based on the above configuration parameters to achieve the purpose of energy saving.

[0196] In step 1202, the terminal performs discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first area.

[0197] The first region mentioned above is one of the multiple regions mentioned above. For example, the first region could be the region to which the terminal belongs.

[0198] When the first information indicates the configuration parameters of the cell DTX for multiple areas of the first network device / second network device, the first network device /

[0199] The second network device can perform discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first area. Correspondingly, the terminal can perform discontinuous reception based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first area. When the first information indicates the configuration parameters of the cell DTX of multiple areas of the first network device / second network device, the terminal can perform discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first area. Correspondingly, the first network device / second network device can perform discontinuous reception based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first area.

[0200] As an example, in NTN communication systems (such as...) Figure 1 , Figure 2 ,or Figure 4In the communication system shown, the first network device and / or the second network device may be located on an NTN device (such as a satellite). For example, if the NTN device is a satellite and the communication architecture is a regenerative architecture, the first network device and the second network device are located on the satellite. The satellite on which the first network device is located is denoted as the first satellite, and the satellite on which the second network device is located is denoted as the second satellite. The first satellite can broadcast the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX of multiple areas in the cell served by the first satellite / second satellite (one or more second satellites) to facilitate discontinuous transmission by the terminal.

[0201] Optionally, the first satellite may be, for example, a high-orbit satellite, and the second satellite may be, for example, a low-orbit or medium-orbit satellite. On the one hand, high-orbit satellites have a larger coverage area, and more terminals can receive their broadcast messages. Therefore, the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX of multiple areas in the cell served by low-orbit / medium-orbit satellites broadcast by high-orbit satellites can be received by more terminals, thus enabling discontinuous transmission, saving energy for terminals, and reducing signaling overhead compared to broadcasting by low-orbit / medium-orbit satellites.

[0202] As another example, in terrestrial networks (such as...) Figure 3 In the communication system shown, the first network device can broadcast the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX of multiple areas in the cell served by the first network device / second network device. The first network device and the second network device can be, for example, a ground base station or a TRP.

[0203] Figure 12 In the method 1200 shown, as an optional embodiment, the configuration parameters of cell DTX or cell DRX in each of the above plurality of regions include a plurality of durations and a plurality of offsets. Each of the plurality of durations is used to indicate the length of time the network device is in transmit mode or receive mode. The plurality of offsets and the plurality of durations correspond one-to-one, and each offset is used to indicate the starting position of the corresponding duration.

[0204] The aforementioned multiple offsets can refer to one or more of the following: multiple time slot offsets, multiple subframe offsets, or multiple symbol offsets. The aforementioned multiple durations and multiple offsets can refer to multiple durations and multiple offsets within a single DTX / DRX cycle. The configuration parameters for cell DTX or cell DRX in each region may also include the DTX / DRX cycle.

[0205] For example, Figure 13This is a schematic diagram of the cell DTX / DRX mode for region X provided in this application. Region X is any one of the multiple regions mentioned above. Region X is merely an example and should not be construed as limiting this application in any way. Other regions are similar and will not be described in detail here.

[0206] like Figure 13 As shown, the time period during which a network device is in transmit mode (or receive mode) in area X can be as follows: Figure 13 As shown in the raised portion (the length of this time period can be called the duration), the time period during which no information is sent (or no information is received) can be as follows: Figure 13 The recessed portion is shown in the image. The DTX period (or DRX period) can refer to the time interval between two consecutive identical DTX / DRX modes. Figure 13 The example illustrates two DTX / DRX cycles. A DTX / DRX cycle includes multiple durations (e.g., duration 1, duration 2, and duration 3). Each duration corresponds to an offset that indicates the start position of the corresponding duration. The configuration parameters for cell DTX / DRX for each region may include the aforementioned multiple durations and multiple offsets corresponding to these durations, and may also include the DTX / DRX cycle.

[0207] For example, the configuration parameters of cell DTX / DRX are shown in Table 2. As can be seen from the bold part, the first network device can configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX / DRX for multiple regions (such as regions (spare) 1 to region 8). The configuration parameters of cell DTX / DRX for each region can include multiple durations, and each duration corresponds to a time slot offset.

[0208] Table 2

[0209]

[0210] For any given area, after the terminal receives the DTX / DRX period and subframe offset from the first network device, it can determine the starting subframe number of the cell's DTX / DRX mode using, for example, the following formula:

[0211] [SFN*10+starting subframe number]mod(cell DTX / DRX period) = (subframe offset of cell DTX / DRX), where mod represents modulo.

[0212] Then, the terminal can determine the starting position of the duration based on the calculated starting subframe number and the time slot offset sent by the first network device.

[0213] One possible implementation of configuring the above-mentioned multiple offsets in the first network device is that the above-mentioned multiple offsets include time slot offset 1, time slot offset 2, ..., time slot offset n, wherein time slot offset 2, ..., time slot offset n can be offsets relative to the starting time slot, and the starting time slot can be determined according to the above-mentioned starting subframe number and time slot offset 1.

[0214] Figure 12 In the method 1200 shown, as an optional embodiment, the number of durations included in a DTX or DRX cycle corresponding to at least two of the above-mentioned multiple regions is different; and / or, the length of the durations corresponding to at least two of the above-mentioned multiple regions is different; and / or, among the multiple durations corresponding to each of the above-mentioned multiple regions, at least two durations are different in length.

[0215] In each of the aforementioned regions, among the multiple durations corresponding to each region, at least two durations have different lengths. For example, as shown... Figure 13 As shown, among the multiple durations corresponding to region X (such as duration 1, duration 2, and duration 3), the lengths of each duration are different.

[0216] Among the multiple durations corresponding to each region, at least two durations can have different lengths, which is beneficial for matching business needs. For example, when there are many business needs, the duration can be longer, or in other words, the beam can provide services for a longer period of time.

[0217] It should be noted that the fact that at least two of the above durations have different lengths is only one possible implementation and should not constitute any limitation on this application. For example, the lengths of the above durations can also be the same.

