Access network device and communication method

Abstract

An access network device and a communication method, which relate to the technical field of communications, and can reduce the traffic of a fronthaul interface, thereby improving the communication performance. The access network device comprises: a first network element and a second network element, which is in communication connection with the first network element, wherein the first network element comprises a radio resource control function, a packet data convergence protocol function, a non-real-time part of a radio link control function, and a non-real-time part of a media access control function, and the second network element comprises a non-real-time part of a physical layer function, and a real-time part of the physical layer function.

Description

Access network equipment and communication method

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on November 27, 2023, with application number 202311598660.X and application name “Access Network Equipment and Communication Method”, 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 access network equipment and communication methods. Background Art

[0003] In a communication system, access network equipment may include a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), and a radio unit (RU). The DU and RU may communicate via a fronthaul (FH) interface.

[0004] With the continuous development of communication technology, the frequency band for communication between access network equipment and terminal equipment has gradually increased. High frequency bands will lead to increased bandwidth, which in turn will lead to a sharp increase in traffic on the fronthaul interface.

[0005] Therefore, how to reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface and improve communication performance has become an urgent problem to be solved.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The embodiments of the present application provide an access network device and a communication method, which can reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface and improve communication performance.

[0008] In a first aspect, an access network device is provided, the access network device including: a first network element and a second network element communicatively connected to the first network element, the first network element including a radio resource control (RRC) function, a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) function, a non-real-time part of a radio link control (RLC) function, and a non-real-time part of a media access control (MAC) function; the second network element including a non-real-time part of a physical (PHY) layer function and a real-time part of a PHY layer function.

[0009] Based on the first aspect, the access network device may include a first network element and a second network element. The second network element may include a real-time part and a non-real-time part of the PHY layer function, that is, the second network element can directly process the data transmitted on the PHY layer without sending the data to the first network element, which can reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface and thus improve the communication performance.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the second network element further includes a real-time part of an RLC function and a real-time part of a MAC function.

[0011] Based on this possible implementation, the second network element can include the real-time part of the MAC layer function and the real-time part of the RLC layer function on the basis of the PHY layer function. The second network element can directly process more data, further reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface, and thus improve communication performance.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the first network element further includes a real-time part of the RLC function.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the second network element further includes a real-time part of the MAC function.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the first network element further includes a real-time part of a MAC function.

[0015] Based on the above three possible implementations, several feasible solutions are provided for splitting the functions of the first network element and the second network element.

[0016] In a second aspect, a first network element is provided, which includes an RRC function, a PDCP function, a non-real-time part of an RLC function, and a non-real-time part of a MAC function.

[0017] Based on the second aspect, the first network element can include the above-mentioned functions. The first network element can process data transmitted on the RRC layer and PDCP layer, as well as non-real-time data transmitted on the RLC layer and MAC layer, providing a feasible solution for the implementation of the first network element.

[0018] In a possible implementation, the first network element further includes a real-time part of the RLC function.

[0019] In a possible implementation, the first network element further includes a real-time part of a MAC function.

[0020] Based on the above two possible implementations, the first network element can also process real-time data transmitted on the RLC layer and / or real-time data transmitted on the MAC layer, providing two feasible solutions for the implementation of the first network element.

[0021] According to a third aspect, a second network element is provided, wherein the second network element includes a non-real-time part of a PHY layer function and a real-time part of a PHY layer function.

[0022] Based on the third aspect, the second network element can include the real-time part and the non-real-time part of the PHY layer function, that is, the second network element can directly process the data transmitted on the PHY layer without sending the data to the first network element, which can reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface and thus improve the communication performance.

[0023] In a possible implementation, the second network element further includes a real-time part of the MAC function.

[0024] Based on this possible implementation, the second network element may further include the real-time part of the MAC layer function on the basis of the PHY layer function. The second network element may directly process more data, further reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface, and thus improve the communication performance.

[0025] In a possible implementation, the second network element further includes a real-time part of a radio link control function.

[0026] Based on this possible implementation, the second network element can include the real-time part of the RLC layer function on the basis of the real-time part including the PHY layer function and the MAC layer function. The second network element can directly process more data, further reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface, and thus improve the communication performance.

[0027] In combination with the first aspect, the second aspect and the third aspect, in a possible implementation, the interface between the first network element and the second network element is a first interface, and the control plane protocol stack of the first interface is determined according to the stream control transmission protocol (SCTP).

[0028] Based on this possible implementation, the control plane protocol stack of the first interface can be determined according to SCTP, so that the first interface can transmit multiple control plane data streams, which can improve the effectiveness of communication and provide a feasible solution for determining the control plane protocol stack of the first interface.

[0029] In combination with the first aspect, the second aspect and the third aspect, in one possible implementation, the interface between the first network element and the second network element is a first interface, and the user plane protocol stack of the first interface is determined according to the general packet radio service tunnel protocol (general packet radio service tunnel protocol-user pannel, GTP-U) of the user plane.

[0030] Based on this possible implementation, the user plane protocol of the first interface can be determined according to the GTP-U protocol, providing a feasible solution for determining the user plane protocol stack of the first interface.

[0031] In combination with the first aspect, the second aspect and the third aspect, in one possible implementation, the interface between the first network element and the second network element is a first interface, and the protocol stack of the first interface is determined according to the enhanced common public radio interface (eCPRI) protocol.

[0032] Based on this possible implementation, the protocol stack of the first interface can be determined according to the eCPRI protocol, providing a feasible solution for determining the protocol stack of the first interface.

[0033] In combination with the first, second and third aspects, in one possible implementation, the access network device also includes a third network element that is communicatively connected to the first network element and the second network element, and the third network element includes a non-real-time part of the PHY layer function and a real-time part of the PHY layer function; the interface between the second network element and the third network element is a second interface, and the control plane protocol stack of the second interface is determined according to SCTP.

[0034] Based on this possible implementation, the third network element can include the non-real-time part of the PHY layer function and the real-time part of the PHY layer function, that is, the third network element can directly process the data transmitted on the PHY layer without sending it to the first network element, which can reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface and improve the communication performance; the control plane protocol stack of the second interface can be determined according to SCTP, providing a feasible solution for determining the control plane protocol stack of the second interface.

[0035] In combination with the first aspect, the second aspect and the third aspect, in one possible implementation, the access network device also includes a third network element that is communicatively connected to the first network element and the second network element, the third network element includes a non-real-time part of the PHY layer function and a real-time part of the PHY layer function, the interface between the second network element and the third network element is a second interface, and the user plane protocol stack of the second interface is determined according to the GTP-U protocol.

[0036] Based on this possible implementation, the third network element can implement the non-real-time part of the PHY layer function and the real-time part of the PHY layer function, that is, the third network element can directly process the data transmitted at the PHY layer without sending it to the first network element, which can reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface and improve the communication performance; the user plane protocol stack of the second interface can be determined according to the GTP-U protocol, providing a feasible solution for determining the user plane protocol stack of the second interface.

[0037] In combination with the first aspect, the second aspect and the third aspect, in a possible implementation, the third network element further includes a real-time part of a MAC function.

[0038] Based on this possible implementation, the third network element can include the real-time part of the MAC layer function on the basis of the PHY layer function. The third network element can directly process more data, further reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface, and thus improve communication performance.

[0039] In combination with the first aspect, the second aspect and the third aspect, in a possible implementation, the third network element further includes a real-time part of the RLC function.

[0040] Based on this possible implementation, the third network element can include a real-time part that implements the RLC layer function on the basis of the real-time part including the PHY layer function and the MAC layer function. The third network element can directly process more data, further reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface, and thus improve the communication performance.

[0041] In combination with the first, second and third aspects, in one possible implementation, the access network device also includes a radio frequency (RF) network element that is communicatively connected to the second network element, and the interface between the second network element and the RF network element is a third interface. The third interface is a peripheral interface, and the protocol stack of the third interface is determined according to the eCPRI protocol.

[0042] Based on this possible implementation, the protocol stack of the third interface can be determined according to the eCPRI protocol, providing a feasible solution for determining the protocol stack of the third interface.

[0043] In combination with the first, second, and third aspects, in one possible implementation, a first network element is configured to send a first request message to a second network element; and the second network element is configured to send a response message to the first network element. The first request message is used to request configuration of a first interface; the first request message includes PHY layer configuration information; and the first interface is an interface between the first network element and the second network element.

[0044] Based on this possible implementation, the first network element and the second network element can implement the configuration of the first interface according to the first request information, providing a feasible solution for configuring the first interface; the first request information may include PHY layer configuration information, which can implement data transmission between the first network element and the second network element at the PHY layer.

[0045] In combination with the first aspect, the second aspect and the third aspect, in a possible implementation, the first request information also includes RLC configuration information and MAC configuration information; or, the first request information also includes MAC configuration information.

[0046] Based on this possible implementation, when the first request information also includes RLC configuration information and MAC configuration information, data transmission between the first network element and the second network element at the RLC layer and the MAC layer can be realized; when the first request information also includes MAC configuration information, data transmission between the first network element and the second network element at the MAC layer can be realized.

[0047] In combination with the first, second, and third aspects, in one possible implementation, a first network element is configured to send first indication information to a second network element; the second network element is configured to release resources occupied by a first interface according to the first indication information and send a response to the first indication information to the first network element. The first indication information is configured to instruct the release of resources occupied by the first interface; and the first interface is an interface between the first network element and the second network element.

[0048] Based on this possible implementation, when the first network element ends communication with the second network element, it can send a first indication message to the second network element to instruct the second network element to release the resources occupied by the first interface, which can improve resource utilization and thus enhance the effectiveness of communication.

[0049] In combination with the first aspect, the second aspect and the third aspect, in one possible implementation, the second network element is used to send a second indication message to the first network element; the first network element is used to release the resources occupied by the first interface according to the second indication message; wherein the second indication message is used to indicate the release of the resources occupied by the first interface; the first interface is the interface between the first network element and the second network element.

