Electronic device, communication method, and storage medium

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electronic device, a communication method, and a storage medium. An electronic device used for a transmitting device may perform the following operations: transmitting a path discovery data packet to a receiving device, the path discovery data packet being transmitted to the receiving device via a plurality of candidate paths, and each candidate path comprising at least one relay node; receiving, from the receiving device, feedback information associated with the plurality of candidate paths, the feedback information comprising path state information associated with each candidate path determined on the basis of reception of the path discovery data packet and transmission configuration suggestions; on the basis of the feedback information, determining, among the plurality of candidate paths, at least two relay paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device and corresponding transmission configurations; and transmitting the transmission configurations to the relay nodes in the at least two relay paths.

Description

Electronic device, communication method, and storage medium Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of wireless communications, and more particularly, to an electronic device, a communication method, and a storage medium for improving the performance of a multi-hop multi-path wireless relay network. Background Art

[0002] In wireless communications, relay technology is widely used to, for example, extend coverage or improve wireless transmission performance. Relay technology relies on utilizing relay nodes to transmit data packets from a source node to a destination node. Specifically, a source node sends a data packet to a relay node, which then forwards it to the destination node (also known as "single-hop" relaying). Alternatively, the first relay node forwards the data packet to a second relay node, where possible, until the final relay node delivers the data to the destination node (also known as "multi-hop relaying").

[0003] Multipath can also be incorporated into relay networks to further advantage. Participating relay nodes forward data packets along several possible paths toward the destination node or next-hop relay node. Because different paths experience independent wireless environments, transmitting the same data over multiple paths can potentially yield additional diversity gain, resulting in more reliable reception at the receiving end. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides multiple aspects. By applying one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the performance of a multi-hop multi-path wireless relay network can be improved.

[0005] A brief overview of the present disclosure is provided below to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that this overview is not an exhaustive overview of the present disclosure. It is not intended to identify key or important parts of the present disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Its purpose is simply to present certain concepts of the present disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that will be given later.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device for a sending device is provided, comprising: a processor; and a memory, comprising computer program code, wherein the computer program code, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising: sending a path discovery data packet to a receiving device, the path discovery data packet being transmitted to the receiving device via multiple candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; receiving feedback information associated with the multiple candidate paths from the receiving device, the feedback information including path state information and transmission configuration suggestions associated with each candidate path determined based on reception of the path discovery data packet; determining, based on the feedback information, at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations among the multiple candidate paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device; and sending the transmission configurations to the relay nodes in the at least two relay paths.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device for a receiving device is provided, comprising a processor; and a memory comprising computer program code, wherein the computer program code, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising: receiving a path discovery data packet from a sending device, the path discovery data packet being transmitted to the receiving device via multiple candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; determining path status information and transmission configuration suggestions associated with each candidate path in the multiple candidate paths based on the reception of the path discovery data packet; and sending feedback information comprising the path status information and transmission configuration suggestions to the sending device, so that the sending device can determine at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations among the multiple candidate paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device for a relay device is provided, comprising: a processor; and a memory comprising computer program code, wherein the computer program code, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising: relaying a path discovery data packet as a relay node in a candidate path from a sending device to a receiving device, wherein the path discovery data packet is transmitted to the receiving device via a plurality of candidate paths including the candidate path, and wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; relaying feedback information associated with the candidate path from the receiving device to the sending device, the feedback information comprising path status information and transmission configuration recommendations associated with the candidate path determined based on reception of the path discovery data packet; and receiving information from the sending device indicating that the candidate path is selected as the relay path for data transmission from the sending device to the receiving device, as well as a transmission configuration.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a communication method is provided, comprising: sending a path discovery data packet to a receiving device, the path discovery data packet being transmitted to the receiving device via multiple candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; receiving feedback information associated with the multiple candidate paths from the receiving device, the feedback information including path state information and transmission configuration suggestions associated with each candidate path determined based on reception of the path discovery data packet; determining, based on the feedback information, at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations among the multiple candidate paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device; and sending the transmission configurations to the relay nodes in the at least two relay paths.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a communication method is provided, comprising: receiving a path discovery packet from a sending device, the path discovery packet being transmitted to a receiving device via multiple candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; determining, based on the reception of the path discovery packet, path state information and a transmission configuration suggestion associated with each of the multiple candidate paths; and sending feedback information including the path state information and the transmission configuration suggestion to the sending device, so that the sending device can determine at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations among the multiple candidate paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a communication method is provided, comprising: relaying a path discovery data packet as a relay node in a candidate path from a sending device to a receiving device, wherein the path discovery data packet is transmitted to the receiving device via a plurality of candidate paths including the candidate path, and wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; relaying feedback information associated with the candidate path from the receiving device to the sending device, the feedback information including path status information and transmission configuration suggestions associated with the candidate path determined based on reception of the path discovery data packet; and receiving information indicating that the candidate path is selected as the relay path for data transmission from the sending device to the receiving device, as well as a transmission configuration.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions is provided. When the executable instructions are executed, any one of the communication methods described above is implemented. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The present disclosure may be better understood by referring to the detailed description given below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to represent the same or similar elements. All drawings, together with the following detailed description, are incorporated into and form a part of this specification and are used to further illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure and to explain the principles and advantages of the present disclosure. Among them:

[0014] 1A and 1B schematically illustrate examples of multi-hop multi-path relay networks;

[0015] FIG2 shows a flow chart according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] FIG3 shows a flow chart for synchronizing arrival time according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] FIG4 shows another flow chart for synchronizing arrival time according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] FIG5 shows a flowchart for congestion control according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] 6 and 7 respectively illustrate an electronic device and a communication method performed by the electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] 8 and 9 respectively illustrate an electronic device and a communication method performed by the electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] 10 and 11 respectively illustrate an electronic device and a communication method performed by the electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG12 shows an example block diagram of a computer that may be implemented as a user device or a control device according to the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG13 illustrates a first example of a schematic configuration of a base station according to the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG14 illustrates a second example of a schematic configuration of a base station according to the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG15 illustrates a schematic configuration example of a smartphone according to the present disclosure;

[0026] FIG. 16 illustrates a schematic configuration example of a car navigation device according to the present disclosure.

[0027] The features and aspects of the present disclosure will be clearly understood by reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description of the exemplary embodiments is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the present disclosure and its applications. For the sake of clarity and conciseness, not all features of the embodiments are described in this specification. However, it should be noted that when implementing the embodiments of the present disclosure, many implementation-specific settings can be made according to specific needs, such as to comply with those restrictions related to equipment and services, and these restrictions may vary depending on the implementation.

[0029] In addition, it should be noted that in order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure due to unnecessary details, some drawings only show processing steps and / or equipment structures that are closely related to at least the technical content of the present disclosure, while in other drawings, in order to facilitate a better understanding of the present disclosure, existing processing steps and / or equipment structures are additionally shown.

[0030] In the following, for the purpose of convenience of explanation, one or more aspects of the present disclosure may be described using the application scenario of the Internet of Vehicles as an example. However, it should be noted that this does not limit the scope of application of the present disclosure. One or more aspects of the present disclosure may also be applied to application scenarios such as the Internet of Things (IoT), wireless sensor networks, emergency communications, and disaster recovery, which are applied to relay technology. The architecture, entities, functions, processes, etc. mentioned in the following description can be found in the relevant communication standards.

[0031] Relay technology is often used to extend the range of signal transmission. In enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) scenarios and other vertical fields such as the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) scenario, the advantages in signal transmission distance and range can be brought into play by adopting a relay node relay transmission method. Generally speaking, the single-hop relay transmission method has limited improvement in expanding the range, especially in the application scenario of the IoV. When a vehicle wants to obtain road conditions several kilometers away or transmit its own status to a roadside unit several kilometers away, single-hop relay may be difficult to achieve, and the support of multi-hop relay is required to further extend the transmission range.

[0032] Multi-hop relay networks can further incorporate multipath features to form so-called "multi-hop, multi-path" relay networks. Figures 1A and 1B schematically illustrate examples of multi-hop, multi-path relay networks. As shown in the figures, the relay network consists of a sending device S as a source node, a receiving device T as a destination node, and relay devices A1-A6 as relay nodes.

[0033] Figure 1A shows a UE-to-UE direct relay network, where the transmitting device S, relay devices A1-A6, and receiving device T can all be user equipment (also referred to as user terminals, terminal devices, or simply UEs). Figure 1B shows a UE-to-network indirect relay network, where the transmitting device S and relay devices A1-A6 can be user equipment, and the receiving device T can be a base station, which is different from Figure 1A.

[0034] It should be noted that the term "user equipment (UE)" used in this disclosure has the full breadth of its usual meaning, including various terminal devices or vehicle-mounted devices that communicate with the base station. As an example, the UE can be, for example, a terminal device such as a mobile phone, a laptop, a tablet computer, a vehicle-mounted communication device, or an element thereof. In addition, the term "base station" used in this disclosure as an example of a control device in a wireless communication system has the full breadth of its usual meaning. For example, in addition to the gNB and ng-eNB specified in the 5G communication standard, depending on the scenario in which the technical solution of the present disclosure is applied, the base station can also be, for example, an eNB, a remote radio head, a wireless access point (AP), a transmit receive point (TRP) in an LTE communication system, or a communication device or an element thereof that performs similar control functions. The following sections will describe the application examples of UE and base station in detail.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the sending device S can send data, such as a protocol data unit (PDU), to the receiving device T via more than one relay path. Relay path 1 and relay path 2 are shown in the figure, wherein relay path 1 includes relay nodes A1, A2, A3, and relay path 2 includes relay nodes A4, A5, A6, but it should be noted that this is merely exemplary. The multi-hop multi-path relay network according to the present disclosure may not be limited to two relay paths, but may include three, four or more paths, and the relay paths may not be completely separated, that is, two or more relay paths may have several overlapping nodes. In addition, the number of relay nodes included in each relay path is not limited to that shown in the figure, but may include more or fewer nodes, and different relay paths may include different numbers of nodes. Although the present disclosure discusses a multi-hop multi-path relay network, it does not mean that all relay paths are multi-hop, that is, the relay path according to the present disclosure may include at least one relay node.