[0218] At least two of the aforementioned regions have different durations within a single DTX / DRX cycle. One possible implementation is that the duration within a single DTX / DRX cycle for each of the aforementioned regions is related to the number of terminals in that region. For example, a region with more terminals will have a longer duration within a single DTX / DRX cycle. For instance, if region 1 has more terminals than region 2, then the duration within a single DTX / DRX cycle for region 1 will be longer than that for region 2. It's easy to understand that a larger number of terminals likely indicates more service demands, meaning more interaction with network devices is required. Configuring longer durations increases the time the network device is in transmit / receive mode, or in other words, increases the time the network device is in transmit / receive mode, thereby meeting service demands.

[0219] At least two of the aforementioned regions have different durations. One possible implementation is that the duration of each region is determined by the number of terminals within that region. For example, a region with more terminals will have a longer duration. For instance, if region 1 has more terminals than region 2, then the duration of region 1 will be longer than that of region 2. It's easy to understand that more terminals likely indicate more business needs, meaning more interaction with network devices is required. A longer duration increases the time the network device spends in transmit / receive mode, thus meeting business needs.

[0220] Optionally, the number and / or length of duration corresponding to each of the above multiple regions is determined based on the number of terminals in that region. Alternatively, the number and / or length of duration corresponding to each of the above multiple regions is determined based on the number of business demands in that region. Correspondingly, regions with more terminals can be replaced with regions with more business demands.

[0221] Figure 12 In the method 1200 shown, as an optional embodiment, when the first information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX for multiple regions, and the multiple regions belong to cells served by the second network device, the second network device can broadcast SSB based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX corresponding to the first region. Correspondingly, the terminal can receive the SSB broadcast by the second network device based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX corresponding to the first region. When the first information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX for multiple regions, and the multiple regions belong to cells served by the first network device, the first network device can send SSB based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX corresponding to the first region. Correspondingly, the terminal can receive the SSB broadcast by the first network device based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX corresponding to the first region.

[0222] In this context, "receive" can be replaced with "detect" or "monitor," and this application does not limit this. When the first information indicates the cell DTX configuration parameters of the second network device, the second network device can perform discontinuous transmission, and correspondingly, the terminal can perform discontinuous reception.

[0223] For example, the terminal can monitor the SSB broadcast by the network device (such as the first network device and the second network device) during the time period when the network device is in transmission mode, based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first area. Alternatively, the terminal can choose not to monitor the SSB during the time period when the network device is not transmitting information.

[0224] For network devices, they can broadcast SSBs based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first area. For example, the network device can broadcast an SSB during the time period indicated by the cell DTX configuration parameters of the first area when the network device is in transmission mode. Alternatively, it can choose not to broadcast an SSB during periods when no information transmission is being performed.

[0225] In one scenario, the aforementioned first information is used to configure the cell DTX configuration parameters for multiple regions, and these multiple regions belong to cells served by the first network device. In this case, the first network device can perform discontinuous transmission with the terminal based on the cell DTX configuration parameters for these multiple regions when the terminal is in an idle state next time. It can be understood that if the first network device broadcasts the cell DTX configuration parameters for its multiple regions, for example, in the SIB, the terminal cannot perform discontinuous reception when receiving the SSB from the first network device while in an idle state (because the SSB is received before the SIB). Therefore, when the terminal is in an idle state next time, such as when it is in region X of the multiple regions, it can receive the SSB broadcast by the first network device based on the cell DTX configuration parameters corresponding to region X, thereby improving the energy-saving effect of the network device and the terminal.

[0226] In another scenario, the aforementioned first information is used to configure the cell DTX configuration parameters for multiple regions, and these multiple regions belong to the cells served by the second network device. In this case, even if the terminal is in an idle state, it can still receive the cell DTX configuration parameters of the second network device from the first network device. This allows the terminal to perform discontinuous transmission with the second network device when receiving the SSB broadcast by the second network device. In this way, the terminal can reduce unnecessary signal reception and transmission before accessing the network device, thereby improving the energy-saving effect of both the terminal and the network device.

[0227] Optionally, the first network device / second network device broadcasts an SSB based on the first information, including: the first network device / second network device broadcasts the SSB based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first area and the SSB configuration. The SSB configuration includes, for example, the SSB period, time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, etc., which will not be detailed here. For example, the first network device / second network device can broadcast the SSB when the time-domain resources configured for the SSB coincide with the time period in the transmission mode.

[0228] It's easy to understand that the first / second network device won't send SSBs during periods when it's not transmitting information. Conversely, the first / second network device might send SSBs only during periods when it's in transmission mode. This monitoring method helps reduce the possibility that the terminal will monitor SSBs even when the second network device isn't sending them. This achieves energy saving for the terminal and also improves the accuracy of SSB measurement results. If the first / second network device isn't sending SSBs, but the terminal is measuring them, the signal quality will be poor, leading to lower accuracy in the SSB measurement results. Monitoring SSBs using the above method helps reduce the possibility that the terminal will monitor SSBs even when the first / second network device isn't sending them, thus improving the accuracy of the SSB measurement results.

[0229] For example, Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of an SSB scan provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 14 In this context, the lengths of the multiple durations corresponding to each of the multiple regions are the same, and for any given region, the lengths of the multiple durations corresponding to that region are the same, but this should not constitute any limitation on this application. For example, for any given region, the lengths of the multiple durations corresponding to that region can also be different, and the lengths of the durations corresponding to multiple regions can also be different.

[0230] The time periods during which network devices are in transmit mode in areas A, B, C, and D are shown in white boxes. The SSB indices range from SSB#0 to SSB#(N-1). It can be seen that the time periods in transmit mode differ for each area, allowing SSBs to be sent according to service requirements. For example, for areas with high traffic, beam services are performed multiple times; for areas with low traffic, the number of beam services is reduced. Alternatively, areas with high traffic have longer total beam service times, while areas with low traffic have shorter total beam service times. This improves system performance.

[0231] It should be noted that in this application, when the terminal is in idle / inactive state, the configuration parameters of cell DTX / DRX do not need to be activated by DCI, and the configuration parameters of cell DTX / DRX are updated along with the SIB.

[0232] Figure 12 The method shown illustrates a discontinuous transmission process when the terminal is in an idle state. This application also provides another communication method. In a scenario where the terminal is in a connected state, a third network device (a network device that has established a connection with the terminal) can configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for N regions, and activate the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for at least one of the N regions, thereby facilitating discontinuous transmission by the terminal in at least one of the aforementioned regions.

