A communication method and related apparatus

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method, which comprises the following steps: detecting a synchronization signal block (SSB) on a first frequency point in a first frequency band, wherein the first frequency band comprises a plurality of frequency points, the step length between any two adjacent frequency points in the plurality of frequency points is greater than or equal to 2.88 megahertz, and the first frequency point belongs to one of the plurality of frequency points; the period of detecting the SSB on the first frequency point is greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds; and if the SSB is detected on the first frequency point, the detected SSB is analyzed. By using the embodiment of the application, the energy consumption of the network equipment for transmitting the SSB can be reduced, and the problem that the time length of the terminal for detecting the SSB is lengthened due to this can be weakened.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In the field of wireless communication, the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) is a crucial signal used for initial cell search and synchronization in the New Radio (NR) technology of 5G (5th Generation Mobile Communication Technology). The SSB contains key information such as the Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS), the Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS), and the Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH). This information helps terminals (such as User Equipment (UE)) achieve time-frequency synchronization and cell identification. A detailed introduction follows:

[0003] 1. Basic Structure of SSB

[0004] Master Synchronization Signal (PSS): Used to achieve symbol-level synchronization and partial cell identification.

[0005] Secondary synchronization signal (SSS): Used to achieve the rest of frame-level synchronization and cell identification.

[0006] Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH): Used to transmit basic system information, such as System Frame Number (SFN) and Master Information Block (MIB).

[0007] 2. Transmission characteristics of SSB

[0008] Firstly, SSBs are transmitted on multiple frequency domain resource blocks (RBs) at a certain period (e.g., once every 20ms). To cover different terminals (such as UEs), SSBs are usually transmitted multiple times on different subframes and subcarriers, forming a synchronization signal burst set (SSB Burst Set). An SSB Burst Set refers to a collection of multiple SSBs within a certain period. For example, in high-frequency cases, multiple SSBs within an SSB Burst Set can be used for beam scanning to enhance cell coverage; similarly, in low-frequency cases, a terminal can also improve its demodulation capability by receiving multiple SSBs from an SSB Burst Set and combining the signals.

[0009] Secondly: A) 5G NR uses Massive MIMO technology, which uses beamforming to concentrate signal transmission in a specific direction. Therefore, SSBs need to transmit in different beam directions, and the terminal also needs to search in multiple beam directions. B) SSBs typically transmit over multiple subframes, requiring the terminal to search across multiple subframes. C) SSBs occupy multiple resource blocks in the frequency domain, requiring the terminal to search across multiple frequency domain resources.

[0010] To improve system performance, SSB search optimization has become an important research direction in 5G communication systems. For example, in initial access scenarios, before a terminal (e.g., UE) initially accesses the network, if no historical information is available, the terminal (e.g., UE) can scan all SSB frequencies within its supported frequency bands to determine cells that meet access conditions based on the received SSBs. The terminal (e.g., UE) can search the specified frequency bands sequentially from low to high frequencies according to the global synchronization channel number (GSCN), with each search step being a preset step size for the current frequency band. During this process, the energy consumption of network equipment (e.g., base stations) transmitting SSBs is typically quite high. Therefore, how to reduce the energy consumption of network equipment (e.g., base stations) transmitting SSBs is a problem currently being studied by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0011] This application discloses a communication method and related apparatus that can reduce the energy consumption of network devices sending SSBs and mitigate the problem of prolonged terminal detection time caused by this.

[0012] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, the method comprising:

[0013] A synchronization signal block (SSB) is detected at a first frequency point in a first frequency band, wherein the first frequency band includes multiple frequency points, the step size between any two adjacent frequency points is greater than or equal to 2.88 MHz, the first frequency point belongs to one of the multiple frequency points, and the period for detecting the SSB at the first frequency point is greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds.

[0014] If an SSB is detected at the first frequency point, the detected SSB is analyzed.

[0015] In the above method, the SSB transmission (and detection) period is set to greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds. This period is relatively long in the application scenario of SSB, thus ensuring that the SSB transmission frequency is at a relatively low level, thereby controlling the energy consumption of network equipment (such as base stations) in transmitting SSB. At the same time, considering that the detection time of the terminal (such as UE) in each frequency band will be longer when the SSB transmission period is relatively long, and the complexity of SSB detection will also increase, the step size of the frequency point used for SSB detection is specifically set to greater than or equal to 2.88 MHz, so that the number of frequency points for terminal SSB detection is controlled within a relatively small range. On the one hand, this can offset the problem of long total detection time caused by the long SSB detection period to a certain extent (or completely); on the other hand, it can also offset the problem of high complexity of SSB detection caused by the long SSB detection period to a certain extent (or completely).

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the step size is n*2.88 MHz, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0017] In conjunction with the first aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the first aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the first aspect, the period of the SSB is m*40 milliseconds, where m is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the first aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the first aspect:

[0019] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 40 milliseconds, or...

[0020] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 80 milliseconds, or...

[0021] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 160 milliseconds.

[0022] In conjunction with the first aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the first aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the first aspect, the minimum bandwidth of the first frequency band is greater than or equal to r*20.16 MHz, where r is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0023] In this approach, with constraints on the step size, the minimum bandwidth is set according to the step size, making it a relatively large value, thereby further reducing the number of frequency points that the terminal (such as UE) needs to search, and improving the network search efficiency of the terminal.

[0024] In conjunction with the first aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the first aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the first aspect, the step size is 2.88, the minimum bandwidth is 25 MHz, or...

[0025] The step size is 5.76, and the minimum bandwidth is 45 MHz, or...

[0026] The step size is 11.52, and the minimum bandwidth is 90 MHz.

[0027] In conjunction with the first aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the first aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the first aspect, the detected SSB includes first indication information, which is used to indicate the offset of the SSB from the resource block grid in the frequency domain.

[0028] Within the FR1 frequency band, the unit of the offset is greater than or equal to 30 kHz;

[0029] Within the FR2 frequency band, the unit of the offset is greater than or equal to 120 kHz.

[0030] In this approach, by increasing the unit of the offset (such as offsetToPointA), the terminal (such as UE) can accurately find the SSB over a wider bandwidth range, further optimizing the search complexity and efficiency of the terminal (such as UE).

[0031] In conjunction with the first aspect, or any of the above-mentioned possible implementations of the first aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the first aspect...

[0032] Within the FR1 frequency band, the unit of the offset is s*30 kHz, where s is an integer greater than or equal to 1;

[0033] Within the FR2 frequency band, the unit of the offset is s*120 kHz.

[0034] In conjunction with the first aspect, or any of the above-mentioned possible implementations of the first aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the first aspect...

[0035] Within the FR1 frequency band

[0036] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 30 kHz, or...

[0037] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 60 kHz, or...

[0038] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz.

[0039] Within the FR2 frequency band

[0040] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz, or...

[0041] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 240 kHz, or...

[0042] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the offset is in units of 480 kHz.

[0043] In conjunction with the first aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the first aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the first aspect, the method is applied during the cell search process.

[0044] In conjunction with the first aspect, or any of the above-mentioned possible implementations of the first aspect, another possible implementation of the first aspect further includes:

[0045] If no SSB is detected at the first frequency point, the SSB is detected at the second frequency point in the first frequency band, where the second frequency point belongs to one of the plurality of frequency points; the period for detecting the SSB at the second frequency point is greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds.

[0046] If an SSB is detected at the second frequency point, the detected SSB is analyzed.

[0047] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, the method comprising:

[0048] A synchronization signal block (SSB) is transmitted at a first frequency point in a first frequency band, wherein the first frequency band includes multiple frequency points, the step size between any two adjacent frequency points is greater than or equal to 2.88 MHz, and the first frequency point belongs to one of the multiple frequency points; the period for detecting the SSB at the first frequency point is greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds.

[0049] In the above method, the SSB transmission (and detection) period is set to greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds. This period is relatively long in the application scenario of SSB, thus ensuring that the SSB transmission frequency is at a relatively low level, thereby controlling the energy consumption of network equipment (such as base stations) in transmitting SSB. At the same time, considering that the detection time of the terminal (such as UE) in each frequency band will be longer when the SSB transmission period is relatively long, and the complexity of SSB detection will also increase, the step size of the frequency point used for SSB detection is specifically set to greater than or equal to 2.88 MHz, so that the number of frequency points for terminal SSB detection is controlled within a relatively small range. On the one hand, this can offset the problem of long total detection time caused by the long SSB detection period to a certain extent (or completely); on the other hand, it can also offset the problem of high complexity of SSB detection caused by the long SSB detection period to a certain extent (or completely).