[0050] Based on this possible implementation, when the second network element ends communication with the first network element, it can send a second indication message to the first network element to instruct the first network element to release the resources occupied by the first interface, which can improve resource utilization and thus enhance the effectiveness of communication.

[0051] In combination with the first aspect, the second aspect and the third aspect, in one possible implementation, the first network element is used to transparently transmit a downlink control transmission message to the second network element; or, the second network element is used to transparently transmit an uplink control transmission message to the first network element.

[0052] Based on this possible implementation, a feasible solution is provided for the first network element to transparently transmit information to the second network element, or a feasible solution is provided for the second network element to transparently transmit information to the first network element.

[0053] In combination with the first, second, and third aspects, in one possible implementation, the access network device further includes a third network element communicatively connected to the first network element and the second network element, the third network element including a non-real-time portion of PHY layer functionality and a real-time portion of PHY layer functionality. The second network element is configured to send a second request message to the third network element; the second interface is an interface between the second network element and the third network element; the third network element is configured to send a response message to the second request message; the second request message is configured to request configuration of the second interface; and the second request message includes PHY layer configuration information.

[0054] Based on this possible implementation, the third network element can include both the non-real-time portion of the PHY layer functionality and the real-time portion of the PHY layer functionality. That is, the third network element can directly process data transmitted on the PHY layer without sending it to the first network element, which can reduce traffic on the fronthaul interface and improve communication performance. Furthermore, the second network element and the third network element can configure the second interface based on the second request information, providing a feasible solution for configuring the second interface. The second request information includes PHY layer configuration information, enabling the second network element and the third network element to implement data transmission on the PHY layer.

[0055] In combination with the first aspect, the second aspect and the third aspect, in a possible implementation, the second request information also includes RLC configuration information and MAC configuration information; or, the second request information also includes MAC configuration information.

[0056] Based on this possible implementation, when the second request information also includes RLC configuration information and MAC configuration information, the second network element and the third network element can realize data transmission on the RLC layer and the MAC layer; when the second request information also includes MAC configuration information, the second network element and the third network element can realize data transmission on the MAC layer.

[0057] In combination with the first, second, and third aspects, in one possible implementation, the access network device further includes a third network element communicatively connected to the first network element and the second network element, the third network element including a non-real-time portion of a PHY layer function and a real-time portion of a PHY layer function. The first network element is configured to receive a measurement report (MR) from the terminal device and send third request information to the third network element based on the MR; the third network element is configured to send response information to the first network element for the third request information; the first network element is configured to send a handover command to the terminal device based on the response information to the third request information; wherein the third request information is used to request allocation of resources for the terminal device to access the third network element; and the handover command is used to instruct the terminal device to handover from the second network element to the third network element.

[0058] Based on this possible implementation, the third network element can include both the non-real-time portion of the PHY layer functionality and the real-time portion of the PHY layer functionality. That is, the third network element can directly process data transmitted on the PHY layer without sending it to the first network element, which can reduce traffic on the fronthaul interface and improve communication performance. Furthermore, the first network element can determine the third network element based on a measurement report from the terminal device. Furthermore, the first network element can determine the resources for the terminal device to access the third network element based on the response information to the third request information from the third network element, ensuring that the terminal device can access the third network element and improving communication reliability.

[0059] In combination with the first, second, and third aspects, in one possible implementation, the first network element is further configured to send third indication information to the second network element; and the second network element is configured to release resources occupied by the terminal device based on the third indication information. The third indication information is used to instruct the release of resources occupied by the terminal device.

[0060] Based on this possible implementation, the second network element can release the resources occupied by the terminal device according to the third indication information, which can improve resource utilization and further improve the effectiveness of communication.

[0061] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication system, which includes the access network device as described in the first aspect or any possible design of the first aspect, or the communication system includes the first network element as described in the second aspect or any possible design of the second aspect, or the communication system includes the second network element as described in the third aspect or any possible design of the third aspect, or the communication system includes the first network element as described in the second aspect or any possible design of the second aspect and the second network element as described in the third aspect or any possible design of the third aspect.

[0062] In a fifth aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by an access network device. Unless otherwise specified, the "access network device" in this application can refer to the access network device itself, or a component in the access network device (for example, a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module or software that can realize all or part of the functions of the access network device. The method includes: the access network device receives first information from the terminal device through the second network element of the access network device; sends second information to the first network element of the access network device through the second network element; and sends third information to the core network device through the first network element. The second network element includes a non-real-time part of the PHY layer function and a real-time part of the PHY layer function; the second information is the information processed by the second network element on the first information; the first network element includes an RRC function, a PDCP function, a non-real-time part of the RLC function, and a non-real-time part of the MAC function; the third information is the information processed by the first network element on the second information.

[0063] Based on the fifth aspect, the second network element may include the non-real-time part of the PHY layer function and the real-time part of the PHY layer function, that is, the second network element may directly process the data transmitted on the PHY layer without sending the data to the first network element, which may reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface and thus improve the communication performance; the terminal device may communicate with the core network device through the first network element and the second network element in the access network device.

[0064] In one possible implementation, the access network device sends a first request message to the second network element through the first network element; and sends a response message to the first request message to the first network element through the second network element; wherein the first request message is used to request configuration of the first interface; the first request message includes PHY layer configuration information; the first interface is the interface between the first network element and the second network element.

[0065] Based on this possible implementation, the first network element and the second network element can implement the configuration of the first interface according to the first request information, providing a feasible solution for configuring the first interface; the first request information may include PHY layer configuration information, which can implement data transmission between the first network element and the second network element at the PHY layer.

[0066] In a possible implementation, the first request information further includes RLC configuration information and MAC configuration information; or, the first request information further includes MAC configuration information.

[0067] Based on this possible implementation, when the first request information also includes RLC configuration information and MAC configuration information, data transmission between the first network element and the second network element at the RLC layer and the MAC layer can be realized; when the first request information also includes MAC configuration information, data transmission between the first network element and the second network element at the MAC layer can be realized.

[0068] In one possible implementation, the first network element through which the access network device passes sends a first indication message to the second network element; the second network element passes through releases the resources occupied by the first interface according to the first indication message, and sends a response message to the first network element. The first indication message is used to instruct the release of the resources occupied by the first interface; the first interface is the interface between the first network element and the second network element.

[0069] Based on this possible implementation, when the first network element ends communication with the second network element, it can send a first indication message to the second network element to instruct the second network element to release the resources occupied by the first interface, which can improve resource utilization and thus improve the effectiveness of communication.

[0070] In one possible implementation, a second network element through which the access network device passes sends second instruction information to a first network element; the first network element that passes through releases resources occupied by a first interface based on the second instruction information. The second instruction information is used to instruct the release of resources occupied by the first interface; the first interface is the interface between the first network element and the second network element.

[0071] Based on this possible implementation, when the second network element ends communication with the first network element, it can send a second indication message to the first network element to instruct the first network element to release the resources occupied by the first interface, which can improve resource utilization and thus improve the effectiveness of communication.

[0072] In a possible implementation, the access network device transparently transmits a downlink control transmission message to the second network element through the first network element; or transparently transmits an uplink control transmission message to the first network element through the second network element.

[0073] Based on this possible implementation, a feasible solution is provided for the first network element to transparently transmit information to the second network element, or a feasible solution is provided for the second network element to transparently transmit information to the first network element.

[0074] In one possible implementation, the access network device sends a second request message to a third network element of the access network device via the second network element; and sends a response message to the second request message via the third network element. The third network element includes a non-real-time portion of a PHY layer function and a real-time portion of a PHY layer function; the second request message is used to request configuration of a second interface; the second request message includes PHY layer configuration information; and the second interface is an interface between the second network element and the third network element.

[0075] Based on this possible implementation, the second network element and the third network element can implement the configuration of the second interface according to the second request information, providing a feasible solution for configuring the second interface; the second request information includes PHY layer configuration information, which can enable the second network element and the third network element to implement data transmission on the PHY layer.

[0076] In a possible implementation, the second request information further includes RLC configuration information and MAC configuration information; or, the second request information further includes MAC configuration information.

[0077] Based on this possible implementation, when the second request information also includes RLC configuration information and MAC configuration information, the second network element and the third network element can realize data transmission on the RLC layer and the MAC layer; when the second request information also includes MAC configuration information, the second network element and the third network element can realize data transmission on the MAC layer.

[0078] In one possible implementation, the access network device receives an MR from the terminal device through the first network element; sends a third request message to a third network element of the access network device according to the MR through the first network element; sends a response message of the third request message to the first network element through the third network element; sends a switching command to the terminal device through the first network element according to the response message of the third request message; wherein the third network element includes a non-real-time part of the PHY layer function and a real-time part of the PHY layer function; the third request message is used to request allocation of resources for the terminal device to access the second network element; and the switching command is used to instruct the terminal device to switch from the second network element to the third network element.

[0079] Based on this possible implementation, the first network element can determine the third network element based on the measurement report from the terminal device. Furthermore, the first network element can determine the resources for the terminal device to access the third network element based on the response information of the third request information from the third network element, thereby ensuring that the terminal device can access the third network element and improving the reliability of communication.

[0080] In one possible implementation, a third indication message is sent from the first network element to the second network element; the second network element releases the resources occupied by the terminal device according to the third indication message; wherein the third indication message is used to indicate the release of the resources occupied by the terminal device.

[0081] Based on this possible implementation, the second network element can release the resources occupied by the terminal device according to the third indication information, which can improve resource utilization and further improve the effectiveness of communication.

[0082] In the sixth aspect, a communication device is provided. The beneficial effects can be found in the description of the fifth aspect and will not be repeated here. The communication device has the function of implementing the behavior in the method example of the fifth aspect. The function can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions. In one possible design, the communication device includes: a transceiver module and a processing module, the transceiver module is used for all transceiver operations performed by the communication device in the embodiment; the processing module is used for all operations except transceiver operations performed by the communication device in the embodiment. These modules can perform the corresponding functions in the method example of the fifth aspect, please refer to the detailed description in the method example for details, and will not be repeated here.