[0036] In Figure 1A, device-to-device (D2D) communication can be used between the sending device S and the relay node, between the relay node and the receiving device T, and between possible relay nodes. As an example, communication between devices can be achieved via a direct link (Sidelink) on the PC5 interface, but is not limited to this. An exemplary application scenario is the Internet of Vehicles, which uses a variety of communication methods including Sidelink to achieve interconnection and intercommunication between vehicles (V2V), vehicles and people (V2P), vehicles and facilities (V2I), vehicles and networks (Vehicle to Network, V2N), etc. In the application scenario of the Internet of Vehicles, the expansion of direct links between vehicle terminals and other vehicle terminals or roadside units is the key to this scenario.

[0037] In Figure 1B , D2D communication can be used between the sending device S and the relay node, and possibly between the relay nodes, for example, via Sidelink, while communication between the relay node and the receiving device T can use a Uu link. An exemplary application scenario is the Internet of Things (IoT), where relay networks are primarily used to extend direct connections between terminal devices and base stations.

[0038] Regardless of the type of multi-hop multi-path relay network, there are some points worthy of research and attention. For example, the same data can be transmitted on different relay paths to improve the robustness of data transmission, especially when the node device moves out of coverage on one or several links. In order to achieve efficient data packet merging at the receiving end to improve the robustness of data transmission, there is a requirement for synchronization of the arrival time of the data packet at the receiving end. Considering that there may be many relay nodes in a multi-hop scenario, appropriate relay path selection strategies and congestion control strategies are required. In addition, since the sending node, receiving node, and relay node as the UE are usually devices with limited processing / storage resources and energy, it is necessary to optimize the configuration of the transmission parameters of each node device.

[0039] To address one or more of the above-mentioned needs, exemplary embodiments are proposed, which will be described in detail below.

[0040] Figure 2 shows a flow chart according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The process shown in Figure 2 may occur before formal data transmission, that is, during the initial establishment and configuration phase of the relay network.

[0041] As shown in the figure, the process can begin at step S1, where a sending device S broadcasts one or more path discovery packets. According to the present disclosure, a path discovery packet refers to a packet sent for the purpose of wireless relay networking to find a candidate relay path from the sending device S to the receiving device T. The path discovery packet includes at least identification information of the sending device S as the transmission source and identification information of the receiving device T as the transmission destination. The device's identification information can be included in the header of the path discovery packet, for example, an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the device, a Media Access Control (MAC) address, or any other identity (ID) that can be used to identify the device on the network.

[0042] The following briefly describes an example of discovering candidate relay paths in S1. It should be noted that the path discovery method described below is merely exemplary; any other method can be used as long as it can find a possible relay path. When a transmitting device S broadcasts a wireless signal containing a path discovery packet, relay nodes within its coverage area can receive the signal and perform measurements. In one example, the relay node can measure the strength of the received signal, such as the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) or signal power. In another example, the relay node can measure the quality of the received signal, such as the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The relay node may also measure other parameters. Based on the measurement results, the relay node can determine whether to forward the received path discovery packet according to predefined criteria. For example, when the strength or quality of the received signal exceeds a predefined threshold, the relay node can continue to broadcast the wireless signal containing the path discovery packet until the packet reaches the receiving device. The relay node's forwarding is transparent, meaning that the relay node does not decode or re-encode the payload portion of the packet. However, the relay node can add its identification information to the packet header to indicate that the packet passed through the node.

[0043] For example, as shown in Figures 1A or 1B, a path discovery packet from a sending device S can be received and forwarded by two relay nodes, A1 and A4. Next, relay nodes A1 and A4 can each broadcast a path discovery packet. The path discovery packet forwarded by relay node A1 can be received by relay node A2 and possibly other relay nodes, and, based on the measurement results, is further forwarded by relay node A2, which also adds its identification information to the packet header. Similarly, relay node A3 can receive and forward packets from relay node A2, adding its identification information to the packet header. Since relay node A3 is already within the coverage area of ​​receiving device T, the path discovery packet it forwards can be received by receiving device T. Thus, candidate relay path 1 is discovered, from sending device S → A1 → A2 → A3 → receiving device T. Similarly, candidate relay path 2 can also be discovered, from sending device S → A4 → A5 → A6 → receiving device T.

[0044] Next, as shown in Figure 2, in step S2, the receiving device T can evaluate each candidate relay path based on the received path discovery packet. According to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the receiving device T can evaluate the path status information associated with each candidate relay path. Ultimately, the quality of the relay path must be determined by the receiving device T, as the service receiver, and this information can be reflected in the obtained path status information.

[0045] In one example, the receiving device T can evaluate the arrival latency of path discovery packets received from each candidate relay path. Relatively consistent arrival latency is desirable because it reduces the need for the receiver to buffer large amounts of data, reduces data transmission latency, and improves data decoding efficiency. Generally speaking, factors influencing arrival latency include the relay node's data transmission cycle, buffer capacity, and the number of hops on the candidate relay path.

[0046] As a non-limiting example, the path discovery data packet may carry a timestamp when it departs from the sending device S, and the receiving device T may subtract the time indicated by the timestamp from the time the data packet arrives to obtain the arrival delay (also referred to as the "absolute delay") of the corresponding candidate relay path. Excessive arrival delay means that the path throughput is low or the congestion is severe. As an alternative example, the path discovery data packet may not carry a timestamp, and the receiving device T may determine the time when the path discovery data packet on each candidate relay path arrives at the receiving device T, and calculate the difference in arrival delays of different paths (also referred to as the "relative delay"). In the example shown in Figure 1A or 1B, the receiving device T may calculate the difference between the arrival time from relay path 1 and the arrival time from relay path 2. The smaller the calculated delay, the higher the degree of synchronization of the data packets arriving at the receiving device T through different paths.

[0047] In another example, the receiving device T can evaluate the decoding accuracy of the path discovery packets received from each candidate relay path. A high decoding accuracy is desirable because a higher decoding accuracy indicates less interference on the candidate relay path. Factors affecting the decoding accuracy include the transmit power of the relay node and the number of hops on the candidate relay path.

[0048] In another example, receiving device T can evaluate the packet loss rate of path discovery packets received from each candidate relay path. A low packet loss rate is desirable. The causes of packet loss are complex. For example, wireless channel conditions, relay node buffer capacity, and relay node packet processing strategies can all contribute to packet loss.

[0049] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the receiving device T may further generate corresponding transmission configuration recommendations based on the reception of path discovery packets on each candidate relay path. These transmission configuration recommendations may be merely qualitative, intended to assist the sending device S in making path selection decisions and path configuration.

[0050] For example, if the received signal strength on a candidate relay path is low (e.g., less than a predetermined threshold), and / or the calculated decoding accuracy is low (e.g., less than a predetermined threshold), and / or the calculated packet loss rate is low (e.g., less than a predetermined threshold), then the receiving device T may recommend increasing the transmit power of the relay node. Conversely, the receiving device T may recommend appropriately reducing the transmit power of the relay node on the candidate relay path to reduce the power consumption of the relay node while ensuring transmission reliability.

[0051] For example, if the arrival delay on a candidate relay path is too large (for example, greater than a predetermined threshold), the receiving device T may suggest increasing the data transmission frequency of the relay node on the candidate relay path, or reducing the buffer capacity of the relay node on the candidate relay path.

[0052] For example, if the calculated packet loss rate for a candidate relay path is high (for example, higher than a predetermined threshold), the receiving device T may suggest increasing the data sending frequency of the relay node on the candidate relay path, or increasing the buffer capacity of the relay node on the candidate relay path.

[0053] The receiving device T can provide recommendations based on the status information of candidate relay paths. For example, if a candidate relay path has a high arrival delay but a low packet loss rate, the receiving device T can recommend reducing the buffer capacity of the relay nodes on that candidate relay path. However, if the arrival delay is high and the packet loss rate is high, the receiving device T can only recommend increasing the data transmission frequency of the relay nodes on that candidate relay path.

[0054] As shown in step S3 of FIG. 2 , the receiving device T may send the determined path status information together with the transmission configuration suggestion to the sending device S as feedback information.

[0055] In one example, the receiving device T can return the feedback information to the sending device S along the original path. For example, in the example of Figure 1A or 1B, the feedback information associated with relay path 1 can be transmitted to the sending device S along the reverse path (receiving device T→A3→A2→A1→sending device S), and the feedback information associated with relay path 2 can be transmitted to the sending device S along the reverse path (receiving device T→A6→A5→A4→sending device S).

[0056] In another example, the receiving device T may send feedback information only through a portion of the candidate relay paths. For example, the receiving device T may select the best candidate relay path to return feedback information based on the determined path state information.

[0057] Optionally, the receiving device T can return feedback information for some but not all candidate relay paths. For example, based on the determined arrival delay, decoding accuracy or packet loss rate, the receiving device T can selectively send feedback information for a predetermined number (for example, two, three, four, etc.) of candidate relay paths.

[0058] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the receiving device T can determine the path ID of the candidate relay path. Taking into account the uniqueness of the path information, the path ID is defined according to the identification information of the relay nodes on the path, that is, path ID = F(UE1_id, UE2_id, ... UEn_id), where F(*) represents a specific calculation algorithm, and UEn_id represents the identification information of the relay node UEn, such as an IP address. At the simplest level, the path ID can be expressed as an ordered sequence of identification information of the relay nodes on the candidate relay path. For example, the path ID of relay path 1 can be composed of an ID sequence of relay nodes A1, A2, and A3. However, such a path ID may be too long, resulting in excessive transmission overhead, especially when there are many relay nodes. At this time, certain lossless compression algorithms can be used to map the path ID from the identification information of the relay nodes. It should be noted that the obtained path ID preferably contains the sequence information of all relay nodes on the corresponding path, that is, it can indicate multiple hops on the relay path.

