Communication method, communication device, and storage medium

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application disclose a communication method, a communication device and a storage medium, which can enable a terminal device to correctly receive an SI message in a beam coverage scenario and can be applied to an NTN, such as a satellite communication system. The method of the embodiments of the present application comprises: determining that an SSB period comprises M SSB groups, a service duration of each SSB group in the M SSB groups is a first duration, and M is a positive integer; determining a first radio frame according to an index of a first SSB group and the first duration, the first SSB group being one of the M SSB groups, the first radio frame carrying the SI message, and m being a positive integer less than or equal to M. Since the service duration of each SSB group in the M SSB groups is the first duration, the first device can determine the first radio frame used by the first device to receive the SI message during the service of the first SSB group in the M SSB groups according to the index of the first SSB group and the first duration, so that the first device can correctly receive the SI message within the first duration.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] System information (SI) is important information broadcast by network devices to terminal devices in a wireless communication network. It is used by terminal devices to access the network, obtain network configuration, and perform critical operations.

[0003] In the terrestrial network of a new radio (NR) system, the terminal device first determines the number of SI messages configured according to the SI message list configured in System Information Block (SIB) 1. When the terminal device receives an SI message, it first determines the index of this SI message in the list and calculates the radio frames that should be monitored within the SI monitoring period based on that index. Since the SI configuration is at the cell level, terminal devices within the cell will calculate the same radio frames.

[0004] Therefore, how to correctly receive SI messages in beam coverage scenarios in non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), such as beam-hopping scenarios, is an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method, communication device, and storage medium that enable terminal devices to correctly receive SI messages in beam coverage scenarios.

[0006] The first aspect of this application provides a communication method. Optionally, the execution subject of this method may be a first device, which is a terminal-side device. The first device may be a terminal device, or a component or device applied to the terminal device (e.g., a module, communication module, circuit or chip responsible for communication functions (such as a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core, or a system-in-package (SIP) chip), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal device's functions). In this method, the first device determines that a synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel (PBCH) block (SSB) period includes M SSB groups, and the service duration of each of the M SSB groups is a first duration, where M is a positive integer. The first device determines a first radio frame based on the index of the first SSB group and the first duration. The first SSB group is one of the M SSB groups, and the first radio frame carries a system information (SI) message.

[0007] Based on the first aspect of this application, since the service duration of each SSB group in the M SSB groups is a first duration, the first device can determine the first radio frame used by the first device to receive SI messages during the service period of the first SSB group according to the index of the first SSB group in the M SSB groups and the first duration, so that the first device can correctly receive SI messages within the first duration.

[0008] A second aspect of this application provides a communication method. Optionally, the execution subject of this method may be a second device, which is a network-side device. The second device may be a network device, a component or device applied to the network device (e.g., a module, communication module, circuit or chip responsible for communication functions (such as a modem chip, or a SoC chip or SIP chip containing a modem core), a chip system, or a processor), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the network device's functions. In this method, the second device determines a first radio frame based on the index of a first SSB group and a first duration. The first duration is the service duration of each SSB group in M ​​SSB groups, and the first SSB group is one of the M SSB groups, where M is a positive integer and m is a positive integer less than or equal to M.

[0009] Based on the first aspect of this application, in some possible implementations, the first device may also receive indication information of a first duration from the second device.

[0010] Based on the second aspect of this application, in some possible implementations, the second device may also send indication information of a first duration to the first device.

[0011] Based on the first and second aspects of this application, in some possible implementations, the first device or the second device may determine the system frame number of the first wireless frame based on the first identifier and the first duration, and the system frame number of the first wireless frame satisfies the following formula:

[0012]

[0013] x = (n-1) × w

[0014] Among them, SFN SIx Where is the system frame number of the first radio frame, and T is the monitoring period for the SI message. As the first identifier, W d For the first duration, Let n be the number of time slots contained in a system frame, n be the index of the SI message, and w be the monitoring window length of the SI message.

[0015] By calculating the first radio frame based on the first identifier, the first device can determine the radio frame for receiving SI messages based on its own area or its corresponding SSB group, thereby enabling the first device to correctly receive SI messages within the service duration of the first SSB group.

[0016] Based on the first aspect of this application, in some possible implementations, the first device may also receive a first identifier from the second device, the first identifier being used to indicate the index of the first SSB group.

[0017] Based on the second aspect of this application, in some possible implementations, the second device may also send a first identifier to the first device, the first identifier being used to indicate the index of the first SSB group.

[0018] Based on the first and second aspects of this application, in some possible implementations, the first or second device can determine the system frame number of M radio frames based on the indexes of M SSB groups and a first duration, wherein the M radio frames include the first radio frame, and the system frame number of the first radio frame satisfies the following formula:

[0019]

[0020] x=(m-1)×W d

[0021] Among them, SFN SIx The system frame number of the first radio frame, T is the monitoring period of the SI message, and W is the system frame number of the first radio frame. d For the first duration, M represents the number of time slots contained in a system frame, m is the index of the first SSB group, and m is a positive integer less than or equal to M.

[0022] By configuring the number of elements in the SI scheduling information list to M, the first device can calculate the radio frames corresponding to the M SSB groups. Therefore, the first device can monitor the SI message in each radio frame, ensuring that the first device can correctly receive the SI message in the beam coverage scenario.

[0023] Based on the first and second aspects of this application, in some possible implementations, the first or second device can determine the system frame number of the first radio frame based on the index of the first SSB group, the first duration, and the frame offset K. The system frame number of the first radio frame satisfies the following formula:

[0024]

[0025] x=(m-1)×W d

[0026] Among them, SFN SIx Where is the system frame number of the first radio frame, and T is the monitoring period for the SI message. Where K is the number of time slots contained in a system frame, and W is the frame offset. d M represents the first duration, m represents the index of the first SSB group, and m is a positive integer less than or equal to M.

[0027] By calculating the first radio frame based on the frame offset, the second device can flexibly schedule SI messages, thereby improving scheduling flexibility.

[0028] Based on the first and second aspects of this application, in some possible implementations, the first device or the second device may further determine the first time slot according to the time slot offset. The first time slot is the time slot in the first radio frame used to carry SI messages, and the time slot number of the first time slot satisfies the following formula:

[0029]

[0030] x=(m-1)×W d

[0031] Where #a is the slot number of the first slot, W d For the first duration, K′ is the number of time slots contained in a system frame, M′ is the time slot offset, m is the index of the first SSB group, and m is a positive integer less than or equal to M.

[0032] By calculating the first time slot based on the time slot offset, the second device can flexibly schedule SI messages, thereby improving scheduling flexibility.

[0033] Based on the first aspect of this application, in some possible implementations, the first device may also receive a list of SI scheduling information from the second device, the list of SI scheduling information including M SI scheduling information, and the M SI scheduling information corresponding one-to-one with M SSB groups.

[0034] Based on the second aspect of this application, in some possible implementations, the second device may also send an SI scheduling information list to the first device. The SI scheduling information list includes M SI scheduling information items, and each of the M SI scheduling information items corresponds one-to-one with one of the M SSB groups.

