Communication method and related product

Abstract

Disclosed in embodiments of the present application are a communication method and a related product. The method comprises: receiving first information from a distributed unit (DU), the first information being used for indicating that a terminal device is going to access a target cell; and when a first condition is met, stopping collecting UE history information (UHI) of the terminal device in a source cell, and / or collecting UHI of the terminal device in the target cell, wherein the source cell is a cell that the terminal device has accessed before accessing the target cell, and the first condition comprises at least one of the following: receiving the first information; and receiving second information, the second information being used for indicating that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell. A network side (such as a CU) can acquire and use accurate UHI.

Description

Communication methods and related products

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application with application number 202310892488.2 filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on July 19, 2023, and priority to the Chinese patent application with the invention name “Communication Methods and Related Products”, all contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communications, and in particular to a communication method and related products. Background Art

[0003] In a wireless network, a user equipment (UE) may communicate with multiple base stations, which is called dual-connectivity (DC), also known as multi-radio dual connectivity or multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC). The network side can use the resources of multiple base stations to provide communication services for the same UE, thereby providing high-speed transmission for the UE. In the MR-DC scenario, the base station that has control plane signaling interaction with the core network is called the master base station (master mode, MN), and the other base stations are called secondary base stations (secondary nodes, SN). In the MR-DC scenario, there is a primary cell (Pcell) in the master base station and a primary secondary cell (PSCell) in the secondary base station.

[0004] The primary cell is deployed at the primary frequency, that is, it operates on the primary carrier. The UE initiates the initial connection establishment procedure or the connection re-establishment procedure in the primary cell. A primary / secondary cell refers to the cell where the UE initiates random access on a secondary base station, the cell where the UE initiates data transmission by skipping the random access procedure during a secondary base station change, or the cell where the UE initiates random access on a secondary base station during synchronization reconfiguration.

[0005] User history information (UE history information, UHI) contains the user's mobility history information in the PCell and PSCell. Mobility history information includes a series of information related to the cells previously visited by the user, such as cell identification information and the UE's residence time in the cell. User history information is recorded on the UE side and the network side respectively and is used to optimize mobility parameters such as selecting a reasonable target cell and detecting ping-pong events. It can also be used for cell traffic prediction and mobility prediction. The number of entries recorded by the UE side and the network side for previously visited cells is limited. If the number exceeds the maximum data, the oldest entry is deleted first.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The embodiments of the present application disclose a communication method and related products, which enable the network side to obtain and use accurate UHI.

[0008] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, the method comprising: receiving first information from a distributed unit (DU), the first information being used to indicate that a terminal device will access a target cell; when a first condition is met, stopping collecting user history information (UE history information, UHI) of the terminal device in a source cell, and / or collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell, the source cell being the cell accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target cell; the first condition comprises at least one of the following: receiving the first information; receiving second information, the second information being used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell.

[0009] In an embodiment of the present application, when the first condition is met, the collection of the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell is stopped, and / or the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell is collected; this enables the network side (eg, CU) to obtain and use accurate UHI.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the second information is carried in a first message, where the first message is sent by a target DU accessed by the terminal device to a target centralized unit (CU), where the target CU is the CU to which the target cell belongs; or, the second information is carried in a second message, where the second message is a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration completion message sent by the terminal device. The centralized unit may be referred to as a centralized unit.

[0011] In this implementation, the second information is carried in the first message or the second message, and the collection of the UHI in the source cell can be stopped in time, and / or the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell can be collected in time, so that the network side (ie, CU) can obtain and use accurate UHI.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the first information is used to indicate that mobility information triggered by layer 1 / layer 2 and used to instruct the terminal device to change to the target cell has been sent to the terminal device.

[0013] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which includes: receiving first information from a DU, the first information being used to indicate that a terminal device will access a target cell; when the first information is received, sending a UHI to a target CU to which the target cell belongs, the source CU of the terminal device and the target CU are not the same, and / or, sending a third information to a candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs, the third information indicating information of the target cell to which the terminal device is changed, triggered by layer 1 / layer 2, and the source CU of the terminal device and the candidate CU are not the same.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present application, when the first information is received, the first CU sends the UHI to the target CU to which the target cell belongs, and / or the first CU sends the third information to the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs; this enables the network side (when the candidate CU becomes the target CU) to obtain and use accurate UHI.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the first information is used to indicate that mobility information triggered by layer 1 / layer 2 and used to instruct the terminal device to change to the target cell has been sent to the terminal device.

[0016] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which includes: receiving third information, wherein the third information indicates information of a target cell to which a terminal device is changed triggered by layer 1 / layer 2; when the third information is received, stopping collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell, and / or starting collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell, wherein the source cell is the cell accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target cell.

[0017] In an embodiment of the present application, when the third information is received, the collection of the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell is stopped, and / or the collection of the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell is started; this enables the network side to obtain and use accurate UHI.

[0018] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which includes: receiving second information, where the second information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell; when the second information is received, stopping collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell, and / or collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0019] In the embodiment of the present application, when the second information is received, the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell is collected; the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell can be collected in a timely manner.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the second information is carried in a first message, and the first message is sent by the target DU accessed by the target cell to the target CU, and the target CU is the CU to which the target cell belongs; or, the second information is carried in a second message, and the second message is an RRC reconfiguration completion message sent by the terminal device.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the method is applied to the target CU, and the target CU is not the same as the CU to which the source cell to which the terminal device accesses before accessing the target cell belongs.

[0022] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which includes: when receiving the fourth information, stopping collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells, and / or collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells, the fourth information being used to indicate the target primary and secondary cells that meet the conditions selected by the terminal device; and sending the UHI of the terminal device to the target secondary node.

[0023] In an embodiment of the present application, when the fourth information is received, the collection of the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells is stopped, and / or the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells is collected; the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells can be collected in a timely manner, and the collection of the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells can be stopped in a timely manner.

[0024] In the sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which includes: when receiving the fourth information, sending the fifth information to one or more candidate secondary nodes, the fourth information is used to indicate the target primary and secondary cells that meet the conditions selected by the terminal device, and the fifth information indicates the target primary and secondary cells that meet the conditions selected by the terminal device, and the target primary and secondary cells belong to one of the at least one candidate primary and secondary cells indicated for the terminal device.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present application, the fifth information is sent to one or more candidate secondary nodes so that the candidate CU accurately records the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells. When the terminal device accesses the candidate CU, the candidate CU can use the accurate UHI of the primary and secondary cells.

[0026] In the seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which includes: receiving fifth information from a master node; when receiving the fifth information, stopping collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells, and / or collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells, the fifth information indicates the target primary and secondary cells selected by the terminal device that meet the conditions, and the source primary and secondary cells are the primary and secondary cells accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target primary and secondary cells.

[0027] In an embodiment of the present application, when the fifth information is received, the collection of the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells is stopped, and / or the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells is collected; the candidate CU can accurately record the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells, and when the terminal device accesses the candidate CU, the candidate CU can use the accurate UHI of the primary and secondary cells.

[0028] In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which includes: after receiving the sixth information, sending the UHI of the source primary and secondary cells of the terminal device to the primary node of the terminal device, and / or sending the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the target secondary node of the terminal device, wherein the sixth information is used to instruct the source secondary node of the terminal device to stop providing user data to the terminal device.

[0029] In an embodiment of the present application, after receiving the sixth information, the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells is sent to the primary node or the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells is sent to the target secondary node; the target secondary node can obtain the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells.

[0030] In a possible implementation, sending the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the primary node of the terminal device includes: sending the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the primary node of the terminal device through a secondary node SN modification request process.

[0031] In one possible implementation, the sixth information includes identification information of the target primary and secondary cells that meet the conditions selected by the terminal device; sending the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the target secondary node of the terminal device includes: sending the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the target secondary node to which the target primary and secondary cells belong according to the identification information of the target primary and secondary cells.

[0032] In a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which includes: receiving UHI of a terminal device in a primary and secondary cell from a source secondary node; and sending the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cell to a target secondary node.

[0033] In the embodiment of the present application, the target secondary node can obtain the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells.

[0034] In a possible implementation, before receiving the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells from the source secondary node, the method further includes: sending sixth information to the source secondary node, where the sixth information is used to instruct the source secondary node to stop providing user data to the terminal device.

[0035] In the tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which includes: when receiving seventh information from a target base station, sending the UHI of the terminal device to the target base station, the seventh information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target base station.

[0036] In the embodiment of the present application, when the seventh information is received from the target base station, the UHI of the terminal device is sent to the target base station, so that the network side (target base station) can obtain and use accurate UHI information.

[0037] In the eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which includes: sending seventh information to a source base station, wherein the seventh information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to a target base station, and the source base station is the base station to which the terminal device accesses before switching to the target base station; and receiving the UHI of the terminal device from the source base station.

[0038] In the embodiment of the present application, the seventh information is sent to the source base station to notify the source base station to send the UHI of the terminal device to the target base station, so that the target base station can obtain the UHI of the terminal device in a timely manner.

[0039] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: after receiving an RRC reconfiguration completion message from the terminal device, collecting the UHI of the target primary cell of the terminal device under the target base station, the RRC reconfiguration completion message being used to instruct the terminal device to apply the configuration of the target primary cell.

[0040] In the twelfth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which includes: receiving an RRC reconfiguration completion message from a terminal device, the RRC reconfiguration completion message being used to instruct the terminal device to apply the configuration of the target primary cell; determining a candidate base station based on the received information of the candidate cell, and sending eighth information to the candidate base station of the terminal device, the eighth information being used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target primary cell.

[0041] In an embodiment of the present application, a candidate base station is determined based on the received information of the candidate cell, and the eighth information is sent to the candidate base station of the terminal device, which can instruct the candidate base station to accurately record the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell and / or the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0042] In the thirteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which includes: when receiving the eighth information, stopping collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary cell, and / or collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary cell, the eighth information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target primary cell, and the source primary cell is the primary cell accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target primary cell.

[0043] In an embodiment of the present application, when the eighth information is received, the collection of the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary cell is stopped, and / or the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary cell is collected; so that the network side (target base station) can obtain and use accurate UHI information.

[0044] In a possible implementation, the eighth information includes at least one item of identification information of the target primary cell and identification information of target primary and secondary cells of the terminal device.

[0045] In a fourteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the embodiment of the method of the first aspect above. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The functions of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or can be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the transceiver module is used to receive first information from the DU, and the first information is used to indicate that the terminal device will access the target cell; the processing module is used to stop collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell and / or collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell when a first condition is met, and the source cell is the cell accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target cell; the first condition includes at least one of the following: receiving the first information; receiving the second information, and the second information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell.

[0046] For possible implementations of the communication device of the fourteenth aspect, reference can be made to the various possible implementations of the first aspect.

[0047] For the technical effects brought about by various possible implementation methods of the fourteenth aspect, reference may be made to the introduction to the technical effects of the first aspect or various possible implementation methods of the first aspect.

[0048] In a fifteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the embodiment of the method of the second aspect above. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The functions of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or can be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software, and the hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the transceiver module is used to receive first information from the DU, and the first information is used to indicate that the terminal device will access the target cell; when the transceiver module receives the first information, it sends UHI to the target CU to which the target cell belongs, and the source CU and the target CU of the terminal device are not the same, and / or, sends third information to the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs, and the third information indicates the information of the target cell triggered by layer 1 / layer 2 indicating that the terminal device is changed to, and the source CU and the candidate CU of the terminal device are not the same. The processing module is used to generate information including the UHI of the terminal device or the above-mentioned third information.

[0049] For possible implementations of the communication device of the fifteenth aspect, reference can be made to the various possible implementations of the second aspect.

[0050] For the technical effects brought about by various possible implementation methods of the fifteenth aspect, reference may be made to the introduction to the technical effects of the second aspect or various possible implementation methods of the second aspect.

[0051] In a sixteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the embodiment of the method of the third aspect above. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The functions of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the transceiver module is used to receive third information, and the third information indicates information of the target cell to which the terminal device is changed triggered by layer 1 / layer 2; the processing module is used to stop collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell when the transceiver module receives the third information, and / or start collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell, where the source cell is the cell accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target cell.

[0052] Regarding the technical effects brought about by various possible implementation methods of the sixteenth aspect, please refer to the introduction to the technical effects of the third aspect.

[0053] In the seventeenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the embodiment of the method of the fourth aspect above. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The functions of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software implementations, and the hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the transceiver module is used to receive second information, and the second information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell; the processing module is used to stop collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell when the transceiver module receives the second information, and / or collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell, and the source cell is the cell accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target cell.

[0054] For possible implementations of the communication device of the seventeenth aspect, reference may be made to various possible implementations of the fourth aspect.