[0059] By calculating the path ID, we can ensure that even if nodes on multiple paths overlap, the path information of different relay paths can be accurately distinguished. Furthermore, the path ID calculation rules can be pre-set or configured by the base station (if this is done by the base station, the receiving device T must be within the base station's coverage area). This eliminates the need for explicit indication of relay path transmission, whether at the underlying layer or at the application layer.

[0060] In step S3, the receiving device T may send the path ID as part of the feedback information to the sending device S. This is particularly useful when the feedback information does not return along the original path.

[0061] In step S4, the sending device S can select a relay path to be used for subsequent data transmission from the candidate relay paths. This selection can refer to the feedback information returned by the receiving device T. As described above, the feedback information associated with the candidate relay paths may include corresponding path status information, such as arrival delay, decoding accuracy or packet loss rate. In one example, the sending device S can select at least two relay paths with the smallest or similar arrival delays, so that the data transmitted through these relay paths meets the synchronization requirements at the receiving end. In another example, the sending device S selects at least two relay paths with the best performance in terms of decoding accuracy or packet loss rate to ensure the reliability of data transmission. The sending device S can comprehensively consider the status information of each candidate relay path to select the path that best meets the business needs as the relay path for subsequent use.

[0062] Furthermore, in step S4, the transmitting device S may also determine the transmission configuration corresponding to the selected relay path based on the transmission configuration suggestion included in the feedback information. The determined transmission configuration may include quantitative transmission parameter values. For transmission configurations that increase or decrease the transmit power, data transmission frequency, or buffer capacity of a relay node on a particular relay path, the transmitting device S may determine the specific values ​​to be increased or decreased.

[0063] Subsequently, in step S5, the sending device S may send the determined transmission configuration to all relay nodes on the selected relay path. In one example, for a certain relay path, the sending device S may send the transmission configurations of all relay nodes on the relay path together as overall configuration data. The configuration data may be transmitted hop by hop through the relay nodes along the relay path. This configuration data indicates the information that the corresponding relay path is selected, for example, this can be achieved by including the path ID of the relay path. Since the path ID includes the identification information of all relay nodes on the relay path, each relay node can find the transmission configuration bound to its identification information from the configuration data, and can adjust its transmission parameters, such as increasing or decreasing its transmission power, data transmission frequency or buffer capacity.

[0064] Thus, a multi-hop, multi-path relay network is established from the sending device S to the receiving device T. As shown in the dashed box in Figure 2, data transmission can be performed on this relay network. Through the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the receiving device T, as the service receiver, can select and configure a desired relay path for data transmission by providing feedback on relay path status information and corresponding transmission configuration recommendations. This helps meet the requirement for synchronous data arrival at the receiving end and improves relay transmission performance.

[0065] Additionally or alternatively, the present disclosure provides a further feature of synchronizing arrival times on different relay paths.

[0066] FIG3 is a flow chart for synchronizing arrival times according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Step S30 in the figure is a preliminary step for establishing a wireless relay network. Step S30 can be implemented using the process described above with reference to FIG2 . However, as an alternative, a conventional wireless relay networking method can also be used. In other words, the process described in FIG3 can occur after the process in FIG2 or independently of the process in FIG2 .

[0067] After selecting and configuring the relay paths, the sending device S can begin data relay transmission with the receiving device T. The receiving device T can monitor the arrival delays of the same data packet via different relay paths. In one example, if the arrival delays on different relay paths do not meet the synchronization requirement (for example, the arrival delay difference is greater than a predetermined threshold), the receiving device T can send an indication of this information to the sending device S, as shown in step S301.

[0068] In response to receiving an indication that, for example, the arrival delay difference is higher than a threshold, in S302, the sending device S instructs the last-hop relay node on the relevant relay path (i.e., the previous-hop relay node of the receiving device T) to negotiate approximately aligned data sending windows. For example, in the example of Figure 1A or 1B, the sending device S can send a negotiation indication to either or both of the last-hop relay node A3 of relay path 1 or the last-hop relay node A6 of relay path 2. As illustrated in Figure 3, the sending device S sends an indication to the relay node A3 to trigger the negotiation process. Since a relay node generally only knows the composition information of the relay path in which it is located, it is preferred that the indication sent by the sending device S also includes the identification information of the last-hop relay node of other relay paths that need to be synchronized, so that the indicated relay node knows the negotiation target, such as the relay node A6 on relay path 2.

[0069] In response, in step S303, relay node A3 triggers a negotiation process between it and relay node A6. Here, D2D communication can be applied. In one example, relay node A3 broadcasts a discovery signal via a physical direct discovery channel (PSDCH), and relay node A6 receives the discovery signal and establishes a D2D connection with relay node A3. However, this is merely an example and not a limitation. Relay node A3 can also establish communication with relay node A6 in other ways, such as by utilizing the identification information of relay node A6 provided by the transmitting device S. As a result, relay node A3 and relay node A6 can determine roughly aligned data transmission windows. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, "roughly aligned" means that the data transmission windows of the two relay nodes do not have to be completely aligned, and can be staggered within a certain range, as long as the arrival synchronization requirements of the receiving end are met. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the data transmission window can be a periodic time interval at the level of a frame (10ms), a half frame (5ms), a subframe (1ms), etc., within which the relay node can perform relay forwarding. It should be noted that the time-frequency resources used by the relay node may be based on perception or configured by the base station, and it is expected that the resources used for relay transmission fall within the data transmission window in terms of time.

[0070] As a result, A3 and A6, as the last-hop relay nodes, relay data within roughly aligned data sending windows, so that the receiving device T can receive the same data packet on different relay paths within a small time interval. This is beneficial to reducing the amount of data that needs to be buffered by the receiving device T, as well as reducing data transmission delay and improving data decoding efficiency.

[0071] In an alternative example, the instruction to trigger the last-hop relay node to negotiate the data transmission window can be issued by the receiving device T. As shown in Figure 3, when it is detected that the arrival delays on different relay paths do not meet the synchronization requirements (for example, the arrival delay difference is higher than a predetermined threshold), in step S311, the receiving device T sends an instruction to the last-hop relay node on the relevant relay path (for example, relay node A3) to negotiate a roughly aligned data transmission window. In response, the relay node begins a negotiation process with the last-hop relay node on the other relay path. The negotiation process is as described above with reference to step S303 and will not be repeated here.

[0072] Fig. 4 is another flowchart for synchronizing arrival time according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Like step S30 in Fig. 3 , step S40 in the figure is a preparatory step for establishing a wireless relay network.

[0073] In one example, the receiving device T can monitor the arrival delays of the same data packet via different relay paths. In one example, if the arrival delays on different relay paths are detected to not meet the synchronization requirement (for example, the arrival delay difference is greater than a predetermined threshold), the receiving device T can send an indication of this information to the sending device S, as shown in step 401.

[0074] In response to receiving an indication, for example, that the arrival delay difference is greater than a threshold, in S402, the sending device S configures substantially aligned data transmission windows for the last-hop relay nodes on the relevant relay paths. The sending device S can determine the data transmission windows for the last-hop relay nodes involved, taking into account factors such as the data generation characteristics of the service, the data transmission volume, and the transmission configuration of the relay nodes, and ensure that the data transmission windows are substantially aligned. The sending device S transmits the determined data transmission window configuration to the last-hop relay nodes, such as relay nodes A3 and A6, so that the last-hop relay nodes on each relay path can transmit data packets to the receiving device T in a substantially synchronous manner.

[0075] In an alternative example, the receiving device T can configure a data transmission window for the last-hop relay node. As shown in step S411 in Figure 4, if the arrival delays on different relay paths do not meet the synchronization requirement (for example, the arrival delay difference is greater than a predetermined threshold), the receiving device T can consider factors such as the data generation characteristics of the service, the data transmission volume, and the transmission configuration of the relay node to determine the data transmission window for the last-hop relay node involved (for example, relay nodes A3 and A6), and ensure that the data transmission windows are roughly aligned. As a result, the last-hop relay node on each relay path can transmit data packets to the receiving device T in a substantially synchronous manner.

[0076] When the receiving device T is a base station, the last-hop relay node must be within the coverage of the base station. At this time, relay nodes (such as A3 and A6) can easily achieve synchronization by communicating with the base station. In particular, in step S411, the receiving device T as a base station can periodically or non-periodically allocate close time resources to relay nodes A3 and A6 so that they have roughly aligned data sending windows. It is worth noting that before the base station allocates time-frequency resources to, for example, relay nodes A3 and A6, it is still necessary to obtain the configuration information of the relay nodes on different relay links. This configuration information can be executed by the base station based on the basic information reported by the sending device S through other UEs or previously within the coverage of the base station. After the information of each relay node is configured, the base station will evaluate the amount of resources required by the UE in the current service coverage area, and configure appropriate time-frequency resources for the relay UE based on the evaluation results.

[0077] Note that the process described in Figure 4 can be combined with the process described in Figure 3. For example, the last-hop relay nodes on different relay paths may not be within each other's coverage area. As a result, relay nodes A3 and A6 may not be able to discover each other through D2D communication in steps S303 or S312. In this case, the negotiation process for the data transmission window fails. Relay node A3 can feedback the negotiation failure information to the sending device S or the receiving device T, and the sending device S or the receiving device T can respectively configure roughly aligned data transmission windows through steps S402 or S411.

[0078] The following describes a congestion control strategy according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Depending on the type of service, there may be different requirements for congestion control of the relay path. For non-periodic services, the congestion control method is generally based on the most basic perception process of D2D communication, that is, before sending a data message on a sidelink link, for example, it is first detected whether the environmental capability exceeds a given threshold, thereby determining whether relay transmission is possible. For periodic services, the sending criteria defined for data packets or messages mainly depend on: 1) the needs of the service itself; 2) congestion control of data or message transmission. In a multi-hop multi-path relay network, the network performance is limited by the transmission behavior of almost every relay node, so its congestion control is more complicated than that of a conventional single-hop network or single-path network.

[0079] FIG5 illustrates a flow chart for congestion control according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the figure, the process begins at step S51, where a sending device S collects monitored values ​​of congestion control parameters, such as node density or channel busy rate (CBR), as described in detail below, from relay nodes along each relay path. This collection can be performed periodically at predefined intervals or at the request of the sending device S.

