Communication method and apparatus for indicating unused transmission occasion in configured grant

Abstract

A communication method and apparatus for indicating an unused transmission occasion in a configured grant (CG), which relate to a CG scenario in the technical field of communications, and improves communication efficiency by means of improving the efficiency of a network device side detecting unused CG transmission occasion indication information. The method comprises: a terminal receiving first configuration information from a network device, wherein the first configuration information is used for configuring N time units within a CG cycle time period, and the N time units comprise a time unit corresponding to a CG transmission occasion; and the terminal sending first indication information to the network device, wherein the first indication information indicates the occupation situation of CG transmission occasions within the CG cycle time period, the number of bits occupied by the first indication information is L, L=N, or L is associated with the length of the CG cycle time period, and L and N are positive integers.

Description

A communication method and device for indicating not to use transmission opportunity in configuration authorization

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on August 11, 2023, with application number 202311016798.4 and application name “A communication method and device for indicating not to use transmission timing in configuration authorization”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and apparatus for indicating not to use a transmission opportunity in a configured grant (CG). Background Art

[0003] With the continuous development of fifth-generation mobile communication technology (5G), data transmission latency is decreasing and transmission capacity is increasing. This has led to the emergence of multimedia services with strong real-time requirements and large data capacity requirements, such as video transmission, cloud gaming (CG), and extended reality (XR) services, such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). These services are characterized by the periodic arrival of uplink and / or downlink data packets with short intervals. For example, if an XR service transmits 60 frames per second, the average time interval between the arrival of two adjacent data packets is 16.67 milliseconds (ms), ignoring transmission latency.

[0004] For uplink periodic transmission services, the network device can configure CG transmission opportunities in the CG period for the terminal through uplink scheduling configuration (CS) or CG. Subsequently, the terminal can send the data to be sent to the network device through the CG transmission opportunity. In order to ensure that the data to be sent has the corresponding CG transmission opportunity to carry it, the network device usually configures a large number of CG transmission opportunities for the terminal in the CG period, which will result in resource waste.

[0005] To reduce resource waste, the terminal can send indication information to the network device, such as uplink control information (UCI) for unused transmission occasions (UTO), to indicate the CG transmission occasions that the terminal does not use. However, the existing UTO-UCI detection efficiency is low.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present application provides a communication method and device for indicating that a transmission opportunity is not used in a configuration authorization, which improves the detection efficiency of the network device side for the unused CG transmission opportunity indication information and reduces the complexity of detecting the information, thereby improving the communication efficiency.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0009] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a terminal or by a module (such as a chip or circuit) of the terminal. The method includes: receiving first configuration information from a network device, the first configuration information being used to configure N time units within an authorized CG cycle period, wherein the N time units include time units corresponding to CG transmission opportunities; sending first indication information to the network device, the first indication information indicating the occupancy of CG transmission opportunities within the CG cycle period, wherein the number of bits occupied by the first indication information is L, L is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and L and N are positive integers.

[0010] In the above embodiment, the length of the first indication information is agreed upon by the terminal side and the network device, so that the first indication information is a fixed length of L information bits, so that the network device side can determine the length of the first indication information as L according to the duration of the CG cycle period, which can reduce the complexity of the network device's blind detection of the first indication information, that is, no matter how many valid CG transmission opportunities the first indication information is used to indicate, the length of the first indication information is fixed, or it is a fixed length agreed upon by the terminal and the network device, thereby improving the detection efficiency of the network device in detecting the first indication information and reducing the complexity of the network device.

[0011] In one embodiment, L is also associated with the time division duplexing (TDD) uplink and downlink configuration. For the TDD mode, different uplink and downlink configurations determine the number of CG transmission opportunities within the CG cycle period. Therefore, the length L of the first indication information is also associated with the uplink and downlink configuration of the TDD, that is, the terminal and the network device can respectively determine the length of the first indication information as L based on the uplink and downlink configuration of the TDD and the duration of the CG cycle period, thereby improving the detection efficiency of the network device in detecting the first indication information, and improving the flexibility and reliability of the first indication information.

[0012] In one embodiment, L=max{M1, M2, ...M k ,…,M K}, M kIndicates the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, where CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods configured by the first configuration information, and k is {1, 2, …, K}, where K is a positive integer greater than 1. That is, the length L of the first indication information can be set to the maximum number of CG transmission opportunities in the K CG cycle periods. That is, the network device and the terminal can each determine, based on multiple (e.g., K) CG cycle periods, the one with the largest number of CG transmission opportunities, as the length of the first indication information. This can improve the efficiency of the network device in detecting the first indication information, and enhance the flexibility and reliability of the first indication information.

[0013] In a second aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a terminal or a module (such as a chip or circuit) of the terminal. The method includes: receiving first configuration information from a network device, the first configuration information being used to configure N time units within a CG cycle period, wherein the N time units include time units corresponding to CG transmission opportunities; and sending second indication information to the network device, the second indication information indicating the occupancy of CG transmission opportunities within the CG cycle period, wherein the number of bits occupied by the second indication information is N, where N is a positive integer.

[0014] In the above embodiment, the length of the second indication information is agreed upon by the terminal side and the network device, so that the length of the second indication information is set to the length of the CG cycle period, so that the network device side can determine the length of the first indication information according to the length of the CG cycle period, which can reduce the complexity of the network device's blind detection of the second indication information, that is, no matter how many valid CG transmission opportunities the second indication information is used to indicate, the length of the second indication information is fixed, or it is a fixed length negotiated by the terminal and the network device, thereby improving the detection efficiency of the network device in detecting the second indication information and reducing the complexity of the network device.

[0015] In a third aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a terminal or a module (such as a chip or circuit) of the terminal. The method includes: receiving second configuration information from a network device, the second configuration information being used to configure the number of bits P occupied by third indication information, wherein the third indication information indicates the occupancy of CG transmission opportunities within a CG cycle period, the minimum value of P being associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and P being a positive integer; and sending the third indication information to the network device.

[0016] In the above embodiment, the network device configures the indication length of the third indication information for the terminal through a displayed indication method, so that the terminal can generate a third indication information of a fixed length according to the indication of the network device, which is used to indicate the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, thereby reducing the complexity of the network device's blind detection of the third indication information, that is, no matter how many valid CG transmission opportunities the third indication information is used to indicate, the length of the third indication information is a fixed length negotiated by the terminal and the network device, thereby improving the detection efficiency of the network device in detecting the third indication information and reducing the complexity of the network device.

[0017] In one embodiment, the minimum value of P is also associated with the time division duplex (TDD) uplink and downlink configuration. For the TDD mode, different uplink and downlink configurations determine the number of CG transmission opportunities within the CG cycle period. Therefore, the length P of the third indication information is also associated with the uplink and downlink configurations of the TDD. That is, the network device can determine the length of the third indication information as L based on the uplink and downlink configurations of the TDD and the duration of the CG cycle period, and indicate the length to the terminal, thereby improving the detection efficiency of the network device in detecting the third indication information and improving the flexibility and reliability of the third indication information.

[0018] In one embodiment, the minimum value of P is L, where L=max{M1, M2, ...M k ,…,M K}, M k Represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, where CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, and the K CG cycle periods are configured by the second configuration information. The value of k is {1, 2, ..., K}, where K is a positive integer greater than 1. In other words, the minimum value of the length P of the third indication information can be the maximum value of the number of CG transmission opportunities in the K CG cycle periods. That is, the network device can determine, based on multiple (e.g., K) CG cycle periods, the one with the largest number of CG transmission opportunities, as the length of the third indication information, and indicate the length to the terminal device, thereby improving the detection efficiency of the network device in detecting the third indication information, and improving the flexibility and reliability of the third indication information.

[0019] In a fourth aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a terminal or a module (such as a chip or circuit) of the terminal. The method includes: receiving second configuration information from a network device, the second configuration information being used to configure the number of bits P occupied by third indication information, wherein the third indication information indicates the occupancy of CG transmission opportunities within a CG cycle period, and the minimum value of P is the number of time units in the CG cycle period; and sending the third indication information to the network device.

[0020] In one embodiment, the number of time units in the CG cycle period is configured by the second configuration information.

[0021] In a fifth aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a network device, or by a module (such as a chip or circuit) of the network device, or by a logical node, logical module or software that can realize all or part of the network device functions. The method includes: sending first configuration information to the terminal, the first configuration information is used to configure N time units within the CG cycle period, wherein the N time units include time units corresponding to CG transmission opportunities; receiving first indication information from the terminal, the first indication information indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, wherein the number of bits occupied by the first indication information is L, L is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and L and N are positive integers.

[0022] In one embodiment, L is further associated with a time division duplex (TDD) uplink and downlink configuration.

[0023] In one embodiment, L=max{M1, M2, ...M k ,…,M K}, M k It represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, where CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, and K CG cycle periods are configured by the first configuration information. The value of k is {1, 2, ..., K}, where K is a positive integer greater than 1.

[0024] In a sixth aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a network device, or by a module (such as a chip or circuit) of the network device, or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the network device functions. The method includes: sending first configuration information to a terminal, the first configuration information is used to configure N time units within a CG cycle period, wherein the N time units include time units corresponding to CG transmission opportunities; receiving second indication information from the terminal, the second indication information indicating the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, wherein the number of bits occupied by the second indication information is N, and N is a positive integer.

[0025] In a seventh aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a network device, or by a module (such as a chip or circuit) of the network device, or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the network device functions. The method includes: sending second configuration information to the terminal, the second configuration information is used to configure the number of bits P occupied by the third indication information, wherein the third indication information indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, the minimum value of P is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and P is a positive integer; receiving the third indication information from the terminal.

[0026] In one embodiment, the minimum value of P is also associated with time division duplex (TDD) uplink and downlink configuration.

[0027] In one embodiment, the minimum value of P is L, where L=max{M1, M2, ...M k ,…,M K}, M k It represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, where CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, and K CG cycle periods are configured by the second configuration information. The value of k is {1, 2,…, K}, where K is a positive integer greater than 1.