[0233] The aforementioned N areas can be areas within a cell served by a third network device or areas within a cell served by a fourth network device; this application does not limit this, but the third network device and the fourth network device are different. The following example assumes that the aforementioned N areas are areas within a cell served by a third network device. When the aforementioned N areas are areas within a cell served by a fourth network device, the third network device can obtain the cell DTX configuration parameters and / or cell DRX configuration parameters of the N areas of the fourth network device, and then send them to the terminal. The method of obtaining these parameters is the same as the method by which the first network device obtains the cell DTX configuration parameters and / or cell DRX configuration parameters from the second network device, and will not be repeated here. Furthermore, when the aforementioned N areas are areas within a cell served by a fourth network device, the fourth network device performs discontinuous transmission with the terminal based on the aforementioned configuration parameters.

[0234] The following will combine Figure 15 The above communication methods will be explained in detail.

[0235] Figure 15 This is a schematic flowchart of another communication method 1500 provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0236] Figure 15 The method 1500 shown includes steps 1501 to 1503. The individual steps in method 1500 are described in detail below.

[0237] In step 1501, the third network device sends second information, which is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to N areas, wherein the N areas belong to the first cell. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the second information.

[0238] Here, the first cell is the cell served by the third network device, and N is an integer greater than 1. The aforementioned third network device can be a network device that establishes a connection with the terminal (such as an RRC connection).

[0239] The configuration parameters of the cell DTX in the N areas of the cell served by the third network device are used to determine the time period during which the third network device is in transmit mode in the N areas. That is, for any area, the configuration parameters of the cell DTX in that area are used to determine the time period during which the third network device can send signals to the terminals in the area. The configuration parameters of the cell DRX in the N areas of the cell served by the third network device are used to determine the time period during which the third network device is in receive mode in the N areas. That is, for any area, the configuration parameters of the cell DRX in that area are used to determine the time period during which the third network device can receive signals sent by the terminals in the area.

[0240] For an explanation of the above time period, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 12 This will not be elaborated upon here.

[0241] For example, the third network device can send the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the above N areas to the terminal through RRC messages, or in other words, the above second information can be carried in the RRC message.

[0242] As an example, in NTN communication systems (such as...) Figure 1 , Figure 2 ,or Figure 4 In the communication system shown, the third network device can be located on an NTN device (such as a satellite). For example, if the NTN device is a satellite and the communication architecture is a regenerative architecture, the third network device is located on the satellite, which is denoted as the third satellite (which can be called the serving satellite). The third satellite can send the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX of N areas in the cell served by the third satellite to the terminal, so that the terminal can perform discontinuous transmission with the third satellite based on this.

[0243] As another example, in terrestrial networks (such as...) Figure 3 In the communication system shown, the third network device can send the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX of the third network device to the terminal. The third network device can be, for example, a ground base station or a TRP.

[0244] exist Figure 15 In the method 1500 shown, an optional embodiment is that the third network device sends the second information, including: sending the second information to the terminal according to the location of the terminal, wherein the N areas are the N areas closest to the location of the terminal among the multiple areas included in the first cell.

[0245] In other words, the third network device can configure the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters of the N nearest regions to the terminal based on the terminal's location. This eliminates the need to configure cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for all regions, thus reducing signaling overhead. Furthermore, configuring the terminal with cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters of the N nearest regions allows for more targeted configuration of different cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for terminals in different locations, facilitating the matching of service requirements across different regions.

[0246] For example, such as Figure 16 As shown, assuming the third network device is located on the third satellite, the cell served by the third satellite includes 8 areas, such as... Figure 16 As shown in the diagram, regions 0 to 7 each correspond to a set of cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters. The terminal is located in region 0. The third satellite can send the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters of the N regions closest to the terminal among the above 8 regions, such as the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters of region 0, region 1, region 2 and region 3.

[0247] In step 1502, the third network device sends third information, which is used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N regions. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the third information.

[0248] After the third network device configures the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters of the above N regions to the terminal, it can activate the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the above N regions.

[0249] For example, a third network device can activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the above N areas through DCI, that is, the above third information can be carried in DCI.

[0250] Understandable, Figure 15 In method 1500, for a given cell, the third network device may configure the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for multiple areas of that cell. If... Figure 11If the DCI format activation shown is used, the terminal may not be able to determine which area in the cell corresponding to cell DTX and / or cell DRX is activated. Therefore, this application provides a new activation signaling format. For example, the third information mentioned above includes multiple first indication fields, each of which corresponds to a cell. Each first indication field includes multiple second indication fields, each of which corresponds to an area. Each second indication field is used to indicate whether the corresponding area has activated cell DTX and / or cell DRX.

[0251] For example, such as Figure 17 As shown, different blocks correspond to different cells. For example, block #1 corresponds to cell 1, and block #2 corresponds to cell 2. Figure 17 (Only two blocks are shown in the image; the ellipsis indicates more blocks). Each block includes multiple regions, meaning one cell corresponds to multiple regions' cell DTX / DRX configurations. In each region's corresponding cell DTX / DRX configuration, binary bits of 0 and 1 can be used to indicate whether the DTX / DRX of a specific region is activated / deactivated. For example, taking the example of network devices using binary bits of 0 and 1 to indicate whether the DTX / DRX of a specific region is activated, if the indicator bit of the DTX configuration in region #i of cell i is 1, it means that the DTX in region #i of cell i is activated; if the indicator bit of the DTX configuration in region #i of cell i is 0, it means that the DTX in region #i of cell i is not activated.

[0252] In step 1503, the terminal performs discontinuous transmission with the third network device based on the aforementioned third information and second information.

[0253] For example, the terminal can determine the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX of the activated at least one region based on the third and second information, and then perform discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX of the at least one region.

[0254] When the second information indicates the configuration parameters of the cell DTX for N regions, the third network device can perform discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to at least one activated region. Correspondingly, the terminal can perform discontinuous reception based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to at least one activated region. When the second information indicates the configuration parameters of the cell DRX for N regions of the third network device, the terminal can perform discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of the cell DRX corresponding to at least one activated region. Correspondingly, the third network device can perform discontinuous reception based on the configuration parameters of the cell DRX corresponding to at least one activated region.