[0080] In step S52, the sending device S determines a unified data transmission period for the relay path based at least on the monitored values ​​of the congestion control parameters of the relay nodes collected for the relay path. The data transmission period can also be described as the data transmission frequency, with the two being inversely proportional. Typically, the sending device S can determine the lowest data transmission frequency supported by the nodes along the entire relay path (i.e., the most severe congestion level) to determine the data transmission frequency for the relay path. Furthermore, the sending device S may also consider the characteristics of the service itself, such as the raw data generation period, data volume, latency requirements, and reliability requirements.

[0081] Then, in step S53, the sending device S configures the determined data sending period to the relay nodes on the corresponding relay path. As a result, the relay nodes can perform data relay transmission with a unified data sending period supported by the entire relay path.

[0082] The following describes how to determine the data transmission period using node density and CBR as examples of congestion control parameters. It should be understood that the congestion control parameters that can be used in exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, but can use any metric that can describe the congestion affecting the relay node.

[0083] In one example, congestion control parameters include node density, which measures the number of nodes within a certain range of a relay node. In the context of connected vehicles, node density represents the density of vehicles surrounding a host vehicle, acting as a relay node. For example, as a statistical measure of node density, the host vehicle periodically estimates the vehicle density within a 100-meter radius.

[0084] For relay node i, its current estimated number of nodes is N(k), where k is the index of the estimation interval. Relay node i can adjust the estimated value. For example, the adjusted node density Ns(k) is obtained by the following formula: Ns(k) = γN(k) + (1-γ)*Ns(k-1) where γ can be a constant, such as 0.05.

[0085] In step S51 of FIG5 , the relay node i sends the adjusted node density Ns(k) as a congestion control parameter to the sending device S. For each relay node i, the sending device S can calculate the maximum transmission period TmaxITT(k) supported by the relay node as follows: Where B is a constant, such as 25. TvmaxITT is the maximum transmission interval, such as 600 milliseconds.

[0086] Considering this relay path, its data transmission period can be calculated as follows: Trelay(k)=maxTmaxITT i(k), i∈[1,Nr] where Nr is the number of all relay nodes in the relay path, and Trelay(k) is the uniform data sending period applicable to the relay path.

[0087] In another example, the congestion control parameter used includes the CBR, which is the ratio of the effective data volume transmitted per unit time by a node (including sending nodes and relay nodes) to the channel capacity. For node i, its currently estimated CBR can be expressed as CBRi. In step S51 of Figure 5, relay node i sends CBRi as the congestion control parameter to sending device S.

[0088] Subsequently, in step S52, the sending device S can calculate the CBRint for the entire relay path: CBRint = max{CBR1, CBR2, …, CBRNr}, i∈[1, Nr], where Nr is the number of nodes (including the sending node and relay nodes) along the relay path. The sending device S can then determine the appropriate data transmission period for the relay path based on CBRint. For example, this can be done using the correspondence between CBR and data transmission period. The following table shows an example of determining the data transmission period based on a range of CBRint.

[0089] The two congestion control examples described above are based on the RAN2 layer. At the application layer, the relay node's buffering function can be used to control the frequency of packet relays. This buffering function is, of course, based on CBR control and node density control. For example, if the packet transmission period is determined to be 100ms based on node density or CBR, the application layer can further control the transmission period to be extended to 500ms based on service requirements.

[0090] Next, electronic devices and communication methods to which embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied are described.

[0091] 6 and 7 respectively illustrate an electronic device 100 and a communication method executed by the electronic device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The electronic device 100 may be a UE for a transmitting device (eg, the transmitting device S described above) or a component of the UE.

[0092] As shown in FIG6 , electronic device 100 includes processing circuitry 101. Processing circuitry 101 includes at least a transmitting unit 102, a receiving unit 103, and a determining unit 104. Processing circuitry 101 may be configured to perform the communication method shown in FIG7 . Processing circuitry 101 may refer to various implementations of digital circuitry, analog circuitry, or mixed-signal (a combination of analog and digital signals) circuitry that performs functions in a UE.

[0093] The sending unit 102 is configured to send a path discovery packet to the receiving device, ie, execute step S11 in Figure 7. The path discovery packet is transmitted to the receiving device via multiple candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node.

[0094] Receiving unit 103 is configured to receive feedback information associated with the multiple candidate paths from a receiving device, i.e., execute step S12 in Figure 7 . The feedback information includes path status information and transmission configuration recommendations associated with each candidate path, determined based on the receipt of the path discovery packet. For example, the path status information may include the arrival delay, decoding accuracy, or packet loss rate of the path discovery packet. The transmission configuration recommendations may include recommendations for increasing or decreasing the transmit power, data transmission frequency, or buffer capacity of the relay node. The feedback information may also include a path ID associated with the candidate relay path.

[0095] The determining unit 104 is configured to determine, based on the feedback information, at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations for data transmission with the receiving device from the multiple candidate paths, ie, to execute step S13 in FIG. 7 .

[0096] In addition, the sending unit 102 is further configured to send the transmission configuration to the relay nodes in the at least two relay paths selected by the determining unit 104 , ie, execute step S14 in FIG. 7 .

[0097] The electronic device 100 may further include a communication unit 105. The communication unit 105 may be configured to communicate with a relay node (e.g., the electronic device 300 described below) under the control of the processing circuit 101. In one example, the communication unit 105 may be implemented as a transceiver, including communication components such as an antenna array and / or a radio frequency link. The communication unit 105 is depicted with a dotted line because it may also be located outside the electronic device 100.

[0098] The electronic device 100 may further include a memory 106. The memory 106 may store various data and instructions, such as programs and data used for the operation of the electronic device 100, various data generated by the processing circuit 101, various control signals or service data sent or received by the communication unit 105, etc. The memory 106 is drawn with a dotted line because it may be located within the processing circuit 101 or outside the electronic device 100.

[0099] 8 and 9 respectively illustrate an electronic device 200 and a communication method executed therein according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The electronic device 200 may be a base station or a component thereof for a receiving device (eg, the receiving device T described above), or a UE or a component thereof.

[0100] As shown in FIG8 , electronic device 200 includes processing circuitry 201. Processing circuitry 201 includes at least a receiving unit 202, a determining unit 203, and a transmitting unit 204. Processing circuitry 201 can be configured to execute the communication method shown in FIG9 . Processing circuitry 201 can refer to various implementations of digital circuitry, analog circuitry, or mixed-signal (a combination of analog and digital signals) circuitry that performs functions in a base station device.

[0101] The receiving unit 202 is configured to receive a path discovery packet from a sending device, ie, to execute step S21 in Figure 9. The path discovery packet is transmitted to the receiving device via multiple candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node.

[0102] Determination unit 203 is configured to determine path state information and transmission configuration recommendations associated with each of the multiple candidate paths based on receipt of the path discovery packet, i.e., execute step S22 in Figure 9 . For example, path state information may include arrival delay, decoding accuracy, or packet loss rate of the path discovery packet. Transmission configuration recommendations may include increasing or decreasing the relay node's transmit power, data transmission frequency, or buffer capacity. Feedback information may also include a path ID associated with the candidate relay path.

[0103] Transmitting unit 204 is configured to transmit feedback information including the path state information and the transmission configuration suggestion determined by determining unit 203 to the transmitting device, i.e., executing step S23 in Figure 9 . The transmitting device may use the feedback information to determine at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations for data transmission with the receiving device from the multiple candidate paths. In one example, the feedback information also includes a path ID associated with the candidate relay path.

[0104] The electronic device 200 may further include a communication unit 205. The communication unit 205 may be configured to communicate with a UE (e.g., the electronic device 300 described below) under the control of the processing circuit 201. In one example, the communication unit 205 may be implemented as a transmitter or a transceiver, including communication components such as an antenna array and / or a radio frequency link. The communication unit 205 is depicted with a dashed line because it may also be located outside the electronic device 200.

[0105] The electronic device 200 may further include a memory 206. The memory 206 may store various data and instructions, programs and data for the operation of the electronic device 200, various data generated by the processing circuit 201, data to be transmitted by the communication unit 205, etc. The memory 206 is drawn with a dotted line because it may also be located within the processing circuit 201 or outside the electronic device 200.

[0106] 10 and 11 respectively illustrate an electronic device 300 and a communication method executed by the electronic device 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The electronic device 300 may be a UE or a component of a UE used for a relay device (eg, the relay devices A1-A6 described above).

[0107] As shown in FIG10 , electronic device 300 includes processing circuitry 301. Processing circuitry 301 includes at least a relay unit 302 and a receiving unit 303. Processing circuitry 301 can be configured to execute the communication method shown in FIG11 . Processing circuitry 301 can refer to various implementations of digital circuitry, analog circuitry, or mixed-signal (a combination of analog and digital signals) circuitry that performs functions in a base station device.

[0108] The relay unit 302 is configured to relay the path discovery packet from the sending device to the receiving device, i.e., perform step S31 in Figure 11. The relay device can operate as a relay node in a candidate path, and the path discovery packet is transmitted to the receiving device via multiple candidate paths, where each candidate path includes at least one relay node.

[0109] The relay unit 302 is further configured to relay feedback information associated with the candidate path from the receiving device to the sending device, i.e., execute step S32 in Figure 11. For example, the feedback information includes path state information and transmission configuration recommendations associated with the candidate path determined based on receipt of the path discovery packet. The feedback information may also include a path ID associated with the candidate path.

[0110] The receiving unit 303 is configured to receive information indicating that the candidate path is selected as the relay path for data transmission from the transmitting device to the receiving device and a transmission configuration from the transmitting device, ie, execute step S33 in FIG11 .

[0111] The electronic device 300 may further include a communication unit 305. The communication unit 305 may be configured to communicate with a UE or a base station under the control of the processing circuit 301. In one example, the communication unit 305 may be implemented as a transmitter or a transceiver, including communication components such as an antenna array and / or a radio frequency link. The communication unit 305 is depicted with a dashed line because it may also be located outside the electronic device 300.