[0028] In an eighth aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a network device, or by a module (such as a chip or circuit) of the network device, or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the network device functions. The method includes: sending second configuration information to the terminal, the second configuration information is used to configure the number of bits P occupied by the third indication information, wherein the third indication information indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, and the minimum value of P is the number of time units in the CG cycle period; and receiving the third indication information from the terminal.

[0029] In one embodiment, the number of time units in the CG cycle period is configured by the second configuration information.

[0030] In a ninth aspect, a communication device is provided for implementing the above method. The communication device may be the terminal described in the first, second, third, or fourth aspects, or a device including the terminal described in the first, second, third, or fourth aspects, or a module in the terminal described in the first, second, third, or fourth aspects, such as a chip, chip system, or circuit, or a logical node, logic module, or software that can implement some or all of the terminal functions.

[0031] Alternatively, the communication device may be the network device of the fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth aspect above, or a device comprising the above network device, or a module in the network device of the fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth aspect above, such as a chip, chip system or circuit, or a logical node, logical module or software that can realize part or all of the functions of the network device.

[0032] The communication device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the above-mentioned method, which can be implemented by hardware, software, or hardware executing corresponding software implementation. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above-mentioned functions.

[0033] In conjunction with the ninth aspect, in one possible implementation, the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module may be configured to implement the processing functions described in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations thereof. The processing module may, for example, be a processor. The transceiver module, also referred to as a transceiver unit, may be configured to implement the transmitting and / or receiving functions described in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations thereof. The transceiver module may be comprised of a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, a transceiver, or a communication interface.

[0034] In combination with the ninth aspect above, in a possible implementation, the transceiver module includes a sending module and a receiving module, which are respectively used to implement the sending and receiving functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations thereof.

[0035] In a tenth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor; the processor is configured to be coupled to a memory, and after reading instructions from the memory, execute the method described in any of the above aspects according to the instructions. The communication device can be a terminal described in any of the first to fourth aspects and any possible implementation thereof, or a device including such a terminal, or a module in such a terminal, such as a chip, chip system, or circuit, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing some or all of the terminal's functions.

[0036] Alternatively, the communication device can be a network device in any one of the fifth to eighth aspects above and any possible implementation thereof, or a device including the above-mentioned network device, or a module in the above-mentioned network device, such as a chip, a chip system or a circuit, or a logical node, logical module or software that can realize part or all of the functions of the network device.

[0037] In combination with the tenth aspect above, in a possible implementation, the communication device further includes a memory, which is used to store necessary program instructions and data.

[0038] In conjunction with the tenth aspect above, in one possible implementation, the communication device is a chip or a chip system. Optionally, when the communication device is a chip system, it can be composed of a chip or include a chip and other discrete devices.

[0039] In an eleventh aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and an interface circuit; the interface circuit is configured to receive a computer program or instruction and transmit it to the processor; and the processor is configured to execute the computer program or instruction, so that the communication device performs the method described in any of the above aspects. The communication device may be a terminal as described in any of the above aspects from the first to the fourth aspect and any possible implementation thereof, or a device including such a terminal, or a module in such a terminal, such as a chip, chip system, or circuit, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing some or all of the terminal's functions.

[0040] Alternatively, the communication device may be a network device in any one of the fifth to eighth aspects above and any possible implementation thereof, or a device comprising the above network device, or a module in the above network device, such as a chip, a chip system or a circuit, or a logical node, logical module or software that can implement part or all of the RAN node functions.

[0041] In conjunction with the eleventh aspect above, in one possible implementation, the communication device is a chip or a chip system. Optionally, when the communication device is a chip system, it can be composed of a chip or include a chip and other discrete devices.

[0042] In a twelfth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein instructions are stored in the computer-readable storage medium. When the computer-readable storage medium is run on a computer, the computer can execute the method described in any one of the above aspects.

[0043] In a thirteenth aspect, a computer program product comprising instructions is provided, which, when executed on a computer, enables the computer to execute the method described in any one of the above aspects.

[0044] In the fourteenth aspect, a communication system is provided, which includes a terminal for executing the method described in any one of the above-mentioned aspects from the first to the fourth and any possible implementation thereof, and a network device for executing the method described in any one of the above-mentioned aspects from the fifth to the eighth and any possible implementation thereof.

[0045] Among them, the technical effects brought about by any possible implementation method in the fifth to fourteenth aspects can be referred to the technical effects brought about by any aspect in the first to fourth aspects or different possible implementation methods in any aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0046] It is understandable that, provided that the solutions are not contradictory, the solutions in each aspect can be combined. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a frame arrival time interval of a periodic service provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a network device configuring CG resources for a terminal according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a terminal indicating an unused CG transmission opportunity to a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG4 is an architecture diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] FIG6 is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a network device configuring CG resources for a terminal according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of another network device configuring CG resources for a terminal according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] FIG9 is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] FIG10 is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of a UTO indication provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of another UTO indication provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] FIG13 is a schematic structural diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] Before introducing the technical solution of this application, the relevant technical terms and processes involved in this application are explained. It is understood that these explanations are intended to make this application easier to understand and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0061] 1. Extended reality (XR)

[0062] XR refers to a wide range of virtual and real-world environments, as well as human-machine interactions, generated by computing technologies and wearable devices. These environments offer multiple perspectives and strong interactivity, providing users with a completely new experience and possessing enormous application value and commercial potential. XR primarily encompasses virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), enabling interactive experiences between the real and the real. These technologies are widely applicable in fields such as entertainment, gaming, healthcare, advertising, industry, online education, and engineering. The following sections introduce VR and AR technologies.

[0063] VR technology combines computer graphics, multimedia, and other technologies to simulate the functions of human senses such as vision, hearing, and touch, making people feel as if they are actually there, immersed in a computer-generated virtual world. They can also communicate in real time through language, gestures, etc., enhancing the sense of immersion. Through VR technology, people can not only experience the real world realistically, but also break through the limitations of time and space and experience the wonderful experience of entering a virtual world. VR technology usually requires users to wear an XR terminal (such as a head-mounted device) to simulate vision and / or hearing and / or touch for the user. VR technology can also track the user's movements to timely update the simulated visual and / or auditory and / or tactile content. For example, VR technology can process the user's status information (such as the user's location information and posture information) to display scene content corresponding to the user's status information on the XR terminal.

[0064] AR technology can use computer technology to overlay virtual information onto the real world, displaying it through devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and glasses for people to perceive, thereby achieving a grand fusion of the real and the virtual and enriching the real world. In short, it is to give physical objects more information, enhance the sense of three-dimensionality, and strengthen the visual effects and interactive experience. For example, AR technology can process perceived visual information (usually including depth information) to merge virtual information with the real world and be perceived by users, thereby achieving an "enhancement" of the real world.

[0065] 2. Cloud VR and Cloud AR

[0066] Cloud VR applies the concepts and technologies of cloud computing and cloud rendering to VR services, while cloud AR applies them to AR services. Both cloud VR and AR leverage high-speed and stable networks to transmit real-world information perceived by terminals to the cloud (e.g., via base stations). The cloud processes this information to generate encoded and compressed information, such as display and sound output, and transmits this information to the terminal via a high-speed and stable network (e.g., via base stations). This enables the migration of VR / AR service content and rendering to the cloud, thereby meeting market demands for lightweight and mobile terminals.

[0067] It can be understood that in the above-mentioned video transmission service, such as the process in which the terminal sends the perceived real-world information to the cloud, or the process in which the cloud sends the processed display output and sound output and other encoded and compressed information to the terminal, the data to be sent is usually sent periodically according to the frame rate, and the amount of data is usually large. Taking a video with a frame rate of 60 frames per second (FPS) as an example, as shown in Figure 1, one video frame arrives every 16.67 milliseconds (ms). If the video frame is a 4K video frame, the size of the video frame is approximately 30 to 100KB. In addition, the size of different video frames is usually variable, and due to the different compression rates and frame types of different video frames, the sizes of different video frames will vary greatly.

[0068] As you can understand, cloud VR and cloud AR have different characteristics, leading to different service models. Specifically, in cloud VR, changes in scene content display are related to the user's posture or position (action). Therefore, the terminal primarily sends the user's location and posture information to the cloud, which is relatively small, with a network uplink rate of approximately tens of kbps. The cloud primarily sends the rendered video stream to the terminal, which is relatively large, with a network downlink rate of tens to hundreds of Mbps. Unlike cloud VR, changes in scene content display in cloud AR are related to changes in the user's gaze focus and the spatial relationship between the user's position and the focus (e.g., changes in the spatial relationship caused by user movement). Therefore, the terminal primarily sends perceived visual information (including depth information) to the cloud, such as clear and stable images or video streams, or environmental feature information extracted from the visual information, which is relatively large in data volume. For example, the network uplink rate required for an initial experience with cloud AR is typically around 2 Mbps, while the required network uplink rate for an advanced experience is approximately 10-20 Mbps. The data sent from the cloud to the terminal is relatively small. In summary, cloud virtual reality services have higher requirements for downlink transmission rates, while cloud augmented reality services have higher requirements for uplink transmission rates.

[0069] 3. CG

[0070] A network device (such as a radio access network (RAN) node) can configure periodic uplink resources for a terminal using a CG. The terminal can then periodically reuse the uplink resources for uplink transmission. For example, the network device can configure periodic uplink resources for the terminal using the following method 1 or method 2.

[0071] Method 1: The network device configures and activates CG resources for the terminal.

[0072] The network device sends configuration information to the terminal. Accordingly, the terminal obtains the configuration information. Exemplarily, the network device can configure and activate CG resources for the terminal through a radio resource control (RRC) message. The RRC message may include information about the CG cycle period and information about multiple CG transmission opportunities (CG occasions) in a CG cycle period. In this application, the CG transmission opportunity can be understood as the time-frequency resources of the CG or the time domain resources of the CG, which are used to transmit uplink data.

[0073] In this application, the CG transmission opportunity may also be named in other ways, for example, CG transmission opportunity, CG physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission opportunity or CG PUSCH transmission opportunity, etc., without limitation.

[0074] Optionally, the RRC message may also include an indication information, which is used to indicate the activation of the above-mentioned CG resources.

[0075] It can be understood that after receiving the RRC message, the terminal can periodically use the above-mentioned multiple CG transmission opportunities for uplink transmission.