[0050] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the step size is n*2.88 MHz, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0051] In conjunction with the second aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the second aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the second aspect, the period of the SSB is m*40 milliseconds, where m is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0052] In conjunction with the second aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the second aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the second aspect:

[0053] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 40 milliseconds, or...

[0054] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 80 milliseconds, or...

[0055] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 160 milliseconds.

[0056] In conjunction with the second aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the second aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the second aspect, the minimum bandwidth of the first frequency band is greater than or equal to r*20.16 MHz, where r is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0057] In this approach, with constraints on the step size, the minimum bandwidth is set according to the step size, making it a relatively large value, thereby further reducing the number of frequency points that the terminal (such as UE) needs to search, and improving the network search efficiency of the terminal.

[0058] In conjunction with the second aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the second aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the second aspect, the step size is 2.88, the minimum bandwidth is 25 MHz, or...

[0059] The step size is 5.76, and the minimum bandwidth is 45 MHz, or...

[0060] The step size is 11.52, and the minimum bandwidth is 90 MHz.

[0061] In conjunction with the second aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the second aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the second aspect, the detected SSB includes first indication information, which is used to indicate the offset of the SSB from the resource block grid in the frequency domain.

[0062] Within the FR1 frequency band, the unit of the offset is greater than or equal to 30 kHz;

[0063] Within the FR2 frequency band, the unit of the offset is greater than or equal to 120 kHz.

[0064] In this approach, by increasing the unit of the offset (such as offsetToPointA), the terminal (such as UE) can accurately find the SSB over a wider bandwidth range, further optimizing the search complexity and efficiency of the terminal (such as UE).

[0065] In conjunction with the second aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the second aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the second aspect,

[0066] Within the FR1 frequency band, the unit of the offset is s*30 kHz, where s is an integer greater than or equal to 1;

[0067] Within the FR2 frequency band, the unit of the offset is s*120 kHz.

[0068] In conjunction with the second aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the second aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the second aspect,

[0069] Within the FR1 frequency band

[0070] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 30 kHz, or...

[0071] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 60 kHz, or...

[0072] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz.

[0073] Within the FR2 frequency band

[0074] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz, or...

[0075] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 240 kHz, or...

[0076] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the offset is in units of 480 kHz.

[0077] In conjunction with the second aspect, or any of the above possible implementations of the second aspect, in yet another possible implementation of the second aspect, the method is applied during the cell search process.

[0078] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, which can be a terminal or a device or functional module within a terminal, wherein:

[0079] The communication device includes a module for performing the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof;

[0080] Alternatively, the communication device includes a processor for performing the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0081] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, which can be a network device or a component or functional module within a network device, wherein:

[0082] The communication device includes a module for performing the method described in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect;

[0083] Alternatively, the communication device includes a processor for performing the method described in the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0084] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, characterized in that it includes a logic circuit and an interface, wherein the logic circuit and the interface are coupled; the interface is used for inputting and / or outputting information, wherein:

[0085] The logic circuit is used to perform the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof, or...

[0086] The logic circuit is used to perform the method described in the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0087] Sixthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program, wherein:

[0088] When the computer program is executed, it is capable of implementing the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, or...

[0089] When the computer program is executed, it is capable of implementing the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect.

[0090] Seventhly, embodiments of this application provide a communication system, which includes network equipment and terminal equipment, wherein:

[0091] The terminal is used to execute the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof, and the network device is used to execute the method described in the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof. Attached Figure Description

[0092] The accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application are described below.

[0093] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0094] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0095] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a core network architecture provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0096] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an O-RAN architecture provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0097] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip in a network device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0098] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal chip provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0099] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0100] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a step size provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0101] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of an SSB cycle provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0102] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a combination of step size and SSB period provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0103] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a minimum bandwidth setting provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0104] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the setting of an offset according to an embodiment of this application;

[0105] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0106] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0107] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0108] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0109] The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0110] The technical concepts that may be involved in this application will be introduced below.

[0111] 1. Subcarrier: In an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) system, frequency domain resources are divided into several sub-resources, and each sub-resource in the frequency domain can be called a subcarrier. A subcarrier can also be understood as the smallest granularity of frequency domain resources.

[0112] 2. Subcarrier spacing: In an OFDM system, the distance between the center or peak positions of two adjacent subcarriers in the frequency domain. For example, the subcarrier spacing in an LTE system is 15kHz, while the subcarrier spacing in a 5G NR system can be 15kHz, 30kHz, 60kHz, or 120kHz, etc.

[0113] 3. Resource Block: A resource block consists of X consecutive subcarriers in the frequency domain. For example, a resource block in an LTE system includes 12 subcarriers, and a resource block in a 5G New Radio (NR) system also includes 12 subcarriers. As communication systems evolve, the number of subcarriers included in a resource block can also be other values.

[0114] 4. Time slot: In a 5G NR system, a time slot consists of 14 OFDM symbols. The time slot length corresponding to a 15kHz subcarrier spacing is 1ms, and the time slot length corresponding to a 30kHz subcarrier spacing is 0.5ms.

[0115] 5. Subframe: In a 5G NR system, the duration of a subframe is 1ms.

[0116] 6. OFDM symbol: The smallest time unit in the time domain in an OFDM system.

[0117] 7. Time-frequency resource unit: The smallest resource granularity in an OFDM system, which is an OFDM symbol in the time domain and a subcarrier in the frequency domain.

[0118] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication system includes a radio access network (RAN) 100 and a core network (CN) 200. The RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node, which can be referred to as a network device (e.g., Figure 1 110a and 110b, collectively referred to as 110) and at least one terminal (such as Figure 1 120a-120j, collectively referred to as 120, are included in the RAN. The RAN may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay devices and / or wireless backhaul devices. Figure 1 (Not shown in the image). Terminal 120 is connected to network device 110 wirelessly. Network device 110 is connected to core network 200 wirelessly or via wired connection. The core network device (or core network element) in core network 200 and network device 110 in RAN 100 can be different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating core network logical functions and radio access network logical functions.

[0119] RAN 100 can be a cellular system related to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 4G, 5G mobile communication systems, non-terrestrial network (NTN) systems, or future-oriented evolution systems (e.g., 6G mobile communication systems). Optionally, if RAN 100 is an NTN system, it can be in transparent mode, regenerative mode, earth fixed cell mode, or earth moving cell mode. RAN 100 can also be an open access network (openRAN, O-RAN, or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system, or a communication system integrating two or more of the above systems.

[0120] Communication between network device 110 and terminal 120 follows a specific protocol layer structure. This protocol layer may include a control plane protocol layer and a user plane protocol layer. For example, the control plane protocol layer may include at least one of the following: radio resource control (RRC) layer, packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, radio link control (RLC) layer, media access control (MAC) layer, or physical (PHY) layer. Similarly, the user plane protocol layer may include at least one of the following: service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer, PDCP layer, RLC layer, MAC layer, or physical layer.

[0121] 1) Terminal 120 can also be a terminal device, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, etc. Terminals can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal.

[0122] 2) Network device 110, sometimes also called access network device, RAN entity, or access node, constitutes part of the communication system and is used to help terminals achieve wireless access. Multiple network devices 110 in the communication system 1000 can be nodes of the same type or different types. In some scenarios, the roles of network device 110 and terminal 120 are relative, for example... Figure 1 Network element 120i can be a helicopter or a drone, and it can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminals 120j that access RAN 100 through network element 120i, network element 120i is a base station; however, for base station 110a, network element 120i is a terminal. Network device 110 and terminal 120 are sometimes referred to as communication devices, for example... Figure 1 Network elements 110a and 110b can be understood as communication devices with base station functions, while network elements 120a-120j can be understood as communication devices with terminal functions.