[0255] exist Figure 15 In the method 1500 shown, an optional embodiment is that the configuration parameters of cell DTX or cell DRX for each region include multiple durations and multiple offsets. Each duration indicates the length of time the network device is in transmit or receive mode. The multiple offsets correspond one-to-one with the multiple durations, and each offset indicates the start position of the corresponding duration. The explanation of the multiple durations and multiple offsets is as follows... Figure 12 The same applies, so I will not repeat it here.

[0256] exist Figure 15 In the method 1500 shown, an optional embodiment is that at least two of the multiple regions corresponding to a cell have different durations within a DTX or DRX cycle; and / or, at least two of the multiple regions corresponding to a cell have different durations; and / or, among the multiple durations corresponding to each region, at least two durations have different lengths.

[0257] Regarding the explanation of the quantity and length of the above durations and Figure 12 The same applies, so I will not repeat it here.

[0258] Figure 15 The method shown illustrates a discontinuous transmission process when the terminal is in a connected state. This application also provides another communication method where, in a scenario where the terminal is in a connected state, a third network device (the network device connected to the terminal) can configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for M areas, and indicate N areas among them, thereby activating the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for at least one of the N areas, thus facilitating discontinuous transmission by the terminal within the aforementioned at least one area. Figure 15 The method described in 1500 differs in that it can configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for more areas at once, which can reduce repetitive configuration steps and operation time, and improve the overall configuration efficiency.

[0259] The aforementioned M areas can be areas within a cell served by a third network device or areas within a cell served by a fourth network device; this application does not limit this. The third network device and the fourth network device are different. The following example uses areas within a cell served by a third network device. When the M areas are within a cell served by a fourth network device, the third network device can obtain the cell DTX configuration parameters and / or cell DRX configuration parameters of the M areas from the fourth network device and then send them to the terminal. The method of obtaining these parameters is the same as the method by which the first network device obtains the cell DTX configuration parameters and / or cell DRX configuration parameters from the second network device, and will not be repeated here. Furthermore, when the M areas are within a cell served by a fourth network device, the specific method is the same as when the M areas are within a cell served by a third network device. The difference is that when the M areas are within a cell served by a fourth network device, after the terminal obtains the above configuration, it performs discontinuous transmission with the fourth network device.

[0260] The following will combine Figure 18 The above communication methods will be explained in detail.

[0261] Figure 18 This is a schematic flowchart of another communication method 1800 provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0262] Figure 18 The method 1800 shown includes steps 1801 to 1804. The individual steps in method 1800 are described in detail below.

[0263] In step 1801, the third network device sends fourth information, which is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to M areas, where the M areas belong to the first cell. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the aforementioned fourth information.

[0264] In this context, the first cell mentioned above is the cell served by the third network device, and M is an integer greater than 1.

[0265] The aforementioned third network device can be a network device that establishes a connection with the terminal (such as an RRC connection).

[0266] For an explanation of the DTX / DRX configuration parameters for the M areas served by the aforementioned third network device, please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 15 The explanation of the configuration parameters of cell DTX / DRX in N areas of the cell served by the third network device is not repeated here.

[0267] For example, the third network device can send the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the above M areas to the terminal through RRC messages, or in other words, the above fourth information can be carried in the RRC message.

[0268] It should be noted that the configuration parameters for DTX / DRX of each cell in each region can be found in [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 12 This will not be elaborated upon here.

[0269] In step 1802, the third network device sends fifth information, which indicates N areas out of the aforementioned M areas. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the fifth information.

[0270] Where N is greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M, and N is an integer.

[0271] The aforementioned N regions can be determined, for example, based on the location of the terminal. For instance, a third network device can indicate to the terminal the N regions closest to its current location.

[0272] The third network device sends the fifth message. One possible implementation is that the third network device can indicate N areas out of the aforementioned M areas to the terminal via MACCE. Alternatively, the fifth message can be carried in the MACCE.

[0273] In step 1803, the third network device sends a sixth message, which is used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the above N regions.

[0274] After the third network device indicates the above N areas to the terminal, it can activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the above N areas.

[0275] For example, a third network device can activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the aforementioned N areas via DCI; that is, the aforementioned sixth information can be carried in the DCI. For the format of the DCI, please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 15 The relevant descriptions will not be repeated here.

[0276] Optionally, DCI uses RNTI scrambling, which is region-dependent. This allows the terminal to perform blind detection based solely on the RNTI corresponding to its own region, simplifying the blind detection process.

[0277] In step 1804, the third network device performs discontinuous transmission with the terminal based on the aforementioned fourth, fifth, and sixth information. Correspondingly, the terminal performs discontinuous transmission with the third network device based on the aforementioned fourth, fifth, and sixth information.

[0278] For example, when the fourth information indicates the configuration parameters of the cell DTX for M regions, the third network device can perform discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the at least one activated region. Correspondingly, the terminal can perform discontinuous reception based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the at least one activated region. When the fourth information indicates the configuration parameters of the cell DRX for M regions of the third network device, the terminal can perform discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of the cell DRX corresponding to the at least one activated region. Correspondingly, the third network device can perform discontinuous reception based on the configuration parameters of the cell DRX corresponding to the at least one activated region.

[0279] Figure 18 The method shown illustrates a discontinuous transmission process when the terminal is in a connected state. This application also provides another communication method where, in a connected state scenario, for the same cell, a third network device can configure different cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for terminals in different areas, thereby facilitating the matching of service requirements in different areas. Figure 15 and Figure 18 The method described above differs in that, for any given terminal, the third network device can configure only the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters for that terminal in one region. Terminals belonging to different regions have different cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters, which helps to save signaling overhead.