[0112] The electronic device 300 may further include a memory 306. The memory 306 may store various data and instructions, programs and data for the operation of the electronic device 300, various data generated by the processing circuit 301, data to be transmitted by the communication unit 305, etc. The memory 306 is drawn with a dotted line because it may also be located within the processing circuit 301 or outside the electronic device 300.

[0113] Various aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above, but it should be noted that the above description of the structure, arrangement, type, quantity, etc. of the antenna array shown, ports, reference signals, communication equipment, communication methods, etc. is not intended to limit the aspects of the present disclosure to these specific examples.

[0114] It should be understood that the various units of the electronic devices 100, 200, and 300 described in the above embodiments are merely logical modules divided according to the specific functions they implement, and are not intended to limit specific implementation methods. In actual implementation, the above units can be implemented as independent physical entities, or can also be implemented by a single entity (for example, a processor (CPU or DSP, etc.), an integrated circuit, etc.).

[0115] It should be understood that the processing circuits 101, 201, and 301 described in the above embodiments may include, for example, circuits such as integrated circuits (ICs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), portions or circuits of a separate processor core, the entire processor core, a separate processor, a programmable hardware device such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and / or a system including multiple processors. The memories 106, 206, and 306 may be volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. For example, the memory may include, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), and flash memory.

[0116] It should be understood that the various units of the electronic devices 100, 200, and 300 described in the above embodiments are merely logical modules divided according to the specific functions they implement, and are not intended to limit specific implementation methods. In actual implementation, the above units can be implemented as independent physical entities, or can also be implemented by a single entity (for example, a processor (CPU or DSP, etc.), an integrated circuit, etc.).

[0117] [Exemplary Implementation of the Present Disclosure]

[0118] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, various implementation examples (EEs) for realizing the concepts of the present disclosure can be conceived, including but not limited to:

[0119] EE1. An electronic device for a sending device, comprising: a processor; and a memory including computer program code, wherein the computer program code, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising: sending a path discovery data packet to a receiving device, the path discovery data packet being transmitted to the receiving device via multiple candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; receiving feedback information associated with the multiple candidate paths from the receiving device, the feedback information including path state information and transmission configuration recommendations associated with each candidate path determined based on reception of the path discovery data packet; determining, based on the feedback information, at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations from the multiple candidate paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device; and sending the transmission configurations to the relay nodes in the at least two relay paths.

[0120] EE2. An electronic device according to EE1, wherein the operation further includes: receiving information from the receiving device indicating that the difference in arrival delays of the at least two relay paths is higher than a predetermined threshold; and sending a synchronization indication to at least two last-hop relay nodes on the at least two relay paths, wherein the synchronization indication enables the at least two last-hop relay nodes to negotiate roughly aligned data sending windows through device-to-device (D2D) communication.

[0121] EE3. An electronic device according to EE1, wherein the operation further includes: receiving information from the receiving device indicating that the difference in arrival delays of the at least two relay paths is higher than a predetermined threshold; and configuring roughly aligned data sending windows to at least two last-hop relay nodes on the at least two relay paths.

[0122] EE4. The electronic device according to EE1, wherein the feedback information further includes a path identification (ID) calculated by the receiving device according to an ordered sequence of identification information of relay nodes in each candidate path.

[0123] EE5. The electronic device according to EE1, wherein the path state information includes at least one of an arrival delay, a decoding accuracy, or a packet loss rate of the path discovery data packet received from each candidate path.

[0124] EE6. The electronic device according to EE1, wherein the transmission configuration includes a configuration regarding at least one of a transmission power, a data transmission frequency, or a buffer capacity of the relay node.

[0125] EE7. An electronic device according to EE1, wherein the operation further includes: collecting congestion control parameters from the relay nodes of each of the at least two relay paths and the sending device; and determining a single data sending cycle for the relay path based on the collected congestion control parameters.

[0126] EE8. The electronic device according to EE7, wherein the congestion control parameter includes: a node density indicating the number of nodes within a certain range around a relay node; or a channel busy rate (CBR) of the relay node or the transmitting device.

[0127] EE9. An electronic device for a receiving device, comprising: a processor; and a memory comprising computer program code, wherein the computer program code, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising: receiving a path discovery packet from a sending device, the path discovery packet being transmitted to the receiving device via a plurality of candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; determining, based on reception of the path discovery packet, path state information and a transmission configuration suggestion associated with each candidate path in the plurality of candidate paths; and sending feedback information comprising the path state information and the transmission configuration suggestion to the sending device, so that the sending device determines at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations among the plurality of candidate paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device.

[0128] EE10. An electronic device according to EE9, wherein the operation further includes: detecting whether the difference in arrival delays of the at least two relay paths is higher than a predetermined threshold; when the difference in arrival delays is higher than the predetermined threshold, sending a synchronization indication to at least two last-hop relay nodes on the at least two relay paths, wherein the synchronization indication enables the at least two last-hop relay nodes to negotiate roughly aligned data sending windows through device-to-device (D2D) communication.

[0129] EE11. An electronic device according to EE9, wherein the operation further includes: detecting whether the difference in arrival delays of the at least two relay paths is higher than a predetermined threshold; and configuring roughly aligned data sending windows to at least two last-hop relay nodes on the at least two relay paths when the difference in arrival delays is higher than a predetermined threshold.

[0130] EE12. The electronic device according to EE9, wherein the receiving device is a base station, and wherein the operation further comprises: allocating substantially aligned time resources to at least two last-hop relay nodes on the at least two relay paths.

[0131] EE13. An electronic device according to EE9, wherein the operation further comprises: calculating a path identification (ID) of the candidate path based on an ordered sequence of identification information of relay nodes in each candidate path; and including the path ID in the feedback information to send to the sending device.

[0132] EE14. The electronic device according to EE9, wherein the path state information includes at least one of an arrival delay, a decoding accuracy, or a packet loss rate of the path discovery data packet received from each candidate path.

[0133] EE15. An electronic device according to EE9, wherein the transmission configuration suggestion includes at least one of the following: a suggestion to increase or decrease the transmission power of the relay node; a suggestion to increase or decrease the data transmission frequency of the relay node; or a suggestion to increase or decrease the buffer capacity in the relay node.

[0134] EE16. An electronic device for a relay device, comprising: a processor; and a memory comprising computer program code, wherein the computer program code, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising: relaying a path discovery data packet as a relay node in a candidate path from a sending device to a receiving device, wherein the path discovery data packet is transmitted to the receiving device via a plurality of candidate paths including the candidate path, and wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; relaying feedback information associated with the candidate path from the receiving device to the sending device, the feedback information including path status information and transmission configuration recommendations associated with the candidate path determined based on reception of the path discovery data packet; and receiving information from the sending device indicating that the candidate path is selected as the relay path for data transmission from the sending device to the receiving device, as well as a transmission configuration.

[0135] EE17. An electronic device according to EE16, wherein the relay device is the last-hop relay node of at least one relay path, and wherein the operation further includes: in response to a synchronization indication from the sending device or the receiving device, negotiating a roughly aligned data sending window with the last-hop node on other relay paths through device-to-device (D2D) communication.

[0136] EE18. The electronic device according to EE16, wherein the operation further comprises: receiving configuration about a data sending window from the sending device or the receiving device, wherein the data sending window is roughly aligned with a data sending window of a last hop node on another relay path.

[0137] EE19. The electronic device according to EE16, wherein the operation further comprises: sending a congestion control parameter to the sending device; and receiving information about a data sending period of the relay path where the relay device is located from the sending device.

[0138] EE20. A communication method, comprising: sending a path discovery data packet to a receiving device, the path discovery data packet being transmitted to the receiving device via multiple candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; receiving feedback information associated with the multiple candidate paths from the receiving device, the feedback information including path state information and transmission configuration suggestions associated with each candidate path determined based on reception of the path discovery data packet; determining, based on the feedback information, at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations from the multiple candidate paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device; and sending the transmission configurations to the relay nodes in the at least two relay paths.

[0139] EE21. A communication method, comprising: receiving a path discovery data packet from a sending device, wherein the path discovery data packet is transmitted to a receiving device via multiple candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; determining path state information and transmission configuration suggestions associated with each candidate path in the multiple candidate paths based on the reception of the path discovery data packet; and sending feedback information including the path state information and transmission configuration suggestions to the sending device, so that the sending device can determine at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations in the multiple candidate paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device.

[0140] EE22. A communication method, comprising: relaying a path discovery packet as a relay node in a candidate path from a sending device to a receiving device, wherein the path discovery packet is transmitted to the receiving device via a plurality of candidate paths including the candidate path, and wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; relaying feedback information associated with the candidate path from the receiving device to the sending device, the feedback information including path status information and transmission configuration suggestions associated with the candidate path determined based on reception of the path discovery packet; and receiving information indicating that the candidate path is selected as the relay path for data transmission from the sending device to the receiving device, as well as a transmission configuration.

[0141] EE23. A computer-readable storage medium containing executable instructions, which, when executed, cause the communication method according to any one of EE20 to EE22 to be performed.

[0142] [Application Examples of the Present Disclosure]

[0143] FIG12 shows an example block diagram of a computer that can be implemented as a sending device, a relay device, or a receiving device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0144] 12 , a central processing unit (CPU) 1301 executes various processes according to a program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 1302 or a program loaded from a storage section 1308 to a random access memory (RAM) 1303. In the RAM 1303, data required when the CPU 1301 executes various processes and the like is also stored as needed.

[0145] The CPU 1301, the ROM 1302, and the RAM 1303 are connected to one another via a bus 1304. An input / output interface 1305 is also connected to the bus 1304.

[0146] The following components are connected to the input / output interface 1305: an input section 1306 including a keyboard, a mouse, etc.; an output section 1307 including a display such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), etc., and a speaker, etc.; a storage section 1308 including a hard disk, etc.; and a communication section 1309 including a network interface card such as a LAN card, a modem, etc. The communication section 1309 performs communication processing via a network such as the Internet.

[0147] A drive 1310 is also connected to the input / output interface 1305 as needed. A removable medium 1311 such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, etc. is mounted on the drive 1310 as needed so that a computer program read therefrom is installed in the storage section 1308 as needed.