[0083] In a seventh aspect, a communication device is provided. The communication device may be the access network device in the above-mentioned method embodiment, or a chip provided in the access network device, or the communication device may be the first network element in the above-mentioned method embodiment, or a chip provided in the first network element, or the communication device may be the second network element in the above-mentioned method embodiment, or a chip provided in the second network element, or the communication device may be the terminal device in the above-mentioned method embodiment, or a chip provided in the terminal device, or the communication device may be the core network device in the above-mentioned method embodiment, or a chip provided in the second core network device. The communication device includes one or more processors; the one or more processors are configured to run a computer program or instructions. When the one or more processors execute the computer program or instructions, the communication device performs the communication method described in the fifth aspect or any possible design of the fifth aspect.

[0084] In one possible design, the communication device further includes one or more memories, the one or more memories being coupled to one or more processors, and the one or more memories being used to store the above-mentioned computer programs or instructions. In one possible implementation, the memory is located outside the communication device. In another possible implementation, the memory is located within the communication device. In an embodiment of the present application, the processor and the memory may also be integrated into one device, that is, the processor and the memory may also be integrated together. In one possible implementation, the communication device further includes a transceiver, and the transceiver is used to receive information and / or send information.

[0085] In one possible design, the communication device further includes one or more communication interfaces, the one or more communication interfaces are coupled to one or more processors, and the one or more communication interfaces are used to communicate with other modules outside the communication device.

[0086] In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which may be the access network device in the above-mentioned method embodiment, or a chip provided in the access network device, or the communication device may be the first network element in the above-mentioned method embodiment, or a chip provided in the first network element, or the communication device may be the second network element in the above-mentioned method embodiment, or a chip provided in the second network element, or the communication device may be the terminal device in the above-mentioned method embodiment, or a chip provided in the terminal device, or the communication device may be the core network device in the above-mentioned method embodiment, or a chip provided in the core network device. The communication device includes an input / output interface and a logic circuit; the input / output interface is used to input and / or output information; the logic circuit is used to execute the communication method described in the fifth aspect or any possible design of the fifth aspect, and process and / or generate information based on the information.

[0087] In the ninth aspect, a computer program product is provided, comprising: a computer program code, which, when run, causes the methods executed by the access network device in the above aspects to be executed; or, causes the methods executed by the terminal device in the above aspects to be executed; or, causes the methods executed by the core network device in the above aspects to be executed.

[0088] In the tenth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores a computer program. When the computer program is run, it implements the methods executed by the access network device in the above aspects; or, implements the methods executed by the terminal device in the above aspects; or, implements the methods executed by the core network device in the above aspects.

[0089] In the eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program, which, when running on a computer, enables the communication method described in the fifth aspect or any possible design of the fifth aspect to be executed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0090] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0091] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0092] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of an access network device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0093] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the deployment, architecture, and protocol stack of an access network device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0094] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of an access network device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0095] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of an access network device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0096] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of an access network device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0097] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of an access network device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0098] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a control plane protocol stack of a first interface provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0099] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a user plane protocol stack of a first interface provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0100] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of a user plane protocol stack of a first interface provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0101] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a first interface provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0102] FIG13 is an interactive diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0103] FIG14 is an interactive diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0104] FIG15 is an interactive diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0105] FIG16 is an interactive diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0106] FIG17 is a schematic diagram of a control plane protocol stack of a second interface provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0107] FIG18 is a schematic diagram of a user plane protocol stack of a second interface provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0108] FIG19 is an interactive diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0109] FIG20 is an interactive diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0110] FIG21 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0111] FIG22 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0112] Figure 23 is a structural diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0113] The following describes in detail the implementation of the embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0114] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, " / " indicates that the objects associated before and after are in an "or" relationship, for example, A / B can represent A or B; "and / or" in this application is merely a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist, for example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural.

[0115] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more than two. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or plural.

[0116] In addition, to facilitate the clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, the words "first" and "second" are used to distinguish between identical or similar items with substantially the same functions and effects. Those skilled in the art will understand that the words "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the words "first" and "second" do not necessarily mean different.

[0117] In the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner to facilitate understanding.

[0118] It will be 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 throughout the 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 will be 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 embodiment of the present application.

[0119] It is understood that some optional features in the embodiments of the present 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 the embodiments of the present application may also implement these features or functions accordingly, which will not be described in detail here.

[0120] In this application, unless otherwise specified, the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other. In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified and there is no logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced to each other. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships. The following description of the embodiments of this application does not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application.

[0121] The access network device and communication method provided in the embodiments of the present application can be used in any communication system, which may be a third generation partnership project (3GPP) communication system, such as a long term evolution (LTE) system, a fifth generation (5G) mobile communication system, a new radio (NR) communication system, a vehicle to everything (V2X) system, and can also be applied to a system of LTE and 5G hybrid networking, or a non-terrestrial network (NTN) system, a device-to-device (D2D) communication system, a machine to machine (M2M) communication system, an Internet of Things (IoT), a near field communication (NFC) system, a microwave communication (uWave) system, and other next-generation communication systems, such as future communication systems such as the sixth generation (6G), and can also be non-3GPP communication systems, such as wireless local area networks (WLAN), wireless communication systems, etc., without limitation.

[0122] Exemplarily, the communication system may include a wireless communication system (such as a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) system, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), etc.).

[0123] Among them, wireless communication systems have advantages such as a rich variety of services and strong network control capabilities. However, wireless communication systems are affected by factors such as limited frequency and harsh transmission environment, which will lead to low access rates (such as uplink rate or downlink rate) of terminal devices. Therefore, broadband wireless access technology can be introduced into wireless communication systems to make up for the shortcomings of wireless communication systems.

[0124] For example, broadband wireless access technologies such as WLAN or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) can provide high-speed broadband wireless access services, support nomadic and mobile applications, and enhance the ability of terminal devices to access wireless communication systems. The convergence of wireless communication systems and broadband access technologies is a key development trend in communication systems.

[0125] It should be noted that the above-mentioned communication system applicable to the present application is only an example, and the communication system applicable to the present application is not limited to this. It is uniformly explained here and will not be repeated below.

[0126] The following describes the communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application using Figure 1 as an example.

[0127] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system may include terminal equipment, access network equipment, core network equipment, and a data network.

[0128] This application can be applied to various communication scenarios, such as beam measurement, channel estimation, signal detection, etc.

[0129] The above-mentioned communication systems and communication scenarios applicable to the present application are merely examples. The communication systems and communication scenarios applicable to the present application are not limited thereto, and the above description does not impose any limitation on the solutions of the present application.

[0130] The core network equipment in FIG1 may include a user plane network element, a mobility management network element, and a session management network element.

[0131] Among them, the user plane network element mainly responds to the session management network element request and serves as the connection point between the access network equipment and the data network.

[0132] Among them, the mobility management network element is mainly responsible for the access authentication of terminal equipment, mobility management, signaling interaction between various functional network elements, etc., such as: managing the user's registration status, user connection status, user registration and network entry, tracking area update, cell switching user authentication and key security.

[0133] The session management network element mainly provides session management for terminal device sessions (such as session establishment, modification, or release), Internet protocol (IP) address allocation and management, and user plane network element selection and control.

[0134] In Figure 1 , the terminal device may be located within the cell coverage of the access network device. The terminal device may communicate with the access network device over the air interface via an uplink (UL) or downlink (DL). For example, the terminal device may send uplink data to the access network device via a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in the UL direction, and the access network device may send downlink data to the terminal device via a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in the DL direction.

[0135] The terminal device in Figure 1 can also communicate with the core network device through a specific interface. For example, the terminal device can communicate with the mobility management network element in the core network device through the N1 interface.

[0136] After accessing the network, the terminal device can establish a protocol data unit (PDU) session, access the external data network through the PDU session, and interact with the application server deployed in the data network.

[0137] A terminal device can be a device with wireless transceiver capabilities or a chip or chip system that can be installed in the device, which can allow users to access the network and is used to provide voice and / or data connectivity to users. A terminal device can also be called a UE, subscriber unit, terminal, mobile station (MS), or mobile terminal (MT).

[0138] Optionally, the terminal device in the embodiment of the present application may be a user-side device for implementing wireless communication functions, such as a terminal or a chip that can be used in a terminal. The terminal may be a UE, user unit, access terminal, terminal unit, terminal station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, wireless communication device, terminal agent, or terminal device in a 5G network or a public land mobile network (PLMN) evolved after 5G. The access terminal may be a cellular phone, a smart phone, a cordless phone, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone, a wireless data card, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld device with wireless communication capabilities, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, an in-vehicle device, a drone, a robot, a smart point of sale (POS) machine, customer-premises equipment (CPE) or a wearable device, a virtual reality (VR) terminal device, an augmented reality (AR) terminal device, a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in self-driving, a wireless terminal in remote medical care, a wireless terminal in smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation safety, a wireless terminal in machine type communication (MTC), a wireless terminal in smart city, or a wireless terminal in industrial control. These include wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes (such as smart cameras, projectors, display screens, televisions, speakers, refrigerators, washing machines, etc.), sensor nodes in smart cities (such as smart water meters, smart electricity meters, and smart air quality monitoring nodes), smart devices in smart offices (such as printers and projectors), and infrastructure in daily life (such as vending machines, self-service navigation kiosks in supermarkets, self-service checkout devices, and self-service ordering machines). Alternatively, terminals can be terminals with communication capabilities in the IoT, such as terminals in V2X (for example, connected vehicle devices), terminals in D2D communication, or terminals in M2M communication. Terminals can be mobile or fixed.

[0139] It is understandable that the communication system can establish a complete network management and control mechanism, that is, when a terminal device exits the network, the resources allocated to the terminal device can be released in a timely manner to effectively manage and utilize the resources in the communication system.

[0140] For example, the resources allocated to the terminal device may include one or more of the following: a wireless channel, a bearer, various tunnels, or stored information.

