Communication method, communication apparatus, and communication system

Abstract

The present application provides a communication method, a communication apparatus, and a communication system. When a plurality of transmission nodes sequentially provide services for a terminal device according to a time sequence, the terminal device uses the same transmission resource in different time periods to transmit information with the transmission nodes without frequently switching the connected transmission nodes, so that the signaling overhead can be reduced. In addition, when data transmission with different transmission nodes is performed, time-frequency configuration information of a corresponding transmission node is used to perform data transmission with the transmission node, realizing normal transmission of information, and improving the accuracy of information transmission.

Description

Communication method, communication device and communication system

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on December 15, 2023, with application number 202311734047.6 and invention name "A communication method, communication device and communication system", the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, a communication device, and a communication system. Background Art

[0004] Fifth-generation (5G) New Radio (NR) has moved from standardization to commercial deployment. NR standards are designed based on the characteristics of terrestrial communications, providing users with high-speed, highly reliable, and low-latency communications. Compared to terrestrial communications, non-terrestrial networks (NTN) offer wide coverage and flexible networking. Currently, various research institutes, communications organizations, and companies are participating in the research of NTN communication technologies and standards, striving to build a unified communications network across space, ground, and space.

[0005] NTN communications include networking using drones, high altitude platform stations (HAPS) equipment, satellites and other equipment to provide data transmission, voice communication and other services to terminal devices.

[0006] Currently, NTN equipment communication has the following issues to be resolved:

[0007] First, the high-speed movement of NTN devices causes the relative position between the terminal devices and the NTN devices to change, causing the terminal devices to frequently switch the NTN devices they access. The terminal devices need to switch the transmission resources for communication, resulting in large signaling overhead.

[0008] Second, the time-frequency positions of the beams from different NTN devices reaching the terminal device vary greatly. After switching to a new NTN device, the terminal device cannot correctly transmit information. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The embodiments of the present application provide a communication method, a communication device, and a communication system for reducing the signaling overhead of a terminal device and achieving correct transmission of information.

[0010] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication method that can be performed by a terminal device or a module (such as a chip) in the terminal device. The method includes: transmitting information on a first transmission resource in a first time period according to time-frequency configuration information of a first transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource; and transmitting information on the first transmission resource in a second time period according to time-frequency configuration information of a second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource.

[0011] In this solution, when multiple transmission nodes provide services to a terminal device in a time-sequential manner, the terminal device uses the same transmission resources to transmit information to each transmission node in different time periods, eliminating the need to frequently switch transmission nodes, thereby reducing signaling overhead. Furthermore, when transmitting data to different transmission nodes, the corresponding transmission node's time-frequency configuration information is used for data transmission. This ensures normal information transmission and improves the accuracy of information transmission.

[0012] In one possible implementation method, the first transmission resource includes one or more of the following resources: synchronization signal / physical broadcast channel block (SSB) resources, SSB resource set, SSB resource set list, reference signal resource, reference signal resource set, reference signal resource set list, random access channel occasion (RO) resources, RO resource set or RO resource set list.

[0013] In one possible implementation method, the time-frequency configuration information of the first transmission node includes one or more of the following information: ephemeris information of the first transmission node, downlink frequency pre-compensation information of the first transmission node, uplink frequency post-compensation information of the first transmission node, or timing compensation information of the first transmission node.

[0014] In one possible implementation method, the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node includes one or more of the following information: ephemeris information of the second transmission node, downlink frequency pre-compensation information of the second transmission node, uplink frequency post-compensation information of the second transmission node, or timing compensation information of the second transmission node.

[0015] In a possible implementation method, the method also includes: receiving configuration information from the first transmission node, the configuration information including the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource and the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node; transmitting information on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource, including: after the effective time arrives, transmitting information on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node.

[0016] The above solution dynamically indicates the time-frequency configuration information to be used, and can achieve flexible configuration of the time-frequency configuration information.

[0017] In a possible implementation method, the method also includes: receiving indication information from the first transmission node, the indication information is used to indicate the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node in the pre-configured time-frequency configuration set and the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node; transmitting information on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource, including: after the effective time arrives, obtaining the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node from the time-frequency configuration set, and transmitting information on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node.

[0018] The above scheme configures the time-frequency configuration set in advance, and then indicates the time-frequency configuration information of the transmission node in the time-frequency configuration set to be used through dynamic signaling, which can realize flexible configuration of time-frequency configuration information and reduce signaling overhead in the dynamic configuration process.

[0019] In a possible implementation method, the information is transmitted on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource, including: after the pre-configured effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node arrives, the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node is obtained from the pre-configured time-frequency configuration set, and the information is transmitted on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node.

[0020] The above solution pre-configures the time-frequency configuration set and the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of each transmission node in the time-frequency configuration set. Subsequently, when the effective time of each transmission node's time-frequency configuration information arrives, the terminal device uses the time-frequency configuration information of the corresponding transmission node. This allows for flexible configuration of the time-frequency configuration information and reduces signaling overhead. Furthermore, this solution enables configuration modification of terminal devices in a non-connected state.

