Communication method, apparatus, and system

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of communications, and discloses a communication method, an apparatus, and a system, for use in providing different quality of service (QoS) to networkable devices in different areas. The method comprises: obtaining a mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to area location information of a first area and a sidelink radio bearer (SLRB), and on the basis of the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB, communicating with a second terminal device.

Description

Communication method, device and system

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on December 27, 2023, with application number 202311834311.3 and application name “Communication Methods, Devices and Systems”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communication technologies, and in particular to communication methods, devices, and systems. Background Art

[0003] With the development of mobile internet technology, cellular networks are able to provide extensive, reliable, and secure network services to an increasing number of connected devices. However, the quality of service (QoS) requirements of different connected devices may vary, so it is necessary to configure different network resources for different connected devices to ensure their normal use.

[0004] In the prior art, when cellular networks provide network services to connected devices, a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) QoS processing rule is proposed to address the different QoS requirements of different connected devices. This V2X QoS processing rule first maps packets with the same proximity communication (PC5) QoS rules to PC5 QoS flows, then applies the same PC5 QoS flow identifier to all packets mapped to the PC5 QoS flow, and finally maps the PC5 QoS flow to resource blocks (RBs).

[0005] However, connected devices may be mobile, and different locations may have different QoS requirements. Therefore, how cellular networks can continue to provide continuous and stable network services for connected devices has become a pressing issue. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Embodiments of the present application provide a communication method, apparatus, and system for providing different QoS for networked devices at different locations.

[0007] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided. The method can be executed by a first terminal device, or by a component of the first terminal device, such as a processor, chip, or chip system of the first terminal device, or by a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the first terminal device. Taking the method as an example in which the method can be executed by the first terminal device, the method includes: obtaining a mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and a side link radio bearer (SLRB), and communicating with a second terminal device based on the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB.

[0008] In the above technical solution, since the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB is configured based on the regional location information, the first terminal device can obtain the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB corresponding to the regional location information of the first area before arriving at the first area or about to enter the first area or entering the first area, so that the QoS requirements of the first terminal device in different areas can be guaranteed.

[0009] In combination with the first aspect above, in one possible implementation, the first terminal device obtains the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB, including: the first terminal device obtains the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB before moving to the first area or about to enter the first area or before entering the first area. Based on this solution, the first terminal device does not need to continuously perform the acquisition operation, thereby reducing the power consumption of the first terminal device.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect described above, in one possible implementation, the communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application further includes: determining that the first terminal device is about to enter a first area when the distance between the first terminal device and a first target location is less than or equal to a first preset distance, where the first target location is a location within or on a boundary of the first area. In this manner, by calculating the distance between the first terminal device's location and any location in the first area, whether the first terminal device is about to enter the first area is determined, thereby improving the accuracy of the first terminal device's determination.

[0011] In combination with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation method, the first terminal device obtains the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB, including: the first terminal device first sends a first indication message to the network device, and the first indication message is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal device, and the location information of the first terminal device represents that the first terminal device has moved to the first area or the first terminal device is about to enter the first area, and then receives the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area from the network device and the SLRB. In this way, by sending the location information to the network device, the network device can determine the corresponding QoS file, and then determine the mapping relationship between the corresponding QoS flow and the SLRB, ensuring that the first terminal device can receive the correct mapping relationship.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect above, in one possible implementation, a first terminal device may first receive a first request message from a network device, the first request message being used to request the location information of the first terminal device, and then send first indication information to the network device. In this manner, after receiving the first request message from the network device, the first terminal device sends the first indication information to the network device, ensuring that the first indication information is accurately sent to the corresponding network device.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect above, in one possible implementation, the location information of the first terminal device includes at least one of the following: latitude and longitude coordinate information of the first terminal device, altitude coordinate information of the first terminal device, location information of the cell in which the first terminal device is located, or location information of the tracking area in which the first terminal device is located. In this way, the first terminal device can report location information in multiple ways, thereby improving the success rate of reporting.

[0014] In combination with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation method, the first terminal device may first send the regional location information of one or more areas and the QoS files corresponding to each of the regional location information of the one or more areas to the network device, wherein the one or more areas include the first area, and then obtain the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB. In this way, the QoS files corresponding to different regional location information can be sent to the network device in advance, so that the network device can determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to different regional location information and the SLRB, so as to ensure that the first terminal device can subsequently successfully receive the mapping relationship between the QoS flow of the first area and the SLRB sent by the network device.

[0015] In combination with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation method, the first terminal device obtains the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB, including: the first terminal device first sends a second indication message to the network device, and the second indication message is used to instruct the network device to apply the QoS file corresponding to the location information of the first area, and then receives the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB from the network device. In this way, by sending the indication message to the network device, the network device determines the corresponding QoS file, and then determines the mapping relationship between the corresponding QoS flow and the SLRB, thereby ensuring that the first terminal device can receive the correct mapping relationship.

[0016] In combination with the first aspect above, in one possible implementation, the first terminal device may first send one or more QoS files to the network device, wherein the one or more QoS files include a QoS file corresponding to the location information of the first area, and then obtain the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB. In this way, multiple sets of QoS files can be sent to the network device in advance, so that the network device can determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to different regional location information and the SLRB, to ensure that the first terminal device can receive the correct mapping relationship.

[0017] In combination with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation method, the first terminal device obtains the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB, including: the first terminal device first sends the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area to the network device, and then receives the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area from the network device and the SLRB. In this way, the QoS file corresponding to the specific location can be sent directly to the network device without sending additional indication information to the network device to instruct the network device to determine the corresponding QoS file, thereby saving signaling resources for interacting with the network device as much as possible.

[0018] In combination with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation method, the first terminal device obtains the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB, including: the first terminal device determines the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB according to the location information of the first terminal device and the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each regional location information in the regional location information of one or more areas, wherein the one or more areas include the first area, and the location information of the first terminal device represents that the first terminal device has moved to the first area or the first terminal device is about to enter the first area. In this way, the first terminal device can directly determine the corresponding mapping relationship between the QoS flow and the SLRB from multiple sets of mapping relationships between QoS flows and SLRB based on its own location information, so that the QoS requirements of the first terminal device in different areas can be guaranteed.

[0019] In combination with the first aspect above, in one possible implementation, the communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application further includes: the first terminal device receives a mapping relationship between a QoS flow and an SLRB corresponding to each of the regional location information of one or more regions from a network device. In this way, by receiving multiple sets of mapping relationships between QoS flows and SLRBs from the network device, it is ensured that the QoS requirements of the first terminal device in different regions are guaranteed.

[0020] In conjunction with the first aspect above, in one possible implementation, the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each of the regional location information of one or more regions and the SLRB is pre-configured in the first terminal device. In this way, the first terminal device does not need to obtain the mapping relationship from the network device, thereby saving signaling resources for interacting with the network device.

[0021] In conjunction with the first aspect above, in one possible implementation, the regional location information includes at least one of the following: regional location information consisting of multiple latitude and longitude coordinates and altitude coordinates, cell location information, or tracking area location information. In this way, regional location information for different regions can be determined in a variety of ways, ensuring that different QoS flow-to-SLRB mappings can be configured for different regions.

[0022] In a second aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a network device, or by a component of the network device, such as a processor, chip, or chip system of the network device, or by a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the network device functions. Taking the method as an example in which the method can be executed by a network device, the method includes: determining a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB based on a QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area, and sending the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB to the first terminal device.

[0023] In the above technical solution, since the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB is configured based on the regional location information, the network device can determine the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB corresponding to the regional location information of the first area based on the regional location information of the first area, and send it to the first terminal device, so that the network device can provide QoS guarantee for terminal devices in different areas.

[0024] In combination with the second aspect above, in a possible implementation, the network device determines the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB based on the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area, including: before determining that the first terminal device has moved to the first area or is about to enter the first area or enters the first area, the network device determines the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB based on the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area. Based on this solution, the network device does not need to continuously determine the acquisition operation, which reduces the power consumption of the network device.

[0025] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the network device determining that the first terminal device has moved to or is about to enter the first area includes: the network device receiving first indication information from the first terminal device, where the first indication information is used to indicate location information of the first terminal device, and the location information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device has moved to or is about to enter the first area. In this way, the network device determines that the first terminal device has arrived at the specific area by receiving the first indication information, thereby ensuring the effectiveness of subsequent operations performed by the network device.

[0026] In combination with the second aspect above, in a possible implementation method, the communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application also includes: the network device determines the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area based on the location information of the first terminal device and the first mapping relationship, wherein the first mapping relationship includes the regional location information of one or more areas and the QoS file corresponding to each of the regional location information of the one or more areas, wherein the one or more areas include the first area. In this way, the network device can determine the correct QoS file from multiple sets of QoS files based on the location information of the first terminal device, thereby ensuring that the network device can subsequently determine the mapping relationship between the corresponding QoS flow and the SLRB.

