A communication method and device

Abstract

The application relates to a communication method and device. A first message is received from a base station central unit, the first message being used to determine whether a first terminal device supports a first grouping mode; the first terminal device is paged by using a first paging mode, the first paging mode being determined according to the first message. The base station distributed unit can determine whether the first terminal device supports the first grouping mode according to the first message, so that the first terminal device is paged by using a corresponding paging mode (for example, a certain grouping paging mode or a non-grouping paging mode). Therefore, under a separation architecture, the base station distributed unit can also complete paging of the first terminal device.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application. The original application has the application number 202111209367.0 and the original application date is October 18, 2021. The entire contents of the original application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202111109055.2, filed on September 22, 2021, entitled "A Communication Method, Terminal and Network Device", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and device. Background Technology

[0004] The 5G New Radio (NR) technology adopts the Discontinuous Reception (DRX) mechanism from Long Term Evolution (LTE). The DRX mechanism includes a DRX cycle. User equipment (UE) periodically "wakes up" for a period of time according to the DRX cycle, while remaining in a "sleep" state during other times of the DRX cycle to reduce power consumption. When the UE is in an idle or inactive state in Radio Resource Control (RRC), if the core network (CN) or base station needs to send downlink data to the UE (e.g., a phone call to the UE, or data that needs to be sent to the UE), it will first send a paging message to the UE. Upon receiving the paging message, the UE will initiate an RRC connection establishment process, thereby enabling it to receive downlink data.

[0005] To further conserve UE power consumption, a UE-group-based paging mechanism has been proposed. This involves dividing UEs into multiple groups. The base station can indicate which group(s) of UEs are being paged. Paged UEs can then receive paging messages, while unpaged UEs do not need to listen for paging messages. If the base station needs to page a UE, it can determine whether group-based paging is feasible. If group-based paging is feasible, the base station can send a paging early indication (PEI) / wake-up signal (WUS), indicating the group number of the UE in the PEI / WUS, to page the UE. Currently, there are two grouping methods for UE-group-based paging: ① Core network-controlled grouping, also known as core network-assigned grouping; ② Radio access network (RAN)-controlled grouping, also known as UE ID-based grouping. A UE may support both grouping methods, only one, or none at all.

[0006] In 5G NR systems, base stations (such as gNBs) are reconfigured into two logical network elements: the gNB central unit (gNB-CU) and the gNB distributed unit (gNB-DU). Depending on the scenario and requirements, these two logical network elements can be deployed together or separately. This network architecture will be referred to as the CU-DU separation architecture below. In the CU-DU separation architecture, the gNB-DU is responsible for transmitting PEI / WUS. However, the gNB-DU does not know whether the UE supports packet switching or which packet switching method it supports; therefore, the gNB-DU may be unable to page the UE. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This application provides a communication method and device for enabling a base station distribution unit to page a UE.

[0008] In a first aspect, a first communication method is provided, which can be executed by a base station distribution unit, or by a larger device including the base station distribution unit, or by a chip system or other functional module capable of implementing the functions of the base station distribution unit, for example, being disposed within the base station distribution unit. The base station distribution unit is, for example, a functional unit included in a base station. The method includes: receiving a first message from a base station centralization unit, the first message being used to determine whether a terminal device to be paged supports a first packet mode, and / or to determine a paging mode to be used for the terminal device to be paged; and paging the terminal device using the first paging mode, the first paging mode being determined based on the first message.

[0009] In this embodiment, the base station central unit can send a first message to the base station distribution unit. The first message can indicate whether the terminal device to be paged supports a first packet mode, and / or the first message can be used to determine the paging mode to be used for the terminal device to be paged. In this way, the base station distribution unit can determine whether the terminal device to be paged supports packet mode or the packet modes it can support based on the first message, and thus use the corresponding paging mode (e.g., a packet paging mode or a non-packet paging mode) to page the terminal device. This allows the base station distribution unit to complete paging of terminal devices even in a CU-DU separated architecture.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in a first optional implementation of the first aspect, the first message includes a first set of identifiers. If the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, the first paging method is paging according to the second grouping method, and the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method; or, the first message includes a first set of identifiers and information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method. The first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the terminal device supports the second grouping method. If the first grouping method is selected, then the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method; or, the first message includes a first group identifier and information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method, where the first group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the terminal device does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method; or, if the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method and does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method. The base station distribution unit can select an appropriate method to paging the terminal device based on its support for grouping methods and the content included in the first message, thereby completing the paging of the terminal device and improving the paging success rate. The base station centralization unit can send information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method to the base station distribution unit, so that the base station distribution unit can know the terminal device's support for grouping methods.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in a second optional implementation of the first aspect, the first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method, and does not include a first group identifier, which is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the terminal device supports the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method; or, the first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method, and does not include a first group identifier, which is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the terminal device does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method; or, the first message does not include a first group identifier, which is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method. The base station distribution unit can select an appropriate method to page the terminal device based on its support for packet modes and the content of the first message, thereby completing the paging of the terminal device and improving the paging success rate.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect, in a third optional implementation of the first aspect, the first message includes a first set of identifiers, which are identifiers of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, the first paging method is paging according to the second grouping method; or, if the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, and the first message also indicates the use of the first grouping method, the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method; or, if the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, and the first message also indicates not using the first grouping method, the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method; or, if the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method and does not support the first grouping method, the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method. The base station distribution unit can select an appropriate method to paging the terminal device based on its support for grouping methods and the content included in the first message, thereby completing the paging of the terminal device and improving the paging success rate. The base station central unit can indicate to the base station distribution unit whether to use the first grouping method. Thus, the base station distribution unit can know whether the first grouping method can be used based on the first message, without needing to obtain the terminal device's capability information (such as whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method), making the implementation of the base station distribution unit simpler.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, in a fourth optional implementation of the first aspect, the first message does not include a first group of identifiers, which is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method; wherein, if the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method and the first message also indicates the use of the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method; or, if the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method and the first message also indicates not using the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method; or, if the first message also indicates not using the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method; or, if the base station distribution unit does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method. The base station distribution unit can select an appropriate method to paging the terminal device based on its support for grouping methods and the content included in the first message, thereby completing the paging of the terminal device and improving the paging success rate. The base station central unit can indicate to the base station distribution unit whether to use the first grouping method. Thus, the base station distribution unit can know whether the first grouping method can be used based on the first message, without needing to obtain the terminal device's capability information (such as whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method), making the implementation of the base station distribution unit simpler.

[0014] Secondly, a second communication method is provided, which can be executed by a base station centralization unit, or by a larger device including the base station centralization unit, or by a chip system or other functional module capable of implementing the functions of the base station centralization unit, for example, being disposed within the base station centralization unit. The base station centralization unit is, for example, a functional unit included in a base station. The method includes: receiving a second message from a core network device, the second message including information on whether the terminal device to be paged supports a first packet mode; sending a first message to a base station distribution unit, the first message being used to determine whether the terminal device supports the first packet mode, and / or to determine the paging mode used for the terminal device.

[0015] For information on the beneficial effects of the second aspect, please refer to the description of the beneficial effects of the first aspect or any alternative implementation method.

[0016] Thirdly, a first communication system is provided, comprising a base station centralization unit and a base station distribution unit. The base station centralization unit is configured to receive a second message from core network equipment, the second message including information on whether a terminal device to be paged supports a first packet mode, and to send a first message to the base station distribution unit, the first message being used to determine whether the terminal device supports the first packet mode and / or to determine the paging mode to be used for the terminal device; the base station distribution unit is configured to receive the first message from the base station centralization unit and to page the terminal device using the first paging mode, the first paging mode being determined based on the first message.

[0017] For information on the beneficial effects of the third aspect, please refer to the description of the beneficial effects of the first aspect or any of the alternative implementation methods.

[0018] Fourthly, a third communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a base station centralization unit, a larger device including the base station centralization unit, or a chip system or other functional module capable of implementing the functions of the base station centralization unit. The chip system or functional module is, for example, housed within the base station centralization unit. The base station centralization unit is, for example, a functional unit included in a base station. The method includes: determining whether a base station distribution unit supports a second packet mode; and sending first information to the base station distribution unit, the first information indicating whether the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode. Through the method provided in this application embodiment, the base station distribution unit can determine whether it supports the second packet mode, thereby broadcasting corresponding information so that the terminal device can clearly understand the current cell's support for the second packet mode, thus facilitating the terminal device to use the appropriate packet mode to receive paging.

[0019] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in a first optional implementation of the fourth aspect, if the first information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode, then the first information is also used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the second packet mode; or, if the first information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode, then the method further includes: sending second information to the base station distribution unit, the second information being used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the second packet mode; or, the first information being used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode includes: the first information being used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the second packet mode. If the first information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode, then it also involves the maximum number of packets that the base station distribution unit can support under the second packet mode. Then the base station centralization unit can indicate to the base station distribution unit the maximum number of packets that the base station distribution unit can support under the second packet mode, so that the base station distribution unit clearly understands this number. There may be multiple indication methods, which is quite flexible.

[0020] In conjunction with the fourth aspect or the first optional implementation of the fourth aspect, in the second optional implementation of the fourth aspect, the first information is further used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode; or, the method further includes: sending third information to the base station distribution unit, the third information being used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode. The packet mode includes not only the second packet mode but also the first packet mode, and the base station distribution unit may or may not support the first packet mode. If the base station centralization unit determines whether the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, then the base station centralization unit can indicate to the base station distribution unit whether the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode. The base station distribution unit can then determine whether the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, thereby broadcasting the corresponding information so that the terminal device can clearly understand the current cell's support for the first packet mode, thus facilitating the terminal device to use the corresponding packet mode to receive paging.

[0021] In conjunction with the second optional implementation of the fourth aspect, in the third optional implementation of the fourth aspect, if the third information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, then the third information is also used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the first packet mode; or, if the third information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, then the method further includes: sending fourth information to the base station distribution unit, the fourth information being used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the first packet mode; or, the third information being used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, including: the third information being used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the first packet mode. If the third information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, then it also involves the maximum number of packets that the base station distribution unit can support under the first packet mode. Then the base station centralization unit can indicate to the base station distribution unit the maximum number of packets that the base station distribution unit can support under the first packet mode, so that the base station distribution unit clearly understands this number. There may be multiple indication methods, which is quite flexible.

[0022] Fifthly, a fourth communication method is provided, which can be executed by a base station distribution unit, by a larger device including the base station distribution unit, or by a chip system or other functional module capable of implementing the functions of the base station distribution unit, for example, being disposed within the base station distribution unit. The base station distribution unit is, for example, a functional unit included in a base station. The method includes: receiving first information from a base station centralization unit, the first information indicating whether the base station distribution unit supports a second packet mode.

[0023] For information on the beneficial effects of the fifth aspect, please refer to the description of the beneficial effects of the fourth aspect or any alternative implementation method.

[0024] Sixthly, a second communication system is provided, comprising a base station centralization unit and a base station distribution unit. The base station centralization unit is configured to determine whether the base station distribution unit supports a second packet mode, and to send first information to the base station distribution unit, the first information indicating whether the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode; the base station distribution unit is configured to receive the first information from the base station centralization unit.

[0025] For information on the beneficial effects of the sixth aspect, please refer to the description of the beneficial effects of the fourth aspect or any alternative implementation method.

[0026] Seventhly, a fifth communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a base station centralization unit, a larger device including the base station centralization unit, or a chip system or other functional module capable of implementing the functions of the base station centralization unit. The chip system or functional module is, for example, housed within the base station centralization unit. The base station centralization unit is, for example, a functional unit included in a base station. The method includes: sending a first message to a base station distribution unit, the first message including first time information, the first time information used to determine the time for sending an RRC release message to a terminal device, the RRC release message used to release the terminal device from an RRC connected state to an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state. Through the scheme provided by the embodiments of this application, the base station distribution unit clearly defines the time frame within which the RRC release message needs to be sent to the terminal device for the terminal device to correctly receive it. Thus, the base station distribution unit can send the RRC release message to the terminal device within the time frame within which the terminal device can correctly receive the RRC release message. This minimizes the problem of state misalignment between network devices (e.g., the base station centralization unit) and terminal devices, and also minimizes the performance degradation of the terminal device.

[0027] Eighthly, a sixth communication method is provided, which can be executed by a base station distribution unit, or by a larger device including the base station distribution unit, or by a chip system or other functional module capable of implementing the functions of the base station distribution unit, for example, being disposed within the base station distribution unit. The base station distribution unit is, for example, a functional unit included in a base station. The method includes: receiving a first message from a base station centralization unit, the first message including first time information, the first time information being used to determine the time for sending an RRC release message to a terminal device, the RRC release message being used to release the terminal device from an RRC connected state to an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state.

[0028] For information on the beneficial effects of the eighth aspect, please refer to the description of the beneficial effects of the seventh aspect.

[0029] A ninth aspect provides a third communication system, comprising a base station centralization unit and a base station distribution unit. The base station centralization unit is configured to send a first message to the base station distribution unit, the first message including first time information, the first time information being used to determine the time for sending an RRC release message to a terminal device, the RRC release message being used to release the terminal device from an RRC connected state to an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state; the base station distribution unit is configured to receive the first message from the base station centralization unit.

[0030] For information on the beneficial effects of the ninth aspect, please refer to the description of the beneficial effects of the seventh aspect.

[0031] A tenth aspect provides a communication device. The communication device can be a base station centralization unit as described in any one of the first to ninth aspects. The communication device possesses the functions of the aforementioned base station centralization unit. The communication device is, for example, a base station centralization unit, or a functional module within a base station centralization unit, such as a baseband device or a chip system. In one optional implementation, the communication device includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device. In another optional implementation, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also called a processing module) and a transceiver unit (sometimes also called a transceiver module). The transceiver unit can implement both transmitting and receiving functions. When the transceiver unit implements the transmitting function, it can be called a transmitting unit (sometimes also called a transmitting module), and when the transceiver unit implements the receiving function, it can be called a receiving unit (sometimes also called a receiving module). The transmitting unit and the receiving unit can be the same functional module, which is called the transceiver unit and can implement both transmitting and receiving functions; or, the transmitting unit and the receiving unit can be different functional modules, and the transceiver unit is a collective term for these functional modules.

[0032] In one alternative implementation, the communication device further includes a storage unit, and the processing unit is configured to couple with the storage unit and execute programs or instructions in the storage unit to enable the communication device to perform the functions of the base station centralization unit described in any of the first to ninth aspects above.

[0033] Eleventhly, a communication device is provided. The communication device can be a base station distribution unit as described in any one of the first to ninth aspects above. The communication device possesses the functions of the aforementioned base station distribution unit. The communication device is, for example, a base station distribution unit, or a functional module within a base station distribution unit, such as a baseband device or a chip system. In one optional implementation, the communication device includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device. In another optional implementation, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also called a processing module) and a transceiver unit (sometimes also called a transceiver module). The transceiver unit can implement both transmitting and receiving functions. When the transceiver unit implements the transmitting function, it can be called a transmitting unit (sometimes also called a transmitting module), and when the transceiver unit implements the receiving function, it can be called a receiving unit (sometimes also called a receiving module). The transmitting unit and the receiving unit can be the same functional module, which is called the transceiver unit and can implement both transmitting and receiving functions; or, the transmitting unit and the receiving unit can be different functional modules, and the transceiver unit is a collective term for these functional modules.

[0034] In one alternative implementation, the communication device further includes a storage unit, and the processing unit is configured to couple with the storage unit and execute programs or instructions in the storage unit to enable the communication device to perform the functions of the base station distribution unit described in any one of the first to ninth aspects.

[0035] In a twelfth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided for storing a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the methods performed by the base station central unit or base station distribution unit in the above aspects to be implemented.

[0036] In a thirteenth aspect, a computer program product containing instructions is provided that, when run on a computer, enables the methods described in the above aspects to be implemented.

[0037] In a fourteenth aspect, an apparatus is provided comprising one or more units for performing the method described in any embodiment of the present application. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1A This is a schematic diagram of a base station centralization unit and a base station distribution unit in an embodiment of this application; Figure 1B This is a schematic diagram of the gNB protocol stack; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a network architecture used in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating the first communication method provided in this application embodiment; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a first implementation of the first communication method in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a second implementation of the first communication method in the embodiments of this application; Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating the second communication method provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating the third communication method provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] The following explanations of some terms or concepts used in the embodiments of this application are provided to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0041] In this embodiment, the terminal device is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, which can be a fixed device, a mobile device, a handheld device (e.g., a mobile phone), a wearable device, an in-vehicle device, or a wireless device (e.g., a communication module, a modem, or a chip system, etc.) built into the aforementioned devices. The terminal device is used to connect people, objects, machines, etc., and can be widely used in various scenarios, including but not limited to the following: cellular communication, device-to-device (D2D) communication, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-to-machine / machine-type communications (M2M / MTC) communication, Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), industrial control, self-driving, remote medical care, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart city, drones, robots, and other scenarios. The terminal device may sometimes be referred to as user equipment (UE), terminal, access station, UE station, remote station, wireless communication equipment, or user device, etc. For ease of description, the terminal device in this application embodiment will be described using UE as an example.