[0141] Among them, the access network device in Figure 1 can be a device deployed in the access network that can communicate wirelessly with a terminal device, or it can be a chip or chip system that can be set in the above-mentioned device, or it can be a logical node or logical module or a function implemented in software, which can be used to implement wireless physical control functions, resource scheduling and wireless resource management, wireless access control, and mobility management functions.

[0142] Based on the above description of the communication system, in a possible communication scenario, the communication system can be as shown in Figure 2 below. The terminal device can establish a tunnel between the access network and the local service gateway and a tunnel between the local service gateway and the data gateway through the access network device under the control of the mobility management entity, thereby achieving connectivity between the terminal device and the packet data network (PDN) (which can also be understood as establishing a tunnel between the terminal device and the packet data network).

[0143] Among them, the mobility management network element in Figure 2 can refer to the above description and will not be repeated here.

[0144] Among them, the local service gateway in Figure 2 is a data anchor point for the small-scale movement of terminal devices. It is the interface entity between the access network and the core network, and is mainly responsible for the routing and forwarding of user data.

[0145] The core network control entity in FIG2 is an entity that records and manages user location information and authentication and authorization information.

[0146] It can be understood that tunneling technology is to achieve secure transmission and routing of data between two endpoint entities by encapsulating protocol packets transmitted between the two endpoint entities of the tunnel using a protocol.

[0147] As shown in FIG2 , the terminal device may access one or more packet data networks (eg, packet data network 1 , packet data network 2 , and packet data network 3 ), and different packet data networks may correspond to different packet data services.

[0148] Among them, the packet data service can be identified by the access point name (APN), and the access network device can establish connectivity between the terminal device and the data gateway based on the APN. Further, the data gateway can establish connectivity between the data gateway and the PDN based on the APN.

[0149] It is understandable that the APN of the packet data service accessed by the terminal device may be pre-configured by the access network device, or provided by the terminal device to the access network device.

[0150] It is understandable that the access network and the CN can evolve independently, that is, the access network can shield the impact of various terminal devices on the CN.

[0151] Optionally, the access network device in the communication system can be as shown in Figure 3, and the access network device can also be a device including a CU node, or including a DU node, or including a CU node and a DU node. For example, the access network device can be divided into CU and DU from a logical function perspective, with the functions of some protocol layers centrally controlled by the CU, and the functions of the remaining part or all of the protocol layers distributed in the DU, which is centrally controlled by the CU. The CU and DU can be set separately, or they can be included in the same network element, such as a baseband processing unit (BBU). Furthermore, the centralized unit CU can also be divided into a control plane (CU-CP) and a user plane (CU-UP).

[0152] Among them, DU can communicate with terminal devices through RF network elements.

[0153] In another example, as shown in FIG4 below, the access network device may also be a device including a radio unit (RU), or including a CU, a DU, and a RU.

[0154] The DU and CU can be deployed in the baseband processing unit (BBU), while the RU and RF can be deployed in the remote radio unit (RRU) / active antenna unit (AAU). The interface between the RRU / AAU and the BBU is called the fronthaul interface.

[0155] Among them, RU can communicate with terminal devices through RF network elements.

[0156] It is understandable that in different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art can understand their meanings. For example, in an open radio access network (O-RAN) system, CU may also be referred to as O-CU (open CU), DU may also be referred to as O-DU, CU-CP may also be referred to as O-CU-CP, CU-UP may also be referred to as O-CU-UP, and RU may also be referred to as O-RU. For the sake of convenience of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU and RU as examples for description. Any of the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU and RU in this application may be implemented by a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0157] It can be understood that CU and DU can support flexible deployment, that is, CU and DU support distributed deployment and centralized deployment; CU-CP and CU-UP can also support flexible deployment, that is, CU-CP and CU-UP support distributed deployment and centralized deployment.

[0158] As shown in FIG4 , the interface between the RRU / AAU and the BBU may be referred to as a fronthaul interface; correspondingly, the access network device may include a fronthaul interface between the DU and the RU to enable communication between the DU and the RU.

[0159] Exemplarily, the fronthaul interface may include one or more of the following: common public radio interface (CPRI), or eCPRI.

[0160] It is understandable that the BBU and RRU / AAU can be connected through a fronthaul network, or the DU and RU can be connected through a fronthaul network. For example, the fronthaul network includes but is not limited to: optical fiber direct connection and wavelength division network.

[0161] As shown in FIG4 , the CU, DU, and RU are configured to implement different functions. The CU may include RRC and PDCP functions; the DU may include RLC, MAC, and the non-real-time portion of the PHY layer function (the non-real-time portion of the PHY layer function may also be described as a high-layer function of the PHY layer (high PHY, PHY-H), or the non-real-time portion of the PHY layer function may also be described as a non-real-time function of the PHY layer function). When the forwarding interface is eCPRI, the RU is configured to implement the real-time portion of the PHY layer function (the real-time portion of the PHY layer function may also be described as a low-layer function of the PHY layer (low PHY, PHY-L).

[0162] With the development of communications, the frequency bands for communications between access network devices and terminal devices are gradually increasing. For example, in the sixth generation (6G) mobile communication system, access network devices will introduce higher frequency bands (e.g., centimeter waves and sub-T Hz spectrum).

[0163] However, high frequency bands will lead to an increase in bandwidth (such as bandwidth in G). For example, for centimeter waves, the bandwidth can reach 460G; for Sub-T Hz, the bandwidth can reach 1.5T; for future optical modules, the bandwidth can reach 400G.

[0164] Among them, the increase in bandwidth will lead to a sharp increase in the traffic of the fronthaul interface. For example, compared with the fifth generation (5G) mobile communication system, the data volume of the 6G communication system has increased by 10 to 100 times.

[0165] Therefore, how to reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface and improve communication performance has become an urgent problem to be solved.

[0166] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present application provides an access network device, which includes: a first network element and a second network element communicatively connected to the first network element, the first network element includes an RRC function, a PDCP function, a non-real-time part of an RLC function, and a non-real-time part of a MAC function; the second network element includes a non-real-time part of a PHY layer function and a real-time part of a PHY layer function.

[0167] In an embodiment of the present application, the access network device may include a first network element and a second network element. The second network element may include a real-time part and a non-real-time part of the PHY layer function, that is, the second network element can directly process the data transmitted on the PHY layer without sending the data to the first network element, which can reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface and thereby improve the communication performance.

[0168] It should be noted that the communication system described in the embodiment of the present application is intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can know that with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application is also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0169] The access network device provided in the embodiment of the present application is described in detail below with reference to FIG5 in conjunction with the communication system shown in FIG1 .

[0170] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the composition of an access network device provided in an embodiment of the present application, wherein the core network device includes a first network element and a second network element.

[0171] Exemplarily, the first network element may be an extended CU (e-CU), a radio central node (RCN), or a radio network area node (RNA), and the second network element may be an extended RU (e-RU) or a radio distributed node (RDN).

[0172] The first network element includes RRC functions, PDCP functions, non-real-time parts of RLC functions, and non-real-time parts of MAC functions; the second network element includes non-real-time parts of PHY layer functions and real-time parts of PHY layer functions (collectively referred to as PHY layer functions). This application proposes three possible implementations:

[0173] In the first possible implementation, the access network device can be as shown in Figure 6 below. The first network element may include RRC function, PDCP function, non-real-time part of RLC function (such as service offloading, etc.), and non-real-time part of MAC function (such as multi-user collaborative scheduling, etc.); the second network element may include real-time part of RLC function (such as hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ)), real-time part of MAC function (such as data scheduling, etc.), and PHY layer function (i.e., non-real-time part of PHY layer function and real-time part of PHY layer function).

[0174] In the second possible implementation, the access network device can be as shown in Figure 7 below, where the first network element may include RRC function, PDCP function, RLC function (i.e., the non-real-time part of the RLC function and the real-time part of the RLC function), and the non-real-time part of the MAC function, and the second network element may include the real-time part of the MAC function and the PHY layer function.

[0175] Compared with the first possible implementation, the first network element may further include the real-time part of the RLC function, and correspondingly, the second network element does not include the real-time part of the RLC function.

[0176] In a third possible implementation, the access network device may be as shown in FIG8 below, where the first network element may include RRC function, PDCP function, RLC function, and MAC function (i.e., the non-real-time part of the MAC function and the real-time part of the MAC function), and the second network element may include a PHY layer function.

[0177] Compared with the second possible implementation, the first network element may further include a real-time part of the MAC layer, and correspondingly, the second network element does not include the real-time part of the MAC layer.

[0178] Based on the above three possible implementations, under the same conditions, the traffic of the fronthaul interface in the first possible implementation can be smaller than the traffic of the fronthaul interface in the second possible implementation and the third possible implementation. At the same time, the traffic of the fronthaul interface in the second possible implementation can be smaller than the traffic of the fronthaul interface in the third possible implementation.

[0179] Based on the access network device shown in Figure 5 above, the access network device may include a first network element and a second network element. The second network element may include a real-time part and a non-real-time part of a PHY layer function, that is, the second network element may directly process data transmitted on the PHY layer without sending the data to the first network element, thereby reducing the traffic on the fronthaul interface and improving communication performance. In addition, the second network element may include a real-time part of a MAC layer function and / or a real-time part of an RLC layer function on the basis of the PHY layer function. The second network element may directly process more data and further reduce the traffic on the fronthaul interface.

[0180] Based on the access network devices shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 8 , the interface between the first network element and the second network element is the first interface.

[0181] The protocol stack of the first interface may include a user plane protocol stack, a control plane protocol stack, a management plane protocol stack, and a clock synchronization plane protocol stack.

[0182] In a first possible implementation, the control plane protocol stack of the first interface may be determined according to SCTP.

[0183] Among them, SCTP is a reliable universal transport layer protocol used on IP networks. SCTP is a connection-oriented stream transmission protocol that can provide stable and orderly data delivery services between two endpoints.