[0027] In combination with the second aspect above, in one possible implementation, the network device may first receive the first mapping relationship from the first terminal device, and then determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB based on the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area. In this way, the QoS files corresponding to different regional location information sent by the first terminal device can be received in advance, so that the network device can successfully determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB based on the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area contained therein.

[0028] In conjunction with the second aspect above, in one possible implementation, the network device may first send a first request message to the first terminal device, requesting the location information of the first terminal device, and then receive first indication information from the first terminal device. In this manner, by proactively sending a request message to the first terminal device to obtain the location information of the first terminal device, the network device can ensure that the location information of the first terminal device is successfully obtained.

[0029] In conjunction with the second aspect above, in one possible implementation, the location information of the first terminal device includes at least one of the following: latitude and longitude coordinate information of the first terminal device, altitude coordinate information of the first terminal device, location information of the cell in which the first terminal device is located, or location information of the tracking area in which the first terminal device is located. In this way, the location information of the first terminal device can be obtained in multiple ways, thereby improving the success rate of acquisition.

[0030] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the network device determining that the first terminal device has moved to or is about to enter the first area includes: the network device receiving second indication information from the first terminal device, where the second indication information is used to instruct the network device to apply a QoS profile corresponding to the regional location information of the first area. In this way, the network device determines that the first terminal device has arrived at a specific area by receiving the second indication information, thereby ensuring the effectiveness of subsequent operations performed by the network device.

[0031] In combination with the second aspect above, in a possible implementation method, the network device may first receive one or more QoS files from the first terminal device, wherein the one or more QoS files include a QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area, and then determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB based on the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area. In this way, multiple sets of QoS files sent by the first terminal device can be received in advance, so that the network device can successfully determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB based on the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area contained therein.

[0032] In conjunction with the second aspect above, in one possible implementation, the network device determines that the first terminal device has moved to the first area or is about to enter the first area, including: the network device receives a QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area from the first terminal device. In this way, the QoS file corresponding to the specific location sent by the first terminal device can be directly received without the need to determine the corresponding QoS file by additionally receiving indication information sent by the first terminal device, thereby saving signaling resources for interacting with the first terminal device as much as possible.

[0033] In conjunction with the second aspect above, in one possible implementation, the regional location information includes at least one of the following: regional location information consisting of multiple latitude and longitude coordinates and altitude coordinates, cell location information, or tracking area location information. In this way, regional location information for different regions can be determined in a variety of ways, ensuring that different QoS flow-to-SLRB mappings can be configured for different regions.

[0034] In a third aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a network device, or by a component of the network device, such as a processor, chip, or chip system of the network device, or by a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the network device functions. Taking the method as an example of being executed by a network device, the method includes: obtaining a mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and a SLRB, and sending a mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and a SLRB to a first terminal device.

[0035] In the above technical solution, since the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB is configured based on the regional location information, the network device can ensure that QoS protection is provided for terminal devices in different areas by sending the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB corresponding to the regional location information of one or more areas to the first terminal device.

[0036] In combination with the third aspect above, in a possible implementation, the network device obtains the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information in the area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB, including: the network device first obtains the mapping range of the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information in the area location information of one or more areas, and determines the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information in the area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB when the coverage range of the network device includes the mapping range of the QoS flow corresponding to each location area information. In this way, the mapping relationship between the QoS flow and the SLRB is configured only for the area corresponding to the mapping range of the QoS flow within the coverage range of the network device, thereby reducing the power consumption of the network device.

[0037] In conjunction with the third aspect above, in one possible implementation, the regional location information includes at least one of the following: regional location information consisting of multiple latitude and longitude coordinates and altitude coordinates, cell location information, or tracking area location information. In this way, regional location information for different regions can be determined in multiple ways, ensuring that different QoS flow-to-SLRB mappings can be configured for different regions.

[0038] In a fourth aspect, a communication device is provided for implementing the various methods described above. The communication device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the methods described above. The modules, units, or means may be implemented in hardware, software, or by hardware executing corresponding software implementations. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the functions described above.

[0039] In some possible designs, the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The transceiver module, also referred to as a transceiver unit, is configured to implement the transmitting and / or receiving functions described in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations thereof. The transceiver module may be comprised of a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, a transceiver, or a communication interface. The processing module may be configured to implement the processing functions described in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations thereof.

[0040] In some possible designs, the transceiver module includes a sending module and a receiving module, which are respectively used to implement the sending and receiving functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementation methods.

[0041] In a fifth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is used to store computer instructions, and when the processor executes the instructions, the communication device executes any of the methods described above.

[0042] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a communication interface; the communication interface is used to communicate with a module outside the communication device; the processor is used to execute a computer program or instruction so that the communication device executes any of the methods described above.

[0043] In a seventh aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: at least one processor; the processor is configured to execute a computer program or instruction stored in a memory, so that the communication device performs any of the methods described above. The memory may be coupled to the processor or may be independent of the processor.

[0044] Among them, the communication device in the above-mentioned fourth aspect to the above-mentioned seventh aspect can be: the first terminal device in the above-mentioned first aspect or any implementation method, or a device including the above-mentioned first terminal device, or a device included in the above-mentioned first terminal device, such as a chip; the communication device in the above-mentioned fourth aspect to the above-mentioned seventh aspect can be: the network device in any aspect or any implementation method of the above-mentioned second aspect or third aspect, or a device including the above-mentioned network device, or a device included in the above-mentioned network device, such as a chip.

[0045] In an eighth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores a computer program or instruction. When the computer program or instruction is run on a communication device, the communication device can execute any of the above aspects or any of its implementation methods.

[0046] In a ninth aspect, a computer program product comprising instructions is provided, which, when executed on a communication device, enables the communication device to execute the method of any of the above aspects or any of its implementations.

[0047] In a tenth aspect, a communication device is provided (for example, the communication device may be a chip or a chip system), which includes a processor for implementing the functions involved in any of the above aspects or any of its implementation methods.

[0048] In some possible designs, the communication device includes a memory for storing necessary program instructions and data.

[0049] In some possible designs, when the communication device is a chip system, it can be composed of a chip, or it can include a chip and other discrete devices.

[0050] It can be understood that when the communication device provided in any one of the fourth to seventh aspects is a chip, the above-mentioned sending action / function can be understood as output, and the above-mentioned receiving action / function can be understood as input.

[0051] In the eleventh aspect, a communication system is provided, which includes a terminal device for executing the method described in the first aspect and a network device for executing the method described in the second aspect or the third aspect.

[0052] Among them, the technical effects brought about by any implementation method in the fourth to eleventh aspects can refer to the technical effects brought about by the corresponding implementation methods in the first to third aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0053] It should be noted that various possible implementations of any of the above aspects can be combined under the premise that the solutions are not contradictory. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] FIG1 is a communication example diagram of a drone scenario provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] FIG2 is an example diagram of base station communication in a drone scenario provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] FIG3 is a communication example diagram of a terminal device scenario provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of an NR QoS architecture provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a user data flow transmission process based on QoS flow provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a V2X QoS processing rule according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0061] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0062] FIG9 is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0063] FIG10 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0064] FIG11 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0065] FIG12 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0066] FIG13 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0067] FIG14 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0068] FIG15 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0069] FIG16 is a schematic structural diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, " / " indicates that the objects associated before and after are in an "or" relationship, for example, A / B can represent A or B; "and / or" in this application is merely a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist, for example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural.

[0071] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more than two. "At least one of the following items" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single items or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b and / or c can be represented by: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, c can be single or plural.

[0072] In addition, to facilitate the clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, the words "first" and "second" are used to distinguish between identical or similar items with substantially the same functions and effects. Those skilled in the art will understand that the words "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the words "first" and "second" do not necessarily mean different.

[0073] In the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner to facilitate understanding.

[0074] It will be understood that the “embodiment” mentioned throughout the specification means that the specific features, structures or characteristics related to the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present application. Therefore, throughout the specification, the various embodiments do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. It will be understood that in the various embodiments of the present application, the size of the sequence number of each process does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiment of the present application.

[0075] It is understood that some optional features in the embodiments of the present application may, in certain scenarios, be implemented independently of other features, such as the solution on which they are currently based, to solve corresponding technical problems and achieve corresponding effects. They may also be combined with other features as needed in certain scenarios. Accordingly, the devices provided in the embodiments of the present application may also implement these features or functions accordingly, which will not be described in detail here.

[0076] In this application, unless otherwise specified, the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can refer to each other. In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified and there is no logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced to each other, and the technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships. The following description of the embodiments of this application does not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application.

[0077] In order to facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, a brief introduction to the relevant technologies and terms of the present application is first given.

[0078] 1. Uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV)

[0079] As a new type of aircraft, UAVs are becoming increasingly popular due to their flexibility and convenience. Cellular networks also provide UAVs with key features such as wide coverage, high reliability, high security, and continuous mobility, as well as oversight by regulators. The communication environment for UAVs differs significantly from that of standard user equipment (UE). UAVs primarily fly above base stations, connecting to them via the Uu port and primarily communicating in line of sight (LOS).