[0042] The network devices in this application embodiment may include, for example, access network devices and / or core network devices. The access network device is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, used to communicate with the terminal device. The access network device includes, but is not limited to, base stations (BTS, Node B, eNodeB / eNB, or gNodeB / gNB), transmission reception points (TRPs), base stations evolved from the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), access nodes, wireless relay nodes, and wireless backhaul nodes in Wi-Fi systems. The base station may be a macro base station, micro base station, pico base station, small cell, relay station, etc. Multiple base stations can support networks using the same access technology or networks using different access technologies. A base station may contain one or more co-located or non-co-located transmission and reception points. The access network device may also be a radio controller, centralized unit (CU), and / or distributed unit (DU) in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. The access network device may also be a server, etc. For example, network equipment in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be roadside units (RSUs). The following description of access network equipment uses a base station as an example. A base station can communicate with a terminal device, or it can communicate with a terminal device through a relay station. A terminal device can communicate with multiple base stations in different access technologies. The core network equipment is used to implement functions such as mobility management, data processing, session management, policy and charging. The names of the equipment implementing core network functions may differ in systems using different access technologies; this application does not limit this. Taking a 5G system as an example, the core network equipment includes: access and mobility management function (AMF), session management function (SMF), policy control function (PCF), or user plane function (UPF), etc.

[0043] In this application embodiment, the communication device used to implement the network device function can be a network device itself, or it can be a device capable of supporting the network device in implementing that function, such as a chip system. This device can be installed within the network device. In the technical solutions provided in this application embodiment, the example of a network device being used to implement the network device function is used to describe the technical solutions provided in this application embodiment.

[0044] In this application embodiment, the number of nouns, unless otherwise specified, refers to "singular nouns or plural nouns," that is, "one or more." "At least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c means: 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.

[0045] The ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" mentioned in the embodiments of this application are used to distinguish multiple objects, and are not used to limit the size, content, order, timing, priority, or importance of the multiple objects. For example, the first message and the second message can be the same message or different messages, and such names do not indicate that the two messages are different in size, content, sending order, priority, or importance. In addition, the numbering of steps in the various embodiments described in this application is only to distinguish different steps, and is not used to limit the order between steps. For example, S301 may occur before S302, or may occur after S302, or may occur simultaneously with S302.

[0046] The technical features involved in the embodiments of this application are briefly described below.

[0047] In a 5G NR system, the base station is reconfigured into two logical network elements: the base station centralized unit and the base station distributed unit, for example, reference... Figure 1AThis diagram illustrates a base station centralized unit and a base station distributed unit. The base station centralized unit includes RRC, Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP), and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) from the base station protocol stack; that is, the base station centralized unit has the functions of protocol layers such as RRC, SDAP, and PDCP. The base station distributed unit includes radio link control (RLC), medium access control (MAC), and physical layer (PHY) from the base station protocol stack; that is, the base station distributed unit has the functions of protocol layers such as RLC, MAC, and PHY.

[0048] The base station centralized unit and the base station distributed unit can be two independent functional network elements. An interface can exist between these two functional network elements for communication, such as an F1 interface. Taking a gNB as an example, the base station centralized unit is, for example, gNB-CU, and the base station distributed unit is, for example, gNB-DU. Therefore, this network architecture is also called a CU-DU separation architecture. Alternatively, the base station centralized unit may have other names, such as centralized unit or first unit; the base station distributed unit may also have other names, such as distributed unit or second unit. In short, the name does not constitute a limitation on the characteristics.

[0049] The RRC layer is the higher-level control plane of the UE, related to UE access control, maintenance, release, and UE configuration. Only the RRC layer can parse RRC messages. The MAC layer and PHY layer primarily function as lower-level scheduling for the UE, related to UE data packet assembly and data scheduling. Only the MAC layer can parse MAC layer control signaling, and only the PHY layer can parse PHY layer control signaling. (See reference...) Figure 1B This is a schematic diagram of the gNB protocol stack.

[0050] 5G NR technology adopts the DRX mechanism from LTE, which includes a DRX cycle. The UE periodically "wakes up" for a period of time according to the DRX cycle, while remaining in a "sleep" state during other times of the DRX cycle to reduce power consumption. When the UE is in RRC idle or RRC inactive state, if the core network or base station needs to send downlink data to the UE, it will first send a paging message to the UE. After receiving the paging message, the UE will initiate an RRC connection establishment process, thus enabling it to receive downlink data. The paging mechanism can be further divided into core network paging and access network paging. For UEs in RRC idle state, core network paging is generally used, while for UEs in RRC inactive state, access network paging is generally used.

[0051] A UE in RRC idle or inactive state only "wakes up" on its own paging occasion (PO) to receive paging messages. On its PO, the UE first receives downlink control information (DCI) indicating the paging message; this DCI, also known as paging control information, indicates the time-frequency resources for the paging message. After receiving the paging control information, the UE receives the paging message. If the paging message indicates the UE's UE ID, it means the UE has been paging, and the UE needs to initiate an RRC connection establishment procedure to access the base station. If the paging message does not indicate the UE's UE ID, it means the UE has not been paging, and the UE can continue to "sleep" until the next PO, and so on. The paging control information is transmitted on the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), and the paging message is transmitted on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

[0052] The DRX cycle in the paging mechanism is also called the paging cycle. The base station broadcasts a cell-wide common paging cycle value, called the default paging cycle. Additionally, the UE has its own UE-specific paging cycle value, called the UE-specific paging cycle. Currently, it is stipulated that the paging cycle value actually used by the UE for paging is the smaller of the default paging cycle and the UE-specific paging cycle. For example, the actual paging cycle value used by the UE may be 0.32 seconds, 0.64 seconds, 1.28 seconds, or 2.56 seconds, etc.

[0053] If a basic paging mechanism is used, UEs that are not actually paged still need to listen for paging control information and receive paging messages on their own PO, resulting in wasted power. Therefore, to further save UE power consumption, a UE-group-based paging mechanism is proposed. That is, UEs are divided into multiple groups, and the base station can indicate which group(s) of UEs are being paged. Only paged UEs need to receive paging messages, while unpaged UEs do not need to listen for paging messages. For example, the base station can indicate the paged UE group in the paging control information, and only the paged UEs need to subsequently receive paging messages transmitted on the PDSCH; or, the base station can indicate the paged UE group in the WUS (also known as PEI), and only the paged UEs need to subsequently listen for the corresponding PO, i.e., listen for paging control information and receive paging messages. The PEI / WUS can be located at an offset position before the PO in the time domain, and the PEI / WUS can be downlink control information.

[0054] Currently, there are two types of paging mechanisms based on UE packets: ① Packet control by the core network; ② Packet control by the radio access network (RAN), also known as the packet control based on UE ID.

[0055] The core network-controlled grouping method can be understood as the core network controlling which group the UE belongs to. For example, the core network assigns a group number to the UE based on whether the UE supports grouping methods and the UE's characteristics (such as the UE's paging probability, whether the UE has low power consumption requirements, etc.). Simultaneously, the core network sends the UE's group number to the access network when paging the UE. At this point, the access network sends the WUS / PEI and the corresponding paging message based on the UE's group number. For example, when sending the WUS / PEI, the access network indicates the UE's group number, enabling the UE to be paged.

[0056] The access network-controlled packet method can be understood as the access network controlling the UE's packet selection, while the core network is unaware of this. For example, the access network broadcasts the number of groups supported by the cell. The access network and the UE calculate the group number to which the UE belongs based on the number of groups and the UE ID using the same calculation formula (which can be predefined through the protocol, for example, the formula is a modulo operation on the UE ID and / or the number of groups supported by the cell). The access network then sends WUS / PEI and the corresponding paging message based on the group number to which the UE belongs.

[0057] Both core network paging and access network paging are applicable. It's important to note that the core network-controlled grouping method considers UE characteristics (e.g., grouping UEs with low paging probability in one group and UEs with high paging probability in another, ensuring that paging UEs with high paging probability does not affect UEs with low paging probability), while the access network-controlled grouping method is a purely randomized process. Therefore, the core network-controlled grouping method provides better grouping performance and reduces the probability of UEs being falsely woken up. Consequently, the core network-controlled grouping method is generally preferred during paging.

[0058] From the perspective of the access network, a cell may not support any packet mode, or may support one packet mode, or may support two packet modes simultaneously, depending on the capabilities of the access network and the core network. From the perspective of the UE, it may not use packet modes or may use packet modes, but can only use one packet mode at a time, depending on the packet modes supported by the cell and the capabilities of the UE.

[0059] If an access network base station needs to page a UE, it can determine whether the UE can be paged using a packet-based method. If the UE can be paged using a packet-based method, the base station can send a PEI / WUS, indicating the group number of the packet to which the UE belongs, in order to page the UE. The group number of the packet to which the UE belongs, indicated in the PEI / WUS, is obtained by grouping the UE based on the packet-based methods supported by the UE.

[0060] In a CU-DU separated architecture, the gNB-DU is responsible for sending PEI / WUS. However, the gNB-DU does not know the UE's information, such as whether the UE supports packet mode or which packet mode the UE supports. Therefore, the gNB-DU may be unable to page the UE.

[0061] In view of this, the technical solution of the embodiments of this application is provided. In the embodiments of this application, the base station central unit can send a first message to the base station distribution unit. The first message can indicate whether the UE to be paged supports a first packet mode, and / or the first message can be used to determine the paging mode to be used for the UE to be paged. In this way, the base station distribution unit can determine whether the UE to be paged supports a packet mode or the packet modes it can support based on the first message, and thus use the corresponding paging mode (e.g., packet paging mode or non-packet paging mode) to page the UE. This enables the base station distribution unit to complete paging of the UE even in a CU-DU separation architecture.

[0062] Please refer to Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a network architecture used in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2This includes core network equipment, access network equipment, and UEs. The access network equipment adopts a CU-DU separated architecture. If the UE is in RRC idle state, the core network equipment can page the UE; if the UE is in RRC inactive state, the access network equipment can page the UE. In this case, the UE is paged by the base station distribution unit of the access network equipment.

[0063] Figure 2 The core network equipment in the core network can be, for example, AMF, or other equipment within the core network. Figure 2 The access network equipment in this context is, for example, a base station. The access network equipment corresponds to different devices in different systems; for example, in a 4G system it may correspond to an eNB, while in a 5G system it may correspond to the access network equipment in 5G, such as a gNB. Of course, the technical solutions provided in this application embodiment can also be applied to future mobile communication systems. Figure 2 The access network equipment mentioned can also correspond to network equipment in future mobile communication systems. This application embodiment uses a base station as an example of access network equipment; however, referring to the preceding description, access network equipment can also be devices such as RSUs (Radio Service Units).

[0064] The method provided by the embodiments of this application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings corresponding to the various embodiments of this application, all optional steps are indicated by dashed lines. The "base station centralized unit" described in the various embodiments of this application is, for example, a gNB-CU, or if the base station uses other methods to divide logical network elements, it can also be the corresponding logical network element under that division method; the "base station distributed unit" described in the various embodiments of this application is, for example, a gNB-DU, or if the base station uses other methods to divide logical network elements, it can also be the corresponding logical network element under that division method. For ease of understanding, gNB-CU and gNB-DU will be used as examples in the following description.

[0065] This application provides a first communication method, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 3 Here is a flowchart of the method. This method can be applied to... Figure 2 The network architecture shown, for example, the UE involved in this method is... Figure 2 The UE in this method refers to the gNB-CU. Figure 2 The base station centralized unit in the method refers to the gNB-DU. Figure 2 The base station distribution unit in the method refers to the core network equipment involved. Figure 2 Core network equipment in the network.

[0066] S301, gNB-CU sends a first message to gNB-DU. Correspondingly, gNB-DU receives the first message from gNB-CU. The first message can be used to determine whether the UE to be paged supports a first packet mode, and / or, the first message can be used to determine the paging mode used by the UE to be paged.

[0067] The first message could be a paging message between gNB-CU and gNB-DU, or it could be other types of messages.

[0068] The paging method used for a paged UE can be, for example, packet-based paging or non-packet-based paging. The packet-based paging method includes a first packet method and a second packet method. Therefore, the paging method used for a paged UE can be either the first packet method, the second packet method, or a non-packet-based paging. The first packet method is, for example, an access network-controlled packet method, or a packet method based on the UE ID; the second packet method is, for example, a core network-controlled packet method, or a packet method based on a core network device-assigned identifier. In other words, the gNB-DU can determine the paging method used for the paged UE based on the first message, thus enabling paging of the UE and allowing normal UE paging even in a CU-DU separated architecture.

[0069] S302 and gNB-DU use the first paging method to paging the UE.

[0070] The gNB-DU can determine the first paging method based on the first message. The first paging method can be, for example, paging according to a packet method or paging according to a non-packet method. The packet method includes either a first packet method or a second packet method; therefore, the first paging method can also be paging according to the first packet method, the second packet method, or a non-packet method. In other words, the gNB-DU can determine which packet method or non-packet method to use to paging the UE based on the first message. In S302, the gNB-DU can generate and send first information to paging the UE. For example, if the first paging method is paging according to a packet method, the first information may include a group identifier, which is determined according to the packet method, or in other words, according to the first paging method, or essentially according to the first message. If the packet method is the first packet method, the group identifier can be the identifier of the packet to which the UE being paging belongs under the first packet method; if the packet method is the second packet method, the group identifier can be the identifier of the packet to which the UE being paging belongs under the second packet method. Alternatively, if the first paging method is non-packet paging, the first message may not include the group identifier. In this case, the first message excluding the group identifier can still be considered as determined by the non-packet method, or determined by the first paging method, or essentially determined by the first message. Alternatively, if the first paging method is non-packet paging, the gNB-DU may not send the first message.

[0071] For example, if the first paging method is based on a first grouping method, the first information may include a group identifier determined according to the first grouping method. The first information may be, for example, PEI / WUS, or paging control information. Alternatively, if the first paging method is based on a second grouping method, the first information may include a group identifier determined according to the second grouping method. The first information may be, for example, PEI / WUS, or paging control information. Or, if the first paging method is based on a non-grouping method, the first information may not include a group identifier; the first information may be, for example, paging control information. Wherein, if the first paging method is based on a non-grouping method, it indicates that the gNB-DU does not use a grouping method to page the UE. In this case, the gNB-DU may not send PEI / WUS. Optionally, the gNB-DU may send paging control information, and the paging control information does not include a group identifier. The group identifier may be, for example, a group number, or other identifier used to indicate a group. If the first information includes a group identifier, then the first information is used to page the UE, and can be considered as the first information instructing the UE corresponding to the group identifier to receive the paging message.

[0072] For example, if the first paging method is paging according to the first packet method, then the gNB-DU can use the first packet method to page the UE. For example, the gNB-DU can send a PEI / WUS, which can indicate the group identifier of the packet to which the UE belongs under the first packet method. If the UE receives the PEI / WUS and determines that the group identifier indicated by the PEI / WUS is the identifier of the packet to which the UE belongs, then the UE can further receive paging messages (or, the UE can further listen to paging control information and paging messages). If the paging message includes the UE's ID, it indicates that the UE has been paged; if the paging message does not include the UE's ID, it indicates that the UE has not been paged. Alternatively, if the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method, the gNB-DU can send paging control information. This paging control information indicates the group identifier of the group the UE belongs to under the first grouping method. Upon receiving the paging control information and confirming that the group identifier indicated by the paging control information is the identifier of the group the UE belongs to, the UE can further receive a paging message. If the paging message includes the UE's ID, it indicates that the UE has been paged; if the paging message does not include the UE's ID, it indicates that the UE has not been paged. If the UE determines that it has been paged, it can initiate an RRC connection establishment procedure to the gNB-DU; if the UE determines that it has not been paged, it can continue to sleep and determine whether it needs to wake up when the next PO arrives.