[0035] Based on the first and second aspects of this application, in some possible implementations, the M SI scheduling information includes first SI scheduling information, which is used to indicate frame offset or, to indicate time slot offset.

[0036] Based on the first aspect of this application, in some possible implementations, the first device may also receive a first signaling from the second device, the first signaling instructing the SI monitoring window length field to be used to configure a first duration.

[0037] Based on the first aspect of this application, in some possible implementations, the first device may also determine M according to the SSB period and the first duration.

[0038] Specifically, M can be represented as

[0039] Based on the second aspect of this application, in some possible implementations, the second device may also send a first signaling to the first device, the first signaling instructing the SI monitoring window length field to be used to configure a first duration.

[0040] By configuring the first signaling, the first device can decide whether to configure the SI monitoring window length field as the first duration according to the instruction of the second device, thereby improving the scheduling flexibility.

[0041] Based on the first and second aspects of this application, in some possible implementations, the first signaling includes bit information, which indicates that the SI monitoring window length field is used to configure the first duration;

[0042] or,

[0043] The first signaling includes the range of values ​​for M, and the M range of values ​​indicates that the SI monitoring window length field is used to configure the first duration.

[0044] A third aspect of this application provides a communication device, which may be the first device described above. The communication device includes modules or units for performing the methods described in the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof.

[0045] A fourth aspect of this application provides a communication device, which may be the second device described above. The communication device includes modules or units for performing the methods described in the second aspect and any possible implementation thereof.

[0046] A fifth aspect of this application provides a communication device, which may be a first device or a second device, or a component applied to the first device or the second device (e.g., a processor, circuit, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software (e.g., CU, DU, or RU) capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the first device or the second device. The communication device includes:

[0047] A processor for executing a program that causes the communication device to perform the method as described in the first or second aspect of the foregoing and any possible implementation thereof.

[0048] Optionally, the communication device further includes a memory, and the processor is coupled to the memory; the memory is used to store programs.

[0049] The sixth aspect of this application provides a chip or chip system including at least one processor and a communication interface, the communication interface and at least one processor being interconnected via a line, the at least one processor being used to run computer programs or instructions to perform the communication method described in any of the possible implementations of the first or second aspect.

[0050] The communication interface in the chip can be an input / output interface, pins, or circuits.

[0051] In one possible implementation, the chip or chip system described above in this application further includes at least one memory storing instructions. The memory can be an internal storage unit of the chip, such as a register or cache, or it can be a storage unit of the chip itself, such as a read-only memory or random access memory.

[0052] The seventh aspect of this application provides a communication system, including communication means for performing the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof, and communication means for performing the second aspect and any possible implementation thereof.

[0053] An eighth aspect of this application provides a computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method described in the first aspect above, or cause the computer to perform the method described in the second aspect above.

[0054] The ninth aspect of this application provides a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method described in the first aspect above, or cause the computer to perform the method described in the second aspect above. Attached Figure Description

[0055] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the ground network architecture in an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an open wireless access network in an embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a non-terrestrial network architecture in an embodiment of this application;

[0058] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a beam-hopping embodiment in this application;

[0059] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of receiving SI messages in an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 6 This is an interactive schematic diagram of the communication method in an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 7 This is another schematic diagram illustrating the receipt of SI messages in an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a communication device in an embodiment of this application;

[0063] Figure 9 This is another schematic diagram of the communication device in the embodiments of this application;

[0064] Figure 10 This is another schematic diagram of the communication device in the embodiments of this application;

[0065] Figure 11 This is another schematic diagram of the communication device in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0066] First, a brief description of the terrestrial network architecture in the embodiments of this application is given:

[0067] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of one possible, non-limiting system. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the communication system 10 includes a radio access network (RAN) 100, a core network (CN) 200, and an Internet 300. RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (e.g., ...). Figure 1 110a and 110b (collectively referred to as 110) and at least one terminal (such as Figure 1 RAN 100, denoted as RAN 120a-120j, is collectively referred to as RAN 120. RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay equipment and / or wireless backhaul equipment. Figure 1 (Not shown in the image). Terminal 120 is connected to RAN node 110 wirelessly. RAN node 110 is connected to core network 200 wirelessly or via wired connection. The core network equipment in core network 200 and RAN node 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.

[0068] RAN 100 can be a cellular system related to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as a 4th generation mobile communication technology (4G), a 5th generation mobile communication technology (5G) mobile communication system, or a future mobile communication system. RAN 100 can also be an open-radio access network (ORAN), a cloud-radio access network (CRAN), or a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. RAN 100 can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems. The method provided in this application embodiment can also be applied to non-terrestrial network (NTN) communication systems (also known as non-terrestrial network communication), or scenarios where NTN and terrestrial networks (TN) are integrated. The NTN system can be an NTN system integrated with 4G, 5G, and any future generation of communication systems, such as NR NTN, IoT NTN, etc. NTN communication systems can be, for example, satellite communication systems, or include unmanned aerial vehicles, high altitude platform stations (HAPS), and other aerial access network equipment; this application does not limit the scope of such systems.

[0069] RAN node 110, sometimes also referred to as access network equipment, network equipment, RAN entity, or access node, constitutes part of the communication system and is used to help terminals achieve wireless access. Multiple RAN nodes 110 in communication system 10 can be of the same type or different types. In some scenarios, the roles of RAN node 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. RAN node 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.

[0070] In one possible scenario, access network equipment includes, but is not limited to: evolved Node B (eNodeB), radio network controller (RNC), Node B (NB), base station (BS), base station controller (BSC), base transceiver station (BTS), home base station (e.g., home evolved NodeB, or home Node B, HNB), baseband unit (BBU), access point (AP) in wireless fidelity (WIFI) system, macro base station, micro base station, wireless relay node, donor node, radio controller in CRAN scenario, wireless backhaul node, transmission point (TP), or transmission and reception point (TRP), etc., and can also be access network equipment in 5G mobile communication system. For example, a next-generation NodeB (gNB), TRP, or TP in a new radio (NR) system; or one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a base station in a 5G mobile communication system; or, access network equipment can also be network nodes constituting a gNB or transmission point. Examples include centralized units (CU), distributed units (DU), centralized unit control planes (CU-CP), centralized unit user planes (CU-UP), or radio units (RU). CUs and DUs can be separate or included in the same network element, such as a BBU. RUs can be included in radio equipment or radio units, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH). Network equipment can also be satellites (or satellite base stations) or high altitude platform stations (HAPS), or base station equipment mounted on satellites / HAPS.The satellite may include at least one of the following: a geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite (or geosynchronous orbit satellite) or a non-geostationary earth orbit (NGEO) satellite. A non-geostationary earth orbit satellite may include at least one of the following: a medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite or a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite. There are no limitations here. Network equipment may also be a gateway station (or ground station, earth station, signaling station, gateway, or gateway station), etc. Alternatively, access network equipment may also be a server, wearable device, vehicle, or vehicle-mounted equipment, etc. For example, the access network equipment in V2X technology may be a roadside unit (RSU). It should be understood that the aforementioned TRP can be a device or module located on the network side of the aforementioned communication system and possessing corresponding communication functions. The TRP typically contains communication modules, circuits, or chips that perform the corresponding communication functions. The TRP may also be configured with program instructions for the corresponding communication functions.