[0123] In one possible scenario, network equipment can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a next-generation base station in a 6th-generation (6G) mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system, etc. Network equipment can also be a macro base station (such as...). Figure 1 110a), micro base stations or indoor stations (such as Figure 1The network device can be a 110b relay node or donor node, or a wireless controller in a Cloud Radio Access Network (CRAN) scenario. Optionally, the network device can also be a server, wearable device, vehicle, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, the access network device can be a roadside unit (RSU).

[0124] In another possible scenario, multiple network devices collaborate to assist the terminal in achieving wireless access, with each network device performing some of the functions of the base station. Figure 2 The implementation of network devices is illustrated illustratively. For example, network devices can be (or include) a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU), etc. CUs and DUs can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). CU and DU nodes separate the protocol layers of the gNB. Some protocol layer functions are centrally controlled by the CU, while the remaining partial or complete protocol layer functions are distributed in the DU, which is centrally controlled by the CU. As one implementation, the CU deploys the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer, PDCP layer, and Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer from the protocol stack; the DU deploys the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, Media Access Control (MAC) layer, and Physical Layer (PHY) from the protocol stack. Therefore, the CU has RRC, PDCP, and SDAP processing capabilities. The DU has RLC, MAC, and PHY processing capabilities. It is understood that the above functional division is merely an example and does not constitute a limitation on the CU and DU. The RU may be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radiohead (RRH).

[0125] 3) Core network equipment refers to the equipment (or network elements or functional entities) in the core network (CN) that provide service support for terminals. Figure 3 This diagram illustrates a possible device (or network element) within a network core (CN), which may include AMF, SMF, UPF, PCF, DUM, AUSF, AF, NEF, DN, NWDAF, NRF, SCP, etc., where:

[0126] The Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) entity's main functions include managing user registration, reachability detection, SMF node selection, and mobility state transition management.

[0127] The Session Management Function (SMF) entity's main functions are to control the creation, modification, and deletion of sessions, as well as the selection of user plane nodes.

[0128] User plane function (UPF) primarily enables packet routing and forwarding, mobility anchors, uplink classifiers to support routing traffic to the data network, and branch points to support multi-homed PDU sessions.

[0129] The Policy Control Function (PCF) entity's main function is to act as a policy decision point, providing rules based on business data flow and application detection, gating, QoS, and flow-based billing control.

[0130] The Unified Data Management (UDM) entity's main function is to store user-subscribed data.

[0131] The Authentication Server Function (AUSF) entity's main function is to provide authentication services.

[0132] The Application Function (AF) entity's main function is to interact with the 3GPP core network to provide services and influence service flow routing, access network capability exposure, policy control, etc.

[0133] The Network Exposure Function (NEF) entity securely exposes services and capabilities provided by 3GPP network functions, such as third parties, edge computing, and AF.

[0134] Data network (DN), such as carrier services, internet access, or third-party services.

[0135] The Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) entity provides network data collection and analysis capabilities based on technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence.

[0136] Service Communication Proxy (SCP) is a distributed solution consisting of a control plane and a data plane. This solution can be deployed with 5G Network Functions (NFs) to provide routing control, resilience, and observability for the core network.

[0137] The Network Repository Function (NRF) entity supports service discovery. It receives a network element discovery request from another network element function or Service Communication Agent (SCP) and can provide feedback on the discovered network element function. This network element function is also responsible for maintaining information on available network functions and the services they support.

[0138] It should be noted that in this application, an entity can also be referred to as a network element or a functional entity. For example, an AMF entity can also be referred to as an AMF network element or an AMF functional entity, and an SMF entity can also be referred to as an SMF network element or an SMF functional entity, etc.

[0139] As mentioned earlier, one possible form of RAN 100 in this application embodiment is O-RAN (also known as ORAN). For ease of understanding, O-RAN will be described in detail here. O-RAN aims to realize an intelligent and open access network. The main feature of the O-RAN architecture is the separation of software and hardware, realizing the virtualization of network functions and the standardization of hardware. In addition, O-RAN also introduces artificial intelligence (AI). Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of an O-RAN architecture provided in an embodiment of this application. In an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (Open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. 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. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of software and hardware modules.

[0140] The mapping between O-RAN network devices (such as access network devices) and their achievable protocol layer functions can be found in Table 1 below:

[0141] Table 1

[0142]

[0143]

[0144] like Figure 5 As shown in the illustration, this application further provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device chip (for example only). This chip may include a platform distinguished as CU, DU, and RU, with the CU performing upper-layer L2 and L3 functions. Midhaul and backhaul interfaces are used to carry traffic between the CU and DU, as well as between the CU and the core network. The DU performs L1 and some L2 functions, while the RU performs L1 computation and radio frequency (RF) digital functions. Fronthaul and backhaul interfaces are used to carry traffic between the RU and DU, as well as between the CU and DU. An integrated DU includes the aforementioned DU and RU functions.

[0145] CU or DU hardware may include a chassis platform, motherboard, peripherals, and cooling system. The motherboard contains processing units, memory, internal I / O interfaces, and external connection ports. Its hardware accelerator is designed with interfaces, and hardware functional components include: storage for software, hardware, and system debugging interfaces, and a single-board management controller.

[0146] DU systems are typically implemented using multi-core processors and one or more hardware accelerators. Parts of the DU protocol stack can be implemented in software running on the multi-core processor; computationally intensive L1 and L2 functions can be offloaded to hardware accelerators based on Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) or Graphics Processing Units (GPUs); or all L1 functions can be offloaded to FPGA- or GPU-based hardware accelerators, while other protocol stack components are implemented in software running on the processor; or the entire protocol stack can be implemented in software running on the processor. Hardware accelerators support interconnection with x86 or non-x86 processors. Similarly, accelerators have multi-channel PCIe interfaces pointing to the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and external connections via Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) connections.

[0147] The RU consists of three parts: (1) The O-RAN Processing Unit (OPU) receives enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI) frames from the O-RAN fronthaul and performs fronthaul interface, L1 layer (coding, scrambling, modulation, layer mapping, precoding), synchronization, beamforming, and resource unit mapping. The OPU can be implemented as a CPU, FPGA, or Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). (2) The O-RU's Digital Processing Unit (DPU) performs synchronization, DDC (digital downconversion in UL), DUC (digital upconversion in DL), crest factor reduction (CFR), and digital pre-distortion (DPD) to improve power amplifier efficiency by reducing the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) or adjacent channel leakage power ratio (ACLR) of the RF front end; the DPU can be implemented as an FPGA or ASIC. (3) The O-RU's RF processing unit includes a transceiver module, up / down converters, power amplifiers (PA), low-noise amplifiers (LNA), Tx / Rx filters, etc. All conversions between the analog and digital domains, including DAC and ADC, can be performed within the transceiver module; for example, RF sampling, frequency conversion using a mix of radio frequency (RF), intermediate frequency (IF), and local oscillator (LO) during up-conversion and down-conversion, can be performed within the transceiver module. Note that physical and logical partitions within the RF processing unit do not require specific boundaries.

[0148] like Figure 6 As shown in the illustration, this application embodiment further provides a structural schematic diagram of a terminal chip (for example only). The terminal chip can be baseband hardware and can be implemented using a processing system including one or more processors.

[0149] Baseband can be implemented using a processing system that includes one or more processors. Processors include microprocessors (e.g., x86, ARM), microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), GPUs, programmable logic devices (PLDs), state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform various functions. In other words, the processors used in baseband can be used to implement the processes described below and any one or more of those processes.

[0150] A processing system can be implemented using a bus architecture, typically represented by a bus. A bus can include any number of interconnect buses and bridges, depending on the specific application and overall design constraints of the processing system. The bus communicatively couples various circuits together, including one or more processors (typically represented by a processor), memory, and computer-readable media (typically represented by a computer-readable media). The bus can also link various other circuits, such as timing sources, peripherals, voltage regulators, and power management circuits, which are well known in the art and therefore will not be described further. The bus interface provides the interface between the bus and transceivers, and between the bus and the interface.

[0151] A transceiver provides a communication interface or means for communicating with various other devices via a wireless transmission medium. The transceiver may be coupled to an antenna array, and the transceiver and antenna array may be used together for communication with a corresponding network type. At least one interface (e.g., a network interface and / or a user interface) provides a communication interface or means for communication via an internal bus or via an external transmission medium.

[0152] The processor is responsible for managing the bus and general processing, including executing software stored on a computer-readable medium. When the processor executes the software, the software causes the processing system to perform the various functions described below for any particular device.