[0073] For example, if the first paging method is paging according to the second grouping method, then the gNB-DU can use the second grouping method to page the UE. For example, the gNB-DU can send PEI / WUS, which can indicate the group identifier of the group in which the UE belongs under the second grouping method. If the UE receives the PEI / WUS and determines that the group identifier indicated by the PEI / WUS is the identifier of the group in which the UE belongs, then the UE can further receive paging messages (or, the UE can further listen to paging control information and paging messages). If the paging message includes the UE's ID, it indicates that the UE has been paged; if the paging message does not include the UE's ID, it indicates that the UE has not been paged. Alternatively, if the first paging method is paging according to the second packet method, the gNB-DU can send paging control information. This paging control information indicates the group identifier of the packet the UE belongs to under the second packet method. Upon receiving the paging control information and confirming that the group identifier indicated by the paging control information is the identifier of the packet the UE belongs to, the UE can further receive a paging message. If the paging message includes the UE's ID, it indicates that the UE has been paged; if the paging message does not include the UE's ID, it indicates that the UE has not been paged. If the UE determines it has been paged, it can initiate an RRC connection establishment procedure to the gNB-DU; if the UE determines it has not been paged, it can continue to sleep and determine whether it needs to wake up when the next PO arrives.

[0074] For example, if the first paging method is non-packet paging, then the gNB-DU can use non-packet paging to page the UE. For instance, the gNB-DU may not send PEI / WUS; instead, it sends paging control information, which does not indicate a group identifier. Upon receiving this paging control information, the UE can further receive a paging message. If the paging message includes the UE's ID, it indicates that the UE has been paged; otherwise, it indicates that the UE has not been paged. If the UE determines that it has been paged, it can initiate an RRC connection establishment procedure with the gNB-DU; if the UE determines that it has not been paged, it can continue to sleep and determine whether to wake up when the next PO arrives.

[0075] As can be seen, the gNB-DU can achieve paging of the UE through the technical solution of the embodiments of this application. For ease of understanding, two more embodiments are described below. Figure 3 The solutions provided in the illustrated embodiments are equivalent to the following two embodiments, which can be understood as follows: Figure 3 The embodiments shown provide two examples of solutions.

[0076] The following is an introduction Figure 3 The first example of the solution provided by the illustrated embodiment, or rather Figure 3 The illustrated embodiment provides a first alternative implementation of the solution. Please refer to... Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the implementation method. The core network paging process is used as an example in this implementation method.

[0077] S401. The core network device sends a second message to the gNB-CU. Correspondingly, the gNB-CU receives the second message from the core network device. The second message may be, for example, a core network paging message, or it could be another type of message.

[0078] When the core network needs to page a UE, it can send a second message to the gNB-CU. This second message may include "paging-related UE air interface capability" information, which is the air interface capability information of the paged UE. For example, this information may include "whether the UE supports the first packet mode," indicating whether the paged UE supports or does not support the first packet mode. Optionally, the "paging-related UE air interface capability" information may also include PEI / WUS air interface configuration capability information, such as the minimum time interval from PEI / WUS to the PO location. Optionally, the second message may also include a first group identifier, which is the identifier of the packet to which the paged UE belongs under the second packet mode. This first group identifier can also be called the "group identifier of the UE belonging to the packet mode controlled by the core network." If the second message includes the first group identifier, it can be considered an implicit indication that the paged UE supports the second packet mode. Additionally, if the second message is a core network paging message, the second message may also include the identifier of the paged UE, such as the UE ID, which may be the UE's 5G S-temporary mobile subscription identifier (5G-S-TMSI).

[0079] Optionally, before S401, S402 may also be included: the UE sends its capability information, and correspondingly, the access network device receives the UE's capability information from the UE. The UE is the paged UE. The access network device is, for example, a RAN, gNB, or gNB-CU; this embodiment takes gNB-CU as an example. The capability information sent by the UE is, for example, called first capability information, which may include the aforementioned "paging-related UE air interface capability" information. The gNB-CU then sends the first capability information or the "paging-related UE air interface capability" information to the core network device, which stores it. When the core network device needs to page a UE, it can send the "paging-related UE air interface capability" information from that UE in a second message to the gNB-CU.

[0080] S403, gNB-CU sends the first message to gNB-DU. Correspondingly, gNB-DU receives the first message from gNB-CU.

[0081] Optionally, the first message may include capability information of the paged UE, such as second capability information. This second capability information may indicate that the UE supports the first packet mode or that the UE does not support the first packet mode. For example, the second capability information may be "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode". The gNB-DU can then determine whether the UE supports the first packet mode based on the first message. For example, the second capability information included in the first message may be "paging-related UE air interface capability" information, which includes "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode". In this case, the gNB-CU does not need to parse the "paging-related UE air interface capability" information included in the second message. For example, the "paging-related UE air interface capability" information may be included in a container of the second message, such as a container for terminal device radio paging information, which includes the terminal device's paging-related radio capability information. The gNB-CU does not need to parse the container; instead, it directly extracts the container from the second message and includes it in the first message. After receiving the first message, the gNB-DU can obtain information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode by parsing the "paging-related UE air interface capability" information carried in the container. Alternatively, the first message may include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" as the second capability information, while other information included in the "paging-related UE air interface capability" information may not be included in the first message to reduce signaling overhead. In this case, the gNB-CU needs to parse the container containing the terminal device's radio paging information in the second message, obtain the "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" from the "paging-related UE air interface capability" information carried in the container, and include this information in the first message. Compared to the method where the first message includes the container containing the terminal device's radio paging information, the first message only includes "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode," which reduces the transmission of redundant information and reduces signaling overhead.

[0082] Optionally, the first message may also include PEI / WUS air interface configuration capability information, and / or, include a first set of identifiers. If the first message is a paging message between gNB-CU and gNB-DU, the first message may also include the identifier of the paged UE, such as the UE's 5G-S-TMSI.

[0083] After the gNB-CU receives the second message, it can send the first message to the gNB-DU, which can then page the UE based on the first message. In other words, the content of the first message can be determined based on the second message. Alternatively, the gNB-CU can determine the content of the first message using other methods without relying on the second message; therefore, step S401 is optional.

[0084] Taking gNB-CU determining the first message based on the second message as an example, the content of the first message may also be different depending on the content of the second message. An example is given below.

[0085] 1. The second message includes "paging-related UE air interface capabilities" information and the first set of identifiers.

[0086] As an optional implementation, regardless of whether the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode, the first message can include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" and a first group identifier. That is, regardless of the gNB-DU's capabilities, the content of the second message is sent to the gNB-DU. This approach is simpler for the gNB-DU. In various embodiments of this application, the gNB-DU supporting a certain packet mode can be understood as the gNB-DU itself supporting that packet mode, or as some or all of the cells under the gNB-DU (or one or more cells under the gNB-DU) supporting that packet mode; conversely, the gNB-DU not supporting a certain packet mode can be understood as the gNB-DU itself not supporting that packet mode, or as some or all of the cells under the gNB-DU (or one or more cells under the gNB-DU) not supporting that packet mode. For example, the gNB-DU supporting the first packet mode can be understood as the gNB-DU supporting the first packet mode, or as some or all of the cells under the gNB-DU supporting the first packet mode. If the gNB-DU's support for packet modes is the same as the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then it can be assumed that the determination is made separately for each cell. If the gNB-DU's support for packet modes is the same as the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then this implementation can be replaced by the following: for a cell of the gNB-DU, regardless of whether the cell supports the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode, the first message can include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" and the first group identifier. Naturally, this first message is also a message specific to that cell. In this case, the first message may be sent separately for different cells.

[0087] As another optional implementation, the gNB-DU's support for the second packet method can be considered. If the gNB-DU supports the second packet method, the first message may include a first group identifier (in various embodiments of this application, the first message includes the first group identifier on the premise that both the core network device and the UE support the first packet method, so the core network device has already grouped the UE according to the first packet method, and the group identifier of the group to which the UE to be paged belongs is the first group identifier), but may not include "paging-related UE air interface capability" information. Because if the gNB-DU supports the second packet method, the gNB-DU can use the second packet method for paging, and does not need to consider whether it supports the first packet method. If the gNB-DU does not support the second packet method, the first message may include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet method", but may not include the first group identifier. That is to say, if the gNB-DU does not support the second packet method, it cannot use the second packet method for paging. In this case, the gNB-DU can also determine whether to use the first packet method for paging based on "information on whether the UE supports the first packet method" to improve the paging success rate and try to use the packet method for paging to reduce the UE's power consumption. Alternatively, if the support for packet modes by the gNB-DU is the same as the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then this implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under the gNB-DU supports the second packet mode, then the first message for that cell may include the first group identifier, but may not include the "paging-related UE air interface capability" information. If a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode, then the first message for that cell may include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode," but may not include the first group identifier.

[0088] As another optional implementation, in addition to considering the gNB-DU's support for the second packet mode, its support for the first packet mode can also be considered. If the gNB-DU supports the second packet mode, the first message may include a first group identifier, but not "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode". If the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode, but supports the first packet mode, the first message includes "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode", but does not include the first group identifier. If the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode, paging cannot be performed using the second packet mode. However, if the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" can be sent to the gNB-DU, allowing the gNB-DU to determine whether to use the first packet mode to page the UE based on this information, thereby improving the paging success rate and minimizing UE power consumption by using packet mode paging. If the gNB-DU does not support either the second or the first packet mode, the first message may not include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" or the first group identifier. Since the gNB-DU no longer needs to determine whether to use the first packet mode to page the UE, it is unnecessary to send information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode to the gNB-DU. By predicting the capabilities of the gNB-DU using the gNB-CU, invalid information sent to the gNB-DU can be reduced, saving signaling overhead. Alternatively, if the gNB-DU's support for packet modes corresponds to the support of the cells under the gNB-DU, this implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under the gNB-DU supports the second packet mode, the first message for that cell may include the first group identifier, but not the information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode. If a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, the first message for that cell includes the information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode, but not the first group identifier. And if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support either the second or the first packet mode, the first message for that cell may not include either the information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode or the first group identifier.

[0089] Under a gNB-DU, there may be multiple cells. All cells may support the second grouping method, or none may support it, or some cells may support it while the rest do not. Similarly, all cells may support the first grouping method, or none may support it, or some cells may support it while the rest do not. For a single cell, it may support both the first and second grouping methods (which can be considered as supporting grouping methods), support either the first or second grouping method, or support neither (which can also be considered as not supporting grouping methods). In any case, if considering the cells, the content of the first message needs to be determined separately for each cell.

[0090] 2. The second message includes "paging-related UE air interface capabilities" information, but does not include the first group identifier. In this case, it is not necessary to consider that the gNB-DU will use the second group method for paging, or in other words, the gNB-DU cannot use the second group method for paging.

[0091] As an optional implementation, the gNB-DU's support for packet modes is not considered. Regardless of whether the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode, the first message can include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode". That is, regardless of whether the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, the "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" is sent to the gNB-DU, so that the gNB-DU determines whether to use the first packet mode to page the UE based on the "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode". Alternatively, if the gNB-DU's support for packet modes is the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then this implementation can be replaced by the following: regardless of whether a cell under the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode, the first message for that cell can include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode".

[0092] As an alternative implementation, the gNB-DU's support for the first packet method can be considered. If the gNB-DU supports the first packet method, the first message may include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet method"; if the gNB-DU does not support the first packet method, the first message may not include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet method". That is, if the gNB-DU supports the first packet method, the "information on whether the UE supports the first packet method" can be sent to the gNB-DU, allowing the gNB-DU to determine whether to use the first packet method to page the UE based on this information. However, if the gNB-DU does not support the first packet method, it cannot use the first packet method to page the UE, and therefore it is unnecessary to send the "information on whether the UE supports the first packet method" to the gNB-DU, thus reducing signaling overhead and the transmission of invalid information. Alternatively, if the support for packet mode by gNB-DU is the support for packet mode by the cells under gNB-DU, this implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, the first message for that cell may include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode"; if a cell under gNB-DU does not support the first packet mode, the first message for that cell may not include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode".

[0093] It should be noted that if we consider the gNB-DU's support for the second packet mode, or its support for both the second and first packet modes, or its support for the first packet mode, then the gNB-CU needs to know whether the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode. For example, the gNB-CU can determine whether the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode itself and inform the gNB-DU of the result; or, the gNB-DU can determine whether it supports the first packet mode and inform the gNB-CU of the result.

[0094] As mentioned earlier, the first message may include second capability information, which may include "paging-related UE air interface capability" information or "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode". For example, the first field can be used to carry the second capability information. If the second capability information includes "paging-related UE air interface capability" information, then the first field can be a container for the terminal device's wireless paging information carrying the "paging-related UE air interface capability" information; while if the second capability information includes "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode", then the first field can be a newly defined field in the first message, or it can be an existing field in the first message. Optionally, the first message can indicate whether the UE supports the first packet mode by whether it carries the first field. If the first message carries the first field, it indicates that the UE supports the first packet mode; if the first message does not carry the first field, it indicates that the UE does not support the first packet mode. Alternatively, the first message can indicate whether the UE supports the first packet mode by the value of the first field. If the value of the first field is the first value, it indicates that the UE supports the first packet mode; while if the value of the first field is the second value (or, in other words, not the first value), it indicates that the UE does not support the first packet mode. The first value is, for example, "1" and the second value is, for example, "0"; or, the first value is, for example, true and the second value is, for example, false; or, the first value is, for example, supported and the second value is, for example, not supported; or, the first value is, for example, enabled and the second value is, for example, not enabled.

[0095] S403 and Figure 3 S301 in the illustrated embodiment can be the same step, so more information about S403 (such as an introduction to the first message) can be found in S301.

[0096] S404 and gNB-DU use the first paging method to paging the UE.

[0097] If the content of the first message is different, the first paging method will also be different. Examples are given below.

[0098] A. The first message includes "information on whether the UE supports the first grouping method" and the first group identifier.

[0099] As a first optional implementation, if the gNB-DU supports a second grouping mode, the first paging method can be paging according to the second grouping mode. For example, the gNB-DU generates first information, such as PEI / WUS, which contains information indicating the "group identifier of the UE under the second grouping mode." For example, this information is the first group identifier, or the information is the bit in the bitmap of the PEI / WUS used to indicate the group identifier, which is set to a first value, such as "1," true, or supported. Alternatively, the gNB-DU generates first information, such as paging control information, which contains information indicating the "group identifier of the UE under the second grouping mode." For example, this information is the first group identifier, or the information is the bit in the bitmap of the paging control information used to indicate the group identifier, which is set to a first value, such as "1," true, or supported.

[0100] Alternatively, if the support for packet modes by the gNB-DU is the same as the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then the first optional implementation can be replaced by: if a cell under the gNB-DU supports a second packet mode, then the first paging method used in that cell can be paging according to the second packet mode. In this case, for example, the first information generated by the gNB-DU can be sent within that cell.

[0101] Furthermore, if the gNB-DU supports the second packet mode, the first message may only include the first group identifier and may not include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode". Alternatively, if a cell under the gNB-DU supports the second packet mode, the first message for that cell may only include the first group identifier and may not include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode". That is, the premise of the first optional implementation is that the first message includes both "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" and the first group identifier, or it may include the first group identifier but not "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode". Because the first message includes the first group identifier, it can be considered that it implicitly indicates that the paged UE supports the second packet mode, and if the gNB-DU or the cell under the gNB-DU also supports the second packet mode, then the gNB-DU can determine that the second packet mode is used without needing to determine whether the first packet mode is used. Therefore, the first message may or may not include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode".

[0102] As a second optional implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, and the "information on whether the UE supports the first grouping method" included in the first message indicates that the UE supports the first grouping method, then the first paging method can be paging according to the first grouping method. For example, the gNB-DU groups the UE according to the first grouping method and generates first information, such as PEI / WUS. The PEI / WUS contains information indicating the "group identifier to which the UE belongs under the first grouping method," such as the second group identifier, or the information is the bit in the bitmap of the PEI / WUS that indicates the group to which the UE belongs, set to a first value, such as "1," true, or supported. Alternatively, the first information may be paging control information, which includes information indicating the "group identifier to which the UE belongs under the first grouping method." For example, this information may be a second group identifier, or the information may be a bit in the bitmap of the paging control information that indicates the group to which the UE belongs, with the bit set to a first value, such as "1," "true," or "supported." The second group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the UE belongs after the gNB-DU groups the UE according to the first grouping method.

[0103] Alternatively, if the support for packet modes by the gNB-DU is determined by the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then the second optional implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the first message for that cell includes "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" indicating that the UE supports the first packet mode, then the first paging method used in that cell can be paging according to the first packet mode. In this case, for example, the first information generated by the gNB-DU can be sent within that cell.

[0104] As a third optional implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" included in the first message indicates that the UE does not support the first packet mode, then the first paging method can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, if the gNB-DU does not use a packet mode to page the UE, then the gNB-DU does not need to generate the first information, such as not sending PEI / WUS. Alternatively, the gNB-DU generates the first information, which may be, for example, paging control information, and this paging control information does not include a group identifier.

