Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides a communication method, for use in clearing invalid data in time. The method comprises: a communication apparatus receives a first data packet and a second data packet, and discards the first data packet on the basis of the second data packet. In the present application, the communication apparatus can clear invalid data on the basis of a received data packet, without waiting for a timer corresponding to the invalid data to time out. Thus, the problem that the transmission of invalid data increases the transmission delay of valid data is avoided.

Description

Communication method and device

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on December 29, 2023, with application number 202311869897.7 and application name “A Communication Method and Device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communications, and in particular to a data transmission method and device. Background Art

[0003] Artificial intelligence (AI) model-based image quality upscaling and downscaling technologies, cloud-based game enhancement technologies, and photo cloud processing all involve the transmission of large amounts of data within a certain period of time (e.g., AI models, three-dimensional (3D) model data, photo source data, etc.). Taking uplink transmission as an example, whether uploading photo source data or three-dimensional (3D) model data, the terminal's application layer first sends the data to the terminal's access layer, which then sends the data to the access network device. If a new model needs to be transmitted, the application layer generates new service data and sends it to the access layer. For example, while sending service data for scenario one, due to a scenario change, service data for scenario two also needs to be sent. The application layer will choose to stop sending the remaining data for scenario one and start sending the data for scenario two. In other words, when new model data is generated, the application layer will stop sending the remaining data for the old model, rendering the old model data invalid. However, some old model data has been sent to the access layer. These old model data that have been sent to the access layer will start the discard timer according to the packet delay budget (PDB) requirements. Before the discard timer times out, these old model data that have been sent to the access layer will continue to be sent. However, at this time, these old model data that have been sent to the access layer have become invalid. Continuing to send the old model data that have been sent to the access layer will increase the transmission delay of the new model data. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides a communication method and a communication device for reducing the transmission delay of data.

[0005] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, which is characterized in that it is applied to a first communication device, and the method includes: the first communication device receives a first data packet; the first communication device receives a second data packet; and the first communication device discards the first data packet based on the second data packet.

[0006] In this manner, the first communication device discards the first data packet according to the second data packet without waiting for the discard timer to time out before discarding the first data packet, which is beneficial to reducing the delay of data transmission and saving power consumption of the first communication device.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the data contained in the first data packet belongs to a first data sequence, and the data contained in the second data packet belongs to a second data sequence. The first communication device discards the first data packet based on the second data packet by discarding the first data packet based on the fact that the second data sequence is different from the first data sequence.

[0008] In this manner, the first communication device determines that the second data sequence to which the data in the received data packet belongs is a new data sequence, and then the first communication device discards the first data packet corresponding to the first data sequence originally to be transmitted.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the data contained in the first data packet belongs to a first data sequence, the data contained in the second data packet belongs to a second data sequence, and the second data packet carries first indication information, where the first indication information indicates the second data sequence. The first communication device discards the first data packet based on the first indication information. In this approach, the second data packet carries the first indication information, where the first indication information indicates that the second data sequence is a new data sequence, or in other words, the first indication information indicates the starting identifier of a new data sequence. The first communication device learns of the arrival of the second data packet through the first indication information and thereby discards the first data packet.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the second data packet carries second indication information, and the second indication information instructs the first data packet to be discarded. The first communications device discards the first data packet based on the second indication information. In this manner, because the second data packet explicitly carries an indication that the first communications device should discard the first data packet, the first communications device can discard the first data packet based on the second data packet.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the data contained in the first data packet belongs to a first data sequence, the data contained in the second data packet belongs to a second data sequence, the second indication information indicates the first data sequence, and the first data packet is discarded based on the first data sequence. In this manner, the first communications device can determine to discard the data packet corresponding to the data sequence based on the data sequence indicated in the second data packet, using the indication of the first data sequence corresponding to the first data packet displayed in the second data packet.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the second indication information indicates a sequence identifier of the first data sequence.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the method further includes receiving first information, the first information indicating permission to discard the first data packet based on the second data packet. In this embodiment, whether the first communication device is permitted to discard the first data packet based on the second data packet can be designed as a configurable feature, thereby increasing communication flexibility.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the first data packet belongs to a first quality of service flow Qos Flow, the second data packet belongs to a second Qos flow, and discarding the first data packet according to the second data packet is specifically: clearing the first data packet of the first Qos flow according to the second Qos flow.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the first QoS flow is associated with the second QoS flow. In this manner, by designing a binding relationship between the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow, the first communication device can clear data from another QoS flow after data from one QoS flow arrives.