[0080] For example, as shown in Figure 1, assuming a UAV as the terminal device and a base station as the network device, the cellular network includes UAV1, base station 1, base station 2, and base station 3. If there are no obstructions between UAV1 and base stations 1, 2, and 3, UAV1 can establish a LOS path with each of base stations 1, 2, and 3 based on the Uu interface.

[0081] In addition, base stations can be connected via Xn ports to exchange signaling information. Xn ports are point-to-point logical interfaces between base station nodes. Even if there is no direct physical connection between base station nodes, point-to-point logical interfaces are still feasible.

[0082] For example, as shown in Figure 2, assuming the terminal device is a UAV and the network device is a base station, the cellular network includes UAV1, base station 1, base station 2, and base station 3. If there are no obstructions between UAV1 and base stations 1, 2, and 3, UAV1 can establish a LoS path with each of base stations 1, 2, and 3 over the Uu interface. Signaling information can be exchanged between base stations 1 and 2, and between base stations 2 and 3, over the Xn interface.

[0083] 2. Side link (SL)

[0084] SL refers to a link over which two terminal devices can communicate directly. In wireless communication systems, multiple terminal devices can communicate with each other through network devices or directly based on SL resources without going through network devices. SL technology can be applied to drones. In drone scenarios, each drone can function as a terminal device, allowing them to communicate directly with each other using SL resources without going through network devices, effectively reducing communication latency between drones.

[0085] For example, a communication example diagram of different terminal devices is shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, data can be transmitted between terminal device 1 and the network device via uplink and downlink, and data can be transmitted between terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 via SL.

[0086] It should be noted that before multiple terminal devices transmit data based on the above-mentioned SL resources, the terminal devices may predetermine the SL resources for transmitting data. The method for the terminal device to determine the SL resources may include the following two methods: Method 1 (also referred to as the resource determination method of mode 1) is that the terminal device determines the SL resources based on the resource indication information sent by the network device; Method 2 (also referred to as the resource determination method of mode 2) is that the terminal device independently determines the SL resources. The above-mentioned method 1 and method 2 are respectively explained below:

[0087] Method 1: The network device sends downlink control information (DCI) to the terminal device, and accordingly, the terminal device receives the DCI from the network device, where the DCI is used to indicate the SL resources used to transmit data. Alternatively, the network device may also send radio resource control (RRC) information to the terminal device, and accordingly, the terminal device receives RRC information from the network device, where the RRC information is used to indicate the SL configured grant, so that the terminal device can obtain the SL resources that the terminal device can use through the SL configured grant. The above method 1 can be applicable to any of the following states: the in coverage (IC) state, the out of coverage (OOC) state, or the RRC connected state (RRC_CONNECTED).

[0088] It should be understood that the method for the terminal device to determine SL resources shown in the above method 1 refers to the method for the network device to allocate SL resources to the terminal device. In the case where the network device allocates SL resources to the terminal device, the network device can configure SL resources for the terminal device through any of the following three resource configuration types: supporting dynamic grant, configured grant type 1, or configured grant type 2. Of course, the above is only an exemplary description of the resource configuration type, and the resource configuration type can also be other resource configuration types, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0089] Method 2: The terminal device obtains the SL resource pool and determines the SL resources from the SL resource pool based on the selection rules. The above-mentioned SL resource pool can be pre-configured or indicated by the network device. The above-mentioned method 2 can be applicable to any of the following states: OOC state, RRC inactive state (RRC_INACTIVE), RRC inactive state (RRC_IDLE), or RRC connected state.

[0090] For example, the selection rule can be a random selection rule, or a selection rule determined based on a sensing result or a partial sensing result. Of course, the above is only an exemplary description of the selection rule, and the selection rule can also include other selection rules, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0091] 3. QoS

[0092] QoS was proposed because different throughput and latency guarantees are required for users of different priorities within a base station cell. This ensures differentiation and fairness among multiple users and provides services that match their needs. QoS management is the network's control mechanism for meeting service quality requirements. It is an end-to-end process that requires collaboration among all network nodes (e.g., UE <—> base station <—> core network) between the service initiator and responder to ensure service quality. QoS management assigns various service data to appropriate data radio bearers (DRBs), allowing different users and services to compete unequally for limited network resources, thereby ensuring a better user experience.

[0093] In related technologies, in the new radio (NR), user data flows (such as Internet Protocol (IP) flows) are divided into service data flows (SDFs) and quality of service flows (QoS flows). An SDF refers to a group of IP flows with the same service characteristics, while a QoS flow refers to an IP flow aggregated from multiple SDFs with the same QoS requirements and connected to the same packet data network (PDN). SDFs with different QoS requirements or different PDN connections are carried by different QoS flows, which are distinguished by QoS flow identifiers (QFIs).

[0094] For example, as shown in Figure 4, a schematic diagram of the NR QoS architecture is provided. The SDFs between the UE and the fifth-generation mobile communication technology (5G) core network (5GC) that have the same QoS requirements and belong to the same protocol data unit (PDU) session are called QoS flows, which are controlled by the session management function (SMF). QoS flows can be pre-configured, configured through the PDU session establishment process, or configured through the PDU session modification process.

[0095] It should be noted that SDFs with the same QoS requirements are delivered through a single QoS flow, while SDFs with different QoS requirements are delivered through different QoS flows. The air interface segment between the UE and the 5G base station (gNodeB, gNB) is still called a DRB, but the segment between the gNB and the user plane function (UPF) no longer uses the DRB concept. Instead, it is called an NG-U tunnel, and a single PDU session uses a common NG-U tunnel.

[0096] Specifically, each QoS flow has an identifier called QFI. The QFI is only an identifier and does not represent the QoS requirements of any SDF. Within a PDU session, the QFI of each QoS flow is unique, that is, the QoS flow and the QFI are one-to-one. The QoS requirements of the QoS flow are represented by the 5G QoS identifier (5QI). Within the same PDU session, a 5QI can be used to represent the same QoS requirements of one or more QoS flows. Multiple QoS flows can be distinguished by the QFI.

[0097] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of mapping IP flows to QoS flows. As shown in Figure 5, the user data flow delivery process based on QoS flows is as follows:

[0098] 1) When a group of IP flows with identical service characteristics pass through a packet filter set (PFS), the PFS assigns each flow an SDF with the same QoS requirements. For example, in PDU session 2, IP flow 3 is filtered onto SDF 3; IP flows 4 and 5 are filtered onto SDF 4. QoS requirements are then applied to each SDF.

[0099] 2) The UPF maps multiple SDFs with the same QoS requirements and belonging to the same PDU session to a QoS flow with the same QoS requirements. Taking PDU session 1 as an example, SDF1 and SDF2 are mapped to the QoS flow identified as QFI1.

[0100] 3) The gNB maps QoS flows to DRBs and delivers these IP flows to the UE via the DRBs. The UE ultimately applies these IP flows to the application (APP). A DRB can correspond to one or more QoS flows. For example, for PDU Session 1, PDU Session 2, and PDU Session 3, QoS flow (QFI1) is mapped to DRB1, QoS flow (QFI2) is mapped to DRB2, and QoS flows (QFI3 and QFI4) are mapped to DRB3.

[0101] It's important to note that the SDF between the core network and the UE is carried by QoS flows, but the air interface segment between the UE and the gNB still uses DRBs. Therefore, QoS flows need to be mapped to DRBs. To address this, 5G adds a new protocol layer, the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP), to address this issue. This protocol layer has two functions: 1. It adds a QoS flow identifier, or QFI, to data packets. The receiver reads this value from the SDAP header of the packet; and 2. It maps one or more QoS flows to a DRB.

[0102] Related technologies have proposed a V2X QoS processing rule. However, this V2X QoS processing rule does not consider location information when performing QoS flow mapping. Therefore, it is impossible to configure different QoS flow mappings for different locations based on location information. However, terminal devices may be mobile, and different locations may have different QoS requirements. In this case, using this V2X QoS processing rule would prevent the cellular network from providing continuous and stable network services to the terminal devices.

[0103] For example, as shown in Figure 6, a schematic diagram of V2X QoS processing rules is shown. First, the V2X layer maps V2X packets with the same PC5 QoS rules to PC5 QoS flows according to the rules. Then, the V2X layer applies the same PC5 QoS flow identifier (e.g., the same PFI) to all V2X packets mapped to the PC5 QoS flow. Finally, the AS layer maps the PC5 QoS flow to the RB.

[0104] In order to provide QoS guarantees for networked devices in different locations, the embodiments of the present application provide relevant communication methods, devices and systems. The implementation methods of the embodiments of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings in the specification.

[0105] In order to facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present application, the following explanations are made before introducing the embodiments of the present application.

