Monitoring Method and Device

Abstract

To provide a method and a device for reducing power consumption due to PDCCH monitoring performed by a terminal.SOLUTION: A monitoring method includes the steps of: obtaining by a terminal a first search space configuration comprising a first search space set and a second search space configuration comprising a second search space set different from the first search space set, and monitoring a physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on the first search space configuration; when monitoring the PDCCH based on the first search space configuration, starting a first timer and monitoring the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration by the terminal if the terminal receives a first PDCCH; and when monitoring the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration, resuming the first timer if the terminal receives a second PDCCH.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4a

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of communications, and more particularly, to a method and a device for monitoring a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) in the process of communication between a terminal device and a network device.

Background Art

[0002] When a User Equipment (UE) is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected mode to reduce the power consumption of the UE, a discontinuous reception (DRX) function can be configured for the UE. After DRX is configured, the UE may monitor the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) only within some time periods to reduce the power consumption of the UE, and may not monitor the PDCCH within other time periods.

[0003] In particular, the UE communicates with a base station within a configured Bandwidth Part (BWP), and the configuration parameters of the downlink BWP include a search space configured for the UE. The UE monitors the PDCCH within the time periods during the DRX cycle in all parts of the search space configured for the UE. For example, when the UE performs communication within the currently configured BWP, up to 10 parts of the search space are configured for the UE. The UE needs to monitor the PDCCH in 10 parts of the search space within the time periods during the DRX cycle. In this case, the power consumption cannot be ignored.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present application provide a monitoring method and a device for reducing the power consumption caused by PDCCH monitoring performed by a terminal device in the process of communicating with a network device.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the following technical solutions are used in the embodiments of the present application.

[0006] According to a first aspect, a monitoring method is disclosed. The method includes steps of: first, obtaining, by a terminal device, a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration, where the first search space configuration includes a first search space set, the second search space configuration includes a second search space set, and the first search space set is different from the second search space set, or the first search space configuration includes first search space parameters, the second search space configuration includes second search space parameters, and the first search space parameters are different from the second search space parameters; when a first condition is satisfied, monitoring, by the terminal device, a PDCCH based on the first search space configuration, where the first condition includes that a first timer is not in an active state; or when a second condition is satisfied, monitoring, by the terminal device, a PDCCH based on the second search space configuration, where the second condition includes that the first timer is in an active state.

[0007] According to the monitoring method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration may be different search space sets, and the first search space set and / or the second search space set may not include all parts of the search space of the terminal device. In this case, the terminal device only needs to monitor the PDCCH in some parts of the search space of the terminal device. This greatly reduces the power consumption of the terminal device. Of course, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration may be different search space parameters. In this embodiment of the present invention, the resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters for the terminal device to reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0008] Regarding the first aspect, in the first possible implementation of the first aspect, the method includes the steps of starting or restarting a first timer when the terminal device receives a PDCCH, starting or restarting a first timer when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, starting or restarting a first timer when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, or starting or restarting a first timer by the terminal device when a second timer is started or restarted, where the second timer is used to determine the duration of time for which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH after the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission.

[0009] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible implementations for starting or restarting the first timer. Further, the terminal device makes a corresponding determination based on whether the first timer is running, and can monitor the PDCCH by using the first search space configuration or monitor the PDCCH by using the second search space configuration.

[0010] Regarding the first aspect or the first possible implementation of the first aspect, in the second possible implementation of the first aspect, the first condition further includes that a third timer is in an active state, and the third timer is used to determine the duration of time for which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH during one discontinuous reception DRX cycle. For example, the third timer is an on-duration timer.

[0011] This embodiment of the present invention provides another possible implementation of the first condition. The first condition is determined to be satisfied only when the first timer is not in an active state and the third timer is in an active state, and then the PDCCH is monitored based on the first search space configuration.

[0012] Regarding the first aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the first aspect, in the third possible implementation of the first aspect, the first search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the associated control resource set, and the second search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the associated control resource set.

[0013] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible search space parameters. The resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters.

[0014] Regarding any one of the first aspect or the first to third possible implementations of the first aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the first aspect, the step of the terminal device obtaining the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration includes the step of the terminal device receiving the first information sent by the network device, where the first information includes or indicates the first search space configuration, and the step of the terminal device receiving the second information sent by the network device, where the second information includes or indicates the second search space configuration.

[0015] This embodiment of the present invention further provides a possible implementation in which the terminal device obtains the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration. The terminal device can receive the first information sent by the network device to obtain the first search space configuration and receive the second information sent by the network device to obtain the second search space configuration.

[0016] Regarding the first aspect or any one of the first to fourth possible implementations of the first aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the first aspect, the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set.

[0017] In this embodiment of the present invention, since the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set, when the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors a relatively small amount of candidate PDCCH, and thus, it is possible to effectively reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0018] Regarding the first aspect or any one of the first to fourth possible implementations of the first aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the first aspect, when the first condition is satisfied, the amount of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layers to be used by the terminal device to receive the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) indicated by the PDCCH is the first MIMO layer amount, or when the second condition is satisfied, the amount of MIMO layers to be used by the terminal device to receive the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH is the second MIMO layer amount, and the first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount.

[0019] According to the method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the terminal device can use an appropriate amount of MIMO layers to receive the PDSCH sent by the network device, thereby reducing the power consumption of the terminal device for receiving the PDSCH.

[0020] Regarding either the first aspect or any one of the first to fifth possible implementations of the first aspect, in the sixth possible implementation of the first aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the contention resolution timer is not in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in the pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response RAR. The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI. The RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0021] Regarding either the first aspect or any one of the first to sixth possible implementations of the first aspect, in the seventh possible implementation of the first aspect, the method includes the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and the terminal device does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving a random access response RAR. Here, the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI. The RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the method further includes the step of the terminal device monitoring the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0022] According to a second aspect, a monitoring method is disclosed. The method includes steps of: first, obtaining, by a terminal device, a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration, where the first search space configuration includes a first search space set, the second search space configuration includes a second search space set, and the first search space set is different from the second search space set, or the first search space configuration includes first search space parameters, the second search space configuration includes second search space parameters, and the first search space parameters are different from the second search space parameters; when a first condition is satisfied, monitoring, by the terminal device, a PDCCH based on the first search space configuration, or when a second condition is satisfied, monitoring a PDCCH based on the second search space configuration, where the first condition includes that the terminal device is between a first moment and a second moment, and the second condition includes that the terminal device is after the second moment. It should be noted that the first moment may be the start moment of an intermittent reception DRX on duration. The second moment is the moment when the terminal device receives an Nth PDCCH after the first moment. Alternatively, the second moment is a moment after a third moment by a first duration, and the third moment may be the moment when the terminal device receives an Nth PDCCH after the first moment. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the length of the first duration is greater than 0.

[0023] According to the monitoring method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration can be different search space sets, and the first search space set and / or the second search space set may not include all parts of the search space of the terminal device. In this case, the terminal device only needs to monitor the PDCCH in some parts of the search space of the terminal device. This greatly reduces the power consumption of the terminal device. Of course, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration can be different search space parameters. In this embodiment of the present invention, the resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters for the terminal device to reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0024] Regarding the second aspect, in the first possible implementation of the second aspect, the method includes the steps of starting or restarting a first timer when the terminal device receives a PDCCH, starting or restarting a first timer when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, starting or restarting a first timer when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, or starting or restarting the first timer by the terminal device when the second timer is started or restarted, where the second timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH after the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission.

[0025] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible implementations for starting or restarting the first timer. Further, the terminal device can make a corresponding determination based on whether the first timer is running, and can monitor the PDCCH by using the first search space configuration or monitor the PDCCH by using the second search space configuration.

[0026] Regarding the second aspect or the first possible implementation of the second aspect, in the second possible implementation of the second aspect, the first condition further includes that a third timer is in an active state, and the third timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH during one discontinuous reception DRX cycle. For example, the third timer is an on-duration timer.

[0027] This embodiment of the present invention provides another possible implementation of the first condition. The first condition is determined to be satisfied only when the first timer is not in an active state and the third timer is in an active state, and then the PDCCH is monitored based on the first search space configuration.

[0028] Regarding the second aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the second aspect, in the third possible implementation of the second aspect, the first search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set, and the second search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set.

[0029] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible search space parameters. The resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters.

[0030] Regarding the second aspect or any one of the first to third possible implementations of the second aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the second aspect, the steps for the terminal device to obtain the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration include: the step for the terminal device to receive the first information sent by the network device, where the first information includes or indicates the first search space configuration; and the step for the terminal device to receive the second information sent by the network device, where the second information includes or indicates the second search space configuration.

[0031] This embodiment of the present invention further provides a possible implementation in which the terminal device obtains the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration. The terminal device may receive the first information sent by the network device to obtain the first search space configuration, and receive the second information sent by the network device to obtain the second search space configuration.

[0032] Regarding the second aspect or any one of the first to fourth possible implementations of the second aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the second aspect, the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set.

[0033] In this embodiment of the present invention, since the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set, when the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors a relatively small amount of candidate PDCCH, and thus it is possible to effectively reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0034] Regarding the second aspect or any one of the first to fifth possible implementations of the second aspect, in the sixth possible implementation of the second aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the contention resolution timer is not in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in the pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response RAR. The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI. The RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0035] Regarding the second aspect or any one of the first to sixth possible implementations of the second aspect, in the seventh possible implementation of the second aspect, the method includes the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and the terminal device does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving a random access response RAR. Here, the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI. The RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the method further includes a step in which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0036] Regarding the second aspect or any one of the first to seventh possible implementations of the second aspect, in the eighth possible implementation of the second aspect, when the first condition is satisfied, the number of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layers to be used by the terminal device to receive the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) indicated by the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) is the first MIMO layer amount, or when the second condition is satisfied, the number of MIMO layers to be used by the terminal device to receive the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH is the second MIMO layer amount, and the first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount.

[0037] According to the method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the terminal device can reduce the power consumption for receiving the PDSCH by the terminal device by using an appropriate number of MIMO layers to receive the PDSCH sent by the network device.

[0038] According to a third aspect, a monitoring method is provided. The method includes steps of: obtaining, by a terminal device, a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration, where the first search space configuration includes a first search space set, the second search space configuration includes a second search space set, and the first search space set is different from the second search space set, or the first search space configuration includes first search space parameters, the second search space configuration includes second search space parameters, and the first search space parameters are different from the second search space parameters; further monitoring, by the terminal device, a first PDCCH based on the first search space configuration, where the first PDCCH is used to carry indication information, and the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device not to monitor a second PDCCH within a first time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to monitor the second PDCCH within a second time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, and the second PDCCH does not carry the indication information; and monitoring, by the terminal device, a second PDCCH based on the second search space configuration within a time period other than the first time period or within the second time period.

[0039] According to the method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the terminal device can monitor a PDCCH that carries indication information and a PDCCH that does not carry indication information based on different search space configurations. The first search space configuration and the second search space configuration can be different search space sets, and the first search space set and / or the second search space set may not include all parts of the search space of the terminal device. In this case, the terminal device only needs to monitor the PDCCH in some parts of the search space of the terminal device. This greatly reduces the power consumption of the terminal device. Of course, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration can be different search space parameters. In this embodiment of the present invention, the resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters for the terminal device to reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0040] Regarding the third aspect, in the first possible implementation of the third aspect, the indication information further includes or indicates a second search space configuration.

[0041] Regarding the third aspect or the first possible implementation of the third aspect, in the second possible implementation of the third aspect, the first search space parameters include at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set, and the second search space parameters include at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set.

[0042] Regarding the third aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the third aspect, in the third possible implementation of the third aspect, for the terminal device to obtain the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration, the steps include: the terminal device receiving first information sent by the network device, where the first information includes or indicates the first search space configuration; and the terminal device receiving second information sent by the network device, where the second information includes or indicates the second search space configuration.

[0043] Regarding the third aspect or the first to third possible implementations of the third aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the third aspect, the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set.

[0044] Regarding the third aspect or the first to fourth possible implementations of the third aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the third aspect, the indication information further includes or indicates the amount of MIMO layers to be used for the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH.

[0045] According to a fourth aspect, a communication method is disclosed. The method includes: when the terminal device receives a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) when a first condition is met, the terminal device receiving a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) indicated by the first PDCCH based on a first multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layer amount; or when the terminal device receives a second PDCCH when a second condition is met, the terminal device receiving a PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH based on a second MIMO layer amount. The first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount. The first condition includes that a first timer is not in an active state, and the second condition includes that the first timer is in an active state.

[0046] In the method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the terminal device first determines whether the first condition is satisfied or the second condition is satisfied, and based on the determination result, can further determine the amount of MIMO layers to be used for receiving PDSCH. Instead of blindly using a relatively large amount of MIMO layers, the terminal device uses an appropriate amount of MIMO layers to receive the PDSCH sent by the network device. In this way, it is possible to reduce the power consumption for the terminal device to receive PDSCH.

[0047] Regarding the fourth aspect, in the first possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the method includes the steps of starting or restarting a first timer when the terminal device receives a PDCCH, starting or restarting a first timer when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, starting or restarting a first timer when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, or starting or restarting a first timer by the terminal device when a second timer is started or restarted, where the second timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH after the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission.

[0048] Regarding the fourth aspect or the first possible implementation of the fourth aspect, in the second possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the first condition further includes that a third timer is in an active state, and the third timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH during one discontinuous reception DRX cycle.

[0049] Regarding either the fourth aspect or any one of the first or second possible implementations of the fourth aspect, in the third possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the contention resolution timer is not in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in the pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received the random access response RAR. The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI. The RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0050] Regarding either the fourth aspect or any one of the first to third possible implementations of the fourth aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the method includes the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR. Here, the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI. The RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the method further includes the step of the terminal device receiving, based on the second MIMO layer amount, the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH.

[0051] According to a fifth aspect, a communication method is disclosed. When a terminal device receives a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) when a first condition is satisfied, the method includes a step of the terminal device receiving a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) indicated by the first PDCCH based on a first multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layer amount, or when the terminal device receives a second PDCCH when a second condition is satisfied, the method includes a step of the terminal device receiving a PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH based on a second MIMO layer amount. The first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount. The first condition is that the terminal device is between a first moment and a second moment. The second condition is that the terminal device is after the second moment. The first moment may be a start moment of a discontinuous reception (DRX) on duration. The second moment is a moment when the terminal device receives an Nth PDCCH after the first moment, or the second moment is a moment after a third moment by a first duration, where the third moment may be a moment when the terminal device receives an Nth PDCCH after the first moment. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the length of the first duration is greater than 0.

[0052] Regarding the fifth aspect, in a first possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the contention resolution timer is not in an active state, a scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in a pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response (RAR). The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI). The RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0053] Regarding the fifth aspect or the first possible implementation of the fifth aspect, in a second possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the method is such that the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in a pending state, and after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response RAR and does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the method further includes the step of the terminal device receiving a PDSCH indicated by a second PDCCH based on a second MIMO layer amount.

[0054] According to a sixth aspect, a communication method is disclosed. The method includes the step of the terminal device first receiving indication information, where the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device not to monitor a PDCCH within a first time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to monitor a PDCCH within a second time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, and the step of the terminal device then monitoring the PDCCH within a time period other than the first time period or within the second time period. Further, the indication information includes or indicates an MIMO layer amount, and the terminal device receives a PDSCH based on the MIMO layer amount included in or indicated by the indication information, where the PDSCH is the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH monitored by the terminal device.