[0071] It should be noted that CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names in different systems, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an open radio access network (ORAN) system, CU can also be called an open centralized unit (O-CU) or an open CU, DU can also be called an open-distributed unit (O-DU), CU-CP can also be called an open-centralized unit control plane (O-CU-CP), CU-UP can also be called an open-centralized unit user plane (O-CU-UP), and RU can also be called an open radio unit (O-RU). This application does not impose any specific limitations. Any of the units CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules.

[0072] Figure 2 An example diagram of an O-RAN system is shown. Access network equipment communicates with the CN via a backhaul link and with terminal equipment (e.g., UE) via an air interface.

[0073] Specifically, the BBU in the access network equipment communicates with the CN via a backhaul link, and the RU in the access network equipment communicates with at least one UE via an air interface. The BBU communicates with at least one RU via a fronthaul link. The BBU and RU may or may not be co-located.

[0074] The BBU includes at least one CU and at least one DU, which can communicate via at least one midhaul link.

[0075] Optionally, for network elements in the ORAN system, each network element can implement the protocol layer functions shown in Table 1 below.

[0076] Table 1

[0077]

[0078] It should be noted that in the ORAN system, the access network equipment in this application can be one or more network elements listed in Table 1 above.

[0079] The architecture of the CU and DU of the access network equipment is described below. An access network equipment includes at least one CU and at least one DU. Optionally, the access network equipment may also include at least one RU.

[0080] The following description uses an access network device consisting of one CU and one DU as an example. The CU has some core network functions and can include CU-CP and CU-UP. The CU and DU can be configured according to the protocol layer functions of the wireless network they implement. For example, the CU may be configured to implement the functions of the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and above (e.g., RRC and / or SDAP layers). The DU may be configured to implement the functions of protocol layers below the PDCP layer (e.g., RLC, MAC, and / or physical (PHY) layers). Alternatively, the CU may be configured to implement the functions of protocol layers above the PDCP layer (e.g., RRC and / or SDAP layers), and the DU may be configured to implement the functions of protocol layers below the PDCP layer (e.g., RLC, MAC, and / or PHY layers).

[0081] When a CU includes CU-CP and CU-UP, CU-CP is used to implement the control plane functions of the CU, and CU-UP is used to implement the user plane functions of the CU. For example, when a CU is configured to implement the functions of the PDCP layer, RRC layer, and SDAP layer, CU-CP is used to implement the RRC layer functions and the control plane functions of the PDCP layer, and CU-UP is used to implement the SDAP layer functions and the user plane functions of the PDCP layer.

[0082] The CU-CP can interact with network elements in the core network used to implement control plane functions. These network elements can be access and mobility management functions (AMFs). AMFs are responsible for mobility management in the mobile network, such as terminal device location updates, terminal device registration with the network, and terminal device handover.

[0083] CU-UP can interact with network elements in the core network used to implement user plane functions. These network elements, such as the user plane function (UPF) in a 5G system, are responsible for forwarding and receiving data in terminal devices.

[0084] The above CU and DU configurations are merely examples; the functions of the CU and DU can be configured as needed. For instance, the CU or DU can be configured to have more protocol layer functions, or only some protocol layer processing functions. For example, some RLC layer functions and protocol layer functions above the RLC layer can be placed in the CU, while the remaining RLC layer functions and protocol layer functions below the RLC layer can be placed in the DU. Furthermore, the functions of the CU or DU can be divided according to service type or other system requirements. For example, based on latency, functions that require low latency can be placed in the DU, while functions that do not require low latency can be placed in the CU.

[0085] DU and RU can cooperate to implement the functions of the PHY layer. A DU can be connected to one or more RUs. The functions of DU and RU can be configured in various ways depending on the design. For example, a DU can be configured to implement baseband functions, and an RU can be configured to implement mid-RF functions. Another example is that a DU can be configured to implement higher-level functions in the PHY layer, and an RU can be configured to implement lower-level functions in the PHY layer, or to implement both lower-level and RF functions. Higher-level functions in the physical layer can include a portion of the physical layer's functions that are closer to the MAC layer, while lower-level functions in the physical layer can include another portion of the physical layer's functions that are closer to the mid-RF side.

[0086] It should be noted that the access network equipment can be a device or apparatus with a chip, or a device or apparatus with integrated circuits, or a chip, chip system, module, or control unit in the aforementioned device or apparatus; this application does not impose any specific limitation. It should also be noted that in this application, the term "access network equipment" can refer to the access network equipment itself, or to the chip, functional module, or integrated circuit within the access network equipment that performs the method provided in this application; this application does not impose any specific limitation.

[0087] A terminal is a device or module that connects to the aforementioned communication system and possesses corresponding communication functions. Terminals can also be called terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as NTN, 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 homes, smart offices, smart wearables, intelligent 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, transportation vehicles with wireless communication capabilities, communication modules, etc. The terminal device can also be a communication module, satellite phone, or a component thereof with satellite communication capabilities, or a satellite communication terminal, such as a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) (commonly referred to as a VSAT terminal), a portable station, a fixed station, a vehicle-mounted or airborne satellite communication terminal, etc. It should be understood that the satellite communication terminal can serve as a micro base station to further provide a data interface to the accessed user equipment. The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal. The terminal typically contains a communication module, circuit, or chip that performs the corresponding communication function. The terminal can also be configured with program instructions for performing the corresponding communication function.

[0088] Please see Figure 3 The non-terrestrial network architecture in the embodiments of this application is briefly described below:

[0089] Ground mobile terminals access the network via a new air interface. Network equipment is deployed on satellites and connected to the ground core network via wireless links. Simultaneously, wireless links exist between satellites to facilitate signaling interaction and user data transmission between network devices. Figure 3 The network elements and their interfaces are described below:

[0090] Terminal: Mobile devices that support the New Radio interface, typically such as mobile phones and tablets. They can access satellite networks via the air interface and initiate services such as making calls and accessing the internet.

[0091] Network equipment primarily provides wireless access services, allocates wireless resources to access terminals, and provides reliable wireless transmission protocols and data encryption protocols. Network equipment deployed on satellites is called an NTN node.

[0092] Core Network: Handles user access control, mobility management, session management, user security authentication, billing, and other services. It consists of multiple functional units, which can be divided into control plane and data plane functional entities. The AMF (User Plane Function) is responsible for user access management, security authentication, and mobility management. The User Plane Function (UPF) is responsible for managing user plane data transmission, traffic statistics, and other functions.

[0093] Ground station: Responsible for forwarding signaling and service data between satellite base stations and the core network. A ground station is a network device deployed on the ground. Ground stations used for distributing and collecting satellite communication service data, or for exchanging data within the satellite communication network and routing data to external networks, are called gateway stations. A gateway station can be a network device, a component of a network device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software that implements all or part of the functions of the network device.