[0106] 1. In the embodiment of the present application, "indication" may include direct indication and indirect indication, and may also include explicit indication and implicit indication. The information indicated by a certain information (such as the first indication information below) is called information to be indicated. In the specific implementation process, there are many ways to indicate the information to be indicated, such as but not limited to, the information to be indicated can be directly indicated, such as the information to be indicated itself or the index of the information to be indicated. The information to be indicated can also be indirectly indicated by indicating other information, wherein the other information and the information to be indicated have an association relationship. It is also possible to indicate only a part of the information to be indicated, while the other parts of the information to be indicated are known or agreed in advance. For example, the indication of specific information can be achieved by means of the arrangement order of each piece of information agreed in advance (such as specified in the protocol), thereby reducing the indication overhead to a certain extent. At the same time, the common parts of each piece of information can be identified and indicated uniformly to reduce the indication overhead caused by indicating the same information separately.

[0107] In addition, the specific indication method can also be various existing indication methods, such as but not limited to the above-mentioned indication methods and various combinations thereof. The specific details of the various indication methods can be referred to the prior art and will not be repeated herein. As can be seen from the above, for example, when it is necessary to indicate multiple information of the same type, there may be a situation where the indication methods for different information are different. In the specific implementation process, the required indication method can be selected according to specific needs. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the selected indication method. In this way, the indication method involved in the embodiment of the present application should be understood to cover various methods that can enable the party to be indicated to obtain the information to be indicated.

[0108] It should be understood that the information to be indicated can be sent as a whole, or divided into multiple sub-information and sent separately, and the sending period and / or sending time of these sub-information can be the same or different. The specific sending method is not limited in the embodiments of this application. Among them, the sending period and / or sending time of these sub-information can be predefined, for example, predefined according to a protocol, or can be configured by the transmitting device by sending configuration information to the receiving device. Among them, the configuration information can, for example, but not limited to, include radio resource control signaling, such as RRC signaling, MAC layer signaling, physical layer signaling, or one or a combination of at least two of DCI.

[0109] 2. "Pre-definition" or "pre-configuration" can be achieved by pre-saving corresponding codes, tables or other methods that can be used to indicate relevant information in a device (for example, a first terminal device, or a second terminal device, or a network device). The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific implementation method. Among them, "saving" can mean saving in one or more memories. One or more memories can be set separately or integrated in an encoder or decoder, a processor, or a communication device. One or more memories can also be partially set separately and partially integrated in a decoder, a processor, or a communication device. The type of memory can be any form of storage medium, which is not limited by the embodiments of the present application.

[0110] 3. In the embodiments of the present application, descriptions such as "when...", "in the case of...", "if" and "if" all mean that under certain objective circumstances, the device (such as the first terminal device, or the second terminal device, or the network device) will make corresponding processing. It does not limit the time, and does not require the device (such as the first terminal device, or the second terminal device, or the network device) to perform a judgment action during implementation, nor does it mean that there are other limitations.

[0111] The embodiments of the present application can be applied to long-term evolution (LTE) systems or NR systems (also referred to as 5G systems), V2X systems, LTE and NR hybrid networking systems, or device-to-device (D2D) systems, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication systems, Internet of Things (IoT) systems (such as narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) systems), and other next-generation communication systems. Alternatively, the communication system may also be a non-3GPP communication system, without limitation.

[0112] In addition, the communication architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of the present application are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can know that with the evolution of the communication architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0113] As shown in Figure 7, a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown. In Figure 7, the communication system 700 includes a network device 710 and a terminal device 720 as an example for illustration. Further optionally, the communication system 700 may also include a terminal device 730. Among them, the network device 710 and the terminal device 720 communicate via an uplink or a downlink, and the terminal device 720 and the terminal device 730 communicate via a SL.

[0114] It should be noted that the system diagram shown in Figure 7 is illustrated by taking the communication system including one network device and two terminal devices as an example. Of course, the communication system may include a larger number of network devices and terminal devices, and the embodiments of the present application do not make specific limitations on this.

[0115] Optionally, the network device in the embodiment of the present application may also be referred to as an access network node, a radio access network (RAN) node, a RAN entity or an access node, etc., which is located on the network side of the above-mentioned communication system to help the terminal device achieve wireless access, and has a device with wireless transceiver function or a chip or chip system that can be set in the device. The network device includes but is not limited to: a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP or transmission point, TP), a next-generation base station (next generation NodeB, gNB), a next-generation base station in a 6G mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a Wi-Fi system, etc. The network device may be a macro base station, a micro base station or an indoor station, a relay node or a donor node, an open radio access network (ORAN) or a wireless controller in a centralized radio access network (CRAN) scenario. The network device may also be one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a base station in 5G, or a network node constituting a gNB, TRP or TP or transmission measurement function (TMF), such as a centralized unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU), a road side unit (RSU) with base station functions. Optionally, the network device may also be a server, a wearable device, a vehicle or an on-board device, etc. For example, the network device in V2X technology may be an RSU. All or part of the functions of the network device in this application may also be implemented by software functions running on hardware, or by virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (such as a cloud platform). The network device in this application may also be a logical node, a logical module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the network device.

[0116] Among them, the CU and DU can be set separately, or can also be included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in a radio frequency device or a radio frequency unit, for example, a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU) or a remote radio head (RRH). It can be understood that the network device can be a CU node, a DU node, or a device including a CU node and a DU node. In addition, the CU can be divided into a network device in the access network RAN, or the CU can be divided into a network device in the CN, which is not limited here.

[0117] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU or RU may also have different names, but those skilled in the art can understand their meanings. For example, in the ORAN system, CU may also be called O-CU (Open CU), DU may also be called O-DU, CU-CP may also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP may also be called O-CU-UP, and RU may also be called O-RU. For the convenience of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU and RU as examples for description. Any unit of CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU and RU in this application can be implemented by a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0118] The embodiments of the present application do not limit the form of the network device. The device used to implement the function of the network device can be a network device; it can also be a device that can support the network device to implement the function, such as a chip system. The device can be installed in the network device or used in conjunction with the network device.

[0119] Optionally, the base station in the embodiment of the present application may include various forms of base stations, such as: macro base stations, micro base stations (also called small stations), relay stations, access points, home base stations, TRPs, transmitting points (TPs), mobile switching centers, etc., and the embodiments of the present application do not make specific limitations on this.

[0120] Optionally, the terminal device involved in the present application is a movable device with transceiver functions, or may be a chip or chip system provided in the movable device with transceiver functions. Exemplarily, the terminal device may be, for example, a UAV, or a chip or chip system in the UAV, or an aerial vehicle, or a chip or chip system in the aerial vehicle, or an airship, or a chip or chip system in the airship, or a terminal device carried on an aircraft, etc., and the embodiments of the present application do not specifically limit this.

[0121] In one possible implementation, the network device and terminal device in the embodiment of the present application may also be referred to as a communication device, which may be a general device or a dedicated device, and the embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit this.

[0122] In one possible implementation, the relevant functions of the terminal device or network device in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented by a single device, or by multiple devices, or by one or more functional modules within a single device, and the embodiments of the present application do not specifically limit this. It is understood that the above functions can be network elements in hardware devices, software functions running on dedicated hardware, a combination of hardware and software, or virtualized functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform).

[0123] In specific implementation, the network device and terminal device shown in Figure 7 can adopt the structure shown in Figure 8, or include the components shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 800 provided in an embodiment of the present application, and the communication device 800 includes a processor 801, a communication interface 802, and a communication line 803.

[0124] Furthermore, the communication device 800 may further include a memory 804 . The processor 801 , the memory 804 and the communication interface 802 may be connected via a communication line 803 .

[0125] The processor 801 is a central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable logic device (PLD), or any combination thereof. The processor 801 may also be other devices with processing functions, such as circuits, devices, or software modules, without limitation.

[0126] Communication interface 802 is used to communicate with other devices or other communication networks. Such other communication networks may be Ethernet, radio access networks (RAN), wireless local area networks (WLAN), etc. Communication interface 802 may be a module, circuit, transceiver, or any other device capable of communication.

[0127] The communication line 803 is used to transmit information between the components included in the communication device 800.

[0128] The memory 804 is used to store instructions, where the instructions may be computer programs.

[0129] The memory 804 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that can store static information and / or instructions, or a random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and / or instructions, or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compact disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, Blu-ray disc, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, etc., without limitation.

[0130] It should be noted that the memory 804 can exist independently of the processor 801 or can be integrated with the processor 801. The memory 804 can be used to store instructions, program code, or some data. The memory 804 can be located within the communication device 800 or outside the communication device 800, without limitation. The processor 801 is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory 804 to implement the communication method provided in the following embodiments of this application.

[0131] In one example, the processor 801 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 in FIG. 8 .

[0132] As an optional implementation, the communication device 800 includes multiple processors. For example, in addition to the processor 801 in FIG. 8 , it may also include a processor 807 .