[0055] According to the seventh aspect, a communication method is disclosed. The method includes, when a first condition is satisfied, sending, by a network device, a PDCCH to a terminal device based on a first search space configuration, or when a second condition is satisfied, sending, by the network device, a PDCCH to the terminal device based on a second search space configuration. The first condition includes that a first timer of the terminal device is not in an active state. The second condition includes that the first timer is in an active state. The first search space configuration includes a first search space set, and the second search space configuration includes a second search space set. The first search space set is different from the second search space, or the first search space configuration is a first search space parameter, the second search space configuration is a second search space parameter, and the first search space parameter is different from the second search space parameter.

[0056] Regarding the seventh aspect, in a first possible implementation of the seventh aspect, when the terminal device receives a PDCCH, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, the first timer is started or restarted, or when a second timer is started or restarted, the first timer is started or restarted. The second timer is used to determine the duration for which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH after the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission.

[0057] Regarding the seventh aspect or the first possible implementation of the seventh aspect, in a second possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the first condition further includes that a third timer is in an active state. The third timer is used to determine the duration for which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH during one discontinuous reception DRX cycle. For example, the third timer is an on-duration timer.

[0058] Regarding the seventh aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the seventh aspect, in the third possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the first search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set, and the second search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set.

[0059] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible search space parameters. The resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters.

[0060] Regarding the seventh aspect or any one of the first to third possible implementations of the seventh aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the method further includes the step of the network device sending first information to the terminal device, where the first information includes or indicates a first search space configuration, and the step of the network device sending second information to the terminal device, where the second information includes or indicates a second search space configuration.

[0061] This embodiment of the present invention further provides a possible implementation where the network device notifies the terminal device of the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration. The terminal device can receive the first information sent by the network device to obtain the first search space configuration and receive the second information sent by the network device to obtain the second search space configuration.

[0062] Regarding the seventh aspect or any one of the first to fourth possible implementations of the seventh aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set.

[0063] In this embodiment of the present invention, since the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set, when the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors a relatively small amount of candidate PDCCHs, and thus it is possible to effectively reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0064] Regarding the seventh aspect or any one of the first to fifth possible implementations of the seventh aspect, in the sixth possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the first condition is that the downlink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the contention resolution timer is not in an active state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in a pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response RAR. The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble, and further includes one or more of these cases.

[0065] Regarding the seventh aspect or any one of the first to sixth possible implementations of the seventh aspect, in the seventh possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the method is such that the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and the terminal device does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving a random access response RAR, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the network device further includes the step of sending a PDCCH based on a second search space Configuration in accordance with.

[0066] According to the eighth aspect, a communication method is disclosed. The method includes the step of the network device sending a PDCCH to the terminal device based on a first search space configuration when a first condition is met, or the step of the network device sending a PDCCH to the terminal device based on a second search space configuration when a second condition is met. The first search space configuration includes a first set of search spaces, the second search space configuration includes a second set of search spaces, and the first set of search spaces is the second search space SetEither different, or the first search space configuration is the first search space parameter, the second search space configuration is the second search space parameter, and the first search space parameter is different from the second search space parameter. The first condition includes that the terminal device is between the first moment and the second moment. The second condition includes that the terminal device is after the second moment. Note that the first moment can be the start moment of the discontinuous reception DRX On Duration. The second moment is the third moment, and the third moment can be the moment when the terminal device receives the Nth PDCCH after the first moment. Alternatively, the second moment is a moment after the third moment by the first duration. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the length of the first duration is greater than 0.

[0067] According to the monitoring method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration can be different search space sets, and the first search space set and / or the second search space set may not include all parts of the search space of the terminal device. In this case, the terminal device needs to monitor the PDCCH only in some parts of the search space of the terminal device. This greatly reduces the power consumption of the terminal device. Of course, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration can be different search space parameters. In this embodiment of the present invention, the resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters for the terminal device in order to reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0068] Regarding the eighth aspect, in a first possible implementation of the eighth aspect, the method includes the steps of starting or restarting a first timer when the terminal device receives a PDCCH, starting or restarting the first timer when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, starting or restarting the first timer when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, or starting or restarting the first timer by the terminal device when a second timer is started or restarted, where the second timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH after the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission.

[0069] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible implementations of starting or restarting a first timer. Further, the terminal device can make a corresponding determination based on whether the first timer is running, and can monitor the PDCCH by using a first search space configuration or monitor the PDCCH by using a second search space configuration.

[0070] Regarding the eighth aspect or the first possible implementation of the eighth aspect, in a second possible implementation of the eighth aspect, the first condition further includes that a third timer is in an active state, and the third timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH during one discontinuous reception DRX cycle. For example, the third timer is an on-duration timer.

[0071] This embodiment of the present invention provides another possible implementation of the first condition. The first condition is determined to be satisfied only when the first timer is not in an active state and the third timer is in an active state, and then the PDCCH is monitored based on the first search space configuration.

[0072] Regarding the eighth aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the eighth aspect, in the third possible implementation of the eighth aspect, the first search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set, and the second search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set.

[0073] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible search space parameters. The resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters.

[0074] Regarding the eighth aspect or any one of the first to third possible implementations of the eighth aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the eighth aspect, for the terminal device to obtain the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration includes the steps of the terminal device receiving first information sent by the network device, where the first information includes or indicates the first search space configuration, and the terminal device receiving second information sent by the network device, where the second information includes or indicates the second search space configuration.

[0075] This embodiment of the present invention further provides a possible implementation in which the terminal device obtains the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration. The terminal device can receive the first information sent by the network device to obtain the first search space configuration and receive the second information sent by the network device to obtain the second search space configuration.

[0076] Regarding the eighth aspect or any one of the first to fourth possible implementations of the eighth aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the eighth aspect, the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set.

[0077] In this embodiment of the present invention, since the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set, when the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors a relatively small amount of candidate PDCCH, and thus it is possible to effectively reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0078] Regarding the eighth aspect or any one of the first to fifth possible implementations of the eighth aspect, in the sixth possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the contention resolution timer is not in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in the pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response RAR. The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0079] Regarding the eighth aspect or any one of the first to sixth possible implementations of the eighth aspect, in the seventh possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the method is such that the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and the terminal device does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving a random access response RAR, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the network device further includes the step of sending a PDCCH to the terminal device based on a second search space configuration.

[0080] Regarding the eighth aspect or any one of the first to seventh possible implementations of the eighth aspect, in the eighth possible implementation of the eighth aspect, when the first condition is satisfied, the number of multiple-input multiple-output MIMO layers to be used by the network device to send the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH is the first MIMO layer amount, or when the second condition is satisfied, the number of MIMO layers to be used by the network device to send the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH is the second MIMO layer amount, and the first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount.

[0081] According to the method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the terminal device can reduce the power consumption for receiving the PDSCH by the terminal device by using an appropriate number of MIMO layers to receive the PDSCH sent by the network device.

[0082] According to the ninth aspect, a communication method is disclosed. The method includes a step of a network device sending a first PDCCH to a terminal device based on a first search space configuration, where the first PDCCH is used to carry indication information, and the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to stop monitoring a second PDCCH within a first duration that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to monitor a second PDCCH within a second duration that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, and the second PDCCH does not carry the indication information. The method further includes a step of the network device sending a second PDCCH to the terminal device based on a second search space configuration within a duration other than the first duration or within the second duration.

[0083] The first search space configuration is a first set of search spaces, the second search space configuration is a second set of search spaces, and the first set of search spaces is different from the second set of search spaces, or the first search space configuration is a first set of search space parameters, the second search space configuration is a second set of search space parameters, and the first set of search space parameters is different from the second set of search space parameters.

[0084] Regarding the ninth aspect, in a first possible implementation of the ninth aspect, the indication information further includes or indicates a second search space configuration.

[0085] Regarding the ninth aspect or the first possible implementation of the ninth aspect, in the second possible implementation of the ninth aspect, the first search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set, and the second search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set.

[0086] Regarding the ninth aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the ninth aspect, in the third possible implementation of the ninth aspect, the method further includes the step of sending first information to a terminal device, where the first information includes or indicates a first search space configuration, and the step of sending second information to the terminal device, where the second information includes or indicates a second search space configuration.

[0087] Regarding the ninth aspect or the first to third possible implementations of the ninth aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the ninth aspect, the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set.

[0088] Regarding the ninth aspect or the first to fourth possible implementations of the ninth aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the ninth aspect, the indication information further includes or indicates the amount of MIMO layers to be used for the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH.

[0089] According to the tenth aspect, a communication method is disclosed, and the method is When the first condition is satisfied, the network device sends a first physical downlink control channel PDCCH to the terminal device, and the network device sends a first physical downlink shared channel PDSCH to the terminal device based on the first multiple-input multiple-output MIMO layer amount, where the first PDCCH is used to indicate the first PDSCH, or When the second condition is satisfied, the network device sends a second PDCCH to the terminal device, and the network device sends a second PDSCH to the terminal device based on the second MIMO layer amount, where the second PDCCH is used to indicate the second PDSCH, and the first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount, including the step.

[0090] The first condition includes that the first timer is not in an active state, and the second condition includes that the first timer is in an active state.

[0091] Regarding the tenth aspect, in the first possible implementation of the tenth aspect, when the terminal device receives a PDCCH, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the second timer is started or restarted, the first timer is started or restarted, and the second timer is used to determine the duration for which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH after the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission.

[0092] Regarding the 10th aspect or the first possible implementation of the 10th aspect, in the second possible implementation of the 10th aspect, the first condition further includes that the third timer is in an active state, and the third timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH during one discontinuous reception DRX cycle.

[0093] Regarding any one of the 10th aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the 10th aspect, in the third possible implementation of the 10th aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the contention resolution timer is not in an active state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in a pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received the random access response RAR. The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI. The RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0094] Regarding the 10th aspect or any one of the first to third possible implementations of the 10th aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the 10th aspect, the method is such that the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and after the terminal device has successfully received the random access response RAR, it does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the network device further includes the step of sending a second PDSCH to the terminal device based on the second MIMO layer amount.

[0095] According to the 11th aspect, a communication method is disclosed. The method includes, when a first condition is satisfied, the network device sending a first physical downlink control channel PDCCH to the terminal device, and the network device sending a first physical downlink shared channel PDSCH to the terminal device based on a first multiple-input multiple-output MIMO layer amount, where the first PDCCH is used to indicate the first PDSCH, or When the second condition is satisfied, the network device sends a second PDCCH to the terminal device, and includes the step of the network device sending a second PDSCH to the terminal device based on the second MIMO layer amount. The second PDCCH is used to indicate the second PDSCH. The first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount. The first condition is that the terminal device is between the first moment and the second moment. The second condition is that the terminal device is after the second moment. The first moment may be the start moment of the discontinuous reception DRX On Duration. The second moment is the third moment when the terminal device receives the Nth PDCCH after the first moment, or the second moment may be a moment after the third moment by the first duration. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the length of the first duration is greater than 0.

[0096] Regarding the eleventh aspect, in a first possible implementation of the eleventh aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the contention resolution timer is not in an active state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in a pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response RAR. The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI. The RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0097] Regarding the 11th aspect or the first possible implementation of the 11th aspect, in the second possible implementation of the 11th aspect, the method is that the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and after the terminal device has successfully received the random access response RAR and does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of the cases occurs, the network device further includes the step of sending a second PDSCH to the terminal device based on the second MIMO layer amount.

[0098] According to the 12th aspect, a communication method is disclosed. The method includes the step of the network device sending indication information, where the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to stop monitoring the PDCCH within a first duration that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH within a second duration that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, and the step of the network device sending a PDCCH to the terminal within a duration other than the first duration or within the second duration, where the indication information includes or indicates the MIMO layer amount, and the step of the network device sending a physical downlink shared channel PDSCH to the terminal based on the MIMO layer amount included in or indicated by the indication information, where the PDCCH is used to indicate the PDSCH. Device to send a physical downlink shared channel PDSCH to the terminal, where the PDCCH is used to indicate the PDSCH. Device including the step.

[0099] According to the 13th aspect, a terminal device is disclosed. The device includes a processing unit configured to obtain a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration. The first search space configuration includes a first set of search spaces, and the second search space configuration includes a second set of search spaces. The first set of search spaces is different from the second set of search spaces, or the first search space configuration includes first search space parameters, the second search space configuration includes second search space parameters, and the first search space parameters are different from the second search space parameters. The processing unit is configured to monitor the PDCCH based on the first search space configuration when a first condition is met, where the first condition includes that the first timer is not in an active state, or to monitor the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration when a second condition is met, where the second condition includes that the first timer is in an active state.

[0100] Regarding the 13th aspect, in a first possible implementation of the 13th aspect, the terminal device further includes a receiving unit. The processing unit is configured to start or restart the first timer when the receiving unit receives the PDCCH, start or restart the first timer when the receiving unit receives the PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, start or restart the first timer when the receiving unit receives the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, or start or restart the first timer by the terminal device when a second timer is started or restarted, where the second timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH after the terminal device receives the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission.

[0101] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible implementations for starting or restarting a first timer. Further, the terminal device can make a corresponding determination based on whether the first timer is running, and can monitor the PDCCH by using a first search space configuration, or can monitor the PDCCH by using a second search space configuration.

[0102] Regarding the 13th aspect or the first possible implementation of the 13th aspect, in the second possible implementation of the 13th aspect, the first condition further includes that a third timer is in a running state, and the third timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH during one discontinuous reception DRX cycle. For example, the third timer is an on-duration timer.

[0103] This embodiment of the present invention provides another possible implementation of the first condition. The first condition is determined to be satisfied only when the first timer is not in a running state and the third timer is in a running state, and then the PDCCH is monitored based on the first search space configuration.

[0104] Regarding the 13th aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the 13th aspect, in the third possible implementation of the 13th aspect, the first search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set, and the second search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set.

[0105] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible search space parameters. The resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters.

[0106] Regarding the 13th aspect or any one of the first to third possible implementations of the 13th aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the 13th aspect, the receiving unit is further configured to receive the first information sent by the network device, and the first information includes or indicates the first search space configuration, and the processing unit is further configured to obtain the first search space configuration based on the first information received by the receiving unit. The receiving unit is further configured to receive the second information sent by the network device, and the second information includes or indicates the second search space configuration, and the processing unit is further configured to obtain the second search space configuration based on the second information received by the receiving unit.

[0107] This embodiment of the present invention further provides a possible implementation in which the terminal device obtains the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration. The terminal device may receive the first information sent by the network device to obtain the first search space configuration and receive the second information sent by the network device to obtain the second search space configuration.

[0108] Regarding the 13th aspect or any one of the first to fourth possible implementations of the 13th aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the 13th aspect, the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set.

[0109] In this embodiment of the present invention, since the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set, when the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors a relatively small amount of candidate PDCCH, and thus, it is possible to effectively reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0110] Regarding the 13th aspect or any one of the first to fourth possible implementations of the 13th aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the 13th aspect, when the first condition is satisfied, the amount of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layers to be used by the terminal device to receive the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) indicated by the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) is the first amount of MIMO layers, or when the second condition is satisfied, the amount of MIMO layers to be used by the terminal device to receive the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH is the second amount of MIMO layers, and the first amount of MIMO layers is different from the second amount of MIMO layers.