[0076] As an example, the CG resources configured and activated by the network device for the terminal can be shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 shows multiple CG transmission opportunities within two CG cycle periods. In Figure 2, the network device sends an RRC message to the terminal at time 1. The RRC message configures the CG cycle period and four CG transmission opportunities within one CG cycle period. After receiving the RRC message, the terminal can send data to the network device within the CG cycle period using the CG transmission opportunities within the CG cycle period.

[0077] Method 2: The network device configures CG resources for the terminal and then activates the CG resources through instruction information.

[0078] Step 1: The network device sends configuration information to the terminal. In response, the terminal obtains the configuration information.

[0079] The configuration information is used to configure CG resources. For example, the configuration information includes information about a CG cycle period and information about multiple CG transmission opportunities in a CG cycle period.

[0080] In a possible design, the configuration information is carried in an RRC message.

[0081] Step 2: The network device sends instruction information to the terminal, and the terminal receives the instruction information accordingly.

[0082] Among them, the indication information is used to indicate the CG resources configured by the activation configuration information.

[0083] In a possible implementation manner, the indication information may be carried in downlink control information (DCI).

[0084] It can be understood that after the terminal obtains the configuration information and indication information, it can periodically use the multiple CG transmission opportunities configured by the configuration information to perform uplink transmission.

[0085] As can be understood from the above description, using the CG approach, network devices can configure periodically recurring CG resources for terminals through a single resource allocation. Therefore, the data size that can be carried by CG resources in different CG cycle periods is the same. For example, in Figure 2, the data size that can be carried by the first four CG transmission opportunities is the same as the data size that can be carried by the last four CG transmission opportunities. However, the size of the data to be transmitted in different CG cycle periods may vary. For example, as described earlier in the introduction to cloud virtual reality and cloud augmented reality, the size of different video frames typically varies, and due to different compression rates and frame types, the sizes of different video frames can vary significantly. This results in the size of the data to be transmitted in some CG cycle periods (such as CG cycle period 1) being larger, while the size of the data to be transmitted in other CG cycle periods (such as CG cycle period 2) being smaller. Therefore, in CG cycle period 1, the data to be transmitted may occupy all CG transmission opportunities within that period, and the resources within that period are not wasted. In contrast, in CG cycle period 2, the data to be transmitted may occupy some CG transmission opportunities within that period, and the CG transmission opportunities not occupied by data to be transmitted within that period will not be used for data transmission, thus being wasted.

[0086] To save resources, it is possible to allow the terminal to report unused CG transmission occasions to the network device for a period of time, so that the network device can reallocate these unused CG transmission occasions, such as to other services of the terminal or to other terminals, thereby reducing resource waste. Specifically, the terminal can report unused CG transmission occasions (UTOs) that have not been used for a period of time to the network device according to predefined rules, i.e., UTO indication information; or the network device can configure a method for reporting UTOs for the terminal, and the terminal can send UTO indication information to the network device according to the method configured by the network device.

[0087] Exemplarily, the terminal may send UTO indication information to the network device on one or more CG transmission opportunities within the CG cycle period. Accordingly, the network device receives the UTO indication information on the corresponding CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period. The UTO indication information is used to indicate the CG transmission opportunities that are not used within the CG cycle period. Optionally, the UTO indication information may be carried on uplink control information (UCI), referred to as UTO-UCI.

[0088] As shown in Figure 3, four CG PUSCHs are configured in one CG cycle. The terminal can send UTO-UCI on the first CG PUSCH to inform the network device of the resource occupancy of the CG PUSCH in this CG cycle, for example, if the first two CG PUSCHs are occupied, the last two CG PUSCHs are no longer occupied.

[0089] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0090] The method provided in this application can be used in various communication systems. The method provided in this application is described below using the communication system 10 shown in Figure 4 as an example. Figure 4 is only a schematic diagram and does not constitute a limitation on the applicable scenarios of the technical solution provided in this application.

[0091] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a possible, non-limiting system. As shown in Figure 4 , the communication system 10 includes a RAN 100 and a core network (CN) 200. The RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (e.g., 110a and 110b in Figure 4 , collectively referred to as 110) and at least one terminal (e.g., 120a-120j in Figure 4 , collectively referred to as 120). The RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay equipment and / or wireless backhaul equipment (not shown in Figure 4 ). The terminal 120 is wirelessly connected to the RAN node 110. The RAN node 110 is wirelessly or wiredly connected to the core network 200. The core network equipment in the core network 200 and the RAN node 110 in the RAN 100 may be different physical devices, or they may be the same physical device that integrates core network logical functions and radio access network logical functions.

[0092] The RAN 100 may be a cellular system related to the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as a 4G or 5G mobile communication system, or a future-oriented evolutionary system (such as a future mobile communication system). The RAN 100 may also be an open access network (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. The RAN 100 may also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems.

[0093] RAN node 110, sometimes also referred to as access network equipment, RAN entity, network equipment, or access node, constitutes part of the communication system and facilitates wireless access for terminals. Multiple RAN nodes 110 in the communication system 10 can be of the same type or different types. In some scenarios, the roles of RAN node 110 and terminal 120 are relative. For example, network element 120i in Figure 4 can be a helicopter or drone, which can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminal 120j accessing RAN 100 via network element 120i, network element 120i is a base station; however, for base station 110a, network element 120i is a terminal. RAN node 110 and terminal 120 are sometimes referred to as communication devices. For example, network elements 110a and 110b in Figure 4 can be understood as communication devices with base station functionality, and network elements 120a-120j can be understood as communication devices with terminal functionality.

[0094] In one possible scenario, a RAN node may be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next generation NodeB (gNB) in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. A RAN node may be a macro base station (such as 110a in FIG4 ), a micro base station or an indoor station (such as 110b in FIG4 ), a relay node or a donor node, or a wireless controller in a CRAN scenario. Optionally, a RAN node may also be a server, a wearable device, a vehicle or an onboard device. For example, an access network device in vehicle to everything (V2X) technology may be a road side unit (RSU). All or part of the functions of the RAN node in this application may also be implemented by software functions running on hardware, or by virtualized functions instantiated on a platform (such as a cloud platform). The RAN node in this application may also be a logical node, a logical module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the RAN node.

[0095] In another possible scenario, multiple RAN nodes collaborate to assist the terminal in achieving wireless access, and different RAN nodes implement part of the functions of the base station respectively. For example, the RAN node can be a centralized unit (CU), DU, CU-control plane (CP), CU-user plane (UP), or RU. The CU and DU can be set separately, or they can be included in the same network element, such as the baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in a radio frequency device or radio frequency unit, such as a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH).

[0096] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU or RU may also 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, CU-UP may also be called O-CU-UP, and RU may also be called O-RU. For the convenience of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU and RU as examples for description. Any unit of CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU and RU in this application can be implemented by a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0097] A terminal may also be referred to as a terminal device, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IOT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearable, smart transportation, smart city, etc. A terminal may be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver function, wearable device, vehicle, drone, helicopter, airplane, ship, robot, robotic arm, smart home device, etc. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the device form of the terminal.

[0098] The terminal can also be a VR terminal, an AR terminal, or a mixed reality (MR) terminal. VR terminals, AR terminals, and MR terminals can all be referred to as extended reality terminals. An XR terminal can be, for example, a head-mounted device (such as a helmet, a head-mounted display (HMD) or glasses), an all-in-one machine, a TV, a monitor, a car, a vehicle-mounted device, a tablet or a smart screen, etc. The XR terminal can access the network wirelessly or wired, for example, through a WiFi or 5G system. The XR terminal can present XR data to the user, and the user can experience a variety of XR services by wearing or using the XR terminal.

[0099] The communication system 10 shown in FIG4 is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the technical solutions of this application. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in a specific implementation, the communication system 10 may further include other devices, and the number of RAN nodes and terminals may be determined based on specific needs and is not limited.

[0100] Optionally, each network element or device (such as a RAN node or terminal, etc.) in Figure 4 of the present application can also be referred to as a communication device, which can be a general device or a dedicated device. This application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0101] Optionally, the relevant functions of each network element or device (such as a RAN node or terminal, etc.) in Figure 4 of this application can be implemented by a single device, or can be implemented by multiple devices together, or can be implemented by one or more functional modules within a single device. This application does not specifically limit this. It is understood that the above functions can be network elements in hardware devices, software functions running on dedicated hardware, or a combination of hardware and software, or virtualized functions instantiated on a platform (such as a cloud platform).

[0102] In specific implementations, each network element or device (e.g., a RAN node or terminal) in Figure 4 of this application may adopt the structure shown in Figure 5, or include the components shown in Figure 5. Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a communication device applicable to this application. The communication device 50 includes at least one processor 501 and at least one communication interface 504, configured to implement the method provided in this application. The communication device 50 may also include a communication circuit 502 and a memory 503.

[0103] The processor 501 may be a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of the program of the present application.

[0104] The communication link 502 may include a path for transmitting information between the above components, such as a bus.

[0105] Communication interface 504 is used to communicate with other devices or communication networks. Communication interface 504 can be any transceiver-like device, such as an Ethernet interface, a radio access network (RAN) interface, a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface, a transceiver, a pin, a bus, or a transceiver circuit.

[0106] The memory 503 can be a read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage devices that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM) or other types of dynamic storage devices that can store information and instructions, or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, Blu-ray disc, etc.), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited to this. The memory can be independent and coupled to the processor 501 via a communication line 502. The memory 503 can also be integrated with the processor 501. The memory provided in this application can generally be non-volatile.

[0107] Among them, the memory 503 is used to store computer-executable instructions involved in executing the solution provided by this application, and is controlled by the processor 501. The processor 501 is used to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 503, thereby implementing the method provided by this application. Alternatively, optionally, in this application, the processor 501 may also perform processing-related functions in the method provided in the following embodiments of this application, and the communication interface 504 is responsible for communicating with other devices or communication networks, which is not specifically limited in this application.

[0108] Optionally, the computer-executable instructions in this application may also be referred to as application code, which is not specifically limited in this application.

[0109] The coupling in this application is an indirect coupling or communication connection between devices, units or modules, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms, and is used for information exchange between devices, units or modules.