[0055] For the technical effects brought about by various possible implementation methods of the seventeenth aspect, reference may be made to the introduction to the technical effects of the fourth aspect or various possible implementation methods of the fourth aspect.

[0056] In an eighteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the method embodiment of the fifth aspect above. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The functions of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the transceiver module is used to receive fourth information; the processing module is used to stop collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells when the transceiver module receives the fourth information, and / or collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells, and the fourth information is used to indicate the target primary and secondary cells selected by the terminal device that meet the conditions; the transceiver module is also used to send the UHI of the terminal device to the target secondary node.

[0057] Regarding the technical effects brought about by various possible implementation methods of the eighteenth aspect, please refer to the introduction to the technical effects of the fifth aspect.

[0058] In a nineteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the embodiment of the method of the sixth aspect above. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The functions of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software implementations, and the hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the transceiver module is used to receive fourth information, and the fourth information is used to indicate the target primary and secondary cells that meet the conditions selected by the terminal device; the processing module is used to control the transceiver module to send fifth information to one or more candidate secondary nodes when the transceiver module receives the fourth information, and the fifth information indicates the target primary and secondary cells that meet the conditions selected by the terminal device, and the target primary and secondary cells belong to one of the at least one candidate primary and secondary cells indicated for the terminal device.

[0059] Regarding the technical effects brought about by various possible implementation methods of the nineteenth aspect, please refer to the introduction to the technical effects of the sixth aspect.

[0060] In the twentieth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the embodiment of the method of the seventh aspect above. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The function of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or it can be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the transceiver module is used to receive fifth information from the master node; the processing module is used to stop collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cell when the transceiver module receives the fifth information, and / or collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cell, the fifth information indicates the target primary and secondary cell selected by the terminal device that meets the conditions, and the source primary and secondary cell is the primary and secondary cell accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target primary and secondary cell.

[0061] For the technical effects brought about by various possible implementation methods of the twentieth aspect, please refer to the introduction to the technical effects of the seventh aspect.

[0062] In the twenty-first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the embodiment of the method of the eighth aspect above. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The functions of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or can be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software, and the hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the transceiver module is used to send the UHI of the source primary and secondary cells of the terminal device to the primary node of the terminal device after receiving the sixth information, and / or, send the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the target secondary node of the terminal device, and the sixth information is used to instruct the source secondary node of the terminal device to stop providing user data to the terminal device; the processing module is used to parse the sixth information.

[0063] For possible implementations of the communication device in the twenty-first aspect, reference can be made to the various possible implementations in the eighth aspect.

[0064] Regarding the technical effects brought about by various possible implementation methods of the twenty-first aspect, reference may be made to the introduction to the technical effects of the eighth aspect or various possible implementation methods of the eighth aspect.

[0065] In the twenty-second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the method embodiment of the ninth aspect above. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The functions of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software implementations, and the hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the transceiver module is used to receive the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells from the source secondary node; the processing module is used to generate information containing the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells; the transceiver module is also used to send information containing the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the target secondary node.

[0066] In another possible implementation, the transceiver module is further configured to send sixth information to the source secondary node, where the sixth information is configured to instruct the source secondary node to stop providing user data to the terminal device.

[0067] For possible implementations of the communication device in the twenty-second aspect, reference can be made to the various possible implementations in the ninth aspect.

[0068] Regarding the technical effects brought about by various possible implementation methods of the twenty-second aspect, reference may be made to the introduction to the technical effects of the ninth aspect or various possible implementation methods of the ninth aspect.

[0069] In the twenty-third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the method embodiment of the tenth aspect above. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The functions of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software implementations, and the hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the transceiver module is used to receive seventh information, and the seventh information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target base station; the processing module is used to parse the seventh information; the transceiver module is also used to send the UHI of the terminal device to the target base station when the seventh information from the target base station is received.

[0070] In the embodiment of the present application, when the seventh information is received from the target base station, the UHI of the terminal device is sent to the target base station, so that the network side (target base station) can obtain and use accurate UHI information.

[0071] In the twenty-fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the method embodiment of the eleventh aspect above. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The functions of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software implementations, and the hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the processing module is used to generate seventh information, and the seventh information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target base station; the transceiver module is used to send the seventh information to the source base station, and the source base station is the base station that the terminal device accesses before switching to the target base station; and receives the UHI of the terminal device from the source base station.

[0072] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module is further used to receive an RRC reconfiguration completion message from the terminal device, and the RRC reconfiguration completion message is used to instruct the terminal device to apply the configuration of the target primary cell; the processing module is further used to collect the UHI of the target primary cell of the terminal device under the target base station after the transceiver module receives the RRC reconfiguration completion message from the terminal device.

[0073] For possible implementations of the communication device in the twenty-fourth aspect, reference can be made to the various possible implementations in the eleventh aspect.

[0074] Regarding the technical effects brought about by various possible implementation methods of the twenty-fourth aspect, please refer to the introduction to the technical effects of the eleventh aspect or various possible implementation methods of the eleventh aspect.

[0075] In the twenty-fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the method embodiment of the twelfth aspect above. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The functions of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or can be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software, and the hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the transceiver module is used to receive an RRC reconfiguration completion message from a terminal device, and the RRC reconfiguration completion message is used to instruct the terminal device to apply the configuration of the target primary cell; the processing module is used to determine a candidate base station based on the received information of the candidate cell, and send an eighth information to the candidate base station of the terminal device, and the eighth information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target primary cell.

[0076] In an embodiment of the present application, a candidate base station is determined based on the received information of the candidate cell, and the eighth information is sent to the candidate base station of the terminal device; it can instruct the candidate base station to accurately record the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell and / or the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0077] In the twenty-sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the embodiment of the method of the thirteenth aspect. The communication device can be a communication device, or a component of a communication device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The function of the communication device can be implemented by hardware, or it can be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module, wherein: the transceiver module is used to receive eighth information, and the eighth information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target primary cell; the processing module is used to stop collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary cell when the transceiver module receives the eighth information, and / or collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary cell, where the source primary cell is the primary cell accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target primary cell.

[0078] In an embodiment of the present application, when the eighth information is received, the collection of the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary cell is stopped, and / or the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary cell is collected; so that the network side (target base station) can obtain and use accurate UHI information.

[0079] In aspect 27, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, comprising a processor coupled to a memory, the memory storing computer program instructions, the processor configured to execute the computer program instructions, causing the communication device to perform the method described in any one of aspects 1 to 13 above. Exemplarily, the communication device may be a chip, the processor may be a processing unit within the chip, and the memory may be a random access memory or cache within the chip.

[0080] In the embodiment of the present application, during the execution of the above method, the process of sending information (or signals) in the above method can be understood as the process of outputting information based on the instructions of the processor. When outputting information, the processor outputs the information to the transceiver so that it can be transmitted by the transceiver. After being output by the processor, the information may also need to undergo other processing before reaching the transceiver. Similarly, when the processor receives input information, the transceiver receives the information and inputs it into the processor. Furthermore, after the transceiver receives the information, the information may need to undergo other processing before being input into the processor.

[0081] For operations such as sending and / or receiving involved in the processor, unless otherwise specified, or unless they conflict with their actual functions or internal logic in the relevant descriptions, they can be generally understood as instructions output based on the processor.

[0082] During implementation, the processor may be a processor specifically configured to execute these methods, or may be a processor that executes computer instructions in a memory to execute these methods, such as a general-purpose processor. For example, the processor may also be configured to execute a program stored in a memory. When the program is executed, the communication device performs the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0083] In a possible implementation, the memory is located outside the communication device. In a possible implementation, the memory is located inside the communication device.

[0084] In a possible implementation, the processor and the memory may also be integrated into one device, that is, the processor and the memory may also be integrated together.

[0085] In a possible implementation, the communication device further includes a transceiver, and the transceiver is configured to receive signals or send signals.

[0086] In aspect 28, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device, which includes a processing circuit and an interface circuit, wherein the interface circuit is used to acquire data or output data; the processing circuit is used to execute the method shown in any one of the above-mentioned aspects 1 to 13.

[0087] In aspect 29, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which a computer program is stored. The computer program includes program instructions, which, when executed, enable the computer to execute the method shown in any one of aspects 1 to thirteen above.

[0088] In aspect 30, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program, and the computer program includes program instructions, which, when executed, enable the computer to execute the method shown in any one of aspects 1 to thirteen above.

[0089] In aspect 31, an embodiment of the present application provides a chip comprising a processor and a communication interface, wherein the processor reads instructions stored in a memory through the communication interface and executes a method as shown in any one of aspects 1 to 13 above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0090] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the background technology, the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application or the background technology will be described below.

[0091] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a wireless communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0092] FIG2A shows a schematic diagram of a CU-DU separation architecture;

[0093] FIG2B shows a schematic diagram of another CU-DU separation architecture;

[0094] FIG3 is an interactive flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0095] FIG4 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0096] FIG5 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0097] FIG6 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0098] FIG7 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0099] FIG8 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0100] FIG9 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0101] FIG10 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0102] FIG11 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0103] FIG12 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0104] FIG13 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0105] FIG14 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0106] FIG15 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0107] FIG16 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 1600 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0108] FIG17 is a schematic structural diagram of another communication device 170 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0109] FIG18 is a schematic structural diagram of another communication device 180 provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0110] The terms "first" and "second" in the specification, claims and drawings of the present application are only used to distinguish different objects, rather than to describe a specific order. It will be understood that the various digital numbers involved in the embodiments of the present application are only for the convenience of description and are not used to limit the scope of the embodiments of the present application. The size of the sequence number of each of the above processes does not mean the order of execution, and the order of execution of each process should be determined by its function and inherent logic. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but optionally also includes steps or units that are not listed, or optionally also includes other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0111] References to "embodiments" herein mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it refer to independent or alternative embodiments that are mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It will be understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0112] The terms used in the following embodiments of the present application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. As used in the specification of the present application and the appended claims, the singular expressions "one", "a kind of", "said", "above", "the" and "this" are intended to also include plural expressions, unless there is a clear contrary indication in the context. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" used in the present application refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more listed items. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: only A exists, only B exists, and A and B exist at the same time, where A and B can be singular or plural. The term "multiple" used in the present application refers to two or more. In the textual description of the present application, the character " / " generally indicates that the objects associated before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0113] It is understood that in each embodiment of the present application, "A corresponds to B" means that there is a corresponding relationship between A and B, and B can be determined according to A. However, it should also be understood that determining (or generating) B according to (or based on) A does not mean that B is determined (or generated) only according to (or based on) A, and B can also be determined (or generated) according to (or based on) A and / or other information.

[0114] To facilitate understanding of the solutions of the present application, the following first introduces the terms and technical solutions involved in the embodiments of the present application.

[0115] Handover: In some handover procedures, the mobility management of a connected UE is controlled by network equipment. This includes access network equipment, such as base stations. Exemplarily, the network equipment sends a handover message instructing the UE which cell to handover to and how to proceed. Upon receiving the handover message, the UE connects to the target cell based on the information contained in the handover message.

[0116] Conditional handover (CHO): The source base station sends CHO configuration information to the UE when the source link quality is good. After receiving the CHO configuration information, the UE does not immediately initiate a handover to any candidate cell. Instead, it maintains a connection and transmission with the source base station and continuously determines whether any candidate cell meets the handover triggering conditions, i.e., the triggering conditions for cell handover. In the basic handover of the new radio (NR) system, upon receiving the handover command (or handover message), the UE immediately performs a handover to the target cell indicated by the handover command.

[0117] The addition / change of primary and secondary cells includes the addition / change of basic (classic) primary and secondary cells and the addition / change of conditional (conditional) primary and secondary cells.

[0118] Addition / change of basic (classic) primary and secondary cells: When the UE is single-connected (no PSCell is configured), the network side will trigger the addition of the PSCell. The network side directly indicates a target PSCell to the UE, and the UE adds the target PSCell, that is, the network side configures MR-DC for the UE. The addition of the PSCell can only be triggered by the master node (MN); when the UE is configured with a PSCell, due to the mobility of the UE, the network side will trigger a change of the PSCell, which can be triggered by the MN or the secondary node (SN). The network side directly indicates a target PSCell to the UE, and the UE switches from the current PSCell to the UE target PSCell. In this article, the network side refers to network equipment, such as the primary base station, secondary base station, CU, DU, etc. In this article, the secondary base station can be called a secondary node, the candidate base station can be called a candidate node, and the primary base station can be called a primary node.