[0111] According to the method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the terminal device can reduce the power consumption for receiving the PDSCH by the terminal device by using an appropriate amount of MIMO layers to receive the PDSCH sent by the network device.

[0112] Regarding the 13th aspect or any one of the first to fifth possible implementations of the 13th aspect, in the sixth possible implementation of the 13th aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the contention resolution timer is not in an active state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in a pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received the random access response (RAR). The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0113] For any one of the 1st to 6th possible implementations of the 13th aspect or the 13th aspect, in the 7th possible implementation of the 13th aspect, the processing unit has a downlink retransmission timer in the running state, an uplink retransmission timer in the running state, a contention resolution timer in the running state, a scheduling request sent by the terminal device in a pending state, and the terminal device does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving a random access response RAR. Here, the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, it is further configured to monitor the PDCCH based on a second search space configuration.

[0114] According to the 14th aspect, a terminal device is disclosed. The device includes a processing unit configured to obtain a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration. The first search space configuration includes a first set of search spaces, the second search space configuration includes a second set of search spaces, the first set of search spaces is different from the second set of search spaces, or the first search space configuration includes first search space parameters, the second search space configuration includes second search space parameters, and the first search space parameters are different from the second search space parameters. The processing unit is further configured to monitor the PDCCH based on the first search space configuration when a first condition is satisfied, or to monitor the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration when a second condition is satisfied. The first condition includes that the terminal device is between a first moment and a second moment. The second condition includes that the terminal device is after the second moment. It should be noted that the first moment may be the start moment of the intermittent reception DRX on duration. The second moment is the moment when the terminal device receives the Nth PDCCH after the first moment. Alternatively, the second moment is a moment that is after the third moment by a first duration, and the third moment may be the moment when the terminal device receives the Nth PDCCH after the first moment. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the length of the first duration is greater than 0.

[0115] In this embodiment of the present invention, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration may be different sets of search spaces, and the first set of search spaces and / or the second set of search spaces may not include all parts of the search space of the terminal device. In this case, the terminal device needs to monitor the PDCCH only in some parts of the search space of the terminal device. This significantly reduces the power consumption of the terminal device. Of course, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration may be different search space parameters. In this embodiment of the present invention, the resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters for the terminal device in order to reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0116] Regarding the 14th aspect, in the first possible implementation of the 14th aspect, when the receiving unit receives a PDCCH, the processing unit starts or restarts a first timer; when the receiving unit receives a PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, the processing unit starts or restarts the first timer; when the receiving unit receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, the processing unit starts or restarts the first timer; or when a second timer is started or restarted, the processing unit starts or restarts the first timer, where the second timer is further configured to start or restart for determining the duration of time for which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH after the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission.

[0117] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible implementations for starting or restarting the first timer. Further, the terminal device makes a corresponding determination based on whether the first timer is running, and may monitor the PDCCH by using a first search space configuration or monitor the PDCCH by using a second search space configuration.

[0118] Regarding the 14th aspect or the first possible implementation of the 14th aspect, in the second possible implementation of the 14th aspect, the first condition further includes that a third timer is in an active state, and the third timer is used to determine the duration of time for which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH during one discontinuous reception DRX cycle. For example, the third timer is an on-duration timer.

[0119] This embodiment of the present invention provides another possible implementation of the first condition. The first condition is determined to be satisfied only when the first timer is not in an active state and the third timer is in an active state, and then the PDCCH is monitored based on the first search space configuration.

[0120] Regarding the 14th aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the 14th aspect, in the third possible implementation of the 14th aspect, the first search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set, and the second search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set.

[0121] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible search space parameters. The resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters.

[0122] Regarding any one of the 14th aspect or the first to third possible implementations of the 14th aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the 14th aspect, the receiving unit is particularly configured to receive the first information sent by the network device, the first information includes or indicates the first search space configuration, the processing unit is particularly configured to obtain the first search space configuration based on the first information received by the receiving unit, the receiving unit is particularly configured to receive the second information sent by the network device, the second information includes or indicates the second search space configuration, and the processing unit is particularly configured to obtain the second search space configuration based on the second information received by the receiving unit.

[0123] This embodiment of the present invention further provides a possible implementation in which the terminal device obtains the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration. The terminal device may receive the first information sent by the network device to obtain the first search space configuration and receive the second information sent by the network device to obtain the second search space configuration.

[0124] Regarding the 14th aspect or any one of the first to fourth possible implementations of the 14th aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the 14th aspect, the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set.

[0125] In this embodiment of the present invention, since the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set, when the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors a relatively small amount of candidate PDCCH, and thus, it is possible to effectively reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0126] Regarding the 14th aspect or any one of the first to fifth possible implementations of the 14th aspect, in the sixth possible implementation of the 14th aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the contention resolution timer is not in an active state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in a pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response RAR. The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0127] Regarding the 14th aspect or the first to sixth possible implementations of the 14th aspect, in the seventh possible implementation of the 14th aspect, the method is such that the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and after the terminal device has successfully received the random access response RAR and does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the method further includes a step where the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on a second search space configuration.

[0128] Regarding any one of the 14th aspect or the first to seventh possible implementations of the 14th aspect, in the eighth possible implementation of the 14th aspect, when the first condition is satisfied, the number of multiple-input multiple-output MIMO layers to be used by the terminal device to receive the physical downlink shared channel PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH is the first MIMO layer amount, or when the second condition is satisfied, the number of MIMO layers to be used by the terminal device to receive the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH is the second MIMO layer amount, and the first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount.

[0129] According to the method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the terminal device can use an appropriate number of MIMO layers to receive the PDSCH sent by the network device, thereby reducing the power consumption of the terminal device for receiving the PDSCH.

[0130] According to a 15th aspect, a terminal device is disclosed. The device includes a processing unit configured to obtain a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration. The first search space configuration includes a first set of search spaces, the second search space configuration includes a second set of search spaces, the first set of search spaces is different from the second set of search spaces, or the first search space configuration includes first search space parameters, the second search space configuration includes second search space parameters, and the first search space parameters are different from the second search space parameters. Further, the processing unit is configured to monitor a first PDCCH based on the first search space configuration, and the first PDCCH is used to carry indication information. The indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device not to monitor a second PDCCH within a first time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to monitor a second PDCCH within a second time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information. The second PDCCH does not carry the indication information. Further, the processing unit is further configured to monitor the second PDCCH based on the second search space configuration within a time period other than the first time period or within the second time period.

[0131] In this embodiment of the present invention, the terminal device may monitor a PDCCH that carries indication information and a PDCCH that does not carry indication information based on different search space configurations. The first search space configuration and the second search space configuration may be different search space sets, and the first search space set and / or the second search space set may not include all parts of the search space of the terminal device. In this case, the terminal device needs to monitor the PDCCH only in some parts of the search space of the terminal device. This greatly reduces the power consumption of the terminal device. Of course, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration may be different search space parameters. In this embodiment of the present invention, the resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters for the terminal device in order to reduce the power consumption of the terminal device. Regarding the 15th aspect, in the first possible implementation of the 15th aspect, the indication information further includes or indicates the second search space configuration.

[0132] Regarding the 15th aspect or the first possible implementation of the 15th aspect, in the second possible implementation of the 15th aspect, the first search space parameters include at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set, and the second search space parameters include at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set.

[0133] Regarding the 15th aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the 15th aspect, in the third possible implementation of the 15th aspect, the terminal device further includes a receiving unit. The receiving unit is specifically configured to receive the first information sent by the network device, and the first information includes or indicates the first search space configuration. The processing unit is specifically configured to obtain the first search space configuration based on the first information received by the receiving unit. The receiving unit is specifically configured to receive the second information sent by the network device, and the second information includes or indicates the second search space configuration. The processing unit is specifically configured to obtain the second search space configuration based on the second information received by the receiving unit.

[0134] Regarding the 15th aspect or the first to third possible implementations of the 15th aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the 15th aspect, the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set.

[0135] Regarding the 15th aspect or the first to fourth possible implementations of the 15th aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the 15th aspect, the indication information further includes or indicates the amount of MIMO layers to be used for the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH.

[0136] According to the 16th aspect, a terminal device including a receiving unit is disclosed. The receiving unit is configured to receive the physical downlink shared channel PDSCH indicated by the first physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on the first multiple-input multiple-output MIMO layer amount when the first PDCCH is received when the first condition is satisfied, or to receive the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH based on the second MIMO layer amount when the second PDCCH is received when the second condition is satisfied. The first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount. The first condition includes that the first timer is not in an active state, and the second condition includes that the first timer is in an active state.

[0137] The terminal device provided in this embodiment of the present invention can first determine whether the first condition is satisfied or the second condition is satisfied, and further determine the amount of MIMO layers to be used for receiving PDSCH based on the determination result. Instead of blindly using a relatively large amount of MIMO layers, the terminal device uses an appropriate amount of MIMO layers to receive the PDSCH sent by the network device. In this way, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the terminal device for receiving PDSCH.

[0138] Regarding the 16th aspect, in the first possible implementation of the 16th aspect, when the receiving unit receives the PDCCH, the processing unit starts or restarts the first timer; when the receiving unit receives the PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, the processing unit starts or restarts the first timer; when the receiving unit receives the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, the processing unit starts or restarts the first timer; or when the second timer is started or restarted, the processing unit starts or restarts the first timer, where the second timer is further configured to start or restart for determining the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH after the terminal device receives the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission.

[0139] Regarding the 16th aspect or the first possible implementation of the 16th aspect, in the second possible implementation of the 16th aspect, the first condition further includes that the third timer is in an active state, and the third timer is used for determining the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH during one discontinuous reception DRX cycle.

[0140] Regarding the 16th aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the 16th aspect, in the third possible implementation of the 16th aspect, the first condition is that the terminal device is between the first moment and the second moment, and the second condition is that the terminal device is after the second moment. The first moment can be the start moment of the discontinuous reception DRX on duration. The second moment is the moment when the terminal device receives the Nth PDCCH after the first moment. Alternatively, the second moment is a moment that is later than the third moment by the first duration, and the third moment can be the moment when the terminal device receives the Nth PDCCH after the first moment. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the length of the first duration is greater than 0.

[0141] Regarding any one of the 16th aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the 16th aspect, in the third possible implementation of the 16th aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the contention resolution timer is not in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in the pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response RAR. The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI. The RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0142] Regarding any one of the 16th aspect or the first to third possible implementations of the 16th aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the 16th aspect, the method is such that the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of the cases occurs, the method further includes the step of receiving, by the terminal device based on the second MIMO layer amount, the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH.

[0143] According to the 17th aspect, a terminal device including a receiving unit is disclosed. The receiving unit is configured to receive a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) indicated by a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) based on a first multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layer amount when the first PDCCH is received when a first condition is satisfied, or to receive a PDSCH indicated by a second PDCCH based on a second MIMO layer amount when the second PDCCH is received when a second condition is satisfied. The first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount. The first condition is that the terminal device is between a first moment and a second moment, and the second condition is that the terminal device is after the second moment. The first moment may be the start moment of a discontinuous reception (DRX) on duration. The second moment may be a third moment when the terminal device receives an Nth PDCCH after the first moment. Alternatively, the second moment is a moment that is after the third moment by a first duration, and the third moment may be a moment when the terminal device receives an Nth PDCCH after the first moment. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the length of the first duration is greater than 0.

[0144] Regarding the 17th aspect, in a first possible implementation of the 17th aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the contention resolution timer is not in an active state, a scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in a pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response (RAR). The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI). The RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0145] Regarding the 17th aspect or the first possible implementation of the 17th aspect, in the second possible implementation of the 17th aspect, the method is such that the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and after the terminal device has successfully received the random access response RAR and does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the method further includes the step of the terminal device receiving, based on the second MIMO layer amount, the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH.

[0146] According to the 18th aspect, a terminal device is disclosed. The device includes a receiving unit configured to receive indication information, where the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device not to monitor the PDCCH within a first time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH within a second time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, and a processing unit configured to monitor the PDCCH within a time period other than the first time period or within the second time period. The receiving unit is further configured to receive the PDSCH based on the MIMO layer amount indicated by the indication information, and the PDSCH is the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH monitored by the terminal device.

[0147] According to the 19th aspect, a network device including a transmission unit is disclosed. The transmission unit is configured to transmit PDCCH to a terminal device based on a first search space configuration when a first condition is satisfied, or to transmit PDCCH to the terminal device based on a second search space configuration by the network device when a second condition is satisfied. The first condition includes that a first timer of the terminal device is not in an active state, and the second condition includes that the first timer is in an active state. The first search space configuration includes a first set of search spaces, the second search space configuration includes a second set of search spaces, the first set of search spaces is different from the second search space Set or the first search space configuration is a first search space parameter, the second search space configuration is a second search space parameter, and the first search space parameter is different from the second search space parameter.

[0148] Regarding the 19th aspect, in a first possible implementation of the 19th aspect, when the terminal device receives PDCCH, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the terminal device receives PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the terminal device receives PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, the first timer is started or restarted, or when a second timer is started or restarted, the first timer is started or restarted. The second timer is used to determine the duration for which the terminal device monitors PDCCH after the terminal device receives PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission.

[0149] Regarding the 19th aspect or the first possible implementation of the 19th aspect, in a second possible implementation of the 19th aspect, the first condition further includes that a third timer is in an active state. The third timer is used to determine the duration for which the terminal device monitors PDCCH during one discontinuous reception DRX cycle. For example, the third timer is an on-duration timer.

[0150] Regarding the 19th aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the 19th aspect, in the third possible implementation of the 19th aspect, the first search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set, and the second search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set.

[0151] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible search space parameters. The resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters.

[0152] Regarding the 19th aspect or any one of the first to third possible implementations of the 19th aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the 19th aspect, the sending unit is further configured to send first information to the terminal device, the first information includes or indicates a first search space configuration, the sending unit is further configured to send second information to the terminal device, and the second information includes or indicates a second search space configuration.

[0153] This embodiment of the present invention further provides a possible implementation in which the network device notifies the terminal device of the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration. The terminal device may receive the first information sent by the network device to obtain the first search space configuration and receive the second information sent by the network device to obtain the second search space configuration.

[0154] Regarding the 19th aspect or any one of the first to fourth possible implementations of the 19th aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the 19th aspect, the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set.

[0155] In this embodiment of the present invention, since the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set, when the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors a relatively small amount of candidate PDCCH, and thus, it is possible to effectively reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0156] Regarding the 19th aspect or any one of the first to fifth possible implementations of the 19th aspect, in the sixth possible implementation of the 19th aspect, the first condition is that the downlink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the contention resolution timer is not in an active state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in a pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response RAR. The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble, further including one or more of these cases.

[0157] For any one of the 19th aspect or the first to sixth possible implementations of the 19th aspect, in the seventh possible implementation of the 19th aspect, the transmission unit is such that the downlink retransmission timer is in an active state, the uplink retransmission timer is in an active state, the contention resolution timer is in an active state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in a pending state, and after the terminal device has successfully received the random access response RAR and does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the network device is further configured to transmit a PDCCH based on a second search space Configuration is further configured to send a PDCCH.