[0148] In the case of realizing the above-described series of processing by software, a program constituting the software is installed from a network such as the Internet or a storage medium such as the removable medium 1311 .

[0149] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that such storage media are not limited to the removable media 1311 shown in FIG12 , which stores programs therein and is distributed separately from the device to provide the programs to users. Examples of the removable media 1311 include magnetic disks (including floppy disks (registered trademark)), optical disks (including compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs) and digital versatile disks (DVDs)), magneto-optical disks (including minidiscs (MDs) (registered trademark)), and semiconductor memories. Alternatively, the storage medium may be the ROM 1302, a hard disk included in the storage section 1308, or the like, in which the programs are stored and distributed to users together with the device containing them.

[0150] In the server 1300 shown in FIG. 12 , the processing circuit 101 described with reference to FIG. 6 , the processing circuit 201 described with reference to FIG. 8 , or the processing circuit 301 described with reference to FIG. 10 may be implemented by a CPU 1301 .

[0151] The techniques described in this disclosure can be applied to a variety of products.

[0152] For example, the electronic device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented as various base stations or installed in a base station, and the electronic device 100 , 200 , or 300 may be implemented as various user equipments or installed in various user equipments.

[0153] The communication method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented by various base stations or user equipment; the methods and operations according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can be embodied as computer-executable instructions, stored in a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium, and can be executed by various base stations or user equipment to implement one or more functions described above.

[0154] The technology according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can be made into various computer program products, which can be used in various base stations or user equipments to implement one or more functions described above.

[0155] The base stations referred to in this disclosure may be implemented as any type of base station, preferably, such as the macro gNB and ng-eNB defined in the 3GPP 5G NR standard. A gNB may cover a cell smaller than a macro cell, such as a pico gNB, micro gNB, and home (femto) gNB. Alternatively, a base station may be implemented as any other type of base station, such as a NodeB, eNodeB, and base transceiver station (BTS). A base station may also include: a main body configured to control wireless communications, and one or more remote radio heads (RRHs) located separately from the main body, wireless relay stations, drone towers, control nodes in automated factories, and the like.

[0156] The user equipment can be implemented as a mobile terminal (such as a smartphone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a notebook PC, a portable game terminal, a portable / dongle-type mobile router, and a digital camera) or an in-vehicle terminal (such as a car navigation device). The user equipment can also be implemented as a terminal that performs machine-to-machine (M2M) communication (also known as a machine-type communication (MTC) terminal), a drone, a sensor and actuator in an automated factory, etc. In addition, the user equipment can be a wireless communication module (such as an integrated circuit module including a single chip) installed on each of the above terminals.

[0157] First application example of base station

[0158] FIG13 is a block diagram illustrating a first example of a schematic configuration of a base station to which the techniques of this disclosure may be applied. In FIG13 , the base station may be implemented as gNB 1400. gNB 1400 includes multiple antennas 1410 and base station device 1420. Base station device 1420 and each antenna 1410 may be connected to each other via an RF cable. In one implementation, gNB 1400 (or base station device 1420) herein may correspond to the electronic device 200 for a receiving device described above.

[0159] Antenna 1410 includes multiple antenna elements. Antenna 1410 can be arranged in an antenna array matrix, for example, and used by base station device 1420 to transmit and receive wireless signals. For example, multiple antennas 1410 can be compatible with multiple frequency bands used by gNB 1400.

[0160] The base station device 1420 includes a controller 1421 , a memory 1422 , a network interface 1423 , and a wireless communication interface 1425 .

[0161] The controller 1421 may be, for example, a CPU or DSP, and operates various higher-layer functions of the base station device 1420. For example, the controller 1421 may include the processing circuit 201 described above, execute the communication method described in FIG9 , or control various components of the base station device 200. For example, the controller 1421 generates data packets based on data in the signal processed by the wireless communication interface 1425 and transmits the generated packets via the network interface 1423. The controller 1421 may bundle data from multiple baseband processors to generate bundled packets and transmit the generated bundled packets. The controller 1421 may have logic functions for performing control such as radio resource control, radio bearer control, mobility management, admission control, and scheduling. This control may be performed in conjunction with nearby gNBs or core network nodes. The memory 1422 includes RAM and ROM and stores programs executed by the controller 1421 and various types of control data (such as terminal lists, transmission power data, and scheduling data).

[0162] The network interface 1423 is a communication interface for connecting the base station device 1420 to the core network 1424 (e.g., a 5G core network). The controller 1421 can communicate with the core network node or another gNB via the network interface 1423. In this case, the gNB 1400 and the core network node or other gNB can be connected to each other via logical interfaces (such as NG interfaces and Xn interfaces). The network interface 1423 can also be a wired communication interface or a wireless communication interface for wireless backhaul lines. If the network interface 1423 is a wireless communication interface, the network interface 1423 can use a higher frequency band for wireless communication than the frequency band used by the wireless communication interface 1425.

[0163] The wireless communication interface 1425 supports any cellular communication scheme (such as 5G NR) and provides wireless connectivity to terminals located in the cell of the gNB 1400 via the antenna 1410. The wireless communication interface 1425 may typically include, for example, a baseband (BB) processor 1426 and RF circuitry 1427. The BB processor 1426 can perform, for example, encoding / decoding, modulation / demodulation, and multiplexing / demultiplexing, and various types of signal processing at various layers (e.g., the physical layer, MAC layer, RLC layer, PDCP layer, and SDAP layer). In place of the controller 1421, the BB processor 1426 may perform some or all of the aforementioned logical functions. The BB processor 1426 may be a memory that stores communication control programs, or a module including a processor configured to execute programs and associated circuitry. Program updates can modify the functionality of the BB processor 1426. This module may be a card or blade inserted into a slot in the base station device 1420. Alternatively, it may be a chip mounted on the card or blade. Meanwhile, the RF circuit 1427 may include, for example, a mixer, a filter, and an amplifier, and transmits and receives wireless signals via the antenna 1410. Although FIG13 shows an example in which one RF circuit 1427 is connected to one antenna 1410, the present disclosure is not limited to this illustration, and one RF circuit 1427 may be connected to multiple antennas 1410 at the same time.

[0164] As shown in Figure 13 , the wireless communication interface 1425 may include multiple BB processors 1426. For example, multiple BB processors 1426 may be compatible with multiple frequency bands used by gNB 1400. As shown in Figure 13 , the wireless communication interface 1425 may include multiple RF circuits 1427. For example, multiple RF circuits 1427 may be compatible with multiple antenna elements. While Figure 13 illustrates an example in which the wireless communication interface 1425 includes multiple BB processors 1426 and multiple RF circuits 1427, the wireless communication interface 1425 may also include a single BB processor 1426 or a single RF circuit 1427.

[0165] In the gNB 1400 shown in FIG13 , one or more units (e.g., receiving unit 202, transmitting unit 204) included in the processing circuit 201 described with reference to FIG8 may be implemented in the wireless communication interface 825. Alternatively, at least a portion of these components may be implemented in the controller 821. For example, the gNB 1400 may include a portion (e.g., the BB processor 1426) or the entirety of the wireless communication interface 1425 and / or a module including the controller 1421, and one or more components may be implemented in the module. In this case, the module may store a program that allows the processor to function as one or more components (in other words, a program that allows the processor to perform the operations of one or more components) and may execute the program. As another example, the program that allows the processor to function as one or more components may be installed in the gNB 1400, and the wireless communication interface 1425 (e.g., the BB processor 1426) and / or the controller 1421 may execute the program. As described above, gNB 1400, base station device 1420, or a module may be provided as a device including one or more components, and a program for allowing a processor to function as one or more components may be provided. In addition, a readable medium having the program recorded therein may be provided.

[0166] Second application example of base station

[0167] FIG14 is a block diagram illustrating a second example of a schematic configuration of a base station to which the technology of the present disclosure can be applied. In FIG14 , the base station is illustrated as a gNB 1530. The gNB 1530 includes multiple antennas 1540, a base station device 1550, and an RRH 1560. The RRH 1560 and each antenna 1540 can be connected to each other via an RF cable. The base station device 1550 and the RRH 1560 can be connected to each other via a high-speed line such as an optical fiber cable. In one implementation, the gNB 1530 (or base station device 1550) herein may correspond to the electronic device 200 for the receiving device described above.

[0168] Antenna 1540 includes multiple antenna elements. Antenna 1540 can be arranged in an antenna array matrix, for example, and is used by base station device 1550 to transmit and receive wireless signals. For example, multiple antennas 1540 can be compatible with multiple frequency bands used by gNB 1530.

[0169] Base station device 1550 includes a controller 1551, a memory 1552, a network interface 1553, a wireless communication interface 1555, and a connection interface 1557. Controller 1551, memory 1552, and network interface 1553 are the same as controller 1421, memory 1422, and network interface 1423 described with reference to FIG.

[0170] The wireless communication interface 1555 supports any cellular communication scheme (such as 5G NR) and provides wireless communication to terminals located in the sector corresponding to the RRH 1560 via the RRH 1560 and the antenna 1540. The wireless communication interface 1555 may generally include, for example, a BB processor 1556. The BB processor 1556 is identical to the BB processor 1426 described with reference to FIG. 13 , except that the BB processor 1556 is connected to the RF circuit 1564 of the RRH 1560 via the connection interface 1557. As shown in FIG. 14 , the wireless communication interface 1555 may include multiple BB processors 1556. For example, multiple BB processors 1556 may be compatible with multiple frequency bands used by the gNB 1530. Although FIG. 14 illustrates an example in which the wireless communication interface 1555 includes multiple BB processors 1556, the wireless communication interface 1555 may also include a single BB processor 1556.

[0171] The connection interface 1557 is an interface for connecting the base station device 1550 (wireless communication interface 1555) to the RRH 1560. The connection interface 1557 may also be a communication module for connecting the base station device 1550 (wireless communication interface 1555) to the RRH 1560 for communication in the high-speed line.

[0172] The RRH 1560 includes a connection interface 1561 and a wireless communication interface 1563 .