[0110] As an embodiment, the processor 501 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 in FIG. 5 .

[0111] As an embodiment, the communication device 50 may include multiple processors, such as processor 501 and processor 507 in Figure 5. Each of these processors may be a single-core (single-CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor. The processor here may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0112] As an embodiment, the communication device 50 may further include an output device 505 and / or an input device 506. The output device 505 is coupled to the processor 501 and can display information in a variety of ways. For example, the output device 505 can be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display device, a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device, or a projector. The input device 506 is coupled to the processor 501 and can receive user input in a variety of ways. For example, the input device 506 can be a mouse, a keyboard, a touch screen device, or a sensor device.

[0113] It is understandable that the composition structure shown in Figure 5 does not constitute a limitation on the communication device. In addition to the components shown in Figure 5, the communication device may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or arrange the components differently.

[0114] The method provided by the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Each network element in the following embodiment may include the components shown in FIG5 , which will not be described in detail.

[0115] It can be understood that the message names between network elements or the names of parameters in the messages in the following embodiments of the present application are only examples, and other names may be used in specific implementations, and the present application does not make any specific limitations on this.

[0116] It is understood that in this application, " / " can indicate that the objects associated with each other are in an "or" relationship, for example, A / B can mean A or B; "and / or" can be used to describe that there are three relationships between the associated objects, for example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. In addition, expressions similar to "at least one of A, B and C" or "at least one of A, B or C" are usually used to indicate any of the following: A exists alone; B exists alone; C exists alone; A and B exist at the same time; A and C exist at the same time; B and C exist at the same time; A, B and C exist at the same time. The above uses A, B and C as an example to illustrate the optional items of the item. When there are more elements in the expression, the meaning of the expression can be obtained according to the above rules.

[0117] In order to facilitate the description of the technical solutions of the present application, in the present application, words such as "first" and "second" may be used to distinguish between technical features with the same or similar functions. The words such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity and execution order, and the words such as "first" and "second" do not necessarily limit them to be different. In the present application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" should not be interpreted as being more preferred or more advantageous than other embodiments or design. The use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present related concepts in a concrete way for easy understanding.

[0118] It is understood that the "embodiment" mentioned throughout the specification means that the specific features, structures or characteristics related to the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present application. Therefore, the various embodiments in the entire specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. It is understood that in the various embodiments of the present application, the size of the sequence number of each process does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the present application.

[0119] It can be understood that in this application, "when", "if" and "if" all mean that corresponding processing will be taken under certain objective circumstances, and do not limit the time, nor do they require judgment actions when implementing them, nor do they mean that there are other limitations.

[0120] The term "simultaneously" in this application may be understood as at the same time point, within a period of time, or within the same cycle.

[0121] It is understood that some optional features in this application may, in certain scenarios, be implemented independently of other features, such as the solution on which they are currently based, to solve corresponding technical problems and achieve corresponding effects. They may also be combined with other features in certain scenarios as needed. Accordingly, the devices provided in this application may also implement these features or functions accordingly, which will not be described in detail here.

[0122] It is understandable that the same step or steps or technical features with the same function in different embodiments of the present application can be referenced to each other.

[0123] It is understood that in this application, the RAN node and / or terminal may perform some or all of the steps in this application. These steps are merely examples, and this application may also perform other steps or variations of various steps. In addition, the steps may be performed in a different order than presented in this application, and it is possible that not all steps in this application need to be performed.

[0124] It should be noted that in this application, the term "RAN node" can be expressed differently, such as "network device." Unless otherwise specified, the term "network device" is used throughout this application. The term "network device" is a reference to an access network device (e.g., a base station).

[0125] It can be understood that in this application, "sending certain information (such as first configuration information) to (such as a terminal)" can be understood as the destination end of the information being the terminal. It can include sending the information to the terminal directly or indirectly. "Receiving certain information (such as first indication information) from (such as a terminal)" can be understood as the source end of the information being the terminal, which can include receiving information from the terminal directly or indirectly. The information may be processed as necessary between the source end and the destination end of the information transmission, such as format changes, etc., but the destination end can understand the valid information from the source end. Similar expressions in this application can be understood similarly and will not be repeated here.

[0126] It can be understood that in this application, "sending certain information (such as first indication information) to (such as a network device)" can be understood as the destination end of the information being the network device. It can include sending the information to the network device directly or indirectly. "Receiving certain information (such as first configuration information) from (such as a network device)" can be understood as the source end of the information being the network device, which can include receiving information from the network device directly or indirectly. The information may be processed as necessary between the source end and the destination end of the information transmission, such as format changes, etc., but the destination end can understand the valid information from the source end. Similar expressions in this application can be understood similarly and will not be repeated here.

[0127] It is understandable that the method provided below in this application uses a network device and a terminal as an example of the execution subject of the interaction diagram to illustrate the method, but this application does not limit the execution subject of the interaction diagram. For example, the method executed by the network device in this application can also be executed by a module of the network device (such as a chip, a chip system, or a processor), and can also be implemented by a logical node, a logical module, or software that can realize all or part of the functions of the network device; the method executed by the terminal in this application can also be executed by a module of the terminal (such as a chip, a chip system, or a processor), and can also be implemented by a logical node, a logical module, or software that can realize all or part of the functions of the terminal.

[0128] As shown in FIG6 , a communication method provided by the present application may include the following steps:

[0129] 601: The network device sends first configuration information to the terminal.

[0130] The first configuration information is used to configure the CG cycle period and at least N time units included in the CG cycle period, where the N time units include time units corresponding to CG transmission opportunities, and N is a positive integer. The first configuration information can be used to configure one CG cycle period or to configure multiple periodic CG cycle periods. N is defined as the number of time units allocated to the terminal for determining PUSCH in the CG cycle period.

[0131] It should be noted that in this application, a time unit can be a time domain unit such as a time slot, a symbol, or a mini-time slot. In subsequent embodiments, a time slot is used as an example of a time unit, and this application does not specifically limit this. In addition, the duration of the CG cycle period can be equal to or greater than the duration of N time units. The CG cycle period may also include time units other than the N time units configured by the network device, and this application does not limit this.

[0132] That is to say, a CG cycle period may include at least N time units, wherein the N time units include one or more CG transmission opportunities corresponding to at least one time unit.

[0133] Specifically, the duration of a CG cycle period is equal to the duration of the CG cycle. For example, if the duration of multiple CG cycle periods configured by the first configuration information is T milliseconds (ms), and the starting time slot of the first CG cycle period is T1, it can be determined that the configured first CG cycle period can be [T1, T1+T-1], and the second CG cycle period can be [T1+T, T1+2T-1]. For example, as shown in Figure 7, if T=17ms, the length of a time slot is 1ms, N is 17, T1 is time slot 0, CG cycle period 1 includes time slots 0 to 16, and CG cycle period 2 includes time slots 17 to 33.

[0134] It should be noted that the durations of multiple CG resources may be the same, or they may be different. For example, a network device may configure three CG cycle periods for a terminal, and the durations of these three CG cycle periods may be 16 time slots, 16 time slots, and 17 time slots, respectively. This application does not impose any specific restrictions on this. For ease of description, unless otherwise specified, the durations of multiple CG cycle periods in the following embodiments may be the same.

[0135] In one embodiment, the first configuration information may configure the period of the CG, such as the first configuration information including parameter N. Optionally, the first configuration information may further include time domain information or frequency domain information corresponding to the CG resources.

[0136] Among them, the N time units include the time units corresponding to the CG transmission opportunities. Specifically, one CG cycle period may include one or more CG transmission opportunities for the terminal to perform uplink transmission. Among them, one CG transmission opportunity can be carried in one time unit, or multiple CG transmission opportunities can be carried in one time unit. It can be seen that one or more time units for uplink transmission can be included in one CG cycle period.

[0137] Specifically, the embodiments of the present application can be applied to time division duplexing (TDD) mode or frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode. In FDD mode, uplink transmission and downlink transmission use different radio frequency bands. For example, a CG resource is configured to include 17 time slots, all of which are used for uplink transmission. If an uplink time slot U corresponds to a CG transmission opportunity, then the CG period includes 17 CG transmission opportunities.

[0138] In TDD mode, uplink and downlink transmissions can share the same radio frequency band, with different time units used for uplink and downlink transmissions. Specifically, the TDD mode can include specific uplink and downlink configurations, which indicate the ratio or pattern of time units corresponding to downlink and uplink transmissions. For example, the uplink and downlink configurations can be DDUDD or DDDU.

[0139] For example, as shown in FIG7 , N is 17 (the time unit is a time slot), that is, the CG cycle period configured by the network device for the terminal includes 17 consecutive time slots. If one uplink time slot U corresponds to one CG transmission opportunity, and the ratio of downlink time slot D to uplink time slot U within the CG cycle period is 4:1, if the specific uplink and downlink configuration is DDUDD, then as shown in FIG7 , the downlink time slot D and the uplink time slot U within the CG cycle period can be arranged in the order of DDUDD. Then, the CG transmission opportunities included in CG cycle period 1 can be carried in three time slots: time slot 2, time slot 7, and time slot 12. The CG transmission opportunities included in CG cycle period 2 can be carried in four time slots: time slot 17, time slot 22, time slot 27, and time slot 32. In other words, the number of CG transmission opportunities within CG cycle period 1 can be 3, and the number of CG transmission opportunities within CG cycle period 2 can be 4.

[0140] Optionally, the first configuration information may be carried in an RRC message.

[0141] Correspondingly, the terminal receives the first configuration information from the network device and obtains the CG resource from the first configuration information, that is, determines that the CG cycle period includes at least N time units, and determines one or more time units corresponding to the CG transmission opportunity included in the N time units. Thus, the terminal can perform uplink transmission through the CG transmission opportunity.

[0142] 602: The terminal sends first indication information to the network device.

[0143] Among them, the first indication information indicates the occupancy status of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period. Specifically, the first indication information can indicate the occupancy status of one or more CG transmission opportunities within a CG cycle period. The occupancy status of the CG transmission opportunity refers to whether the terminal actually occupies or does not occupy each CG transmission opportunity configured for it by the network device.