[0119] Conditional PSCell Addition / Change (CPAC): In a handover process that incorporates the CPAC mechanism, the UE's triggering node (MN / SN) prepares multiple candidate PSCells in advance. The network then sends the CPAC configuration to the UE. This configuration includes information about one or more candidate PSCells (e.g., candidate PSCell identification information and configuration parameters), as well as the corresponding execution conditions for the candidate PSCells. After receiving the CPAC configuration, if the UE finds that the signal quality of a candidate cell meets the handover triggering conditions, it selects that candidate cell as the target cell and performs random access, executing the PSCell addition or change process. In basic PSCell addition / change, the network specifies a single target cell. In conditional PSCell addition / change, the network specifies multiple candidate cells. The UE then evaluates the candidate cell that meets the conditions as the target cell. After successfully executing conditional PSCell addition (CPA) / conditional PSCell change (CPC), the UE releases the saved CPAC configuration. In this document, the identification information of the cell can be a global cell identifier (CGI), or a physical cell identifier (PCI) and a frequency. In this document, the user can be understood as a user who uses a terminal device, and the user can be replaced with the terminal device. CPA: When the UE is not configured with a PSCell, the network side will trigger the addition of the PSCell, that is, configure MR-DC for the UE. CPC: The UE is configured with MR-DC (that is, an SN exists).

[0120] User history information (UE history information, UHI): UHI contains the user's mobility history information in the PCell and PSCell. Mobility history information includes information related to the cells previously visited by the UE, such as cell identification information and the UE's residence time in the cell. The cell identification information can be the CGI and / or PCI. The number of entries recording previously visited cells is limited. If the number exceeds the maximum data, the oldest entry is deleted first. The cell identification information can be at least one of the following:

[0121] The cell global identifier (CGI), physical cell identifier (PCI) and frequency, physical cell identifier (PCI), cell identifier (cell ID), non-public network identifier (NPN ID), non-terrestrial network identifier (NTN ID), or other cell identifiers. The CGI may include a public land mobile network identifier (PLMN ID) and a cell ID.

[0122] UHI can be recorded on the UE side and the network side respectively to optimize mobility parameters, such as selecting a reasonable target cell and detecting ping-pong events. It can also be used for cell traffic prediction and mobility prediction.

[0123] UE side records UHI: When the UE accesses a cell of a base station, it records the historical information of the previously accessed cell and indicates to the base station that the UHI has been saved (for example, the UE will carry an indication in the RRC connection setup complete or RRC connection resume complete message, indicating that the UE has mobility history information). Afterwards, the base station can request the UE to report the UHI, for example, by carrying an indication requesting mobility history information in the UE information request message. After receiving the request, the UE reports the mobility history information (for example, the UE carries the mobility history information in the UE information response message).

[0124] Network-side UHI recording: When a UE accesses a cell under a base station, the source base station collects and stores the UE's UHI. When a handover occurs, the source base station provides the target base station with the UHI through the handover preparation process (handover request message) on the NG and XN interfaces, triggering the target base station to start collecting and storing the UE's mobility history information, thereby propagating the UHI on the network side. Currently, the network-side recording of the UE's UHI takes into account the recording of information related to previously visited cells of the PCell and PSCell in basic handover, conditional handover, and basic primary and secondary cell changes. When the UE is in dual connectivity (MR-DC), the secondary node (also known as the secondary base station) records the secondary cell group (SCG) UHI (PSCell mobility history information) and provides it to the primary node (also known as the master base station or master station). The primary node associates the master cell group (MCG) UHI (PCell mobility history information) with the SCG UHI and sends the associated MCG UHI and SCG UHI to the target base station in the handover request message. In addition to the cell identification information and the UE's residence time in the cell, the MCG UHI on the network side may also include the cell type (such as the cell size, with values ​​of very small, small, medium, and large) and the handover reason value.

[0125] In CHO, when a UE successfully accesses a candidate cell of the target base station, the target base station updates the UE's residence time in the source PCell to the value received from the source base station during handover preparation plus the time between receipt of the handover request message from the source base station and receipt of the RRC reconfiguration complete message from the UE. The target base station also updates the UE's residence time in the source PSCell for the SCG UHI received from the source base station via the handover request message.

[0126] Rel-18 mobility introduced the intra-CU LTM feature (L1 / L2 triggered mobility) and continuous CPAC feature; Rel-19 mobility may further discuss the inter-CU LTM feature and continuous CHO feature.

[0127] LTM feature: In basic handover, the UE reports a layer 3 measurement report to the network side. The network side determines the target cell for the UE based on the layer 3 measurement report. The network side sends a handover command to the UE through an RRC reconfiguration message. After receiving the handover command, the UE immediately performs handover to the target cell indicated by the handover command. Currently, the Rel-18 standard discusses the intra-CU LTM solution, that is, the network side pre-sends an RRC reconfiguration message containing multiple candidate cell configuration information to the UE. The candidate cell is a cell with the same CU under the base station. The UE saves the configuration information of multiple candidate cells, and the network side sends mobility information triggered by layer 1 / layer 2 (L1 / L2) to the UE to instruct the terminal device to change to the target cell. Specifically, based on the L1 measurement report reported by the UE to the network side, the network side indicates the mobility information related to the target cell to the UE through the L2 handover command (MAC CE). The mobility information may include one or more of the target cell configuration identification information, target cell identification information, timing advance (TA), and beam indication information. The target cell configuration identification information or the target cell identification information is used for the terminal device to apply the corresponding target cell configuration information, the timing advance information is used for the uplink synchronization of the terminal device and the target cell, and the beam indication information is used for the UE to perform uplink transmission / downlink reception on the indicated beam. The UE accesses the target cell based on the target cell's mobility information and configuration information. Access to the target cell can be based on random access (RA-based cell switch) or RA-less cell switch, and the configuration information of one or more candidate cells is saved to support continuous handover. The Rel-19 standard may discuss inter-CU LTM solutions to support candidate cells managed by different base stations (different CUs).

[0128] Continuous CPAC feature: After the UE successfully executes CPA / CPC in Rel-17, the UE releases the saved CPAC configuration and no longer continues to evaluate the execution trigger conditions of candidate cells. The current Rel-18 standard discusses a solution that supports continuous conditional PSCell change / addition (also known as SCG change / addition), that is, after the network side configures the conditional reconfiguration of one or more candidate PSCells for the UE, when the UE accesses the target PSCell (after the UE performs the addition or change to the target PSCell), the UE saves the conditional reconfiguration of one or more candidate PSCells to continue to evaluate whether the execution trigger conditions of the candidate PSCell cells are met, and then performs PSCell addition or change. Therefore, the network side does not need to send the RRC reconfiguration message (configuration information corresponding to one or more candidate PSCells) to the UE again for subsequent PSCell addition or change.

[0129] Continuous CHO feature: In Rel-16, after the UE successfully performs CHO, the UE releases the saved CHO configuration and no longer continues to evaluate the execution trigger conditions of candidate cells. The Rel-19 standard may discuss supporting continuous CHO, that is, after the network side configures the conditional reconfiguration of one or more candidate PCells for the UE, when the UE accesses the target PCell, the UE saves the conditional reconfiguration of one or more candidate PCells to continue evaluating whether the execution trigger conditions of the candidate PCell cells are met, and then performs conditional handover. In this way, the network side does not need to send the RRC reconfiguration message to the UE again for the candidate handover (configuration information corresponding to one or more candidate PCells).

[0130] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a wireless communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application. Referring to Figure 1, the network elements involved in the system architecture mainly include: terminal equipment, core network equipment and one or more access network equipment (only two are shown). In some embodiments, the wireless communication system may be composed of multiple cells, each cell containing one or more access network devices, and the access network equipment provides communication services to multiple terminal devices. In a wireless communication system, multiple terminal devices can communicate with each other. The terminal device is located within the coverage range of one or more cells (carriers) provided by the access network device, that is, the cell serving the terminal device can be one or more. The terminal device in the wireless communication system can perform cell switching, that is, switching from the currently accessed cell to other cells, for example, switching to a cell that can provide better services for the terminal device.

[0131] Terminal equipment, also known as terminal, UE, mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), etc., refers to equipment that provides voice and / or data connectivity to users. For example, handheld devices with wireless connectivity, in-vehicle devices, etc. Currently, some examples of terminal devices include: mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, PDAs, mobile internet devices (MIDs), wearable devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical surgery, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, subscriber units, cellular phones, wireless data cards, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, machine type communication (MTC) terminals, drones, etc. The terminal device can be any form of terminal in 5G and communication systems evolved after 5G, and this application is not limited to this. A terminal device may have one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs).

[0132] Access network equipment refers to the radio access network (RAN) node (or device) that connects terminal devices to the wireless network, also known as a base station. Currently, some examples of RAN nodes include: evolved Node B (gNB), transmission reception point (TRP), evolved Node B (eNB), radio network controller (RNC), Node B (NB), base station controller (BSC), base transceiver station (BTS), home base station (e.g., home evolved Node B, or HNB), base band unit (BBU), or wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) access point (AP). In addition, in one network architecture, an access network device can be a RAN device comprising a centralized unit (CU) node or a distributed unit (DU) node, or a RAN device comprising both a CU node and a DU node. The RAN equipment, including CU nodes and DU nodes, splits the protocol layer of the gNB in ​​the new radio (NR) system, placing some protocol layer functions centrally controlled by the CU and distributing some or all of the remaining protocol layer functions in the DU, which is centrally controlled by the CU.

[0133] Figure 2A shows a schematic diagram of a CU-DU separation architecture. As a possible implementation, referring to Figure 2A, each DU is connected to the CU via the F1 logical interface; the CU is deployed with the radio resource control (RRC) layer, the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP), and the service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer in the protocol stack; the DU is deployed with the radio link control (RLC) layer, the media access control (MAC) layer, and the physical layer (PHY) in the protocol stack. Thus, the CU has the processing capabilities of RRC, PDCP, and SDAP. The DU has the processing capabilities of RLC, MAC, and PHY. It will be understood that the above functional division is only an example and does not constitute a limitation on the CU and DU. That is to say, there may be other ways of functional division between the CU and DU, which will not be elaborated in detail in the embodiments of the present application. The functions of the CU can be implemented by one entity or by different entities. For example, the functions of the CU can be further divided. For example, the control plane (CP) and user plane (UP) of the CU are separated, namely the CU control plane (CU-CP) and the CU user plane (CU-UP). For example, the CU-CP and CU-UP can be implemented by different functional entities, and the CU-CP and CU-UP can be coupled with the DU to jointly complete the functions of the base station.

[0134] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP) and DU may have different names, but those skilled in the art can understand their meanings. For example, in the ORAN system, CU may also be called O-CU (Open CU), DU may also be called O-DU, CU-CP may also be called O-CU-CP, and CU-UP may also be called O-CU-UP. For the convenience of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, and DU as examples for description. Any unit in the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP) and DU in this application can be implemented through a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0135] In one possible implementation, the CU-CP is responsible for control plane functions, primarily including RRC and PDCP-C. PDCP-C is primarily responsible for control plane data encryption, decryption, integrity protection, and data transmission. The CU-UP is responsible for user plane functions, primarily including SDAP and PDCP-U. Figure 2B shows a schematic diagram of another CU-DU separation architecture. As shown in Figure 2B, the DU connects to the CU-CP via the F1-C logical interface, and the DU connects to the CU-UP via the F1-U logical interface. The CU-CP implements the RRC and PDCP-C components of the protocol stack, while the CU-UP implements the SDAP and PDCP-U components of the protocol stack. SDAP is primarily responsible for processing core network data and mapping data flows to bearers. PDCP-U is primarily responsible for data plane encryption, decryption, integrity protection, header compression, sequence number maintenance, and data transmission. The CU-CP and CU-UP are connected via the E1 interface. The CU-CP represents the gNB and connects to the core network via the Ng interface. The CU-CP connects to the DU via F1-C (control plane). The CU-UP is connected to the DU via the F1-U (user plane). Of course, another possible implementation is to also include the PDCP-C in the CU-UP.

[0136] Core network equipment refers to equipment in the core network (CN) that provides service support for terminal equipment. At present, some examples of core network equipment are: access and mobility management function (AMF) entity, session management function (SMF) entity, user plane function (UPF) entity, etc., which are not listed here one by one. Among them, the AMF entity can be responsible for terminal access management and mobility management; the SMF entity can be responsible for session management, such as user session establishment, etc.; the UPF entity can be a functional entity of the user plane, mainly responsible for connecting to the external network. It should be noted that the entity in this application can also be referred to as a network element or a functional entity. For example, the AMF entity can also be referred to as an AMF network element or an AMF functional entity. For another example, the SMF entity can also be referred to as an SMF network element or an SMF functional entity, etc.

[0137] The communication scheme provided in the embodiments of the present application is also applicable to other communication systems. For example, non-terrestrial communication (non-terrestrial network) systems, Internet of Things (IoT) networks or Vehicle to X (V2X) wireless local area network systems, wireless local area networks (WLAN), LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) systems, LTE time division duplex (TDD) systems, fifth generation (5G) communication systems, and future sixth generation (6G) communication systems.