[0133] As an optional implementation, the communication apparatus 800 further includes an output device 805 and an input device 806. For example, the input device 806 is a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, a joystick, or the like, and the output device 805 is a display screen, a speaker, or the like.

[0134] It should be noted that the communication device 800 may be a desktop computer, a portable computer, a network server, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a wireless terminal, an embedded device, a chip system, or a device having a structure similar to that shown in FIG8 . Furthermore, the structure shown in FIG8 does not limit the communication device. In addition to the components shown in FIG8 , the communication device may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or arrange the components differently.

[0135] In the embodiment of the present application, the chip system can be composed of chips, or can include chips and other discrete devices.

[0136] In addition, the actions and terms involved in the various embodiments of this application can refer to each other without limitation. The message names or parameter names in the messages exchanged between the various devices in the embodiments of this application are only examples, and other names can also be used in specific implementations without limitation.

[0137] The communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application is described below in combination with Figures 1 to 8 and with reference to Figures 9 to 15 below.

[0138] It should be noted that in the following embodiments of the present application, the message names, parameter names, or information names between network elements are only examples. In other embodiments, they may also be other names. The communication method provided in this application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0139] It is understood that in the embodiments of the present application, each network element may perform some or all of the steps in the embodiments of the present application. These steps or operations are merely examples, and the embodiments of the present application may also perform other operations or variations of various operations. In addition, the steps may be performed in a different order than those presented in the embodiments of the present application, and it is possible that not all operations in the embodiments of the present application need to be performed.

[0140] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of an example of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. This method is illustrated using the interaction between a first terminal device and a second terminal device as an example. Of course, the entity executing the actions of the first terminal device in this method may also be a device / module within the first terminal device; and the entity executing the actions of the second terminal device in this method may also be a device / module within the second terminal device. This embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit this.

[0141] For example, as shown in FIG9 , the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes:

[0142] S901. The first terminal device obtains the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB.

[0143] The first area may be an area where the first terminal device is currently located, or an area that the first terminal device is about to enter.

[0144] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present application, the regional location information includes at least one of the following: regional location information consisting of multiple latitude and longitude coordinates and altitude coordinates, cell location information, or tracking area location information.

[0145] For example, the longitude and latitude coordinates may be coordinates in a latitude and longitude grid map composed of longitude coordinates and latitude coordinates, and the altitude coordinates may be coordinates starting from the sea level and composed of vertical distances from the sea level.

[0146] Exemplarily, the above-mentioned cell location information may be location information corresponding to the coverage range of each cell served by the network device.

[0147] Illustratively, the tracking area (TA) is an area composed of multiple cells; and the tracking area location information may be location information of the area.

[0148] Optionally, the first terminal device of an embodiment of the present application can obtain a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB before moving to the first area or about to enter the first area or entering the first area.

[0149] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present application, the first terminal device may determine that it is about to enter the first area when the distance between the current location and the first target location is less than or equal to a first preset distance.

[0150] The first target position is a position within the range of the first area or on the boundary of the range.

[0151] In an embodiment of the present application, the first preset distance may be a value set by the network device or the first terminal device, which may be flexibly adjusted according to actual scenarios.

[0152] Exemplarily, the distance between the first terminal device and the first target location can be the vertical distance between the first terminal device and the range boundary of the first area when the first terminal device moves to the first area or is about to enter the first area or before entering the first area; or, the distance between the first terminal device and the first target location can be the distance between the first terminal device and a certain position within the range of the first area before entering the first area.

[0153] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present application, the above-mentioned first target location can be determined by the first terminal device or by a network device.

[0154] In one example, the first target location is determined by the first terminal device. When the first terminal device moves to the first area, is about to enter the first area, or before entering the first area, it can select a location on the boundary of the first area as the first target location, or can select a location within the range of the first area as the first target location.

[0155] In another example, the first target location is determined by the network device. When the first terminal device moves to the first area, is about to enter the first area, or before entering the first area, it can use a location on the boundary of the first area specified by the network device as the first target location, or a location within the range of the first area specified by the network device as the first target location.

[0156] In an optional implementation, the first terminal device may obtain a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB from the network device.

[0157] In another optional implementation, the first terminal device can determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB based on the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of different areas obtained from the network device and the SLRB.

[0158] In another optional implementation, the first terminal device can obtain the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB from its own pre-configuration information.

[0159] S902. The first terminal device communicates with the second terminal device based on the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB.

[0160] In an embodiment of the present application, since the first terminal device obtains the mapping relationship between the QoS flow and the SLRB, the first terminal device can send the data flow to the second terminal device through the SLRB to realize side link communication between the first terminal device and the second terminal device.

[0161] In the above technical solution, since the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB is configured based on the regional location information, the first terminal device can obtain the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB corresponding to the regional location information of the first area before moving to the first area or about to enter the first area or entering the first area, so that the QoS requirements of the first terminal device in different areas can be guaranteed.

[0162] As described in step S901, in an optional implementation, the first terminal device may obtain, from the network device, a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB. The following, in conjunction with the embodiment shown in FIG10 , provides a solution for the first terminal device to obtain, from the network device, a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB.

[0163] For example, as shown in FIG10 , the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

[0164] S1001. The network device determines a mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and an SLRB based on a QoS profile corresponding to the area location information of the first area.

[0165] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present application, the network device can determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB according to the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area before determining that the first terminal device has moved to the first area or is about to enter the first area or enters the first area. For example, the network device obtains the following information: (zone1, sl-QoS-profile1, SLRB1), (zone2, sl-QoS-profile2, SLRB2), (zone3, sl-QoS-profile3, SLRB3), (zone4, sl-QoS-profile4, SLRB4)..., assuming that the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area is (zone1, sl-QoS-profile1), the network device can determine that the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB is (zone1, sl-QoS-profile1, SRLB1), that is, the first terminal device can apply SRLB1 to communicate with the second terminal device.

[0166] In an optional implementation, the network device may determine the QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area based on the location information sent by the first terminal device.

[0167] In another optional implementation, the network device can determine the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area based on the second indication information sent by the first terminal device, and the second indication information is used to instruct the network device to apply the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area.

[0168] In another optional implementation, the network device may directly receive the QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area sent by the first terminal device.

[0169] S1002: The network device sends a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB to the first terminal device. Correspondingly, the first terminal device receives the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB from the network device.

[0170] Exemplarily, the network device may directly send the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB to the first terminal device through an RRC reconfiguration message.

[0171] Further, as shown in FIG10 , after the first terminal device receives the mapping relationship between the QoS flow and the SLRB corresponding to the area location information of the first area from the network device, the first terminal device may execute the above-mentioned step S902 , which will not be repeated here.

[0172] In the above technical solution, since the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB is configured based on the regional location information, the network device can send the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB corresponding to the regional location information of the first area to the first terminal device before determining that the first terminal device has moved to the first area or is about to enter the first area or enters the first area, so that the network device can provide QoS protection for terminal devices in different areas.

[0173] The following will provide three specific implementations of the network device determining the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB based on the QoS file (QoS profile) corresponding to the regional location information of the first area, as follows.

[0174] In one possible implementation, taking the example of a network device determining a QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region based on the location information sent by the first terminal device, as shown in FIG11 , the communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application includes:

[0175] S1101. A first terminal device sends regional location information of one or more regions and a QoS file corresponding to each of the regional location information of the one or more regions to a network device. In response, the network device receives the regional location information of the one or more regions and the QoS file corresponding to each of the regional location information of the one or more regions from the first terminal device.

[0176] The one or more areas include a first area.

[0177] In an embodiment of the present application, the first terminal device may carry a QoS file corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas in the sidelink UE information (SUI).

[0178] Exemplarily, the first terminal device may carry in the SUI: (zone1, sl-QoS-profile1), (zone2, sl-QoS-profile2).

[0179] S1102: The first terminal device sends first indication information to the network device. Correspondingly, the network device receives the first indication information from the first terminal device.

[0180] The first indication information is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal device, and the location information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device has moved to the first area or is about to enter the first area. In other words, the location information of the first terminal device is the location information of the first terminal device.

[0181] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present application, the network device may determine that the first terminal device has moved to the first area or the first terminal device is about to enter the first area by receiving first indication information from the first terminal device.

[0182] Exemplarily, the network device can obtain the location information of the first terminal device by receiving the first indication information of the first terminal device, and then compare the location information of the first terminal device with the area location information of the first area to determine whether the first terminal device has moved to the first area or is about to enter the first area.

[0183] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present application, the location information of the first terminal device includes at least one of the following: the latitude and longitude coordinate information of the first terminal device, the altitude coordinate information of the first terminal device, the cell location information of the first terminal device, or the tracking area location information of the first terminal device.

[0184] In an optional implementation, the first terminal device may actively send the first indication information to the network device when moving to the first area or about to enter the first area or before entering the first area.