[0144] For example, the terminal can determine the number of CG transmission opportunities used in a CG cycle period based on the size of the data to be sent, that is, determine whether each CG transmission opportunity in the CG cycle period is occupied or unoccupied, and then send a first indication information to the network device, so that the network device can reallocate the unoccupied CG transmission opportunities to reduce resource waste.

[0145] Specifically, the number of bits occupied by the first indication information is L, where L is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and L is a positive integer. That is, the length of the first indication information sent by the terminal to the network device is L bits (L bits), where L can be determined by the terminal according to the duration of the CG cycle period indicated in the first configuration information configured by the network device.

[0146] Among them, the length of the first indication information is fixed, which is L bits, wherein one bit of the first indication information can be used to indicate the resource occupancy status of a CG transmission opportunity, including occupied or not occupied. Exemplarily, the value of the bit is 1, which can indicate that the CG transmission opportunity is occupied; the value of the bit is 0, which can indicate that the CG transmission opportunity is not occupied. Alternatively, the value of the bit is 0, which can indicate that the CG transmission opportunity is occupied; the value of the bit is 1, which can indicate that the CG transmission opportunity is not occupied. This application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0147] It should be noted that the L bits included in the first indication information can be used to indicate the resource occupancy of no more than L CG transmission opportunities, wherein the first indication information may include some bits that are reserved bits. For example, when the L bits included in the first indication information are used to indicate the resource occupancy of L1 CG transmission opportunities, wherein L1 is less than L, then L-L1 bits therein are reserved bits, or unused bits, and these L-L1 bits can be filled according to predefined rules, for example, uniformly filled with 0 or 1.

[0148] Optionally, the first indication information may be carried on the UCI. Specifically, the terminal may send the UCI carrying the first indication information through a CG transmission opportunity configured by the network device.

[0149] In one embodiment, the terminal may send first indication information corresponding to the first CG cycle period to the network device at a first moment, wherein the first moment may be a CG transmission opportunity within the first CG cycle period, or the first moment may also be a CG transmission opportunity within other CG cycle periods, such as a CG transmission opportunity within a CG cycle period before the first CG cycle period.

[0150] That is to say, the first indication information can indicate the resource occupancy status within the CG cycle period corresponding to the CG transmission opportunity occupied by the first indication information, or the first indication information can also indicate the resource occupancy status of other CG cycle periods, such as the resource occupancy status of the next CG cycle period of the CG cycle period in which the first indication information is sent.

[0151] Exemplarily, within CG cycle period 1, including CG transmission opportunity 1, the terminal sends a first indication information to the network device through the CG transmission opportunity 1, which is used to indicate the resource occupancy of CG cycle period 1, or to indicate the resource occupancy of CG cycle period 1 and CG cycle period 2.

[0152] Correspondingly, the network device receives the first indication information from the terminal. Thus, the network device can determine the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunities within the CG cycle period according to the content included in the first indication information, and can reallocate unoccupied CG transmission opportunities to reduce resource waste.

[0153] In the above-mentioned implementation mode of the present application, the length of the first indication information is agreed upon by the terminal side and the network device, so that the first indication information is a fixed length of L information bits, which can reduce the complexity of the network device's blind detection of the first indication information, that is, regardless of whether the first indication information is used to indicate the resource occupancy of several valid CG transmission opportunities, the length of the first indication information is fixed, or it is a fixed length negotiated by the terminal and the network device, thereby improving the detection efficiency of the network device in detecting the first indication information and reducing the complexity of the network device.

[0154] In one embodiment, the network device can configure CG resources for the terminal according to the data volume of the XR frame corresponding to the terminal. For example, the network device configures K CG cycle periods for the terminal through the first configuration information, which can be specifically numbered as CG cycle period 1 to CG cycle period k, where k is {1, 2, ..., K}, and K is a positive integer greater than 1. The number of CG transmission opportunities included in each CG cycle period can be represented by M, that is, the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k is represented as M k , then the number of CG transmission opportunities corresponding to K CG periodic periods can be {M1, M2, ...M k ,…,M K}.

[0155] In one embodiment, the length L of the first indication information may be: L=max{M1, M2, ...M k ,…,M K}, M k It represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, where CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, and the duration of the K CG cycle periods is configured by the first configuration information. max{M(k)} is used to represent the maximum value of the sequence M(k).

[0156] In one embodiment, for the FDD mode, if all time units included in a CG cycle period are used for uplink transmission, the length L of the first indication information can be obtained based on the duration of one or more CG cycle periods. Specifically, the length of the first indication information can be set based on the number of CG transmission opportunities in one or more CG cycle periods.

[0157] For example, in FDD mode, K CG cycle periods include at least N time units. If a CG transmission opportunity is carried in one time unit, the number of CG transmission opportunities corresponding to each CG cycle period in the K CG cycle periods is M. k If both are N, then L can be set to the duration of the CG period, that is, L = N. If each CG transmission opportunity corresponds to i time units, then the M corresponding to each CG period in the K CG period is k It can be N / i, then L can be set to: L = N / i. If j CG transmission opportunities correspond to one time unit, then the M corresponding to each CG period in the K CG period is k It can be N*j, then L can be set to: L=N*j. In the above example, i and j are both positive integers.

[0158] In another example, one CG transmission opportunity corresponds to one time slot. If the lengths of the three CG cycle periods in FDD mode are CG cycle period-1 including 16 time slots, CG cycle period-2 including 16 time slots, and CG cycle period-3 including 17 time slots, then it can be obtained that the number of CG transmission opportunities corresponding to CG cycle period-1 is M1=16, the number of CG transmission opportunities corresponding to CG cycle period-2 is M2=16, and the number of CG transmission opportunities corresponding to CG cycle period-3 is M3=17. Then the length L of the first indication information can be set to 17, thereby meeting the requirement that the first indication information indicates the resource occupancy of each CG transmission opportunity in each CG cycle period, thereby improving the flexibility and reliability of the indication information.

[0159] In one embodiment, for the TDD mode, the length L of the first indication information is also associated with the uplink and downlink configuration of the TDD mode. That is, in the TDD mode, the length L of the first indication information can be obtained based on the duration of at least one CG cycle period and the uplink and downlink configuration of the TDD mode. Specifically, in combination with the above: the value of the length L of the first indication information can be: L = max{M1, M2, ...M k ,…,M K}It can be seen that the length L of the first indication information can be the maximum value of the number of CG transmission opportunities corresponding to multiple CG cycle time periods.

[0160] For example, taking the case where the length of the CG cycle period is equal to 17 time slots and one CG transmission opportunity corresponds to one time slot, as shown in FIG7 , if the uplink and downlink configurations of the TDD mode are DDUDD, and the difference between two adjacent Us is 5 time slots, it can be obtained that the number of U time slots contained in one CG cycle period may be 3 or 4, with a maximum value of 4, and the number of bits of the first indication information can be set to 4. Similarly, if the uplink and downlink configurations of the TDD mode are DDDU, as shown in FIG8 , the difference between two adjacent Us is 4 time slots, it can be obtained that the number of U time slots contained in one CG cycle period may be 4 or 5, with a maximum value of 5, and the number of bits of the first indication information can be set to 5.

[0161] Specifically, the bit sequence u of the first indication information M-1 ,…,u1,u0, can be mapped according to the timing sequence of the CG transmission opportunities included in the CG cycle period, and the mapping order is: according to the timing of each CG transmission opportunity from front to back, the corresponding mapping to the first indication information bit sequence is mapped from the most significant bit (MSB) to the least significant bit (LSB), where u0 is the LSB, u M-1 The unused bits can be filled with 0 or 1.

[0162] According to the above example, as shown in Figure 7, if the value of the bit in the first indication information is 0, it means that the terminal's resource occupancy status for the CG transmission opportunity is occupied; the value is 1, which means that the terminal's resource occupancy status for the CG transmission opportunity is not occupied. The remaining bits can be filled with 0. Taking the uplink and downlink configuration of the TDD mode as DDUDD as an example, in CG cycle period 1, the terminal occupies all 3 CG transmission opportunities, and in CG cycle period 2, the terminal only occupies the first 2 CG transmission opportunities, then the first indication information corresponding to CG cycle period 1 can be 0000, and the first indication information corresponding to CG cycle period 2 can be 0011.

[0163] It can be seen from the above embodiments that when the network device configures CG resources for the terminal and the uplink and downlink configurations of the TDD mode are known, the network device can obtain the maximum number of CG transmission opportunities contained in multiple CG cycle time periods, that is, the number of bits of the first indication information can be obtained, thereby reducing the complexity of the network device in detecting the first indication information. In addition, the first indication information only includes the resource occupancy corresponding to the CG transmission opportunity, with less redundant information and less signaling overhead for the first indication information.

[0164] In addition, the present application also provides a communication method, as shown in FIG9 , which may include the following steps:

[0165] 901: The network device sends first configuration information to the terminal.

[0166] Correspondingly, the terminal receives the first configuration information from the network device.

[0167] The first configuration information is used to configure at least N time units included in the CG cycle period, and the N time units include one or more time units corresponding to at least one CG transmission opportunity.

[0168] For details, please refer to the description of the aforementioned step 601, which will not be repeated here.

[0169] 902: The terminal sends second indication information to the network device.

[0170] Correspondingly, the network device receives the second indication information from the terminal.

[0171] Among them, the second indication information indicates the occupancy status of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, and the number of bits occupied by the second indication information is N, where N is a positive integer.

[0172] That is, the second indication information can be set to the number N of time units in the CG cycle period configured by the network device for the terminal.

[0173] Optionally, the first indication information may be carried on UCI, which is UTO-UCI.

[0174] For FDD mode, if all time units included in a CG cycle period are used for uplink transmission, and one time unit corresponds to one CG transmission opportunity, the length of the first indication information can be determined according to the duration of the CG cycle period. Specifically, if the CG cycle period includes at least N time units, the length of the second indication information is N bits.