[0105] Alternatively, if the support for packet modes by the gNB-DU is the same as the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then the third optional implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the first message for that cell includes "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" indicating that the UE does not support the first packet mode, then the first paging method used in that cell can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, in this case, the first information generated by the gNB-DU can be sent within that cell.

[0106] As a fourth optional implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode and does not support the first packet mode (or in other words, the gNB-DU does not support packet mode), then the first paging method can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, if the gNB-DU does not use packet mode to page the UE, then the gNB-DU does not need to generate the first information, such as not sending PEI / WUS. Alternatively, the gNB-DU generates the first information, which may be paging control information, such as paging control information that does not include a group identifier.

[0107] Alternatively, if the support for packet mode by the gNB-DU is the same as the support for packet mode by the cells under the gNB-DU, then the fourth optional implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode and does not support the first packet mode (or in other words, the cell does not support packet mode), then the first paging method used in that cell can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, in this case, if the gNB-DU generates first information, then the first information is sent within that cell.

[0108] Furthermore, if the gNB-DU does not support packet mode, the content of the first message need not be restricted. Alternatively, if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support packet mode, the content of the first message need not be restricted. That is, the premise of the fourth optional implementation is that the first message includes "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" and the first group identifier, or it may not restrict the content of the first message. "Not restricting the content of the first message" means, for example, that the first message may include both "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" and the first group identifier, or it may include either one, or it may not include either. Because the gNB-DU or the cell under the gNB-DU does not support packet mode, the gNB-DU can only page the UE using non-packet mode, i.e., it does not use packet mode to page the UE. Therefore, it is not necessary to restrict the content of the first message, or in other words, the gNB-DU may not need to determine based on the content of the first message, but can directly use non-packet mode to page the UE, i.e., it does not use packet mode to page the UE.

[0109] B. The first message includes "information on whether the UE supports the first packet method", but does not include the first packet identifier. In this case, it is not necessary to consider that the gNB-DU will use the second packet method for paging, or in other words, the gNB-DU cannot use the second packet method for paging.

[0110] As a fifth optional implementation, if the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, and the "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" included in the first message indicates that the UE supports the first packet mode, then the first paging mode is, for example, paging according to the first packet mode. For example, the gNB-DU generates first information, such as PEI / WUS, which may contain information indicating the "group identifier to which the UE belongs under the first packet mode," such as a second group identifier, or the information is the bit in the bitmap of the PEI / WUS used to indicate the group identifier, which corresponds to the group to which the UE belongs, set to a first value, such as "1," true, or supported. Alternatively, the first information is paging control information, which includes information indicating the "group identifier to which the UE belongs under the first packet mode," such as a second group identifier, or the information is the bit in the bitmap of the paging control information used to indicate the group identifier, which corresponds to the group to which the UE belongs, set to a first value, such as "1," true, or supported.

[0111] Alternatively, if the support for packet mode by gNB-DU is the support for packet mode by the cells under gNB-DU, then the fifth optional implementation can be replaced by: if a cell under gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, and the first message for that cell includes "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" indicating that the UE supports the first packet mode, then the first paging method used in that cell is, for example, paging according to the first packet mode.

[0112] As a sixth optional implementation, if the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, and the "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" included in the first message indicates that the UE does not support the first packet mode, then the first paging method can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, if the gNB-DU does not use a packet mode to page the UE, then the gNB-DU does not need to generate the first information, such as not sending PEI / WUS. Alternatively, the gNB-DU generates the first information, which may be, for example, paging control information, and this paging control information does not include a group identifier.

[0113] Alternatively, if the support for packet mode by gNB-DU is the support for packet mode by the cells under gNB-DU, then the sixth optional implementation method can be replaced by: if a cell under gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, and the first message for that cell includes "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" indicating that the UE does not support the first packet mode, then the first paging method used in that cell can be paging according to the non-packet mode.

[0114] As a seventh alternative implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the first packet mode, the first paging mode can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, if the gNB-DU does not use a packet mode to page the UE, then the gNB-DU does not need to generate the first information, such as not sending PEI / WUS. Alternatively, the gNB-DU generates the first information, which may be paging control information, and this paging control information does not include a group identifier.

[0115] Alternatively, if the support for packet mode by gNB-DU is the same as the support for packet mode by cells under gNB-DU, then the seventh optional implementation method can be replaced by: if a cell under gNB-DU does not support the first packet mode, then the first paging method used in that cell can be paging according to the non-packet mode.

[0116] Furthermore, if the gNB-DU does not support the first packet mode, the first message may not include the first group identifier, while the first message may or may not include the "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode". Alternatively, if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support packet mode, the first message for that cell may not include the first group identifier, while the first message for that cell may or may not include the "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode". That is, the premise of the seventh optional implementation is that the first message includes "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode" but does not include the first group identifier, or the first message does not include the first group identifier and does not include "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode". Because the gNB-DU or the cell under the gNB-DU does not support the first packet mode, since the first message does not include the first group identifier, the gNB-DU can only page the UE using a non-packet mode, that is, it does not use a packet mode to page the UE. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to restrict whether the first message includes "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode", or in other words, the gNB-DU may not need to determine based on "information on whether the UE supports the first packet mode", but will choose to use a non-packet mode to page the UE, that is, it will not use a packet mode to page the UE.

[0117] Optionally, the premise of Case B can also be replaced by the fact that the first message includes "information on whether the UE supports the first grouping method". That is, the first group identifier is not considered. Regardless of whether the first message includes the first group identifier, the several optional implementation methods of Case B are used for judgment.

[0118] C. The first message does not include "information on whether the UE supports the first grouping method" nor does it include the first group identifier.

[0119] In this situation, the gNB-DU cannot page the UE using the second packet method, and since the gNB-DU is unaware of the UE's capabilities, it cannot determine whether it can page the UE using the first packet method. Therefore, the first paging method can be a non-packet paging method. For example, if the gNB-DU does not use a packet method to page the UE, then the gNB-DU does not need to generate the first information, such as not sending PEI / WUS. Alternatively, the gNB-DU generates the first information, which may be, for example, paging control information that does not include a group identifier.

[0120] Optionally, in this embodiment, the first message includes a first group identifier, or it can be replaced by the first message indicating that the UE supports the second grouping method; the first message does not include the first group identifier, or it can be replaced by the first message indicating that the UE does not support the second grouping method.

[0121] Alternatively, if the first message includes a first group identifier, the first message may also include first indication information; if the first message does not include a first group identifier, the first message also does not include first indication information, and the first indication information may indicate that the paged UE supports the second grouping method; or, the first message may include first indication information; if the first message includes a first group identifier, the first indication information may indicate that the paged UE supports the second grouping method; if the first message does not include a first group identifier, the first indication information may indicate that the paged UE does not support the second grouping method.

[0122] S404 and Figure 3 S302 in the illustrated embodiment can be the same step, so more information about S404 (such as an introduction to the first message) can be found in S302.

[0123] In this embodiment, the gNB-CU can send information about whether the UE supports the first packet method to the gNB-DU. The gNB-DU can then determine whether the UE supports the first packet method or which packet methods the UE supports, allowing it to use an appropriate method to page the UE. For the gNB-CU, there is no need to parse the UE's capability information, reducing its workload. Furthermore, the gNB-DU can preferentially use the second packet method when paged, reducing the probability of the UE being falsely woken up.

[0124] The following is an introduction Figure 3 The second example of the solution provided by the illustrated embodiment, or rather Figure 3 The illustrated embodiment provides a second alternative implementation of the solution. Please refer to... Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the implementation method. The core network paging process is used as an example in this implementation method.

[0125] S501, the core network device sends a second message to the gNB-CU. Correspondingly, the gNB-CU receives the second message from the core network device.

[0126] Optionally, before S501, S502 may also be included: the UE sends its capability information, and correspondingly, the access network device receives the capability information of the UE from the UE.

[0127] For more information on S501 and S502, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 4 S401 and S402 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0128] S503, gNB-DU sends the second information to gNB-CU. Correspondingly, gNB-CU receives the second information from gNB-DU. Optionally, the second information may indicate whether gNB-DU supports the first packet mode.

[0129] If the gNB-DU determines whether it supports the first packet mode, the gNB-DU can send the second information to the gNB-CU. However, if the gNB-CU or other network elements (such as operation, administration, and maintenance (OAM) network elements) determine whether the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, then S503 does not need to be executed; therefore, S503 is an optional step. Furthermore, if the gNB-CU determines whether the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, the gNB-CU can send the third information to the gNB-DU, which indicates whether the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode.

[0130] S504, gNB-CU sends the first message to gNB-DU. Correspondingly, gNB-DU receives the first message from gNB-CU.

[0131] After receiving the second message, the gNB-CU can determine whether the gNB-DU can page the UE using the first packet method, and then send the first message to the gNB-DU. In other words, in this embodiment, the gNB-CU does not directly send the second capability information to the gNB-DU, but rather analyzes it before instructing the gNB-DU on the packet method or paging method to be used. This reduces the burden on the gNB-DU, which can then page the UE based on the instructions in the first message. If the content of the second message is different, the determination result of the gNB-CU may also be different, as illustrated below.

[0132] 1. The second message includes "paging-related UE air interface capabilities" information and the first set of identifiers.

[0133] As an optional implementation, if the gNB-DU supports the second packet mode, the first message may include a first group identifier. Optionally, the first message may also indicate that the gNB-DU does not use the first packet mode, or indicate that the gNB-CU uses the second packet mode. The inclusion of the first group identifier in the first message can be considered an implicit instruction for the gNB-DU to use the second packet mode, thus eliminating the need to use the first packet mode. Therefore, the first message can instruct the gNB-DU not to use the first packet mode, making the gNB-DU more explicit, or it may be unnecessary to instruct, thereby reducing signaling overhead. If the gNB-DU's support for packet modes corresponds to the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then this optional implementation can be replaced by: if a cell under the gNB-DU supports the second packet mode, then the first message for that cell may include the first group identifier.

[0134] As an alternative implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the "UE Supports First Packet Mode Information" indicates that the UE does not support the first packet mode, then the first message can instruct the gNB-DU not to use the first packet mode. In this case, the UE does not support the first packet mode, therefore the gNB-DU cannot use the first packet mode to page the UE. In this case, the first message may or may not include the first group identifier. If the gNB-DU's support for packet modes corresponds to the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then this alternative implementation can be replaced by: if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the "UE Supports First Packet Mode Information" indicates that the UE does not support the first packet mode, then the first message for that cell can instruct the gNB-DU not to use the first packet mode.

[0135] As another optional implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the "UE Supports First Packet Mode Information" indicates that the UE supports the first packet mode, then the first message can instruct the gNB-DU to use the first packet mode. If both the gNB-DU and the UE support the first packet mode, then the gNB-DU can page the UE using the first packet mode. In this case, the first message may or may not include the first group identifier. If the gNB-DU's support for packet modes corresponds to the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then this optional implementation can be replaced by: if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the "UE Supports First Packet Mode Information" indicates that the UE supports the first packet mode, then the first message for that cell can instruct the gNB-DU to use the first packet mode.

[0136] As another optional implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode and does not support the first packet mode (or in other words, the gNB-DU does not support packet modes), then the gNB-DU cannot use the first packet mode. Therefore, regardless of whether the "UE supports the first packet mode information" indicates whether the UE supports the first packet mode, the first message can instruct the gNB-DU not to use the first packet mode. In this case, the first message may or may not include the first group identifier. If the gNB-DU's support for packet modes corresponds to the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then this optional implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode and does not support the first packet mode (or in other words, the gNB-DU does not support packet modes), then regardless of whether the "UE supports the first packet mode information" indicates whether the UE supports the first packet mode, the first message for that cell can instruct the gNB-DU not to use the first packet mode.

[0137] 2. The second message includes "paging-related UE air interface capabilities" information, but does not include the first set of identifiers.

[0138] As an optional implementation, if the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, and the "Does UE support the first packet mode?" message indicates that the UE does not support the first packet mode, then although the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, since the UE does not support it, the gNB-DU cannot use the first packet mode to page the UE. Therefore, the first message can instruct the gNB-DU not to use the first packet mode. If the gNB-DU's support for packet modes corresponds to the support of the cells under the gNB-DU, then this optional implementation can be replaced by: if a cell under the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, and the "Does UE support the first packet mode?" message indicates that the UE does not support the first packet mode, then the first message for that cell can instruct the gNB-DU not to use the first packet mode.

[0139] As another optional implementation, if the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, and the "UE Supports First Packet Mode Information" indicates that the UE supports the first packet mode, then both the gNB-DU and the UE support the first packet mode. In this case, the gNB-DU can page the UE using the first packet mode, and the first message can instruct the gNB-DU to use the first packet mode. If the gNB-DU's support for packet modes corresponds to the support of the cell under the gNB-DU, then this optional implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, and the "UE Supports First Packet Mode Information" indicates that the UE supports the first packet mode, then the first message for that cell can instruct the gNB-DU to use the first packet mode.

[0140] As another optional implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the first packet mode, then regardless of whether the "UE supports the first packet mode information" indicates whether the UE supports the first packet mode, the first message can instruct the gNB-DU not to use the first packet mode. If the gNB-DU's support for packet modes is the same as the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then this optional implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the first packet mode, then regardless of whether the "UE supports the first packet mode information" indicates whether the UE supports the first packet mode, the first message for that cell can instruct the gNB-DU not to use the first packet mode.

[0141] For example, the first message includes information indicating whether the gNB-DU uses a first packet mode, indicating whether the gNB-DU uses the first packet mode or not. For instance, a first field can be used to carry this information; the first field can be a newly defined field in the first message or an existing field in the first message. Optionally, the first message can indicate whether the gNB-DU uses the first packet mode by including or omitting the first field. If the first message includes the first field, it indicates that the gNB-DU uses the first packet mode; if the first message does not include the first field, it indicates that the gNB-DU does not use the first packet mode. Alternatively, the first message can indicate whether the gNB-DU uses the first packet mode by the value of the first field. If the first field is a first value, it indicates that the gNB-DU uses the first packet mode; if the first field is a second value (or, in other words, not a first value), it indicates that the gNB-DU does not use the first packet mode. The first value is, for example, "1" and the second value is, for example, "0"; or, the first value is, for example, true and the second value is, for example, false; or, the first value is, for example, supported and the second value is, for example, not supported; or, the first value is, for example, enable and the second value is, for example, notenable.

[0142] Optionally, the first message may also include PEI / WUS air interface configuration capability information, and / or, include a first set of identifiers. If the first message is a paging message between gNB-CU and gNB-DU, the first message may also include the identifier of the paged UE, such as the UE's 5G-S-TMSI.

[0143] S504 and Figure 3 S301 in the illustrated embodiment can be the same step, so more information about S504 (such as an introduction to the first message) can be found in S301.

[0144] S505 and gNB-DU use the first paging method to paging the UE.

[0145] If the content of the first message is different, the first paging method will also be different. Examples are given below.

[0146] A. The first message includes the first set of identifiers.

[0147] As a first optional implementation, if the gNB-DU supports a second packet mode, the first paging method can be paging according to the second packet mode. Optionally, if the gNB-DU supports a second packet mode, the first message can also indicate that the first packet mode is not used. For example, the gNB-DU generates first information, such as PEI / WUS, which contains information indicating the "group identifier to which the UE belongs under the second packet mode". For example, this information is the first group identifier, or the information is the bit in the bitmap of PEI / WUS that indicates the group to which the UE belongs, set to a first value, such as "1", true, or supported. For example, the gNB-DU generates first information, which may be paging control information. This paging control information includes information for indicating the "group identifier of the UE under the second grouping mode". For example, this information may be the first group identifier, or the information may be the bit in the bitmap of the paging control information that indicates the group to which the UE belongs, set to a first value, such as "1", true, or supported.

[0148] Alternatively, if the support for packet modes by the gNB-DU is the same as the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then the first optional implementation can be replaced by: if a cell under the gNB-DU supports a second packet mode, then the first paging method used in that cell can be paging according to the second packet mode. Optionally, if a cell under the gNB-DU supports a second packet mode, then the first message for that cell can also indicate that the first packet mode is not used. In this case, for example, the first information generated by the gNB-DU can be sent within that cell.

[0149] As a second optional implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, and the first message also instructs the gNB-DU to use the first grouping method, then the first paging method can be paging according to the first grouping method. For example, the gNB-DU groups the UE according to the first grouping method and generates first information, such as PEI / WUS. The PEI / WUS contains information indicating the "group identifier to which the UE belongs under the first grouping method," for example, the information is the second group identifier, or the information is the bit in the bitmap of the PEI / WUS used to indicate the group identifier to which the UE belongs set to a first value, such as "1," true, or supported. Alternatively, the first information is paging control information, which contains information indicating the "group identifier to which the UE belongs under the first grouping method," for example, the information is the second group identifier, or the information is the bit in the bitmap of the paging control information used to indicate the group identifier to which the UE belongs set to a first value, such as "1," true, or supported. The second group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the UE belongs after the gNB-DU groups the UE according to the first grouping method.