[0158] According to the 20th aspect, a network device including a transmission unit is disclosed. The transmission unit is configured to send a PDCCH to a terminal device based on a first search space configuration when a first condition is met, or to send a PDCCH to the terminal device based on a second search space configuration when a second condition is met. The first search space configuration includes a first set of search spaces, the second search space configuration includes a second set of search spaces, and the first set of search spaces is the second search space SetEither different, or the first search space configuration is the first search space parameter, the second search space configuration is the second search space parameter, and the first search space parameter is different from the second search space parameter. The first condition includes that the terminal device is between the first moment and the second moment. The second condition includes that the terminal device is after the second moment. Note that the first moment may be the start moment of the intermittent reception DRX On Duration. The second moment is the third moment, and the third moment may be the moment when the terminal device receives the Nth PDCCH after the first moment. Alternatively, the second moment is a moment that is after the third moment by the first duration. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the length of the first duration is greater than 0.

[0159] In this embodiment of the present invention, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration may be different search space sets, and the first search space set and / or the second search space set may not include all parts of the search space of the terminal device. In this case, the terminal device needs to monitor the PDCCH only in some parts of the search space of the terminal device. This significantly reduces the power consumption of the terminal device. Of course, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration may be different search space parameters. In this embodiment of the present invention, the resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters for the terminal device to reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0160] Regarding the 20th aspect, in the first possible implementation of the 20th aspect, when the terminal device receives a PDCCH, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the second timer is started or restarted, the terminal device starts or restarts the first timer. The second timer is used to determine the duration of time for which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH after the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission.

[0161] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible implementations for starting or restarting the first timer. Further, the terminal device makes a corresponding determination based on whether the first timer is running, and may monitor the PDCCH by using the first search space configuration or monitor the PDCCH by using the second search space configuration.

[0162] Regarding the 20th aspect or the first possible implementation of the 20th aspect, in the second possible implementation of the 20th aspect, the first condition further includes that the third timer is in an active state. The third timer is used to determine the duration of time for which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH during one discontinuous reception DRX cycle. For example, the third timer is an on-duration timer.

[0163] This embodiment of the present invention provides another possible implementation of the first condition. The first condition is determined to be satisfied only when the first timer is not in an active state and the third timer is in an active state, and then the PDCCH is monitored based on the first search space configuration.

[0164] Regarding the 20th aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the 20th aspect, in the third possible implementation of the 20th aspect, the first search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set, and the second search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set.

[0165] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible search space parameters. The resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters.

[0166] Regarding the 20th aspect or any one of the first to third possible implementations of the 20th aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the 20th aspect, the sending unit is further configured to send first information to the terminal device, the first information includes or indicates a first search space configuration, the sending unit is further configured to send second information to the terminal device, and the second information includes or indicates a second search space configuration.

[0167] This embodiment of the present invention further provides a possible implementation in which the network device configures a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration for the terminal device. The terminal device may receive the first information sent by the network device to obtain the first search space configuration and receive the second information sent by the network device to obtain the second search space configuration.

[0168] Regarding the 20th aspect or any one of the first to fourth possible implementations of the 20th aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the 20th aspect, the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set.

[0169] In this embodiment of the present invention, since the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set, when the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors a relatively small amount of candidate PDCCHs, and thus, it is possible to effectively reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0170] Regarding the 20th aspect or any one of the first to fifth possible implementations of the 20th aspect, in the sixth possible implementation of the 20th aspect, the first condition is that the downlink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the contention resolution timer is not in an active state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in a pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response RAR. The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI. The RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0171] Regarding the 20th aspect or any one of the first to sixth possible implementations of the 20th aspect, in the seventh possible implementation of the 20th aspect, the method is such that the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR. Here, the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the network device further includes the step of sending a PDCCH to the terminal device based on the second search space configuration.

[0172] Regarding the 20th aspect or any one of the first to seventh possible implementations of the 20th aspect, in the eighth possible implementation of the 20th aspect, the transmitting unit is further configured to send the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH based on the first MIMO layer amount when the first condition is satisfied, or to send the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH based on the second MIMO layer amount when the second condition is satisfied, and the first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount.

[0173] According to the method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the terminal device can use an appropriate MIMO layer amount to receive the PDSCH sent by the network device, thereby reducing the power consumption for the terminal device to receive the PDSCH.

[0174] According to the 21st aspect, a network device including a sending unit is disclosed. The sending unit is configured to send a first PDCCH to a terminal device based on a first search space configuration. The first PDCCH is used to carry indication information. The indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to stop monitoring a second PDCCH within a first duration that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to monitor a second PDCCH within a second duration that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, and the second PDCCH does not carry the indication information. The sending unit is further configured to send a second PDCCH to the terminal device based on a second search space configuration within a duration other than the first duration or within the second duration. The first search space configuration is a first search space set, the second search space configuration is a second search space set, the first search space set is different from the second search space set, or the first search space configuration is a first search space parameter, the second search space configuration is a second search space parameter, and the first search space parameter is different from the second search space parameter.

[0175] Regarding the 21st aspect, in a first possible implementation of the 21st aspect, the indication information further includes or indicates a second search space configuration.

[0176] Regarding the 21st aspect or the first possible implementation of the 21st aspect, in a second possible implementation of the 21st aspect, the first search space parameter includes at least one of parameters of a PDCCH monitoring period, a PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, a quantity of candidate PDCCHs, a CCE aggregation level, and a related control resource set. The second search space parameter includes at least one of parameters of a PDCCH monitoring period, a PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, a quantity of candidate PDCCHs, a CCE aggregation level, and a related control resource set.

[0177] Regarding the 21st aspect or the first or second possible implementation of the 21st aspect, in the third possible implementation of the 21st aspect, the sending unit is to send first information to the terminal device, where the first information includes or indicates a first search space configuration, and to send second information to the terminal device, where the second information includes or indicates a second search space configuration, and is further configured to perform such sending.

[0178] Regarding the 21st aspect or the first to third possible implementations of the 21st aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the 21st aspect, the first search space set is a subset of the second search space set.

[0179] Regarding the 21st aspect or the first to fourth possible implementations of the 21st aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the 21st aspect, the indication information further includes or indicates the amount of MIMO layers to be used for the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH.

[0180] According to the 22nd aspect, a network device including a sending unit is disclosed. The sending unit is configured to send a first PDCCH to the terminal device when a first condition is satisfied, and for the network device to send a first physical downlink shared channel PDSCH to the terminal device based on a first amount of MIMO layers, where the first PDCCH is used to indicate the first PDSCH, or to send a second PDCCH to the terminal device when a second condition is satisfied, and for the network device to send a second PDSCH to the terminal device based on a second amount of MIMO layers, where the second PDCCH is used to indicate the second PDSCH, and the first amount of MIMO layers is different from the second amount of MIMO layers, and is configured to perform such sending.

[0181] The first condition includes that a first timer is not in an active state, and the second condition includes that the first timer is in an active state.

[0182] Regarding the 22nd aspect, in the first possible implementation of the 22nd aspect, the first search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set, and the second search space parameter includes at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set.

[0183] This embodiment of the present invention provides several possible search space parameters. The resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH can be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters.

[0184] Regarding the 22nd aspect, in the first possible implementation of the 22nd aspect, when the terminal device receives a PDCCH, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, the first timer is started or restarted, or when the second timer is started or restarted, the first timer is started or restarted, and the second timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH after the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission.

[0185] Regarding the 22nd aspect or the first possible implementation of the 22nd aspect, in the second possible implementation of the 22nd aspect, the first condition further includes that the third timer is in an active state, and the third timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH during one discontinuous reception DRX cycle.

[0186] Regarding the 22nd aspect or any one of the first or second possible implementations of the 22nd aspect, in the third possible implementation of the 22nd aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the contention resolution timer is not in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in the pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response RAR. The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI. The RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0187] Regarding the 22nd aspect or any one of the first to third possible implementations of the 22nd aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the 22nd aspect, the method includes the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and the terminal device does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response RAR. Here, the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI. The RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the method further includes the step of the network device sending a second PDSCH to the terminal device based on the second MIMO layer amount.

[0188] According to the 23rd aspect, a network device including a sending unit is disclosed. The sending unit, when the first condition is satisfied, sends a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) to the terminal device and sends a first physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) to the terminal device based on the first multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layer amount, where the first PDCCH is used to indicate the first PDSCH; or when the second condition is satisfied, sends a second PDCCH to the terminal device and sends a second PDSCH to the terminal device based on the second MIMO layer amount, where the second PDCCH is used to indicate the second PDSCH, and the first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount. The sending unit is configured to perform the sending. The first condition is that the terminal device is between the first moment and the second moment, and the second condition is that the terminal device is after the second moment. The first moment may be the start moment of the discontinuous reception (DRX) on duration. The second moment is the third moment, and the third moment may be the moment when the terminal device receives the Nth PDCCH after the first moment. Alternatively, the second moment is a moment that is after the third moment by the first duration. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the length of the first duration is greater than 0.

[0189] Regarding the 23rd aspect, in a first possible implementation of the 23rd aspect, the first condition further includes one or more of the following cases: the downlink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the uplink retransmission timer is not in an active state, the contention resolution timer is not in an active state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in a pending state, and the terminal device is not in a state where it does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received a random access response (RAR). The PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), the RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0190] Regarding the 23rd aspect or the first possible implementation of the 23rd aspect, in the second possible implementation of the 23rd aspect, the method is such that the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, and after the terminal device has successfully received the random access response RAR and does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the network device further includes the step of sending a second PDSCH to the terminal device based on the second MIMO layer amount.

[0191] According to the 24th aspect, a network device including a sending unit is disclosed. The sending unit is configured to send indication information. The indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to stop monitoring the PDCCH within a first duration that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH within a second duration that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information. The sending unit sends the PDCCH to the terminal within a duration other than the first duration or within the second duration, and is further configured to send a physical downlink shared channel PDSCH to the terminal based on the MIMO layer amount indicated by the indication information. The PDCCH is used to indicate the PDSCH. Device to the terminal Device and is further configured to send a physical downlink shared channel PDSCH to the terminal. The PDCCH is used to indicate the PDSCH.

[0192] According to the 25th aspect, a terminal device including one or more processors and one or more memories is disclosed.

[0193] One or more memories are coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memories are configured to store computer program code, the computer program code includes computer instructions, and when the one or more processors execute the computer instructions, the terminal device is enabled to implement a method according to any one of the first aspect to the sixth aspect and possible implementations, a network device.

[0194] According to a twenty-sixth aspect, a network device is disclosed that includes one or more processors and one or more memories.

[0195] One or more memories are coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memories are configured to store computer program code, the computer program code includes computer instructions, and when the one or more processors execute the computer instructions, the network device is enabled to implement a method according to any one of the seventh aspect to the twelfth aspect and possible implementations.

[0196] According to a twenty-seventh aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is disclosed. The computer-readable storage medium stores instructions. When the computer-readable storage medium is executed on a terminal device according to any one of the thirteenth aspect to the eighteenth aspect and possible implementations, the terminal device is enabled to implement a method according to any one of the first aspect to the sixth aspect and possible implementations.

[0197] According to a twenty-eighth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is disclosed. The computer-readable storage medium stores instructions. When the computer-readable storage medium is executed on a network device according to any one of the nineteenth aspect to the twenty-fourth aspect and possible implementations, the network device is enabled to implement a method according to any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect and possible implementations.

[0198] According to the 29th aspect, a wireless communication device is disclosed. The wireless communication device stores instructions. When the wireless communication device is executed on a terminal device according to any one of the 13th aspect to the 18th aspect and possible implementations, the terminal device is enabled to implement a method according to any one of the 1st aspect to the 6th aspect and possible implementations. The wireless communication device is a chip.

[0199] According to the 30th aspect, a wireless communication device is disclosed. The wireless communication device stores instructions. When the wireless communication device is executed on a network device according to any one of the 19th aspect to the 24th aspect and possible implementations, the network device is enabled to implement a method according to any one of the 7th aspect to the 12th aspect and possible implementations. The wireless communication device is a chip.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0200]

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0201] The present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0202] FIG. 1 is an architecture diagram of a communication network according to an embodiment of the present invention. This communication network includes a network device and a terminal device. The network device can schedule the terminal device to receive downlink data or can schedule the terminal device to send uplink data. The network device in the embodiment of the present invention includes a base station. The base station can have multiple forms, for example, a macro base station, a micro base station, a relay station, and an access point. For example, the base station in the embodiment of the present invention may be a base station in new radio (NR). The base station in NR may also be called a transmission reception point (TRP) or a Next generation NodeB (gNB). Alternatively, the base station may be a base transceiver station (BTS) in a global system for mobile communication (GSM) system or a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, or may be a NodeB (NB) in a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) system, or may be an Evolutional NodeB (eNB or eNodeB) in a long term evolution (LTE) system, or may be a gNB in a future 5G (5th generation) network. The network device in the embodiment of the present invention may alternatively include a device deployed in a radio access network and capable of performing wireless communication with a terminal. For example, in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario, the network device may be a radio controller.Alternatively, the network device may be, for example, a relay station, an access point, a network device in a future 5G network, a network device in a future evolved public land mobile network (PLMN), such as an evolved NodeB (eNB), a radio network controller (RNC), a NodeB (NB), a base station controller (BSC), a base transceiver station (BTS), a home network device (e.g., a home evolved NodeB or a home NodeB, HNB), or a base band unit (BBU). In embodiments of the present invention, the device implementing the functions of the network device may be the network device itself or a device supporting the network device when implementing functions, such as a chip, a circuit, or another device. In embodiments of the present invention, an example where the device implementing the functions of the network device is the network device is used to explain the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0203] The terminal device in the embodiments of the present invention may also be referred to as a terminal and may be a device having a wireless transceiver function. The terminal device may be deployed on land and may include an indoor device, an outdoor device, a handheld device, a wearable device, an in-vehicle device, or an on-vehicle device. Alternatively, the terminal device may be deployed on the water surface (for example, on a ship) or may be deployed in the air (for example, on an aircraft, a balloon, or a satellite). The terminal device may be a user equipment (UE). The UE includes a handheld device, an on-vehicle device, a wearable device, or a computing device having a wireless communication function. For example, the UE may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or a computer having a wireless transceiver function. Alternatively, the terminal device may be a virtual reality (VR) terminal device, an augmented reality (AR) terminal device, a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in autonomous driving, a wireless terminal in telemedicine, a wireless terminal in a smart grid, a wireless terminal in a smart city, a wireless terminal in a smart home, and the like. In the embodiments of the present invention, the device implementing the functions of the terminal may be the terminal or may be a device supporting the terminal when implementing the functions, such as a chip, a circuit, or another device. In the embodiments of the present invention, an example where the device implementing the functions of the terminal is the terminal is used to explain the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0204] Generally, regardless of whether the terminal device is scheduled to receive downlink data or send uplink data, it needs to be scheduled by the network device, and the network device can schedule the terminal device through the PDCCH. For example, the PDCCH may carry downlink scheduling information for the terminal device to receive the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). Alternatively, the PDCCH may be used to send uplink scheduling information for the terminal device to send the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). Before successfully receiving the PDCCH, the terminal device needs to monitor a set of candidate PDCCHs. Specifically, the terminal device attempts to decode each PDCCH in the set based on the DCI format for monitoring. If the terminal device successfully decodes the PDCCH in the search space during the monitoring process, it means that the terminal device has successfully received the PDCCH. It should be noted that the search space is used by the terminal device to determine a set of candidate PDCCHs. For each of the search spaces, the network device can configure the parameters of the search space. The parameters include the search space index, the associated control resource set, the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs at each CCE aggregation level, the DCI format for monitoring, etc. The terminal device may determine a set of candidate PDCCHs to be monitored based on the parameters of the search space.