[0153] The functions that can be implemented by the processor, memory, and computer-readable medium may include: encoding, decoding, rate matching, rate dematching, scrambling, descrambling, modulation, demodulation, layer mapping, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), and Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT), precoding, Resource Element (RE) mapping, channel equalization, RE demapping, digital beamforming (BF), adding a cyclic prefix (CP), removing CP, etc.

[0154] This application primarily focuses on the transmission and search of SSBs. Besides its application in 5G communication, SSBs may also be used in other communication technologies in the future. To better understand the improvements of this application's embodiments, several technical concepts related to SSBs are first introduced below:

[0155] (1) Synchronization signal burst set (SSB Burst Set). The period of SSB Burst Set can be divided into 6 types: 5ms, 10ms, 20ms, 40ms, 80ms, and 160ms. Here, ms represents milliseconds. During cell search, it is assumed that the period is 20ms. Subsequently, the period of SSB Burst Set can be configured in the signaling service cell common configuration information (ServingCellConfigCommon) through the serving cell SSB indication information (ssb-periodicityServingCell) parameter, and it is specified that the beam in SSB Burst Set is sent within the first 5ms of its period.

[0156] Currently, for the time-domain distribution of SSBs within an SSB Burst Set, Release 15 specifies five time-domain patterns: Case A, Case B, Case C, Case D, and Case E. Case A, Case B, and Case C specify patterns within the FR1 frequency band, while Case D and Case E specify patterns within the FR2 frequency band. FR1 and FR2 are two main divisions of the 5G NR band; FR1 can also be referred to as the Sub-6G band, and FR2 as the millimeter-wave band. The following is a description of each of these five time-domain patterns:

[0157] Case A indicates that the SSB subcarrier spacing is 15kHz, and the index of the first symbol of the candidate SSB in the time domain satisfies {2,8}+14*n. If the cell frequency is less than or equal to 3GHz, n=0,1; if the cell frequency is greater than 3GHz and less than or equal to 6GHz, then n=0,1,2,3.

[0158] Case B indicates that the SSB subcarrier spacing is 30kHz, and the index of the first symbol of the candidate SSB in the time domain satisfies {4,8,16,20}+28*n. If the cell frequency is less than or equal to 3GHz, n=0; if the cell frequency is greater than 3GHz and less than or equal to 6GHz, n=0,1.

[0159] Case C indicates that the SSB subcarrier spacing is 30kHz, and the index of the first symbol of the candidate SSB in the time domain satisfies {2,8}+14*n. If the cell frequency is less than or equal to 3GHz, n=0,1; if the cell frequency is greater than 3GHz and less than or equal to 6GHz, n=0,1,2,3.

[0160] Case D indicates that the SSB subcarrier spacing is 120kHz, and the index of the first symbol of the candidate SSB in the time domain satisfies {4,8,16,20}+28*n. If the cell frequency is greater than 6GHz, n=0,1,2,3,5,6,7,8,10,11,12,13,15,16,17,18.

[0161] Case E indicates that the SSB subcarrier spacing is 240kHz, and the index of the first symbol of the candidate SSB in the time domain satisfies {8,12,16,20,32,36,40,44}+56*n. If the cell frequency is greater than 6GHz, n=0,1,2,3,5,6,7,8.

[0162] (2) Global synchronization channel number (GSCN): A GSCN can indicate an SSB frequency location, and a GSCN can be associated with an absolute radiofrequency channel number (ARFCN). For example, the association between SSB frequency locations and GSCNs can be shown in Table 2.

[0163] Table 2

[0164]

[0165] Referring to Table 2, the GSCN range corresponding to each frequency band can be determined. For example, Table 3 provides examples of New Radio (NR) operation bands and GSCN ranges.

[0166] Table 3

[0167]

[0168] In Table 3, n91, n92, etc. are frequency band numbers. Table 3 is just an example. The NR operating frequency band may also include other frequency bands, which will not be listed here.

[0169] Referring to Table 3, taking the n104 frequency band as an example, the first GSCN in its associated GSCN range is 9882, and the other GSCNs increase in increments of 7, with the last GSCN being 10358. That is, the GSCN range corresponding to frequency band n104 is from 9882 to 10358. Within this GSCN range, the frequencies corresponding to the GSCNs starting from the first GSCN and increasing in increments of 7 are potential SSB transmission frequencies. For example, the frequency corresponding to GSCN = 9882 is a potential SSB transmission frequency, the frequency corresponding to GSCN = 9882 + 7 = 9889 is a potential SSB transmission frequency, while the frequency corresponding to GSCN = 9883 is not a potential SSB transmission frequency. A potential SSB transmission frequency can be understood as a frequency on which network devices deployed in this area can choose to transmit SSB. The terminal (such as UE) can search for the specified frequency band (or frequency point) one by one from low frequency to high frequency according to the GSCN order, with the step size of each search being the preset step size of the current frequency band.

[0170] Please see Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. This method can be based on... Figure 1 The architecture shown can also be implemented based on other architectures, and the method includes, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0171] Step S701: The first communication device transmits a synchronization signal block SSB at a first frequency point in the first frequency band.

[0172] Specifically, the first communication device may be the aforementioned network device or a module (such as a chip) within the network device.

[0173] Step S702: The second communication device detects the synchronization signal block SSB at the first frequency point in the first frequency band.

[0174] Specifically, the second communication device can be a terminal or a module (such as a chip) in the terminal.

[0175] The definition and configuration of the first frequency band and the first frequency point can be the same on the second communication device side and the first communication device side.

[0176] In this embodiment of the application, the first frequency band refers to a segment of frequency domain resources. For example, the NR working frequency bands include n91, n92, n94, n102, n104, etc., so the first frequency band can be one of the frequency bands (or frequency bands). In fact, the first frequency band is not limited to the working frequency band in NR, but can also be a frequency band in other communication scenarios.

[0177] Furthermore, it's possible that more than one frequency band can be used to transmit and detect Synchronization Signal Blocks (SSBs). That is, multiple frequency bands may be part of the first frequency band; for example, the frequency bands corresponding to n102 and n104 are both part of the first frequency band. For the first communication device, there are multiple frequency points on the first frequency band used for transmitting SSBs. This first frequency band is a relatively wide-granularity frequency domain resource, while a frequency point is a narrower-granularity frequency domain resource within the first frequency band. The first communication device can select all or some of these frequency points to actually transmit SSBs based on its own needs or instructions from other network elements. The aforementioned first frequency point is one of the multiple frequency points used for transmitting SSBs. For the second communication device, there are multiple frequency points on the first frequency band used for detecting SSBs. The second communication device can select all or some of these frequency points to actually detect SSBs based on its own needs or instructions from other network elements. The aforementioned first frequency point is one of the multiple frequency points used for detecting SSBs.

[0178] In this embodiment of the application, the step size between any two adjacent frequency points among the plurality of frequency points used to transmit SSB is greater than or equal to 2.88 MHz. In an optional implementation, the step size is n*2.88 MHz, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0179] Figure 8 Part (a) illustrates the case with a step size of 2.88 MHz.

[0180] Figure 8 Part (b) illustrates the case with a step size of 5.76 MHz.

[0181] Figure 8 Part (c) illustrates the case with a step size of 11.52MHz.

[0182] certainly, Figure 8 The examples shown are merely illustrations, and the actual situation is not limited to those listed here.

[0183] It should be noted that, for the first communication device, each of the multiple frequencies used to transmit SSBs has an assumed (or configured) SSB transmission period. Based on this SSB period, many opportunities to transmit SSBs can be determined. Since not every SSB transmission opportunity necessarily results in an actual SSB transmission, the SSB period used to determine the transmission opportunity is actually an assumed SSB transmission period. It should be noted that the specific opportunity at which an SSB is actually transmitted depends on the specific requirements and implementation of the first communication device, and no restrictions are imposed here. For the second communication device, each of the multiple frequencies used to transmit SSBs corresponds to (or is configured) an SSB detection period. Based on this SSB period, many opportunities to detect SSBs can be determined. Since not every SSB detection opportunity necessarily results in an actual SSB transmission, the SSB period used to determine the detection opportunity is actually an assumed SSB detection period. It should be noted that the specific opportunity at which an SSB is actually detected depends on the specific requirements and implementation of the second communication device, and no restrictions are imposed here.