[0280] The aforementioned area can be an area within a cell served by a third network device or an area within a cell served by a fourth network device; this application does not limit this. The third network device and the fourth network device are different. The following example uses an area within a cell served by a third network device. When the aforementioned area is within a cell served by a fourth network device, the third network device can obtain the configuration parameters of the fourth network device's cell DTX and / or cell DRX, and then send them to the terminal. The method of obtaining these parameters is the same as the method by which the first network device obtains the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX from the second network device, and will not be repeated here. Furthermore, when the aforementioned area is within a cell served by a fourth network device, the specific method is the same as when the aforementioned area is within a cell served by a third network device. The difference is that when the aforementioned area is within a cell served by a fourth network device, after the terminal obtains the above configuration, it performs discontinuous transmission with the fourth network device.

[0281] The following will combine Figure 19 The above communication methods will be explained in detail.

[0282] Figure 19 This is a schematic flowchart of another communication method 1900 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0283] Figure 19 The method 1900 shown includes steps 1901 to 1903. The individual steps in method 1900 are described in detail below.

[0284] In step 1901, the third network device sends seventh information, which is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first region. The first region is the region where the terminal is located. The first region is one of multiple regions included in the first cell. Terminals belonging to different regions in the first cell have different cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the aforementioned seventh information.

[0285] The first cell mentioned above could be, for example, the cell served by the third network device mentioned above.

[0286] The configuration parameters for the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first region mentioned above can be found in [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 12 This will not be elaborated upon here.

[0287] For example, the third network device can configure the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first area to the terminal through RRC messages, or in other words, the aforementioned seventh information can be carried in the RRC message.

[0288] Optionally, the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for terminals belonging to different areas in the first cell are different, including: the more terminals in an area, the more durations included in a DTX or DRX cycle in the configuration parameters of the corresponding cell DTX and / or cell DRX, and / or the longer each duration. The area with more terminals can also be replaced with the area with more services.

[0289] For example, such as Figure 20 As shown, the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to terminal A are different from those of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to terminal B. For example, several offsets corresponding to terminal A are different from those corresponding to terminal B, and the number of durations corresponding to terminal A are different from those corresponding to terminal B (e.g., terminal A corresponds to 5 durations, while terminal B corresponds to 4 durations).

[0290] In step 1902, the third network device sends an eighth message, which is used to activate the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first cell. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the eighth message.

[0291] For example, a third network device can activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX via DCI, or in other words, the aforementioned eighth information can be carried in DCI, and the format of DCI can be the same as... Figure 11 The DCI format shown is the same.

[0292] In step 1903, the third network device performs discontinuous transmission with the terminal based on the aforementioned seventh and eighth information. Correspondingly, the terminal performs discontinuous transmission with the third network device based on the aforementioned seventh and eighth information.

[0293] For example, when the seventh information indicates the configuration parameters of the cell DTX of the first area, the third network device can perform discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first area, and correspondingly, the terminal can perform discontinuous reception based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first area. When the seventh information indicates the configuration parameters of the cell DRX of the first area of ​​the third network device, the terminal can perform discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of the cell DRX corresponding to the first area, and correspondingly, the third network device can perform discontinuous reception based on the configuration parameters of the cell DRX corresponding to the first area.

[0294] The methods provided in the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. The apparatus provided in the embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0295] Figure 21 This is a schematic block diagram of the communication device 2100 provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0296] like Figure 21 As shown, the communication device 2100 includes a transceiver module 2110 and a processing module 2120. This device 2100 can be used to implement the above-described... Figure 12 , Figure 15 , Figure 18 ,or Figure 19 The method embodiments shown illustrate the functions of the terminal or network device.

[0297] When the device 2100 is used to achieve Figure 12 In the method embodiment shown, when the terminal functions, the transceiver module 2110 can be used to receive first information from the first network device. The first information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX of multiple regions. The multiple regions belong to cells served by the first network device, or the multiple regions belong to cells served by the second network device. The processing module 2120 is used to perform discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first region. The first region is the region to which the terminal belongs, and the first region is one of the multiple regions.

[0298] Optionally, when the first information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX for multiple regions, and the multiple regions belong to cells served by the second network device, the processing module 2120 is specifically used to: receive the SSB broadcast by the second network device based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first region; when the first information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX for multiple regions, and the multiple regions belong to cells served by the first network device, the processing module 2120 is specifically used to: receive the SSB broadcast by the first network device based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first region.

[0299] When the device 2100 is used to achieve Figure 12 In the method embodiment shown, when the first network device functions, the transceiver module 2110 is used to send first information, which is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX in multiple regions. The multiple regions belong to cells served by the first network device, or the multiple regions belong to cells served by the second network device.

[0300] Optionally, if the aforementioned multiple areas belong to the cells served by the first network device, the transceiver module 2110 is further configured to perform discontinuous transmission based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first area, wherein the aforementioned first area is the area to which the terminal belongs.

[0301] Optionally, when the first information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX for multiple regions, and the multiple regions belong to the cells served by the first network device, the transceiver module 2110 is specifically used to send SSB based on the configuration parameters of cell DTX corresponding to the first region.

[0302] Optionally, the configuration parameters of cell DTX or cell DRX in each of the above multiple regions include multiple durations and multiple offsets. Each of the multiple durations is used to indicate the length of time the network device is in transmit mode or receive mode. The multiple offsets correspond one-to-one with the multiple durations, and each offset is used to indicate the starting position of the corresponding duration.

[0303] Optionally, at least two of the aforementioned regions have different durations within a single DTX or DRX cycle; and / or, at least two of the aforementioned regions have different durations; and / or, among the multiple durations corresponding to each of the aforementioned regions, at least two durations have different lengths.

[0304] Optionally, the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for each of the above multiple regions are related to the number of terminals in that region.

[0305] Optionally, in areas with a larger number of terminals, the number of durations included in a DTX or DRX cycle in the corresponding cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters is greater, and / or each duration is longer.

[0306] Optionally, the aforementioned first information is carried in a system message.

[0307] Optionally, each of the above regions is identified by identification information, and the correspondence between the above regions and the identification information is predefined or configured through system messages.

[0308] When the device 2100 is used to achieve Figure 15 In the method embodiment shown, when the terminal functions, the transceiver module 2110 is used to receive second information from a third network device, which is a network device connected to the terminal. The second information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to N regions. The N regions belong to a first cell, which is a cell served by the third network device, and N is an integer greater than 1. The transceiver module 2110 is also used to receive third information, which is used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N regions. The processing module 2120 is used to perform discontinuous transmission with the third network device according to the third information and the second information.