[0138] The above-mentioned communication systems applicable to the communication solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application are merely examples. The communication systems applicable to the communication solutions provided in the present application are not limited thereto and are described uniformly here without further elaboration.

[0139] It can be understood that the present application does not specifically limit the specific structure of the execution subject of the method provided in the embodiment of the present application. As long as it is possible to communicate according to the method provided in the embodiment of the present application by running a program that records the code of the method provided in the embodiment of the present application, the interaction between the terminal device and the access network device (taking the base station as an example) is used as an example to illustrate.

[0140] FIG3 is a flow chart of an interaction method for a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method flow in FIG3 is a solution for collecting and recording UHI on the network side proposed for the mobility feature (intra-CU LTM) of R18. As shown in FIG3, the method includes:

[0141] 301. A first DU sends first information to a CU.

[0142] Correspondingly, the CU receives the first information from the first DU. In the present application, the first DU is coupled to the CU. In other words, the CU manages or controls the first DU, that is, the first DU is managed or controlled by the CU. In the present application, the CU and the DU coupled to the CU may belong to the same node or different nodes, and the present application does not limit the form of the CU and the DU coupled to the CU. For example, the CU and the DU coupled to the CU belong to the same base station, such as a gNB. Exemplarily, the first DU is any one of the one or more DUs controlled by the CU, see Figures 2A and 2B. The first DU supports the source cell of the terminal device. In other words, the first DU provides coverage of the source cell of the terminal device. In other words, the first DU provides services for the source cell of the terminal device. The source cell is the cell currently accessed by the terminal device, that is, the cell accessed before accessing the target cell, wherein the terminal device will subsequently switch from the source cell to the target cell. In the present application, the first DU is the DU currently accessed (or connected) by the terminal device. In other words, the first DU is the DU accessed before the terminal device accesses the target cell (supported by the target DU). The first DU can be called the source DU of the terminal device.

[0143] The above-mentioned first information is used to indicate that the terminal device will access the target cell. The first information may include configuration identification information of the target cell, or identification information of the target cell to notify the CU of the target cell. Exemplarily, the first information is used to indicate that mobility information triggered by Layer 1 / Layer 2 (L1 / L2) for instructing the terminal device to change to the target cell has been sent to the terminal device. The first message can also be called an LTM notification message.

[0144] 302. When the first condition is met, the CU stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0145] The above-mentioned first condition includes at least one of the following: receiving the above-mentioned first information; receiving the second information, and the above-mentioned second information is used to indicate that the above-mentioned terminal device successfully accesses the above-mentioned target cell.

[0146] In one possible implementation, the first condition is that the CU receives the first information. That is, if the CU receives the first information, it stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell. Since the first information is used to indicate that the terminal device will access the target cell, that is, switch from the source cell (cell switch) to the target cell; after receiving the first information, the CU stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell; this enables the network side (i.e., the CU) to obtain and use accurate UHI.

[0147] In one possible implementation, the first condition is that the CU receives the second information, and the second information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell. Exemplarily, the second information is carried in a first message, and the first message is sent by the target DU accessed by the terminal device to the target CU (i.e., the above-mentioned CU), and the target CU is the CU to which the target cell belongs. For example, the first message is a handover success message sent by the target DU to the target CU, and the handover success message is used to indicate that the terminal device switches to the target cell, and the handover success message can carry the identification information of the target cell. In this article, the handover success message can be replaced by a handover success notification, an access success message, etc. Exemplarily, the second information is carried in a second message, and the second message is an RRC reconfiguration completion message sent by the terminal device. The RRC reconfiguration completion message can be used to indicate that the terminal device has completed the RRC reconfiguration of the target cell. It can be understood that the terminal device sends an RRC reconfiguration completion message to the CU, indicating that the terminal device is about to access the target cell, so the CU can know that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell based on the RRC reconfiguration completion message. The CU receives the second information, indicating that the terminal device has switched to the target cell. Therefore, after receiving the second information, the CU stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell, and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell; it can stop collecting the UHI in the source cell in a timely manner, and / or collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell in a timely manner, so that the network side (i.e., the CU) can obtain and use accurate UHI.

[0148] It should be noted that in the embodiment of the present application, the first DU and the target DU (i.e., the second DU in Figure 3) are both managed by the CU, that is, the source cell and the target cell of the terminal device belong to the same CU. In other words, the source cell and the target cell of the terminal device belong to cells managed by the same base station (or CU). The embodiment of the present application can be applied to the scenario where the terminal device executes LTM within the same CU (switching cells within the same CU in the form of LTM), and can also be applied to the scenario where the terminal device executes continuous LTM within the same CU (switching cells within the same CU in the form of LTM).

[0149] In an embodiment of the present application, when the first condition is met, the CU stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell; this enables the network side (ie, the CU) to obtain and use accurate UHI.

[0150] FIG4 is a flow chart of another communication method interaction provided by an embodiment of the present application. The method flow in FIG4 is a possible implementation of the method described in FIG3. As shown in FIG4, the method includes:

[0151] 401. The CU sends an RRC reconfiguration message to the terminal device through the first DU.

[0152] Accordingly, the terminal device receives an RRC reconfiguration message sent by the CU to the terminal device via the first DU. The first DU may be the DU currently accessed by the terminal device, also known as the source DU. The CU manages or controls the first DU. The RRC reconfiguration message may include L1 / L2 mobility configuration information. Exemplarily, the L1 / L2 mobility configuration information includes configuration information of one or more candidate cells of the terminal device, and may also include L1 measurement control information.

[0153] Exemplarily, the method flow in Figure 4 may further include the following steps before step 401: the CU obtains the low-level RRC configuration information of the candidate cell of the terminal device. For example, the CU sends an LTM configuration request to the second DU, and the LTM configuration request indicates the candidate cell of the terminal device; when the second DU accepts the LTM configuration request, it sends the low-level RRC configuration information of the candidate cell to the CU. The second DU supports one or more candidate cells (including the target cell) of the terminal device. In this application, the second DU provides coverage of the candidate cell, and the second DU is one or more candidate DUs of the terminal device. The second DU can also be used in Figure 4 to represent the target DU. In this application, the target DU provides coverage of the target cell of the terminal device. In other words, the target DU provides services for the target cell of the terminal device.

[0154] 402. The terminal device sends the low-layer measurement result to the first DU.

[0155] Accordingly, the first DU receives a low-layer measurement result from the terminal device. The low-layer measurement result can be an L1 measurement result or an L3 measurement result. Exemplarily, the L1 / L2 mobility configuration information in the RRC reconfiguration message received by the terminal device includes L1 measurement control information; based on the L1 measurement control information, the terminal device measures one or more candidate cells and obtains an L1 measurement result, i.e., a low-layer measurement result, and reports it to the DU.

[0156] 403. The first DU decides to perform L1 / L2 triggered handover to the target cell based on the lower layer measurement results.

[0157] An example of step 403 is: the first DU decides to instruct the terminal device to switch to the target cell with an L2 handover command based on the low layer (L1) measurement result.

[0158] 404. The terminal device performs uplink synchronization and / or downlink synchronization with the candidate cell.

[0159] Step 404 is optional. For example, the network side may trigger the terminal device to perform early uplink synchronization and / or downlink synchronization with the candidate cell, where early uplink synchronization is also called early timing advance (TA) acquisition.

[0160] 405. The first DU sends an LTM command to the terminal device.

[0161] Accordingly, the terminal device receives an LTM command from the first DU. Exemplarily, the LTM command is used to instruct the terminal device to change mobility information to the target cell. The LTM command may carry configuration identification information of the target cell, or identification information of the target cell, and may also carry one or more of timing advance (TA) information and beam indication information.

[0162] The first DU may send an LTM command to the terminal device via a medium access control element (MACCE) or other messages from L1 / L2. That is, the LTM command is included in the MAC-CE or other messages from L1 / L2.

[0163] 406. The first DU sends first information to the CU.

[0164] Step 406 may refer to step 301 .

[0165] 407. After receiving the first information, the CU stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0166] Step 407 is optional and can be understood as an example of step 302 in FIG3 .

[0167] 408. The terminal device accesses the second DU.

[0168] A possible implementation of step 408 is as follows: the terminal device accesses the second DU, i.e., the target DU, based on the LTM command. An example of the terminal device accessing the second DU is that the terminal device switches from the source cell to the target cell, i.e., accesses the target cell in a random access or random access-free manner based on the LTM command.

[0169] 409. The second DU sends a first message to the CU.

[0170] The first message may include second information, where the second information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell, and the second message may include identification information of the target cell. For example, the first message is an access success message.

[0171] 410. After receiving the first message, the CU stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0172] Step 410 is optional. Since the first message includes the second information, the first condition may be receiving the second information, so step 410 may be considered as an example of step 302 in FIG. 3 .

[0173] 411. The terminal device sends a second message to the CU.

[0174] The second message may include second information, and the second information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell. For example, the second message is an RRC reconfiguration complete message, and the RRC reconfiguration complete message includes the second information. Step 411 is optional.

[0175] 412. After receiving the second message, the CU stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0176] Step 412 is optional. Since the second message includes the second information, the first condition may be receiving the second information, so step 412 can be regarded as an example of step 302 in FIG. 3 .

[0177] Based on the above description, it can be seen that steps 407, 410, and 412 are all examples of step 302 in Figure 3. It should be noted that steps 407, 410, and 412 are parallel, and the method flow in Figure 4 may include any one or more of steps 407, 410, and 412. For example, the method flow in Figure 4 includes steps 401 to 409. For another example, the method flow in Figure 4 includes steps 401 to 406, and steps 408 to 410. For another example, the method flow in Figure 4 includes steps 401 to 406, steps 408 to 409, and steps 411 to 412.

[0178] 413. The terminal device saves the LTM configuration information, continues to evaluate candidate cells, and reports the L1 measurement result and / or L3 measurement result to the second DU.

[0179] After the terminal device accesses the target cell, the second DU can be regarded as the current service DU of the terminal device. Compared with the target DU of subsequent switching, the current service DU is also called the source DU. For example, after the terminal device receives the RRC reconfiguration message sent by the CU to the terminal device through the first DU, the terminal device saves the LTM configuration information carried in the RRC reconfiguration message.

[0180] 414. The second DU sends an LTM command indicating the target cell to the terminal device.

[0181] The LTM command indicating the target cell may be an LTM command instructing the terminal device to switch to a new target cell. The target cell in step 414 may be understood as a new target cell. It should be understood that after the terminal device switches from the source cell to a target cell, the target cell becomes the source cell of the terminal device. In the present application, the target cell of the terminal device is not a fixed cell, but a cell selected by the base station (e.g., the second DU) for the terminal device to access.

[0182] 415. The second DU sends an LTM command notification to the CU.

[0183] The LTM command notification may include the first information described above. Steps 414 and 415 may be considered as repeated executions of steps 405 and 406. This embodiment of the present application is applicable to scenarios where a terminal device performs continuous intra-CU LTM. Steps 405 and 406 are part of a single cell handover process, while steps 414 and 415 are part of another cell handover process.

[0184] In an embodiment of the present application, when the first condition is met, the CU stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell; this enables the network side (ie, the CU) to obtain and use accurate UHI.

[0185] FIG5 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method flow in FIG5 may be a network-side solution for collecting and recording UHI for the mobility feature (inter-CU LTM) that may be introduced in R19. As shown in FIG5, the method includes:

[0186] 501. A first DU sends first information to a first CU.

[0187] Correspondingly, the first CU receives the first information from the first DU. In an embodiment of the present application, the first DU is coupled with the first CU. In other words, the first CU manages or controls the first DU, that is, the first DU is managed or controlled by the first CU. The first DU supports the source cell of the terminal device. The source cell is the cell currently accessed by the terminal device, that is, the cell accessed before accessing the target cell, wherein the terminal device will subsequently switch from the source cell to the target cell. The first CU is the CU to which the source cell currently accessed by the terminal device belongs. The first CU can be referred to as the source CU of the terminal device. In the present application, the first DU is the DU currently accessed (or connected) by the terminal device. The first DU can be referred to as the source DU of the terminal device.

[0188] For a description of the first information, please refer to the description of the first information in step 301 in FIG. 3 .

[0189] 502. When receiving the first information, the first CU sends the UHI to the target CU to which the target cell belongs, and / or the first CU sends the third information to the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs.