[0021] In a possible implementation method, the information is transmitted on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource, including: when the reference signal receiving power (RSRP) of the reference signal associated with the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node is greater than a preset threshold value, the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node is obtained from a preconfigured time-frequency configuration set, and information is transmitted on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node.

[0022] The above solution pre-configures a time-frequency configuration set and the conditions for the time-frequency configuration information of each transmission node in the time-frequency configuration set. Subsequently, when the conditions for the time-frequency configuration information of each transmission node are met, the terminal device uses the time-frequency configuration information of the corresponding transmission node. This allows for flexible configuration of the time-frequency configuration information and reduces signaling overhead. Furthermore, this solution enables configuration modification of terminal devices in a disconnected state.

[0023] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be performed by a first transmission node or a module (such as a chip) in the first transmission node. The method includes: receiving time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and a service time period of the second transmission node from a second transmission node; and sending the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and the service time period of the second transmission node to a terminal device served by the first transmission node.

[0024] The above scheme configures the time-frequency configuration information and service time period of the transmission node that will provide services to the terminal device in advance to the terminal device, so that the terminal device can use the time-frequency configuration information of the corresponding transmission node to transmit information after the service time period arrives, thereby realizing normal transmission of information and improving the accuracy of information transmission.

[0025] In a possible implementation method, the method further includes: sending information about a first transmission resource and information about a service location corresponding to the first transmission resource to the second transmission node, where the first transmission resource is a resource used by the first transmission node to provide services.

[0026] In this solution, the first transmission node notifies the second transmission node in advance of the information of the first transmission resource and the information of the service location corresponding to the first transmission resource, so that the second transmission node can also use the first transmission resource to communicate with the terminal device later. Therefore, the terminal device uses the same transmission resource to transmit information between each transmission node in different time periods, and there is no need to frequently switch the access transmission node, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0027] In a possible implementation method, the method further includes: sending information about a first transmission resource and information about the terminal device to the second transmission node, where the first transmission resource is a resource used by the first transmission node to provide services for the terminal device.

[0028] In this solution, the first transmission node notifies the second transmission node of the information of the first transmission resource and the information of the terminal device in advance, so that the second transmission node can also use the first transmission resource to communicate with the terminal device later. Therefore, the terminal device uses the same transmission resource to transmit information between each transmission node in different time periods, and there is no need to frequently switch the access transmission node, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0029] In one possible implementation method, the first transmission resource includes one or more of the following resources: SSB resources, SSB resource sets, SSB resource set lists, reference signal resources, reference signal resource sets, reference signal resource set lists, RO resources, RO resource sets or RO resource set lists.

[0030] In a possible implementation method, the method further includes: sending, to the second transmission node, a time at which the first transmission node and the second transmission node perform service handover.

[0031] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which may be a terminal device or a module (such as a chip) in the terminal device. The device has the function of implementing any implementation method of the first aspect described above. The function may be implemented by hardware or by executing corresponding software implementations in hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions.

[0032] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which may be a first transmission node or a module (such as a chip) in the first transmission node. The device has the function of implementing any implementation method of the second aspect described above. The function may be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software implementation. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions.

[0033] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, comprising a unit or means for executing each step of any implementation method in the above-mentioned first to second aspects.

[0034] In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, comprising a processor and an interface circuit, wherein the processor is configured to communicate with other devices via the interface circuit and execute any of the implementation methods in the first to second aspects above. The processor comprises one or more.

[0035] Optionally, the communication device may further include a memory for storing computer instructions, the memory being coupled to a processor, and the processor executing the computer instructions stored in the memory so that the device executes any implementation method in the above-mentioned first to second aspects.

[0036] In the seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are run by a communication device, any implementation method in the above-mentioned first to second aspects is executed.

[0037] In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores instructions, which, when run on a communication device, enables any implementation method in the above-mentioned first aspect to be executed.

[0038] In a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a chip system, comprising: a processor for executing any implementation method in the above-mentioned first to second aspects.

[0039] In the tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication system, including: a first transmission node, used to receive the time and frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and the service time period of the second transmission node from a second transmission node; sending the time and frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and the service time period of the second transmission node to the terminal device served by the first transmission node; the second transmission node, used to send the time and frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and the service time period of the second transmission node to the first transmission node.

[0040] In one possible implementation method, the first transmission node is further used to send information about a first transmission resource and information about a service location corresponding to the first transmission resource to the second transmission node. The first transmission resource is a resource used by the first transmission node to provide services.

[0041] In one possible implementation method, the first transmission node is further used to send information about a first transmission resource and information about the terminal device to the second transmission node. The first transmission resource is a resource used by the first transmission node to provide services to the terminal device.

[0042] In one possible implementation method, the first transmission resource includes one or more of the following resources: SSB resources, SSB resource sets, SSB resource set lists, reference signal resources, reference signal resource sets, reference signal resource set lists, RO resources, RO resource sets or RO resource set lists.