[0205] DRX (Discontinuous Reception) is further defined in LTE and NR to reduce the power consumption of a terminal device for PDCCH monitoring. DRX in the connected mode may also be called C-DRX (Connected Discontinuous Reception). The basic principle of DRX is as follows. A network device configures DRX parameters for a terminal device in the connected mode. The DRX parameters may include a DRX cycle. Referring to FIG. 2, the DRX cycle includes an “On Duration” and an “Opportunity for DRX”. The “On Duration” may be called the on-duration, and the “Opportunity for DRX” may be called the DRX opportunity. During the “On Duration”, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH. During the “Opportunity for DRX” time period, the terminal device may not monitor the PDCCH to reduce power consumption.

[0206] Alternatively, the network device sends indication information to the terminal device to reduce the power consumption of the terminal device for PDCCH monitoring by using the indication information. This indication information is used to indicate that the terminal device does not need to monitor the PDCCH in some of the following slots. Alternatively, the network device sends the indication information before the on-duration to indicate whether the terminal device needs to monitor the PDCCH or does not need to monitor the PDCCH during the on-duration that exists after the indication information is sent.

[0207] In the above two solutions for reducing the power consumption of the terminal device, the terminal device needs to monitor all PDCCHs within the search space configured by the network device for the terminal device and attempt to decode them. In this case, the power consumption cannot be ignored. For example, in NR, up to 10 search spaces may be configured for a terminal when the terminal is performing communication within the BWP (Bandwidth Part) in which it is currently configured. During the on-duration within the DRX cycle, the UE needs to monitor all PDCCHs included in the 10 search spaces and attempt to decode them, which leads to a very high power consumption.

[0208] Embodiments of the present invention provide a monitoring method. A terminal device acquires a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration. The first search space configuration includes a first set of search spaces, the second search space configuration includes a second set of search spaces, and the first set of search spaces is different from the second set of search spaces. Alternatively, the first search space configuration includes first search space parameters, the second search space configuration includes second search space parameters, and the first search space parameters are different from the second search space parameters. Further, when a first condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) based on the first search space configuration. This first condition includes that a first timer is not in an active state. When a second condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration. This second condition includes that the first timer is in an active state. In this embodiment of the present invention, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration may be different sets of search spaces, and the first set of search spaces and / or the second set of search spaces do not necessarily include all of the search spaces of the terminal device. In this case, the terminal device needs to monitor the PDCCH only in some of the search spaces of the terminal device. This greatly reduces the power consumption of the terminal device. Certainly, the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration may be different search space parameters. In this embodiment of the present invention, the resources used by the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH may be adjusted by configuring different search space parameters for the terminal device so as to reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0209] Embodiments of the present invention provide a terminal device 30. As shown in FIG. 3, the terminal device 30 includes embodiments of the present invention. The monitoring method and the communication method provided in the embodiments of the present invention can be applied to the terminal device shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the terminal device may include at least one processor 301, a memory 302, a transceiver 303, and a communication bus 304.

[0210] The following will describe the components of the terminal device in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

[0211] Processor 301 is the control center of the terminal device and may be a processor or a collective term for a plurality of processing elements. For example, processor 301 may be a central processing unit (CPU), or may be an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits for implementing the embodiments of the present application, for example, one or more microprocessors (digital signal processors, DSPs) or one or more Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs).

[0212] Processor 301 can execute (run or execute) software programs stored in memory 302 and call data stored in memory 302 in order to implement various functions of the terminal device.

[0213] In a specific implementation, in the embodiment, processor 301 may include one or more CPUs, for example, CPU0 and CPU1 illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0214] In a specific implementation, in the embodiment, the terminal device may include a plurality of processors, for example, processor 301 and processor 305 illustrated in FIG. 3. Each of the processors may be a single-core (single CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi CPU) processor. The processors in this specification may refer to one or more terminal devices, circuits, and / or processing cores configured to process data (for example, computer program instructions).

[0215] Memory 302 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or another type of static storage device terminal device capable of storing static information and instructions, or a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device terminal device capable of storing information and instructions, or an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM) or other compact disc storage device, an optical disc storage device (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile optical discs, blue-ray optical discs, etc.), a magnetic disc storage medium or another magnetic storage device terminal device, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing anticipated program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. Memory 302 may exist independently and be connected to processor 301 through communication bus 304. Memory 302 may alternatively be integrated with processor 301.

[0216] Memory 302 is configured to store a software program for implementing the solution of the present invention, and processor 301 controls the execution of the software program.

[0217] The transceiver 303 is any terminal device of the transceiver type and is used for communication with another terminal device. Certainly, the transceiver 303 may be further configured to communicate with a communication network such as Ethernet, a radio access network (RAN), or a Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN). The transceiver 303 may include a receiving unit for implementing a receiving function and a transmitting unit for implementing a transmitting function.

[0218] The communication bus 304 may be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, or the like. The bus may be classified into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, and the like. For ease of representation, only one thick line is used to represent the bus in FIG. 3, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

[0219] The terminal device structure illustrated in FIG. 3 does not constitute a limitation on the terminal device. The terminal device may include more or fewer components than those illustrated in the figure, may combine some components, or may have different component arrangements.

[0220] Embodiments of the present invention provide a monitoring method. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the method includes the following steps.

[0221] Step 401: The terminal device obtains a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration.

[0222] In a specific implementation, the terminal device may obtain the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration through signaling distributed by the network device, or may obtain the pre-configured first search space configuration and the second search space configuration. Specifically, the network device may notify the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration through two signals. For example, the terminal device receives the first information sent by the network device, and this first information includes or indicates the first search space configuration. Then, the terminal device receives the second information sent by the network device, and this second information includes or indicates the second search space configuration. In other words, the network device encapsulates the first information and the second information into two signals and distributes these two signals to the terminal device separately. Certainly, the network device may alternatively encapsulate the first information and the second information into one signal and distribute this signal to the terminal device. Alternatively, the network device may notify only one of the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration to the terminal device, and the terminal device may obtain the second search space configuration based on the first search space configuration, or obtain the first search space configuration based on the second search space configuration. It should be noted that the search space configuration may be a set of search spaces, that is, a set including one or more search spaces. The terminal device may determine the set of PDCCHs that need to be monitored based on the search space. Alternatively, the search space configuration may be a search space parameter, such as a PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, or one or more of the related control resource sets. The terminal device may determine the resources to be used for the PDCCHs that need to be monitored based on the search space parameters.

[0223] In some embodiments, the first search space configuration includes a first set of search spaces, the second search space configuration includes a second set of search spaces, and the first set of search spaces is different from the second set of search spaces.

[0224] In a particular implementation, the first set of search spaces may be a subset of the second set of search spaces. For example, the second set of search spaces includes search space 1, search space 2, search space 3, search space 4, and search space 5, and the first set of search spaces includes search space 1 and search space 2.

[0225] Optionally, the intersection set of the first set of search spaces and the second set of search spaces may be an empty set. In other words, the first set of search spaces and the second set of search spaces do not include the same search space. For example, the second set of search spaces includes search space 3, search space 4, and search space 5, and the first set of search spaces includes search space 1 and search space 2.

[0226] Optionally, the intersection set of the first set of search spaces and the second set of search spaces may be a non-empty set. In other words, the first set of search spaces and the second set of search spaces include the same search space. For example, the second set of search spaces includes search space 3, search space 4, and search space 5, and the first set of search spaces includes search space 2 and search space 3.

[0227] A network device may configure a BWP (i.e., a part of the system bandwidth) for a terminal device, and the terminal device may communicate with the network device within the BWP configured by the network device. The BWP may be divided into an uplink BWP and a downlink BWP. The terminal device sends uplink data to the network device within the uplink BWP and receives downlink data such as PDCCH sent by the network device within the downlink BWP. Usually, for each downlink BWP of the serving cell of the terminal device, up to 10 search spaces may be configured for the terminal device. For each of the search spaces, one or more of the search space parameters of the search space index, the associated control resource set, the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs at each control channel element (CCE) aggregation level, and the DCI format for monitoring may be configured for the UE. The time unit of the PDCCH monitoring period and the PDCCH monitoring duration is a slot. The terminal device may determine the resources to be used for the candidate PDCCHs that need to be monitored based on the control resource set and the search space. Further, the network device may configure the search space for each terminal device. For example, UE-specific PDCCH parameters are configured for the terminal device to specifically configure the search space for monitoring the PDCCH for the terminal device, and the search space in which the terminal device may monitor the PDCCH is one or more of the search spaces within the UE-specific PDCCH parameters of the terminal device. Alternatively, the network device may configure the search space for each cell. For example, cell-specific PDCCH parameters are configured for the terminal device to configure the search space for monitoring the PDCCH for the terminal device, and the cell-specific PDCCH parameters configured for the terminal device are the same as the cell-specific PDCCH parameters configured for another terminal device within the serving cell where the terminal device is located.

[0228] In a specific implementation, the search spaces within the first search space set and the second search space set may be one or more search spaces within the UE-specific PDCCH parameters.

[0229] Optionally, the first search space set includes the search space within the cell-specific PDCCH parameters and one or more search spaces within the UE-specific PDCCH parameters, and the second search space set includes all search spaces configured for the terminal device. For example, the cell-specific PDCCH parameters configured for the terminal device include search space 1 and search space 2, and the UE-specific PDCCH parameters configured for the terminal device include search space 3, search space 4, and search space 5. The first search space set includes search space 1, search space 2, and search space 3, and the second search space set includes search space 1, search space 2, search space 3, search space 4, and search space 5.

[0230] Optionally, each of the first search space set and the second search space set includes a search space within the cell-specific PDCCH parameters and one or more search spaces within the UE-specific PDCCH parameters. In some embodiments, the first search space set and the second search space set include the same search space within the cell-specific PDCCH parameters, and the first search space set and the second search space set include different search spaces within the UE-specific PDCCH parameters. For example, the cell-specific PDCCH parameters include search space 1 and search space 2, and the UE-specific PDCCH parameters include search space 3, search space 4, and search space 5. All search spaces within the UE-specific PDCCH parameters included in the first search space set are different from those within the UE-specific PDCCH parameters included in the second search space set. For example, the first search space includes search space 1, search space 2, and search space 3, and the second group of search spaces includes search space 1, search space 2, search space 4, and search space 5. All search spaces within the UE-specific PDCCH parameters included in the first search space set are different from those within the UE-specific PDCCH parameters included in the second search space set. For example, the first group of search spaces includes search space 1, search space 2, search space 3, and search space 4, and the second group of search spaces includes search space 1, search space 2, search space 4, and search space 5.

[0231] Optionally, the first search space set includes a search space within the cell-specific PDCCH parameters, and the second search space set includes a search space within the cell-specific PDCCH parameters and a search space within the UE-specific PDCCH parameters.

[0232] In some embodiments, the first search space set may be a set that includes the default search space of the terminal device. The network device may configure one or more default search spaces for the terminal device. The default search space may be a subset of all search spaces configured by the network device for the terminal device.

[0233] In some embodiments, the control resource set associated with the first search space set is the UE's default control resource set. It should be noted that the network device may configure one or more control resource sets for the terminal device, and the "one or more control resource sets" configured by the network device for the terminal device may sometimes be referred to as the default control resource set of the terminal device.

[0234] In some embodiments, the resources for monitoring the PDCCH may be adjusted by using different search space parameters within the same search space. In this embodiment of the present invention, the first search space configuration includes the first search space parameters, the second search space configuration includes the second search space parameters, and the first search space parameters are different from the second search space parameters. In other words, the terminal device may monitor the PDCCH based on different search space parameters. For example, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on different PDCCH monitoring periods, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on different PDCCH monitoring durations, or the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on different amounts of candidate PDCCHs. The search space parameters may include one or more of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, or the associated control resource set. Optionally, the amount of candidate PDCCHs may be the amount of candidate PDCCHs at each CCE aggregation level.

[0235] In some embodiments, the second search space parameter may be configured for a terminal device, and the terminal device may determine the first search space parameter based on the second search space parameter. In a particular implementation, the terminal device may determine the first search space parameter based on the second search space parameter and a scaling factor. This scaling factor may be configured by a network device or may be predefined. For example, the first search space parameter includes a first PDCCH monitoring period, and the second search space parameter includes a second PDCCH monitoring period. The network device configures the second PDCCH monitoring period for the terminal device, and the terminal device determines that the first PDCCH monitoring period is the product of the second PDCCH monitoring period and the scaling factor.

[0236] In some embodiments, the first search space parameter may be a default search space parameter. The default search space parameter may be a search space parameter preconfigured by a network device for a terminal device. For example, the network device configures a PDCCH monitoring period or the amount of candidate PDCCHs for the terminal device.

[0237] In some embodiments, the related control resource set within the first search space set is the default control resource set of the UE.

[0238] In a specific implementation, the first search space parameter and the second search space parameter may be indicated within a search space IE (information element). For example, the search space parameter may be a monitoring period and an offset parameter. The first search space parameter and the second search space parameter are added to the search space IE. The first search space parameter and the second search space parameter include different monitoring periods, the first search space parameter and the second search space parameter include different offset parameters, and the first search space parameter and the second search space parameter indicate different resources for monitoring the PDCCH. The terminal device may monitor the PDCCH based on different resources.

[0239] When the first condition is satisfied, step 402 is performed. When the second condition is satisfied, step 403 is performed.

[0240] Step 402: When the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors the physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on the first search space configuration, and this first condition includes that the first timer is not in the running state.

[0241] Step 403: When the second condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration, and this second condition includes that the first timer is in the running state.

[0242] In a specific implementation, the duration of the first timer may be configured by the network device through RRC signaling. In some embodiments, the duration of the timer is smaller than the duration of the inactivity timer (drx-InactivityTimer). Indeed, in this embodiment of the present invention, the first timer may alternatively be the drx-InactivityTimer, and is used to determine the duration of time for which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH after successfully decoding the PDCCH to schedule a new transmission.

[0243] For example, the first timer is a timer configured by a network device through RRC signaling. Referring to FIG. 4a, the timer does not start at the initial instant T1, and the timer starts at the instant T2. Therefore, the timer is not in the running state from instant T1 to instant T2, and the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the first search space configuration. The timer is in the running state from instant T2 to instant T3, and the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0244] It should be noted that when various types of timers described in this embodiment of the present invention are started, the timer is in the running state until the timer is stopped or expires. If the timer is not started, the timer is not in the running state. If the timer is not in the running state, the timer may be started. If the timer is in the running state, the timer may be restarted. The value of the timer is the initial value of the timer when the timer is started or restarted. The time duration of the timer may be understood as the time duration that continuously runs from the instant when the timer is started or restarted to the expiration instant.

[0245] This embodiment of the present invention further provides other possible implementations of the first condition in step 402. The first condition may specifically include the following four possible cases.

[0246] (1) In addition to including that the first timer is not in the running state, the first condition further includes that the third timer is in the running state.

[0247] It should be noted that the third timer is used to determine the length of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH during one intermittent reception DRX cycle. For example, the third timer is an on-duration timer, onDurationTimer, or drx-onDurationTimer. In other words, if the first timer is not in the running state and the third timer is in the running state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the first search space configuration. The third timer may be started at the instant the DRX cycle starts. Alternatively, the third timer is started at the instant the on-duration within the DRX cycle starts, and the length of the third timer is the length of the on-duration.

[0248] (2) In some embodiments, in addition to including that the first timer is not in the running state, the first condition may further include that the terminal device is within the on-duration during the DRX cycle. In other words, if the first timer is not in the running state and the terminal device is within the on-duration during the DRX cycle, the terminal device monitors the physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on the first search space configuration.