[0309] When the device 2100 is used to achieve Figure 15 In the method embodiment shown, when the third network device functions, the transceiver module 2110 is used to send second information, which is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to N areas. The N areas belong to the first cell, which is the cell served by the third network device, and N is an integer greater than 1. The transceiver module 2110 is also used to send third information, which is used to activate the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N areas. The processing module 2120 is used to perform discontinuous transmission with the terminal according to the third information and the second information.

[0310] Optionally, the transceiver module 2110 is specifically used to: send second information to the terminal according to the terminal's location, wherein the above-mentioned N areas are the N areas closest to the terminal's location among the multiple areas included in the first cell.

[0311] Optionally, the third information mentioned above includes a plurality of first indication fields, each of which corresponds to a cell, and each of the first indication fields includes a plurality of second indication fields, each of which corresponds to a region, and each second indication field is used to indicate whether the corresponding region has activated cell DTX and / or cell DRX.

[0312] When the device 2100 is used to achieve Figure 18 In the method embodiment shown, when the terminal functions, the transceiver module 2110 is used to receive fourth information from a third network device, which is a network device connected to the terminal. The fourth information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to M areas. The M areas belong to a first cell, which is a cell served by the third network device, and M is an integer greater than 1. The transceiver module 2110 is also used to receive fifth information, which is used to indicate N areas among the M areas, where N is greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M, and N is an integer. The N areas are determined according to the location of the terminal. The transceiver module 2110 is also used to receive sixth information, which is used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N areas. The processing module 2120 is used to perform discontinuous transmission with the third network device according to the fourth, fifth, and sixth information.

[0313] When the device 2100 is used to achieve Figure 18 In the method embodiment shown, when the third network device functions, the transceiver module 2110 is used to send fourth information, which is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to M areas. The M areas belong to the first cell, which is the cell served by the third network device, and M is an integer greater than 1. The transceiver module 2110 is also used to send fifth information, which is used to indicate N areas among the M areas, where N is greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M, and N is an integer. The N areas are determined according to the location of the terminal. The transceiver module 2110 is also used to send sixth information, which is used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N areas. The processing module 2120 is used to perform discontinuous transmission with the terminal according to the fourth, fifth, and sixth information.

[0314] Optionally, the fourth information is carried in the RRC message; and / or, the fifth information is carried in the MAC CE; and / or, the sixth information is carried in the DCI.

[0315] Optionally, the DCI is scrambled using RNTI, which is region-dependent.

[0316] Optionally, the sixth information above includes a plurality of first indication fields, each of which corresponds to a cell, and each of the first indication fields includes a plurality of second indication fields, each of which corresponds to a region, and each second indication field is used to indicate whether the corresponding region has activated cell DTX and / or cell DRX.

[0317] When the device 2100 is used to achieve Figure 19 In the method embodiment shown, when the terminal functions, the transceiver module 2110 is used to receive seventh information from a third network device, which is a network device connected to the terminal. The seventh information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first region. The first region is the region where the terminal is located. The first region is one of multiple regions included in the first cell. The first cell is a cell served by the third network device. Terminals belonging to different regions in the first cell have different cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters. The transceiver module 2110 is also used to receive eighth information, which is used to activate the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first cell. The processing module 2120 is used to perform discontinuous transmission with the third network device according to the seventh and eighth information.

[0318] When the device 2100 is used to achieve Figure 19 In the method embodiment shown, when the third network device functions, the transceiver module 2110 is used to send seventh information, which is used to configure the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first area. The first area is the area where the terminal is located. The first area is one of the multiple areas included in the first cell. The first cell is the cell served by the third network device. The configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to terminals belonging to different areas in the first cell are different. The transceiver module 2110 is also used to send eighth information, which is used to activate the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first cell. The processing module 2120 is used to perform discontinuous transmission with the terminal according to the seventh and eighth information.

[0319] Optionally, the configuration parameters of cell DTX or cell DRX in each region include multiple durations and multiple offsets. Each duration is used to indicate the length of time the network device is in transmit or receive mode. The multiple offsets correspond one-to-one with the multiple durations, and each offset is used to indicate the starting position of the corresponding duration.

[0320] Optionally, in a cell, at least two of the multiple regions correspond to different durations within a single DTX or DRX cycle; and / or, at least two of the multiple regions correspond to different durations; and / or, among the multiple durations corresponding to each region, at least two durations have different lengths.

[0321] Optionally, the configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for each region are related to the number of terminals in that region.

[0322] Optionally, in areas with a larger number of terminals, the number of durations included in a DTX or DRX cycle in the corresponding cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters is greater, and / or each duration is longer.

[0323] For a more detailed description of each of the above modules, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 12 , Figure 15 , Figure 18 or Figure 19 The relevant descriptions in the method embodiments shown are directly obtained and will not be repeated here.

[0324] It should be understood that the module division in the embodiments of this application is illustrative and only represents a logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods. Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into a single processor, exist as separate physical entities, or be integrated into a single module. The integrated modules described above can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules.

[0325] Figure 22 This is another schematic block diagram of the communication device 2200 provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0326] The device 2200 can be a chip system, or it can be a device configured with a chip system to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system can be composed of chips, or it can include chips and other discrete devices.

[0327] like Figure 22 As shown, the device 2200 may include a processor 2210, which can be used to execute computer programs or instructions in memory to achieve... Figure 12 , Figure 15 , Figure 18 or Figure 19 The steps performed by the terminal or the network device in the method embodiment shown.

[0328] Optionally, the device 2200 further includes a communication interface 2220. The communication interface 2220 can be used to communicate with other devices via a transmission medium, thereby enabling the device 2200 to communicate with other devices. The communication interface 2220 may be, for example, a transceiver, interface, bus, circuit, or a device capable of transmitting and receiving functions. The processor 2210 can utilize the communication interface 2220 to input and output data and to implement... Figure 12 , Figure 15 , Figure 18 or Figure 19 The method described in the corresponding embodiment.