[0043] In a possible implementation method, the first transmission node is further configured to send, to the second transmission node, a time at which the first transmission node and the second transmission node perform service handover. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Figure 1(a) is a schematic diagram of the network architecture of the transparent transmission mode in which the NTN and the terrestrial network are integrated;

[0045] Figure 1(b) is a schematic diagram of the network architecture of the regeneration mode in which the NTN is integrated with the terrestrial network;

[0046] FIG2 is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] FIG3 is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] Fifth-generation (5G) New Radio (NR) has moved from standardization to commercial deployment. NR standards are designed based on the characteristics of terrestrial communications, providing users with high-speed, highly reliable, and low-latency communications. Compared to terrestrial communications, non-terrestrial networks (NTN) offer wide coverage and flexible networking. Currently, various research institutes, communications organizations, and companies are participating in the research of NTN communication technologies and standards, striving to build a unified communications network across space, ground, and space.

[0051] NTN communications involve networking using equipment such as drones, high-altitude platforms (HAPS), and satellites, providing data transmission, voice communication, and other services to terminal devices. High-altitude platform equipment typically operates at an altitude of 8 to 50 kilometers (km) above the ground. Satellite communication systems can be categorized into three types based on the satellite's orbital altitude: geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite communication systems (also known as synchronous orbit satellite systems), medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite communication systems, and low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication systems. GEO satellites orbit at an altitude of 35,786 km. Their primary advantage is their ability to remain stationary relative to the ground and provide a wide coverage area. However, GEO satellite communications also have significant disadvantages: 1) GEO satellite orbits are far from Earth, resulting in significant free-space propagation losses, which constrain communication link budgets. To maximize transmit / receive gain, satellites must be equipped with larger antennas. 2) Communication transmission latency is significant, reaching around 500 milliseconds (ms) round-trip, making it difficult to meet the demands of real-time services. 3) GEO orbital resources are relatively limited, launch costs are high, and coverage of the polar regions is limited. MEO satellites, operating at an altitude of 2000 to 35786 km, offer the advantage of achieving global coverage with a relatively small number of satellites. However, their orbital altitude is higher than that of LEO satellites, and transmission latency is still higher than that of LEO satellite communications. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of MEO satellite communications, MEO satellites are primarily used for positioning and navigation. LEO satellites, operating at an altitude of 300 to 2000 km, are lower than both MEO and GEO orbits and offer advantages such as reduced data transmission latency, minimal transmission losses, and relatively low launch costs. Consequently, LEO satellite communications have also garnered significant attention in recent years.

[0052] In the embodiments of the present application, a terminal device is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities that can send and / or receive signals. Terminal devices include but are not limited to terminal devices, terminals, user equipment (UE), mobile stations, mobile terminals, etc. Terminal devices can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearable, smart transportation, smart city, etc. The terminal device can specifically be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable device, vehicle, aircraft, ship, robot, robotic arm, smart home device, etc. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific technology and specific device form adopted by the terminal device.

[0053] NTN equipment operates in two modes: transparent and regenerative. Figure 1(a) shows a schematic diagram of the network architecture for transparent transmission, integrating NTN with a terrestrial network. This diagram uses a satellite as an example; in practice, the NTN device can also be a high-altitude platform or drone. When operating in transparent transmission mode, the satellite performs relay forwarding. A gateway (also known as a gateway, ground station, or signal gateway) performs the functions of a network device (such as a base station) or some of the functions of a network device. In this case, the gateway can be considered a network device. Alternatively, the network device can be deployed separately from the gateway, in which case the feeder link latency includes both the satellite-to-gateway latency and the gateway-to-network device latency. Figure 1(b) shows a schematic diagram of the network architecture for regenerative transmission, integrating NTN with a terrestrial network. This diagram uses a satellite as an example; in practice, the NTN device can also be a high-altitude platform or drone. When the satellite operates in regeneration mode, it has data processing capabilities, that is, it has the functions of a gateway device (such as a base station) or some functions of a network device. At this time, the satellite can be regarded as a network device.

[0054] Currently, NTN equipment communication has the following issues to be resolved:

[0055] First, the high-speed movement of NTN devices causes the relative position between the terminal devices and the NTN devices to change, causing the terminal devices to frequently switch the NTN devices they access. The terminal devices need to switch the transmission resources for communication, resulting in large signaling overhead.

[0056] Second, the time-frequency positions of the beams from different NTN devices reaching the terminal device vary greatly. After switching to a new NTN device, the terminal device cannot correctly transmit information.

[0057] In order to solve the above problems, this application provides corresponding embodiments, which are described in detail below.

[0058] Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. This method is executed by a terminal device or a module (e.g., a chip) of the terminal device. The following description uses the method executed by a terminal device as an example. The first transmission node described below can be an NTN device or a functional module within an NTN device, such as a base station module or a communication module. The second transmission node described below can be an NTN device or a functional module within an NTN device, such as a base station module or a communication module.

[0059] The method comprises the following steps:

[0060] Step 201: The terminal device transmits information on the first transmission resource in a first time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the first transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource.

[0061] The first transmission resource is also called a beam resource. The first transmission resource includes one or more of the following resources: synchronization signal / physical broadcast channel block (SSB) resources, SSB resource set, SSB resource set list, reference signal resource, reference signal resource set, reference signal resource set list, random access channel occasion (RO) resource, RO resource set or RO resource set list. Among them, a resource set list (resource set list) contains multiple resource sets (resource set), and a resource set contains multiple resources (resource). Among them, the reference signal here can be a channel status information reference signal (CSI-RS), a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) or a sounding reference signal (SRS), etc.