[0016] In a possible implementation manner, the method further includes: the first communication device receiving first configuration information, where the first configuration information indicates that the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow are in a mutually clearing relationship.

[0017] In a possible implementation, the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow are mapped to different data radio bearers (DRBs), respectively.

[0018] In one possible implementation, discarding the first data packet based on the second data packet is specifically: the first communication device discards the first data packet based on the time interval between the time when the second data packet arrives at the access layer and the time when the first data packet arrives at the access layer being greater than a threshold.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the first data packet includes data that has been processed by DRB and data that has not been processed by DRB, and the first communication device discards the first data packet. Specifically, the first communication device discards the data in the first data packet that has not been processed by DRB.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the first communication device determines, based on the second data packet, that the discard timer of the first data packet has expired, and discards the first data packet, or, based on the second data packet, discards all data of the data radio bearer DRB mapped to the first data packet.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the first data packet arrives at the access layer earlier than the second data packet, or the data included in the first data packet is generated earlier than the data included in the second data packet.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the first communication device may be a terminal, or a module (such as a chip) located in a terminal device, or the first communication device may be an access network device, or a module (such as a chip) located in an access network device.

[0023] In a possible implementation, the first communication device is an access layer of the terminal.

[0024] In a second aspect, the present application provides a communication device comprising a unit or module for executing the method described in the first aspect.

[0025] In one possible embodiment, the communication device is a chip system.

[0026] In one possible embodiment, the communication device may perform the method described in the first aspect or the third aspect. The functions of the communication device may be implemented in hardware, or the corresponding software may be implemented in hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more units or modules corresponding to the above-mentioned functions. The units or modules may be software and / or hardware. The operations and beneficial effects performed by the communication device may refer to the method and beneficial effects described in the first aspect above, and any repetitions will not be repeated.

[0027] In a third aspect, the present application provides a communication device, which includes a processor. When the processor calls a computer program in a memory, the method described in the first aspect and its possible implementation methods are executed.

[0028] In a possible implementation, the communication device further includes a memory, and the memory and the processor are coupled to each other. Optionally, the memory and the processor are integrated together.

[0029] In a possible implementation, the communication device further includes a transceiver, which is used to transmit and receive data and / or signaling.

[0030] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a communication device, which includes a processor and an interface circuit, wherein the interface circuit is used to receive signals from other communication devices outside the communication device and transmit them to the processor or send signals from the processor to other communication devices outside the communication device, and the processor is used to implement the method described in the first aspect and its possible implementation methods through logic circuits or execution code instructions.

[0031] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which a computer program or instruction is stored. When the computer program or instruction is executed by a communication device, the method described in the first aspect and its possible implementation methods are implemented.

[0032] In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a computer program or computer program product, comprising code or instructions, which, when executed on a computer, enables the computer to execute the method described in any one of the first to fourth aspects and its possible implementation methods.

[0033] In a seventh aspect, a communication method is provided, including: an application layer of a terminal device sends a first data packet and a second data packet to an access layer of the terminal device, and the access layer of the terminal device discards the first data packet based on the second data packet.

[0034] In an eighth aspect, a communication method is provided, including: a core network or a server sends a first data packet and a second data packet to an access network device, and the access network device discards the first data packet based on the second data packet.