[0190] Correspondingly, the target CU to which the target cell belongs receives the UHI of the terminal device from the first CU, and / or the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs receives the third information from the first CU. The UHI sent by the first CU to the target CU to which the target cell belongs may be: the UHI of the terminal device recorded by the first CU. The source CU (i.e., the first CU) and the target CU (i.e., the second CU in Figure 5) of the terminal device are not the same. The third information may be an indication that mobility information triggered by layer 1 / layer 2 (L1 / L2) has been sent to the terminal device to instruct the terminal device to change to the target cell, or it may be information indicating the target cell to which the terminal device changes, triggered by layer 1 / layer 2. The third information may include identification information of the target cell. Exemplarily, the third information is carried in the LTM command notification. The source CU and the candidate CU of the terminal device are not the same. The target CU is one of the candidate CUs to which at least one candidate cell of the terminal device belongs.

[0191] An example of step 502 is as follows: when receiving the first information, the first CU sends the UHI to the target CU to which the target cell belongs. In this example, it can be understood that the source CU of the terminal device (for example, the first CU) sends the UHI to the target CU of the terminal device, so that the target CU of the terminal device can obtain the UHI of the terminal device. In this example, the target CU to which the target cell belongs can obtain the UHI of the terminal device, and the UHI of the terminal device includes a series of cell-related information previously visited by the terminal device, including the source cell. Exemplarily, after the target CU receives the UHI of the terminal device from the first CU, it collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell. Exemplarily, after the terminal device accesses the target cell, the target CU collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell. For example, after the target CU receives the switching success notification from the second DU, it collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell; wherein the second DU is the DU to which the target cell belongs, and the switching success notification is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target cell. For another example, when the target CU receives the RRC reconfiguration completion message from the terminal device, it collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell. Furthermore, after the UE accesses the target DU and performs the next LTM, the target CU sends UHI to the CU to which the new target cell belongs (ie, the new target CU) after receiving information indicating that the terminal device will access a new target cell.

[0192] Another example of step 502 is as follows: When receiving the first information, the first CU sends the third information to the candidate CU. After receiving the third information, any candidate CU may stop collecting the UHI of the UE in the source cell (the nearest PCell entry) and / or collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell. The candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs may include the target CU. In this example, each candidate CU of the terminal device can collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell in a timely manner.

[0193] Another example of step 502 is as follows: upon receiving the first information, the first CU sends the UHI to the target CU belonging to the target cell, and sends third information to the candidate CUs belonging to the candidate cell of the terminal device. The candidate CUs belonging to the candidate cell of the terminal device do not include the target CU. In this example, each candidate CU and the target CU of the terminal device can collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell in a timely manner.

[0194] 503. When receiving the third information, the candidate CU stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell and / or starts collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0195] The source cell is the cell that the terminal device accesses before accessing the target cell. Step 503 is optional.

[0196] Exemplarily, step 502 is: when receiving the first information, the first CU sends the third information to the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs, where the candidate CU may include the target CU; step 503 can be understood as: when the candidate CU (including the target CU) to which each candidate cell of the terminal device belongs receives the third information, stop collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell, and / or start collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0197] 503': When the second condition is met, the target CU collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0198] The second condition includes at least one of the following: receiving a UHI of the terminal device from the first CU; receiving second information, the second information being used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell. Step 503' is optional.

[0199] Exemplarily, the second information is carried in a first message, and the first message is sent by the target DU to which the terminal device accesses to the target CU. For example, the first message is a switching success message sent by the target DU to the target CU, and the switching success message is used to indicate that the terminal device switches to the target cell. The switching success message can carry the identification information of the target cell or the configuration identification information of the target cell. Exemplarily, the second information is carried in a second message, and the second message is an RRC reconfiguration completion message sent by the terminal device. The RRC reconfiguration completion message can be used to indicate that the terminal device has completed the RRC reconfiguration of the target cell. After receiving the second information, the target CU stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source cell, and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell; it can stop collecting the UHI in the source cell in a timely manner, and / or collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell in a timely manner, so that the network side (i.e., the target CU) can obtain and use accurate UHI.

[0200] It should be noted that step 503 and step 503' are two parallel steps. That is to say, the method flow in Figure 5 includes step 503 or step 503'. Exemplarily, step 502 is: when the first information is received, the first CU sends UHI to the target CU to which the target cell belongs; the method flow in Figure 5 includes step 503', but does not include step 503. Exemplarily, step 502 is: when the first information is received, the first CU sends third information to the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs; the method flow in Figure 5 includes step 503, but does not include step 503'. The embodiment of the present application can be applied to the scenario where the terminal device performs LTM across CUs (cell switching across CUs in an LTM manner), and can also be applied to the scenario where the terminal device performs continuous LTM across CUs (continuous cell switching across CUs in an LTM manner).

[0201] In an embodiment of the present application, when the first information is received, the first CU sends the UHI to the target CU to which the target cell belongs, and / or the first CU sends the third information to the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs; so that the network side (target CU) can obtain and use accurate UHI.

[0202] FIG6 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method flow in FIG6 may be another network-side solution for collecting and recording UHI for the mobility feature (inter-CU LTM) that may be introduced in R19. As shown in FIG6, the method includes:

[0203] 601. A second DU sends a first message to a second CU.

[0204] The first message may include second information, and the second information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell. The second information may include configuration identification information or identification information of the target cell. For example, the first message is an access success message. The second DU manages the target cell currently accessed by the terminal device. The second CU is the CU to which the target cell currently accessed by the terminal device belongs. The second CU is not the same as the CU to which the source cell to which the terminal device accessed before accessing the target cell belonged. Exemplarily, the second DU sends the first message to the second CU after the terminal device accesses the target cell. In other words, the second DU sends the first message to the second CU after the terminal device switches from the source cell to the target cell.

[0205] 602. After receiving the first message, the second CU collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0206] In the embodiment of the present application, after receiving the first message, the second CU collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell; the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell can be collected in a timely manner.

[0207] FIG7 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method flow in FIG7 can be understood as another network-side solution for collecting and recording UHI for the mobility feature (inter-CU LTM) that may be introduced in R19. As shown in FIG7, the method includes:

[0208] 701. The terminal device sends a second message to the second CU.

[0209] The second message may include second information, and the second information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell. For example, the second message is an RRC reconfiguration completion message, and the RRC reconfiguration completion message includes the second information. The second CU is the CU to which the target cell currently accessed by the terminal device belongs. The second CU is not the same as the CU to which the source cell accessed before the terminal device accessed the target cell. Exemplarily, the terminal device sends a second message to the second CU after switching from the source cell to the target cell (i.e., accessing the target cell).

[0210] 702. After receiving the second message, the second CU collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0211] In the embodiment of the present application, after receiving the second message, the second CU collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell; the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell can be collected in a timely manner.

[0212] Figure 8 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application. The method flow in Figure 8 illustrates a possible implementation of the method described in Figures 5, 6, and 7.

[0213] 801. A first CU sends a switching request message to a second CU.

[0214] Correspondingly, the second CU receives a handover request message from the first CU. The first CU may be the CU to which the source cell currently accessed by the terminal device belongs. The first CU may be referred to as the source CU of the terminal device. The second CU is the candidate CU to which the candidate cell belongs, and the target CU is one of the candidate CUs. The second CU may be referred to as the target CU of the terminal device. The handover request message may indicate one or more candidate cells of the terminal device. For example, the handover request message includes identification information of one or more candidate cells of the terminal device.

[0215] 802. The second CU sends an LTM configuration request to the second DU.

[0216] The LTM configuration request is used to indicate one or more candidate cells for a terminal device. The DU to which one or more candidate cells belong is a second DU. The second DU is managed or controlled by a second CU. It should be noted that the second DU in Figure 8 corresponds to the candidate cell of the terminal device, and the first DU corresponds to the source cell of the terminal device.

[0217] 803. Upon accepting the LTM configuration request, the second DU sends the low-layer RRC configuration to the second CU.

[0218] The second DU accepting the LTM configuration request indicates that the second DU accepts (or agrees) the terminal device to access the candidate cell managed by it.

[0219] 804. The second CU sends the candidate cell configuration information of the terminal device to the first CU.

[0220] 805. The first CU sends an RRC reconfiguration message to the terminal device through the first DU.

[0221] Accordingly, the terminal device receives an RRC reconfiguration message sent by the first CU to the terminal device via the first DU. The RRC reconfiguration message may include L1 / L2 mobility configuration information. Exemplarily, the L1 / L2 mobility configuration information includes configuration information of one or more candidate cells of the terminal device, and may also include L1 measurement control information.

[0222] 806. The terminal device sends the low-layer measurement results to the first DU.

[0223] Correspondingly, the first DU receives the low-layer measurement results from the terminal device.

[0224] 807. The first DU decides to perform L1 / L2 triggered handover to the target cell based on the lower layer measurement results.

[0225] 808. The terminal device performs uplink synchronization and / or downlink synchronization with the candidate cell.

[0226] 809. The first DU sends an LTM command to the terminal device.

[0227] Steps 806 to 809 may refer to steps 402 to 405 and will not be described in detail here.

[0228] 810. The first DU sends first information to the first CU.

[0229] For a description of the first information, please refer to step 301 .

[0230] 811. When receiving the first information, the first CU sends a UHI to the target CU to which the target cell belongs.

[0231] Step 811 is optional and can be understood as an example of step 502 in FIG5 .

[0232] Exemplarily, step 811 can be replaced by step 811': when receiving the first information, the first CU sends the third information to the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs. The third information can be an indication that mobility information triggered by layer 1 / layer 2 (L1 / L2) for instructing the terminal device to change to the target cell has been sent to the terminal device, or it can be information indicating the target cell to which the terminal device changes triggered by layer 1 / layer 2. After receiving the third information, any candidate CU can stop collecting the UHI of the UE in the source cell (the nearest PCell entry) and / or collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell. Exemplarily, the method flow in Figure 8 includes steps 801 to 810, step 811', step 812 to step 813, and step 817 to step 819. Optionally, when receiving the first information, the first CU also sends the UHI of the terminal device to the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs.

[0233] Exemplarily, step 811 can be replaced with step 811": when the first information is received, the first CU sends the UHI to the target CU (i.e., the second CU) to which the target cell belongs, and sends the third information to the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs. The candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs does not include the target CU. In this example, each candidate CU and the target CU of the terminal device collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell in a timely manner. Optionally, when the first information is received, the first CU also sends the UHI of the terminal device to the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs. Exemplarily, the method flow in Figure 8 includes steps 801 to 810, step 811", step 812 to step 813, and step 817 to step 819.

[0234] 812. The terminal device accesses the second DU.

[0235] Step 812 may refer to step 808 .

[0236] 813. The second DU sends a first message to the second CU.

[0237] The first message may include second information, where the second information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell. The second information may include configuration identification information of the target cell or identification information of the target cell. For example, if the first message is an access success message, the first message may include the second information.

[0238] 814. After receiving the first message, the second CU collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0239] Step 814 is optional. Since the first message includes the second information and the second condition includes receiving the second information, step 814 can be regarded as an example of step 503' in FIG5.

[0240] 815. The terminal device sends a second message to the second CU.

[0241] The second message may include second information, and the second information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell. For example, the second message is an RRC reconfiguration complete message, and the RRC reconfiguration complete message includes the second information. Step 815 is optional.

[0242] 816. After receiving the second message, the second CU collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell.

[0243] Step 816 is optional. Since the second message includes the second information and the second condition includes receiving the second information, step 816 can be regarded as an example of step 503 ′ in FIG. 5 .

[0244] Based on the above description, it can be seen that step 811 is an example of step 503 in Figure 5, and steps 814 and 816 are examples of step 503' in Figure 5. It should be noted that steps 814 and 816 are parallel. The method flow in Figure 8 may include any one of steps 811, 814, and 816, or may include step 811 and either step 814 or step 816. For example, the method flow in Figure 8 includes steps 801 to 813. For another example, the method flow in Figure 8 includes steps 801 to 814. For another example, the method flow in Figure 8 includes steps 801 to 812 and steps 815 to 816.

[0245] 817. The terminal device saves the LTM configuration information, continues to evaluate candidate cells, and reports the L1 measurement result and / or L3 measurement result to the second DU.

[0246] 818. The second DU sends an LTM command indicating the target cell to the terminal device.

[0247] Steps 817 to 818 may refer to steps 413 to 414 .

[0248] 819. The second DU sends an LTM command notification to the second CU.

[0249] The LTM command notification may include the first information. Steps 818 and 819 may be considered as repeating steps 809 and 810. This embodiment of the present application is applicable to scenarios where a terminal device continuously performs cell handovers. Steps 809 and 810 belong to one cell handover process, and steps 818 and 819 belong to another cell handover process.

[0250] In an embodiment of the present application, when the first information is received, the first CU sends the UHI to the target CU to which the target cell belongs, and / or the first CU sends the third information to the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs; so that the network side (target CU) can obtain and use accurate UHI.

[0251] FIG9 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG9 , the method includes:

[0252] 901. The terminal device sends fourth information to the master node.