[0184] In this embodiment of the application, the period of transmitting SSB on the first frequency point is greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds; in an optional implementation, the period of SSB is m*40 milliseconds, where m is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0185] Figure 9 Part (a) illustrates the case where the SSB period is 40ms.

[0186] Figure 9 Part (b) illustrates the case where the SSB period is 80ms.

[0187] Figure 9 Part (c) illustrates the case where the SSB period is 160ms.

[0188] In this application embodiment, the various cases of the step size between any two adjacent frequency points can be combined with the various cases of the SSB period to form multiple combined implementation methods. For ease of understanding, several optional combination methods are listed below:

[0189] Figure 10 Part (a) refers to the case where the step size is 2.88 MHz and the period of the SSB is 40 milliseconds.

[0190] Figure 10 Part (b) refers to the case where the step size is 5.76 MHz and the period of the SSB is 80 milliseconds.

[0191] Figure 10 Part (c) refers to the case where the step size is 11.52 MHz and the period of the SSB is 160 milliseconds.

[0192] Of course, there are also cases where the step size is 2.88 MHz and the period of the SSB is 80 milliseconds, or where the step size is 5.66 MHz and the period of the SSB is 160 milliseconds, as well as other combinations.

[0193] In fact, there are many other ways to combine the frequency step size with the SSB period, which will not be listed here.

[0194] In one alternative scheme, the minimum bandwidth of the first frequency band is greater than or equal to r*20.16 MHz, where r is an integer greater than or equal to 1. Table 4 illustrates the channel bandwidth of each frequency band in NR. It can be seen that the frequency band represented by n104, with a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of 15 kHz, has bandwidth options of 3 MHz, 5 MHz, 10 MHz, 15 MHz, 20 MHz, 25 MHz, 30 MHz, 35 MHz, 40 MHz, 45 MHz, 50 MHz, 60 MHz, 70 MHz, 80 MHz, 90 MHz, and 100 MHz. In some application scenarios, there are usually constraints on the minimum bandwidth that can be selected for a frequency band. For example, although there are many options listed above, the actual minimum selectable bandwidth may be 20 MHz. Therefore, the embodiments of this application also limit the minimum bandwidth that can be selected for the first frequency band, specifically, the minimum bandwidth of the first band is greater than or equal to r*20.16 MHz, where r is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0195] Table 4: NR: Channel bandwidth of frequency band

[0196]

[0197] In one case, the step size is 2.88 MHz, and the minimum bandwidth of the first frequency band is 25 MHz.

[0198] In another case, the step size is 5.76 MHz, and the minimum bandwidth of the first frequency band is 45 MHz.

[0199] In another case, the step size is 11.52MHz, and the minimum bandwidth of the first frequency band is 90MHz. For this case, the internal logic of setting the minimum bandwidth of the first frequency band to 90MHz will be illustrated here (the principle is the same for other cases), such as... Figure 11As shown, the minimum bandwidth is determined based on the principle that the sum of the GSCN spacing and SSB bandwidth should not exceed the minimum bandwidth (i.e., GSCN spacing + SSB bandwidth <= minimum bandwidth). With a step size of 11.52MHz, the GSCN spacing is 11.52MHz * 7 = 80.64MHz, and the SSB bandwidth is 7.2MHz. Therefore, the GSCN spacing + SSB bandwidth = 87.74MHz. Based on Table 4 above, 90MHz can be chosen as the minimum bandwidth. Of course, 100MHz can also be chosen; no specific limitation is made here. Figure 11 The following example illustrates the process using 90MHz. It should be noted that the SSB bandwidth is not necessarily 7.2MHz; it could be 3.6MHz, 14.44MHz, or other values. Therefore, the sum of the GSCN spacing and the SSB bandwidth may vary, and different values ​​of the GSCN spacing and SSB bandwidth will correspond to different minimum bandwidth requirements.

[0200] In fact, there are many other ways to combine step size and minimum bandwidth, which will not be listed here.

[0201] It should be noted that the minimum bandwidth option is not limited to the cases listed in Table 4. For example, the minimum bandwidth options may also include 120MHz, 130MHz, 140MHz, 85MHz, 84MHz, etc. The specific option can be selected according to actual needs and configuration.

[0202] The process of SSB detection by the second communication device is illustrated here with an example, taking the UE as the second communication device. When the UE powers on, it performs blind SSB detection at the first frequency point in the first frequency band. For example, a sliding window mechanism can be used, which records signals for multiple consecutive time units. The time unit can be a symbol, a slot, or a millisecond (ms). Optionally, every other time unit, the earliest recorded signal is discarded to retain the signal of the latest time unit. The time for blind SSB detection at the first frequency point according to the sliding window (i.e., the SSB period) can be m*40 milliseconds, such as 40ms, 80ms, or 160ms, etc.

[0203] To facilitate understanding, the relationship between the location of the SSB detection frequency point (or frequency), GSCN, and GSCN range in the embodiments of this application is illustrated below with reference to Table 5. Assuming the first frequency band is the band corresponding to n104, taking the frequency range of n104 as an example, if the step size is 11.52MHz, then the value range of N in the frequency range of the first frequency band (with n104) becomes 1:1844, and the GSCN range also becomes 7499-9343. Therefore, the GSCN range in the frequency range corresponding to 24250-100000MHz also becomes 9344-13727. Furthermore, considering the relationship between the GSCN interval and the minimum bandwidth, to ensure that the location of the SSB detection frequency point is still within the carrier bandwidth, the minimum bandwidth of the band is considered to be set to 90MHz or 100MHz.

[0204] Table 5

[0205]

[0206] Step S703: If the second communication device detects an SSB on the first frequency point, the second communication device parses the detected SSB.

[0207] Specifically, after detecting an SSB, the SSB is parsed to obtain first indication information. This first indication information indicates the offset between the SSB and the resource block grid in the frequency domain, and needs to point to common resource block 0 (CRB0). Optionally, this first indication information is in the MIB, i.e., the MIB is obtained by parsing from the SSB, and the MIB contains the first indication information. This first indication information can also have other names, such as ssb-SubcarrierOffset or offsetToPointA. In this embodiment, considering that the above step size is relatively large and the total number of GSCN frequency points is relatively sparse, an appropriate unit can be configured for the offset according to the sparsity of the GSCN frequency points to make reasonable use of frequency domain resources and improve communication performance. The unit of the offset is illustrated below:

[0208] For example, within the FR1 frequency band, the unit of the offset is greater than or equal to 30 kHz. Optionally, the unit of the offset can be expressed as s*30 kHz, where s is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0209] For example, within the FR2 frequency band, the unit of the offset is greater than or equal to 120 kHz. Optionally, the unit of the offset can be expressed as s*120 kHz.

[0210] Furthermore, the offset can be configured specifically for different step sizes, as illustrated below:

[0211] For example, within the FR1 frequency band,

[0212] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 30 kHz, or...

[0213] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 60 kHz, or...

[0214] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz, or...

[0215] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 60 kHz, or...

[0216] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz, or...

[0217] The step size is 11.52 MHz, the offset is in units of 30 kHz, and so on.

[0218] For example, within the FR2 frequency band,

[0219] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz, or...

[0220] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 240 kHz, or...

[0221] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the offset is in units of 480 kHz, or...

[0222] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 240 kHz, or...

[0223] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 480 kHz, or...

[0224] The step size is 11.52 MHz, the offset is in units of 120 kHz, and so on.

[0225] It should be noted that in practical applications, the combinations are not limited to those mentioned above.

[0226] like Figure 12 As shown, compared to the offset between SSB and resource block grid in the frequency domain in other scenarios, the offset designed in this application embodiment is larger, usually more than twice the offset in other scenarios.

[0227] Once the offset is obtained, the starting position of the resource block grid in the frequency domain can be determined using this offset.

[0228] Step S704: If the second communication device does not detect an SSB at the first frequency point, then it detects an SSB at the second frequency point in the first frequency band.

[0229] The first frequency point mentioned above is one of the multiple frequency points used to detect SSB. The period of SSB detection on the second frequency point has the same properties as the period of SSB detection on the first frequency point mentioned above, so it will not be described again here.