[0035] In a ninth aspect, a communication method is provided, comprising: an application layer of a terminal generates a first data packet and a second data packet, and sends the data packet to an access layer of the terminal; and the access layer of the terminal discards the first data packet according to the second data packet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system 1000 used in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 1 , the communication system includes a radio access network (RAN) 100. RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (e.g., 110a and 110b in Figure 1 , collectively referred to as 110) and may also include at least one terminal (e.g., 120a-120j in Figure 1 , collectively referred to as 120). RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay devices and / or wireless backhaul devices (not shown in Figure 1 ). Terminal 120 is wirelessly connected to RAN node 110. Terminals and RAN nodes may be connected to each other via wired or wireless connections. Communication system 1000 may also include a core network 200. RAN node 110 is wirelessly or wiredly connected to core network 200. Core network devices in core network 200 and RAN node 110 in RAN 100 may be separate, distinct physical devices, or they may be a single physical device that integrates the logical functions of core network devices and RAN nodes. The communication system 1000 may also include the Internet 300 .

[0042] RAN100 can be an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) system, a new radio (NR) system, or a future radio access system defined in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), or a WiFi system. RAN100 can also include two or more of the aforementioned different radio access systems. RAN100 can also be an open RAN (O-RAN).

[0043] A RAN node, also known as a radio access network device, RAN entity, or access node, facilitates wireless access to a communication system by a terminal. In one application scenario, a RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in a fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication system, a next-generation base station in a sixth-generation (6G) mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. A RAN node can be a macro base station (such as 110a in Figure 1), a micro base station, an indoor station (such as 110b in Figure 1), a relay node, or a donor node.

[0044] In another application scenario, multiple RAN nodes can collaborate to help terminals achieve wireless access, with different RAN nodes implementing portions of the base station's functions. For example, a RAN node can be a centralized unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). The CU implements the base station's radio resource control protocol and packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) functions, as well as the service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) functions. The DU implements the base station's radio link control layer and medium access control (MAC) layer functions, as well as some or all of the physical layer functions. For detailed descriptions of each of the above protocol layers, please refer to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications. The RU can be used to implement the transmission and reception of radio frequency signals. The CU and DU can be two independent RAN nodes, or they can be integrated into the same RAN node, such as in a baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in radio frequency equipment, such as a remote radio unit (RRU) or an active antenna unit (AAU). The CU can be further divided into two types of RAN nodes: CU-control plane and CU-user plane.

[0045] In different systems, RAN nodes may have different names. For example, in an O-RAN system, the CU may be called an open CU (O-CU), the DU may be called an open DU (O-DU), and the RU may be called an open RU (O-RU). The RAN node in the embodiments of the present application may be implemented by a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module. For example, the RAN node may be a server loaded with the corresponding software module. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific technology and specific device form adopted by the RAN node. For ease of description, the following description takes an access network device as an example of a RAN node.

[0046] A terminal is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities that can send signals to or receive signals from an access network device. A terminal may also be referred to as a terminal device, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearable, smart transportation, smart city, etc. A terminal can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable device, vehicle, airplane, ship, robot, robotic arm, smart home device, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology and specific device form adopted by the terminal.

[0047] Access network equipment and terminals can be fixed or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; on water; and on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of access network equipment and terminals.

[0048] The roles of access network devices and terminals can be relative. For example, the helicopter or drone 120i in Figure 1 can be configured as a mobile access network device. For terminals 120j accessing the wireless access network 100 via 120i, terminal 120i is an access network device. However, for access network device 110a, 120i is a terminal, meaning that communication between 110a and 120i occurs via a wireless air interface protocol. Of course, communication between 110a and 120i can also occur via an interface protocol between access network devices. In this case, 120i is also an access network device relative to 110a. Therefore, both access network devices and terminals can be collectively referred to as communication devices. 110a and 110b in Figure 1 can be referred to as communication devices with access network device functionality, while 120a-120j in Figure 1 can be referred to as communication devices with terminal functionality.

[0049] Access network devices and terminals, access network devices and access network devices, and terminals can communicate through authorized spectrum, unauthorized spectrum, or both; they can communicate through spectrum below 6 gigahertz (GHz), spectrum above 6 GHz, or spectrum below 6 GHz and spectrum above 6 GHz simultaneously. The embodiments of this application do not limit the spectrum resources used for wireless communications.