[0329] Optionally, the device 2200 further includes at least one memory 2230 for storing program instructions and / or data. The memory 2230 is coupled to the processor 2210. The coupling in this embodiment is an indirect coupling or communication connection between devices, units, or modules, and can be electrical, mechanical, or other forms, used for information exchange between devices, units, or modules. The processor 2210 may operate in conjunction with the memory 2230. The processor 2210 may execute program instructions stored in the memory 2230. At least one of the at least one memory may be included in the processor.

[0330] It should be understood that the coupling in the embodiments of this application is an indirect coupling or communication connection between devices, units, or modules, which can be electrical, mechanical, or other forms, used for information interaction between devices, units, or modules. The processor 2210 may operate in conjunction with the memory 2230. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific connection medium between the processor 2210, the communication interface 2220, and the memory 2230. The embodiments of this application... Figure 22 The processor 2210, communication interface 2220, and memory 2230 are connected via bus 2240. Bus 2240 is... Figure 22 The connections between other components are shown in bold lines only and are not intended to be limiting. The bus can be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus or an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus, etc. The bus can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, Figure 22 The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0331] Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram of an O-RAN system illustrated in an embodiment of this application. The O-RAN system may also include... Figure 23Other components besides those shown.

[0332] like Figure 23 As shown, access network equipment (i.e., RAN, such as eNB, gNB, or next-generation access network equipment) can communicate with the core network (CN) via backhaul links, or with terminal equipment via air interfaces.

[0333] Specifically, the baseband unit (BBU) in the access network equipment communicates with the core network equipment via a backhaul link; the radio unit (RU) in the access network equipment communicates with at least one terminal via an air interface. The BBU communicates with at least one RU via a fronthaul link. The BBU and RU may or may not be co-located.

[0334] The BBU includes at least one CU and at least one distributed unit (DU), which can communicate via at least one midhaul link.

[0335] Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of a RAN intelligent controller (RIC) architecture communication system illustrated in an embodiment of this application. Figure 24 As shown, the RIC architecture communication system includes an RIC. This RIC includes near-real-time RIC (near-RT RIC) and non-real-time RIC (non-RT RIC). The near-real-time RIC can obtain network-side and / or terminal-side information from RAN devices (e.g., CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and / or RU) and / or terminals. Optionally, information can be exchanged between CUs and DUs, and / or between DUs and RUs.

[0336] Non-real-time RICs can obtain network-side and / or terminal-side information from RAN devices (e.g., CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and / or RU) and / or terminals. Optionally, information can be exchanged between CUs and DUs, and / or between DUs and RUs.

[0337] Near real-time RICs and non-real-time RICs can also be configured as separate network elements. Optionally, near real-time RICs and non-real-time RICs can also be part of other devices. For example, near real-time RICs can be set in RAN nodes (e.g., CUs or DUs), while non-real-time RICs can be set in Operations Administration and Maintenance (OAM), cloud servers, core network devices, or other network devices.

[0338] It should be understood that Figure 24 The system shown can be applied to an open RAN architecture, for example. The CU can also be called O-CU, the DU can also be called O-DU, and the RU can also be called O-RU. They will not be listed here.

[0339] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes: a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions), which, when run, can achieve... Figure 12 , Figure 15 , Figure 18 or Figure 19 The steps performed by the terminal or the network device in the method described in the illustrated embodiment.

[0340] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions). When the computer program is executed, it can achieve... Figure 12 , Figure 15 , Figure 18 or Figure 19 The steps performed by the terminal or the network device in the method described in the illustrated embodiment.

[0341] It should be understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, each step of the above method embodiments can be completed by the integrated logic circuits in the processor's hardware or by instructions in software form. The processor can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly embodied in the execution of a hardware decoding processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software modules can be located in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. This storage medium is located in memory, and the processor reads the information in the memory and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above method.

[0342] It should also be understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous linked dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory used in the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0343] The terms "unit," "module," etc., used in this specification can be used to refer to computer-related entities, hardware, firmware, combinations of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. In the embodiments of this application, "unit" and "module" have the same meaning and can be used interchangeably.

[0344] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the various illustrative logical blocks and steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application. In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus, devices, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for example, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the shown or discussed mutual couplings or direct couplings or communication connections may be through some interfaces; indirect couplings or communication connections between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0345] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0346] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0347] In the above embodiments, the functions of each functional unit can be implemented entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions (programs). When the computer program instructions (programs) are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of 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, the 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, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) 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 may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., digital video discs, DVDs), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state disks, SSDs), etc.

[0348] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the technology, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0349] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a terminal, wherein the terminal is in an idle state, the method includes: Receive first information from a first network device, the first information being used to configure configuration parameters for cell discontinuous transmission DTX and / or cell discontinuous reception DRX in multiple regions, the multiple regions belonging to cells served by the first network device, or the multiple regions belonging to cells served by a second network device; Discontinuous transmission is performed based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first region, where the first region is the region to which the terminal belongs, and the first region is one of the plurality of regions.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the first information is used to configure the cell DTX configuration parameters for multiple regions, and the multiple regions belong to cells served by the second network device, the discontinuous transmission based on the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters corresponding to the first region includes: Based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first region, the synchronization signal block SSB broadcast by the second network device is received; When the first information is used to configure the cell DTX configuration parameters for multiple regions, and the multiple regions belong to the cells served by the first network device, the discontinuous transmission based on the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters corresponding to the first region includes: Based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first region, the SSB broadcast by the first network device is received.

3. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a first network device, the method includes: Send first information, which is used to configure configuration parameters for discontinuous transmission of DTX and / or discontinuous reception of DRX in multiple regions, wherein the multiple regions belong to cells served by the first network device, or the multiple regions belong to cells served by the second network device.

4. The method as described in claim 3, characterized in that, When the plurality of areas belong to the cells served by the first network device, the method further includes: Discontinuous transmission is performed based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first region, where the first region is the region to which the terminal belongs.

5. The method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, When the first information is used to configure the cell DTX configuration parameters for multiple regions, and the multiple regions belong to the cells served by the first network device, the discontinuous transmission based on the cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters corresponding to the first region includes: Based on the configuration parameters of the cell DTX corresponding to the first region, a synchronization signal block SSB is sent.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The configuration parameters of cell DTX or cell DRX in each of the multiple regions include multiple durations and multiple offsets. Each duration is used to indicate the length of time the network device is in transmit or receive mode. The multiple offsets correspond one-to-one with the multiple durations, and each offset is used to indicate the starting position of the corresponding duration.