[0253] Correspondingly, the master node receives the fourth information from the terminal device. In an embodiment of the present application, the terminal device communicates with multiple base stations, among which the base stations that have control plane signaling interaction with the core network are master nodes, and the other base stations are secondary base stations, i.e., secondary nodes. The fourth information is used to indicate the target primary and secondary cells (PSCells) that meet the conditions selected by the terminal device, and may include the configuration identification information of the target primary and secondary cells or the identification information of the target cells. Meeting the conditions means meeting the execution trigger conditions corresponding to the candidate primary and secondary cells. Exemplarily, when the terminal device evaluates that one or more candidate PSCell cells meet the corresponding execution trigger conditions, it selects one as the target PSCell and sends the fourth information to the master node. The fourth information can be carried in the RRC reconfiguration completion message for indicating the target PSCell selected by the terminal device.

[0254] 902. When receiving the fourth information, the master node stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells, and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells.

[0255] The source primary and secondary cell may be the primary and secondary cell that the terminal device accesses before accessing the target primary and secondary cell. In other words, the source primary and secondary cell is the primary and secondary cell that the terminal device currently accesses when evaluating whether one or more candidate PSCell cells meet the corresponding execution trigger conditions. The master node stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cell, which may be: the terminal device stops collecting the UHI of the most recent (latest) PSCell entry.

[0256] 903. The primary node sends the UHI of the terminal device to the target secondary node.

[0257] Accordingly, the target secondary node receives the UHI of the terminal device from the primary node. The target secondary node is the node to which the target primary and secondary cells belong. In other words, the target primary and secondary cells are the cells managed by the target secondary node. The UHI of the terminal device sent by the primary node to the target secondary node may include the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells and the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells, or may only include the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells.

[0258] A possible implementation of step 903 is as follows: upon receiving the fourth information, the primary node sends the UHI of the terminal device to the target secondary node. Exemplarily, upon receiving the fourth information, the primary node sends all recorded UHIs of the terminal device to the target secondary node. Exemplarily, upon receiving the fourth information, the primary node sends the recorded UHIs of the terminal device that meet a screening condition to the target secondary node. The screening condition can be customized based on actual needs. For example, if the screening condition is the UHI of the terminal device within a target time period, the primary node sends the recorded UHI of the terminal device within the target time period to the target secondary node. The target time period ends at the time of receiving the fourth information, and the duration of the target time period can be 20 seconds, 3 minutes, 30 minutes, 2 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, or the like. For another example, if the screening condition is the most recently recorded UHIs of the terminal device in k primary and secondary cells sorted in chronological order, the primary node sends the most recently recorded UHIs of the terminal device in k primary and secondary cells to the target secondary node, where k is an integer greater than 0. The primary node sends the recorded UHI of the terminal device that meets the screening condition to the target secondary node, which can reduce signaling overhead.

[0259] 904. The terminal device initiates random access to the target primary and secondary cells.

[0260] The order of step 904 and step 901 is not limited. Exemplarily, after the terminal device sends the fourth information to the master node, it initiates random access to the target primary and secondary cells. Exemplarily, while the terminal device sends the fourth information to the master node, it initiates random access to the target primary and secondary cells.

[0261] 905. After the terminal device accesses the target primary and secondary cells, it continues to evaluate the execution condition triggering status of the candidate primary and secondary cells.

[0262] Step 905 is optional.

[0263] 906. The terminal device sends fourth information to the master node.

[0264] The fourth information is used to indicate the target primary and secondary cells (PSCells) that meet the conditions and are selected by the terminal device. It should be noted that the target primary and secondary cells indicated by the fourth information in step 906 are different from the target primary and secondary cells indicated by the fourth information in step 901. For example, the fourth information in step 901 is used to indicate the target primary and secondary cell #1 that meets the conditions and is selected by the terminal device, and the fourth information in step 906 is used to indicate the target primary and secondary cell #2 that meets the conditions and is selected by the terminal device. Step 906 is optional. Steps 906 and step 901 belong to two different CPC processes. Step 906 can be regarded as the terminal device executing step 901 again. After executing step 906, the terminal device can jointly perform operations similar to steps 902 to 905 with the master node. The embodiment of the present application can be applied to scenarios that support continuous CPAC features. The embodiment of the present application can be used as an example of recording UHI on the network side proposed for the R18 mobility feature (continuous CPAC feature).

[0265] In an embodiment of the present application, upon receiving the fourth information, the master node stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells, and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells; the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells can be collected in a timely manner, and the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells can be stopped in a timely manner. The master node sends the UHI of the terminal device to the target secondary node, and the UHI of the primary and secondary cells can be provided to the target secondary node in a timely manner.

[0266] FIG10 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG10 , the method includes:

[0267] 1001. The terminal device sends fourth information to the master node.

[0268] Step 1001 may refer to step 901 .

[0269] 1002. When receiving the fourth information, the primary node sends fifth information to one or more candidate secondary nodes.

[0270] The fifth information indicates a target primary and secondary cell that meets the conditions and is selected by the terminal device, where the target primary and secondary cell belongs to one of at least one candidate primary and secondary cell indicated for the terminal device. An example of step 1002 is as follows: upon receiving the fourth information, the master node sends fifth information to all candidate secondary nodes of the terminal device, where the fifth information indicates a target primary and secondary cell that meets the conditions and is selected by the terminal device.

[0271] 1003. When receiving the fifth information, the candidate secondary node stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells, and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells.

[0272] The source primary and secondary cells are primary and secondary cells that the terminal device accesses before accessing the target primary and secondary cells. The candidate secondary node stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells by: stopping collecting the latest PSCell entry information.

[0273] It should be noted that since the candidate secondary node (SN) maintains the UHI of the terminal device, and since the target secondary node is one of the candidate secondary nodes, the target secondary node has already maintained the UHI of the terminal device itself and does not need to be provided by other network elements.

[0274] 1004. The terminal device initiates random access to the target primary and secondary cells.

[0275] 1005. After the terminal device accesses the target primary and secondary cells, it continues to evaluate the execution condition triggering status of the candidate primary and secondary cells.

[0276] 1006. The terminal device sends fourth information to the master node.

[0277] Steps 1004 to 1006 are optional. For descriptions of steps 1004 to 1006, please refer to the description of steps 904 to 906 in Figure 9. This embodiment of the present application can be applied to scenarios that support the continuous CPAC feature. This embodiment of the present application can serve as an example of recording UHI on the network side for the R18 mobility feature (continuous CPAC feature).

[0278] In an embodiment of the present application, when the fourth information is received, the primary node sends the fifth information to one or more candidate secondary nodes; the candidate secondary nodes can promptly collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells, and promptly stop collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells.

[0279] FIG11 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG11 , the method includes:

[0280] 1101. The master node sends sixth information to the source slave node of the terminal device.

[0281] Correspondingly, the source auxiliary node of the terminal device receives the sixth information from the main node. The sixth information is used to instruct the source auxiliary node of the terminal device to stop providing user data to the terminal device. Exemplarily, the sixth information is also used to indicate the identification information of the target primary and auxiliary cells selected by the terminal device that meet the conditions. In an embodiment of the present application, the terminal device communicates with multiple base stations, and the base stations among the multiple base stations that have control plane signaling interaction with the core network are main nodes, and the other base stations are auxiliary base stations, that is, auxiliary nodes. The source auxiliary node is the node to which the source main and auxiliary cells belong. The source main and auxiliary cells are the main and auxiliary cells that the terminal device accesses before accessing the target main and auxiliary cells. Exemplarily, when the main node sends the sixth information to the source auxiliary node of the terminal device, the terminal device is executing the process of switching from the source main and auxiliary cells to the target main and auxiliary cells or has completed the switching from the source main and auxiliary cells to the target main and auxiliary cells.

[0282] 1102. After receiving the sixth information, the source secondary node sends the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the primary node of the terminal device.

[0283] Correspondingly, the master node receives the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells from the source auxiliary node of the terminal device. In other words, the master node receives the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells from the source auxiliary node. Exemplarily, the source auxiliary node sends the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the master node of the terminal device through the auxiliary node SN modification request process. The UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells may include the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells, and may also include the UHI of the terminal device in other previous primary and secondary cells, which is not limited in this application.

[0284] 1103. The primary node sends the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the target secondary node of the terminal device.

[0285] The target secondary node is the node to which the target primary and secondary cells belong.

[0286] 1102'. After receiving the sixth information, the source secondary node sends the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the target secondary node of the terminal device.

[0287] Exemplarily, the sixth information includes identification information of the target primary and secondary cells that meet the conditions selected by the above-mentioned terminal device; an example of step 1102' is as follows: after receiving the sixth information, the source secondary node sends the UHI of the above-mentioned terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the target secondary node to which the above-mentioned target primary and secondary cells belong based on the identification information of the above-mentioned target primary and secondary cells.

[0288] The purpose of steps 1102 to 1103 is to enable the target secondary node to obtain the UHI of the terminal equipment in the primary and secondary cells.

[0289] Step 1102 also enables the target secondary node to obtain the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells. The method flow in Figure 11 may include steps 1102 to 1103, excluding step 1102'; or may include step 1102', excluding steps 1102 to 1103.

[0290] In an embodiment of the present application, after receiving the sixth information, the source secondary node sends the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the primary node of the terminal device, or sends the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the target secondary node of the terminal device; the target secondary node can obtain the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells.

[0291] FIG12 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application. The method flow in FIG12 illustrates a possible implementation of the method described in FIG9, FIG10, and FIG11. As shown in FIG12, the method includes:

[0292] 1201. The source secondary node sends a secondary station change request message to the primary node.

[0293] The secondary station change request message may carry the terminal device's UHI in the primary and secondary cells. Step 1201 is optional. If the secondary node triggers the continuous CPC process, the source secondary node sends a secondary station change request message to the primary node. If the primary node triggers the CPA or CPC process, step 1201 is skipped and step 1202 is executed directly.

[0294] 1202. The primary node sends an add request message to one or more candidate secondary nodes.

[0295] The add request message may carry the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells.

[0296] 1203. When the candidate secondary node allows the terminal device to access, the candidate secondary node sends an add request message confirmation message to the primary node.

[0297] The add request message confirmation message is used to instruct the candidate secondary node to allow the terminal device to access.

[0298] 1204. The master node sends an RRC reconfiguration message including continuous CPAC configuration to the terminal device.

[0299] The continuous CPAC configuration includes configuration information of one or more candidate cells, and may also include execution trigger conditions for initial conditional execution and execution trigger conditions for subsequent conditional execution corresponding to the candidate cells.

[0300] 1205. The terminal device sends an RRC reconfiguration completion message to the master node.

[0301] The RRC reconfiguration complete message indicates that the terminal device has completed the continuous CPAC configuration.

[0302] 1206. The terminal device sends an RRC reconfiguration completion message including an indication of the selected target primary and secondary cells to the master node.

[0303] Exemplarily, the terminal device evaluates that one or more candidate primary and secondary cells meet the corresponding execution trigger conditions, selects one as the target primary and secondary cell, and sends an RRC reconfiguration complete message to the master node to indicate the target primary and secondary cell selected by the terminal device, initiating random access to the target primary and secondary cell. Exemplarily, the RRC reconfiguration complete message includes the fourth information described above. Step 1206 is an example of step 901 in Figure 9.

[0304] 1207. When receiving the RRC reconfiguration completion message including an indication of the selected target primary and secondary cells, the master node stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells, and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells.

[0305] Step 1207 is an example of step 902 in FIG. 9 .

[0306] 1208. The primary node sends the UHI of the terminal device to the target secondary node.

[0307] Step 1208 can be referred to as step 903 in Figure 9 . An example of the primary node sending the UHI of the terminal device to the target secondary node is: the primary node sends the UHI of the terminal device, which has been recorded (acquired) by the primary node, to the target secondary node. The order of steps 1207 and 1208 is not limited. Steps 1207 and 1208 are optional.

[0308] Steps 1207 and 1208 are ways for the master node to record the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells.

[0309] 1207 ′: When receiving the RRC reconfiguration complete message including an indication of the selected target primary and secondary cells, the primary node sends fifth information to one or more candidate secondary nodes.

[0310] Step 1207 ′ is an example of step 1002 in FIG. 10 .

[0311] 1208'. When receiving the fifth information, the candidate secondary node stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells, and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells.

[0312] Illustratively, upon receiving the fifth information, the candidate secondary node stops collecting the most recent PSCell entry information based on the UHI of the primary and secondary cells received in the SN Add Request message in step 1202, and collects entry information for the target primary and secondary cells (adds a PSCell entry) based on the fifth information. Step 1208′ can refer to step 1003 in FIG. 10 .