[0173] The connection interface 1561 is an interface for connecting the RRH 1560 (wireless communication interface 1563) to the base station device 1550. The connection interface 1561 may also be a communication module for communication in the above-mentioned high-speed line.

[0174] The wireless communication interface 1563 transmits and receives wireless signals via the antenna 1540. The wireless communication interface 1563 may generally include, for example, an RF circuit 1564. The RF circuit 1564 may include, for example, a mixer, a filter, and an amplifier, and transmits and receives wireless signals via the antenna 1540. Although FIG14 shows an example in which one RF circuit 1564 is connected to one antenna 1540, the present disclosure is not limited to this illustration, and one RF circuit 1564 may be connected to multiple antennas 1540 simultaneously.

[0175] As shown in FIG14 , the wireless communication interface 1563 may include multiple RF circuits 1564. For example, multiple RF circuits 1564 may support multiple antenna elements. Although FIG14 shows an example in which the wireless communication interface 1563 includes multiple RF circuits 1564, the wireless communication interface 1563 may also include a single RF circuit 1564.

[0176] In the gNB 1500 shown in FIG14 , one or more units (e.g., receiving unit 202, transmitting unit 204) included in the processing circuit 201 described with reference to FIG8 may be implemented in the wireless communication interface 1525. Alternatively, at least a portion of these components may be implemented in the controller 1521. For example, the gNB 1500 may include a portion (e.g., the BB processor 1526) or the entirety of the wireless communication interface 1525, and / or include a module of the controller 1521, and one or more components may be implemented in the module. In this case, the module may store a program that allows the processor to function as one or more components (in other words, a program that allows the processor to perform the operations of one or more components) and may execute the program. As another example, the program that allows the processor to function as one or more components may be installed in the gNB 1500, and the wireless communication interface 1525 (e.g., the BB processor 1526) and / or the controller 1521 may execute the program. As described above, gNB 1500, base station device 1520, or a module may be provided as a device including one or more components, and a program for allowing a processor to function as one or more components may be provided. In addition, a readable medium having the program recorded therein may be provided.

[0177] First application example of user equipment

[0178] 15 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a smartphone 1600 to which the technology of the present disclosure may be applied. In one example, the smartphone 1600 may be implemented as the electronic device 100, 200, or 300 described in the present disclosure.

[0179] The smart phone 1600 includes a processor 1601, a memory 1602, a storage device 1603, an external connection interface 1604, a camera 1606, a sensor 1607, a microphone 1608, an input device 1609, a display device 1610, a speaker 1611, a wireless communication interface 1612, one or more antenna switches 1615, one or more antennas 1616, a bus 1617, a battery 1618 and an auxiliary controller 1619.

[0180] The processor 1601 may be, for example, a CPU or a system on a chip (SoC), and controls the functions of the application layer and other layers of the smartphone 1600. The processor 1601 may include or function as the processing circuit 101 described with reference to FIG6, the processing circuit 201 described with reference to FIG8, or the processing circuit 301 described with reference to FIG10. The memory 1602 includes RAM and ROM, and stores data and programs executed by the processor 1601 to implement the communication method described with reference to FIG7, 9, or 11. The storage device 1603 may include a storage medium such as a semiconductor memory and a hard disk. The external connection interface 1604 is an interface for connecting an external device (such as a memory card and a universal serial bus (USB) device) to the smartphone 1600.

[0181] The camera 1606 includes an image sensor (such as a charge coupled device (CCD) and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)) and generates a captured image. The sensor 1607 may include a group of sensors such as a measurement sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and an acceleration sensor. The microphone 1608 converts the sound input to the smartphone 1600 into an audio signal. The input device 1609 includes, for example, a touch sensor, a keypad, a keyboard, a button, or a switch configured to detect a touch on the screen of the display device 1610, and receives an operation or information input from the user. The display device 1610 includes a screen (such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display) and displays the output image of the smartphone 1600. The speaker 1611 converts the audio signal output from the smartphone 1600 into sound.

[0182] The wireless communication interface 1612 supports any cellular communication scheme (such as 4G LTE or 5G NR, etc.) and performs wireless communication. The wireless communication interface 1612 may generally include, for example, a BB processor 1613 and an RF circuit 1614. The BB processor 1613 may perform, for example, encoding / decoding, modulation / demodulation, and multiplexing / demultiplexing, and perform various types of signal processing for wireless communication. Meanwhile, the RF circuit 1614 may include, for example, a mixer, a filter, and an amplifier, and transmit and receive wireless signals via an antenna 1616. The wireless communication interface 1612 may be a chip module on which the BB processor 1613 and the RF circuit 1614 are integrated. As shown in FIG. 15 , the wireless communication interface 1612 may include multiple BB processors 1613 and multiple RF circuits 1614. Although FIG. 15 shows an example in which the wireless communication interface 1612 includes multiple BB processors 1613 and multiple RF circuits 1614, the wireless communication interface 1612 may also include a single BB processor 1613 or a single RF circuit 1614.

[0183] In addition, in addition to the cellular communication scheme, the wireless communication interface 1612 can support other types of wireless communication schemes, such as a short-range wireless communication scheme, a near field communication scheme, and a wireless local area network (LAN) scheme. In this case, the wireless communication interface 1612 may include a BB processor 1613 and an RF circuit 1614 for each wireless communication scheme.

[0184] Each of the antenna switches 1615 switches the connection destination of the antenna 1616 between a plurality of circuits (eg, circuits for different wireless communication schemes) included in the wireless communication interface 1612 .

[0185] The antenna 1616 includes a plurality of antenna elements. The antenna 1616 may be arranged in an antenna array matrix, for example, and is used for the wireless communication interface 1612 to transmit and receive wireless signals. The smartphone 1600 may include one or more antenna panels (not shown).

[0186] In addition, the smartphone 1600 may include an antenna 1616 for each wireless communication scheme. In this case, the antenna switch 1615 may be omitted from the configuration of the smartphone 1600.

[0187] The bus 1617 connects the processor 1601, the memory 1602, the storage device 1603, the external connection interface 1604, the camera 1606, the sensor 1607, the microphone 1608, the input device 1609, the display device 1610, the speaker 1611, the wireless communication interface 1612, and the auxiliary controller 1619. The battery 1618 supplies power to the various blocks of the smartphone 1600 shown in FIG15 via feeders, which are partially shown as dashed lines in the figure. The auxiliary controller 1619 operates the minimum necessary functions of the smartphone 1600, for example, in sleep mode.

[0188] In the smartphone 1600 shown in FIG15 , one or more components included in the processing circuit 101 described with reference to FIG6 , the processing circuit 201 described with reference to FIG8 , or the processing circuit 301 described with reference to FIG10 may be implemented in the wireless communication interface 1612. Alternatively, at least a portion of these components may be implemented in the processor 1601 or the auxiliary controller 1619. As an example, the smartphone 1600 includes a portion (e.g., the BB processor 1613) or the entirety of the wireless communication interface 1612, and / or a module including the processor 1601 and / or the auxiliary controller 1619, and one or more components may be implemented in this module. In this case, the module may store a program that allows the processor to function as one or more components (in other words, a program for allowing the processor to perform the operations of one or more components) and may execute this program. As another example, a program for allowing the processor to function as one or more components may be installed in the smartphone 1600, and the wireless communication interface 1612 (e.g., the BB processor 1613), the processor 1601, and / or the auxiliary controller 1619 may execute this program. As described above, the smartphone 1600 or module may be provided as a device including one or more components, and a program for allowing a processor to function as one or more components may be provided. In addition, a readable medium having the program recorded therein may be provided.

[0189] Second application example of user equipment

[0190] 16 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a car navigation device 1720 to which the technology of the present disclosure can be applied. The car navigation device 1720 includes a processor 1721, a memory 1722, a global positioning system (GPS) module 1724, a sensor 1725, a data interface 1726, a content player 1727, a storage medium interface 1728, an input device 1729, a display device 1730, a speaker 1731, a wireless communication interface 1733, one or more antenna switches 1736, one or more antennas 1737, and a battery 1738. In one example, the car navigation device 1720 can be implemented as the electronic device 100, 200, or 300 described in the present disclosure.

[0191] The processor 1721 may be, for example, a CPU or an SoC, and controls a navigation function and other functions of the car navigation device 1720. The memory 1722 includes a RAM and a ROM, and stores data and programs executed by the processor 1721.

[0192] The GPS module 1724 uses GPS signals received from GPS satellites to measure the position (such as latitude, longitude, and altitude) of the car navigation device 1720. The sensor 1725 may include a group of sensors such as a gyroscope sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and an air pressure sensor. The data interface 1726 is connected to, for example, the vehicle network 1741 via a terminal not shown, and obtains data generated by the vehicle (such as vehicle speed data).

[0193] The content player 1727 reproduces content stored in a storage medium (such as a CD or DVD) inserted into the storage medium interface 1728. The input device 1729 includes, for example, a touch sensor, button, or switch configured to detect a touch on the screen of the display device 1730, and receives operations or information input from the user. The display device 1730 includes a screen such as an LCD or OLED display and displays images of the navigation function or reproduced content. The speaker 1731 outputs sounds of the navigation function or reproduced content.

[0194] The wireless communication interface 1733 supports any cellular communication scheme (such as 4G LTE or 5G NR) and performs wireless communication. The wireless communication interface 1733 may generally include, for example, a BB processor 1734 and an RF circuit 1735. The BB processor 1734 may perform, for example, encoding / decoding, modulation / demodulation, and multiplexing / demultiplexing, and perform various types of signal processing for wireless communication. Meanwhile, the RF circuit 1735 may include, for example, a mixer, a filter, and an amplifier, and transmit and receive wireless signals via an antenna 1737. The wireless communication interface 1733 may also be a chip module on which the BB processor 1734 and the RF circuit 1735 are integrated. As shown in Figure 15, the wireless communication interface 1733 may include multiple BB processors 1734 and multiple RF circuits 1735. Although Figure 15 shows an example in which the wireless communication interface 1733 includes multiple BB processors 1734 and multiple RF circuits 1735, the wireless communication interface 1733 may also include a single BB processor 1734 or a single RF circuit 1735.