[0062] The time-frequency configuration information of the first transmitting node includes one or more of the following information 1) to 4):

[0063] 1) Ephemeris information of the first transmitting node.

[0064] The ephemeris information includes, for example, at least one of the operating speed or position information of the NTN device.

[0065] 2) Downlink frequency pre-compensation information of the first transmitting node.

[0066] The downlink frequency pre-compensation information indicates the frequency offset value compensated by the satellite when sending signals.

[0067] 3) Uplink frequency post-compensation information of the first transmitting node.

[0068] The uplink frequency post-compensation information indicates the frequency offset value compensated by the satellite when receiving the signal.

[0069] 4) Timing compensation information of the first transmission node.

[0070] For example, the timing compensation information includes at least one of commonTA, TA rate, Kmac, and koffset. CommonTA is used to determine the timing advance (TA) compensation amount used when the terminal device accesses the first transmission node. TA rate represents the rate of change of TA. Kmac represents the additional time offset at which downlink medium access control (MAC) signaling takes effect. Koffset represents the additional time offset for uplink scheduling.

[0071] Exemplarily, a potential protocol representation of the time-frequency configuration information of the first transmitting node (eg, a satellite) is as follows:

[0072] sat-ConfigID is the configuration name, which is used to index the time-frequency configuration information of the first transmission node. ephemeris is the ephemeris information, commonTA is used to determine the TA compensation amount used when the terminal device accesses the first transmission node, DLfreqPrecom represents the downlink frequency pre-compensation information, and ULfreqPoscom represents the uplink frequency post-compensation information.

[0073] For example, taking the case where the first transmission resource includes a CSI-RS resource set list, the potential protocol expression of the CSI-RS resource set list after being associated with the time-frequency configuration information of the first transmitting node (e.g., a satellite) is:

[0074] For example, taking the case where the first transmission resource includes a CSI-RS resource, the potential protocol expression of the CSI-RS resource after being associated with the time-frequency configuration information of the first transmission node (e.g., a satellite) is:

[0075] Step 202: The terminal device transmits information on the first transmission resource in a second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource.

[0076] The second time period is located after the first time period in terms of time sequence, that is, the second time period is a time period after the first time period. It should be noted that the second time period may not overlap with the first time period, or may partially overlap, and this application does not limit this.

[0077] The time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node includes one or more of the following information: ephemeris information of the second transmission node, downlink frequency pre-compensation information of the second transmission node, uplink frequency post-compensation information of the second transmission node, or timing compensation information of the second transmission node. For an explanation of the meaning and function of this information, please refer to the aforementioned explanation of the time-frequency configuration information of the first transmission node and will not be repeated here.

[0078] In this solution, when multiple transmission nodes provide services to a terminal device in a time-sequential manner, the terminal device uses the same transmission resources to transmit information to each transmission node in different time periods, eliminating the need to frequently switch transmission nodes, thereby reducing signaling overhead. Furthermore, when transmitting data to different transmission nodes, the corresponding transmission node's time-frequency configuration information is used for data transmission. This ensures normal information transmission and improves the accuracy of information transmission.

[0079] The following describes different implementation methods for switching the time-frequency configuration information used by terminal devices.

[0080] Implementation method 1: The first transmission node dynamically notifies the terminal device of the time-frequency configuration information to be used and the effective time.

[0081] Exemplarily, the first transmission node sends configuration information to the terminal device, and the configuration information includes the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource and the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node. Then the above-mentioned step 202 can be: after the effective time arrives, the terminal device transmits information on the first transmission resource according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node in the second time period.

[0082] Exemplarily, the configuration information may be downlink control information (DCI), radio resource control (RRC) signaling, or a medium access control element (MAC CE). The implementation of the configuration information is also applicable to the following implementation methods 2 to 4, which are described uniformly here and will not be repeated later.

[0083] As an implementation method, the effective time can be a time point, indicating that after the time point arrives, the terminal device can use the time-frequency configuration information of the corresponding transmission node to transmit data on the first transmission resource. Taking the second transmission node as an example, the effective time corresponding to the second transmission node is a time point before the second time period or the start time of the second time period, indicating that after the effective time arrives, the terminal device can use the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node to transmit data on the first transmission resource.

[0084] As another implementation method, the effective time can also be a time period, indicating the effective time range of the corresponding time-frequency configuration information. In this case, the effective time is also referred to as the service time period of the transmission node. Taking the second transmission node as an example, if the service time period of the second transmission node is the second time period, the effective time of the transmission configuration information of the second transmission node is the second time period.

[0085] The implementation method of this effective time is also applicable to the following implementation methods 2 to 4, which are described here uniformly and will not be repeated later.

[0086] The above implementation method 1 dynamically indicates the time-frequency configuration information to be used, which can realize flexible configuration of the time-frequency configuration information.