[0313] Steps 1207 ′ and 1208 ′ are a manner in which the candidate secondary node records the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells.

[0314] 1207”. The master node sends sixth information to the source slave node of the terminal device.

[0315] For step 1207, please refer to step 1101 in FIG. 11 .

[0316] 1208". After receiving the sixth information, the source secondary node sends the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the primary node of the terminal device.

[0317] Step 1208" can refer to step 1102 in Figure 11.

[0318] 1209”, the primary node sends the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the target secondary node of the terminal device.

[0319] Step 1209 ” may refer to step 1103 in FIG. 11 . Steps 1207 ” to 1209 ” are a method in which the source secondary node records the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells.

[0320] 1208'. After receiving the sixth information, the source secondary node sends the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells to the target secondary node of the terminal device.

[0321] Step 1208'' can refer to step 1102' in FIG. 11 . Step 1207'' and step 1208''' are another way for the source secondary node to record the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells.

[0322] Figure 12 shows four parallel ways for the target secondary node to obtain the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells. Steps 1207 to 1208, step 1207' to 1208', step 1207" to 1209", steps 1207" and 1208"' are four optional ways for the target secondary node to obtain the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells. The method flow in Figure 12 may include any of the following: steps 1207 to 1208; step 1207' to step 1208'; step 1207" to step 1209"; steps 1207" and 1208"'.

[0323] 1209. The terminal device initiates random access to the target primary and secondary cells.

[0324] 1210. After the terminal device accesses the target primary and secondary cells, it continues to evaluate the execution condition triggering status of the candidate primary and secondary cells.

[0325] 1211. The terminal device sends fourth information to the master node.

[0326] Steps 1209 to 1211 may refer to steps 1004 to 1006 and are not described again here.

[0327] The embodiment of the present application can be applied to scenarios supporting the continuous CPAC feature. The embodiment of the present application can be used as an example of recording UHI on the network side proposed for the R18 mobility feature (continuous CPAC feature).

[0328] The embodiment of the present application shows how the primary node, candidate secondary nodes, and source secondary node record the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells, so that the network side (target base station) can obtain and use accurate UHI information.

[0329] FIG13 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG13 , the method includes:

[0330] 1301. The target base station sends seventh information to the source base station.

[0331] Accordingly, the source base station receives seventh information from the target base station. The seventh information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target base station. The source base station is the base station that the terminal device connected to before switching to the target base station. Exemplarily, after the target base station determines that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target base station, it sends the seventh information to the source base station.

[0332] 1302. When receiving the seventh information from the target base station, the source base station sends the UHI of the terminal device to the target base station.

[0333] Exemplarily, after sending the seventh information to the source base station, the target base station may begin collecting and storing the UHI of the terminal device. Exemplarily, after the terminal device successfully switches to the new target base station, the new target base station sends the seventh information to the target base station (source base station); the target base station, as the source base station of the terminal device, sends the UHI of the terminal device to the new target base station.

[0334] In the embodiment of the present application, when the seventh information is received from the target base station, the source base station sends the UHI of the terminal device to the target base station, so that the network side (target base station) can obtain and use accurate UHI information.

[0335] FIG14 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG14 , the method includes:

[0336] 1401. The terminal device sends an RRC reconfiguration completion message to the target base station.

[0337] Correspondingly, the target base station receives an RRC reconfiguration complete message from the terminal device. The RRC reconfiguration complete message is used to instruct the terminal device to apply the configuration of the target primary cell of the target base station.

[0338] 1402. Based on the received information of the candidate cell, the target base station sends eighth information to the candidate base station of the terminal device.

[0339] The eighth information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target primary cell. The eighth information includes the identification information of the target primary cell and may also include the identification information of the target primary and secondary cells of the terminal device.

[0340] 1403. Upon receiving the eighth information, the candidate base station stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary cell and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary cell. Optionally, the candidate base station may further collect the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells. Exemplarily, the candidate base station stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the most recent primary and secondary cell and / or starts collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cell.

[0341] The source primary cell is the primary cell that the terminal device accessed before accessing the target primary cell. An example of step 1403 is as follows: upon receiving the eighth information, the candidate base station stops collecting entry information for the nearest primary cell and collects entry information for the target primary cell (adding a PCell entry). If a target PSCell exists, the candidate base station processes the UHI of the primary and secondary cells in the same manner.

[0342] When the candidate base station maintains the UHI of the terminal device, because the target base station is one of the candidate base stations, it has already maintained the most accurate UHI by itself and does not need to be provided by others.

[0343] In an embodiment of the present application, when the eighth information is received, the candidate base station stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary cell, and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary cell; so that the network side (target base station) can obtain and use accurate UHI information.

[0344] FIG15 is an interactive flow chart of another communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application. The method flow in FIG15 illustrates a possible implementation of the method described in FIG13 and FIG14. As shown in FIG15, the method includes:

[0345] 1501. The source base station sends a handover request message to one or more candidate base stations.

[0346] The handover request message is used to indicate conditional handover. The handover request message may carry the UHI of the terminal device, which may include the MCG UHI (UHI of the terminal device in the primary cell) and the SCG UHI (UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells).

[0347] 1502. When the candidate base station allows the terminal device to access, a handover request confirmation message is sent to the source base station.

[0348] The handover request confirmation message is used to indicate that the candidate base station allows the terminal device to access.

[0349] 1503. The source base station sends an RRC reconfiguration message including continuous CHO configuration to the terminal device.

[0350] Accordingly, the terminal device receives an RRC reconfiguration message including the continuous CHO configuration from the source base station. Exemplarily, the RRC reconfiguration message includes configuration information of one or more candidate cells and may also include corresponding execution trigger conditions for initial CHO and continuous CHO.

[0351] Optionally, after the source base station receives the switching request confirmation message from the candidate base station in step 1502, before or after sending the RRC reconfiguration message including the continuous CHO configuration to the terminal device in step 1503, the source base station may notify the candidate base station of other candidate cell information, where the candidate cell information includes at least one or more of the candidate cell's identification information, the candidate cell's data forwarding address information, the candidate cell's execution trigger conditions, and the measurement configuration information.

[0352] 1504. The terminal device sends an RRC reconfiguration completion message to the source base station.

[0353] The RRC reconfiguration complete message is used to indicate that the terminal device has received configuration information of one or more candidate cells.

[0354] 1505. The terminal device initiates random access to the target primary cell and sends an RRC reconfiguration completion message to the target base station.

[0355] Exemplarily, the terminal device continuously determines whether there are candidate cells that meet the execution trigger conditions. When the terminal device detects that one or more candidate cells meet the corresponding execution trigger conditions, it selects one of the candidate cells as the target primary cell to initiate random access and sends an RRC reconfiguration completion message to the target base station.

[0356] 1506. The target base station sends seventh information to the source base station.

[0357] The seventh information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target base station. Step 1506 can refer to step 1301 in Figure 13.

[0358] 1507. When receiving the seventh information from the target base station, the source base station sends the UHI of the terminal device to the target base station.

[0359] Steps 1506 to 1507 may refer to steps 1301 to 1302 in FIG. 13 .

[0360] 1508. The target base station collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary cell under the target base station.

[0361] Exemplarily, after receiving the RRC reconfiguration completion message from the terminal device, the target base station collects the UHI of the target primary cell of the terminal device under the target base station.

[0362] 1507 ′: Based on the received information of the candidate cells, the target base station sends eighth information to the candidate base stations of the terminal device.

[0363] 1508'. When receiving the eighth information, the candidate base station stops collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the source primary cell, and / or collects the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary cell.

[0364] Steps 1507 ′ to 1508 ′ may refer to steps 1402 to 1403 in FIG. 14 .

[0365] Steps 1506 to 1508 are one way for the target base station to collect the UHI of the terminal device. Steps 1507' to 1508' are another way for the target base station to collect the UHI of the terminal device. Steps 1506 to 1508 are optional, or steps 1507' to 1508' are optional. For example, the method flow in Figure 15 includes steps 1506 to 1508, but does not include steps 1507' to 1508'. For another example, the method flow in Figure 15 includes steps 1507' to 1508', but does not include steps 1506 to 1508.

[0366] It should be noted that the method flow of Figure 15 may include multiple steps similar to steps 1506 to 1508. Steps 1506 to 1508 are operations for the target base station to obtain and collect the UHI after the terminal device initiates random access to the target primary cell. Each time the terminal device initiates random access to the target primary cell, it cooperates with the new source base station and the new target base station to perform steps 1506 to 1508.

[0367] In the embodiment of the present application, the source base station accurately records the UHI and sends the UHI to the target base station in a timely manner, or all candidate base stations record the UHI; so that the network side (target base station) can obtain and use accurate UHI information.

[0368] The following describes the structure of a communication device that can implement the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The following only briefly describes the communication device. For details on the implementation of the solution, please refer to the description of the method embodiment above, which will not be repeated below.

[0369] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 1600 provided in an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 1600 may correspond to the functions or steps implemented by the terminal device in each of the above-mentioned method embodiments, or may correspond to the functions or steps implemented by the CU (source CU or target CU) in each of the above-mentioned method embodiments, or may correspond to the functions or steps implemented by the master base station in each of the above-mentioned method embodiments, or may correspond to the functions or steps implemented by the source base station in each of the above-mentioned method embodiments, or may correspond to the functions or steps implemented by the candidate secondary node in each of the above-mentioned method embodiments, or may correspond to the functions or steps implemented by the target base station in each of the above-mentioned method embodiments, or may correspond to the functions or steps implemented by the candidate base station in each of the above-mentioned method embodiments. The communication device may include a processing module 1610 and a transceiver module 1620. In one possible implementation, a storage unit may also be included, which may be used to store instructions (codes or programs) and / or data. The processing module 1610 and the transceiver module 1620 may be coupled to the storage unit. For example, the processing module 1610 may read the instructions (codes or programs) and / or data in the storage unit to implement the corresponding method. The above-mentioned units may be set independently or partially or fully integrated. For example, the transceiver module 1620 may include a transmitting module and a receiving module. The transmitting module may be a transmitter, and the receiving module may be a receiver. The entity corresponding to the transceiver module 1620 may be a transceiver or a communication interface.

[0370] In some possible implementations, the communication device 1600 can implement the behaviors and functions of the terminal device in the above-mentioned method embodiments. For example, the communication device 1600 can be a terminal device, or a component (such as a chip or circuit) used in the terminal device. The transceiver module 1620 can be used to perform all receiving or sending operations performed by the terminal device in the above-mentioned embodiments, and / or to support other processes of the technology described herein. The processing module 1610 is used to perform all operations performed by the terminal device in the above-mentioned embodiments except for the receiving and sending operations.

[0371] In some possible implementations, the communication device 1600 can implement the behaviors and functions of the CU in the above-mentioned method embodiments. For example, the communication device 1600 can be a CU, or a component (such as a chip or circuit) applied to the CU. The transceiver module 1620 can be used to perform all receiving or sending operations performed by the CU in the aforementioned embodiments, and / or to support other processes of the technology described herein. The processing module 1610 is used to perform all operations performed by the CU except for the transceiver operations.

[0372] In some possible implementations, the communication device 1600 can implement the behaviors and functions of the primary base station in the above-described method embodiments. For example, the communication device 1600 can be a primary base station, or a component (e.g., a chip or circuit) used in the primary base station. The transceiver module 1620 can be used to perform all receiving or transmitting operations performed by the primary base station in the aforementioned embodiments, and / or to support other processes of the technology described herein. The processing module 1610 is used to perform all operations performed by the primary base station except for the transmitting and receiving operations.

[0373] In some possible implementations, the communication device 1600 can implement the behaviors and functions of the source base station in the above-mentioned method embodiments. For example, the communication device 1600 can be a source base station, or it can be a component (such as a chip or circuit) applied to the source base station. The transceiver module 1620 can be used to perform all receiving or sending operations performed by the source base station in the aforementioned embodiments, and / or to support other processes of the technology described herein. The processing module 1610 is used to perform all operations performed by the source base station except for the transceiver operations.

[0374] In some possible implementations, the communication device 1600 can implement the behaviors and functions of the target base station in the above-described method embodiments. For example, the communication device 1600 can be a target base station, or a component (e.g., a chip or circuit) used in the target base station. The transceiver module 1620 can, for example, be used to perform all receiving or transmitting operations performed by the target base station in the aforementioned embodiments, and / or to support other processes of the technology described herein. The processing module 1610 is used to perform all operations performed by the target base station except for the transmitting and receiving operations.

[0375] In some possible implementations, the communication device 1600 can implement the corresponding behaviors and functions of the candidate secondary node in the above-described method embodiments. For example, the communication device 1600 can be a candidate secondary node, or a component (e.g., a chip or circuit) used in a candidate secondary node. The transceiver module 1620 can, for example, be configured to perform all receiving or transmitting operations performed by the candidate secondary node in the aforementioned embodiments, and / or to support other processes of the technology described herein. The processing module 1610 is configured to perform all operations performed by the candidate secondary node except for the transmitting and receiving operations.