[0175] For the TDD mode, if one time unit corresponds to one CG transmission opportunity, and one or more CG transmission opportunities are included in the N time units within a CG cycle period, the length of the first indication information can be determined according to the duration of the CG cycle period, that is, the length of the second indication information is N bits. Among them, if the N time units within the CG cycle period only include one CG transmission opportunity, then one bit in the second indication information is used to indicate whether the resource occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity is occupied or not occupied, and the other N-1 bits are uniformly filled with 0 or 1, which is redundant information. If the N time units within the CG cycle period only include M CG transmission opportunities, where M is a positive integer less than or equal to N, then the M bits in the second indication information are used to indicate whether the resource occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity is occupied or not occupied, and the other NM bits are uniformly filled with 0 or 1, which is redundant information.

[0176] Specifically, the bit sequence u of the second indication information M-1 ,…,u1,u0, can be mapped according to the timing sequence of at least N time units included in the CG cycle period, and the mapping order is: according to the timing corresponding to each CG transmission opportunity from front to back, the corresponding second indication information bit sequence is mapped from the most significant bit (MSB) to the least significant bit (LSB), where u0 is the LSB, u M-1 The unused bits can be filled with 0 or 1.

[0177] Exemplarily, taking Figure 8 as an example, if the value of the bit in the second indication information is 0, it indicates that the terminal's resource occupancy for the CG transmission opportunity is occupied; the value is 1, which indicates that the terminal's resource occupancy for the CG transmission opportunity is not occupied. The remaining bits can be filled with 1. In CG cycle period 1, the terminal occupies 3 CG transmission opportunities, and in CG cycle period 2, the terminal only occupies the first 2 CG transmission opportunities. The second indication information occupies 17 bits, then the second indication information corresponding to CG cycle period 1 can be: 000111111111111111, and the second indication information corresponding to CG cycle period 2 can be: 0011111111111111111.

[0178] In the above-mentioned implementation mode of the present application, the length of the second indication information (such as UTO-UCI) is agreed upon by the terminal side and the network device, so that the length of the second indication information is fixed to the length of the CG cycle period, thereby reducing the complexity of the network device's blind detection of the second indication information, that is, regardless of whether the second indication information is used to indicate the resource occupancy of several valid CG transmission opportunities, the length of the second indication information is fixed, or it is a fixed length negotiated by the terminal and the network device, thereby improving the detection efficiency of the network device in detecting the second indication information and reducing the complexity of the network device.

[0179] In addition, in one embodiment, the network device can configure the UTO-UCI indication method for the terminal. Specifically, the UTO-UCI indication method includes: UTO-UCI can be used to indicate the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within a CG cycle period, or, it can be used to indicate the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within multiple CG cycle periods, or, UTO-UCI is not sent.

[0180] In one embodiment, the terminal may optionally send capability indication information to the network device to report the capabilities supported by the terminal to the network device. For example, the capability indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal supports configuring multiple CG transmission opportunities within a CG period. In addition, the capability indication information may also indicate whether the terminal supports indicating the occupancy of CG transmission opportunities by sending UTO-UCI. Thus, after receiving the capability indication information, the network device may configure CG resources for the terminal and configure the UTO-UCI indication method based on the capability indication information.

[0181] Among them, the CG resources configured by the network device for the terminal, such as within a CG cycle period, may include one CG transmission opportunity, or may include multiple CG transmission opportunities. It should be noted that the different types of CG resources configured by the above-mentioned network device for the terminal and the indication method of the UTO-UCI configured by the network device for the terminal may be independent of each other, or the indication method of the UTO-UCI may depend on the type of CG resources configured by the network device for the terminal.

[0182] In one possible scenario, the network device configures the terminal to include multiple CG transmission opportunities within a CG cycle period, but does not support UTO-UCI to indicate the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunities.

[0183] In another possible scenario 2, the network device configures the terminal: one CG cycle period includes one CG transmission opportunity, and supports UTO-UCI to indicate the occupancy status of CG transmission opportunities in multiple CG cycle periods.

[0184] In another possible scenario three, the network device configures the terminal: a CG cycle period includes multiple CG transmission opportunities, and supports UTO-UCI to indicate the occupancy status of the CG transmission opportunities in a CG cycle period.

[0185] In another possible scenario four, the network device configures the terminal to include one CG transmission opportunity within one CG cycle period, but does not support UTO-UCI to indicate the occupancy of CG transmission opportunities within multiple CG cycle periods.

[0186] Based on the above scenario three, the present application also provides a communication method for indicating the number of bits of UTO to the terminal through a network device. As shown in FIG10 , the method may include the following steps:

[0187] 1001: The network device sends second configuration information to the terminal.

[0188] Correspondingly, the terminal receives the second configuration information from the network device.

[0189] Among them, the second configuration information is used to configure the number of bits P occupied by the third indication information. The third indication information indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period. The minimum value of P is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and P is a positive integer.

[0190] That is, the network device may configure the number of bits occupied by the third indication information for the terminal as P, so that the terminal may determine the number of bits of the third indication information according to the number of bits P indicated in the second configuration information.

[0191] Optionally, the third indication information may be carried on UCI, which is UTO-UCI.

[0192] In one embodiment, the second configuration information is also used to configure a CG period for the terminal, including at least N time units, for determining the time units carrying CG transmission opportunities. That is, when the network device configures CG resources for the terminal, it can carry indication information of the number of bits occupied by the third indication information.

[0193] Alternatively, the method further includes: the network device sending first configuration information to the terminal, where the first configuration information is used to configure the CG cycle period to include at least N time units, where the N time units include time units corresponding to CG transmission opportunities, and N is a positive integer. In other words, the network device can send the first configuration information and the second configuration information to the terminal to configure the CG resources and the number of bits occupied by the third indication information, respectively.

[0194] Optionally, the second configuration information may be carried in an RRC message. Exemplarily, the number of bits occupied by the third indication information may be represented by an RRC configuration parameter lengthofUTO_UCI.

[0195] In one embodiment, P may be a positive integer, and the minimum value of P is at least N time units included in the CG cycle period configured by the network device for the terminal. If the CG cycle period configured by the network device for the terminal includes N time units for determining the CG transmission opportunity, that is, P can be set to any integer greater than or equal to N.

[0196] Specifically, if the network device sets the number of bits P occupied by the third indication information to N, that is, P=N, for the specific indication method of the third indication information, please refer to the relevant description of the second indication information in the embodiment shown in Figure 9 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0197] In another embodiment, the minimum value of P is also associated with the uplink and downlink configuration of the TDD mode. For the TDD mode, different uplink and downlink configurations may result in different numbers of CG transmission opportunities included in each corresponding CG cycle period. Therefore, the minimum value of P can be obtained based on the number of time units in the CG cycle period and the uplink and downlink configuration of the TDD mode.

[0198] Specifically, the minimum value of P may be L, where L=max{M1, M2, ...M k ,…,M K}, M k It represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, where CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, and the value of k is {1, 2, …, K}, where K is a positive integer greater than 1.

[0199] The duration of the K CG periodic periods is also configured by the second configuration information, or may be configured by other configuration information sent by the network device. This application does not limit this.

[0200] Specifically, if the network device sets the number of bits P occupied by the third indication information to L, that is, P is set to the maximum value of the number of CG transmission opportunities in multiple CG cycle periods, for the specific indication method of the third indication information, please refer to the relevant description of the first indication information in the embodiment shown in Figure 6 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0201] 1002: The terminal sends third indication information to the network device.

[0202] Correspondingly, the network device receives the third indication information from the terminal.

[0203] Correspondingly, after the terminal obtains the second configuration information, it can determine that the number of bits occupied by the third indication information is P. The terminal can then determine the number of PUSCHs used in a CG cycle period based on the size of the data to be sent, that is, the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity, thereby generating the corresponding third indication information.

[0204] Specifically, the terminal can generate a third indication information with a length of P bits according to the size of the data to be sent, which is used to indicate to the network device which CG transmission opportunities need to be occupied and which are not occupied within the CG cycle period. After the network device receives the third indication information, it can reallocate the unoccupied CG transmission opportunities, reduce resource waste, and improve resource utilization.

[0205] In the above-mentioned embodiment of the present application, the network device configures the indication length of the third indication information (such as UTO-UCI) for the terminal through a displayed indication method, so that the terminal can generate a third indication information of a fixed length according to the indication of the network device, which is used to indicate the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, thereby reducing the complexity of the network device's blind detection of the third indication information, that is, no matter how many valid CG transmission opportunities the third indication information is used to indicate, the length of the third indication information is fixed, which is a fixed length negotiated by the terminal and the network device, thereby improving the detection efficiency of the network device in detecting the third indication information and reducing the complexity of the network device.

[0206] In addition, the present application also provides a communication method for use in scenarios where the UTO-UCI indicates the occupancy of CG transmission opportunities corresponding to multiple CG cycle periods or service cycle periods, where the service cycle may specifically refer to the arrival period of service data. In other words, the information indicated by the UTO-UCI is not limited to a single CG cycle period or service cycle period, but can be indicated across CG cycle periods or service cycle periods.

[0207] Specifically, the information indication range of the UTO-UCI is used to indicate the time domain range indicated by the UTO-UCI (such as the unit can be a time slot), that is, the UTO-UCI can be used to indicate the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the time domain range. In this application, UTO_P can be used to represent the information indication range corresponding to the UTO-UCI. Among them, the information indication range corresponding to the UTO-UCI can be the number of time units (such as time slots), and the indication range can include time units within one or more CG cycle periods, which is not limited in this application.

[0208] For example, as shown in Figure 11, the CG cycle period configured by the network device for the terminal includes 15 time slots, and the uplink and downlink configurations within the CG cycle period are DDUDD. The terminal can send a UTO-UCI to the network device on the corresponding CG transmission opportunity. The information indication range corresponding to the UTO-UCI is UTO_P = 15 time slots. As can be seen from Figure 11, for the UTO-UCI-1 sent by the terminal, the information indication range of UTO-UCI-1 is: time slot 2 to time slot 16, which is used to indicate the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period -1. For example, the bit information indicated by UTO-UCI-1 is (1, 1, 0), which can be used to indicate the occupancy of the three CG transmission opportunities within the CG cycle period -1, with the first two occupied and the last one not occupied.

[0209] For UTO-UCI-2, the information indication range of UTO-UCI-1 is: time slot 7 to time slot 21, which can be used to indicate the occupancy of some CG transmission opportunities within CG cycle period-1, and to indicate the occupancy of some CG transmission opportunities within CG cycle period-2.