[0087] Implementation method two: the first transmission node configures the time-frequency configuration set to the terminal device in advance, and then indicates the time-frequency configuration information and effective time of the transmission node to be used next through indication information, wherein the time-frequency configuration information includes the time-frequency configuration information of one or more transmission nodes that can be used by the terminal device.

[0088] Exemplarily, before the above-mentioned step 201, the first transmission node or other transmission node sends configuration information to the terminal device, and the configuration information includes a time-frequency configuration set. For example, the time-frequency configuration set includes the time-frequency configuration information of the first transmission node, the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node, and so on. After the above-mentioned step 201 and before step 202, the first transmission node sends indication information to the terminal device, and the indication information is used to indicate the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node in the time-frequency configuration set and the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node. The above-mentioned step 202 can be: after the effective time arrives, the terminal device obtains the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node from the time-frequency configuration set, and transmits information on the first transmission resource according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node in the second time period.

[0089] The above-mentioned implementation method 2 configures the time-frequency configuration set in advance, and then indicates the time-frequency configuration information of the transmission node in the time-frequency configuration set to be used through dynamic signaling, so as to realize flexible configuration of the time-frequency configuration information and reduce the signaling overhead in the dynamic configuration process.

[0090] Implementation method three: The first transmission node configures the time-frequency configuration set and the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of each transmission node in the time-frequency configuration set to the terminal device in advance. After the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of each transmission node arrives, the terminal device subsequently uses the time-frequency configuration information of the corresponding transmission node. The time-frequency configuration information includes the time-frequency configuration information of one or more transmission nodes that can be used by the terminal device.

[0091] Exemplarily, before the above step 201, the first transmission node or other transmission node sends configuration information to the terminal device, where the configuration information includes a time-frequency configuration set and the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of each transmission node in the time-frequency configuration set. For example, the time-frequency configuration set includes the time-frequency configuration information of the first transmission node, the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node, and so on. The above step 202 may be: after the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node arrives, the terminal device obtains the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node from the time-frequency configuration set, and transmits information on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node.

[0092] The third implementation method described above pre-configures the time-frequency configuration set and the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information for each transmission node in the time-frequency configuration set. Subsequently, when the effective time of each transmission node's time-frequency configuration information arrives, the terminal device uses the corresponding transmission node's time-frequency configuration information. This allows for flexible configuration of the time-frequency configuration information and reduces signaling overhead. Furthermore, this third implementation method also enables configuration modification for terminal devices in a non-connected state.

[0093] In a fourth implementation method, the first transmission node configures the time-frequency configuration set and the conditions for the time-frequency configuration information of each transmission node in the time-frequency configuration set to the terminal device in advance. Subsequently, after the conditions for the time-frequency configuration information of each transmission node are met, the terminal device uses the time-frequency configuration information of the corresponding transmission node. The time-frequency configuration information includes the time-frequency configuration information of one or more transmission nodes that the terminal device can use.

[0094] Exemplarily, before the above step 201, the first transmission node or other transmission node sends configuration information to the terminal device, where the configuration information includes a time-frequency configuration set and the conditions for the time-frequency configuration information of each transmission node in the time-frequency configuration set to take effect. For example, the time-frequency configuration set includes the time-frequency configuration information of the first transmission node, the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node, and so on. The above step 202 may be: after the conditions for the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node to take effect are met, the terminal device obtains the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node from the time-frequency configuration set, and transmits information on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node.

[0095] For example, the above-mentioned effectiveness condition may be that the RSRP of the reference signal (such as SSB, CSI-RS or SRS, etc.) associated with the time-frequency configuration information of the transmission node is greater than the preset threshold value, then the above-mentioned step 202 may specifically be: when the RSRP of the reference signal associated with the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node is greater than the preset threshold value, the terminal device obtains the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node from the time-frequency configuration set, and transmits information on the first transmission resource according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node in the second time period.

[0096] The fourth implementation method described above pre-configures the time-frequency configuration set and the conditions for the time-frequency configuration information of each transmission node in the time-frequency configuration set. Subsequently, when the conditions for the time-frequency configuration information of each transmission node are met, the terminal device uses the time-frequency configuration information of the corresponding transmission node. This allows for flexible configuration of the time-frequency configuration information and reduces signaling overhead. Furthermore, this fourth implementation method also enables configuration modification of terminal devices in a non-connected state.

[0097] For the above implementation methods 1 to 3, a specific example is given below, taking the transmission resource as an SSB resource and the transmission node as a satellite, as shown in Table 1.

[0098] Table 1

[0099] Among them, Sat-ConfigID#1, Sat-ConfigID#2 and Sat-ConfigID#3 respectively represent the time-frequency configuration information of the first satellite, the time-frequency configuration information of the second satellite and the time-frequency configuration information of the third satellite, and the corresponding effective times are all time periods, namely t0~t1, t1~t2, and t2~t3.

[0100] Regarding the fourth implementation method described above, a specific example is given below, taking the case where the transmission resource is a CSI-RS resource and the transmission node is a satellite, as shown in Table 2.