[0184] Exemplarily, the control plane protocol stack of the first interface can be as shown in Figure 9 below. The control plane protocol stack of the first interface may include L1 (i.e., PHY layer), L2 (i.e., MAC layer), IP layer, SCTP layer and first interface access point (AP) layer.

[0185] The air interface (air, AI) is the air interface between the terminal device and the second network element.

[0186] Among them, the first interface AP layer is used to establish links for different terminal devices, that is, after the terminal device accesses the access network device, the access network device can establish a signaling tunnel based on the identity document (ID) of the terminal device, and the first network element can send signaling to the second network element on the tunnel, and the second network element can determine the terminal device associated with the signaling based on the signaling tunnel.

[0187] For example, the first network element may include an RRC layer, a PDCP layer, a first interface AP layer, an SCTP layer, an IP layer, L2, and L1; the second network element may include a first interface AP layer, an SCTP layer, an IP layer, L2, and L1; and the first network element and the second network element may implement data transmission on the first interface AP layer, the SCTP layer, the IP layer, L2, and L1.

[0188] Based on the first possible implementation, the control plane protocol stack of the first interface can be determined according to SCTP, which provides a feasible solution for determining the control plane protocol stack of the first interface.

[0189] In a second possible implementation, the user plane protocol stack of the first interface may be determined according to the GTP-U protocol.

[0190] The GTP-U protocol may include the transmission control protocol (TCP) and the user datagram protocol (UDP).

[0191] As an example, as shown in FIG10 below, the user plane protocol stack of the first interface may be determined based on TCP, and the user plane protocol stack of the first interface may include L1, L2, TCP / IP layer, and GTP-U layer.

[0192] For example, the first network element may include a PDCP layer, a GTP-U layer, a TCP / IP layer, L2, and L1, and the second network element may include a GTP-U layer, a TCP / IP layer, L2, and L1. The first network element and the second network element may implement data transmission on the GTP-U layer, the TCP / IP layer, L2, and L1.

[0193] In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG11 below, the user plane protocol stack of the first interface may be determined based on UDP, and the user plane protocol stack of the first interface may include L1, L2, UDP / IP layer, and GTP-U layer.

[0194] For example, the first network element may include a PDCP layer, a GTP-U layer, a UDP / IP layer, L2, and L1, and the second network element may include a GTP-U layer, a UDP / IP layer, L2, and L1. The first network element and the second network element may implement data transmission on the GTP-U layer, the UDP / IP layer, L2, and L1.

[0195] Among them, when the user plane protocol stack of the first interface is determined according to TCP, a reliable connection will be established before the first network element sends the user plane data stream to the second network element, which can improve the reliability of communication; when the user plane protocol stack of the first interface is determined according to UDP, the first network element does not need to establish a connection before sending the user plane data stream to the second network element, which can reduce the delay.

[0196] In a third possible implementation, the control plane protocol stack of the first interface, the user plane protocol stack of the first interface, the management plane protocol stack of the first interface, and the clock synchronization plane protocol stack of the first interface may be determined according to the eCPRI protocol.

[0197] Exemplarily, the control plane protocol stack of the first interface, the user plane protocol stack of the first interface, the management plane protocol stack of the first interface, and the clock synchronization plane protocol stack of the first interface may be as shown in FIG. 12 below.

[0198] Among them, the user data module is used to obtain the user plane data stream, and the user plane data stream can be encapsulated at the eCPRI layer. Furthermore, the encapsulated user plane data stream can be encapsulated in the UDP layer, IP layer, and Ethernet layer (or virtual local area network (VLAN) layer) in sequence, or it can directly skip the UDP layer and IP layer and encapsulate directly at the Ethernet layer (or VLAN layer). The encapsulated user plane data stream can be transmitted through the first interface.

[0199] Among them, the real-time control module is used to obtain the control plane data stream, which can be encapsulated at the eCPRI layer. Furthermore, the encapsulated control plane data stream can be encapsulated at the UDP layer, IP layer, and Ethernet layer, or it can directly skip the UDP layer and IP layer and encapsulate directly at the Ethernet layer. The encapsulated control plane data stream can be transmitted through the first interface.

[0200] Among them, the configuration and management (C&M) module is used to obtain the management plane data stream, which can be encapsulated in the simple network management protocol (SNMP) layer, UDP (or TCP, SCTP) layer, IP layer, and Ethernet layer (or VLAN layer) in sequence. The encapsulated management plane data stream can be transmitted through the first interface.

[0201] Among them, the synchronization module is used to obtain the clock synchronization plane data stream, and the clock synchronization plane data stream can be encapsulated at the precise time protocol (PTP) layer. Furthermore, the encapsulated clock synchronization plane data stream can be encapsulated at the UDP layer, IP layer, and Ethernet layer (or VLAN layer), or it can directly skip the UDP layer and IP layer and be encapsulated directly at the Ethernet layer (or VLAN layer); or, the clock synchronization plane data stream can be encapsulated at the synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) layer, and then directly encapsulated at the Ethernet layer, and the encapsulated clock synchronization plane data stream can be transmitted through the first interface.

[0202] Among them, the operations administration and maintenance (OAM) plane of Ethernet is used for network monitoring and management, such as fault detection and processing. The OAM module is connected to obtain the management plane data stream. The management plane data stream can be encapsulated at the UDP / TCP layer, IP layer (or Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) layer), and the encapsulated management plane data stream is encapsulated at the Ethernet layer; or, the management plane data stream can be directly encapsulated at the Ethernet layer, and the encapsulated management plane data stream can be transmitted through the first interface.

[0203] Based on the access network devices shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 12 , the communication method shown in FIG. 13 can be implemented. The specific steps can be as follows:

[0204] S1301. An access network device receives first information from a terminal device through a second network element of the access network device.

[0205] The second network element includes a non-real-time part of a PHY layer function and a real-time part of a PHY layer function.

[0206] Optionally, the second network element may further include a real-time part of an RLC function and / or a real-time part of a MAC function.

[0207] Among them, the second network element can refer to the description of the second network element in Figure 5 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0208] S1302. The access network device sends second information to the first network element of the access network device through the second network element.

[0209] The second information is the information obtained by processing the first information by the second network element.

[0210] The first network element includes an RRC function, a PDCP function, a non-real-time part of an RLC function, and a non-real-time part of a MAC function.

[0211] Optionally, the first network element may further include a real-time part of an RLC function; or, the first network element may further include a real-time part of an RLC function and a real-time part of a MAC function.

[0212] Among them, the first network element can refer to the description of the first network element in Figure 5 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0213] S1303. The access network device sends third information to the core network device through the first network element.

[0214] The third information is the information obtained by processing the second information by the first network element.

[0215] Based on the communication method shown in Figure 13 above, the second network element may include the non-real-time part of the PHY layer function and the real-time part of the PHY layer function, that is, the second network element may directly process the data transmitted on the PHY layer without sending the data to the first network element, which may reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface and thereby improve the communication performance; the terminal device may communicate with the core network device through the first network element and the second network element in the access network device.

[0216] In addition, the second network element can include the real-time part of the MAC layer function and / or the real-time part of the RLC layer function on the basis of the PHY layer function. The second network element can directly process more data and further reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface.

[0217] Optionally, the first network element and the second network element may refer to the communication method shown in FIG14 below to implement configuration of the first interface. The specific steps may be as shown in FIG14 below:

[0218] S1401. An access network device sends first request information to a second network element through a first network element.

[0219] The first request information is used to request configuration of the first interface; the first request information includes PHY layer configuration information.

[0220] In a first possible implementation, when the first network element includes RRC function, PDCP function, non-real-time part of RLC function, and non-real-time part of MAC function, and the second network element includes real-time part of RLC function, real-time part of MAC function, and PHY layer function, the first request information may include RLC configuration information, MAC configuration information, and PHY layer configuration information.

[0221] When the first request information includes RLC configuration information, MAC configuration information, and PHY layer configuration information, data transmission between the first network element and the second network element at the RLC layer, MAC layer, and PHY layer can be achieved.

[0222] In a second possible implementation, when the first network element includes RRC function, PDCP function, RLC function, and the non-real-time part of MAC function, and the second network element includes the real-time part of MAC function and PHY layer function, the first request information may include MAC configuration information and PHY layer configuration information.

[0223] When the first request information includes PHY layer configuration information and MAC configuration information, data transmission between the first network element and the second network element at the PHY layer and the MAC layer can be achieved.

[0224] In a third possible implementation, when the first network element includes an RRC function, a PDCP function, an RLC function, and a MAC function, and the second network element includes a PHY layer function, the first request information may include PHY layer configuration information.

[0225] When the first request information may include PHY layer configuration information, data transmission between the first network element and the second network element at the PHY layer may be achieved.

[0226] It is understandable that when the first network element is powered on, or when the first network element is initially configured, the first network element may send the first request information to the second network element.

[0227] S1402. The access network device sends response information of the first request information to the first network element through the second network element.

[0228] Based on the communication method shown in Figure 14 above, the first network element and the second network element can implement the configuration of the first interface according to the first request information, providing a feasible solution for configuring the first interface; the first request information may include PHY layer configuration information, which can realize data transmission between the first network element and the second network element on the PHY layer.

[0229] In addition, when the first request information also includes RLC configuration information and MAC configuration information, data transmission between the first network element and the second network element at the RLC layer and the MAC layer can be realized; when the first request information also includes MAC configuration information, data transmission between the first network element and the second network element at the MAC layer can be realized.

[0230] Optionally, the first network element and the second network element may release the resources occupied by the first interface by referring to the communication method shown in FIG15 below. This application proposes two possible designs:

[0231] In a first possible design, the first network element may instruct the second network element to release resources occupied by the first interface.

[0232] S1501. An access network device sends first indication information to a second network element through a first network element.

[0233] The first indication information is used to instruct the release of resources occupied by the first interface.

[0234] Exemplarily, taking the first indication information as one bit as an example, when the bit value is 1, it may indicate the release of resources occupied by the first interface; or, when the bit value is 0, it may indicate the release of resources occupied by the first interface.

[0235] The first indication information may carry a release cause.