[0150] Alternatively, if the gNB-DU's support for packet modes corresponds to the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then the second optional implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the first message for that cell instructs the gNB-DU to use the first packet mode, then the first paging method used in that cell can be paging according to the first packet mode. In this case, for example, the first information generated by the gNB-DU can be sent within that cell.

[0151] Furthermore, if the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, the first message may not include the first group identifier. Alternatively, if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, the first message for that cell may not include the first group identifier. That is, the premise of the first optional implementation is that the first message includes the first group identifier, or it may be that the first message does not include the first group identifier (or it can be considered that there is no restriction on whether the first message includes the first group identifier). Because if the gNB-DU or the cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode, the gNB-DU will not use the second packet mode for paging, and the first group identifier is redundant information.

[0152] As a third optional implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the first message also indicates that the gNB-DU does not use the first packet mode, then the first paging method can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, if the gNB-DU does not use a packet mode to page the UE, then the gNB-DU does not need to generate the first information, such as not sending PEI / WUS. Alternatively, the gNB-DU generates the first information, which may be, for example, paging control information, and this paging control information does not include a group identifier.

[0153] Alternatively, if the support for packet mode by gNB-DU is the same as the support for packet mode by the cells under gNB-DU, then the third optional implementation method can be replaced by: if a cell under gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the first message for that cell also indicates that gNB-DU does not use the first packet mode, then the first paging method used in that cell can be paging according to the non-packet mode.

[0154] Alternatively, the third optional implementation may be based on the premise that the first message includes the first group of identifiers, or the first message may not include the first group of identifiers (or it may be considered that there is no restriction on whether the first message includes the first group of identifiers). This is because if the gNB-DU or the cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second grouping method, the gNB-DU will not use the second grouping method for paging, and the first group of identifiers will be redundant information.

[0155] As a fourth optional implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode and does not support the first packet mode (or in other words, the gNB-DU does not support packet mode), then the first paging method can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, if the gNB-DU does not use packet mode to page the UE, then the gNB-DU does not need to generate the first information, such as not sending PEI / WUS. Alternatively, the gNB-DU generates the first information, which may be paging control information, such as paging control information that does not include a group identifier.

[0156] Alternatively, if the support for packet mode by gNB-DU is the same as the support for packet mode by cells under gNB-DU, then the fourth optional implementation method can be replaced by: if a cell under gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode and does not support the first packet mode (or in other words, gNB-DU does not support packet mode), then the first paging method used in that cell can be paging according to the non-packet mode.

[0157] Alternatively, the fourth optional implementation may be based on the premise that the first message includes the first group of identifiers, or the first message may not include the first group of identifiers (or it may be considered that there is no restriction on whether the first message includes the first group of identifiers). This is because if the gNB-DU or the cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second grouping method, the gNB-DU will not use the second grouping method for paging, and the first group of identifiers will be redundant information.

[0158] B. The first message does not include the first group of identifiers.

[0159] As a fifth optional implementation, if the gNB-DU supports the first grouping method and the first message further instructs the gNB-DU to use the first grouping method, then the first paging method can be paging according to the first grouping method. For example, the gNB-DU groups the UE according to the first grouping method and generates first information, such as PEI / WUS. The PEI / WUS contains information indicating the "group identifier to which the UE belongs under the first grouping method," for example, the information is a second group identifier, or the information is the bit in the bitmap of the PEI / WUS used to indicate the group identifier, which corresponds to the group to which the UE belongs, set to a first value, such as "1," true, or supported. Alternatively, the first information is paging control information, which contains information indicating the "group identifier to which the UE belongs under the first grouping method," for example, the information is a second group identifier, or the information is the bit in the bitmap of the paging control information used to indicate the group identifier, which corresponds to the group to which the UE belongs, set to a first value, such as "1," true, or supported. The second group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the UE belongs after the gNB-DU groups the UE according to the first grouping method.

[0160] Alternatively, if the gNB-DU's support for packet modes is the same as the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then the fifth optional implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, and the first message for that cell instructs the gNB-DU to use the first packet mode, then the first paging method used in that cell can be paging according to the first packet mode. For example, the first information generated by the gNB-DU can be sent within that cell.

[0161] As a sixth optional implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the first message also indicates that the gNB-DU does not use the first packet mode, then the first paging method can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, the gNB-DU generates first information, such as paging control information, which does not include a group identifier. Alternatively, in this case, the gNB-DU may also abandon paging the UE, in which case the gNB-DU does not need to generate the first information.

[0162] Alternatively, if the gNB-DU's support for packet modes corresponds to the support for packet modes by the cells under the gNB-DU, then the sixth optional implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the first message for that cell instructs the gNB-DU not to use the first packet mode, then the first paging method used in that cell can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, the first information generated by the gNB-DU can be sent within that cell.

[0163] As a seventh alternative implementation, if the gNB-DU does not support the first packet mode, the first paging mode can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, if the gNB-DU does not use a packet mode to page the UE, then the gNB-DU does not need to generate the first information, such as not sending PEI / WUS. Alternatively, the gNB-DU generates the first information, which may be paging control information, and this paging control information does not include a group identifier.

[0164] Alternatively, if the support for packet mode by the gNB-DU is the same as the support for packet mode by the cells under the gNB-DU, then the seventh optional implementation can be replaced by the following: if a cell under the gNB-DU does not support the first packet mode, then the first paging mode used in that cell can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, if the gNB-DU generates first information, then that first information can be sent within that cell.

[0165] As an eighth optional implementation, if the first message indicates that the first packet mode is not used, then the first paging mode can be paging according to a non-packet mode. That is, if the first message indicates that the first packet mode is not used, then regardless of whether the gNB-DU supports the first packet mode, the gNB-DU cannot use the first packet mode for paging. Therefore, in this case, the gNB-DU does not need to determine whether it supports the first packet mode. For example, if the gNB-DU does not use a packet mode to page the UE, then the gNB-DU does not need to generate the first information, such as not sending PEI / WUS. Alternatively, the gNB-DU generates the first information, which may be, for example, paging control information that does not include a group identifier.

[0166] Alternatively, if the gNB-DU's support for packet mode is the same as the support for packet mode by the cells under the gNB-DU, then the eighth optional implementation can be replaced by the following: if the first message indication for a cell under the gNB-DU does not use the first packet mode, then the first paging mode used in that cell can be paging according to a non-packet mode. For example, if the gNB-DU generates first information, then that first information can be sent within that cell.

[0167] S505 and Figure 3 S302 in the illustrated embodiment can be the same step, so more information about S505 (such as an introduction to the first message) can be found in S302.

[0168] In this embodiment, the gNB-CU can directly instruct the gNB-DU on which packet mode or paging mode to use, thus enabling the gNB-DU to page the UE in an appropriate manner. For the gNB-DU, there is no need to parse the UE's capability information, reducing the gNB-DU's burden. Furthermore, when paging the UE, the gNB-DU can preferentially use the second packet mode to reduce the probability of the UE being falsely awakened.

[0169] Next, consider another issue. For a cell covered by the RAN, the RAN needs to indicate (e.g., via broadcast information) whether the current cell supports packet switching, or which packet switching modes it supports. In a CU-DU separated architecture, the task of sending broadcast information is performed by the gNB-DU. However, the gNB-DU does not know this information and therefore cannot indicate it to the UE, making it impossible for the UE to know the current cell's support for packet switching modes. Therefore, this application provides a second communication method that enables the gNB-DU to indicate the cell's support for packet switching modes to the UE. Please refer to... Figure 6 Here is a flowchart of the method.

[0170] S601, gNB-CU determines whether gNB-DU supports the second packet mode. S601 can also be understood as gNB-CU determining whether the cells under gNB-DU support the second packet mode. The cells include one or more cells under gNB-DU, which may be some or all of the cells under gNB-DU.

[0171] To determine whether a cell supports the second packet mode, the RAN can do so based on whether the core network supports it. For example, if both the core network and the RAN support the second packet mode, the RAN can determine that the cell supports it; conversely, if the core network does not support the second packet mode, the RAN can determine that the cell does not support it. Therefore, the RAN can interact with the core network to determine whether a cell supports the second packet mode. For instance, the RAN's gNB-CU can interact with the core network to obtain information about whether the core network supports the second packet mode, thereby determining whether the cell supports it.

[0172] Optionally, if the cell supports the second packet mode, the gNB-CU can also determine the total number of second packet modes supported by the cell based on the total number of second packet modes supported by the core network. For example, the total number of second packet modes supported by the cell is the same as the total number of second packet modes supported by the core network. Therefore, if the cell supports the second packet mode, the gNB-CU can further interact with the core network to determine the total number of second packet modes supported by the cell. The interaction process between the gNB-CU and the core network in this embodiment is not limited. For example, they can interact through a single message, such as the core network device sending a second message to the gNB-CU. The second message can indicate whether the core network supports the second packet mode, and optionally, it can also indicate the total number of second packet modes supported by the core network; or, the gNB-CU and the core network can interact through multiple messages. The total number of second packet modes supported by the cell can be considered as the maximum number of packets supported by the cell under the second packet mode.

[0173] For the first packet mode, the RAN can determine whether the cell supports it. If the cell supports the first packet mode, the RAN can determine the total number of packets supported by the first packet mode. Generally, this is determined by the RAN's gNB-DU, or alternatively by the gNB-CU. The total number of packets supported by the first packet mode can be considered the maximum number of packets the cell can support under the first packet mode.

[0174] The first grouping method is, for example, the grouping method of access network control, or the grouping method based on UE ID; the second grouping method is, for example, the grouping method of core network control, or the grouping method based on the identifier assigned by core network equipment.

[0175] S602, gNB-CU sends first information to gNB-DU. Correspondingly, gNB-DU receives first information from gNB-CU. The first information can indicate whether gNB-DU supports the second packet mode. Whether gNB-DU supports the second packet mode can refer to whether the cell under gNB-DU supports the second packet mode; therefore, the first information can also indicate whether the cell supports the second packet mode.

[0176] If the gNB-CU determines that the cell supports the second packet mode, the first information indicates that the cell supports the second packet mode; if the gNB-CU determines that the cell does not support the second packet mode, the first information also indicates that the cell does not support the second packet mode. If the cell supports the second packet mode, and the gNB-CU also determines the total number of packets supported by the second packet mode, then optionally, the first information can also indicate the total number of packets supported by the second packet mode. Alternatively, if the cell supports the second packet mode, and the gNB-CU also determines the total number of packets supported by the second packet mode, then the gNB-CU can also send a second information to the gNB-DU, which can indicate the total number of packets supported by the second packet mode. The gNB-DU can then determine the total number of packets supported by the second information. Alternatively, there is another possibility: the first information indicates that the cell supports the second packet mode, specifically by indicating the total number of packets supported by the second packet mode. Since the first information indicates the total number of packets supported by the second packet mode, it implicitly indicates that the cell supports the second packet mode.

[0177] Additionally, if the gNB-CU determines whether the cell supports the first packet mode, the first information can optionally indicate whether the cell supports the first packet mode. Alternatively, if the gNB-CU determines whether the cell supports the first packet mode, the gNB-CU can also send third information to the gNB-DU, indicating whether the cell supports the first packet mode. If the gNB-CU determines that the cell supports the first packet mode, the first or third information indicates that the cell supports the first packet mode; if the gNB-CU determines that the cell does not support the first packet mode, the first or third information indicates that the cell does not support the first packet mode. If the cell supports the first packet mode, and the gNB-CU also determines the total number of packets supported by the first packet mode, the first or third information can optionally indicate the total number of packets supported by the first packet mode. Alternatively, if the cell supports the first packet mode, and the gNB-CU also determines the total number of packets supported by the first packet mode, the gNB-CU can also send fourth information to the gNB-DU, indicating the total number of packets supported by the first packet mode, and the gNB-DU can determine the total number of packets supported by the first packet mode based on the fourth information. Alternatively, there is another possibility: the third information indicates that the cell supports the first packet mode. Specifically, the third information indicates the total number of first packet modes supported by the cell. Since the third information indicates the total number of first packet modes supported by the cell, it implicitly indicates that the cell supports the first packet mode.

[0178] If the gNB-DU determines whether the cell supports the first packet mode, then the gNB-DU does not need to indicate to the gNB-DU the cell's support for the first packet mode.

[0179] For example, the first information may be included in the first message. For instance, when the gNB-CU sends the first information to the gNB-DU during connection establishment, the first message might be an F1 setup response. Alternatively, the gNB-CU may send the first message to the gNB-DU after the connection has been established.

[0180] Optionally, if the gNB-CU also sends a second message to the gNB-DU, the second message may also be included in the first message, or the second message may be included in the second message.

[0181] Optionally, if the gNB-CU also sends a third message to the gNB-DU, the third message may also be included in the first message, or the third message may be included in the third message.

[0182] Optionally, if the gNB-CU also sends a fourth message to the gNB-DU, the fourth message may also be included in the first message, or the fourth message may be included in the fourth message.

[0183] The first message, the second message, the third message, and the fourth message can all be the same message; or, any three of these four messages can be the same message, and the third message can be a different message; or, any two of these four messages can be the same message, and the third message can be a different message; or, any two of these four messages can be the same message, and the third message can be the same message.

[0184] For example, the first field included in the first message can be used to carry first information. The first field can be a newly defined field in the first message, or it can be an existing field in the first message. Optionally, the first message can indicate whether the cell supports the second packet mode by including or omitting the first field. If the first message carries the first field, it indicates that the cell supports the second packet mode; if the first message does not carry the first field, it indicates that the cell does not support the second packet mode. Alternatively, the first message can indicate whether the cell supports the second packet mode by the value of the first field. If the value of the first field is the first value, it indicates that the cell supports the second packet mode; if the value of the first field is the second value (or, in other words, not the first value), it indicates that the cell does not support the second packet mode. The first value is, for example, "1", and the second value is, for example, "0"; or, the first value is, for example, true, and the second value is, for example, false; or, the first value is, for example, supported, and the second value is, for example, not supported; or, the first value is, for example, enable, and the second value is, for example, not enable.

[0185] Taking the transmission of third information from gNB-CU to gNB-DU, where the third information is included in the first message, as an example, the second field included in the first message can be used to carry the third information. The second field can be a newly defined field in the first message, or it can be an existing field in the first message. Optionally, the first message can indicate whether the cell supports the first packet mode by including or omitting the second field. If the first message carries the second field, it indicates that the cell supports the first packet mode; if the first message does not carry the second field, it indicates that the cell does not support the first packet mode. Alternatively, the first message can indicate whether the cell supports the first packet mode by the value of the second field. If the value of the second field is the first value, it indicates that the cell supports the first packet mode; if the value of the second field is the second value (or, in other words, not the first value), it indicates that the cell does not support the first packet mode. If the third information is included in the third message, the indication method is similar.

[0186] S603, gNB-DU broadcast the fifth message.

[0187] The gNB-DU can determine the fifth information based on the first information (or, the first and second information; or, the first and third information; or, the first, second, and third information; or, the first, third, and fourth information; or, the first, second, third, and fourth information, etc.). The fifth information may indicate one or more of the following: whether the cell supports packet modes, the packet modes supported by the cell (e.g., the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode), or the maximum number of packets supported by the cell under the supported packet modes (e.g., the total number of packets supported by the first packet mode, and / or the total number of packets supported by the second packet mode).

[0188] S603 is an optional step.

[0189] Alternatively, in this embodiment, if the gNB-CU determines whether the cell supports the first packet mode, the gNB-CU can indicate to the gNB-DU whether the cell supports the first packet mode. If the cell supports the first packet mode, optionally, the gNB-CU can also indicate to the gNB-DU the maximum number of packets supported by the cell under the first packet mode. Additionally, optionally, the gNB-CU can also indicate to the gNB-DU whether the cell supports the second packet mode. If the cell supports the second packet mode, optionally, the gNB-CU can also indicate to the gNB-DU the maximum number of packets supported by the cell under the second packet mode. Refer to the preceding text for the indication method.

[0190] The method provided in this application embodiment enables the gNB-DU to determine the cell's support for packet modes, thereby broadcasting the corresponding information so that the UE can clearly understand the current cell's support for packet modes, thus facilitating the UE to use the corresponding packet mode to receive paging.