[0376] In some possible implementations, the communication device 1600 can implement the behaviors and functions of the candidate base station in the above-described method embodiments. For example, the communication device 1600 can be a candidate base station, or a component (e.g., a chip or circuit) used in the candidate base station. The transceiver module 1620 can be used to perform all receiving or transmitting operations performed by the candidate base station in the above-described embodiments, and / or to support other processes of the technology described herein. The processing module 1610 is used to perform all operations performed by the candidate base station except for the transmitting and receiving operations.

[0377] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another communication device 170 provided in an embodiment of the present application. The communication device in Figure 17 can be the above-mentioned terminal device, the above-mentioned CU, the above-mentioned primary base station, the above-mentioned source base station, the above-mentioned target base station, the above-mentioned candidate base station, or the above-mentioned candidate secondary node.

[0378] As shown in FIG. 17 , the communication device 170 includes at least one processor 1710 and a transceiver 1720 .

[0379] In some embodiments of the present application, the processor 1710 and the transceiver 1720 may be configured to execute functions or operations performed by the terminal device. For example, the transceiver 1720 executes all receiving or transmitting operations performed by the terminal device in the aforementioned embodiments. The processor 1710, for example, executes all operations performed by the terminal device in the aforementioned embodiments except for the transmitting and receiving operations.

[0380] In some embodiments of the present application, the processor 1710 and the transceiver 1720 may be configured to execute functions or operations performed by a base station. For example, the transceiver 1720 performs all receiving or transmitting operations performed by the base station in the aforementioned embodiments. The processor 1710 is configured to execute all operations performed by the base station except for the transmitting and receiving operations. The base station may be a primary base station, a CU, a source base station, a target base station, a candidate base station, or a candidate secondary node.

[0381] Transceiver 1720 is used to communicate with other devices / apparatuses via a transmission medium. Processor 1710 utilizes transceiver 1720 to transmit and receive data and / or signaling, and is used to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments. Processor 1710 can implement the functions of processing module 1610, and transceiver 1720 can implement the functions of transceiver module 1620.

[0382] For example, transceiver 1720 may include a radio frequency circuit and an antenna. The radio frequency circuit is primarily used for converting baseband signals into radio frequency signals and processing the radio frequency signals. The antenna is primarily used for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals in the form of electromagnetic waves. Input and output devices, such as a touch screen, display, and keyboard, are primarily used for receiving user input and outputting data to the user.

[0383] For example, the communication device 170 may further include at least one memory 1730 for storing program instructions and / or data. The memory 1730 is coupled to the processor 1710. The coupling in the embodiments of the present application is an indirect coupling or communication connection between devices, units, or modules, which may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms, and is used for information exchange between devices, units, or modules. The processor 1710 may operate in conjunction with the memory 1730. The processor 1710 may execute program instructions stored in the memory 1730. At least one of the at least one memory may be included in the processor.

[0384] Processor 1710 can read software programs stored in memory 1730, interpret and execute instructions within the software programs, and process data within the software programs. When data needs to be transmitted wirelessly, processor 1710 performs baseband processing on the data to be transmitted and outputs the baseband signal to the RF circuit. The RF circuit then performs RF processing on the baseband signal and transmits it via an antenna in the form of electromagnetic waves. When data is transmitted to the communication device, the RF circuit receives the RF signal via the antenna, converts the RF signal into a baseband signal, and outputs the baseband signal to processor 1710. Processor 1710 converts the baseband signal into data and processes the data.

[0385] In another implementation, the above-mentioned RF circuit and antenna can be set independently of the processor performing baseband processing. For example, in a distributed scenario, the RF circuit and antenna can be arranged remotely from the communication device.

[0386] The specific connection medium between the transceiver 1720, processor 1710, and memory 1730 is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. In Figure 17, the memory 1730, processor 1710, and transceiver 1720 are connected via a bus 1740. The bus is represented by a bold line in Figure 17. The connection methods between other components are merely illustrative and are not intended to be limiting. The bus can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, Figure 17 only uses a single bold line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

[0387] In the embodiments of the present application, the processor may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, or a discrete hardware component, and may implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of the present application. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of the present application may be directly implemented as being executed by a hardware processor, or may be executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor.

[0388] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another communication device 180 provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 18, the communication device shown in Figure 18 includes a logic circuit 1801 and an interface 1802. The processing module 1610 in Figure 16 can be implemented with a logic circuit 1801, and the transceiver module 1620 in Figure 16 can be implemented with an interface 1802. Among them, the logic circuit 1801 can be a chip, a processing circuit, an integrated circuit or a system on chip (SoC) chip, etc., and the interface 1802 can be a communication interface, an input and output interface, etc. In the embodiment of the present application, the logic circuit and the interface can also be coupled to each other. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific connection method of the logic circuit and the interface.

[0389] In some embodiments of the present application, the logic circuit and interface may be used to execute the functions or operations performed by the aforementioned terminal device.

[0390] In some embodiments of the present application, the logic circuit and interface may be used to perform the functions or operations performed by the above-mentioned base station, etc. The above-mentioned base station may include a primary base station, a CU, a source base station, a target base station, a candidate base station, or a candidate secondary node.

[0391] The present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which a computer program or instruction is stored. When the computer program or instruction is executed on a computer, the computer executes the method of the above embodiment.

[0392] It should be noted that those skilled in the art will appreciate that all or part of the steps in the various methods of the above embodiments can be performed by instructing relevant hardware through a program, and the program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Computer-readable storage media include read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), one-time programmable read-only memory (OTPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, magnetic disk storage, magnetic tape storage, or any other computer-readable medium capable of carrying or storing data.

[0393] In the above embodiments, all or part of the embodiments may be implemented using software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, all or part of the embodiments may be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of the present application are performed in whole or in part. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user device, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions may be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium may be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; an optical medium, such as a digital video disk; or a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or nonvolatile storage medium, or may include both volatile and nonvolatile types of storage media.

[0394] In the various embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified or there is a logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: include: receiving first information from a distribution unit DU, where the first information is used to indicate that the terminal device will access a target cell; If the first condition is met, stop collecting user history information UHI of the terminal device in the source cell, and / or collect UHI of the terminal device in the target cell, where the source cell is the cell accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target cell; The first condition includes at least one of the following: The first information is received; the second information is received, and the second information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully accessed the target cell.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The second information is carried in a first message, and the first message is sent by the target DU accessed by the terminal device to the target centralized unit CU, and the target CU is the CU to which the target cell belongs; or, the second information is carried in a second message, and the second message is a wireless resource control RRC reconfiguration completion message sent by the terminal device.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The first information is used to indicate that mobility information triggered by layer 1 / layer 2 and used to instruct the terminal device to change to the target cell has been sent to the terminal device.

4. A communication method, characterized in that: include: receiving first information from a distribution unit DU, where the first information is used to indicate that the terminal device will access a target cell; When the first information is received, user history information UHI is sent to the target centralized unit CU to which the target cell belongs, and the source CU of the terminal device and the target CU are not the same, and / or, third information is sent to the candidate CU to which the candidate cell of the terminal device belongs, and the third information indicates information triggered by layer 1 / layer 2 indicating that the terminal device is changed to the target cell, and the source CU of the terminal device and the candidate CU are not the same.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that The first information is used to indicate that mobility information triggered by layer 1 / layer 2 and used to instruct the terminal device to change to the target cell has been sent to the terminal device.

6. A communication method, characterized in that: include: receiving third information, where the third information indicates information of a target cell to which the terminal device is changed triggered by layer 1 / layer 2; When the third information is received, stop collecting the user history information UHI of the terminal device in the source cell, and / or start collecting the UHI of the terminal device in the target cell, where the source cell is the cell accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target cell.

7. A communication method, characterized in that: include: receiving second information, where the second information is used to indicate that the terminal device successfully accesses the target cell; When the second information is received, user history information UHI of the terminal device in the target cell is collected.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The second information is carried in a first message, and the first message is sent by the target distributed unit DU accessed by the target cell to the target centralized unit CU, and the target CU is the CU to which the target cell belongs; or, the second information is carried in a second message, and the second message is an RRC reconfiguration completion message sent by the terminal device.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The method is applied to the target CU, and the target CU is not the same as the CU to which the source cell to which the terminal device accesses before accessing the target cell belongs.

10. A communication method, characterized in that: include: When receiving the fourth information, stop collecting the user history information UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells, and / or collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells, and the fourth information is used to indicate the target primary and secondary cells that meet the conditions selected by the terminal device; Send the primary and secondary cell UHI of the terminal device to the target secondary node.

11. A communication method, characterized in that: include: When the fourth information is received, fifth information is sent to one or more candidate secondary nodes, wherein the fourth information is used to indicate the target primary and secondary cells that meet the conditions selected by the terminal device, and the fifth information indicates the target primary and secondary cells that meet the conditions selected by the terminal device, The target primary and secondary cell belongs to one of at least one candidate primary and secondary cell indicated for the terminal device.

12. A communication method, characterized in that: include: Receiving fifth information from the master node; When the fifth information is received, stop collecting the user history information UHI of the terminal device in the source primary and secondary cells, and / or collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target primary and secondary cells. The fifth information indicates the target primary and secondary cells that meet the conditions selected by the terminal device. The source primary and secondary cells are the primary and secondary cells accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target primary and secondary cells.

13. A communication method, characterized in that: include: After receiving the sixth information, the user history information UHI of the source primary and secondary cells of the terminal device is sent to the primary node of the terminal device, and / or the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells is sent to the target secondary node of the terminal device. The sixth information is used to instruct the source secondary node of the terminal device to stop providing user data to the terminal device.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that The sending of user history information UHI of the primary and secondary cells of the terminal device to the primary node of the terminal device includes: The UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells is sent to the primary node of the terminal device through the secondary node SN modification request process.

15. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that The sixth information includes identification information of a target primary and secondary cell that meets the conditions and is selected by the terminal device; and sending the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cell to the target secondary node of the terminal device includes: According to the identification information of the target primary and secondary cells, the UHI of the terminal equipment in the primary and secondary cells is sent to the target secondary node to which the target primary and secondary cells belong.

16. A communication method, characterized in that: include: Receive user history information UHI of the primary and secondary cells of the terminal device from the source secondary node; The UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells is sent to the target secondary node.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that Before receiving the UHI of the terminal device in the primary and secondary cells from the source secondary node, the method further includes: Sending sixth information to the source secondary node, where the sixth information is used to instruct the source secondary node to stop providing user data to the terminal device.

18. A communication method, characterized in that: include: When the seventh information is received from the target base station, the user history information UHI of the terminal device is sent to the target base station, and the seventh information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target base station.

19. A communication method, characterized in that: include: Sending seventh information to the source base station, where the seventh information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target base station, and the source base station is a base station that the terminal device accesses before switching to the target base station; Receive user history information UHI of the terminal device from the source base station.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that The method further comprises: After receiving a radio resource control RRC reconfiguration completion message from the terminal device, the UHI of the target primary cell of the terminal device under the target base station is collected, and the RRC reconfiguration completion message is used to instruct the terminal device to apply the configuration of the target primary cell.

21. A communication method, characterized in that: include: Receiving a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration completion message from a terminal device, wherein the RRC reconfiguration completion message is used to instruct the terminal device to apply the configuration of a target primary cell; Based on the received information of the candidate cell, eighth information is sent to the candidate base station of the terminal device, where the eighth information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target primary cell.

22. A communication method, characterized in that: include: When the eighth information is received, stop collecting the user history information UHI of the terminal device in the source main cell, and / or collect the UHI of the terminal device in the target main cell. The eighth information is used to indicate that the terminal device has successfully switched to the target main cell. The source main cell is the main cell accessed by the terminal device before accessing the target main cell.

23. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that The eighth information includes at least one item of identification information of the target primary cell and identification information of the target primary and secondary cells of the terminal device.

24. A communication device, characterized in that: The method comprises a module or a unit for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 23.

25. A communication device, characterized in that: The device comprises a processor, the processor is coupled to a memory, the memory stores computer program instructions, and the processor is used to execute the computer program instructions so that the communication device performs the method according to any one of claims 1 to 23.

26. A chip, characterized in that: include: A communication interface, used for sending and receiving signals of the chip; as well as A processor, configured to execute computer program instructions so that a communication device including the chip executes the method according to any one of claims 1 to 23.

27. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, wherein the computer program includes program instructions, and when the program instructions are executed, the computer is enabled to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 23.

28. A computer program product, characterized in that When the computer program product is run on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 23.

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