[0230] It is understandable that the first communication device may transmit SSB on one or more different frequency points. The second communication device cannot know which frequency point(s) the first communication device is transmitting SSB on. However, the second communication device knows (for example, according to the protocol) the pattern of the frequency points used by the first communication device. For example, the frequency belongs to a set of frequency points that meet a certain pattern (this concept may not actually exist). Therefore, the terminal performs blind detection on each frequency point in the set of frequency points until an SSB is detected. This process may involve blind detection on multiple frequency points before an SSB is actually detected. Of course, it is also possible to detect an SSB in one go. If an SSB is detected, the detection stops. If no SSB is detected, the detection continues or terminates when a certain condition is met.

[0231] In this embodiment of the application, when the second communication device is a chip in the terminal, the second communication device may include a frequency point search module and an SSB parsing module, such as... Figure 13 As shown, (1) the frequency search module is designed to perform time and frequency searches for the SSB (Synchronization Signal Block). Its hardware includes a high-performance DSP (Digital Signal Processor) and RF (Radio Frequency) front end, while its software is responsible for controlling the algorithm of the frequency search. For example, assuming the first frequency band is the n104 band, the SSB subcarrier spacing is 30kHz, the SSB pattern is Case C, the GSCN range is from 9882 to 10358, and the step size can be set to 11.52MHz, the SSB search is performed based on this premise. Figure 13 The following is an example of the frequency search module finding an SSB on the frequency corresponding to GSCN3. (2) The SSB parsing module is responsible for parsing the SSB message, including the offset in the first indication information (such as offsetToPointA), and finding CRB0 based on this offset. Since Figure 13 In the illustrated example, the frequency search module finds the SSB at the frequency corresponding to GSCN3, and therefore the SSB parsing module parses the SSB. Optionally, the functional modules exchange data through internal buses and interfaces to ensure efficient collaborative operation of the entire chip system.

[0232] In one possible implementation, the SSB period can be determined or dynamically adjusted based on network load and connection status, thereby improving the access efficiency of terminals (such as UEs) while ensuring energy saving.

[0233] In one possible implementation, different step sizes and minimum bandwidth configurations can be adopted according to the characteristics of different frequency bands (i.e., according to the characteristics of the first frequency band) to adapt to the propagation characteristics of different frequency bands, such as different processing methods for FR1 and FR2.

[0234] In one possible implementation, collaborative searching (i.e., concurrent searching) can be performed using multiple frequency points to reduce the search time per frequency point and improve the efficiency of terminal (e.g., UE) searching for SSB.

[0235] In one possible implementation, SSB location information can be pre-configured, for example, by pre-configuring SSB location information on the network side, to reduce the blind search time of the terminal (such as UE) and improve the efficiency of searching for SSBs.

[0236] In one possible implementation, the terminal (such as the UE) can utilize spectrum sensing technology to identify potential available frequency bands more quickly, thereby reducing unnecessary searches and improving the efficiency of searching for SSBs.

[0237] The embodiments of this application can be applied to many scenarios. Some scenarios have already been briefly introduced above, and a few more scenarios are listed here:

[0238] For example, in the Internet of Things (IoT): In IoT scenarios, there are a large number of terminals and strict power consumption requirements. The method in this application embodiment can reduce the time and power consumption of terminals searching for SSBs.

[0239] For example, millimeter-wave communication: In millimeter-wave communication, the frequency band is higher and the bandwidth is wider. By increasing the GSCN interval and minimum bandwidth, the complexity of the terminal searching for SSB can be effectively reduced.

[0240] For example, in 5G private networks, the network environment is relatively fixed. By optimizing the SSB search strategy, the network deployment efficiency and user experience can be improved.

[0241] For example, Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X): In C-V2X, terminals (such as vehicles) need to quickly access the network. By optimizing the SSB search strategy, the access latency of vehicles can be reduced, and security and reliability can be improved.

[0242] exist Figure 7In the described method, the SSB transmission (and detection) period is set to greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds. This period is relatively long in the application scenario of SSB, thus ensuring that the SSB transmission frequency is at a relatively low level, thereby controlling the energy consumption of network equipment (such as base stations) in transmitting SSB. At the same time, considering that the detection time of the terminal (such as UE) in each frequency band will be longer when the SSB transmission period is relatively long, and the complexity of SSB detection will also increase, the step size of the frequency point used for SSB detection is specifically set to greater than or equal to 2.88 MHz, so that the number of frequency points for terminal SSB detection is controlled within a relatively small range. On the one hand, this can, to some extent (or completely) offset the problem of long total detection time caused by the long SSB detection period, and on the other hand, it can, to some extent (or completely) offset the problem of high complexity of SSB detection caused by the long SSB detection period.

[0243] The following describes the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0244] This application divides the communication device into functional modules according to the above-described method embodiments. For example, each function can be divided into its own functional modules, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated modules can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules. It should be noted that the module division in this application is illustrative and represents only one logical functional division; other division methods may be used in actual implementation. The following will combine... Figures 14 to 16 The communication device of the present application embodiment is described in detail.

[0245] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 14 As shown, the communication device includes a processing module 1801 and a transceiver module 1802. The transceiver module 1802 can implement corresponding communication functions, while the processing module 1801 is used for data processing. The transceiver module 1802 can also be referred to as an interface, a communication interface, or a communication module, etc.

[0246] In some embodiments of this application, the communication device can be used to perform the actions performed by the terminal in the above method embodiments. For example, the communication device can be the terminal itself or a chip or functional module configurable in the terminal. In still other embodiments of this application, the communication device can be used to perform the actions performed by the network device in the above method embodiments. For example, the communication device can be the network device itself or a chip or functional module configurable in the network device. Specifically, the transceiver module 1802 is used to perform the transceiver-related operations in the above method embodiments, and the processing module 1801 is used to perform the processing-related operations in the above method embodiments. The processing module 1801 can perform corresponding operations by calling a computer program or by performing corresponding operations through corresponding hardware circuits. The transceiver module 1802 can perform transceiver operations independently or under the control of the processing module 1801.

[0247] For example, Figure 14 The communication device shown can be a terminal or a device within a terminal (e.g., a chip; for ease of distinction, this chip can be referred to as the first chip). The processing module 1801 and the transceiver module 1802 in this communication device can respectively perform the following operations:

[0248] The transceiver module 1802 detects a synchronization signal block (SSB) at a first frequency point in a first frequency band. The first frequency band includes multiple frequency points, and the step size between any two adjacent frequency points is greater than or equal to 2.88 MHz. The first frequency point belongs to one of the multiple frequency points. The period for detecting the SSB at the first frequency point is greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds.

[0249] If an SSB is detected at the first frequency point, the processing module 1801 analyzes the detected SSB.

[0250] In the above method, the SSB transmission (and detection) period is set to greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds. This period is relatively long in the application scenario of SSB, thus ensuring that the SSB transmission frequency is at a relatively low level, thereby controlling the energy consumption of network equipment (such as base stations) in transmitting SSB. At the same time, considering that the detection time of the terminal (such as UE) in each frequency band will be longer when the SSB transmission period is relatively long, and the complexity of SSB detection will also increase, the step size of the frequency point used for SSB detection is specifically set to greater than or equal to 2.88 MHz, so that the number of frequency points for terminal SSB detection is controlled within a relatively small range. On the one hand, this can offset the problem of long total detection time caused by the long SSB detection period to a certain extent (or completely); on the other hand, it can also offset the problem of high complexity of SSB detection caused by the long SSB detection period to a certain extent (or completely).

[0251] In one possible implementation, the step size is n*2.88 MHz, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0252] In one possible implementation, the period of the SSB is m*40 milliseconds, where m is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0253] In one possible implementation:

[0254] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 40 milliseconds, or...

[0255] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 80 milliseconds, or...

[0256] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 160 milliseconds.

[0257] In one possible implementation, the minimum bandwidth of the first frequency band is greater than or equal to r*20.16 MHz, where r is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0258] In this approach, with constraints on the step size, the minimum bandwidth is set according to the step size, making it a relatively large value, thereby further reducing the number of frequency points that the terminal (such as UE) needs to search, and improving the network search efficiency of the terminal.

[0259] In one possible implementation, the step size is 2.88, and the minimum bandwidth is 25 MHz, or...