[0191] Let's consider another issue. If the UE wants to transition from RRC connected state to RRC idle state or RRC inactive state (for example, in a multi-SIM terminal, there might be situations where only one SIM can communicate at a time. For instance, if the multi-SIM terminal is currently communicating with network device A on SIM 1, and a service arrives on SIM 2 (e.g., network paging SIM 2), the multi-SIM terminal can choose to disconnect communication between SIM 1 and network device A, and establish communication between SIM 2 and network device B. For SIM 1, this means it wants to transition from RRC connected state to RRC idle state or RRC inactive state). Here, a multi-SIM terminal refers to a terminal with two or more SIM cards installed simultaneously. A UE with multiple SIM cards (e.g., SIM card or USIM card) can register to different networks, such as different access network devices and / or different core network devices, using two or more SIM cards. (Understandably, one SIM card corresponds to one UE, and multiple SIM cards in a multi-SIM terminal can be understood as multiple UEs). The UE can then send a release indication message to the access network device to indicate its intention to leave the RRC connected state. Optionally, this release indication message can also indicate the desired RRC state, such as the RRC idle state or the RRC inactive state. After sending the release indication message, the UE needs to wait for a period of time, T, which can be controlled by a timer. Within time T, if the UE receives an RRC release message from the network device, the UE enters the corresponding state according to the indication of the RRC release message, which can indicate that the UE enters the RRC idle state or the RRC inactive state. If the UE does not receive an RRC release message from the network device within time T, the UE automatically enters the RRC idle state.

[0192] Upon receiving the release instruction information from the UE, the network device needs to send an RRC release message to the UE within a duration T. In the CU-DU architecture, the gNB-CU receives the release instruction information from the UE (e.g., the release instruction information is carried in the RRC message). If the gNB-CU determines the RRC release message to send to the UE, it forwards the RRC release message to the gNB-DU, which then schedules radio resources to send the RRC release message to the UE. However, only the gNB-CU knows the duration T (e.g., the duration T is configured by the gNB-CU to the UE via the RRC message); that is, the gNB-CU can maintain the duration T, while the gNB-DU cannot. Furthermore, only the gNB-CU knows the time when the release instruction information was received; that is, the gNB-CU knows the start time of the timer controlling the duration T, while the gNB-DU does not. Therefore, the gNB-CU knows how long it needs to send the RRC release message to the UE for the UE to receive it correctly, but the gNB-DU does not. Therefore, the gNB-DU might send the RRC release message outside of duration T. That is, the gNB-DU might send the RRC release message to the UE only after duration T has elapsed. By this time, the UE has already automatically transitioned to the RRC idle state and no longer receives messages from the gNB-DU. The gNB-DU and gNB-CU might then believe that the RRC release message has been successfully sent to the UE. If this RRC release message instructs the UE to transition to the RRC inactive state, it could lead to a state misalignment between the network device (e.g., gNB-CU) and the UE. Specifically, the network device might believe the UE is in the RRC inactive state, while the UE has actually transitioned to the RRC idle state. Furthermore, this could also lead to a performance degradation for the UE. For example, if the UE could have remained in the RRC inactive state but was forced to transition to the RRC idle state due to not receiving the RRC release message in time, then re-establishing the RRC connection would incur additional latency, power consumption, or signaling overhead.

[0193] Therefore, this application provides a third communication method. This method enables the gNB-DU to send an RRC release message to the UE at an appropriate time. Please refer to... Figure 7 Here is a flowchart of the method.

[0194] S701, the UE sends a release indication message to the gNB-CU. Correspondingly, the gNB-CU receives the release indication message from the UE.

[0195] If a UE in RRC connected state intends to leave RRC connected state, it can send a release indication message to the gNB-CU. The release indication message can indicate whether it expects or intends to leave RRC connected state. Optionally, the release indication message can also indicate the RRC state to which it intends to transition (or switch; or enter), such as RRC idle state or RRC inactive state. This release indication message can be included, for example, in an RRC message, such as a UE assistance information message, or other messages.

[0196] S702, gNB-CU sends the first message to gNB-DU. Correspondingly, gNB-DU receives the first message from gNB-CU.

[0197] The first message may include first time information, which can be used to determine the time when to send an RRC release message to the UE. This RRC release message can be used to release the UE from an RRC connected state to an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state. Optionally, the RRC release message may also instruct the UE to enter an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state. If the RRC release message instructs the UE to enter an RRC idle state, it indicates that the RRC release message is used to release the UE from an RRC connected state to an RRC idle state; or, if the RRC release message instructs the UE to enter an RRC inactive state, it indicates that the RRC release message is used to release the UE from an RRC connected state to an RRC inactive state.

[0198] Optionally, the gNB-CU may send the first-time information to the gNB-DU at the outset. For example, if the gNB-CU sends the first-time information to the gNB-DU before receiving the RRC release indication information from the UE, then S702 can be executed before or after S701. For instance, the gNB-CU may send the first-time information to the gNB-DU during UE context setup, in which case the first message may be, for example, a UE context setup request message; or, the gNB-CU may send the first-time information to the gNB-DU during UE context modification, in which case the first message may be, for example, a UE context modification request message.

[0199] If the gNB-CU sends the first-time information to the gNB-DU at the beginning, the gNB-CU can also send an RRC release message to the gNB-DU after receiving the release indication information from the UE. When the gNB-DU receives the RRC release message from the gNB-CU, it sends the RRC release message to the UE within the time frame during which the UE can correctly receive the message, based on the previously obtained first-time information. Optionally, the RRC release message may also include indication information, or the indication information may not be included in the RRC release message. The gNB-CU may also send the indication information to the gNB-DU at the same time as sending the RRC release message. This indication information may indicate whether to send the RRC release message to the UE based on the first-time information, or whether to consider time information (e.g., first-time information) when sending the RRC release message to the UE, or indicate that the RRC release message is due to multiple SIM cards, or indicate that the RRC release message corresponds to an RRC release based on automatic departure. Because RRC release messages can be generated not only based on release indication information from the UE, but also based on other factors, if the RRC release message is generated based on other factors, the gNB-DU does not need to consider the first-time information when sending the RRC release message to the UE. Therefore, if the RRC release message is generated due to release indication information from the UE, the gNB-DU needs to consider the first-time information, which can instruct the gNB-DU to send the RRC release message to the UE based on the first-time information. However, if the RRC release message is generated normally for other reasons, the gNB-DU does not need to consider the first-time information, and the indication information can instruct the gNB-DU not to send the RRC release message to the UE based on the first-time information, or, in this case, it is not necessary to send the indication information.

[0200] Alternatively, the gNB-CU can send a first-time message to the gNB-DU simultaneously when sending the RRC release message. For example, the first message might also include the RRC release message, or it might be sent to the gNB-DU during a downlink RRC message transfer (DL RRC message transfer) process; in this case, the first message itself might be a DL RRC message transfer message. Alternatively, the RRC release message and the first message could be different messages, but they could be sent to the gNB-DU simultaneously.

[0201] S703 and gNB-DU send an RRC release message to the UE based on the first time information. For example, gNB-DU determines the duration for which the UE will wait to receive the RRC release message based on the first time information, and sends the RRC release message to the UE within the duration for which the UE will wait to receive the RRC release message. Correspondingly, the UE receives the RRC release message from gNB-DU. For example, the UE can receive the RRC release message from gNB-DU based on the first time duration.

[0202] Optionally, the duration indicated by the first time information is the first duration. The first duration can be the time the UE waits after sending the release indication information to the gNB-CU. If no RRC release message is received by the time the first duration arrives, the UE will enter the RRC idle state. For example, the first duration is the duration T mentioned above. Assuming that the gNB-CU immediately generates an RRC release message and sends it to the gNB-DU after receiving the UE's release indication information, and the processing time of the gNB-CU is negligible, that is, after receiving the RRC release message from the gNB-CU, the gNB-DU can send the RRC release message to the UE within the first duration. Alternatively, the gNB-DU can estimate the processing time of the gNB-CU after receiving the release indication information based on empirical values. This processing time is, for example, denoted by P. That is, after receiving the RRC release message from the gNB-CU, the gNB-DU can send the RRC release message to the UE within TP. Here, the first duration is duration T as an example.

[0203] Alternatively, the duration indicated by the first time information may be less than the first duration. For example, the duration indicated by the first time information may be the available time for the gNB-DU to send the RRC release message to the UE. For instance, the duration indicated by the first time information may be the difference between the first duration and the processing duration of the gNB-CU, where the processing duration of the gNB-CU refers to the processing time of the gNB-CU for the release indication information from the UE. For instance, if the duration indicated by the first time information is the aforementioned TP, and the gNB-CU sends the first time information to the gNB-DU at the beginning, the value of P can be determined by the gNB-CU based on experience; or, if the gNB-DU sends the first time information along with the RRC release message to the gNB-DU, the value of P can be the actual processing time of the gNB-CU after receiving the release indication information, or it can be determined by the gNB-CU based on experience. After determining the value of P, the gNB-CU can send the calculated value of TP to the gNB-DU. In this case, after receiving the RRC release message from the gNB-CU, the gNB-DU can send the RRC release message to the UE within the TP.

[0204] S701 and S703 are both optional steps.

[0205] The solution provided in this application embodiment enables the gNB-DU to specify the timeframe within which the RRC release message must be sent to the UE for the UE to receive it correctly. This allows the gNB-DU to send the RRC release message to the UE within the timeframe within which the UE can correctly receive the message. This minimizes the possibility of state misalignment between the network device (e.g., gNB-CU) and the UE, and also reduces the likelihood of UE performance degradation.

[0206] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a communication device 800 according to an embodiment of this application is provided. The communication device 800 may be... Figure 3 The embodiments shown to Figure 7 The base station centralization unit in any of the embodiments shown is used to implement the method executed by the base station centralization unit in the above method embodiments. Alternatively, the communication device 800 may be... Figure 3 The embodiments shown to Figure 7 The base station distribution unit in any of the embodiments shown is used to implement the method executed by the base station distribution unit in the above method embodiments. For specific functions, please refer to the description in the above method embodiments.

[0207] The communication device 800 includes one or more processors 801. The processor 801, also called a processing unit, can implement certain control functions. The processor 801 can be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, etc. For example, it includes: a baseband processor, a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor, a modem processor, a graphics processor, an image signal processor, a digital signal processor, a video codec processor, a controller, a memory, and / or a neural network processor, etc. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data. The CPU can be used to control the communication device 800, execute software programs, and / or process data. Different processors can be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors, for example, integrated on one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).

[0208] Optionally, the communication device 800 includes one or more memories 802 for storing instructions 804, which can be executed on the processor to cause the communication device 800 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. Optionally, the memories 802 may also store data. The processor and memories can be provided separately or integrated together.

[0209] Optionally, the communication device 800 may store instructions 803 (sometimes referred to as code or program), which can be executed on the processor to cause the communication device 800 to perform the methods described in the above embodiments. Data may be stored in the processor 801.

[0210] Optionally, the communication device 800 may also include a transceiver 805 and an antenna 806. The transceiver 805 may be referred to as a transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiver circuit, transceiver, input / output interface, etc., and is used to realize the transmission and reception functions of the communication device 800 through the antenna 806.

[0211] Optionally, the communication device 800 may further include one or more of the following components: a wireless communication module, an audio module, an external memory interface, internal memory, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a power management module, an antenna, a speaker, a microphone, an input / output module, a sensor module, a motor, a camera, or a display screen, etc. It is understood that in some embodiments, the communication device 800 may include more or fewer components, or some components may be integrated, or some components may be separated. These components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0212] The processor 801 and transceiver 805 described in the embodiments of this application can be implemented on integrated circuits (ICs), analog ICs, radio frequency identification (RFID) integrated circuits, mixed-signal ICs, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), or electronic devices. The communication device described herein can be a standalone device (e.g., a standalone integrated circuit, a mobile phone, etc.) or a part of a larger device (e.g., a module embedded in other devices). For details, please refer to the foregoing description of base station centralized units or base station distributed units; further details will not be repeated here.

[0213] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0214] 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. Units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and components shown as units may or may not be physical units, i.e., 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.

[0215] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access. For example, but not limited to: computer-readable media may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), universal serial bus flash disk, portable hard disk, or other optical disc storage, disk storage media, or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer. Additionally, by way of example but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDRSDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), or direct rambus RAM (DR RAM).

[0216] Example 1. A communication method applied to a base station distribution unit, the method comprising: The first message is received from the base station central unit. The first message is used to determine whether the terminal device to be paged supports the first grouping method and / or to determine the paging method used by the terminal device to be paged. The terminal device is paged using a first paging method, which is determined based on the first message.

[0217] Example 2. According to the method described in Example 1, the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method, paging according to the second grouping method, or paging according to a non-grouping method.

[0218] Example 3. According to the method described in Example 1 or 2, the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method or paging according to the second grouping method. Paging the terminal device using the first paging method includes: Generate first information, the first information including a group identifier determined according to the first message, the first information being used to instruct the terminal device corresponding to the group identifier to receive a paging message; Send the first message.

[0219] Example 4. According to the method described in Example 3, the first information is paging control information or a wake-up signal.

[0220] Example 5. The method described in Example 3 or 4, The first message includes a first set of identifiers. If the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the second grouping method, and the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method; or, The first message includes a first set of identifiers and information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method. The first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the terminal device supports the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method; or, The first message includes a first set of identifiers and information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method. The first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the terminal device does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method and does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the non-grouping method.

[0221] Example 6. The method described according to Example 3 or 4, The first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method, but does not include a first group identifier. The first group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the terminal device supports the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method; or, The first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method, but does not include a first group identifier, which is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the terminal device does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method; or, The first message does not include the first group identifier, which is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the non-grouping method.

[0222] Example 7. According to the method described in Example 3 or 4, if the first message does not include information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method and does not include the first group identifier, then the first paging method is paging according to the non-grouping method, and the first group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method.

[0223] Example 8. The method according to any one of Examples 5 to 7, The first message includes a first field indicating that the terminal device supports the first grouping method; or, the first message does not include the first field indicating that the terminal device does not support the first grouping method; or... The first field included in the first message takes a first value, which is used to indicate that the terminal device supports the first grouping method; or, the first field included in the first message takes a second value, which is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support the first grouping method.

[0224] Example 9. The method described according to Example 5 or 6, The first message includes a container for terminal device wireless paging information, which carries information about whether the terminal device supports the first packet method.

[0225] Example 10. The method described in Example 3 or 4, The first message includes a first set of identifiers, which are the identifiers of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the second grouping method; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, and the first message also indicates the use of the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the first message also indicates that the first packet mode is not used, then the first paging mode is paging according to a non-packet mode; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method and does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the non-grouping method.

[0226] Example 11. According to the method described in Example 3 or 4, the first message does not include a first group of identifiers, where the first group of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method; wherein, If the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method, and the first message further indicates the use of the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method; or, If the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, and the first message also indicates that the first packet mode is not used, then the first paging mode is paging according to a non-packet mode; or, The first message also indicates that the first grouping method is not used, then the first paging method is paging according to the non-grouping method; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the non-grouping method.

[0227] Example 12. The method described according to Example 10 or 11, The first message includes a first field to indicate the use of the first grouping method; or, the first message does not include the first field to indicate that the first grouping method is not used; or, The first field included in the first message takes a first value to indicate the use of the first grouping method, or the first field included in the first message takes a second value to indicate the non-use of the first grouping method.

[0228] Example 13. The method according to any one of Examples 3 to 12, If the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method, the group identifier included in the first information is a second group identifier, where the second group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the first grouping method; or, If the first paging method is paging according to the second grouping method, the group identifier included in the first information is the first group identifier, which is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method.

[0229] Example 14. According to any one of Examples 1 to 13, the first grouping method is a grouping method based on the identifier of the terminal device, and the second grouping method is a grouping method based on the identifier allocated by the core network device.

[0230] Example 15. A communication method applied to a base station central unit, the method comprising: Receive a second message from the core network equipment, the second message including information on whether the terminal device to be paged supports the first packet method; A first message is sent to the base station distribution unit. The first message is used to determine whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method and / or to determine the paging method used for the terminal device.

[0231] Example 16. According to the method described in Example 15, the paging method used on the terminal device includes paging according to the first grouping method, paging according to the second grouping method, or paging according to a non-grouping method.

[0232] Example 17. According to the method described in Example 15 or 16, the second message further includes a first set of identifiers, wherein the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method, wherein, The first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method and the first group identifier.

[0233] Example 18. According to the method described in Example 15 or 16, the second message further includes a first set of identifiers, wherein the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method, wherein, If the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, the first message includes the first group identifier but does not include information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method, the first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method, but does not include the first group identifier.

[0234] Example 19. According to the method described in Example 15 or 16, the second message further includes a first set of identifiers, wherein the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method, wherein, If the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, the first message includes the first group identifier but does not include information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, the first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method, and does not include the first group identifier; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method and does not support the first grouping method, the first message does not include information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method, and does not include the first group identifier.