[0236] In an exemplary embodiment, taking the first indication information as three bits, the first bit can be used to indicate whether to release the resources occupied by the first interface, and the second and third bits can be used to indicate the reason for the release. When the bit value is 100, it can indicate the release of the resources occupied by the first interface, and the reason for the release is reason 1; when the bit value is 101, it can indicate the release of the resources occupied by the first interface, and the reason for the release is reason 2; when the bit value is 110, it can indicate the release of the resources occupied by the first interface, and the reason for the release is reason 3; when the bit value is 111, it can indicate the release of the resources occupied by the first interface, and the reason for the release is reason 4.

[0237] Alternatively, when the bit value is 000, it may indicate the release of the resources occupied by the first interface, and the reason for the release is reason 1; when the bit value is 001, it may indicate the release of the resources occupied by the first interface, and the reason for the release is reason 2; when the bit value is 010, it may indicate the release of the resources occupied by the first interface, and the reason for the release is reason 3; when the bit value is 011, it may indicate the release of the resources occupied by the first interface, and the reason for the release is reason 4.

[0238] In another exemplary embodiment, taking the first indication information as two bits, the first indication information can be used to indicate the reason for release, and the second network element can directly release the resources occupied by the first interface based on the reason for release. When the bit value is 00, it can indicate that the reason for release is reason 1; when the bit value is 01, it can indicate that the reason for release is reason 2; when the bit value is 10, it can indicate that the reason for release is reason 3; when the bit value is 11, it can indicate that the reason for release is reason 4.

[0239] S1502. The access network device releases the resources occupied by the first interface through the second network element according to the first indication information.

[0240] S1503. The access network device sends response information of the first indication information to the first network element through the second network element.

[0241] It is understandable that the first network element can release the resources occupied by the first interface according to the response information of the first indication information, or the first network element can release the resources occupied by the first interface according to the first indication information without restriction.

[0242] It should be noted that there is no strict order between S1502 and S1503.

[0243] In a second possible design, the second network element may instruct the first network element to release the resources occupied by the first interface.

[0244] S1504. The access network device sends second indication information to the first network element through the second network element.

[0245] The second indication information is used to instruct the release of resources occupied by the first interface.

[0246] Optionally, the second network element may release resources occupied by the first interface according to the second indication information.

[0247] The second indication information may refer to the description of the first indication information, which will not be elaborated here.

[0248] S1505. The access network device releases the resources occupied by the first interface according to the second instruction information through the first network element.

[0249] It is understandable that the second network element may also release the resources occupied by the first interface according to the second indication information.

[0250] Based on the communication method shown in Figure 15 above, when the first network element ends the communication with the second network element, it can send a first indication message to the second network element to instruct the second network element to release the resources occupied by the first interface, which can improve resource utilization and thus improve the effectiveness of communication; when the second network element ends the communication with the first network element, it can send a second indication message to the first network element to instruct the first network element to release the resources occupied by the first interface, which can improve resource utilization and thus improve the effectiveness of communication.

[0251] Optionally, the first network element may be used to transparently transmit a downlink control transmission message to the second network element; or, the second network element may be used to transparently transmit an uplink control transmission message to the first network element.

[0252] The first network element and the second network element may construct a message transparent transmission channel.

[0253] As an exemplary example, as shown in S1601 in FIG. 16 below, the first network element may send a downlink control transmission message to the second network element (the downlink control transmission message may carry information that needs to be transparently transmitted).

[0254] In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in S1602 in FIG. 16 below, the second network element may send an uplink control transmission message to the first network element (the uplink control transmission message may carry information that needs to be transparently transmitted).

[0255] Optionally, as shown in FIG5 , the first network element may be communicatively connected to the core network device, and the interface between the core network device and the first network element may be a fourth interface.

[0256] Exemplarily, the functions of the fourth interface may include the functions of the NG interface defined by 3GPP, and may also include a fusion perception function, a positioning function, etc.

[0257] Based on the access network devices shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 16 , the access network device may further include a third network element that is communicatively connected to the first network element and the second network element.

[0258] Exemplarily, the third network element may be communicatively connected to the first network element, or may be communicatively connected to the second network element.

[0259] The third network element may include a non-real-time part of a PHY layer function and a real-time part of a PHY layer function.

[0260] Optionally, the third network element may further include a real-time part of the RLC function and a real-time part of the MAC function; or, the third network element may further include a real-time part of the MAC function.

[0261] Exemplarily, as shown in FIG5 , the first network element may be communicatively connected to the second network element, or the first network element may be communicatively connected to the second network element and the third network element.

[0262] It is understandable that there is more than one second network element and third network element that are communicatively connected to the first network element.

[0263] It is understandable that the third network element and the second network element may be network elements of the same type. For a specific description, reference may be made to the above description of the second network element, which will not be repeated here.

[0264] It is understood that the third network element can include both the non-real-time portion of the PHY layer functions and the real-time portion of the PHY layer functions. That is, the third network element can directly process data transmitted on the PHY layer without sending it to the first network element, thereby reducing traffic on the fronthaul interface and improving communication performance. Furthermore, the third network element can, in addition to including the PHY layer functions, also include the real-time portion of the RLC layer functions and / or the real-time portion of the MAC layer functions. The third network element can directly process more data, further reducing traffic on the fronthaul interface.

[0265] Based on the access network devices shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 16 , the interface between the second network element and the third network element is the second interface.

[0266] In a first possible implementation, the control plane protocol stack of the second interface may be determined according to SCTP.

[0267] Exemplarily, the control plane protocol stack of the second interface may be as shown in FIG. 17 below. The control plane protocol stack of the second interface may include L1, L2, IP layer, SCTP layer, and second interface AP layer.

[0268] The second interface AP layer is similar to the first interface AP layer and is not described in detail here.

[0269] For example, the second network element and the third network element may include a second interface AP layer, an SCTP layer, an IP layer, L2, and L1, and the second network element and the third network element may implement data transmission on the second interface AP layer, SCTP layer, IP layer, L2, and L1.

[0270] In a second possible implementation, the user plane protocol stack of the second interface may be determined according to GTP-U.

[0271] Exemplarily, the user plane protocol stack of the second interface may be as shown in FIG. 18 below. The user plane protocol stack of the second interface may include L1, L2, UDP / IP layer, and GTP-U layer.

[0272] For example, the second network element and the third network element may include a GTP-U layer, a UDP / IP layer, L2, and L1, and the second network element and the third network element may implement data transmission on the GTP-U layer, the UDP / IP layer, L2, and L1.

[0273] Based on the access network devices shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 18 , the access network devices may further include an RF network element that is communicatively connected to the second network element or the third network element.

[0274] The second network element may be communicatively connected to one or more RF network elements, and / or the third network element may be communicatively connected to one or more RF network elements.

[0275] The interface between the second network element (or the third network element) and the RF network element may be a third interface.

[0276] In a possible implementation, the third interface may be a peripheral interface, and the protocol stack of the third interface may be determined according to the eCPRI protocol.

[0277] The protocol stack of the third interface may be as shown in FIG12 above, which will not be described in detail here.

[0278] It is understandable that the third interface may also be an internally implemented interface.

[0279] Optionally, the second network element and the third network element may refer to the communication method shown in FIG. 19 below to implement configuration of the second interface. The specific steps may be as shown in FIG. 19 below:

[0280] S1901. An access network device sends second request information to a third network element of the access network device through a second network element.

[0281] The second request information is used to request configuration of the second interface; the second request information includes PHY layer configuration information.

[0282] In a first possible implementation, when the first network element includes RRC function, PDCP function, non-real-time part of RLC function, and non-real-time part of MAC function, and the second network element includes real-time part of RLC function, real-time part of MAC function, and PHY layer function, the second request information may include RLC configuration information, MAC configuration information, and PHY layer configuration information.

[0283] When the second request information includes RLC configuration information, MAC configuration information, and PHY layer configuration information, the second network element and the third network element can realize data transmission on the RLC layer, MAC layer, and PHY layer.

[0284] In a second possible implementation, when the first network element includes RRC function, PDCP function, RLC function, and the non-real-time part of MAC function, and the second network element includes the real-time part of MAC function and PHY layer function, the second request information may include MAC configuration information and PHY layer configuration information.

[0285] When the second request information includes MAC configuration information and PHY layer configuration information, the second network element and the third network element may implement data transmission at the MAC layer and the PHY layer.

[0286] In a third possible implementation, when the first network element includes an RRC function, a PDCP function, an RLC function, and a MAC function, and the second network element includes a PHY layer function, the second request information may include PHY layer configuration information.

[0287] The second request information includes PHY layer configuration information, which can enable the second network element and the third network element to implement data transmission on the PHY layer.

[0288] S1902. The access network device sends response information of the second request information to the second network element through the third network element.

[0289] Based on the communication method shown in Figure 19 above, the second network element and the third network element can implement the configuration of the second interface according to the second request information, providing a feasible solution for configuring the second interface; the second request information includes PHY layer configuration information, which can enable the second network element and the third network element to realize data transmission on the PHY layer.

[0290] In addition, when the second request information also includes RLC configuration information and MAC configuration information, the second network element and the third network element can realize data transmission on the RLC layer and the MAC layer; when the second request information also includes MAC configuration information, the second network element and the third network element can realize data transmission on the MAC layer.

[0291] Optionally, the present application also proposes a communication method that can enable a terminal device to switch from the second network element to the third network element. The specific steps may be as shown in FIG20 below:

[0292] S2001: An access network device receives an MR from a terminal device through a first network element.

[0293] Illustratively, the terminal device may receive measurement signals from the second network element and the third network element, determine the MR according to the measurement signals, and then send the MR to the first network element.

[0294] S2002: The access network device sends third request information to a third network element of the access network device through the first network element according to the MR.

[0295] The third request information is used to request allocation of resources for the terminal device to access the third network element.

[0296] Illustratively, the terminal device may receive measurement signals from the second network element and the third network element, determine the MR according to the measurement signals, and then send the MR to the first network element.