[0185] In one example, when the vertical distance between the location of the first terminal device and the boundary of the range of the first area is less than a first preset distance, the first indication information is triggered to be reported.

[0186] In another example, when the distance between the location of the first terminal device and a reference point (such as a certain location) within the range of the first area is less than a first preset distance, the first indication information is triggered to be reported.

[0187] Among them, the reference point in the embodiment of the present application can be the center point or any point of the first area.

[0188] In another optional implementation, the first terminal device may send first indication information to the network device after receiving first request information from the network device, wherein the first request information is used to request the location information of the first terminal device.

[0189] S1103. The network device determines the QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area based on the location information of the first terminal device and the first mapping relationship.

[0190] The first mapping relationship includes regional location information of one or more regions and a QoS file corresponding to each of the regional location information of the one or more regions, and the one or more regions include the first region.

[0191] Exemplarily, the network device can determine the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area based on the location information reported by the first terminal device, the regional location information of one or more areas sent by the first terminal device, and the QoS file corresponding to each regional location information in the regional location information of one or more areas. For example, the following information is configured in the network device: (zone1, sl-QoS-profile1), (zone2, sl-QoS-profile2), (zone3, sl-QoS-profile3), (zone3, sl-QoS-profile3)..., assuming that the location information reported by the first terminal device is zone1, the network device can determine that the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area is QoS-profile1.

[0192] Further, as shown in FIG11 , after the network device determines the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application also includes the above-mentioned steps S1001-S1002 and step S902, which are not repeated here.

[0193] In the above technical solution, the first terminal device sends multiple sets of QoS files based on regional location information to the network device in advance. Before the first terminal device moves to the first area or is about to enter the first area or enters the first area, the network device can obtain the location information of the first terminal device based on the first indication information sent by the first terminal device. Furthermore, the network device can determine the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area based on the location information of the first terminal device, and after further determining the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB, send the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB to the first terminal device. In this way, the first terminal device can obtain the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB from the network device, thereby achieving the purpose of providing different QoS guarantees in different areas.

[0194] In another optional implementation, taking the example of a network device determining the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area based on the second indication information sent by the first terminal device, as shown in FIG12, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes:

[0195] S1201: A first terminal device sends one or more QoS files to a network device. Correspondingly, the network device receives one or more QoS files from the first terminal device.

[0196] The one or more QoS files include a QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area.

[0197] In an embodiment of the present application, the first terminal device may carry one or more QoS files in the SUI.

[0198] Exemplarily, the first terminal device may carry: (sl-QoS-Profile1), (sl-QoS-Profile2) in the SUI.

[0199] S1202: The first terminal device sends second indication information to the network device. Correspondingly, the network device receives the second indication information from the first terminal device.

[0200] The second indication information is used to instruct the network device to apply the QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area.

[0201] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present application, the network device may determine that the first terminal device has moved to the first area or the first terminal device is about to enter the first area by receiving second indication information from the first terminal device.

[0202] In an optional implementation, the first terminal device sends second indication information to the network device when moving to the first area or about to enter the first area or before entering the first area.

[0203] It can be understood that since the second indication information is sent to the network device by the first terminal device before it moves to the first area or is about to enter the first area or enters the first area, if the network device receives the second indication information, it indicates that the first terminal device has moved to the first area or the first terminal device is about to enter the first area; conversely, if the network device does not receive the second indication information, it indicates that the first terminal device has not moved to the first area or the first terminal device is not about to enter the first area.

[0204] In one example, when the vertical distance between the location of the first terminal device and the boundary of the range of the first area is less than a first preset distance, the second indication information is triggered to be reported.

[0205] In another example, when the distance between the location of the first terminal device and a reference point (such as a certain location) within the range of the first area is less than a first preset distance, the second indication information is triggered to be reported.

[0206] Among them, the reference point in the embodiment of the present application can be the center point or any point of the first area.

[0207] Exemplarily, the network device can determine the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area based on the second indication information reported by the first terminal device. For example, the network device obtains the following information: (sl-QoS-profile1), (sl-QoS-profile2), (sl-QoS-profile3), (sl-QoS-profile4)..., assuming that the QoS file indicated by the second indication information is (QoS-profile1), the network device can determine that the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area is (sl-QoS-profile1).

[0208] Further, as shown in FIG12 , after the network device determines the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application also includes the above-mentioned steps S1001-S1002 and step S902, which are not repeated here.

[0209] In the above technical solution, the first terminal device sends multiple sets of QoS files to the network device in advance. When the first terminal device moves to the first area or is about to enter the first area or before entering the first area, the network device can determine the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area based on the second indication information sent by the first terminal device, and further determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB, and then send the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB to the first terminal device. In this way, the first terminal device can obtain the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB from the network device, thereby achieving the purpose of providing different QoS guarantees in different areas.

[0210] In another optional implementation, taking the example of a network device that can directly receive the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region sent by the first terminal device, as shown in FIG13, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes:

[0211] S1301: A first terminal device sends a QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of a first region to a network device. Correspondingly, the network device receives the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region from the first terminal device.

[0212] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present application, the network device can determine that the first terminal device has moved to the first area or the first terminal device is about to enter the first area by receiving a QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area from the first terminal device.

[0213] In an optional implementation, the first terminal device sends a QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area to the network device when the first terminal device moves to the first area or is about to enter the first area or before entering the first area.

[0214] It can be understood that since the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area is sent to the network device by the first terminal device before it moves to the first area or is about to enter the first area or enters the first area, if the network device receives the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area, it indicates that the first terminal device has moved to the first area or the first terminal device is about to enter the first area; conversely, if the network device does not receive the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area, it indicates that the first terminal device has not moved to the first area or the first terminal device is not about to enter the first area.

[0215] In one example, when the vertical distance between the location of the first terminal device and the range boundary of the first area is less than a first preset distance, a QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area is sent to the network device.

[0216] In another example, when the distance between the location of the first terminal device and a reference point (such as a certain location) within the range of the first area is less than a first preset distance, a QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area is sent to the network device.

[0217] Among them, the reference point in the embodiment of the present application can be the center point or any point of the first area.

[0218] Exemplarily, the network device may directly receive the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region sent by the first terminal device. For example, if the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region sent by the first terminal device is QoS-profile1, the QoS file applied by the network device is sl-QoS-profile1.

[0219] Further, as shown in FIG13 , after the network device receives the QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application also includes the above-mentioned steps S1001 - S1002 and step S902 , which are not repeated here.

[0220] In the above technical solution, on the one hand, before the first terminal device moves to the first area or is about to enter the first area or enters the first area, the network device can directly receive the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area sent by the first terminal device, and then determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB, and then send the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB to the first terminal device. In this way, the first terminal device can obtain the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB from the network device, thereby achieving the purpose of providing different QoS guarantees in different areas. On the other hand, the network device can directly receive the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area sent by the first terminal device, without having to additionally receive the indication information sent by the first terminal device, and then determine the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area, so that the signaling resources for interacting with the network device can be saved as much as possible.

[0221] The embodiments described in Figures 10 to 13 above provide several implementation schemes for the first terminal device to obtain the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area from the network device and the SLRB. As described in step S901, the first terminal device can also determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of different areas obtained from the network device and the SLRB. The corresponding solution will be given below in conjunction with the embodiment shown in Figure 14.

[0222] For example, as shown in FIG14 , the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

[0223] S1401. The network device obtains a mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and an SLRB.

[0224] In an embodiment of the present application, the network device may configure a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information and the SLRB in a system information block (SIB).

[0225] Exemplarily, the network device may configure in the SIB: (zone1, SL-radio bearer config1), (zone2, SL-radio bearer config2). Here, SL-radio bearer config1 may, for example, represent the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to zone1 and the SLRB; and SL-radio bearer config2 may, for example, represent the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to zone2 and the SLRB.

[0226] In an optional implementation, the network device may obtain, from a third-party device, a mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and an SLRB.

[0227] For example, the third-party device may be a core network device.

[0228] In another optional implementation, the network device may obtain, through pre-configuration, a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB.

[0229] In an embodiment of the present application, the network device may choose to obtain the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB from a third-party device based on the actual network quality, or choose to obtain the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB through pre-configuration. The embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit how the network device obtains the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB. Step S1401 is an optional step.

[0230] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present application, the network device needs to first obtain the mapping range of the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information in the area location information of one or more areas, and determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information in the area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB when the coverage range of the network device includes the mapping range of the QoS flow corresponding to each location area information.

[0231] The area range of a region corresponds to the mapping range of a QoS flow.

[0232] For example, take multiple areas including area 1 and area 2 as an example. If the mapping range of the QoS flow corresponding to area 1 is within the coverage range of the network device, it means that the network device needs to configure different QoS flow to SLRB mapping relationships for different areas within the coverage range. At this time, the network device will obtain the mapping relationship of the QoS flow to SLRB corresponding to the regional location information of area 1.