[0235] Example 20. According to the method described in Example 15 or 16, the second message does not include a first group of identifiers, where the first group of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method, wherein, The first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method.

[0236] Example 21. According to the method described in Example 15 or 16, the second message does not include a first group of identifiers, where the first group of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method, wherein, If the base station distribution unit supports the first packet method, the first paging message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first packet method; or... If the base station distribution unit does not support the first grouping method, the first paging message does not include information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method.

[0237] Example 22. The method according to any one of Examples 17-21, The first message includes a first field indicating that the terminal device supports the first grouping method; or, the first message does not include the first field indicating that the terminal device does not support the first grouping method; or... The first field included in the first message takes a first value, which is used to indicate that the terminal device supports the first grouping method; or, the first field included in the first message takes a second value, which is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support the first grouping method.

[0238] Example 23. The method according to any one of Examples 17-21, The first message includes a container for terminal device wireless paging information, which carries information about whether the terminal device supports the first packet method.

[0239] Example 24. According to the method described in Example 15 or 16, the second message further includes a first set of identifiers, wherein the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method, wherein, If the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, the first message includes the first group identifier; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second packet method but supports the first packet method, and the information indicating whether the terminal device supports the first packet method indicates that the terminal device supports the first packet method, then the first message indicates the use of the first packet method; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second packet method but supports the first packet method, and the information regarding whether the terminal device supports the first packet method indicates that the terminal device does not support the first packet method, then the first message indicates that the first packet method should not be used; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method and does not support the first grouping method, then the first message indicates that the first grouping method is not used.

[0240] Example 25. According to the method described in Example 24, if the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, the first message further indicates that the first grouping method is not used.

[0241] Example 26. According to the method described in Example 15 or 16, the second paging message does not include a first group of identifiers, where the first group of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method, wherein, If the base station distribution unit supports the first packet method, and the information indicating whether the terminal device supports the first packet method indicates that the terminal device supports the first packet method, then the first message indicates the use of the first packet method; or, If the base station distribution unit supports the first packet method, and the information regarding whether the terminal device supports the first packet method indicates that the terminal device does not support the first packet method, then the first message indicates that the first packet method is not used; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the first grouping method, then the first message indicates that the first grouping method is not used.

[0242] Example 27. According to any one of Examples 15 to 26, the first grouping method is a grouping method based on the identifier of the terminal device, and the second grouping method is a grouping method based on the identifier allocated by the core network device.

[0243] Example 28. A communication method applied to a base station central unit, the method comprising: Determine whether the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method; Send first information to the base station distribution unit, the first information being used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method.

[0244] Example 29. The method described in Example 28, If the first information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode, then the first information is also used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the second packet mode; or, If the first information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode, the method further includes: sending second information to the base station distribution unit, the second information being used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the second packet mode; or, The first information is used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, including: the first information is used to indicate the maximum number of groups supported by the base station distribution unit under the second grouping method.

[0245] Example 30. The method described according to Example 28 or 29, The first information is also used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method; or, The method further includes sending third information to the base station distribution unit, the third information being used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method.

[0246] Example 31. The method described in Example 30, If the third information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, then the third information is also used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the first packet mode; or, If the third information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, the method further includes: sending fourth information to the base station distribution unit, the fourth information being used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the first packet mode; or, The third information is used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method, including: the third information is used to indicate the maximum number of groups supported by the base station distribution unit under the first grouping method.

[0247] Example 32. The method according to any one of Examples 28 to 31, The first message includes a first field, used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second packet method; or, the first message does not include the first field, used to indicate that the base station distribution unit does not support the second packet method; or, The first field included in the first message takes a first value, which is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method; or, the first field included in the first message takes a second value, which is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method.

[0248] Example 33. The method described according to Example 30 or 31, The first message includes a second field, used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first packet method; or, the second message does not include the second field, used to indicate that the base station distribution unit does not support the first packet method; or... The second field included in the first message takes a first value, which is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method; or, the second field included in the first message takes a second value, which is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit does not support the first grouping method.

[0249] Example 34. Determining whether a base station distribution unit supports a second grouping method according to any one of Examples 28 to 33 includes: The second message is received from the core network equipment, which indicates whether the base station distribution unit supports the second packet method.

[0250] Example 35. According to any one of Examples 28 to 34, the first grouping method is a grouping method based on the terminal device identifier, and the second grouping method is a grouping method based on the core network device allocation identifier.

[0251] Example 36. A communication method applied to a base station distribution unit, the method comprising: The base station centralization unit receives first information, which is used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method.

[0252] Example 37. The method described in Example 36, If the first information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode, then the first information is also used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the second packet mode; or, If the first information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode, the method further includes: receiving second information from the base station centralization unit, the second information being used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the second packet mode; or, The first information is used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, including: the first information is used to indicate the maximum number of groups supported by the base station distribution unit under the second grouping method.

[0253] Example 38. The method described according to Example 36 or 37, The first information is also used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method; or, The method further includes: receiving third information from the base station centralization unit, the third information being used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method.

[0254] Example 39. The method described in Example 38, If the third information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, then the third information is also used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the first packet mode; or, If the third information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, the method further includes: receiving fourth information from the base station centralization unit, the fourth information being used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the first packet mode; or, The third information is used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method, including: the third information is used to indicate the maximum number of groups supported by the base station distribution unit under the first grouping method.

[0255] Example 40. The method according to any one of Examples 36-39, The first message includes a first field, used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second packet method; or, the first message does not include the first field, used to indicate that the base station distribution unit does not support the second packet method; or, The first field included in the first message takes a first value, which is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method; or, the first field included in the first message takes a second value, which is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method.

[0256] Example 41. The method according to Example 38 or 39, The first message includes a second field, used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first packet method; or, the second message does not include the second field, used to indicate that the base station distribution unit does not support the first packet method; or... The second field included in the first message takes a first value, which is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method; or, the second field included in the first message takes a second value, which is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit does not support the first grouping method.

[0257] Example 42. The method according to any one of Examples 36 to 41, the method further comprising: Broadcast fifth information, which indicates one or more of the following: whether the base station distribution unit supports a grouping method, the grouping method supported by the base station distribution unit, or the maximum number of groups supported by the base station distribution unit under the supported grouping method.

[0258] Example 43. According to any one of Examples 36 to 42, the first grouping method is a grouping method based on the terminal device identifier, and the second grouping method is a grouping method based on the core network device allocation identifier.

[0259] Example 44. A communication method applied to a base station central unit, the method comprising: A first message is sent to the base station distribution unit. The first message includes first time information. The first time information is used to determine the time to send an RRC release message to the terminal device. The RRC release message is used to release the terminal device from the RRC connected state to the RRC idle state or the RRC inactive state.

[0260] Example 45. According to the method described in Example 44, a first message is sent to the base station distribution unit, including: During the context establishment process of the terminal device, or during the context change process of the terminal device, the first message is sent to the base station distribution unit.

[0261] Example 46. The method according to Example 44 or 45, further comprising: The RRC release message is sent to the base station distribution unit.

[0262] Example 47. The method described in Example 46, The RRC release message also includes indication information; or, The method further includes: when sending the RRC release message, sending indication information to the base station distribution unit; The indication information is used to instruct the sending of the RRC release message to the terminal device based on the first time information.

[0263] Example 48. The method described in Example 44, The first message also includes the RRC release message; or, The method further includes sending the RRC release message to the base station distribution unit when sending the first message.

[0264] Example 49. The method according to any one of Examples 44-48, The duration indicated by the first time information is the same as the first duration; or, The duration indicated by the first time information is less than the first duration. The duration indicated by the first time information is the available time for the base station distribution unit to send the RRC release message to the terminal device. The first duration is the waiting time for the terminal device after sending the RRC release indication information to the base station central unit. If the RRC release message is not received when the first duration is reached, the terminal device will enter the RRC idle state.

[0265] Example 50. According to the method described in Example 49, when the duration indicated by the first time information is less than the first duration, the duration indicated by the first time information is the difference between the first duration and the processing duration of the base station centralization unit, and the processing duration of the base station centralization unit is the processing duration of the base station centralization unit for the RRC release indication information from the terminal device, and the RRC release indication information is used to indicate the desire to leave the RRC connection state.

[0266] Example 51. A communication method applied to a base station distribution unit, the method comprising: The base station central unit receives a first message, which includes first time information. The first time information is used to determine the time to send an RRC release message to the terminal device. The RRC release message is used to release the terminal device from the RRC connected state to the RRC idle state or the RRC inactive state.

[0267] Example 52. According to the method described in Example 51, receiving a first message from the base station centralization unit includes: During the context establishment process of the terminal device, or during the context change process of the terminal device, the first message is received from the base station centralization unit.

[0268] Example 53. The method according to Example 51 or 52, the method further includes: Receive the RRC release message from the base station central unit.

[0269] Example 54. According to the method described in Example 53, the RRC release message further includes indication information, which is used to instruct the sending of the RRC release message to the terminal device according to the time information.

[0270] Example 55. According to the method described in Example 51, the first message further includes the RRC release message.

[0271] Example 56. The method according to any one of Examples 51 to 55, The duration indicated by the first time information is the same as the first duration; or, The duration indicated by the first time information is less than the first duration. The duration indicated by the first time information is the available time for the base station distribution unit to send the RRC release message to the terminal device. The first duration is the waiting time for the terminal device after sending the RRC release indication information to the base station central unit. If the RRC release message is not received when the first duration is reached, the terminal device will enter the RRC idle state.

[0272] Example 57. According to the method described in Example 56, when the duration indicated by the first time information is less than the first duration, the duration indicated by the first time information is the difference between the first duration and the processing duration of the base station centralization unit, and the processing duration of the base station centralization unit is the processing duration of the base station centralization unit for the RRC release indication information from the terminal device, and the RRC release indication information is used to indicate the desire to leave the RRC connection state; Example 58. The method according to any one of Examples 51 to 57, the method further comprising: According to the first time information, the RRC release message is sent to the terminal device before the first duration is reached. The first duration is the waiting time after the terminal device sends the RRC release indication information to the base station central unit. If the RRC release message is not received when the first duration is reached, the terminal device will enter the RRC idle state.

[0273] Example 59. According to the method described in Example 58, the duration indicated by the first time information is the same as the first duration; The method further includes: determining second time information based on the first time information and the estimated processing time of the base station central unit; Sending the RRC release message to the terminal device before the first duration arrives, based on the first time information, includes: sending the RRC release message to the terminal device before the first duration arrives, based on the second time information.

[0274] Example 60. According to the method described in Example 59, the duration indicated by the second time information is the difference between the first duration and the processing duration of the base station central unit.

[0275] Example 61. A communication device, comprising: The transceiver unit (or receiving unit) is used to receive a first message from the base station centralization unit. The first message is used to determine whether the terminal device to be paged supports the first packet mode, and / or to determine the paging mode adopted by the terminal device to be paged. The processing unit is configured to page the terminal device using a first paging method, wherein the first paging method is determined based on the first message.

[0276] Example 62. According to the communication device described in Example 61, the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method, paging according to the second grouping method, or paging according to a non-grouping method.

[0277] Example 63. In the communication device according to Example 61 or 62, the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method or paging according to the second grouping method, and the processing unit is used to paging the terminal device using the first paging method in the following manner: Generate first information, the first information including a group identifier determined according to the first message, the first information being used to instruct the terminal device corresponding to the group identifier to receive a paging message; The first information is sent through the transceiver unit (or, the sending unit).

[0278] Example 64. According to the communication device described in Example 63, the first information is paging control information or a wake-up signal.

[0279] Example 65. The communication device according to Example 63 or 64, The first message includes a first set of identifiers. If the communication device supports the second grouping method, the first paging method is paging according to the second grouping method, and the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method; or, The first message includes a first set of identifiers and information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method. The first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the communication device does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the terminal device supports the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method; or, The first message includes a first set of identifiers and information on whether the terminal device supports the first packet mode. The first set of identifiers is the identifier of the packet to which the terminal device belongs under the second packet mode. If the communication device does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first packet mode indicates that the terminal device does not support the first packet mode, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-packet mode; or, If the communication device does not support the second packet mode and does not support the first packet mode, then the first paging mode is paging according to the non-packet mode.

[0280] Example 66. The communication device according to Example 63 or 64, The first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first packet mode, but does not include a first group identifier, which is the identifier of the packet to which the terminal device belongs under the second packet mode. If the communication device supports the first packet mode, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first packet mode indicates that the terminal device supports the first packet mode, then the first paging mode is paging according to the first packet mode; or, The first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first packet mode, but does not include a first group identifier, which is the identifier of the packet to which the terminal device belongs under the second packet mode. If the communication device supports the first packet mode, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first packet mode indicates that the terminal device does not support the first packet mode, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-packet mode; or, The first message does not include the first group identifier, which is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping mode. If the communication device does not support the first grouping mode, then the first paging mode is paging according to the non-grouping mode.

[0281] Example 67. In the communication device according to Example 63 or 64, if the first message does not include information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method and does not include the first group identifier, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method, and the first group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method.

[0282] Example 68. The communication device according to any one of Examples 65 to 67, The first message includes a first field indicating that the terminal device supports the first grouping method; or, the first message does not include the first field indicating that the terminal device does not support the first grouping method; or... The first field included in the first message takes a first value, which is used to indicate that the terminal device supports the first grouping method; or, the first field included in the first message takes a second value, which is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support the first grouping method.

[0283] Example 69. The communication device according to Example 65 or 66, The first message includes a container for terminal device wireless paging information, which carries information about whether the terminal device supports the first packet method.

[0284] Example 70. The communication device according to Example 63 or 64, The first message includes a first set of identifiers, which are the identifiers of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the communication device supports the second grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the second grouping method; or, If the communication device does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the first message also indicates the use of the first packet mode, then the first paging method is paging according to the first packet mode; or, If the communication device does not support the second packet mode but supports the first packet mode, and the first message also indicates that the first packet mode is not used, then the first paging mode is paging according to a non-packet mode; or, If the communication device does not support the second packet mode and does not support the first packet mode, then the first paging mode is paging according to the non-packet mode.

[0285] Example 11. According to the communication device described in Example 3 or 4, the first message does not include a first group of identifiers, where the first group of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method; wherein, If the communication device supports the first packet mode, and the first message further indicates the use of the first packet mode, then the first paging method is paging according to the first packet mode; or, If the communication device supports the first packet mode, and the first message also indicates that the first packet mode is not used, then the first paging mode is paging according to a non-packet mode; or, The first message also indicates that the first grouping method is not used, then the first paging method is paging according to the non-grouping method; or, If the communication device does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the non-grouping method.

[0286] Example 72. The communication device according to Example 70 or 71, The first message includes a first field to indicate the use of the first grouping method; or, the first message does not include the first field to indicate that the first grouping method is not used; or, The first field included in the first message takes a first value to indicate the use of the first grouping method, or the first field included in the first message takes a second value to indicate the non-use of the first grouping method.

[0287] Example 73. The communication device according to any one of Examples 63 to 72, If the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method, the group identifier included in the first information is a second group identifier, where the second group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the first grouping method; or, If the first paging method is paging according to the second grouping method, the group identifier included in the first information is the first group identifier, which is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping method.

[0288] Example 74. The communication device according to any one of Examples 61 to 73, wherein the first grouping method is a grouping method based on the identifier of the terminal device, and the second grouping method is a grouping method based on the identifier assigned by the core network device.

[0289] Example 75. A communication device, comprising: A transceiver unit (or a receiving unit) is used to receive a second message from a core network device, the second message including information on whether the terminal device to be paged supports a first packet mode; The transceiver unit (or, sending unit) is further configured to send a first message to the base station distribution unit, the first message being used to determine whether the terminal device supports the first packet method, and / or to determine the paging method used for the terminal device.

[0290] Example 76. According to the communication device of Example 75, the paging method used on the terminal device includes paging according to the first grouping method, paging according to the second grouping method, or paging according to the non-grouping method.

[0291] Example 77. According to the communication device described in Example 75 or 76, the second message further includes a first set of identifiers, wherein the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping mode, wherein, The first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method and the first group identifier.

[0292] Example 78. According to the communication device described in Example 75 or 76, the second message further includes a first set of identifiers, wherein the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping mode, wherein, If the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, the first message includes the first group identifier but does not include information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method, the first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method, but does not include the first group identifier.

[0293] Example 79. According to the communication device described in Example 75 or 76, the second message further includes a first set of identifiers, wherein the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping mode, wherein, If the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, the first message includes the first group identifier but does not include information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, the first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method, and does not include the first group identifier; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method and does not support the first grouping method, the first message does not include information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method, and does not include the first group identifier.