[0195] In addition, in addition to the cellular communication scheme, the wireless communication interface 1733 can support other types of wireless communication schemes, such as short-range wireless communication schemes, near field communication schemes, and wireless LAN schemes. In this case, for each wireless communication scheme, the wireless communication interface 1733 can include a BB processor 1734 and an RF circuit 1735.

[0196] Each of the antenna switches 1736 switches a connection destination of the antenna 1737 between a plurality of circuits included in the wireless communication interface 1733 , such as circuits for different wireless communication schemes.

[0197] The antenna 1737 includes a plurality of antenna elements and may be arranged in an antenna array matrix, for example, and is used by the wireless communication interface 1733 to transmit and receive wireless signals.

[0198] In addition, the car navigation device 1720 may include an antenna 1737 for each wireless communication scheme. In this case, the antenna switch 1736 may be omitted from the configuration of the car navigation device 1720.

[0199] The battery 1738 supplies power to the respective blocks of the car navigation device 1720 shown in Fig. 15 via a feeder line, which is partially shown as a dotted line in the figure. The battery 1738 accumulates the power supplied from the vehicle.

[0200] In the car navigation device 1720 shown in FIG15 , one or more components included in the processing circuit 101 described with reference to FIG6 , the processing circuit 201 described with reference to FIG8 , or the processing circuit 301 described with reference to FIG10 may be implemented in the wireless communication interface 1733. Alternatively, at least a portion of these components may be implemented in the processor 1721. As an example, the car navigation device 1720 includes a portion (e.g., the BB processor 1734) or the entirety of the wireless communication interface 1733, and / or includes a module of the processor 1721, and one or more components may be implemented in the module. In this case, the module may store a program that allows the processor to function as one or more components (in other words, a program for allowing the processor to perform the operations of one or more components) and may execute the program. As another example, a program for allowing the processor to function as one or more components may be installed in the car navigation device 1720, and the wireless communication interface 1733 (e.g., the BB processor 1734) and / or the processor 1721 may execute the program. As described above, the car navigation device 1720 or module may be provided as a device including one or more components, and a program for allowing a processor to function as one or more components may be provided. In addition, a readable medium having the program recorded therein may be provided.

[0201] The technology of the present disclosure can also be implemented as an in-vehicle system (or vehicle) 1740 including a car navigation device 1720, an in-vehicle network 1741, and one or more blocks of a vehicle module 1742. The vehicle module 1742 generates vehicle data (such as vehicle speed, engine speed, and fault information) and outputs the generated data to the in-vehicle network 1741.

[0202] The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present disclosure is certainly not limited to the above examples. Those skilled in the art may obtain various changes and modifications within the scope of the appended claims, and it should be understood that these changes and modifications will naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0203] For example, a plurality of functions included in one unit in the above embodiments may be implemented by separate devices. Alternatively, a plurality of functions implemented by a plurality of units in the above embodiments may be implemented by separate devices, respectively. In addition, one of the above functions may be implemented by a plurality of units. Needless to say, such a configuration is included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0204] In this specification, the steps described in the flowchart include not only processing executed in time series in the order described, but also processing executed in parallel or individually rather than necessarily in time series. In addition, even in the steps processed in time series, it goes without saying that the order can be changed as appropriate.

[0205] Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and transformations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof in the embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, such that a process, method, article, or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article, or device. In the absence of further restrictions, an element defined by the statement "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or device comprising the element.

Claims

1. An electronic device for a sending device, comprising: processor; and A memory including computer program code, wherein the computer program code, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising: Sending a path discovery data packet to a receiving device, wherein the path discovery data packet is transmitted to the receiving device via a plurality of candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; receiving feedback information associated with the plurality of candidate paths from the receiving device, the feedback information comprising path state information and a transmission configuration suggestion associated with each candidate path determined based on receipt of the path discovery packet; Based on the feedback information, determining at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations from among the plurality of candidate paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device; and The transmission configuration is sent to the relay nodes in the at least two relay paths.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: The operations also include: receiving, from the receiving device, information indicating that a difference in arrival delays of the at least two relay paths is higher than a predetermined threshold; and A synchronization indication is sent to at least two last-hop relay nodes on the at least two relay paths, wherein the synchronization indication enables the at least two last-hop relay nodes to negotiate approximately aligned data transmission windows through device-to-device (D2D) communication.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: The operations also include: receiving, from the receiving device, information indicating that a difference in arrival delays of the at least two relay paths is higher than a predetermined threshold; and At least two last-hop relay nodes on the at least two relay paths are configured with substantially aligned data sending windows.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: The feedback information also includes a path identification (ID) calculated by the receiving device according to an ordered sequence of identification information of relay nodes in each candidate path.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: The path state information includes at least one of an arrival delay, a decoding accuracy, or a packet loss rate of the path discovery data packet received from each candidate path.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: The transmission configuration includes configuration regarding at least one of a transmission power, a data transmission frequency, or a buffer capacity of the relay node.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: The operations also include: collecting congestion control parameters from the relay nodes of each of the at least two relay paths and the transmitting device; and Based on the collected congestion control parameters, a single data sending cycle for the relay path is determined.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein: The congestion control parameters include: a node density indicating the number of nodes within a certain range around a relay node; or a channel busy rate (CBR) of a relay node or a transmitting device.

9. An electronic device for a receiving device, comprising: processor; as well as A memory including computer program code, wherein the computer program code, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising: receiving a path discovery packet from a sending device, the path discovery packet being transmitted to the receiving device via a plurality of candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; Determining, based on the receipt of the path discovery packet, path state information and a transmission configuration recommendation associated with each candidate path in the plurality of candidate paths; and Feedback information including the path state information and the transmission configuration suggestion is sent to the sending device, so that the sending device can determine at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations from the multiple candidate paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein: The operations also include: Detecting whether a difference in arrival delays of the at least two relay paths is higher than a predetermined threshold; When the difference in the arrival delays is higher than a predetermined threshold, a synchronization indication is sent to at least two last-hop relay nodes on the at least two relay paths, wherein the synchronization indication enables the at least two last-hop relay nodes to negotiate approximately aligned data sending windows through device-to-device (D2D) communication.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein: The operations also include: Detecting whether a difference in arrival delays of the at least two relay paths is higher than a predetermined threshold; When the difference in the arrival delays is higher than a predetermined threshold, substantially aligned data sending windows are configured for at least two last-hop relay nodes on the at least two relay paths.

12. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein: The receiving device is a base station, and wherein the operations further include: Substantially aligned time resources are allocated to at least two last-hop relay nodes on the at least two relay paths.

13. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein: The operations also include: Calculating a path identification (ID) of each candidate path according to the ordered sequence of identification information of the relay nodes in the candidate path; and The path ID is included in the feedback information to be sent to the sending device.

14. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein: The path state information includes at least one of an arrival delay, a decoding accuracy, or a packet loss rate of the path discovery data packet received from each candidate path.

15. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein: The transmission configuration suggestion includes at least one of the following: a suggestion to increase or decrease the transmission power of the relay node; a suggestion to increase or decrease the data transmission frequency of the relay node; or a suggestion to increase or decrease the buffer capacity in the relay node.

16. An electronic device for a relay device, comprising: processor; as well as A memory including computer program code, wherein the computer program code, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising: relaying a path discovery packet as a relay node in a candidate path from a sending device to a receiving device, wherein the path discovery packet is transmitted to the receiving device via a plurality of candidate paths including the candidate path, and wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; relaying feedback information associated with the candidate path from the receiving device to the sending device, the feedback information comprising path state information and a transmission configuration suggestion associated with the candidate path determined based on receipt of the path discovery packet; as well as Information indicating that the candidate path is a relay path selected for data transmission from the transmitting device to the receiving device and a transmission configuration are received from the transmitting device.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein: The relay device is a last-hop relay node of at least one relay path, and wherein the operation further comprises: In response to a synchronization indication from the transmitting device or the receiving device, a substantially aligned data transmission window is negotiated with a last hop node on another relay path through device-to-device (D2D) communication.

18. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein: The operations also include: A configuration about a data sending window is received from the sending device or the receiving device, and the data sending window is roughly aligned with a data sending window of a last hop node on another relay path.

19. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein: The operations also include: sending a congestion control parameter to the sending device; and Information about a data transmission period of a relay path where the relay device is located is received from the transmission device.

20. A communication method, comprising: Sending a path discovery data packet to a receiving device, wherein the path discovery data packet is transmitted to the receiving device via a plurality of candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; receiving feedback information associated with the plurality of candidate paths from the receiving device, the feedback information comprising path state information and a transmission configuration suggestion associated with each candidate path determined based on receipt of the path discovery packet; Based on the feedback information, determining at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations from among the plurality of candidate paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device; and The transmission configuration is sent to the relay nodes in the at least two relay paths.

21. A communication method, comprising: receiving a path discovery packet from a sending device, the path discovery packet being transmitted to a receiving device via a plurality of candidate paths, wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; determining, based on receipt of the path discovery packet, path state information and a transmission configuration recommendation associated with each candidate path of the plurality of candidate paths; as well as Feedback information including the path state information and the transmission configuration suggestion is sent to the sending device, so that the sending device can determine at least two relay paths and corresponding transmission configurations from the multiple candidate paths to be used for data transmission with the receiving device.

22. A communication method, comprising: relaying a path discovery packet as a relay node in a candidate path from a sending device to a receiving device, wherein the path discovery packet is transmitted to the receiving device via a plurality of candidate paths including the candidate path, and wherein each candidate path includes at least one relay node; relaying feedback information associated with the candidate path from the receiving device to the sending device, the feedback information comprising path state information and a transmission configuration suggestion associated with the candidate path determined based on receipt of the path discovery packet; as well as Information indicating that the candidate path is a relay path selected for data transmission from the transmitting device to the receiving device and a transmission configuration are received from the transmitting device.

23. A computer-readable storage medium containing executable instructions, which, when executed, cause the communication method of any one of claims 20-22 to be performed.

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