7. The method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The number of durations included in a single DTX or DRX cycle is different for at least two of the multiple regions; and / or, the lengths of the durations corresponding to at least two of the multiple regions are different; and / or, among the multiple durations corresponding to each region in the multiple regions, at least two durations are different in length.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for each of the multiple regions are related to the number of terminals in that region.

9. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The more terminals a region has, the more durations are included in a DTX or DRX cycle in the corresponding cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters, and / or the longer each duration is.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The first piece of information is carried in the system message.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, Each of the multiple regions is identified by identification information, and the correspondence between the multiple regions and the multiple identification information is predefined or configured through system messages.

12. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a terminal, wherein the terminal is in a connected state, the method includes: The terminal receives second information from a third network device, which is a network device connected to the terminal. The second information is used to configure the configuration parameters for discontinuous transmission DTX and / or discontinuous reception DRX of cells corresponding to N regions. The N regions belong to a first cell, which is a cell served by the third network device, and N is an integer greater than 1. Receive third information, the third information being used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N regions; Based on the third information and the second information, discontinuous transmission is performed with the third network device.

13. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a third network device, the method includes: Send a second message, which is used to configure the configuration parameters for discontinuous transmission of DTX and / or discontinuous reception of DRX in cells corresponding to N regions, wherein the N regions belong to the first cell, the first cell is the cell served by the third network device, and N is an integer greater than 1; Send a third message, the third message being used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N regions; Based on the third information and the second information, discontinuous transmission is performed with the terminal.

14. The method as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The sending of the second information includes: Based on the location of the terminal, the second information is sent to the terminal, wherein the N regions are the N regions closest to the location of the terminal among the multiple regions included in the first cell.

15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that, The third information includes multiple first indication fields, each of which corresponds to a cell. Each first indication field includes multiple second indication fields, each of which corresponds to a region. Each second indication field is used to indicate whether the corresponding region has activated cell DTX and / or cell DRX.

16. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a terminal, wherein the terminal is in a connected state, the method includes: The terminal receives fourth information from a third network device, which is a network device connected to the terminal. The fourth information is used to configure the configuration parameters for discontinuous transmission DTX and / or discontinuous reception DRX of cells corresponding to M regions. The M regions belong to a first cell, which is a cell served by the third network device, and M is an integer greater than 1. Receive fifth information, the fifth information being used to indicate N regions out of the M regions, where N is greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M, and N is an integer, and the N regions are determined based on the location of the terminal; Receive sixth information, the sixth information being used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N regions; Based on the fourth, fifth, and sixth information, discontinuous transmission is performed with the third network device.

17. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a third network device, the method includes: Send fourth information, which is used to configure the configuration parameters for discontinuous transmission of DTX and / or discontinuous reception of DRX in cells corresponding to M regions, wherein the M regions belong to the first cell, the first cell is the cell served by the third network device, and M is an integer greater than 1; Send a fifth message, which is used to indicate N regions out of the M regions, where N is greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M, and N is an integer. The N regions are determined based on the location of the terminal. Send a sixth message, which is used to activate cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to at least one of the N regions; Based on the fourth, fifth, and sixth information, discontinuous transmission is performed with the terminal.

18. The method as described in claim 16 or 17, characterized in that, The fourth information is carried in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) message; and / or, the fifth information is carried in the Media Access Control (MAC) control element (CE); and / or, the sixth information is carried in the Downlink Control Information (DCI).

19. The method as described in claim 18, characterized in that, The DCI is scrambled using a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI), which is region-dependent.

20. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 19, characterized in that, The sixth information includes multiple first indication fields, each of which corresponds to a cell. Each first indication field includes multiple second indication fields, each of which corresponds to a region. Each second indication field is used to indicate whether the corresponding region has activated cell DTX and / or cell DRX.

21. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a terminal, wherein the terminal is in a connected state, the method includes: The terminal receives seventh information from a third network device, which is a network device connected to the terminal. The seventh information is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell discontinuous transmission DTX and / or cell discontinuous reception DRX corresponding to the first area. The first area is the area where the terminal is located. The first area is one of multiple areas included in the first cell. The first cell is the cell served by the third network device. The configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to terminals belonging to different areas in the first cell are different. Receive the eighth information, which is used to activate the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first cell; Based on the seventh and eighth information, discontinuous transmission is performed with the third network device.

22. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a third network device, the method includes: Send the seventh information, which is used to configure the configuration parameters of cell discontinuous transmission DTX and / or cell discontinuous reception DRX corresponding to the first area. The first area is the area where the terminal is located. The first area is one of the multiple areas included in the first cell. The first cell is the cell served by the third network device. The configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to terminals belonging to different areas in the first cell are different. Send the eighth message, which is used to activate the cell DTX and / or cell DRX corresponding to the first cell; Based on the seventh and eighth information, discontinuous transmission is performed with the terminal.

23. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 22, characterized in that, The configuration parameters for cell DTX or cell DRX in each region include multiple durations and multiple offsets. Each duration indicates the length of time the network device is in transmit or receive mode. The multiple offsets correspond one-to-one with the multiple durations, and each offset indicates the starting position of the corresponding duration.

24. The method as described in claim 23, characterized in that, In a cell, at least two of the multiple regions correspond to different durations within a single DTX or DRX cycle; and / or, at least two of the multiple regions correspond to different durations; and / or, among the multiple durations corresponding to each region, at least two durations have different lengths.

25. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 22, characterized in that, The configuration parameters of cell DTX and / or cell DRX for each region are related to the number of terminals in the region.

26. The method as described in claim 25, characterized in that, The more terminals a region has, the more durations are included in a DTX or DRX cycle in the corresponding cell DTX and / or cell DRX configuration parameters, and / or the longer each duration is.

27. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A module for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 26.

28. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A processor, when invoked from a computer program in memory, causes the apparatus to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 26.

29. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, Used to store computer programs, which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 26.

30. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is run on a computer, it causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 26.

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