[0101] Table 2

[0102] Sat-ConfigID#1, Sat-ConfigID#2, and Sat-ConfigID#3 represent the time-frequency configuration information of the first satellite, the time-frequency configuration information of the second satellite, and the time-frequency configuration information of the third satellite, respectively, and the corresponding validity conditions are: the RSRP of SSB0 is greater than threshold 1, the RSRP of SSB1 is greater than threshold 2, and the RSRP of SSB2 is greater than threshold 3. The relationship between threshold 1, threshold 2, and threshold 3 is not limited and can be all the same, any two of them can be the same, or they can all be different.

[0103] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method is executed by a first transmission node or a module (e.g., a chip) of the first transmission node, and a second transmission node or a module (e.g., a chip) of the second transmission node. The following description uses the first transmission node and the second transmission node as an example to illustrate the method. The first transmission node can be an NTN device or a functional module within an NTN device, such as a base station module or a communication module. The second transmission node can be an NTN device or a functional module within an NTN device, such as a base station module or a communication module.

[0104] The method comprises the following steps:

[0105] Step 301: The second transmission node sends the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and the service time period of the second transmission node to the first transmission node.

[0106] For the specific content and meaning of the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmitting node, please refer to the relevant description in the embodiment of FIG2 , which will not be repeated here.

[0107] The service time period of the second transmission node refers to the time range in which the second transmission node can provide services to the terminal device currently served by the first transmission node or the current service area of ​​the first transmission node.

[0108] The first transmission node may be the transmission node currently providing services to the terminal device, and thus may be referred to as a serving transmission node. The second transmission node may be the transmission node that will subsequently provide services to the terminal device, and thus may be referred to as a relay transmission node.

[0109] Step 302: The first transmission node sends the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and the service time period of the second transmission node to the terminal device served by the first transmission node.

[0110] The above scheme configures the time-frequency configuration information and service time period of the transmission node that will provide services to the terminal device in advance to the terminal device, so that the terminal device can use the time-frequency configuration information of the corresponding transmission node to transmit information after the service time period arrives, thereby realizing normal transmission of information and improving the accuracy of information transmission.

[0111] As an implementation method, the first transmission node may also send information about the first transmission resource and the service location corresponding to the first transmission resource to the second transmission node. The first transmission resource is a resource used by the first transmission node to provide services. Optionally, the first transmission node also sends the time when the first transmission node and the second transmission node perform service handover to the second transmission node. In this solution, the first transmission node notifies the second transmission node of the information about the first transmission resource and the service location corresponding to the first transmission resource in advance, so the second transmission node can also use the first transmission resource to communicate with the terminal device later. Therefore, the terminal device uses the same transmission resource to transmit information between each transmission node in different time periods, and does not need to frequently switch the accessed transmission node, thereby reducing signaling overhead. For example, the following Table 3 gives an example of the information about the first transmission resource and the service location corresponding to the first transmission resource. The example takes the first transmission resource as an SSB resource as an example.

[0112] Table 3

[0113] As another implementation method, the first transmission node may also send information about the first transmission resource and the terminal device to the second transmission node. The first transmission resource is a resource used by the first transmission node to provide services for the terminal device. Optionally, the first transmission node also sends the time when the first transmission node and the second transmission node perform service handover to the second transmission node. In this solution, the first transmission node notifies the second transmission node of the information about the first transmission resource and the terminal device in advance, so the second transmission node can also use the first transmission resource to communicate with the terminal device later. Therefore, the terminal device uses the same transmission resource to transmit information between each transmission node in different time periods, and does not need to frequently switch the accessed transmission node, thereby reducing signaling overhead. For example, the following Table 4 gives an example of the information about the first transmission resource and the terminal device. The example takes the first transmission resource as a CRI-RS resource as an example.

[0114] Table 4

[0115] It is understandable that in order to implement the functions in the above embodiments, the terminal device, the first transmission node, or the second transmission node includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should readily appreciate that, in combination with the units and method steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed in this application, this application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0116] Figures 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams of the structures of possible communication devices provided in embodiments of the present application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of the terminal device or the first transmission node in the above-mentioned method embodiments, thereby also achieving the beneficial effects of the above-mentioned method embodiments. In the embodiments of the present application, the communication device can be a terminal device or a first transmission node, or a module (such as a chip) applied to the terminal device or the first transmission node.

[0117] The communication device 400 shown in Figure 4 includes a processing unit 410 and a transceiver unit 420. The communication device 400 is used to implement the functions of the terminal device or the first transmission node in the above method embodiment.

[0118] When the communication device 400 is used to implement the function of the terminal device in the above method embodiment, the processing unit 410 is used to control the transceiver unit 420 to transmit information on the first transmission resource in a first time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the first transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource; and to transmit information on the first transmission resource in a second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource.

[0119] In one possible implementation method, the first transmission resource includes one or more of the following resources: SSB resources, SSB resource sets, SSB resource set lists, reference signal resources, reference signal resource sets, reference signal resource set lists, RO resources, RO resource sets, or RO resource set lists.

[0120] In one possible implementation method, the time-frequency configuration information of the first transmission node includes one or more of the following information: ephemeris information of the first transmission node, downlink frequency pre-compensation information of the first transmission node, uplink frequency post-compensation information of the first transmission node, or timing compensation information of the first transmission node.