[0094] New Radio: The wireless link between a terminal and a base station.

[0095] Xn interface: The interface between base stations, mainly used for signaling interaction such as handover.

[0096] NG interface: The interface between the base station and the CN, mainly used for exchanging non-access stratum (NAS) signaling of the core network and user service data.

[0097] Figure 3The terminal device in the network can be located within the beam or cell coverage area of ​​the network device. The terminal device can communicate with the network device via the uplink (UL) or downlink (DL). For example, in the UL direction, the terminal device can send uplink data to the network device via the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH); in the DL direction, the network device can send downlink data to the terminal device via the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). The terminal device can be a terminal device supporting the new radio interface, which can access the network device through the air interface and initiate services such as calls and internet access. For example, the network device can be a RAN device mounted on a flight platform. When the RAN device is mounted on the flight platform, the RAN device moves synchronously with the flight platform. The RAN device and the flight platform can be considered as a single unit. In this case, the flight platform can be regarded as the RAN device, or it can be described as the flight platform operating in regenerative mode, meaning the flight platform possesses the functions of the RAN device. Additionally, the communication link between the flight platform and the terminal equipment can be referred to as a service link. When the communication system includes multiple flight platforms, the flight platforms can communicate with each other through the Xn interface. In practical applications, the network equipment can also be RAN equipment distributed on the flight platform based on DU, or it can directly serve as the flight platform; the specifics are not limited here.

[0098] The aforementioned flight platform can be a satellite, drone, or other aircraft. For example, the flight platform may include geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites, non-geostationary orbit satellites, low-earthorbit (LEO) satellites, medium-earth orbit (MEO) satellites, geosynchronous orbit satellites, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system platforms, high altitude platform stations (HAPS), hot air balloons, or high-orbit satellites, etc., and is not specifically limited here. This application uses a satellite as the flight platform for illustration.

[0099] Low-Earth orbit (LEO) and medium-Earth orbit (MEO) satellites can have their own orbital paths, and multiple satellites typically work together to provide communication over a fixed area. High-Earth orbit (GEO) satellites are generally stationary, and one or a few high-Earth orbit satellites provide communication over a fixed area.

[0100] Furthermore, the embodiments of this application can also be applied to other future communication technologies. The network architecture and service scenarios described in this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in this application. As those skilled in the art will understand, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new service scenarios, the technical solutions provided in this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0101] The following is a brief introduction to the concepts that may be involved in this application.

[0102] 1) SSB periodic extension.

[0103] The satellite has only 16 active beams, while the total number of positions is 1058. To expand the satellite's position coverage, the 16 active beams need to be scanned multiple times using time division multiplexing (TDM). Therefore, the time domain resources occupied by the scan need to be lengthened, that is, the 20ms SSB period needs to be extended to 160ms.

[0104] 2) Beam hopping

[0105] Beam hopping is a technique in satellite or wireless communications that dynamically adjusts the coverage area of ​​a beam. By rapidly switching the direction, timing, and resource allocation of the beam, it serves different areas on demand. Satellites illuminate specific areas only at specific times, rather than continuously covering all areas.

[0106] like Figure 4 As shown in the diagram, the satellite has X active beams, meaning it can fire X beams simultaneously, covering X spectral positions. Assuming there are 1058 spectral positions within the satellite's coverage area, these X active beams need to scan using a beam-hopping method within a prolonged SSB period (160ms) to scan as many spectral positions as possible, thereby improving coverage.

[0107] Assume a satellite cell contains M regions, each region contains X spectral positions, and the SSB indices corresponding to the X spectral positions are SSB_0 to SSB_X. This means that the same SSB index needs to be reused by multiple spectral positions within the cell. The active beam performs beam-hopping scanning according to the regions, for example... Figure 4 As shown, an area contains 4 positions. During the first 20ms of the cycle, the active beam stays in the area (area 1) to serve the 4 positions in the area. After 20ms, the beam will leave the area by hopping beams and serve the next area, and so on.

[0108] Therefore, for region 1, within the 160ms SSB scan period, beam camping occurs only during the 0 to 20ms timeframe. During the remaining 140ms timeframe, there is no beam camping in region 1, meaning that terminal devices in region 1 cannot receive signals from network devices or send signals to network devices. Similarly, in region 2, beam camping occurs only during the 20ms to 40ms timeframe, and there is no beam camping during the other 140ms timeframe, and so on.

[0109] 3) SI:

[0110] The SI (Scheduling Information Provider) is used to transmit information such as network configuration, service parameters, and operating status to terminal devices. The terminal device first determines the number of SI messages configured based on the SI message list (schedulingInfoList) configured in system information block (SIB) 1. When receiving a particular SI, the terminal device first determines the index n of the SI configuration in the list, and then calculates the radio frames that should be monitored within the SI monitoring period, as well as the starting time slot of the SI monitoring window within that radio frame, based on that index n.

[0111] Specifically, the system frame number of this wireless frame satisfies the following formula:

[0112]

[0113] x = (n-1) × w

[0114] Among them, SFN SIx The system frame number of the wireless frame. The number of time slots contained in a system frame, n is the index of the SI configuration in the list, and w is the monitoring window length of the SI message.

[0115] However, the SI message is configured at the cell level, meaning that each terminal device in the satellite cell calculates the same system frame number. For example... Figure 5 As shown, taking SI1 as an example, if SI is configured with index n=1 in the list, then parameter x=0, therefore SFN SIx =0. In other words, when each terminal device in the satellite cell receives SI1, the calculated system frame number is system frame 0. Therefore, only the terminal devices in area 1 can detect the SI message when the beam is camped, and the terminal devices in other areas cannot receive the SI message normally.

[0116] Based on this, an embodiment of this application provides a method. Please refer to... Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 6The method shown is executed interactively by a first device and a second device. The first device is a terminal-side device, which can be a terminal device, or a component or device applied to the terminal device (e.g., a module, communication module, circuit or chip responsible for communication functions (e.g., a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or an on-chip SoC chip or SIP chip containing a modem core), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal device's functions). The second device is a network-side device, which can be a network device, or a component or device applied to the network device (e.g., a module, communication module, circuit or chip responsible for communication functions (e.g., a modem chip, or an SoC chip or SIP chip containing a modem core), a chip system, or a processor), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the network device's functions (e.g., a CU, DU, or RU). The method includes:

[0117] 601. Determine if an SSB cycle includes M SSB groups.

[0118] Step 601 can be performed by either the first device or the second device. The following explanation will take the example of step 601 being performed by the first device.

[0119] These M SSB groups correspond to M areas within a single cell; that is, one SSB group corresponds to one area, and each SSB group includes one or more SSBs. For example, ... Figure 4 As shown, the NTN node provides service to four positions through four beams within 0 to 20 ms. The four SSBs corresponding to these four beams form an SSB group, and the four positions form an area.