[0297] S2003. The access network device sends response information of the third request information to the first network element through the third network element.

[0298] Exemplarily, the response information to the third request information may include resources (such as time domain resources, frequency domain resources, etc.) for the terminal device to access the third network element.

[0299] S2004. The access network device sends a switching command to the terminal device through the first network element according to the response information of the third request information.

[0300] The switching command is used to instruct the terminal device to switch from the second network element to the third network element.

[0301] It can be understood that the first network element can determine the third network element based on the measurement report from the terminal device. Further, the first network element can determine the resources for the terminal device to access the third network element based on the response information of the third request information from the third network element, thereby ensuring that the terminal device can access the third network element and improving the reliability of communication.

[0302] S2005. The terminal device accesses the third network element according to the switching command.

[0303] Optionally, the access network device may also release resources occupied by the terminal device. The specific steps may be as follows:

[0304] S2006. The access network device sends third indication information to the second network element through the first network element.

[0305] The third indication information is used to indicate the release of resources occupied by the terminal device.

[0306] Exemplarily, the third indication information may be one bit, and when the bit value is 1, it may indicate the release of resources occupied by the terminal device; or, when the bit value is 0, it may indicate the release of resources occupied by the terminal device.

[0307] S2007. The access network device releases the resources occupied by the terminal device through the second network element according to the third indication information.

[0308] Based on the communication method shown in Figure 20, the first network element can determine the third network element based on the measurement report from the terminal device. Further, the first network element can determine the resources for the terminal device to access the third network element based on the response information of the third request information from the third network element, thereby ensuring that the terminal device can access the third network element and improving the reliability of communication. In addition, the second network element can release the resources occupied by the terminal device based on the third indication information, thereby improving resource utilization and further improving the effectiveness of communication.

[0309] Optionally, different from the above-mentioned first network element receiving the MR from the terminal device, the second network element may also receive the MR from the terminal device, and send the fourth request information to the third network element according to the MR.

[0310] Among them, the fourth request information is used to request allocation of resources for the terminal device to access the third network element.

[0311] It can be understood that the terminal device can move within the coverage of the second network element, and then the terminal device can send an MR to the second network element.

[0312] It can be understood that the second network element and the third network element can communicate with each other, and then the second network element can send the fourth request information to the third network element.

[0313] Furthermore, the second network element may receive response information to the fourth request information from the third network element, and send a switching command to the terminal device according to the response information to the fourth request information.

[0314] The switching command is used to instruct the terminal device to switch from the second network element to the third network element.

[0315] It can be understood that, unlike the above-mentioned first network element instructing the terminal device to switch from the second network element to the third network element, the second network element can also instruct the terminal device to switch from the second network element to the third network element, which can reduce the traffic transmission between the second network element (or the third network element) and the first network element, and thus reduce the traffic of the fronthaul interface and improve communication performance.

[0316] The above description is based on an example where the first network element and the second network element are deployed in one device (ie, access network device). It is understandable that the first network element and the second network element may also be deployed independently without limitation.

[0317] It should be noted that the terminal device, access network device, first network element, second network element, third network element, and core network device in the embodiments of the present application are merely exemplary illustrations, and the number of devices is not limited.

[0318] Optionally, based on the above description of the terminal device, access network device, and core network device, in specific implementation, the terminal device, access network device, first network element, second network element, third network element, and core network device may also adopt the composition structure shown in Figure 21, or include the components shown in Figure 21. Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of the composition of a communication device 210 provided in an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 210 can be a terminal device or a chip or system on chip in the terminal device; it can also be an access network device or a chip or system on chip in the access network device; it can also be a first network element or a chip or system on chip in the first network element; it can also be a second network element or a chip or system on chip in the second network element; it can also be a third network element or a chip or system on chip in the third network element; it can also be a core network device or a chip or system on chip in the core network device.

[0319] As shown in FIG21 , the communication device 210 includes one or more processors 2101. Furthermore, the communication device 210 may also include a communication bus 2102 and at least one communication interface ( FIG21 is merely exemplary, illustrating the communication device 210 including a communication interface 2104 and one processor 2101). Optionally, the communication device 210 may also include a memory 2103.

[0320] Processor 2101 can 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, or a processing core for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions). The processor can be a single-core (single-CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor.

[0321] In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the processor 2101 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 in Figure 21.

[0322] The communication bus 2102 may be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus or an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus, for example. Such a bus may be classified as an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, or the like. For ease of illustration, FIG21 shows only one thick line, but this does not imply that there is only one bus or type of bus. The communication bus 2102 is used to connect the various components of the communication device 210, enabling communication and interaction between the various components of the communication device 210.

[0323] Communication interface 2104 may be a transceiver module for communicating with other devices or a communication network, such as Ethernet, RAN, or WLAN. Exemplarily, communication interface 2104 may be a device such as a transceiver or a transceiver. Alternatively, communication interface 2104 may be a transceiver circuit within processor 2101, configured to implement signal input and output to the processor.

[0324] The memory 2103 may be a device having a storage function. For example, it may 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 compact discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile discs, Blu-ray discs, 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 thereto. The memory may exist independently and be connected to the processor via the communication bus 2102. The memory may also be integrated with the processor.

[0325] Exemplarily, the memory 2103 is used to store computer-executable instructions for executing the solution of the present application, and the execution is controlled by the processor 2101. The processor 2101 is used to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 2103, thereby implementing the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0326] Alternatively, optionally, in an embodiment of the present application, the processor 2101 may also perform processing-related functions in the communication method provided in the above embodiment of the present application, and the communication interface 2104 is responsible for communicating with other devices or communication networks, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

[0327] Optionally, the computer-executable instructions in the embodiments of the present application may also be referred to as application code, which is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0328] In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the communication device 210 may further include an output device 2105 and an input device 2106. The output device 2105 communicates with the processor 2101 and can display information in a variety of ways. For example, the output device 2105 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 2106 communicates with the processor 2101 and can receive user input in a variety of ways. For example, the input device 2106 can be a mouse, a keyboard, a touch screen device, or a sensor device.

[0329] It should be noted that the composition structure shown in Figure 21 does not constitute a limitation on the communication device. In addition to the components shown in Figure 21, the communication device may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or arrange the components differently.

[0330] In the embodiment of the present application, the chip system can be composed of chips, or can include chips and other discrete devices.

[0331] It should be noted that the various embodiments of this application can be implemented independently or in combination, without limitation. Unless otherwise specified or there is a logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions of the different embodiments provided in this application are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships.

[0332] It is understood that in the embodiments of the present application, the execution subject may perform some or all of the steps in the embodiments of the present application. These steps or operations are merely examples, and the embodiments of the present application may also perform other operations or variations of various operations. In addition, the various steps may be performed in a different order than those presented in the embodiments of the present application, and it is possible that not all operations in the embodiments of the present application need to be performed.

[0333] The above mainly introduces the solution provided by this application from the perspective of interaction between various devices. Accordingly, this application also provides a communication device, which is used to implement the various methods mentioned above. The communication device can be the terminal device in the above method embodiment, or a device including the above terminal device, or a component that can be used for the terminal device; or the communication device can be the access network device involved in the above method embodiment, or a device including the access network device, or a component that can be used for the access network device; or the communication device can be the first network element involved in the above method embodiment, or a device including the first network element, or a component that can be used for the first network element; or the communication device can be the second network element involved in the above method embodiment, or a device including the second network element, or a component that can be used for the second network element; or the communication device can be the third network element involved in the above method embodiment, or a device including the third network element, or a component that can be used for the third network element; or the communication device can be the core network device involved in the above method embodiment, or a device including the core network device, or a component that can be used for the core network device.

[0334] It is understandable that, in order to realize the above functions, the communication device includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. It should be easily appreciated by those skilled in the art that, in combination with the units and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in the form of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0335] The embodiment of the present application can divide the functional modules of the communication device according to the above method embodiment. For example, each functional module can be divided according to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The above integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules. It should be noted that the division of modules in the embodiment of the present application is schematic and is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0336] In the case of dividing each functional module according to each function, Figure 22 shows a communication device 220, which can execute the actions performed by the terminal equipment, access network equipment, first network element, second network element, third network element, and core network equipment in the method shown above. All relevant contents of each step involved in the above method embodiment can be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module. The technical effects that can be obtained can be referred to the above method embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0337] The communication device 220 may include a transceiver module 2201 and a processing module 2202. Exemplarily, the communication device 220 may be a communication device, or a chip used in a communication device, or other combined device or component having the aforementioned communication device functionality. When the communication device 220 is a communication device, the transceiver module 2201 may be a transceiver, which may include an antenna and radio frequency circuits, etc.; the processing module 2202 may be a processor (or processing circuit), such as a baseband processor, which may include one or more CPUs. When the communication device 220 is a component having the aforementioned communication device functionality, the transceiver module 2201 may be a radio frequency unit; the processing module 2202 may be a processor (or processing circuit), such as a baseband processor. When the communication device 220 is a system-on-chip (SoC), the transceiver module 2201 may be the input / output interface of the SoC (e.g., a baseband chip); the processing module 2202 may be the SoC's processor (or processing circuit), which may include one or more central processing units. It should be understood that the transceiver module 2201 in the embodiment of the present application can be implemented by a transceiver or a transceiver-related circuit component; the processing module 2202 can be implemented by a processor or a processor-related circuit component (or, referred to as a processing circuit).

[0338] For example, the transceiver module 2201 can be used to perform all the transceiver operations performed by the communication device in the above-mentioned embodiments, and / or to support other processes of the technology described herein; the processing module 2202 can be used to perform all the operations except the transceiver operations performed by the communication device in the above-mentioned embodiments, and / or to support other processes of the technology described herein.

[0339] In this application, the communication device 220 is presented in the form of various functional modules divided in an integrated manner. The "module" here can refer to an ASIC, a circuit, a processor and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, an integrated logic circuit, and / or other devices that can provide the above functions.