[0294] Example 80. In the communication device according to Example 75 or 76, the second message does not include a first set of identifiers, wherein the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping mode, wherein, The first message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method.

[0295] Example 81. According to the communication device described in Example 75 or 76, the second message does not include a first set of identifiers, wherein the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping mode, wherein, If the base station distribution unit supports the first packet method, the first paging message includes information on whether the terminal device supports the first packet method; or... If the base station distribution unit does not support the first grouping method, the first paging message does not include information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method.

[0296] Example 82. The communication device according to any one of Examples 77 to 81, The first message includes a first field indicating that the terminal device supports the first grouping method; or, the first message does not include the first field indicating that the terminal device does not support the first grouping method; or... The first field included in the first message takes a first value, which is used to indicate that the terminal device supports the first grouping method; or, the first field included in the first message takes a second value, which is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support the first grouping method.

[0297] Example 83. The communication device according to any one of Examples 77 to 81, The first message includes a container for terminal device wireless paging information, which carries information about whether the terminal device supports the first packet method.

[0298] Example 84. According to the communication device described in Example 75 or 76, the second message further includes a first set of identifiers, wherein the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping mode, wherein, If the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, the first message includes the first group identifier; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second packet method but supports the first packet method, and the information indicating whether the terminal device supports the first packet method indicates that the terminal device supports the first packet method, then the first message indicates the use of the first packet method; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second packet method but supports the first packet method, and the information regarding whether the terminal device supports the first packet method indicates that the terminal device does not support the first packet method, then the first message indicates that the first packet method should not be used; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method and does not support the first grouping method, then the first message indicates that the first grouping method is not used.

[0299] Example 85. According to the communication device of Example 84, if the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, the first message further indicates that the first grouping method is not used.

[0300] Example 86. In the communication device according to Example 75 or 76, the second paging message does not include a first set of identifiers, wherein the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the terminal device belongs under the second grouping mode, wherein, If the base station distribution unit supports the first packet method, and the information indicating whether the terminal device supports the first packet method indicates that the terminal device supports the first packet method, then the first message indicates the use of the first packet method; or, If the base station distribution unit supports the first packet method, and the information regarding whether the terminal device supports the first packet method indicates that the terminal device does not support the first packet method, then the first message indicates that the first packet method is not used; or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the first grouping method, then the first message indicates that the first grouping method is not used.

[0301] Example 87. The communication device according to any one of Examples 75 to 86, wherein the first grouping method is a grouping method based on the identifier of the terminal device, and the second grouping method is a grouping method based on the identifier assigned by the core network device.

[0302] Example 88. A communication device, comprising: The processing unit is used to determine whether the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method; A transceiver unit (or a sending unit) is used to send first information to the base station distribution unit, wherein the first information is used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the second packet method.

[0303] Example 89. The communication device according to Example 88, If the first information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode, then the first information is also used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the second packet mode; or, If the first information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode, the method further includes: sending second information to the base station distribution unit, the second information being used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the second packet mode; or, The first information is used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, including: the first information is used to indicate the maximum number of groups supported by the base station distribution unit under the second grouping method.

[0304] Example 90. The communication device according to Example 88 or 89, The first information is also used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method; or, The transceiver unit (or the sending unit) is further configured to send third information to the base station distribution unit, the third information being used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode.

[0305] Example 91. The communication device according to Example 90, If the third information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, then the third information is also used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the first packet mode; or, If the third information is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first packet mode, then the transceiver unit (or the sending unit) is further used to send fourth information to the base station distribution unit, the fourth information being used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the base station distribution unit under the first packet mode; or, The third information is used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method, including: the third information is used to indicate the maximum number of groups supported by the base station distribution unit under the first grouping method.

[0306] Example 92. The communication device according to any one of Examples 88 to 91, The first message includes a first field, used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second packet method; or, the first message does not include the first field, used to indicate that the base station distribution unit does not support the second packet method; or, The first field included in the first message takes a first value, which is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method; or, the first field included in the first message takes a second value, which is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method.

[0307] Example 93. The communication device according to Example 90 or 91, The first message includes a second field, used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first packet method; or, the second message does not include the second field, used to indicate that the base station distribution unit does not support the first packet method; or... The second field included in the first message takes a first value, which is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method; or, the second field included in the first message takes a second value, which is used to indicate that the base station distribution unit does not support the first grouping method.

[0308] Example 94. According to any one of Examples 88 to 93, the processing unit is configured to determine whether the base station distribution unit supports the second packet mode by means of: The second message is received from the core network equipment through the transceiver unit (or receiver unit), and the second message is used to indicate whether the base station distribution unit supports the second packet method.

[0309] Example 95. The communication device according to any one of Examples 88 to 94, wherein the first grouping method is a grouping method based on the terminal device identifier, and the second grouping method is a grouping method based on the core network device allocation identifier.

[0310] Example 96. A communication device, comprising: A transceiver unit (or receiving unit) is used to receive first information from a base station centralization unit, the first information being used to indicate whether the communication device supports a second packet mode.

[0311] Example 97. The communication device according to Example 96, If the first information is used to indicate that the communication device supports the second packet mode, then the first information is also used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the communication device under the second packet mode; or, If the first information is used to indicate that the communication device supports the second packet mode, the method further includes: receiving second information from the base station centralization unit, the second information being used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the communication device under the second packet mode; or, The first information is used to indicate whether the communication device supports the second packet mode, including: the first information is used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the communication device under the second packet mode.

[0312] Example 98. The communication device according to Example 96 or 97, The first information is also used to indicate whether the communication device supports a first packet mode; or, The transceiver unit (or the receiving unit) is further configured to receive third information from the base station centralization unit, the third information being used to indicate whether the communication device supports the first packet mode.

[0313] Example 99. The communication device according to Example 98, If the third information is used to indicate that the communication device supports the first packet mode, then the third information is also used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the communication device under the first packet mode; or, If the third information is used to indicate that the communication device supports the first packet mode, then the transceiver unit (or the receiving unit) is further configured to receive fourth information from the base station centralization unit, the fourth information being used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the communication device under the first packet mode; or, The third information is used to indicate whether the communication device supports the first packet mode, including: the third information is used to indicate the maximum number of packets supported by the communication device under the first packet mode.

[0314] Example 100. The communication device according to any one of Examples 96-99, The first message includes a first field indicating that the communication device supports the second packet mode; or, the first message does not include the first field, indicating that the communication device does not support the second packet mode; or... The first field included in the first message takes a first value, used to indicate that the communication device supports the second packet mode; or, the first field included in the first message takes a second value, used to indicate that the communication device does not support the second packet mode.

[0315] Example 101. The communication device according to Example 98 or 99, The first message includes a second field to indicate that the communication device supports the first packet mode; alternatively, the second message does not include the second field and indicates that the communication device does not support the first packet mode. The second field included in the first message takes a first value to indicate that the communication device supports the first packet mode, or the second field included in the first message takes a second value to indicate that the communication device does not support the first packet mode.

[0316] Example 102. In the communication device according to any one of Examples 96 to 101, the transceiver unit (or, the sending unit) is further configured to broadcast fifth information, the fifth information being configured to indicate one or more of the following: whether the communication device supports a packet mode, the packet mode supported by the communication device, or the maximum number of packets supported by the communication device under the supported packet mode.

[0317] Example 103. The communication device according to any one of Examples 96 to 102, wherein the first grouping method is a grouping method based on the terminal device identifier, and the second grouping method is a grouping method based on the core network device allocation identifier.

[0318] Example 104. A communication device, comprising: A transceiver unit (or a sending unit) is used to send a first message to a base station distribution unit. The first message includes first time information, which is used to determine the time to send an RRC release message to a terminal device. The RRC release message is used to release the terminal device from the RRC connected state to the RRC idle state or the RRC inactive state.

[0319] Example 105. According to the communication apparatus of Example 104, the transceiver unit is used to send a first message to the base station distribution unit in the following manner: During the context establishment process of the terminal device, or during the context change process of the terminal device, the first message is sent to the base station distribution unit.

[0320] Example 106. In the communication apparatus according to Example 104 or 105, the transceiver unit (or the sending unit) is further configured to send the RRC release message to the base station distribution unit.

[0321] Example 107. The communication device according to Example 106, The RRC release message also includes indication information; or, The transceiver unit (or the sending unit) is further configured to send indication information to the base station distribution unit when sending the RRC release message; The indication information is used to instruct the sending of the RRC release message to the terminal device based on the first time information.

[0322] Example 108. The communication device according to Example 104, The first message also includes the RRC release message; or, The transceiver unit (or the sending unit) is further configured to send the RRC release message to the base station distribution unit when sending the first message.

[0323] Example 109. The communication device according to any one of Examples 104 to 108, The duration indicated by the first time information is the same as the first duration; or, The duration indicated by the first time information is less than the first duration. The duration indicated by the first time information is the available time for the base station distribution unit to send the RRC release message to the terminal device. The first duration is the waiting time after the terminal device sends the RRC release indication information to the communication device. If the RRC release message is not received when the first duration is reached, the terminal device will enter the RRC idle state.

[0324] Example 110. According to the communication device of Example 109, when the duration indicated by the first time information is less than the first duration, the duration indicated by the first time information is the difference between the first duration and the processing duration of the communication device, and the processing duration of the communication device is the processing duration of the communication device for the RRC release indication information from the terminal device, wherein the RRC release indication information is used to indicate the desire to leave the RRC connection state.

[0325] Example 111. A communication device, comprising: A transceiver unit (or receiving unit) is configured to receive a first message from a base station centralization unit. The first message includes first time information, which is used to determine the time to send an RRC release message to a terminal device. The RRC release message is used to release the terminal device from the RRC connected state to the RRC idle state or the RRC inactive state.

[0326] Example 112. According to the communication apparatus of Example 111, the transceiver unit is configured to receive a first message from the base station centralization unit in the following manner: During the context establishment process of the terminal device, or during the context change process of the terminal device, the first message is received from the base station centralization unit.

[0327] Example 113. In the communication apparatus according to Example 111 or 112, the transceiver unit (or the receiving unit) is further configured to receive the RRC release message from the base station centralization unit.

[0328] Example 114. According to the communication device described in Example 113, the RRC release message further includes indication information, which is used to instruct the sending of the RRC release message to the terminal device according to the time information.

[0329] Example 115. According to the communication device of Example 111, the first message further includes the RRC release message.

[0330] Example 116. The communication device according to any one of Examples 111 to 115, The duration indicated by the first time information is the same as the first duration; or, The duration indicated by the first time information is less than the first duration. The duration indicated by the first time information is the available time for the communication device to send the RRC release message to the terminal device. The first duration is the waiting time for the terminal device after sending the RRC release indication information to the base station central unit. If the RRC release message is not received when the first duration is reached, the terminal device will enter the RRC idle state.

[0331] Example 117. According to the communication device of Example 116, when the duration indicated by the first time information is less than the first duration, the duration indicated by the first time information is the difference between the first duration and the processing duration of the base station centralization unit, the processing duration of the base station centralization unit is the processing duration of the base station centralization unit for the RRC release indication information from the terminal device, and the RRC release indication information is used to indicate the desire to leave the RRC connection state; Example 118. According to any one of Examples 111 to 117, the transceiver unit (or, sending unit) is configured to send the RRC release message to the terminal device before a first duration arrives, based on the first time information. The first duration is the duration during which the terminal device waits after sending the RRC release indication information to the base station centralization unit. If the RRC release message is not received when the first duration arrives, the terminal device will enter the RRC idle state.

[0332] Example 119. In the communication device according to Example 118, the duration indicated by the first time information is the same as the first duration; The communication device further includes a processing unit for determining second time information based on the first time information and the estimated processing time of the base station centralization unit. The transceiver unit is configured to send the RRC release message to the terminal device before the first duration arrives, based on the first time information, in the following manner: based on the second time information, the RRC release message is sent to the terminal device before the first duration arrives.

[0333] Example 120. According to the communication device of Example 119, the duration indicated by the second time information is the difference between the first duration and the processing duration of the base station central unit.

[0334] Example 121. An apparatus comprising units for performing the methods described in any embodiment of this application.

[0335] Example 122. A computer program product comprising a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of Examples 1 to 14, or causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of Examples 15 to 27, or causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of Examples 28 to 35, or causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of Examples 36 to 43, or causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of Examples 44 to 50, or causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of Examples 51 to 60.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method, which applies to a base station distribution unit or a chip within a base station distribution unit, includes: The first message is received from the base station central unit, and the first message is used to determine whether the first terminal device supports the first grouping method in the first cell. The first terminal device is paged using a first paging method, which is determined based on the first message; The first grouping method is a grouping method based on the terminal device identifier.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first paging method is a paging method based on the first grouping method, a paging method based on the second grouping method, or a paging method based on a non-grouping method; The second grouping method is a grouping method based on the identifier assigned by the core network equipment.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first paging method is either a paging method based on the first grouping method or a paging method based on the second grouping method; Paging the first terminal device using the first paging method includes: Send a first message, the first message including a group identifier determined according to the first message, the first message instructing the first terminal device corresponding to the group identifier to receive a paging message.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first information is paging control information, or a wake-up signal or a paging advance indication (PEI).

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The first message includes a first set of identifiers. If the base station distribution unit supports the second grouping method, then the first paging method is a paging method based on the second grouping method, and the first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the first terminal device belongs under the second grouping method; or, The first message includes a first set of identifiers and information on whether the first terminal device supports the first grouping method. The first set of identifiers is the identifier of the group to which the first terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the first terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the first terminal device supports the first grouping method, then the first paging method is a paging method based on the first grouping method; or, The first message includes a first group identifier and information on whether the first terminal device supports the first grouping method. The first group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the first terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method but supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the first terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the first terminal device does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is a paging method based on a non-grouping method. or, If the base station distribution unit does not support the second grouping method and does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is a paging method based on a non-grouping method.

6. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The first message includes information on whether the first terminal device supports the first grouping method, but does not include a first group identifier. The first group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the first terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the terminal device supports the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the first grouping method; or, The first message includes information on whether the first terminal device supports the first grouping method, but does not include a first group identifier. The first group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the first terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit supports the first grouping method, and the information on whether the first terminal device supports the first grouping method indicates that the first terminal device does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to a non-grouping method; or, The first message does not include the first group identifier, which is the identifier of the group to which the first terminal device belongs under the second grouping method. If the base station distribution unit does not support the first grouping method, then the first paging method is paging according to the non-grouping method.

7. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, If the first message does not include information on whether the first terminal device supports the first grouping method and does not include the first group identifier, then the first paging method is paging according to the non-grouping method, and the first group identifier is the identifier of the group to which the first terminal device belongs under the second grouping method.

8. A communication method, characterized in that, The method, which involves applying a chip to a base station central unit or a base station central unit, includes: Receive a second message from the core network equipment, the second message including information on whether the first terminal device supports the first packet method; Send a first message to the base station distribution unit, the first message being used to determine whether the first terminal device supports the first grouping method in the first cell; The first grouping method is a grouping method based on the terminal device identifier.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second message also includes a first set of identifiers, which is the identifier of the group to which the first terminal device belongs under the second grouping method; The first message includes information on whether the first terminal device supports the first grouping method and the first group identifier, and the second grouping method is a grouping method based on the identifier allocated by the core network device.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first message does not include the field of the wireless paging information of the first terminal device.

11. A communication device, characterized in that, include: One or more processors; One or more memory units; And one or more computer programs, wherein the one or more computer programs are stored in the one or more memories, and the one or more computer programs include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the method of any one of claims 1-7 to be performed.

12. The communication device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The communication device includes a base station distribution unit or a chip in a base station distribution unit.

13. A communication device, characterized in that, include: One or more processors; One or more memory units; And one or more computer programs, wherein the one or more computer programs are stored in the one or more memories, the one or more computer programs including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the method of any one of claims 8-10 to be performed.

14. The communication device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The communication device includes a base station centralization unit or a chip in a base station centralization unit.

15. A communication device, characterized in that, Includes modules for implementing the method as described in any one of claims 1-7.

16. A communication device, characterized in that, Includes modules for implementing the method as described in any one of claims 8-10.

17. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium is used to store a computer program that, when run on a communication device, causes the method as described in any one of claims 1-7 to be executed.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium is used to store a computer program that, when run on a communication device, causes the method as described in any one of claims 8-10 to be executed.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer program or instructions, characterized in that, When the computer program or the instructions are run by the communication device, the method as described in any one of claims 1-7 is performed.

20. A computer program product, comprising a computer program or instructions, characterized in that, When the computer program or the instructions are run by the communication device, the method as described in any one of claims 8-10 is executed.

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