[0233] S1402. The network device sends a mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and a SLRB to the first terminal device. Correspondingly, the first terminal device receives a mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of the one or more areas and a SLRB from the network device.

[0234] Exemplarily, the network device may send the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each zone location information and the SLRB to the first terminal device through an SIB message: (zone1, SL-radiobearerconfig1), (zone2, radiobearerconfig2).

[0235] S1403. Before the first terminal device moves to the first area or is about to enter the first area or enters the first area, the first terminal device determines the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB based on the location information of the first terminal device and the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information in the area location information of one or more areas.

[0236] Exemplarily, the first terminal device can determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB from the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the multiple regional location information sent by the network device and the SLRB based on the location information of the first terminal device. For example, the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the multiple regional location information sent by the network device and the SLRB includes: (zone1, SL-radiobearerconfig1), (zone2, SL-radiobearerconfig2)..., assuming that the location information of the first terminal device is zone1, the terminal device can determine that the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB is SL-radiobearerconfig1, that is, the first terminal device can apply SL-radiobearerconfig1 to communicate with the second terminal device.

[0237] Further, as shown in FIG14 , after the first terminal device determines the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB, the first terminal device may execute the above-mentioned step S902 , which will not be repeated here.

[0238] In the above technical solution, since the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB is configured based on the regional location information, the first terminal device can determine the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB corresponding to the regional location information of one or more areas sent by the network device before moving to the first area or about to enter the first area or entering the first area, thereby ensuring that the first terminal device can use different QoS in different areas.

[0239] Optionally, as described in step S901, the first terminal device may also obtain the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB from its own pre-configured information. The following will provide a corresponding solution in conjunction with the embodiment shown in Figure 15. For example, as shown in Figure 15, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

[0240] S1501. Before the first terminal device moves to the first area or is about to enter the first area or enters the first area, the first terminal device determines the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB based on the location information of the first terminal device and the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information in the area location information of one or more areas.

[0241] Among them, the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB is pre-configured in the first terminal device.

[0242] In an embodiment of the present application, the first terminal device can configure the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB in the side link preset configuration new air interface (SL-preconfigurationNR).

[0243] Exemplarily, the first terminal device can configure the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each regional location information of one or more regions and the SLRB in the sidelink radio bearer preconfiguration list (SLRB preconfiglist), and then the first terminal device can determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB (such as SLRB1) from the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the multiple regional location information in the sidelink radio bearer preconfiguration list and the SLRB according to the location information of the first terminal device. For example, the following information is configured in the sidelink radio bearer preconfiguration list: (zone1, SL-radiobearerconfig1), (zone2, SL-radiobearerconfig2), (zone3, SL-radiobearerconfig3), (zone4, SL-radiobearerconfig4)..., assuming that the location information of the first terminal device is zone1, the terminal device can determine that the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB is SL-radiobearerconfig1, that is, the first terminal device can apply SL-radiobearerconfig1 to communicate with the second terminal device.

[0244] In an optional implementation, the first terminal device can be configured through a third-party device to obtain a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB.

[0245] For example, the third-party device may be a core network device.

[0246] In another optional implementation, the first terminal device can obtain the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB through pre-configuration.

[0247] Further, as shown in FIG15 , after the first terminal device determines the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB, the first terminal device may execute the above-mentioned step S902 , which will not be repeated here.

[0248] In the above technical solution, on the one hand, since the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB is configured based on the regional location information, the first terminal device can directly determine the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB corresponding to the regional location information of one or more areas pre-configured by itself after arriving at the first area or about to enter the first area or before entering the first area, so that the QoS demand of the first terminal device in different areas can be guaranteed; on the other hand, since the mapping relationship between QoS flow and SLRB is pre-configured by the first terminal device itself, it does not need to be obtained from the network device, thereby saving signaling resources for interacting with the network device.

[0249] The above primarily describes the solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application from the perspective of network element interaction. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present application also provide a communication device for implementing the various methods described above. The communication device may be a network device in the method embodiments described above, or a device including the network device, or a component usable for a network device; or the communication device may be a first terminal device in the method embodiments described above, or a device including the first terminal device, or a component usable for a first terminal device; or the communication device may be a second terminal device in the method embodiments described above, or a device including the second terminal device, or a component usable for a second terminal device. It will be understood that, to implement the aforementioned functions, the communication device includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the respective functions. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that, in conjunction with the various exemplary units and algorithm steps described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the present application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is implemented in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professionals may use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0250] In the embodiment of the present application, the communication device can be divided into functional modules according to the above method embodiment. For example, each functional module can be divided according to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The above integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules. It should be understood that the division of modules in the embodiment of the present application is schematic and is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0251] For example, FIG16 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 1600 provided in an embodiment of the present application, which includes a transceiver module 1610 and optionally a processing module 1620. The transceiver module 1610, which may also be referred to as a transceiver unit, is used to implement transceiver functions, and may be, for example, a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, a transceiver, or a communication interface.

[0252] Taking the communication device 1600 as the first terminal device described in the above method embodiment as an example, in a possible implementation manner:

[0253] The transceiver module 1610 is configured to obtain a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB. The transceiver module 1610 is further configured to communicate with the second terminal device based on the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB.

[0254] Taking the communication device 1600 as the network device described in the above method embodiment as an example, in one possible implementation manner:

[0255] The processing module 1620 is configured to determine, based on the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region, a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB. The transceiver module 1610 is configured to send the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB to the first terminal device.

[0256] Taking the communication device 1600 as the first terminal device described in the above method embodiment as an example, in a possible implementation manner:

[0257] Transceiver module 1610 is configured to send, to a network device, regional location information of one or more areas and a QoS profile corresponding to each of the regional location information of the one or more areas, where the one or more areas include a first area. Transceiver module 1610 is further configured to send, to the network device, first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate location information of a first terminal device, where the location information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device has moved into the first area or is about to enter the first area.

[0258] Taking the communication device 1600 as the network device described in the above method embodiment as an example, in one possible implementation manner:

[0259] The processing module 1620 is used to determine the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area based on the location information of the first terminal device and the first mapping relationship, wherein the first mapping relationship includes the regional location information of one or more areas and the QoS file corresponding to each of the regional location information of the one or more areas, and the one or more areas include the first area. The processing module 1620 is also used to determine the mapping relationship of the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area to the SLRB based on the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first area. The transceiver module 1610 is used to send the mapping relationship of the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area to the SLRB to the first terminal device.

[0260] Taking the communication device 1600 as the first terminal device described in the above method embodiment as an example, in a possible implementation manner:

[0261] Transceiver module 1610 is configured to send one or more QoS profiles to the network device, wherein the one or more QoS profiles include a QoS profile corresponding to the regional location information of the first region. Transceiver module 1610 is further configured to send second indication information to the network device, wherein the second indication information is configured to instruct the network device to apply the QoS profile corresponding to the regional location information of the first region.

[0262] Taking the communication device 1600 as the network device described in the above method embodiment as an example, in one possible implementation manner:

[0263] The processing module 1620 is configured to determine, based on the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region, a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB. The transceiver module 1610 is configured to send the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB to the first terminal device.

[0264] Taking the communication device 1600 as the first terminal device described in the above method embodiment as an example, in a possible implementation manner:

[0265] The transceiver module 1610 is configured to send the QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area to the network device.

[0266] Taking the communication device 1600 as the network device described in the above method embodiment as an example, in one possible implementation manner:

[0267] The processing module 1620 is configured to determine, based on the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region, a mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB. The transceiver module 1610 is configured to send the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB to the first terminal device.

[0268] Taking the communication device 1600 as the network device described in the above method embodiment as an example, in one possible implementation manner:

[0269] The processing module 1620 is configured to obtain a mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB. The transceiver module 1610 is configured to send a mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to each area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB to the first terminal device.

[0270] Taking the communication device 1600 as the first terminal device described in the above method embodiment as an example, in a possible implementation manner:

[0271] Processing module 1620 is used to determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB based on the location information of the first terminal device and the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each regional location information of one or more areas and the SLRB.

[0272] Taking the communication device 1600 as the first terminal device described in the above method embodiment as an example, in a possible implementation manner:

[0273] Processing module 1620 is configured to determine a mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB based on the location information of the first terminal device and the mapping relationship between a QoS flow corresponding to each of the regional location information of one or more areas. Transceiver module 1610 is configured to communicate with the second terminal device based on the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first area and the SLRB.

[0274] Among them, all relevant contents of each step involved in the above method embodiment can be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module and will not be repeated here. Optionally, the communication device 1600 may also include a storage module, which can be used to store instructions and / or data, and the processing module 1620 can read the instructions and / or data in the storage module.

[0275] In the embodiment of the present application, the communication device 1600 is presented in the form of various functional modules divided in an integrated manner. The "module" here can refer to a specific ASIC, circuit, processor and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, integrated logic circuit, and / or other devices that can provide the above functions. In a simple embodiment, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the communication device can take the form of the communication device 800 shown in Figure 8.