[0120] In one possible implementation, the first device determines that an SSB cycle includes M SSB groups based on M identifiers, wherein the M identifiers correspond one-to-one with the M SSB groups. These identifiers can also be referred to as area identifiers, used to indicate the area served by an SSB group; however, the naming of these identifiers is not limited in this embodiment.

[0121] Specifically, the second device can send a corresponding identifier to the terminal device in the cell to indicate the SSB group serving the terminal device, or to indicate the area where the terminal device is located.

[0122] As an example, the second device indicates the identifier to the terminal device via the master information block (MIB) or PBCH.

[0123] As another example, the second device indicates the identifier to the terminal device via SIB1. For instance, the second device sends different identifiers to terminal devices served by different SSB groups; that is, the value of the field in SIB1 is associated with the SSB group serving the terminal device. Alternatively, it can be understood that the second device sends different identifiers to terminal devices in different regions, meaning the value of the field in SIB1 is associated with the region where the terminal device is located.

[0124] For example, using This identifier represents a value that can be expressed as: Each region or each SSB group corresponds to one value.

[0125] In another possible implementation, the first device determines that an SSB cycle includes M SSB groups based on the number of elements in the SI scheduling information list.

[0126] Specifically, the second device configures an SI scheduling information list, namely SI-schedulingInfoList, in SIB1. Each element (schedulingInfo) uses the same configuration, and the number of elements in the SI scheduling information list is equal to M. That is, the number of elements in the SI scheduling information list corresponds to the number of SSB groups in one SSB cycle, or the number of elements in the SI scheduling information list corresponds to the number of areas in the cell.

[0127] For example, in the SI message configuration, maxSI-Message is configured to M. That is, the SI scheduling information list can be configured with a maximum of M SI messages, with indices from 1 to M.

[0128] In another possible implementation, the first device determines that an SSB cycle includes M SSB groups based on the SSB cycle and the dwell time of each SSB group. Specifically, M can be represented as...

[0129] For example, assuming an SSB cycle is 160ms and the dwell time of each SSB group is 20ms, then an SSB cycle includes 8 SSB groups.

[0130] It should be noted that for the second device, the M SSB groups in one SSB cycle are based on the network-side configuration.

[0131] 602. Determine the first radio frame based on the index of the first SSB group and the first duration.

[0132] Step 602 can be performed by either the first device or the second device. The following explanation will take the example of step 602 being performed by the first device.

[0133] The first SSB group is one of the M SSB groups. The first duration is the dwell time of an SSB group, which can also be understood as the service duration for which an SSB group provides services to terminal devices in a certain area. The first radio frame carries SI messages. The second device transmits SI messages on a portion of the time slots or symbols within the first radio frame.

[0134] Optionally, the index of the first SSB group can be used to indicate the index of the area where the first device is located.

[0135] In one possible implementation, the first device determines the first radio frame based on a first identifier and a first duration, whereby the first identifier indicates an index of a first SSB group. The first SSB group includes SSBs providing services to the first device. For example, the first identifier... This indicates that the first SSB group is SSB group 1. For example, the first identifier... This indicates that the first SSB group is SSB group 3, but the specifics are not specified here.

[0136] The first identifier can also be understood as an index used to indicate a first region, where the first region is the area where the first device is located. For example, the first identifier This indicates that the first region is region 1. For example, the first identifier... This indicates that the first region is region 3, but the specific region is not specified here.

[0137] Specifically, the system frame number of the first radio frame satisfies the following formula:

[0138]

[0139] x = (n-1) × w

[0140] Among them, SFN SIx Where is the system frame number of the first radio frame, and T is the monitoring period for the SI message. As the first identifier, W d For the first duration, Let n be the number of time slots contained in a system frame, n be the index of the SI message, and w be the monitoring window length of the SI message.

[0141] For example, such as Figure 7 As shown, the monitoring period for SI messages is T = 16rf, and the first duration is W. d =4rf=40sl, w = 5sl. Where rf represents a radio frame and sl represents a time slot.

[0142] For terminal devices in region 1 (or terminal devices served by SSB group 1), when receiving SI1, the first identifier... If the index of the SI message is n=1, then x=(1-1)×5=0, SFN SIx mod16rf = floor((0 + 0 × 40) / 10l), at which point SFN SIx =0. That is, the terminal equipment in area 1 (or the terminal equipment served by SSB group 1) receives SI1 on SFN0.

[0143] For terminal devices in region 2 (or terminal devices served by SSB group 2), when receiving SI1, the first identifier... If the index of the SI message is n=1, then x=(1-1)×5=0, SFN SIx mod16rf = floor((0 + 1 × 40) / 10), at which point SFN SIx =4. That is, the terminal equipment in area 2 (or the terminal equipment served by SSB group 2) receives SI1 on SFN4.

[0144] Optionally, the SI scheduling information (schedulingInfo) can carry a frame offset, thereby allowing for flexible scheduling of SI messages. Specifically, the first radio frame can be determined based on the first identifier, the first duration, and the frame offset.

[0145] Specifically, the system frame number of the first radio frame satisfies the following formula:

[0146]

[0147] x = (n-1) × w

[0148] Among them, SFN SIx Where is the system frame number of the first radio frame, and T is the monitoring period for the SI message. As the first identifier, W d For the first duration, Where n is the number of time slots contained in a system frame, w is the index of the SI message, and K is the monitoring window length of the SI message.

[0149] The frame offset can be determined by the parameter startOffset_rf in the SI scheduling information. The naming of this parameter is not limited in this application embodiment.

[0150] In this embodiment of the application, by calculating the first radio frame based on the first identifier, the first device can determine the first radio frame for receiving SI messages based on its own area or its corresponding SSB group and the service duration of the SSB group, thereby enabling the first device to correctly receive SI messages during beam dwell.

[0151] In another possible implementation, the first device determines the first radio frame based on the index of the SI scheduling information, the index of the first SSB group, and the first duration. In this case, the number of elements in the SI scheduling information list is M, that is, the SI scheduling information list includes M SI scheduling information items, and the indices of the M SI scheduling information items correspond one-to-one with the indices of the M SSB groups.

[0152] Since the first device cannot determine the index of the SSB group used to provide services to the first device, the first device needs to determine the system frame number of the M radio frames based on the indices of the M SSB groups and the first duration. The M SSB groups include the first SSB group, and the M radio frames include the first radio frame.

[0153] Specifically, the system frame number of the first radio frame satisfies the following formula:

[0154]

[0155] x=(m-1)×W d

[0156] Among them, SFN SIx The system frame number of the first radio frame, T is the monitoring period of the SI message, and W is the system frame number of the first radio frame. d For the first duration, Let m be the number of time slots contained in a system frame, m be the index of the first SSB group, and m be a positive integer less than or equal to M. The value of m can be expressed as: m = 1, 2, 3, ..., M.

[0157] For example, such as Figure 7 As shown, the monitoring period for SI messages is T = 16rf, and the first duration is W. d =4rf=40sl, Where rf represents a radio frame and sl represents a time slot.