[0260] The step size is 5.76, and the minimum bandwidth is 45 MHz, or...

[0261] The step size is 11.52, and the minimum bandwidth is 90 MHz.

[0262] In one possible implementation, the detected SSB includes first indication information, which indicates the offset of the SSB from the resource block grid in the frequency domain.

[0263] Within the FR1 frequency band, the unit of the offset is greater than or equal to 30 kHz;

[0264] Within the FR2 frequency band, the unit of the offset is greater than or equal to 120 kHz.

[0265] In this approach, by increasing the unit of the offset (such as offsetToPointA), the terminal (such as UE) can accurately find the SSB over a wider bandwidth range, further optimizing the search complexity and efficiency of the terminal (such as UE).

[0266] In one possible implementation,

[0267] Within the FR1 frequency band, the unit of the offset is s*30 kHz, where s is an integer greater than or equal to 1;

[0268] Within the FR2 frequency band, the unit of the offset is s*120 kHz.

[0269] In one possible implementation,

[0270] Within the FR1 frequency band

[0271] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 30 kHz, or...

[0272] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 60 kHz, or...

[0273] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz.

[0274] Within the FR2 frequency band

[0275] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz, or...

[0276] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 240 kHz, or...

[0277] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the offset is in units of 480 kHz.

[0278] In one possible implementation, the method is applied during the cell search process.

[0279] One possible implementation also includes:

[0280] If no SSB is detected at the first frequency point, the transceiver module 1802 detects the SSB at a second frequency point in the first frequency band, where the second frequency point belongs to one of the plurality of frequency points; the period for detecting the SSB at the second frequency point is greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds.

[0281] If an SSB is detected at the second frequency point, the processing module 1801 analyzes the detected SSB.

[0282] Reuse Figure 14In other embodiments of this application, exemplarily, Figure 14 The communication device shown can be a network device or a component within a network device. The processing module 1801 and the transceiver module 1802 in this communication device can respectively perform the following operations:

[0283] Processing module 1801 generates SSB and / or determines (or selects) the first frequency band and the first frequency point on the first frequency band;

[0284] The transceiver module 1802 transmits a synchronization signal block (SSB) at a first frequency point. The first frequency band includes multiple frequency points, and the step size between any two adjacent frequency points is greater than or equal to 2.88 MHz. The first frequency point belongs to one of the multiple frequency points. The period for detecting the SSB at the first frequency point is greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds.

[0285] In the above method, the SSB transmission (and detection) period is set to greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds. This period is relatively long in the application scenario of SSB, thus ensuring that the SSB transmission frequency is at a relatively low level, thereby controlling the energy consumption of network equipment (such as base stations) in transmitting SSB. At the same time, considering that the detection time of the terminal (such as UE) in each frequency band will be longer when the SSB transmission period is relatively long, and the complexity of SSB detection will also increase, the step size of the frequency point used for SSB detection is specifically set to greater than or equal to 2.88 MHz, so that the number of frequency points for terminal SSB detection is controlled within a relatively small range. On the one hand, this can offset the problem of long total detection time caused by the long SSB detection period to a certain extent (or completely); on the other hand, it can also offset the problem of high complexity of SSB detection caused by the long SSB detection period to a certain extent (or completely).

[0286] In one possible implementation, the step size is n*2.88 MHz, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0287] In one possible implementation, the period of the SSB is m*40 milliseconds, where m is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0288] In one possible implementation:

[0289] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 40 milliseconds, or...

[0290] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 80 milliseconds, or...

[0291] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 160 milliseconds.

[0292] In one possible implementation, the minimum bandwidth of the first frequency band is greater than or equal to r*20.16 MHz, where r is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0293] In this approach, with constraints on the step size, the minimum bandwidth is set according to the step size, making it a relatively large value, thereby further reducing the number of frequency points that the terminal (such as UE) needs to search, and improving the network search efficiency of the terminal.

[0294] In one possible implementation, the step size is 2.88, and the minimum bandwidth is 25 MHz, or...

[0295] The step size is 5.76, and the minimum bandwidth is 45 MHz, or...

[0296] The step size is 11.52, and the minimum bandwidth is 90 MHz.

[0297] In one possible implementation, the detected SSB includes first indication information, which indicates the offset of the SSB from the resource block grid in the frequency domain.

[0298] Within the FR1 frequency band, the unit of the offset is greater than or equal to 30 kHz;

[0299] Within the FR2 frequency band, the unit of the offset is greater than or equal to 120 kHz.

[0300] In this approach, by increasing the unit of the offset (such as offsetToPointA), the terminal (such as UE) can accurately find the SSB over a wider bandwidth range, further optimizing the search complexity and efficiency of the terminal (such as UE).

[0301] In one possible implementation,

[0302] Within the FR1 frequency band, the unit of the offset is s*30 kHz, where s is an integer greater than or equal to 1;

[0303] Within the FR2 frequency band, the unit of the offset is s*120 kHz.

[0304] In one possible implementation,

[0305] Within the FR1 frequency band

[0306] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 30 kHz, or...

[0307] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 60 kHz, or...

[0308] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz.

[0309] Within the FR2 frequency band

[0310] The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz, or...

[0311] The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 240 kHz, or...

[0312] The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the offset is in units of 480 kHz.

[0313] In one possible implementation, the method is applied during the cell search process.

[0314] One possible implementation also includes:

[0315] If no SSB is detected at the first frequency point, the transceiver module 1802 detects the SSB at a second frequency point in the first frequency band, where the second frequency point belongs to one of the plurality of frequency points; the period for detecting the SSB at the second frequency point is greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds.

[0316] If an SSB is detected at the second frequency point, the processing module 1801 analyzes the detected SSB.

[0317] The specific descriptions of the transceiver module and processing module shown in the above embodiments are merely examples. For the specific functions or execution steps of the transceiver module and processing module, please refer to the above method embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0318] The communication device according to the embodiments of this application has been described above. The following describes the possible product forms of the communication device. Any device possessing the above-described... Figure 14 Any form of product that incorporates the functionality of the aforementioned communication device falls within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0319] The following description is for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the product form of the communication device in the embodiments of this application.

[0320] In one possible implementation, Figure 14In the communication device shown, the processing module 1801 can be one or more processors, and the transceiver module 1802 can be a transceiver, or the transceiver module 1802 can also be a transmitting module and a receiving module. The transmitting module can be a transmitter, and the receiving module can be a receiver. The transmitting module and the receiving module are integrated into one device, such as a transceiver. In the embodiments of this application, the processor and the transceiver can be coupled, etc., and the connection method between the processor and the transceiver is not limited in the embodiments of this application. In the process of executing the above method, the process of sending information in the above method can be the process of the processor outputting the above information. When outputting the above information, the processor outputs the above information to the transceiver so that the transceiver can transmit it. After the above information is output by the processor, it may need to undergo other processing before reaching the transceiver. Similarly, the process of receiving information in the above method can be the process of the processor receiving the above information input. When the processor receives the input information, the transceiver receives the above information and inputs it into the processor. Furthermore, after the transceiver receives the above information, the above information may need to undergo other processing before being input into the processor.

[0321] like Figure 15 As shown, the communication device 190 includes one or more processors 1920 and transceivers 1910. Exemplarily, the transceiver 1910 is used to perform actions such as... Figure 14 The transceiver module 1802 shown implements the functions or steps, and the processor 1920 is used to execute such functions or steps. Figure 14 The processing module 1801 shown illustrates the functions or steps implemented by this module. For detailed information on the processor 1920 and transceiver 1910, please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 14 Alternatively, the method embodiments shown above will not be described in detail here.

[0322] The descriptions of the relevant steps and information in the above embodiments can be found in the descriptions of the method embodiments above, and will not be detailed here.

[0323] exist Figure 15 In various implementations of the communication apparatus shown, the transceiver may include a receiver for performing a receiving function (or operation) and a transmitter for performing a transmitting function (or operation). The transceiver is also used to communicate with other devices / appliances via a transmission medium.

[0324] Optionally, the communication device 190 may further include one or more memories 1930 for storing program instructions and / or data. The memory 1930 is coupled to the processor 1920. 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 1920 may operate in conjunction with the memory 1930. The processor 1920 may execute program instructions stored in the memory 1930. Optionally, at least one of the above-mentioned memories may be included in the processor.