[0249] (3) In some embodiments, in addition to including that the first timer is not in the running state, the first condition is that the downlink retransmission timer (such as drx-Retransmission TimerDL or drx-RetransmissionTimer), the uplink retransmission timer (such as drx-Retransmission TimerUL or drx-ULRetransmissionTimer), and the contention resolution timer (such as ra-ContentionResolutionTimer or mac-ContentionResolutionTimer) are not in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in the pending state, and the terminal device is not in the state of "not receiving the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received the random access response RAR", where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble, and further includes one or more of the above cases.

[0250] For example, in some embodiments, when the first timer is not in the running state and the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the terminal device monitors the physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on the first search space configuration. In some other embodiments, when the first timer is not in the running state, the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, and the uplink retransmission timer is also not in the running state, the terminal device monitors the physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on the first search space configuration. In some other embodiments, when the first timer is not in the running state, the third timer is in the running state, and the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the terminal device monitors the physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on the first search space configuration.

[0251] The uplink retransmission timer is used to determine the duration of time for monitoring the PDCCH used to indicate uplink retransmission, and the downlink retransmission timer is used to determine the duration of time for monitoring the PDCCH used to indicate downlink retransmission. The contention resolution timer is used by the terminal device to determine the duration of time for monitoring the PDCCH used to indicate Message 4 after the terminal device sends Message 3 in the random access process.

[0252] (4) In some embodiments, the first condition is that the terminal device is between the first moment and the second moment. The second moment is the third moment, and this third moment is the moment when the terminal device receives the Nth PDCCH after the first moment. Alternatively, the second moment is the moment after a first duration from the third moment. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the length of the first duration is greater than 0. When the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the first search space configuration. The second condition is that the terminal device is after the second moment. When the second condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration. In some embodiments, the first moment may be the start moment of the DRX on-duration. In some embodiments, when the inactivity timer expires within the on-duration during the DRX cycle, the first moment is the moment when the inactivity timer expires.

[0253] In some embodiments, the terminal device has a downlink retransmission timer in the running state, an uplink retransmission timer in the running state, a contention resolution timer in the running state, a scheduling request sent by the terminal device in a pending state, and the terminal device does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving a random access response RAR, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to a target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble. When one of these cases occurs, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on a second search space configuration.

[0254] In a specific implementation, when the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on a second search space configuration.

[0255] When the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on a second search space configuration.

[0256] When the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on a second search space configuration.

[0257] When a scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in a pending state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on a second search space configuration.

[0258] When the terminal device does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving a random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on a second search space configuration.

[0259] When the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state or the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0260] When the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state or the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0261] When the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state or the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0262] When the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state or the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0263] When the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state or the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0264] When the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state or the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0265] When the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state or the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0266] When the contention resolution timer is in the running state or the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0267] When the contention resolution timer is in the running state, or when the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0268] When the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, or when the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0269] When the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0270] When the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0271] When the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, or when the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0272] When the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the contention resolution timer is in the running state, or the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0273] When the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the contention resolution timer is in the running state, or the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0274] When the contention resolution timer is in the running state, or the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, or the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0275] When the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the contention resolution timer is in the running state, or the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0276] When the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the contention resolution timer is in the running state, or the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0277] If the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, or a scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, or the terminal device does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving a random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0278] If the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, or a scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, or the terminal device does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving a random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0279] If the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the contention resolution timer is in the running state, or a scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0280] If the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the contention resolution timer is in the running state, or the terminal device does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving a random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0281] If the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, or a scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, or the terminal device does not receive a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving a random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0282] If the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the contention resolution timer is in the running state, or the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, or the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0283] If the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the contention resolution timer is in the running state, or the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, or the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0284] If the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, or the contention resolution timer is in the running state, or the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is in the pending state, or the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0285] Furthermore, the PDCCH monitored by the terminal device may be a PDCCH scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identity (C-RNTI), a Configured Scheduling RNTI (CS-RNTI), an Interruption RNTI (INT-RNTI), a Slot Format Indication RNTI (SFI-RNTI), a Semi-Persistent CSI RNTI (SP-CSI-RNTI), a Transmit Power Control RNTI (TPC-PUCCH-RNTI), a Transmit Power Control Physical Uplink Shared Channel RNTI (TPC-PUSCH-RNTI), or a Transmit Power Control Sounding Reference Signal RNTI (TPC-SRS-RNTI).

[0286] In a specific implementation, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH to determine whether the PDCCH is received. It should be noted that the fact that the terminal device receives the PDCCH may also be considered as the terminal device monitoring the PDCCH. When the terminal device receives the PDCCH, the first timer is started or restarted. When the terminal device receives the PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, the first timer is started or restarted. When the terminal device receives the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, the first timer is started or restarted. Or when the second timer is started or restarted, the terminal device starts or restarts the first timer. Here, the second timer is used to determine the duration of time for which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH after the terminal device receives the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission. In this scenario, the first timer may be started or restarted. For example, the second timer is the drx-InactivityTimer. The PDCCH used to indicate data transmission may be the PDCCH used to indicate uplink transmission or the PDCCH used to indicate downlink transmission. Alternatively, when the terminal device receives the indication information sent by the network device, the terminal device starts or restarts the first timer. The indication information may be transmitted through the Downlink Control Information (DCI) or through the Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE).

[0287] In some embodiments, the terminal device may further determine the amount of MIMO layers to be used for receiving PDSCH based on the result of determining whether the first condition or the second condition is satisfied. For example, when the first condition is satisfied, the amount of multiple-input multiple-output MIMO layers to be used by the terminal device for receiving the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH is the first MIMO layer amount, or when the second condition is satisfied, the amount of MIMO layers to be used by the terminal device for receiving the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH is the second MIMO layer amount. The first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount, and the first MIMO Layer amount may be the maximum MIMO layer amount, and the second MIMO layer amount is smaller than the first MIMO layer amount.

[0288] It should be noted that the terminal device may monitor the PDCCH in the secondary cell by using the monitoring method from step 401 to step 403. Alternatively, the terminal device may monitor the PDCCH within the default BWP or the initial BWP by using the monitoring method from step 401 to step 403. Optionally, the terminal device may alternatively use a method based on the configuration of the network device. For example, if the network device configures the terminal device to use a power saving mode, the network device sends indication information to the terminal device to indicate that the terminal device should use the power saving mode. After receiving the indication information, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH by using the monitoring method from step 401 to step 403. Before the network device configures the terminal device to use a power saving mode, the terminal device may send indication information to the network device to indicate that the terminal device expects to use the power saving mode or to indicate that the power of the terminal device is relatively low.

[0289] This embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for constructing a first search space set and a second search space set. Specifically, there are three construction methods from the first construction method to the third construction method.

[0290] In the first construction method, within the IE (information element) of the search space, it is indicated whether the search space belongs to the first search space set or the search space belongs to the second search space set. Specifically, there can be the following three possible cases.

[0291] (1) The search space IE contains one indication information, and this indication information indicates whether the search space belongs to the first search space set or the second search space set. The indication information can have two values. One value indicates that the search space belongs to the first search space set, and the other value indicates that the search space belongs to the second search space set. For example, SearchSpaceIE includes searchSpaceGroup, and the available values of searchSpaceGroup include "first" and "second", where "first" indicates that the search space belongs to the first search space set, and "second" indicates that the search space belongs to the second search space set. A specific implementation in the standard may be as follows. SearchSpace ::= SEQUENCE { searchSpaceGroup ENUMERATED {first, second} }

[0292] Alternatively, the indication information may have three values. One value indicates that the search space belongs to the first set of search spaces, one value indicates that the search space belongs to the second set of search spaces, and another value indicates that the search space belongs to both the first set of search spaces and the second set of search spaces. For example, the SearchSpace IE includes searchSpaceGroup, and the available values of searchSpaceGroup include "first", "second", and "both". "First" indicates that the search space belongs to the first set of search spaces, "second" indicates that the search space belongs to the second set of search spaces, and "both" indicates that the search space belongs to both the first set of search spaces and the second set of search spaces. A specific implementation in the standard may be as follows. SearchSpace ::= SEQUENCE { searchSpaceGroup ENUMERATED {first, second, both} }

[0293] (2) The SearchSpace IE includes one indication information, and this indication information indicates whether the search space belongs to the first set of search spaces. The indication information has two values. One value indicates that the search space belongs to the first set of search spaces, and the other value indicates that the search... Space ... does not belong to the first set of search spaces. For example, the SearchSpace IE includes searchSpaceDefault, and the available values of searchSpaceDefault include "true" and "false". "True" indicates that the search space belongs to the first set of search spaces, and "false" indicates that the search space does not belong to the first set of search spaces. A specific implementation in the standard may be as follows. SearchSpace ::= SEQUENCE { searchSpaceDefault ENUMERATED {true, false}}

[0294] Optionally, if the search space does not belong to the first search space set, the search space belongs to the second search space set. It can be understood that if the search space belongs to the first search space set, the search space may also belong to the second search space set.

[0295] (3) The search space IE contains one indication information, and this indication information indicates whether the search space belongs to the second search space set. The indication information has two values. One value indicates that the search space belongs to the second search space set, and the other value indicates that the search space does not belong to the second search space set. For example, the SearchSpace IE contains searchSpaceSecondGroup, and the available values of searchSpaceSecondGroup include "true" and "false", where "true" indicates that the search space belongs to the second search space set, and "false" indicates that the search space does not belong to the second search space set. A specific implementation in the standard may be as follows. SearchSpace ::= SEQUENCE { searchSpaceFirstGroup ENUMERATED {true, false} }

[0296] Optionally, if the search space does not belong to the second search space set, the search space belongs to the first search space set.

[0297] In the second configuration method, the configuration signaling includes indication information for indicating that the search space belongs to the first search space set. For example, the PDCCH-Config IE includes an indication information DefaultSearchSpace for indicating that the search space belongs to the first search space set, and DefaultSearchSpace includes one or more search space IEs. The search spaces corresponding to these search space IEs belong to the first search space set. A specific implementation in the standard may be as follows. PDCCH-Config ::= SEQUENCE { DefaultSearchSpace SearchSpace }

[0298] Alternatively, a specific implementation in the standard may be as follows, where N is 1 or more. PDCCH-Config ::= SEQUENCE { DefaultSearchSpace SEQUENCE(SIZE (1..N)) OF SearchSpace }

[0299] Optionally, a search space not indicated to belong to the first search space set belongs to the second search space set.

[0300] In the third configuration method, the indication information of the first search space set may be a search space index, and the search space index is used to indicate the search space belonging to the first search space set. For example, the PDCCH-Config IE includes an indication information DefaultSearchSpace of the second group of search spaces, and DefaultSearchSpace includes one or more search space indexes. The search spaces corresponding to these indexes belong to the first search space set. A specific implementation in the standard may be as follows. PDCCH-Config ::= SEQUENCE { DefaultSearchSpace SearchSpaceId }

[0301] Alternatively, a particular implementation in the standard may be as follows, where N is 1 or more. PDCCH-Config ::= SEQUENCE { DefaultSearchSpace SEQUENCE(SIZE (1..N)) OF SearchSpaceId }

[0302] Optionally, a search space not indicated as belonging to the first set of search spaces belongs to the second set of search spaces.

[0303] Furthermore, this embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for configuring the first search space parameters and the second search space parameters. Specifically, there are the following two configuration methods.

[0304] In the first configuration method, the first search space parameters and the second search space parameters are indicated within a search space IE (information element). For example, the first search space parameters and the second search space parameters each include a PDCCH monitoring period. The SearchSpace IE includes monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset1 and monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset2. Here, monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset1 indicates the first PDCCH monitoring period, and monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset2 indicates the second PDCCH monitoring period. A particular implementation in the standard may be as follows. SearchSpace ::= SEQUENCE { monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset1 CHOICE { sl1 NULL, sl2 INTEGER (0..1), ... } monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset2 CHOICE { sl1 NULL, sl2 INTEGER (0..1), ... } }

[0305] In the second configuration method, the second search space parameters and the scale factor are indicated within the search space IE (information element). The first search space parameters may be determined based on the second search space parameters and the scale factor. For example, the first search space parameters and the second search space parameters each include a PDCCH monitoring period. The SearchSpace IE includes monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset used to indicate the second PDCCH monitoring period. The SearchSpace IE further includes scale used to indicate the scale factor. The terminal device may determine the first PDCCH monitoring period based on the second PDCCH monitoring period and the scale factor. A specific implementation in the standard may be as follows. SearchSpace ::= SEQUENCE { monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset CHOICE { sl1 NULL, sl2 INTEGER (0..1), ... } scale ENUMERATED {0.5, 0.25} }

[0306] Embodiments of the present invention further provide a monitoring method. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the method includes the following steps.

[0307] Step 501: The terminal device acquires a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration.

[0308] In this embodiment of the present invention, the first search space configuration includes a first search space set, the second search space configuration includes a second search space set, and the first search space set is different from the second search space set. It should be noted that a search space set is a set including one or more search spaces, and a search space is used to determine a set of PDCCHs that need to be monitored by the terminal device.

[0309] For the related descriptions and explanations of step 501, refer to the related description of step 401 in the embodiments of the present invention. Details are not described in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0310] If the first condition is satisfied, step 502 is performed. If the second condition is satisfied, step 503 is performed.

[0311] Step 502: When the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors the physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on the first search space configuration, and this first condition includes that the first timer is not in the running state and the third timer is in the running state.

[0312] In a specific implementation, the duration of the first timer may be configured by the network device through RRC signaling. In some embodiments, the duration of the timer is smaller than the duration of the inactivity timer (drx-InactivityTimer). Certainly, in this embodiment of the present invention, the first timer may alternatively be the drx-InactivityTimer, and it is used to determine the duration for which the terminal device monitors the PDCCH after the terminal device successfully decodes the PDCCH to schedule a new transmission.

[0313] Furthermore, the third timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH during one intermittent reception DRX cycle. For example, the third timer is an on-duration timer, onDurationTimer, or drx-onDurationTimer. In other words, if the first timer is not in the running state and the third timer is in the running state, the terminal device monitors the physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on the first search space configuration. The third timer may be started at the start instant of the DRX cycle. Alternatively, the third timer is started at the start instant of the on duration within the DRX cycle, and the duration of the third timer is the length of the on duration.

[0314] Step 503: When the second condition is satisfied, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration, and this second condition includes that the first timer is in the running state.

[0315] For example, the first timer is drx-InactivityTimer and the third timer is onDurationTimer. Referring to FIG. 5a, the on duration during the DRX cycle starts from instant T4, drx-InactivityTimer and starts at instant T5. In other words, from instant T4 to instant T5, the third timer is in the running state and the first timer drx-InactivityTimer is not in the running state. The terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the first search space configuration. The first timer drx-InactivityTimer is in the running state from instant T5 to instant T6, and the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0316] In the method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the network device configures the search space of the terminal device such that the power consumption of the terminal device for monitoring the PDCCH based on the first search space configuration is lower than the power consumption of the terminal for monitoring the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration. This reduces the power consumption of the terminal device for monitoring the PDCCH. For example, the first search space set is configured as a subset of the second search space set. Alternatively, the first search space parameter indicates a relatively small number of PDCCH resources, the first search space parameter indicates a relatively small number of candidate PDCCHs, the first search space parameter indicates a relatively long PDCCH monitoring period, etc. are conceivable.