[0158] By changing the value of m, the system frame number of M radio frames can be calculated. For example, for a terminal device in area 1 (or a terminal device serving SSB group 1), i.e., m = 1, when receiving SI, x = (1-1) × 40sl = 0, SFN SIx mod16rf = floor(0 / 10) = 0. This means that the terminal device in area 1 (or the terminal device served by SSB group 1) receives SI on SFN0.

[0159] For example, for a terminal device in area 2 (or a terminal device served by SSB group 2), i.e., m=2, when receiving SI, x=(2-1)×40sl=40, SFN SIxmod16rf = floor(40 / 10) = 4. That is, the terminal equipment in area 2 (or the terminal equipment served by SSB group 2) receives SI on SFN4.

[0160] In this embodiment of the application, by configuring the number of elements in the SI scheduling information list to M, the first device can calculate the radio frames corresponding to the M SSB groups. Therefore, the first device can monitor the SI message on each radio frame, thereby enabling the first device to correctly receive the SI message during the beam dwell period.

[0161] Optionally, the SI scheduling information can carry a frame offset, thereby allowing for flexible scheduling of SI messages. Specifically, the first radio frame can be determined based on the index of the first SSB group, the first duration, and the frame offset.

[0162] Specifically, the system frame number of the first radio frame satisfies the following formula:

[0163]

[0164] x=(m-1)×w

[0165] Among them, SFN SIx Where is the system frame number of the first radio frame, and T is the monitoring period for the SI message. As the first identifier, W d For the first duration, Let M be the number of time slots contained in a system frame, m be the index of the first SSB group, w be the monitoring window length of the SI message, K be the frame offset, and m be a positive integer less than or equal to M. The value of m can be expressed as: m = 1, 2, 3, ..., M.

[0166] Optionally, the SI monitoring period can be increased. For example, the SI monitoring period can be 1 radio frame, 2 radio frames, or 4 radio frames.

[0167] Optionally, the first device may configure the SI monitoring window length to a first duration, i.e., w = W, based on the first signaling. d At this point, the method for determining the first radio frame can refer to the above embodiment. The first signaling can be an enabling signaling. As an example, the first signaling includes 1 bit of information. For example, when the bit is "0", it indicates that the SI monitoring window length is not the first duration; when the bit is "1", it indicates that the SI monitoring window length is the first duration. As another example, when the bit is "0", it indicates that the SI monitoring window length is the first duration; when the bit is "1", it indicates that the SI monitoring window length is not the first duration.

[0168] As another example, if the first signaling includes the first field, it indicates that the SI monitoring window length is the first duration; if the first signaling does not include the first field, it indicates that the SI monitoring window length is not the first duration. Alternatively, if the first signaling includes the first field, it indicates that the SI monitoring window length is not the first duration; if the first signaling does not include the first field, it indicates that the SI monitoring window length is the first duration. Specific details are not limited here.

[0169] As another example, the first signaling includes a first field, the value of which indicates whether the SI monitoring window length is configured as a first duration. For example, when the first field is 1, it means that the SI monitoring window length is not the first duration; when the first field is not 1, it means that the SI monitoring window length is the first duration.

[0170] Optionally, the first field is used to indicate the number of SSB groups (or the number of areas in a cell) M. For example, the value range of the first field is {1, 4, 8, 16}.

[0171] Optionally, the SI scheduling information can carry a timeslot offset, thereby allowing for flexible scheduling of SI messages. Specifically, the first timeslot can be determined based on the index and frame offset of the SI scheduling information.

[0172] Specifically, the slot number of the first time slot satisfies the following formula:

[0173]

[0174] x = (n-1) × w

[0175] Where #a is the system frame number of the first radio frame, W d For the first duration, Let n be the number of time slots contained in a system frame, n be the index of the SI message, w be the monitoring window length of the SI message, and K′ be the time slot offset.

[0176] It should be noted that the monitoring window length for SI messages can be configured to the first duration, in which case x = (m-1) × W d Where m is the index of the first SSB group, W d The duration is the first duration, where m is a positive integer less than or equal to M.

[0177] The time slot offset can be determined by the parameter startOffset_sl in the SI scheduling information. The naming of this parameter is not limited in this application embodiment.

[0178] In this embodiment of the application, by carrying a time slot offset, the second device can flexibly configure the monitoring position of the SI message, thereby improving the scheduling flexibility.

[0179] 603. The second device sends an SI message to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the SI message from the second device.

[0180] The second device transmits an SI message in the first radio frame. For example, the second device transmits the SI message on a portion of a time slot or a portion of a symbol within the first radio frame.

[0181] Optional, Figure 6 The illustrated embodiment also includes step 600a. Step 600a may be performed before step 601.

[0182] 600a. The second device sends an indication message of a first duration to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the indication message of the first duration from the second device.

[0183] The first device receives a first message from the second device, wherein the first message includes indication information for a first duration, the indication information being used to indicate that the service duration of the SSB group is the first duration.

[0184] Optionally, the first message can be a broadcast message, such as the SIB1 message, but this is not specifically limited here.

[0185] Optional, Figure 6 The illustrated embodiment also includes step 600b. Step 600b may be performed before step 601.

[0186] 600b. The second device sends a first identifier to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the first identifier from the second device.

[0187] In one possible implementation, the second device sends a first identifier to the first device via MIB or PBCH.

[0188] In another possible implementation, the second device sends a first identifier to the first device via SIB1. For example, the second device sends different identifiers to terminal devices serving different SSB groups; for terminal devices serving the first SSB group, the second device sends the first identifier to that terminal device.

[0189] Optional, Figure 6 The illustrated embodiment also includes step 600c. Step 600c may be performed before step 601.

[0190] 600c. The second device sends an SI scheduling information list to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the SI scheduling information list from the second device.

[0191] The second device configures an SI scheduling information list, i.e., SI-schedulingInfoList, in SIB1. Each element in the SI scheduling information list uses the same configuration, and the number of elements in the SI scheduling information list is equal to M. That is, the number of elements in the SI scheduling information list corresponds to the number of SSB groups in one SSB cycle, or the number of elements in the SI scheduling information list corresponds to the number of areas in the cell.

[0192] Optional, Figure 6 The illustrated embodiment also includes step 600d. Step 600d may be performed before step 601.

[0193] 600d, the second device sends a first signaling message to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the first signaling message from the second device.

[0194] The description of the first signaling can be found in the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0195] The communication method in the embodiments of this application has been described above. The communication device in the embodiments of this application is described below. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 8 The communication device 800 can be used to perform Figure 6 The process executed by the first device in the illustrated embodiment can be specifically described in the relevant descriptions of the foregoing method embodiments. The communication device 800 can be a terminal device, or a component or device applied to the terminal device (e.g., a module, communication module, circuit or chip responsible for communication functions (such as a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or an on-chip SoC chip or SIP chip containing a modem core), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the terminal device.

[0196] The communication device 800 includes an interface module 801 and a processing module 802.

[0197] The processing module 802 is used for data processing. The interface module 801 can implement corresponding communication functions. The interface module 801 can also be called a communication interface or a communication module.