[0210] For example, the bit information indicated by UTO-UCI-2 is (1, 0, 1), which can be used to indicate that of the two CG transmission opportunities within CG cycle period-1, the first one is occupied and the second one is not occupied, and one CG transmission opportunity within CG cycle period-2 is occupied.

[0211] However, for XR services, data packets arrive periodically and the size of the data packets is variable. The terminal cannot accurately predict the size of the data packets arriving in the next CG cycle period or business cycle period during the current CG cycle period or business cycle period, and cannot judge the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity in the next CG cycle period or business cycle period based on the size of the data packet. Therefore, if the above-mentioned implementation method is applied to the XR service, there may be a problem of inaccurate UTO-UCI indication.

[0212] Based on the above problems, the present application also provides an implementation method, which constrains the information indication range corresponding to the UTO-UCI so that the UTO-UCI only indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the current CG cycle period or the service cycle period, without indicating across cycles. This can improve the accuracy of the UTO-UCI indication, reduce the number of bits occupied by the UTO-UCI, and save signaling overhead.

[0213] Specifically, the method includes: the terminal sends fourth indication information to the network device within the first cycle period, wherein the fourth indication information is used to indicate the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the first cycle period. The first cycle period can specifically be the first CG cycle period, or it can be the first service cycle period, which is not limited in this application.

[0214] Optionally, the fourth indication information may be carried on UCI, which is UTO-UCI.

[0215] That is to say, for XR services, if the information indication range corresponding to the fourth indication information includes part of the second cycle period, the fourth indication information sent by the terminal may not include the bit used to indicate the occupancy status of the CG transmission opportunity within the second cycle period, that is, the information indication range corresponding to the fourth indication information only includes the current cycle period. In other words, the number of UTO-UCI bits sent by the terminal in the current CG cycle period or service cycle period does not include the bit indicating the occupancy status of the CG transmission opportunity corresponding to the next CG cycle period or service cycle period.

[0216] Specifically, in one embodiment, if the number of bits occupied by the UTO-UCI initially set or configured by the terminal and the network device is the number of CG transmission opportunities, the number of bits occupied by the UTO-UCI actually sent by the terminal may be: L = L_1 = L_U - L_2. Here, L_U is the number of CG transmission opportunities included in the information indication range corresponding to the UTO-UCI, L_1 is the number of CG transmission opportunities within the intersection of the first cycle period and the information indication range of the UTO-UCI, and L_2 is the number of CG transmission opportunities within the intersection of the information indication range of the UTO-UCI and the second cycle period.

[0217] Based on the example shown in the aforementioned Figure 11, the bit information indicated by UTO-UCI-2 can be updated from (1, 0, 1) to send (1, 0), which can be used to indicate that of the two CG transmission opportunities within the CG cycle period-1, the first one is occupied and the second one is not occupied, instead of indicating the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period-2, thereby saving the signaling overhead of UTO-UCI and improving the accuracy of the UTO-UCI indication.

[0218] For example, as shown in FIG12 , the terminal includes a first cycle period and a second cycle period, and the service cycle of the terminal is 16.67 milliseconds, that is, the duration of the first cycle period and the second cycle period is 16.67 milliseconds. Among them, the UTO-UCI indication method initially agreed upon by the terminal and the network device may be: the current UTO-UCI is used to indicate the occupancy of the 6 CG transmission opportunities after the UTO-UCI, that is, the initial UTO-UCI can occupy 6 bits. As shown in FIG12 , the bit information of UTO-UCI-1 can be (1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0). Through the above-mentioned embodiment of the present application, the UTO-UCI can only indicate the dedicated situation of the CG transmission opportunity included in the current cycle period, and does not include the indication bit of the next cycle period. Therefore, the bit information of UTO-UCI-2 can be (1, 1, 0, 0), the bit information of UTO-UCI-3 can be (1, 0, 0), and the bit information of UTO-UCI-4 can be (0, 0).

[0219] Compared to the aforementioned implementation, if UTO-UCI-4 can indicate across CG cycle periods or service cycle periods, that is, UTO-UCI-4 includes the occupancy of part of the CG transmission opportunities of the first cycle period and the second cycle period, then the bit information of UTO-UCI-4 can be (0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1), or it can be (0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1). However, the indication of the second cycle period in the UTO-UCI-4 may be inaccurate and also waste signaling overhead. Through the above-mentioned implementation of the present application, the bits occupied by UTO-UCI-4 are saved from 6 bits to 2 bits, thereby not only saving energy UTO-UCI signaling overhead, but also improving the indication accuracy of UTO-UCI.

[0220] It should be noted that the present application does not limit the specific indication method of the UTO-UCI, and the UTO-UCI indication in the above embodiments is only used as an example to describe the implementation method provided by the present application.

[0221] The various embodiments mentioned above in this application can be combined without limitation if there is no contradiction between the solutions.

[0222] The above primarily describes the solution provided by this application from the perspective of interaction between various network elements. Accordingly, this application also provides a communication device, which may be the network device described in the above method embodiments, or a component that can be used in a network device; alternatively, the communication device may be the terminal described in the above method embodiments, or a device that includes the terminal described above, or a component that can be used in a terminal. It is understood that, in order to implement the above functions, the above network device or terminal, etc., includes hardware structures and / or software modules that perform the corresponding functions. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that, in conjunction with the various exemplary units and algorithmic operations described in the embodiments disclosed herein, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is implemented in hardware or in a hardware-driven manner by computer software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professionals and technicians may use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0223] It should be understood that the above description uses only a terminal and a network device as an example to describe the interactions between various network elements. In practice, the processing performed by the terminal is not limited to being performed by a single network element, and the processing performed by the network device is not limited to being performed by a single network element. For example, the processing performed by the network device can be performed by at least one of the CU, DU, and RU.

[0224] This application can divide the network device or terminal into functional modules based on the above method examples. For example, each functional module can be divided according to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into a processing module. The above integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or software functional modules. It is understood that the division of modules in this application is schematic and is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, other division methods may be used.

[0225] For example, in the case of dividing the functional modules in an integrated manner, FIG13 shows a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 1300. The communication device 1300 includes an interface module 1301.

[0226] In some embodiments, the communication device 1300 may further include a storage module (not shown in FIG. 13 ) for storing program instructions and data.

[0227] Exemplarily, the communication device 1300 can be used to implement the functions of a terminal. The communication device 1300 is, for example, the terminal described in the embodiment shown in FIG6 .

[0228] The interface module 1301 is used to receive first configuration information from a network device, and the first configuration information is used to configure N time units within the authorized CG cycle period, wherein the N time units include time units corresponding to CG transmission opportunities.

[0229] The interface module 1301 is also used to send a first indication message to the network device, where the first indication message indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, where the number of bits occupied by the first indication message is L, L is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and L and N are positive integers.

[0230] In one embodiment, L is also associated with TDD uplink and downlink configuration.

[0231] In one embodiment, L=max{M1, M2, ...M k ,…,M K}, M k It represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, where CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, and K CG cycle periods are configured by the first configuration information. The value of k is {1, 2,…, K}, where K is a positive integer greater than 1.

[0232] In addition, the communication device 1300 may also be used to implement the terminal described in the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 .

[0233] The interface module 1301 is used to receive first configuration information from a network device, and the first configuration information is used to configure N time units within a CG cycle period, wherein the N time units include time units corresponding to CG transmission opportunities.

[0234] The interface module 1301 is also used to send second indication information to the network device, where the second indication information indicates the occupancy status of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, wherein the number of bits occupied by the second indication information is N, and N is a positive integer.

[0235] In addition, the communication device 1300 may also be used to implement the terminal described in the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 .

[0236] Interface module 1301 is used to receive second configuration information from the network device, and the second configuration information is used to configure the number of bits P occupied by the third indication information, wherein the third indication information indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, and the minimum value of P is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and P is a positive integer.

[0237] The interface module 1301 is further configured to send third indication information to the network device.

[0238] In one embodiment, the minimum value of P is also associated with time division duplex (TDD) uplink and downlink configuration.

[0239] In one embodiment, the minimum value of P is L, where L=max{M1, M2, ...M k ,…,M K}, M k It represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, where CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, and K CG cycle periods are configured by the second configuration information. The value of k is {1, 2,…, K}, where K is a positive integer greater than 1.

[0240] In addition, the communication device 1300 may also be used to implement the terminal described in the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 .

[0241] Interface module 1301 is used to receive second configuration information from the network device, and the second configuration information is used to configure the number of bits P occupied by the third indication information, wherein the third indication information indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, and the minimum value of P is the number of time units in the CG cycle period.

[0242] The interface module 1301 is further configured to send third indication information to the network device.

[0243] In one embodiment, the number of time units in the CG cycle period is configured by the second configuration information.

[0244] In addition, the communication device 1300 can also be used to implement the network device described in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 .

[0245] The interface module 1301 is used to send first configuration information to the terminal, where the first configuration information is used to configure N time units within a CG cycle period, where the N time units include time units corresponding to CG transmission opportunities.

[0246] The interface module 1301 is also used to receive the first indication information from the terminal, where the first indication information indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, where the number of bits occupied by the first indication information is L, L is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and L and N are positive integers.

[0247] In one embodiment, L is further associated with a time division duplex (TDD) uplink and downlink configuration.

[0248] In one embodiment, L=max{M1, M2, ...M k ,…,M K}, M k It represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, where CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, and K CG cycle periods are configured by the first configuration information. The value of k is {1, 2,…, K}, where K is a positive integer greater than 1.

[0249] In addition, the communication device 1300 can also be used to implement the network device described in the embodiment shown in Figure 9, for example.

[0250] The interface module 1301 is used to send first configuration information to the terminal, where the first configuration information is used to configure N time units within a CG cycle period, where the N time units include time units corresponding to CG transmission opportunities.

[0251] The interface module 1301 is also used to receive second indication information from the terminal, where the second indication information indicates the occupancy status of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, wherein the number of bits occupied by the second indication information is N, and N is a positive integer.

[0252] In addition, the communication device 1300 can also be used to implement the network device described in the embodiment shown in Figure 10, for example.