[0317] This embodiment of the present invention further provides other possible implementations of the first condition in step 502. In some embodiments, the first condition is that the downlink retransmission timer (such as drx-Retransmission TimerDL or drx-RetransmissionTimer) is not in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer (such as drx-Retransmission TimerUL or drx-ULRetransmissionTimer) is not in the running state, the contention resolution timer (such as ra-ContentionResolutionTimer or mac-ContentionResolutionTimer) is not in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in the pending state, and the terminal device is not in the state of "not receiving the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after the terminal device has successfully received the random access response RAR", where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble, and further includes one or more of these cases.

[0318] For example, in some embodiments, when the first timer is not in the running state, the third timer is in the running state, and the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the terminal device monitors the physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on the first search space configuration. In some other embodiments, when the first timer is not in the running state, the third timer is in the running state, the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, and the uplink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the terminal device monitors the physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on the first search space configuration.

[0319] The uplink retransmission timer is used to determine the duration of time for monitoring the PDCCH used to indicate uplink retransmission, and the downlink retransmission timer is used to determine the duration of time for monitoring the PDCCH used to indicate downlink retransmission. The contention resolution timer is used by the terminal device to determine the duration of time for monitoring the PDCCH used to indicate Message 4 after the terminal device has sent Message 3 in the random access process.

[0320] In some embodiments, when one of the following occurs: the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, a scheduling request sent by the terminal device is pending, and the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the second search space configuration.

[0321] Furthermore, the PDCCH monitored by the terminal device may be a PDCCH scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identity (C-RNTI), a Configured Scheduling RNTI (CS-RNTI), an Interruption RNTI (INT-RNTI), a Slot Format Indication RNTI (SFI-RNTI), a Semi-Persistent CSI RNTI (SP-CSI-RNTI), a Transmit Power Control RNTI (TPC-PUCCH-RNTI), a Transmit Power Control Physical Uplink Shared Channel RNTI (TPC-PUSCH-RNTI), or a Transmit Power Control Sounding Reference Signal RNTI (TPC-SRS-RNTI).

[0322] Embodiments of the present invention further provide a monitoring method. As shown in FIG. 6, the method includes the following steps.

[0323] 601: The terminal device acquires a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration.

[0324] The first search space configuration includes a first search space set, the second search space configuration includes a second search space set, and the first search space set is different from the second search space set. In some embodiments, the first search space set may be a subset of the second search space set. It should be noted that for the detailed configurations of the first search space set and the second search space set, refer to the multiple possible implementations provided in the related description of step 401. Details are not described in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0325] In some embodiments, the first search space configuration includes first search space parameters, the second search space configuration includes second search space parameters, and the first search space parameters are different from the second search space parameters. Specifically, the search space parameters include at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set. It should be noted that for the detailed configurations of the first search space parameters and the second search space parameters, refer to the multiple possible implementations provided in the related description of step 401. Details are not described in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0326] The terminal device may obtain the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration through signaling distributed by the network device, or may obtain the pre-configured first search space configuration and the second search space configuration. It should be noted that specifically, the network device may notify the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration through two signals. For example, the terminal device receives the first information sent by the network device, and this first information includes or indicates the first search space configuration. Then, the terminal device receives the second information sent by the network device, and this second information includes or indicates the second search space configuration. In other words, the network device encapsulates the first information and the second information into two signals and distributes these two signals to the terminal device separately. Certainly, the network device may alternatively encapsulate the first information and the second information into one signal and distribute this signal to the terminal device. Alternatively, the network device may notify only one of the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration to the terminal device, and the terminal device may obtain the second search space configuration based on the first search space configuration, or may obtain the first search space configuration based on the second search space configuration.

[0327] 602: The terminal device monitors the first PDCCH based on the first search space configuration, and the first PDCCH is used to carry indication information.

[0328] The indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device not to monitor the second PDCCH within the first time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to monitor the second PDCCH within the second time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information. The second PDCCH does not carry indication information.

[0329] In a possible implementation, the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device not to expect a second PDCCH within a first time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate that the network device does not send a second PDCCH to the terminal device within a first time period that exists after the network device sends the indication information.

[0330] It should be noted that the time period (for example, the first time period or the second time period) in this embodiment of the present invention may be one or more on durations that exist after the indication information is received, or may be a time period having a length of M time units that exists after N time units after the indication information is received, or may be L PDCCH monitoring opportunities that exist after the indication information is received. The time unit may be an absolute time such as milliseconds, or may be a symbol, a slot, a subframe, etc. N is 0 or more, M is 1 or more, and L is 1 or more.

[0331] In some embodiments, the second PDCCH may be a PDCCH used to indicate data transmission.

[0332] In some embodiments, the second PDCCH may be a PDCCH scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identity (C-RNTI), a Configured Scheduling RNTI (CS-RNTI), an Interruption RNTI (INT-RNTI), a Slot Format Indication RNTI (SFI-RNTI), a Semi-Persistent CSI RNTI (SP-CSI-RNTI), a Transmit Power Control RNTI (TPC-PUCCH-RNTI), a Transmit Power Control Physical Uplink Shared Channel RNTI (TPC-PUSCH-RNTI), or a Transmit Power Control Sounding Reference Signal RNTI (TPC-SRS-RNTI).

[0333] In some embodiments, the indication information further includes or indicates a second search space configuration. The terminal device monitors a first PDCCH based on the first search space configuration, receives the first PDCCH, obtains the indication information carried in the PDCCH, and then may obtain the second search space configuration in the indication information. Based on the second search space configuration in the indication information, the terminal device further monitors another PDCCH that does not carry the indication information, that is, the second PDCCH in this embodiment of the present invention. In a possible implementation, the second search space configuration includes a second set of search spaces, and the indication information includes the index of each search space within the second set of search spaces. In another possible implementation, the second search space configuration includes a second set of search spaces, and the indication information includes a field used to indicate the second set of search spaces. In another possible implementation, the second search space configuration includes second search space parameters, the second search space parameters include a second PDCCH monitoring period, and the indication information includes the second PDCCH monitoring period. Certainly, the indication information may not directly include the second search space configuration, but may be used to indicate the second search space configuration by using some parameters. In a possible implementation, the second search space configuration includes second search space parameters, the second search space parameters include a second PDCCH monitoring period, the indication information includes a scale factor, and the terminal device determines the second PDCCH monitoring period based on the scale factor.

[0334] 603: The terminal device monitors the second PDCCH based on the second search space configuration within a time period other than the first time period or within the second time period.

[0335] Specifically, if the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device not to monitor the second PDCCH within the first time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, the terminal device monitors the second PDCCH based on the second search space configuration within a time period other than the first time period.

[0336] Alternatively, when the indication information is used to instruct the terminal device to monitor a second PDCCH within a second time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, the terminal device monitors the second PDCCH based on a second search space configuration within the second time period.

[0337] In some embodiments, the indication information further includes the amount of MIMO layers to be used for the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH. Alternatively, the indication information is further used to indicate the amount of MIMO layers to be used for the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH. The terminal device may receive the PDSCH using the corresponding amount of MIMO layers according to the indication information. It should be noted that the amount of MIMO layers included in or indicated by the indication information may be the maximum MIMO layer amount.

[0338] In the method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the power consumption caused by PDCCH monitoring for the terminal device can be reduced by using the indication information. Further, the terminal device uses different search spaces to monitor the PDCCH carrying the indication information and the PDCCH not carrying the indication information, and the terminal device does not necessarily use all search spaces to monitor the PDCCH so as to reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0339] Embodiments of the present invention provide a communication method. The terminal device can receive the PDSCH sent by the network device using an appropriate amount of MIMO layers, and can reduce the power consumption for receiving the PDSCH by the terminal device. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the method specifically includes the following steps.

[0340] The terminal device determines whether the first condition is met or the second condition is met. The first condition includes that the first timer is not in the running state, and the second condition includes that the first timer is in the running state.

[0341] In a specific implementation, the duration of the first timer may be configured by the network device through RRC signaling. In some embodiments, the duration of the timer is less than the duration of the inactivity timer (drx-InactivityTimer). Indeed, in this embodiment of the present invention, the first timer may alternatively be the drx-InactivityTimer and is used to determine the length of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH after the terminal device successfully decodes the PDCCH to schedule a new transmission.

[0342] In a specific implementation, when the terminal device receives a PDCCH, the first timer is started or restarted; when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate data transmission, the first timer is started or restarted; when the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission, the first timer is started or restarted; or when the second timer is started or restarted, the terminal device starts or restarts the first timer, where the second timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH after the terminal device receives a PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission. For example, the second timer is the drx-InactivityTimer. Alternatively, when the terminal device receives indication information sent by the network device, the terminal device starts or restarts the first timer. The indication information may be sent through Downlink Control Information (DCI) or through a Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE). The PDCCH used to indicate data transmission may be a PDCCH used to indicate uplink transmission or a PDCCH used to indicate downlink transmission.

[0343] When the first condition is satisfied, step 702 is performed. When the second condition is satisfied, step 703 is performed.

[0344] 702: When the terminal device receives a first PDCCH when the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device receives a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) indicated by the first PDCCH based on the first multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layer amount.

[0345] When the terminal device receives the second PDCCH when the second condition is satisfied, the terminal device receives the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH based on the second MIMO layer amount.

[0346] In a specific implementation, the first MIMO layer amount is different from the second MIMO layer amount. In some embodiments, the first MIMO layer amount is the MIMO layer amount to be used for the PDSCH indicated by the first PDCCH, and the second MIMO layer amount is the MIMO layer amount to be used for the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH. In some other embodiments, the first MIMO layer amount is the maximum MIMO layer amount that can be used for the PDSCH indicated by the first PDCCH, and the second MIMO layer amount is the maximum MIMO layer amount that can be used for the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH. In some embodiments, the first MIMO layer amount is smaller than the second MIMO layer amount. For example, the first MIMO layer amount is 2 and the second MIMO layer amount is 4. When the first condition is satisfied, the terminal device may enable only two receive antennas or two receive chains. When the second condition is satisfied, the terminal device needs to enable four receive antennas or four receive chains. In this way, the power consumption of the terminal device is reduced as much as possible.

[0347] Normally, the network device is used for the PDSCH within the Downlink Control Information (DCI) Ru AAn antenna port is shown. The amount of antenna ports is a value of the number of MIMO layers. When the number of MIMO layers is relatively small, the terminal device may use a relatively small amount of receive antennas or receive chains (Rx chains). When the number of MIMO layers is relatively large, the terminal device needs to use a relatively large amount of receive antennas or receive chains. Therefore, the power consumption caused when the terminal device uses a larger number of MIMO layers is higher than the power consumption caused when the terminal device uses a smaller number of MIMO layers. To reduce the power consumption of the terminal device, the terminal device may receive PDSCH by using different numbers of MIMO layers in different cases.

[0348] It should be noted that the second number of MIMO layers may be supported by the terminal device and may be the maximum number of MIMO layers indicated by the terminal device's capability information, for example, maxNumberMIMO-LayersPDSCH in the FeatureSetDownlinkPerCC IE.

[0349] The first number of MIMO layers may be configured by the network device. Before the network device configures the first number of MIMO layers, the terminal device may send indication information to the network device to indicate the first number of MIMO layers predicted or recommended by the terminal device. Alternatively, the first number of MIMO layers may be determined based on the second number of MIMO layers. For example, the first number of MIMO layers is obtained by rounding up the value obtained after dividing the second number of MIMO layers by 2.

[0350] Furthermore, this embodiment of the present invention further provides other possible implementations of the first condition in steps 701 and 702. The first condition may specifically include the following four possible cases.

[0351] (1) In addition to including that the first timer is not in an execution state, the first condition further includes that the third timer is in an execution state.

[0352] It should be noted that the third timer is used to determine the duration of time for the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH during one intermittent reception DRX cycle. For example, the third timer is an on - duration timer, onDurationTimer, or drx - onDurationTimer. In other words, when the first timer is not in an execution state and the third timer is in an execution state, the PDCCH received by the terminal device is represented as the first PDCCH. Further, the terminal device may receive the PDSCH indicated by the first PDCCH based on the first MIMO layer amount. The third timer may be started at the moment of the start of the DRX cycle. Alternatively, the third timer is started at the moment of the start of the on - duration during the DRX cycle, and the duration of the third timer is the length of the on - duration.

[0353] (2) In some embodiments, the first condition may further include that the terminal device is within the on - duration during the DRX cycle. In other words, when the first timer is not in an execution state and the terminal device is within the on - duration during the DRX cycle, the PDCCH received by the terminal device is represented as the first PDCCH. Further, the terminal device may receive the PDSCH indicated by the first PDCCH based on the first MIMO layer amount.

[0354] (3) In some embodiments, the first condition is that the downlink retransmission timer (such as drx-Retransmission TimerDL or drx-RetransmissionTimer), the uplink retransmission timer (such as drx-Retransmission TimerUL or drx-ULRetransmissionTimer), and the contention resolution timer (such as ra-ContentionResolutionTimer or mac-ContentionResolutionTimer) are not in the running state, the scheduling request sent by the terminal device is not in the pending state, and the terminal device is not in the state of "not receiving the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR", where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble, and further includes one or more of the cases.

[0355] For example, in some embodiments, when the first timer is not in the running state and the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the PDCCH received by the terminal device is represented as the first PDCCH. Further, the terminal device may receive the PDSCH indicated by the first PDCCH based on the first MIMO layer amount. In some other embodiments, when the first timer is not in the running state, the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, and the uplink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the PDCCH received by the terminal device is represented as the first PDCCH, and the terminal device may further receive the PDSCH indicated by the first PDCCH based on the first MIMO layer amount. In some other embodiments, when the first timer is not in the running state, the third timer is in the running state, and the downlink retransmission timer is not in the running state, the PDCCH received by the terminal device is represented as the first PDCCH, and the terminal device may further receive the PDSCH indicated by the first PDCCH based on the first MIMO layer amount.

[0356] The uplink retransmission timer is used to determine the duration of time for monitoring the PDCCH used to indicate uplink retransmission, and the downlink retransmission timer is used to determine the duration of time for monitoring the PDCCH used to indicate downlink retransmission. The contention resolution timer is used by the terminal device to determine the duration of time for monitoring the PDCCH used to indicate message 4 after the terminal device has sent message 3 in the random access process.

[0357] (4) In some embodiments, the first condition is that the terminal device is between the first moment and the second moment. The second moment is the third moment, and this third moment is the moment when the terminal device receives the Nth PDCCH after the first moment. Alternatively, the second moment is a moment after the first duration from the third moment. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the length of the first duration is greater than 0. When the first condition is satisfied, the PDCCH received by the terminal device is referred to as the first PDCCH, and the terminal device may further receive the PDSCH indicated by the first PDCCH based on the first MIMO layer amount. The second condition is that the terminal device is after the second moment. When the second condition is satisfied, the PDCCH received by the terminal device is referred to as the second PDCCH, and the terminal device may further receive the PDSCH indicated by the second PDCCH based on the second MIMO layer amount. In some embodiments, the first moment may be the start moment of the DRX on-duration. In some embodiments, when the inactivity timer expires within the on-duration during the DRX cycle, the first moment is the moment when the inactivity timer expires. In the fourth possible case, the second condition is that the terminal device is after the second moment.