[0198] Optionally, the communication device 800 may further include a storage module, which can be used to store program code, program instructions and / or data. The processing module 802 can read the instructions and / or data in the storage module so that the communication device 800 can implement the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0199] The communication device 800 can be used to perform the actions performed by the first device in the above method embodiments. For example, it can be the first device, a communication module within the first device, or a circuit or chip in the first device responsible for communication functions. The communication device 800 can be the first device or a component configurable within the first device. The processing module 802 is used to perform processing-related operations on the first device side in the above method embodiments. The interface module 801 is used to perform receiving-related operations on the first device side in the above method embodiments.

[0200] Optionally, interface module 801 may include a sending module and a receiving module. The sending module is used to perform the sending operation in the above method embodiments. The receiving module is used to perform the receiving operation in the above method embodiments.

[0201] It should be noted that the communication device 800 may include a transmitting module but not a receiving module. Alternatively, the communication device 800 may include a receiving module but not a transmitting module. Specifically, it depends on whether the above-described scheme performed by the communication device 800 includes both transmitting and receiving actions. For example, the communication device 800 is used to perform the above-described... Figure 6 The actions performed by the first device in the illustrated embodiment are shown above. For details, please refer to the above. Figure 6 The relevant descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be elaborated here.

[0202] For example, the communication device 800 is used to execute the following scheme:

[0203] Processing module 802 is used to determine that an SSB cycle includes M SSB groups, and the service duration of each SSB group in the M SSB groups is the first duration, where M is a positive integer;

[0204] The processing module 802 is further configured to determine the first radio frame based on the index of the first SSB group and the first duration, wherein the first SSB group is one of the M SSB groups, and the first radio frame carries an SI message, where m is a positive integer less than or equal to M.

[0205] Interface module 801 is used to receive SI messages.

[0206] It should be understood that the specific procedures for each module to perform the above-mentioned corresponding processes have been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0207] Optionally, when the communication device 800 is a terminal device or a communication module within a terminal device, the processing module 802 in the above embodiments can be implemented by at least one processor or processor-related circuitry. Specifically, the processor may include a modem chip, or a system-on-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core, or a system-in-package (SIP) chip. The interface module 801 can be implemented by a transceiver or transceiver-related circuitry. The interface module 801 may also be referred to as a communication module or communication interface. The storage module can be implemented by at least one memory.

[0208] Optionally, when the communication device 800 is a circuit or chip in a terminal device responsible for communication functions, such as a modem chip or a SoC chip or SIP chip containing a modem core, the function of the processing module 802 can be implemented by a circuit system in the aforementioned chip that includes one or more processors or processing cores. The function of the interface module 801 can be implemented by the interface circuit or data transceiver circuit on the aforementioned chip.

[0209] The following is another structural schematic diagram of the communication device according to an embodiment of this application. Please refer to... Figure 9 The communication device 900 can be used to perform Figure 6 The process executed by the second device in the illustrated embodiment can be specifically described in the relevant descriptions of the foregoing method embodiments. The communication device 900 can be a network device, or a component or device applied to a network device (e.g., a module, communication module, circuit or chip responsible for communication functions (such as a modem chip, or a SoC chip or SIP chip containing a modem core), chip system or processor), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of a network device.

[0210] The communication device 900 includes an interface module 901. Optionally, a processing module 902.

[0211] The processing module 902 is used for data processing. The interface module 901 can implement corresponding communication functions. The interface module 901 can also be called a communication interface or a communication module.

[0212] Optionally, the communication device 900 may further include a storage module, which can be used to store program code, program instructions and / or data. The processing module 902 can read the instructions and / or data in the storage module so that the communication device 900 can implement the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0213] The communication device 900 can be used to perform the actions performed by the second device in the above method embodiments. For example, it can be the second device, a communication module within the second device, or a circuit or chip in the second device responsible for communication functions. The communication device 900 can be the second device or a component configurable within the second device. The processing module 902 is used to perform processing-related operations on the second device side in the above method embodiments. The interface module 901 is used to perform receiving-related operations on the second device side in the above method embodiments.

[0214] Optionally, the interface module 901 may include a sending module and a receiving module. The sending module is used to perform the sending operation in the above method embodiments. The receiving module is used to perform the receiving operation in the above method embodiments.

[0215] It should be noted that the communication device 900 may include a transmitting module but not a receiving module. Alternatively, the communication device 900 may include a receiving module but not a transmitting module. Specifically, it depends on whether the above-described scheme performed by the communication device 900 includes both transmitting and receiving actions. For example, the communication device 900 is used to perform the above-described... Figure 6 The actions performed by the second device in the illustrated embodiment. For details, please refer to the above. Figure 6 The relevant descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be elaborated here.

[0216] For example, the communication device 900 is used to execute the following scheme:

[0217] Processing module 902 is used to determine the first radio frame according to the index of the first SSB group and the first duration, wherein the first duration is the service duration of each SSB group in the M SSB groups, the first SSB group is one of the M SSB groups, M is a positive integer, and m is a positive integer less than or equal to M.

[0218] Interface module 901 is used to send SI messages in the first radio frame.

[0219] It should be understood that the specific procedures for each module to perform the above-mentioned corresponding processes have been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0220] The processing module 902 in the above embodiments can be implemented by at least one processor or processor-related circuitry. The interface module 901 can be implemented by a transceiver or transceiver-related circuitry. The interface module 901 can also be referred to as a communication module or communication interface. The storage module can be implemented by at least one memory.

[0221] The following describes a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 10 , Figure 10This is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device may be the first device or the second device in the above method embodiments, or it may be a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the first device or the second device in implementing the above methods. This communication device can be used to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments, and for details, please refer to the description in the above method embodiments.

[0222] The communication device may include one or more processors 1001, which are connected to a memory 1002, an input / output unit 1003, and a bus 1004. The processor 1001 may be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, such as a baseband processor or a central processing unit (CPU). The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the CPU can be used to control the communication device (e.g., base station, baseband chip, terminal, terminal chip, DU or CU, etc.), execute software programs, and process data from the software programs.

[0223] Optionally, the communication device may include one or more memories 1002, which may store instructions that can be executed on the processor 1001 to cause the communication device to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. Optionally, the memories 1002 may also store data. The processor 1001 and the memories 1002 may be provided separately or integrated together.

[0224] Optionally, the communication device may also include a transceiver and an antenna. A transceiver, also called a transceiver unit, transceiver, or transceiver circuit, is used to implement transmission and reception functions. A transceiver may include a receiver and a transmitter; the receiver, also called a receiver circuit, is used to implement the receiving function; the transmitter, also called a transmitter or transmitting circuit, is used to implement the transmitting function.

[0225] In another possible design, the processor 1001 may include a transceiver for implementing receive and transmit functions. For example, the transceiver may be a transceiver circuit, an interface, or an interface circuit. The transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit for implementing receive and transmit functions may be separate or integrated. The aforementioned transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit may be used for reading and writing code / data, or it may be used for transmitting or relaying signals.

[0226] In another possible design, the processor 1001 may optionally store instructions that, when executed, cause the communication device to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. The instructions may be stored in the processor 1001; in this case, the processor 1001 may be implemented in hardware.