[0253] Interface module 1301 is used to send second configuration information to the terminal, and the second configuration information is used to configure the number of bits P occupied by the third indication information, wherein the third indication information indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, and the minimum value of P is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and P is a positive integer.

[0254] The interface module 1301 is further configured to receive third indication information from the terminal.

[0255] In one embodiment, the minimum value of P is also associated with time division duplex (TDD) uplink and downlink configuration.

[0256] In one embodiment, the minimum value of P is L, where L=max{M1, M2, ...M k ,…,M K}, M k It represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, where CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, and K CG cycle periods are configured by the second configuration information. The value of k is {1, 2,…, K}, where K is a positive integer greater than 1.

[0257] In addition, the communication device 1300 can also be used to implement the network device described in the embodiment shown in Figure 10, for example.

[0258] Interface module 1301 is used to send second configuration information to the terminal, and the second configuration information is used to configure the number of bits P occupied by the third indication information, wherein the third indication information indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, and the minimum value of P is the number of time units in the CG cycle period.

[0259] The interface module 1301 is further configured to receive third indication information from the terminal.

[0260] In one embodiment, the number of time units in the CG cycle period is configured by the second configuration information.

[0261] When the communication device 1300 is used to implement the functions of the terminal or network device in the above embodiments, for other functions that the communication device 1300 can implement, please refer to the relevant introduction of the embodiments shown in Figures 6, 9 or 10, and no further details will be given.

[0262] In a simple embodiment, those skilled in the art may appreciate that the communication device 1300 may be in the form shown in Figure 5. For example, the processor 501 in Figure 5 may call the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 503 to enable the communication device 1300 to execute the method described in the above method embodiment.

[0263] Exemplarily, the functions / implementation processes of the interface module 1301 in FIG. 13 may be implemented through the communication interface 504 in FIG. 5 .

[0264] It is understandable that one or more of the above modules or units can be implemented by software, hardware or a combination of the two. When any of the above modules or units is implemented by software, the software exists in the form of computer program instructions and is stored in a memory, and a processor can be used to execute the program instructions and implement the above method flow. The processor can be built into an SoC (system on chip) or an ASIC, or it can be an independent semiconductor chip. In addition to the core used to execute software instructions to perform calculations or processing within the processor, it can further include necessary hardware accelerators, such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), PLDs (programmable logic devices), or logic circuits that implement dedicated logic operations.

[0265] When the above modules or units are implemented in hardware, the hardware can be any one or any combination of a CPU, a microprocessor, a digital signal processing (DSP) chip, a microcontroller unit (MCU), an artificial intelligence processor, an ASIC, a SoC, an FPGA, a PLD, a dedicated digital circuit, a hardware accelerator or a non-integrated discrete device, which can run the necessary software or not rely on the software to execute the above method flow.

[0266] Optionally, the present application also provides a chip system, comprising: at least one processor and an interface, wherein the at least one processor is coupled to a memory via the interface, and when the at least one processor executes a computer program or instruction in the memory, the method in any of the above method embodiments is executed. In one possible implementation, the chip system also includes a memory. Optionally, the chip system can be composed of a chip, or can include a chip and other discrete devices, which is not specifically limited in this application.

[0267] Optionally, the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium. All or part of the processes in the above-mentioned method embodiments can be completed by a computer program to instruct the relevant hardware. The program can be stored in the above-mentioned computer-readable storage medium. When the program is executed, it can include the processes of the above-mentioned method embodiments. The computer-readable storage medium can be an internal storage unit of the communication device of any of the above-mentioned embodiments, such as a hard disk or memory of the communication device. The above-mentioned computer-readable storage medium can also be an external storage device of the above-mentioned communication device, such as a plug-in hard disk, a smart memory card (smart media card, SMC), a secure digital (secure digital, SD) card, a flash card (flash card), etc. equipped on the above-mentioned communication device. Furthermore, the above-mentioned computer-readable storage medium can also include both the internal storage unit of the above-mentioned communication device and an external storage device. The above-mentioned computer-readable storage medium is used to store the above-mentioned computer program and other programs and data required by the above-mentioned communication device. The above-mentioned computer-readable storage medium can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or is to be output.

[0268] Optionally, the present application also provides a computer program product. All or part of the processes in the above method embodiments may be completed by a computer program instructing related hardware. The program may be stored in the above computer program product, and when executed, the program may include the processes in the above method embodiments.

[0269] Optionally, the present application also provides a computer instruction. All or part of the process in the above method embodiment can be completed by the computer instruction to instruct the relevant hardware (such as a computer, processor, network device or terminal, etc.). The program can be stored in the above computer-readable storage medium or in the above computer program product.

[0270] Optionally, the present application also provides a communication system, including: the network device and terminal in the above embodiments.

[0271] Through the description of the above implementation methods, technical personnel in the relevant field can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, only the division of the above-mentioned functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above-mentioned functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0272] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the modules or units is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another device, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0273] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may be one physical unit or multiple physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed in multiple places. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0274] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present application may be integrated into a single processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into a single unit. The aforementioned integrated units may be implemented in the form of hardware or software functional units.

[0275] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited to this. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Receive first configuration information from a network device, where the first configuration information is used to configure N time units within an authorized CG cycle period, where the N time units include time units corresponding to CG transmission opportunities; A first indication message is sent to the network device, wherein the first indication message indicates the occupancy status of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, wherein the number of bits occupied by the first indication message is L, L is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and L and N are positive integers.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The L is also associated with time division duplex (TDD) uplink and downlink configurations.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The L=max{M_1, M_2, …M_k, …, M_K}, where M_k represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, and the CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, and the K CG cycle periods are configured by the first configuration information. The value of k is {1, 2, …, K}, and K is a positive integer greater than 1.

4. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Receive first configuration information from a network device, where the first configuration information is used to configure N time units within a CG cycle period, where the N time units include time units corresponding to CG transmission opportunities; Send second indication information to the network device, wherein the second indication information indicates the occupancy status of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, wherein the number of bits occupied by the second indication information is N, and N is a positive integer.

5. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Receive second configuration information from a network device, where the second configuration information is used to configure the number of bits P occupied by third indication information, wherein the third indication information indicates the occupancy of CG transmission opportunities within the CG cycle period, the minimum value of P is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and P is a positive integer; Send the third indication information to the network device.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The minimum value of P is also associated with time division duplex (TDD) uplink and downlink configurations.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The minimum value of P is L, where L = max{M_1, M_2, …M_k, …, M_K}, M_k represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, the CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, the K CG cycle periods are configured by the second configuration information, k is {1, 2, …, K}, and K is a positive integer greater than 1.

8. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Receive second configuration information from a network device, where the second configuration information is used to configure the number of bits P occupied by third indication information, wherein the third indication information indicates the occupancy of CG transmission opportunities within the CG cycle period, and the minimum value of P is the number of time units in the CG cycle period; Send the third indication information to the network device.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The number of time units in the CG cycle period is configured by the second configuration information.

10. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Sending first configuration information to the terminal, where the first configuration information is used to configure N time units within the CG cycle period, where the N time units include time units corresponding to the CG transmission opportunity; Receive first indication information from the terminal, wherein the first indication information indicates the occupancy status of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, wherein the number of bits occupied by the first indication information is L, L is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and L and N are positive integers.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that The L is also associated with time division duplex (TDD) uplink and downlink configurations.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that: The L=max{M_1, M_2, …M_k, …, M_K}, where M_k represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, and the CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, and the K CG cycle periods are configured by the first configuration information. The value of k is {1, 2, …, K}, and K is a positive integer greater than 1.

13. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Sending first configuration information to the terminal, where the first configuration information is used to configure N time units within the CG cycle period, where the N time units include time units corresponding to the CG transmission opportunity; Receive second indication information from the terminal, where the second indication information indicates the occupancy status of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, wherein the number of bits occupied by the second indication information is N, and N is a positive integer.

14. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Sending second configuration information to the terminal, where the second configuration information is used to configure the number of bits P occupied by the third indication information, wherein the third indication information indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity within the CG cycle period, the minimum value of P is associated with the duration of the CG cycle period, and P is a positive integer; The third indication information is received from the terminal.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that The minimum value of P is also associated with time division duplex (TDD) uplink and downlink configurations.

16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that The minimum value of P is L, where L = max{M_1, M_2, …M_k, …, M_K}, M_k represents the number of CG transmission opportunities in CG cycle period k, the CG cycle period k is one of K CG cycle periods, the K CG cycle periods are configured by the second configuration information, k is {1, 2, …, K}, and K is a positive integer greater than 1.

17. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Sending second configuration information to the terminal, where the second configuration information is used to configure the number of bits P occupied by the third indication information, wherein the third indication information indicates the occupancy of the CG transmission opportunity in the CG cycle period, and the minimum value of P is the number of time units in the CG cycle period; The third indication information is received from the terminal.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that The number of time units in the CG cycle period is configured by the second configuration information.

19. A communication device, characterized in that: include: A processor, wherein the processor is coupled to a memory, wherein the memory is used to store programs or instructions, and when the programs or instructions are executed by the processor, the device executes the method as described in any one of claims 1-3, or 4, or 5-7, or 8-9.

20. A communication device, characterized in that: include: A processor, the processor is coupled to a memory, the memory is used to store programs or instructions, when the program or instructions are executed by the processor, the device executes the method as described in any one of claims 10-12, or 13, or 14-16, or 17-18.

21. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program or instruction stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program or instructions are executed, the computer performs the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or the method according to any one of claims 10 to 18.

22. A computer program product, comprising computer program code, characterized in that: When the computer program code is executed on a computer, the computer is enabled to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or the method according to any one of claims 10 to 18.

23. A communication device, characterized in that: Comprising a module for executing the method as described in any one of claims 1-3, or 4, or 5-7, or 8-9.

24. A communication device, characterized in that: Comprising a module for executing the method as described in any one of claims 10-12, or 13, or 14-16, or 17-18.

25. A communication system, characterized in that: It comprises a terminal for executing the method as described in any one of claims 1-3, or 4, or 5-7, or 8-9, and a network device for executing the method as described in any one of claims 10-12, or 13, or 14-16, or 17-18.

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