[0358] In some embodiments, the terminal device receives the PDSCH based on the second MIMO layer amount when one of the following occurs: the downlink retransmission timer is in the running state, the uplink retransmission timer is in the running state, the contention resolution timer is in the running state, the terminal device sends a scheduling request and the scheduling request is in the pending state, and the terminal device does not receive the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission after successfully receiving the random access response RAR, where the PDCCH used to indicate a new transmission is scrambled by using the cell radio network temporary identifier C-RNTI, the RAR is a response to the target random access preamble, and the target random access preamble is not a contention-based random access preamble.

[0359] Embodiments of the present invention further provide a communication method. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the method includes the following steps.

[0360] Step 801: The terminal device receives indication information, and this indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device not to monitor the PDCCH within a first time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH within a second time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information. The indication information includes or indicates a first search space configuration.

[0361] Step 802: The terminal device monitors the PDCCH based on the first search space configuration within a time period other than the first time period or within the second time period, or the terminal device skips monitoring the PDCCH by using the first search space configuration within a time period other than the first time period or within the second time period.

[0362] It should be noted that when the first search space configuration is not used to monitor the PDCCH, the method may further include Step 803: If the terminal device skips monitoring the PDCCH by using the first search space configuration within a time period other than the first time period or within the second time period, the terminal device monitors the PDCCH by using the second search space configuration within a time period other than the first time period or within the second time period. The first search space configuration is different from the second search space configuration.

[0363] The first search space configuration includes a first search space set, the second search space configuration includes a second search space set, and the first search space set is different from the second search space set. In some embodiments, the first search space set may be a subset of the second search space set. It should be noted that for the detailed configurations of the first search space set and the second search space set, refer to the multiple possible implementations provided in the related description of step 401. Details are not described in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0364] In some embodiments, the first search space configuration includes first search space parameters, the second search space configuration includes second search space parameters, and the first search space parameters are different from the second search space parameters. Specifically, the search space parameters include at least one of the parameters of the PDCCH monitoring period, the PDCCH monitoring duration during each PDCCH monitoring period, the amount of candidate PDCCHs, the CCE aggregation level, and the related control resource set. It should be noted that for the detailed configurations of the first search space parameters and the second search space parameters, refer to the multiple possible implementations provided in the related description of step 401. Details are not described in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0365] In some embodiments, the PDCCH may be a PDCCH used to indicate data transmission.

[0366] In some embodiments, the PDCCH may be a PDCCH scrambled by using a cell radio network temporary identity (C-RNTI), a Configured Scheduling RNTI (CS-RNTI), an Interruption RNTI (INT-RNTI), a Slot Format Indication RNTI (SFI-RNTI), a Semi-Persistent CSI RNTI (SP-CSI-RNTI), a Transmit Power Control RNTI (TPC-PUCCH-RNTI), a Transmit Power Control Physical Uplink Shared Channel RNTI (TPC-PUSCH-RNTI), or a Transmit Power Control Sounding Reference Signal RNTI (TPC-SRS-RNTI).

[0367] Embodiments of the present invention further provide a communication method. As shown in FIG. 9, the method includes the following steps.

[0368] 901: The terminal device receives indication information sent by the network device, where the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device not to monitor the PDCCH within a first time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to monitor the PDCCH within a second time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information.

[0369] In a possible implementation, the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device not to expect a second PDCCH within a first time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, or the indication information is used to indicate that the network device does not send a second PDCCH to the terminal device within a first time period that exists after the network device sends the indication information.

[0370] It should be noted that the time period (for example, the first time period or the second time period) in this embodiment of the present invention may be one or more on durations that exist after the indication information is received, or may be a time period having a length of M time units that exists after N time units after the indication information is received. The time unit may be an absolute time such as milliseconds, or may be a symbol, a slot, a subframe, etc. N is 0 or more, and M is 1 or more.

[0371] 902: The terminal device monitors the PDCCH within a time period other than the first time period or within the second time period.

[0372] Specifically, when the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device not to monitor a second PDCCH within a first time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, the terminal device monitors the second PDCCH within a time period other than the first time period.

[0373] Alternatively, when the indication information is used to indicate to the terminal device to monitor a second PDCCH within a second time period that exists after the terminal device receives the indication information, the terminal device monitors the second PDCCH within the second time period.

[0374] 903: The terminal device receives a physical downlink shared channel PDSCH based on the amount of MIMO layers indicated by the indication information, and the PDSCH is the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH monitored by the terminal device.

[0375] Specifically, the indication information may further include or indicate the amount of MIMO layers. Further, the terminal device may receive the PDSCH based on the corresponding amount of MIMO layers in order to reduce power consumption. In some embodiments, the amount of MIMO layers is the amount of MIMO layers to be used for the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH. In some other embodiments, the amount of MIMO layers is the maximum amount of MIMO layers that can be used for the PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH.

[0376] In the method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the network device can reduce the power consumption caused by PDCCH monitoring for the terminal device by using the indication information.

[0377] Embodiments of the present invention provide a terminal device. This terminal device may be the terminal device in the embodiments of the present invention, for example, the terminal device in the communication system illustrated in FIG. 1. When each functional module is obtained through division based on each corresponding function, FIG. 10 is a possible schematic structural diagram of the aforementioned terminal device. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the terminal device includes a receiving unit 1001, a processing unit 1002, and a transmitting unit 1003.

[0378] The receiving unit 1001 is configured to support the terminal device when implementing step 402, step 403, step 502, step 503, step 602, step 603, step 702, step 703, step 801, step 802, step 803, step 901, step 902, and step 903, and / or another process in the technology described herein in the foregoing embodiments.

[0379] The processing unit 1002 is configured to support the terminal device when implementing step 401, step 501, step 601, and step 701 in the embodiments of the present invention, and / or when implementing another process in the technology described herein.

[0380] The sending unit 1003 is configured to send a signal to another device, for example, when sending an uplink signal to a network device, and / or to support the terminal device when implementing another process in the technology described herein.

[0381] It should be noted that all relevant contents of the steps in the foregoing method embodiments may be cited in the function descriptions of the corresponding functional modules. Details are not described again in this specification.

[0382] For example, when an integration unit is used, FIG. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application. In FIG. 11, the terminal device includes a processing module 1101 and a communication module 1102. The processing module 1101 controls and manages the actions of the terminal device, for example, is configured to implement the steps performed by the foregoing processing unit 1002 and / or another process in the technology described herein. The communication module 1102 supports the interaction between the terminal device and another device, for example, is configured to implement the steps performed by the foregoing receiving unit 1001 and sending unit 1003. As shown in FIG. 11, the terminal device may further include a storage module 1103, and the storage module 1103 is configured to store program codes and data of the terminal device.

[0383] When the processing module 1101 is a processor, the communication module 1102 is a transceiver, and the memory module 1103 is a memory, the terminal device may be the terminal device illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0384] When each functional module is obtained through a division based on each corresponding function, FIG. 12 is a possible schematic structural diagram of the network device in the foregoing embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the network device includes a receiving unit 1201, a transmitting unit 1202, and a processing unit 1203.

[0385] The receiving unit 1201 is configured to receive a signal sent by another device, for example, receive an uplink signal sent by a terminal device, and / or support the network device when implementing another process in the technology described in this specification.

[0386] The transmitting unit 1202 is configured to send a downlink signal to the terminal device, for example, the sending procedures in steps 801 and 901 in the foregoing embodiment, and / or support the network device when implementing another process in the technology described in this specification.

[0387] The processing unit 1203 is configured to support the network device when implementing the foregoing embodiment and / or another process in the technology described in this specification.

[0388] It should be noted that all relevant contents of the steps in the foregoing method embodiment may be cited in the function description of the corresponding functional module. Details are not described again in this specification.

[0389] For example, when an integrated unit is used, FIG. 13 is a schematic structural diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application. In FIG. 13, the network device includes a processing module 1301 and a communication module 1302. The processing module 1301 is configured to control and manage the actions of the network device, for example, perform the steps implemented by the aforementioned processing unit 1203, and / or perform another process in the technology described herein. The communication module 1302 is configured to support the interaction between the network device and another device, for example, perform the steps implemented by the aforementioned receiving unit 1201 and transmitting unit 1202, and perform various types of interactions with the network device. As shown in FIG. 13, the network device may further include a storage module 1303, and the storage module 1303 is configured to store program code and data of the network device.

[0390] When the processing module 1301 is a processor, the communication module 1302 is a transceiver, and the storage module 1303 is a memory, the network device is the network device shown in FIG. 14. Referring to FIG. 14, the network device may include at least one processor 1401, a memory 1402, a transceiver 1403, and a communication bus 1404. The processor 1401, the memory 1402, and the transceiver 1403 are connected to each other by using the communication bus 1404.

[0391] The following will describe the components of the network device in detail with reference to FIG. 14.

[0392] The processor 1401 is the control center of the network device. The processor 1401 can implement various functions of the network device by executing (running or executing) the software program stored in the memory 1402 and calling the data stored in the memory 1402.

[0393] In certain implementations, in an embodiment, the processor 1401 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 illustrated in FIG. 14.

[0394] The network device may include multiple processors, such as processors 1401 and 1405 illustrated in FIG. 14. Each of the processors may be a single-core (single CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi CPU) processor. As used herein, a processor may refer to one or more network devices, circuits, and / or processing cores configured to process data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0395] The transceiver 1403 is any network device of the transceiver type and is used for communication with another device, such as communication with a network device. Indeed, the transceiver 1403 may be further configured to communicate with a communication network.

[0396] The network device structure illustrated in FIG. 14 does not constitute a limitation on the network device. The network device may include more or fewer components than those illustrated in the figure, may combine some components, or may have different component arrangements.

[0397] Embodiments of the present invention further provide a computer-readable storage medium. This computer-readable storage medium stores instructions. When the computer-readable storage medium is executed on the terminal devices illustrated in FIGS. 11, 10, and 3, the terminal devices are enabled to implement the methods illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 9.

[0398] Embodiments of the present invention further provide a computer-readable storage medium. This computer-readable storage medium stores instructions. When the computer-readable storage medium is executed on the network devices illustrated in FIGS. 12, 13, and 14, the network devices are enabled to implement the methods illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 9.

[0399] Embodiments of the present invention further provide a wireless communication device. This wireless communication device stores instructions. When the wireless communication device is executed on the terminal devices illustrated in FIGS. 11, 10, and 3, the wireless communication device is enabled to implement the methods illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 9. The wireless communication device may be a chip.

[0400] Embodiments of the present invention further provide a wireless communication device. This wireless communication device stores instructions. When the wireless communication device is executed on the network devices illustrated in FIGS. 12, 13, and 14, the wireless communication device is enabled to implement the methods illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 9. The wireless communication device may be a chip.

[0401] The foregoing description of the implementation enables those skilled in the art to clearly understand that the division of the foregoing functional modules into examples is merely for the purpose of a convenient and brief description. In actual application examples, the foregoing functions may be assigned to different functional modules according to requirements for implementation. Specifically speaking, the internal structure of the database access device is divided into different functional modules to implement all or some of the functions described above.

[0402] In some embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed database access device and method may be implemented in other manners. For example, the described database access device embodiments are merely examples. For example, the division into modules or units is only a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division manners. For example, a plurality of units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, some features may be ignored, or may not be implemented. Further, the shown or considered mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection may be implemented by using some interfaces. The indirect coupling or communication connection between the database access devices or units may be implemented in an electronic form, a mechanical form, or other forms.

[0403] The units described as separate parts may or may not be physically separate, and the parts shown as units may be one or more physical units, may be placed within one location, or may be dispersed over a plurality of different locations. Some or all of the units may be selected based on actual requirements to achieve the purpose of the solution of the embodiment.

[0404] Furthermore, the functional units in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, each of the units may exist physically alone, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of a software functional unit.

[0405] When the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, the integrated unit may be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on such an understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application are essentially, or the parts that contribute to the prior art, or all or some of the technical solutions may be implemented in the form of a software product. The software product is stored in a storage medium and includes some instructions for instructing a device (which may be a single-chip microcomputer, a chip, etc.) or a processor to implement all or some of the steps of the method described in the embodiments of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes any medium capable of storing program code, such as a USB flash drive, a removable hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0406] The foregoing description is only a specific implementation of the present application and is not intended to limit the protection scope of the present application. Any modification or substitution within the technical scope disclosed in the present application shall be included within the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

Claim 1 A monitoring method, comprising: a step of obtaining, by a terminal device, a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration, wherein the first search space configuration includes a first search space set, the second search space configuration includes a second search space set, and the first search space set is different from the second search space set; a step of monitoring, by the terminal device, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) based on the first search space configuration; when the terminal device receives a first PDCCCH when monitoring the PDCCCH based on the first search space configuration, starting a first timer, and a step of monitoring, by the terminal device, the PDCCCH based on the second search space configuration; when the terminal device receives a second PDCCCH when monitoring the PDCCCH based on the second search space configuration, restarting the first timer. The monitoring method as described above. Claim 2 The method further includes: a step of monitoring, by the terminal device, the PDCCCH based on the first search space configuration after the first timer expires. The monitoring method according to Claim 1, further comprising the above step. Claim 3 The step of obtaining, by a terminal device, a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration includes: a step of receiving, by the terminal device, first information sent by a network device, where the first information includes or indicates the first search space configuration; a step of receiving, by the terminal device, second information sent by the network device, where the second information includes or indicates the second search space configuration. The monitoring method according to Claim 1 or 2, further comprising the above steps. Claim 4 The method further includes: a step of receiving, by the terminal device, a search space information element (IE), where the search space information element includes indication information, and the indication information indicates that the search space belongs to the first search space set, or the second search space set, or both the first search space set and the second search space set. The monitoring method according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, further comprising the above step. Claim 5 The monitoring method according to claim 4, wherein the search space is a search space included in UE-specific PDCCCH parameters configured for the terminal device. **Claim 6** The monitoring method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the length of the first timer is configured by radio resource control (RRC) signaling. **Claim 7** A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed on a terminal device, the terminal device is enabled to perform the monitoring method according to any one of claims 1 to 6. **Claim 8** A wireless communication device storing instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed on a terminal device, the terminal device obtains a first search space configuration and a second search space configuration, the first search space configuration includes a first set of search spaces, the second search space configuration includes a second set of search spaces, and the first set of search spaces is different from the second set of search spaces, monitors a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) based on the first search space configuration, when the terminal device receives a first PDCCCH when monitoring the PDCCCH based on the first search space configuration, starts a first timer, and monitors the PDCCCH based on the second search space configuration, and when the terminal device receives a second PDCCCH when monitoring the PDCCCH based on the second search space configuration, restarts the first timer is enabled to do so. **Claim 9** When the wireless communication device is executed on a terminal device, the terminal device is further enabled to monitor the PDCCCH based on the first search space configuration after the first timer expires. The wireless communication device according to claim 8. **Claim 10** Obtaining the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration includes receiving first information sent by a network device, the first information comprising or indicating the first search space configuration, and receiving second information sent by the network device, the second information comprising or indicating the second search space configuration The wireless communication device according to claim 8 or 9. **Claim 11** When the wireless communication device is executed on a terminal device, the terminal device further receives search space information elements, the search space information elements include indication information, and the indication information indicates that the search space belongs to the first search space set, or the second search space set, or both the first search space set and the second search space set, The wireless communication device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, further enabled to be

12. The wireless communication device according to claim 11, wherein the search space is a search space included in UE-specific PDCCCH parameters configured for the terminal device.

13. The wireless communication device according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the length of the first timer is configured by radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

14. The wireless communication device according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the wireless communication device is a chip.

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