[0325] This application embodiment does not limit the specific connection medium between the transceiver 1910, processor 1920, and memory 1930. This application embodiment... Figure 15 The memory 1930, processor 1920, and transceiver 1910 are connected via a bus 1940, and the bus is in... Figure 15 The connections between other components are shown in bold and are for illustrative purposes only, not as limiting information. The bus can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, Figure 15 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.

[0326] In the embodiments of this application, the processor may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc., and can implement or execute the various methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly manifested as being executed by a hardware processor, or being executed by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0327] In this application embodiment, the memory may include, but is not limited to, non-volatile memory such as hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD), random access memory (RAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), read-only memory (ROM), or compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), etc. Memory is any storage medium capable of carrying or storing program code in the form of instructions or data structures, and capable of being read and / or written by a computer (such as the communication device shown in this application), but is not limited to this. The memory in this application embodiment may also be a circuit or any other device capable of implementing storage functions, used to store program instructions and / or data.

[0328] Processor 1920 is primarily used for processing communication protocols and data, controlling the entire communication device, executing software programs, and processing software program data. Memory 1930 is primarily used for storing software programs and data. Transceiver 1910 may include control circuitry and an antenna. The control circuitry is primarily used for converting baseband signals to radio frequency signals and processing radio frequency signals. The antenna is primarily used for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals in the form of electromagnetic waves. Input / output devices, such as touchscreens, displays, and keyboards, are primarily used for receiving user input data and outputting data to the user.

[0329] When the communication device is powered on, the processor 1920 can read the software program in the memory 1930, interpret and execute the instructions of the software program, and process the data of the software program. When data needs to be transmitted wirelessly, the processor 1920 performs baseband processing on the data to be transmitted and outputs the baseband signal to the radio frequency (RF) circuit. The RF circuit processes the baseband signal and transmits the RF signal outward in the form of electromagnetic waves through the antenna. When data is sent to the communication device, the RF circuit receives the RF signal through the antenna, converts the RF signal into a baseband signal, and outputs the baseband signal to the processor 1920. The processor 1920 converts the baseband signal back into data and processes the data.

[0330] In another implementation, the radio frequency circuitry and antenna can be set up independently of the processor performing baseband processing. For example, in a distributed scenario, the radio frequency circuitry and antenna can be arranged remotely, independent of the communication device.

[0331] The communication device shown in the embodiments of this application may also have a higher... Figure 15This application does not limit the use of other components or other related elements. The methods performed by the processor and transceiver shown above are merely examples; the specific steps performed by the processor and transceiver can be found in the methods described above.

[0332] In another possible implementation Figure 14 In the communication device shown, the processing module 1801 can be one or more logic circuits, and the transceiver module 1802 can be an input / output interface, or a communication interface, or an interface circuit, or an interface, etc. Alternatively, the transceiver module 1802 can also be a transmitting module and a receiving module; the transmitting module can be an output interface, and the receiving module can be an input interface, integrated into one module, such as an input / output interface. Figure 16 As shown, Figure 16 The communication device shown includes logic circuitry 2001 and interface 2002. That is, the processing module 1801 can be implemented using logic circuitry 2001, and the transceiver module 1802 can be implemented using interface 2002. The logic circuitry 2001 can be a chip, processing circuit, integrated circuit, or system-on-chip (SoC) chip, etc., and the interface 2002 can be a communication interface, input / output interface, pins, etc. For example, Figure 16 Taking the aforementioned communication device as an example, the chip includes logic circuit 2001 and interface 2002.

[0333] In this embodiment, the logic circuit and the interface can also be coupled to each other. The specific connection method between the logic circuit and the interface is not limited in this embodiment. For example, the logic circuit 2001 can be used to perform... Figure 14 The processing module 1801 shown implements the functions or steps, and the interface 2002 can be used to execute such functions or steps. Figure 14 The transceiver module 1802 shown implements the functions or steps described. For detailed explanations of the logic circuit 2001 and interface 2002, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 14 Alternatively, the method embodiments shown above will not be described in detail here.

[0334] The above description of the communication device is merely an example; for... Figure 16 For a detailed description of the communication device shown, please refer to the method embodiments above or Figure 14 or Figure 15 This will not be elaborated upon here.

[0335] The communication device shown in the embodiments of this application can implement the method provided in the embodiments of this application in hardware form, or it can implement the method provided in the embodiments of this application in software form, etc., and the embodiments of this application do not limit it in this way.

[0336] The descriptions of relevant steps and information in the above embodiments can be found in the descriptions of the method embodiments above, and will not be detailed here. For Figure 16 For specific implementations of the various embodiments shown, please refer to the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0337] This application also provides a communication system, which includes a terminal and a network device, wherein the interaction between the terminal and the network device can be used to execute all or part of the steps in any of the foregoing method embodiments.

[0338] In addition, this application also provides a computer program for implementing the operations and / or processes performed by various communication devices in the method provided in this application.

[0339] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer code that, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the operations and / or processes performed by various communication devices in the methods provided in this application.

[0340] This application also provides a computer program product comprising computer code or a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the operations and / or processes performed by various entities in the method provided in this application to be executed.

[0341] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple modules or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. In addition, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices, or units, or may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms of connection.

[0342] The modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as modules may or may not be physical modules; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network modules. Some or all of the modules can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the technical effects of the solutions provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0343] Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing module, or each module can exist physically separately, or two or more modules can be integrated into one module. The integrated modules described above can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules.

[0344] If the integrated module is implemented as a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a readable 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 readable storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0345] 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, include: A synchronization signal block (SSB) is detected at a first frequency point in a first frequency band, wherein the first frequency band includes multiple frequency points, the step size between any two adjacent frequency points is greater than or equal to 2.88 MHz, the first frequency point belongs to one of the multiple frequency points, and the period for detecting the SSB at the first frequency point is greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds. If an SSB is detected at the first frequency point, the detected SSB is analyzed.

2. A communication method, characterized in that, include: A synchronization signal block (SSB) is transmitted at a first frequency point in a first frequency band, wherein the first frequency band includes multiple frequency points, the step size between any two adjacent frequency points is greater than or equal to 2.88 MHz, and the first frequency point belongs to one of the multiple frequency points. The period for detecting SSB at the first frequency point is greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The step size is n*2.88 MHz, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The period of the SSB is m*40 milliseconds, where m is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 40 milliseconds, or... The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 80 milliseconds, or... The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the period of the SSB is 160 milliseconds.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The minimum bandwidth of the first frequency band is greater than or equal to r*20.16 MHz, where r is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The step size is 2.88, and the minimum bandwidth is 25 MHz, or... The step size is 5.76, and the minimum bandwidth is 45 MHz, or... The step size is 11.52, and the minimum bandwidth is 90 MHz.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The detected SSB includes first indication information, which is used to indicate the offset of the SSB from the resource block grid in the frequency domain. Within the FR1 frequency band, the unit of the offset is greater than or equal to 30 kHz; Within the FR2 frequency band, the unit of the offset is greater than or equal to 120 kHz.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Within the FR1 frequency band, the unit of the offset is s*30 kHz, where s is an integer greater than or equal to 1; Within the FR2 frequency band, the unit of the offset is s*120 kHz.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Within the FR1 frequency band The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 30 kHz, or... The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 60 kHz, or... The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz; Within the FR2 frequency band The step size is 2.88 MHz, and the offset is in units of 120 kHz, or... The step size is 5.76 MHz, and the offset is in units of 240 kHz, or... The step size is 11.52 MHz, and the offset is in units of 480 kHz.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, The method is applied during cell search.

12. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: If no SSB is detected at the first frequency point, then the SSB is detected at the second frequency point in the first frequency band, where the second frequency point belongs to one of the plurality of frequency points; The period for detecting SSB at the second frequency point is greater than or equal to 40 milliseconds; If an SSB is detected at the second frequency point, the detected SSB is analyzed.

13. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a module for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-12; or, the communication device includes a processor for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-12.

14. A communication device, characterized in that, Includes logic circuits and interfaces, wherein the logic circuits and interfaces are coupled; The interface is used for inputting and / or outputting information, and the logic circuit is used for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-12.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium is used to store a computer program, which, when executed, performs the method as described in any one of claims 1-12.

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