[0227] In another possible design, the communication device may include a circuit that can perform the transmitting or receiving or communication functions of the first or second device in the aforementioned method embodiments. The processor and transceiver described in this application embodiment can be implemented on integrated circuits (ICs), analog ICs, radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs), mixed-signal ICs, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), electronic devices, etc. The processor and transceiver can also be manufactured using various IC process technologies, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS), n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS), p-type metal oxide semiconductors (PMOS), bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS), silicon germanium (SiGe), gallium arsenide (GaAs), etc.

[0228] The communication device described in the above embodiments may be a first device or a second device, but the scope of the communication device described in the embodiments of this application is not limited thereto, and the structure of the communication device may vary. Figure 10 The communication device can be a standalone device or part of a larger device. For example, the communication device can be:

[0229] (1) Independent integrated circuit IC, or chip, or chip system or subsystem;

[0230] (2) A collection of one or more ICs, optionally including a storage component for storing data and instructions;

[0231] (3) ASIC, such as modem;

[0232] (4) Modules that can be embedded in other devices;

[0233] (5) Receivers, terminals, smart terminals, cellular phones, wireless devices, handheld devices, mobile units, vehicle-mounted devices, network devices, cloud devices, artificial intelligence devices, etc.

[0234] (6) Others, etc.

[0235] For cases where the communication device can be a chip or a chip system, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 11 The diagram shows the structure of the chip. Figure 11 The chip 1100 shown includes a processor 1101 and an interface 1102. Optionally, it may also include a memory 1103. The number of processors 1101 can be one or more, and the number of interfaces 1102 can be multiple.

[0236] For cases where the chip is used to implement the functions of the first or second device in the embodiments of this application:

[0237] The interface 1102 is used to receive or output signals;

[0238] The processor 1101 is used to perform data processing operations of the first device or the second device.

[0239] It is understood that some optional features in the embodiments of this application can be implemented independently in certain scenarios without relying on other features, such as the current solution on which they are based, to solve the corresponding technical problems and achieve the corresponding effects. Alternatively, they can be combined with other features as needed in certain scenarios. Correspondingly, the communication device given in the embodiments of this application can also implement these features or functions, which will not be elaborated here.

[0240] It should be understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, the steps of the above method embodiments can be completed by integrated logic circuits in the processor's hardware or by instructions in software form. The processor described above can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components.

[0241] It is understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAK are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous linked dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory used in the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0242] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods described in the foregoing embodiments. The computer-readable storage medium may be a non-volatile storage medium.

[0243] This application also provides a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods described in the foregoing embodiments.

[0244] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0245] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be an indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units through some interfaces, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0246] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0247] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0248] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit 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 storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0249] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., high-density digital video discs (DVDs)), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state disks (SSDs)).

[0250] The embodiments described in this application are merely some, not all, of the embodiments described herein. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments described herein without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0251] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as described in this application mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0252] In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " means "or". For example, A / B can mean A or B. "And / or" in this document is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Furthermore, "at least one" means one or more, and "multiple" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c; a and b; a and c; b and c; or a and b and c. Where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: A synchronization signal block (SSB) period is defined to include M SSB groups, and the service duration of each SSB group in the M SSB groups is a first duration, where M is a positive integer. The first radio frame is determined based on the index of the first SSB group and the first duration. The first SSB group is one of the M SSB groups. The first radio frame carries the system information SI message.

2. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: The first radio frame is determined based on the index of the first SSB group and the first duration, wherein the first duration is the service duration of each SSB group in the M SSB groups, and the first SSB group is one of the M SSB groups, where M is a positive integer. Send an SI message in the first radio frame.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive the indication information for the first duration.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send an indication message for the first duration.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Determining the first radio frame based on the index of the first SSB group and the first duration includes: The system frame number of the first radio frame is determined based on the first identifier and the first duration, wherein the first identifier is used to indicate the index of the first SSB group, and the system frame number of the first radio frame satisfies: x = (n-1) × w Among them, SFN SIx Where is the system frame number of the first wireless frame, and T is the monitoring period of the SI message. For the first identifier, W d For the first duration, The number of time slots contained in a system frame is n, where n is the index of the SI message, and w is the monitoring window length of the SI message.

6. The method according to claim 1, 3, or 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive a first identifier, which indicates the index of the first SSB group.

7. The method according to claim 2, 4, or 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a first identifier, which indicates the index of the first SSB group.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Determining the first radio frame based on the index of the first SSB group and the first duration includes: The system frame numbers of M radio frames are determined based on the indices of the M SSB groups and the first duration. The M radio frames include the first radio frame, and the system frame number of the first radio frame satisfies the following formula: x=(m-1)×W d Among them, SFN SIx Where is the system frame number of the first wireless frame, T is the monitoring period of the SI message, and W is... d For the first duration, M represents the number of time slots contained in a system frame, m is the index of the first SSB group, and m is a positive integer less than or equal to M.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, Determining the first radio frame based on the index of the first SSB group and the first duration includes: The system frame number of the first radio frame is determined based on the index of the first SSB group, the first duration, and the frame offset K. The system frame number of the first radio frame satisfies the following formula: x=(m-1)×W d Among them, SFN SIx Where is the system frame number of the first wireless frame, and T is the monitoring period of the SI message. Where K is the number of time slots contained in a system frame, and W is the frame offset. d Let m be the first duration, m be the index of the first SSB group, and m be a positive integer less than or equal to M.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The method further includes: The first time slot is determined based on the time slot offset. The first time slot is the time slot in the first radio frame used to carry the SI message. The time slot number of the first time slot satisfies the following formula: x=(m-1)×W d Where #a is the slot number of the first time slot, W d For the first duration, K is the number of time slots contained in a system frame, K′ is the time slot offset, m is the index of the first SSB group, and m is a positive integer less than or equal to M.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1, 3, 8 to 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive a list of SI scheduling information, which includes M SI scheduling information entries, and each of the M SI scheduling information entries corresponds one-to-one with one of the M SSB groups.

12. The method according to any one of claims 2, 4, 8 to 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a list of SI scheduling information, which includes M SI scheduling information entries, and each of the M SI scheduling information entries corresponds one-to-one with one of the M SSB groups.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that, The M SI scheduling information includes a first SI scheduling information, which is used to indicate the frame offset, or to indicate the time slot offset.

14. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 13, characterized in that, The indication information of the first duration is carried in the first signaling, and the first signaling indicates that the SI monitoring window length field is used to configure the first duration.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The determination that an SSB cycle includes M SSB groups includes: M is determined based on the SSB cycle and the first duration.

16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The first signaling includes bit information, which indicates that the SI monitoring window length field is used to configure the first duration; or, The first signaling includes a range of values ​​for M, and the M value ranges indicate that the SI monitoring window length field is used to configure the first duration.

17. A communication device, characterized in that, Includes modules or units for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A processor for executing a program that causes the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

19. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, Includes instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

20. A computer program product containing instructions, characterized in that, When it is run on a computer, it causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

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