[0340] In some embodiments, in terms of hardware implementation, those skilled in the art may conceive that the terminal device 220 may take the form of the communication device 210 shown in FIG. 21 .

[0341] As an example, the functions / implementation process of the processing module 2202 in FIG22 can be implemented by the processor 2101 in the communication device 210 shown in FIG21 calling the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 2103. The functions / implementation process of the transceiver module 2201 in FIG22 can be implemented by the communication interface 2104 in the communication device 210 shown in FIG21.

[0342] As another possible implementation, the transceiver module 2201 in FIG22 may be replaced by a transceiver that integrates the functionality of the transceiver module 2201; and the processing module 2202 may be replaced by a processor that integrates the functionality of the processing module 2202. Furthermore, the communication device 220 shown in FIG22 may further include a memory.

[0343] Alternatively, when the processing module 2202 is replaced by a processor and the transceiver module 2201 is replaced by a transceiver, the communication device 220 involved in the embodiment of the present application may also be the communication device 230 shown in Figure 23, wherein the processor may be the logic circuit 2301 and the transceiver may be the interface circuit 2302. Furthermore, the communication device 230 shown in Figure 23 may also include a memory 2303.

[0344] The embodiments of the present application also provide a computer program product, which, when executed by a computer, can implement the functions of any of the above method embodiments.

[0345] The embodiments of the present application also provide 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 terminal (including the data sending end and / or the data receiving end) of any of the above-mentioned embodiments, such as the hard disk or memory of the terminal. The above-mentioned computer-readable storage medium can also be an external storage device of the above-mentioned terminal, such as a plug-in hard disk, smart memory card (smart media card, SMC), secure digital (secure digital, SD) card, flash card (flash card), etc. equipped on the above-mentioned terminal. Furthermore, the above-mentioned computer-readable storage medium can also include both the internal storage unit of the above-mentioned terminal 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 terminal. The above-mentioned computer-readable storage medium can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or is to be output. The present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program or instruction is stored. When the computer program or instruction is executed by a computer, the function of any of the above-mentioned method embodiments is realized.

[0346] 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.

[0347] 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.

[0348] 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.

[0349] 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.

[0350] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for enabling a device (which can be a single-chip microcomputer, chip, etc.) or a processor to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program codes, such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0351] In the above embodiments, it can be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented using a software program, it can be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes (or functions) described in the embodiments of the present application are implemented. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server or data center to another website, computer, server or data center via a wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) method. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that contains one or more media that can be integrated. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (eg, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape), an optical medium (eg, a DVD), or a semiconductor medium (eg, a solid state drive (SSD)). In the embodiment of the present application, the computer may include the aforementioned device.

[0352] Although the present application is described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, in the process of implementing the claimed application, those skilled in the art can understand and implement other changes to the disclosed embodiments by reviewing the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple situations. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions listed in the claims. Certain measures are recorded in different dependent claims, but this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0353] Although the present application has been described with reference to specific features and embodiments thereof, it is apparent that various modifications and combinations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Accordingly, this specification and the drawings are merely illustrative of the present application as defined by the appended claims and are deemed to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations or equivalents within the scope of the present application. Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations to the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Thus, the present application is intended to include such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An access network device, characterized in that: include: a first network element and a second network element in communication connection with the first network element, The first network element includes a radio resource control function, a packet data convergence layer protocol function, a non-real-time part of a radio link control function, and a non-real-time part of a media access control function; The second network element comprises a non-real-time part of a physical layer function and a real-time part of a physical layer function.

2. The access network device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second network element also includes a real-time part of a radio link control function and a real-time part of a medium access control function.

3. The access network device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first network element also includes a real-time part of a radio link control function.

4. The access network device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second network element also comprises a real-time part of a media access control function.

5. The access network device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first network element also includes a real-time part of a media access control function.

6. The access network device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The interface between the first network element and the second network element is a first interface, The control plane protocol stack of the first interface is determined according to the Stream Control Transmission Protocol.

7. The access network device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The interface between the first network element and the second network element is a first interface, The user plane protocol stack of the first interface is determined according to a general packet radio service tunneling protocol of the user plane.

8. The access network device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The interface between the first network element and the second network element is a first interface, The protocol stack of the first interface is determined according to an enhanced universal public radio interface protocol.

9. The access network device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The access network device further includes a third network element that is communicatively connected to the first network element and the second network element, the third network element including a non-real-time part of a physical layer function and a real-time part of a physical layer function; The interface between the second network element and the third network element is a second interface, The control plane protocol stack of the second interface is determined according to the stream control transmission protocol.

10. The access network device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The access network device further includes a third network element that is communicatively connected to the first network element and the second network element, the third network element includes a non-real-time part of a physical layer function and a real-time part of a physical layer function, and an interface between the second network element and the third network element is a second interface. The user plane protocol stack of the second interface is determined according to a general packet radio service tunneling protocol of the user plane.

11. The access network device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The third network element also includes a real-time part of the media access control function.

12. The access network device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The third network element also includes a real-time part of the radio link control function.

13. The access network device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The access network device further includes a radio frequency network element that is communicatively connected to the second network element, and the interface between the second network element and the radio frequency network element is a third interface. The third interface is a peripheral interface, and the protocol stack of the third interface is determined according to the enhanced universal public radio interface protocol.

14. The access network device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: The first network element is used to send a first request message to the second network element; wherein the first request message is used to request configuration of a first interface; the first request message includes physical layer configuration information; the first interface is an interface between the first network element and the second network element; The second network element is used to send response information of the first request information to the first network element.

15. The access network device according to claim 14, characterized in that: The first request information further includes radio link control configuration information and medium access control configuration information; or, The first request information also includes media access control configuration information.

16. The access network device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The first network element is used to send a first indication message to the second network element; wherein the first indication message is used to indicate the release of the first Resources occupied by an interface; the first interface is an interface between the first network element and the second network element; The second network element is used to release the resources occupied by the first interface according to the first indication information, and send response information of the first indication information to the first network element.

17. The access network device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The second network element is used to send second indication information to the first network element; wherein the second indication information is used to indicate the release of resources occupied by the first interface; the first interface is an interface between the first network element and the second network element; The first network element is used to release the resources occupied by the first interface according to the second indication information.

18. The access network device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that: The first network element is used to transparently transmit a downlink control transmission message to the second network element; or The second network element is used to transparently transmit an uplink control transmission message to the first network element.

19. The access network device according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that: The access network device further includes a third network element that is communicatively connected to the first network element and the second network element, wherein the third network element includes a non-real-time part of a physical layer function and a real-time part of a physical layer function. The second network element is used to send a second request message to the third network element; wherein the second request message is used to request configuration of a second interface; the second request message includes physical layer configuration information; the second interface is an interface between the second network element and the third network element; The third network element is used to send response information of the second request information to the second network element.

20. The access network device according to claim 19, characterized in that: The second request information further includes radio link control configuration information and medium access control configuration information; or, The second request information also includes media access control configuration information.

21. The access network device according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that: The access network device further includes a third network element that is communicatively connected to the first network element and the second network element, wherein the third network element includes a non-real-time part of a physical layer function and a real-time part of a physical layer function. The first network element is used to receive a measurement report MR from a terminal device, and send a third request information to the third network element according to the MR; wherein the third request information is used to request allocation of resources for the terminal device to access the third network element; The third network element is used to send response information of the third request information to the first network element; The first network element is used to send a switching command to the terminal device according to the response information of the third request information; wherein the switching command is used to instruct the terminal device to switch from the second network element to the third network element.

22. The access network device according to claim 21, characterized in that: The first network element is further used to send third indication information to the second network element; wherein the third indication information is used to indicate the release of resources occupied by the terminal device; The second network element is used to release the resources occupied by the terminal device according to the third indication information.

23. A communication system, characterized in that: The communication system includes the access network device according to any one of claims 1-22.

24. A communication method, characterized in that: The method is applied to access network equipment, including: Receiving first information from a terminal device through a second network element of the access network device; wherein the second network element includes a non-real-time part of a physical layer function and a real-time part of a physical layer function; Sending second information to the first network element of the access network device through the second network element; wherein the second information is information processed by the second network element on the first information; the first network element includes a radio resource control function, a packet data convergence layer protocol function, a non-real-time part of a radio link control function, and a non-real-time part of a media access control function; Send third information to the core network device through the first network element; wherein the third information is the information obtained after the first network element processes the second information.

25. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that The method further comprises: Sending a first request message to the second network element through the first network element; wherein the first request message is used to request configuration of a first interface; the first request message includes physical layer configuration information; the first interface is an interface between the first network element and the second network element; Send response information of the first request information to the first network element through the second network element.

26. The method according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that The method further comprises: Sending a second request message to a third network element of the access network device through the second network element; wherein the third network element includes a physical The non-real-time part of the layer function and the real-time part of the physical layer function; the second request information is used to request configuration of the second interface; the second request information includes physical layer configuration information; the second interface is an interface between the second network element and the third network element; Send response information of the second request information to the second network element through the third network element.

27. The method according to any one of claims 24 to 26, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Receiving a measurement report MR from the terminal device through the first network element; Sending a third request message to a third network element of the access network device through the first network element according to the MR; wherein the third network element includes a non-real-time part of a physical layer function and a real-time part of a physical layer function; and the third request message is used to request allocation of resources for the terminal device to access the second network element; Sending response information of the third request information to the first network element through the third network element; The first network element sends a switching command to the terminal device according to the response information of the third request information; wherein the switching command is used to instruct the terminal device to switch from the second network element to the third network element.

28. The method according to claim 27, characterized in that The method further comprises: Sending third indication information to the second network element through the first network element; wherein the third indication information is used to indicate the release of resources occupied by the terminal device; The resources occupied by the terminal device are released through the second network element according to the third indication information.

29. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions or programs, and when the computer instructions or programs are executed on a computer, the communication method according to any one of claims 24 to 28 is executed.

30. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program product includes computer instructions; when part or all of the computer instructions are run on a computer, the communication method according to any one of claims 24 to 28 is executed.

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