[0276] For example, the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in FIG8 may call computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 804 to enable the communication device 800 to execute the communication method in the above method embodiment.

[0277] Specifically, the functions / implementation processes of the transceiver module 1610 and the processing module 1620 in FIG16 can be implemented by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in FIG8 calling computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 804. Alternatively, the functions / implementation processes of the processing module 1620 in FIG16 can be implemented by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in FIG8 calling computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 804, and the functions / implementation processes of the transceiver module 1610 in FIG16 can be implemented by the communication interface 802 in the communication device 800 shown in FIG8.

[0278] Since the communication device provided in the embodiment of the present application can execute the above-mentioned communication method, the technical effects that can be obtained can be referred to the above-mentioned method embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0279] It should be understood that one or more of the above modules or units can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of the two. When any of the above modules or units is implemented in software, the software exists in the form of computer program instructions and is stored in a memory, and a processor can be used to execute the program instructions and implement the above method flow. The processor can be built into an SoC (system on chip) or an ASIC, or it can be an independent semiconductor chip. In addition to the core used to execute software instructions to perform calculations or processing within the processor, it can further include necessary hardware accelerators, such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), PLDs (programmable logic devices), or logic circuits that implement dedicated logic operations.

[0280] When the above modules or units are implemented in hardware, the hardware can be any one or any combination of a CPU, a microprocessor, a digital signal processing (DSP) chip, a microcontroller unit (MCU), an artificial intelligence processor, an ASIC, a SoC, an FPGA, a PLD, a dedicated digital circuit, a hardware accelerator or a non-integrated discrete device, which can run the necessary software or not rely on the software to execute the above method flow.

[0281] Optionally, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication device (for example, the communication device may be a chip or a chip system), which includes a processor for implementing the method in any of the above method embodiments. In one possible design, the communication device also includes a memory. The memory is used to store necessary program instructions and data, and the processor can call the program code stored in the memory to instruct the communication device to execute the method in any of the above method embodiments. Of course, the memory may not be in the communication device. When the communication device is a chip system, it may be composed of a chip, or it may include a chip and other discrete devices, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

[0282] Optionally, an embodiment of the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores a computer program or instruction. When the computer program or instruction is run on a communication device, the communication device can execute the method described in any of the above method embodiments or any of its implementation methods.

[0283] Optionally, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication system, which includes the network device described in the above method embodiment and the terminal device described in the above method embodiment.

[0284] In the above embodiments, all or part of the embodiments can be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using a software program, all or part of the embodiments can be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions according to the embodiments of the present application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via a wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) method. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more media integrated therein. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (eg, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape), an optical medium (eg, a DVD), or a semiconductor medium (eg, a solid state disk (SSD)).

[0285] Although the present application is described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, in the process of implementing the claimed application, those skilled in the art may understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments by reviewing the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple situations. A single processor or other unit may implement several functions listed in the claims. Certain measures are recorded in different dependent claims, but this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0286] Although the present application has been described with reference to specific features and embodiments thereof, it is apparent that various modifications and combinations may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present application. Accordingly, this specification and the drawings are merely illustrative of the present application as defined by the appended claims and are deemed to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations or equivalents within the scope of the present application. Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations to the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Thus, the present application is intended to include such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a first terminal device, the method includes: Obtaining a mapping relationship between a quality of service (QoS) flow corresponding to the regional location information of a first region and a sidelink radio bearer (SLRB); Communicating with a second terminal device according to the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The obtaining of the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB includes: Before the first terminal device moves to, is about to enter, or enters the first region, obtaining the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein The method further includes: When the distance between the first terminal device and a first target location is less than or equal to a first preset distance, determining that the first terminal device is about to enter the first region, where the first target location is a location within or on the boundary of the first region.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The obtaining of the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB includes: Sending first indication information to a network device, where the first indication information is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal device, and the location information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device moves to, is about to enter, or enters the first region; Receiving the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region from the network device.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that Before sending the first indication information to the network device, the method further includes: Receiving first request information from the network device, where the first request information is used to request to obtain the location information of the first terminal device.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The location information of the first terminal device includes at least one of the following: The longitude and latitude coordinate information of the first terminal device; The height coordinate information of the first terminal device; The cell location information where the first terminal device is located; Or, the tracking area location information where the first terminal device is located.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, Before obtaining the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB, the method further includes: Sending the regional location information of one or more regions and the QoS file corresponding to each regional location information in the regional location information of the one or more regions to a network device, where the first region is included in the one or more regions.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The obtaining of the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB includes: Sending second indication information to the network device, where the second indication information is used to indicate that the network device applies the QoS file corresponding to the location information of the first region; Receiving the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region from the network device.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 or 8, characterized in that, Before obtaining the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB, the method further includes: Send one or more QoS files to the network device, where the one or more QoS files include the QoS file corresponding to the location information of the first area.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The obtaining of the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB includes: Send the QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area to the network device; Receive the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB from the network device.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The obtaining of the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB includes: Determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB according to the location information of the first terminal device and the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of each area in the area location information of one or more areas, where the one or more areas include the first area, and the location information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device moves to the first area or the first terminal device is about to enter the first area.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein The method further includes: Receive the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of each area in the area location information of one or more areas from the network device.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1-12, characterized in that, The area location information includes at least one of the following: Area location information composed of multiple longitude and latitude coordinates and altitude coordinates; Cell location information; Or, tracking area location information.

14. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a network device, the method includes: Determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the sidelink radio bearer (SLRB) according to the quality of service (QoS) file corresponding to the area location information of the first area; Send the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB to the first terminal device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein The determining of the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB according to the QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area includes: Determine that the first terminal device moves to the first area or is about to enter the first area or before entering the first area; Determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the area location information of the first area and the SLRB according to the QoS file corresponding to the area location information of the first area.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein The determining that the first terminal device moves to the first area or is about to enter the first area includes: Receive the first indication information from the first terminal device, where the first indication information is used to indicate the location information of the first terminal device, and the location information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device moves to the first area or is about to enter the first area.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein The method further includes: Determine the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region according to the location information of the first terminal device and the first mapping relationship, where the first mapping relationship includes the regional location information of one or more regions and the QoS file corresponding to each regional location information in the regional location information of the one or more regions, and the first region is included in the one or more regions.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein Before determining the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB according to the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region, the method further includes: Receiving the first mapping relationship from the first terminal device.

19. The method according to any one of claims 16 - 18, characterized in that, Before receiving the first indication information from the first terminal device, the method further includes: Sending a first request message to the first terminal device, where the first request message is used to request to obtain the location information of the first terminal device.

20. The method according to any one of claims 16 - 19, characterized in that, The location information of the first terminal device includes at least one of the following: The longitude and latitude coordinate information of the first terminal device; The height coordinate information of the first terminal device; The cell location information where the first terminal device is located; Or, the tracking area location information where the first terminal device is located.

21. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that The determination that the first terminal device moves to the first region or is about to enter the first region includes: Receiving a second indication information from the first terminal device, where the second indication information is used to indicate that the network device applies the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region.

22. The method according to claim 14 or 15 or 21, characterized in that Before determining the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to the regional location information of the first region and the SLRB according to the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region, the method further includes: Receiving one or more QoS files from the first terminal device, where the one or more QoS files include the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region.

23. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The determination that the first terminal device moves to the first region or is about to enter the first region includes: Receiving the QoS file corresponding to the regional location information of the first region from the first terminal device.

24. The method according to any one of claims 14-23, characterized in that, The regional location information includes at least one of the following: The regional location information composed of multiple longitude and latitude coordinates and height coordinates; Cell location information; Or, tracking area location information.

25. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a network device, the method includes: Obtaining the mapping relationship between the quality of service QoS flow corresponding to each regional location information in the regional location information of one or more regions and the sidelink radio bearer SLRB; Sending the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each regional location information in the regional location information of the one or more regions and the SLRB to the first terminal device.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein The obtaining the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each regional location information in the regional location information of one or more regions and the SLRB includes: Obtaining the mapping range of the QoS flow corresponding to each regional location information in the regional location information of the one or more regions; When the coverage of the network device includes the mapping range of the QoS flow corresponding to each location area information, determine the mapping relationship between the QoS flow corresponding to each area location information in the area location information of one or more areas and the SLRB.

27. The method according to claim 25 or 26, characterized in that, The area location information includes at least one of the following: Area location information composed of multiple longitude and latitude coordinates and altitude coordinates; Cell location information; Or, tracking area location information.

28. A communication device, characterized in that, Including: A functional unit for performing the method according to any one of claims 1-27; wherein, the actions performed by the functional unit are implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software.

29. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a processor; the processor is configured to run a computer program or instruction, or to implement the method according to any one of claims 1-27 in the communication device through logic circuits.

30. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions or programs, and when the computer instructions or programs are run on a computer, the communication device is enabled to implement the method according to any one of claims 1-27.

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