[0121] In one possible implementation method, the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node includes one or more of the following information: ephemeris information of the second transmission node, downlink frequency pre-compensation information of the second transmission node, uplink frequency post-compensation information of the second transmission node, or timing compensation information of the second transmission node.

[0122] In one possible implementation method, the processing unit 410 is also used to control the transceiver unit 420 to receive configuration information from the first transmission node, where the configuration information includes the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource and the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node; the processing unit 410 is used to control the transceiver unit 420 to transmit information on the first transmission resource in a second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource, specifically including: transmitting information on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node after the effective time arrives.

[0123] In one possible implementation method, the processing unit 410 is also used to control the transceiver unit 420 to receive indication information from the first transmission node, where the indication information is used to indicate the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node in the pre-configured time-frequency configuration set and the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node; the processing unit 410 is used to control the transceiver unit 420 to transmit information on the first transmission resource in a second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource, specifically including: obtaining the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node from the time-frequency configuration set after the effective time arrives, and transmitting information on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node.

[0124] In one possible implementation method, the processing unit 410 is used to control the transceiver unit 420 to transmit information on the first transmission resource in a second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource, specifically including: obtaining the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node from the preconfigured time-frequency configuration set after the preconfigured effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node arrives, and transmitting information on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node.

[0125] In one possible implementation method, the processing unit 410 is used to control the transceiver unit 420 to transmit information on the first transmission resource in a second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource, specifically including: when the RSRP of the reference signal associated with the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node is greater than a preset threshold value, obtaining the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node from the preconfigured time-frequency configuration set, and transmitting information on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node.

[0126] When the communication device 400 is used to implement the function of the first transmission node in the above method embodiment, the processing unit 410 is used to control the transceiver unit 420 to receive the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and the service time period of the second transmission node from the second transmission node; and send the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and the service time period of the second transmission node to the terminal device served by the first transmission node.

[0127] In one possible implementation method, the processing unit 410 is also used to control the transceiver unit 420 to send information about the first transmission resource and information about the service location corresponding to the first transmission resource to the second transmission node, where the first transmission resource is a resource used by the first transmission node to provide services.

[0128] In one possible implementation method, the processing unit 410 is also used to control the transceiver unit 420 to send information about the first transmission resource and information about the terminal device to the second transmission node, where the first transmission resource is a resource used by the first transmission node to provide services to the terminal device.

[0129] In one possible implementation method, the first transmission resource includes one or more of the following resources: SSB resources, SSB resource sets, SSB resource set lists, reference signal resources, reference signal resource sets, reference signal resource set lists, RO resources, RO resource sets or RO resource set lists.

[0130] In a possible implementation method, the processing unit 410 is further configured to control the transceiver unit 420 to send the time for the first transmission node and the second transmission node to perform service handover to the second transmission node.

[0131] For a more detailed description of the processing unit 410 and the transceiver unit 420, reference can be made to the relevant description in the above method embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0132] The communication device 500 shown in Figure 5 includes a processor 510 and an interface circuit 520. The processor 510 and the interface circuit 520 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 520 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. Optionally, the communication device 500 may also include a memory 530 for storing instructions executed by the processor 510, or storing input data required by the processor 510 to execute instructions, or storing data generated after the processor 510 executes instructions.

[0133] When the communication device 500 is used to implement the above method embodiment, the processor 510 is used to implement the functions of the above processing unit 410 , and the interface circuit 520 is used to implement the functions of the above transceiver unit 420 .

[0134] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of the present application may be a central processing unit (CPU), or may be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0135] The method steps in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented by hardware or by a processor executing software instructions. The software instructions can be composed of corresponding software modules, and the software modules can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, registers, hard disks, mobile hard disks, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or any other form of storage medium well known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. Of course, the storage medium can also be an integral part of the processor. The processor and the storage medium can be located in an ASIC. In addition, the ASIC can be located in a terminal device or a first transmission node. Of course, the processor and the storage medium can also exist as discrete components in an access network device or a terminal.

[0136] In the above embodiments, it can be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. A computer program refers to a set of instructions that instruct an electronic computer or other device with message processing capabilities to perform each step of the action, usually written in a certain programming language and running on a certain target architecture. When the computer program or instruction is loaded and executed on a computer, the process or function described in the embodiment of the present application is executed in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network or other programmable device. The computer program or instruction can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer program or instruction can be transmitted from one website, computer, server or data center to another website, computer, server or data center by wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium may be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, or a magnetic tape; an optical medium, such as a digital video disk; or a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or may include both volatile and non-volatile types of storage media.

[0137] In the various embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified or there is a logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships.

[0138] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. In the text description of this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next related objects are in an "or" relationship; in the formulas of this application, the character " / " indicates that the previous and next related objects are in a "division" relationship.

[0139] It is understood that the various numbers used in the embodiments of this application are merely for ease of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the sequence numbers of the above-mentioned processes does not necessarily imply a specific order of execution; the order of execution of the processes should be determined by their functions and inherent logic.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: Applied to a terminal device or a module of a terminal device, the method comprises: Transmitting information on the first transmission resource in a first time period according to time-frequency configuration information of the first transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource; In a second time period, information is transmitted on the first transmission resource according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first transmission resource includes one or more of the following resources: Synchronization signal / physical broadcast channel block SSB resources, SSB resource set, SSB resource set list, reference signal resources, reference signal resource set, reference signal resource set list, random access channel opportunity RO resources, RO resource set or RO resource set list.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The time-frequency configuration information of the first transmission node includes one or more of the following information: The ephemeris information of the first transmission node, the downlink frequency pre-compensation information of the first transmission node, the uplink frequency post-compensation information of the first transmission node, or the timing compensation information of the first transmission node.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The time-frequency configuration information of the second transmitting node includes one or more of the following information: The ephemeris information of the second transmission node, the downlink frequency pre-compensation information of the second transmission node, the uplink frequency post-compensation information of the second transmission node or the timing compensation information of the second transmission node.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The method further comprises: receiving configuration information from the first transmission node, the configuration information including time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource and an effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node; The transmitting information on the first transmission resource according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource in the second time period includes: After the effective time arrives, information is transmitted on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The method further comprises: receiving indication information from the first transmission node, where the indication information is used to indicate the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node in the preconfigured time-frequency configuration set and the effective time of the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node; The transmitting information on the first transmission resource according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource in the second time period includes: After the effective time arrives, the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node is obtained from the time-frequency configuration set, and information is transmitted on the first transmission resource in the second time period according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The transmitting information on the first transmission resource according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource in the second time period includes: After the pre-configured effective time of the time and frequency configuration information of the second transmission node arrives, the time and frequency configuration information of the second transmission node is obtained from the pre-configured time and frequency configuration set, and information is transmitted on the first transmission resource according to the time and frequency configuration information of the second transmission node in the second time period.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The transmitting information on the first transmission resource according to the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node corresponding to the first transmission resource in the second time period includes: When the reference signal received power RSRP of the reference signal associated with the time and frequency configuration information of the second transmission node is greater than a preset threshold value, the time and frequency configuration information of the second transmission node is obtained from the preconfigured time and frequency configuration set, and information is transmitted on the first transmission resource according to the time and frequency configuration information of the second transmission node in the second time period.

9. A communication method, characterized in that: Applied to the first transmission node or a module of the first transmission node, the method includes: receiving time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and a service time period of the second transmission node from the second transmission node; Send the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and the service time period of the second transmission node to the terminal device served by the first transmission node.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The method further comprises: Information about a first transmission resource and information about a service location corresponding to the first transmission resource are sent to the second transmission node, where the first transmission resource is a resource used by the first transmission node to provide a service.

11. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The method further comprises: Information about a first transmission resource and information about the terminal device are sent to the second transmission node, where the first transmission resource is a resource used by the first transmission node to provide services for the terminal device.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that The first transmission resource includes one or more of the following resources: Synchronization signal / physical broadcast channel block SSB resources, SSB resource set, SSB resource set list, reference signal resources, reference signal resource set, reference signal resource set list, random access channel opportunity RO resources, RO resource set or RO resource set list.

13. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that The method further comprises: The time for performing service handover between the first transmission node and the second transmission node is sent to the second transmission node.

14. A communication device, characterized in that: The method comprises a module for executing the method described in any one of claims 1 to 8, or executing the method described in any one of claims 9 to 13.

15. A communication device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a processor and an interface circuit, wherein the processor is used to communicate with other devices through the interface circuit and execute the method described in any one of claims 1 to 8, or execute the method described in any one of claims 9 to 13.

16. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program product comprises instructions, and when the instructions are executed on a processor, the processor is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, or execute the method according to any one of claims 9 to 13.

17. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The storage medium stores a computer program or instruction. When the computer program or instruction is executed by the communication device, the method described in any one of claims 1 to 8 or the method described in any one of claims 9 to 13 is implemented.

18. A communication system, characterized in that: include: A first transmission node, configured to receive time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and a service time period of the second transmission node from a second transmission node; Sending the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and the service time period of the second transmission node to the terminal device served by the first transmission node; The second transmission node is used to send the time-frequency configuration information of the second transmission node and the service time period of the second transmission node to the first transmission node.

19. The communication system according to claim 18, characterized in that The first transmission node is further used to send information about a first transmission resource and information about a service location corresponding to the first transmission resource to the second transmission node, where the first transmission resource is a resource used by the first transmission node to provide a service.

20. The communication system according to claim 18, characterized in that The first transmission node is further used to send information about a first transmission resource and information about the terminal device to the second transmission node, where the first transmission resource is a resource used by the first transmission node to provide services for the terminal device.

21. The communication system according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that: The first transmission resource includes one or more of the following resources: Synchronization signal / physical broadcast channel block SSB resources, SSB resource set, SSB resource set list, reference signal resources, reference signal resource set, reference signal resource set list, random access channel opportunity RO resources, RO resource set or RO resource set list.

22. The communication system according to any one of claims 18 to 21, characterized in that: The first transmission node is further used to send, to the second transmission node, a time at which the first transmission node and the second transmission node perform service handover.

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