[0050] In the embodiments of the present application, the functions of the access network device may also be performed by a module (such as a chip) in the access network device, or by a control subsystem that includes the functions of the access network device. The control subsystem that includes the functions of the access network device here may be a control center in the above-mentioned application scenarios such as smart grid, industrial control, smart transportation, and smart city. The functions of the terminal may also be performed by a module (such as a chip or modem) in the terminal, or by a device that includes the functions of the terminal.

[0051] In this application, the access network device sends downlink signals or downlink information to the terminal, and the downlink information is carried on the downlink channel; the terminal sends uplink signals or uplink information to the access network device, and the uplink information is carried on the uplink channel. In order to communicate with the access network device, the terminal needs to establish a wireless connection with the cell controlled by the access network device. The cell with which the terminal has established a wireless connection is called the terminal's serving cell. When the terminal communicates with the serving cell, it will also be subject to interference from signals in neighboring cells.

[0052] Before describing the specific implementation, some terms or scenarios involved in this application are introduced in detail.

[0053] (1) Quality of service (QoS) flow

[0054] Qos flow is a user service data flow that uses Qos parameters, which is used to transmit data and realize the interaction between users and data networks. The Qos flow in this application refers to a channel resource used to transmit data packets with the same or similar Qos requirements. It can also be other names, such as service flow, bearer service pipeline, etc. The name of Qos flow is exemplary, and this application does not limit the name of the channel resource for this role. The core network will map the service to the Qos flow, and this process can be called a first-level mapping. After the Qos flow reaches the RAN, the RAN will map the Qos flow to the data radio bearer (DRB) transmission, and this process can be called a second-level mapping. That is, the first-level mapping is performed by the core network, and the second-level mapping is performed by the wireless access network.

[0055] (2) Image quality improvement and degradation AI model

[0056] This model works as follows: the transmitter uses an AI-based downgrade algorithm to downgrade high-quality or high-resolution images, resulting in lower-quality images. Transmitting low-quality images reduces bandwidth consumption. The receiver then uses an AI-based upscaling algorithm to enhance the low-quality images, resulting in higher-quality images. Because image types and scenes frequently change, the AI-based downscaling algorithm often changes. To implement AI-based video upscaling and downscaling, the receiver needs to dynamically update and download the upscaling AI model and align the upscaling and downscaling AI models.

[0057] (3) Cloud gaming enhancements

[0058] The rendering quality of games on a terminal is often limited by the rendering algorithm. To achieve optimal rendering, the terminal uploads the 3D model data to be rendered, along with information such as the user's location and rendering perspective, to a server. The server renders the data model and returns the rendering result to the terminal, which performs post-processing before displaying it to the user. Whenever the user moves or switches maps, new 3D model data must be uploaded to the server. The size of the 3D model data that users need to upload typically ranges from 5 to 20 Mb, but there are also scenarios where the 3D model data is around 100 Mb.

[0059] (4) Layer

[0060] In communications systems, transport network functions are divided into a series of layers for hierarchical description. Each layer is considered to independently generate and forward characteristic information. For example, transport network functions may include the access layer and the application layer, with the access layer further divided into the data link layer and the physical layer.

[0061] Communication between terminal devices, network devices, and servers follows a specific protocol stack architecture. For example, when a terminal device sends a data packet to a server via a network device, the data packet passes through the terminal device's application layer, transport layer, network layer, access layer, and physical layer. It then passes through the network device's access layer, data link layer, and physical layer before reaching the server's physical layer, data link layer, network layer, transport layer, and application layer.

[0062] The access layer is the access technology protocol between the terminal's access layer and the access network equipment. The data link layer can be further subdivided into the MAC layer, the radio link control (RLC) layer, the SDAP layer, and the PDCP layer. Access layer protocols can also be understood as the specific physical medium used to carry information between user devices and the infrastructure. For example, the application layer is the highest layer in the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) reference model. It serves as the interface between computer users, various applications, and the network. Its function is to directly provide services to users and complete the various tasks users desire on the network. Building on the work of other layers, it establishes and terminates connections between users and implements various protocols such as supervision, management, and services required by various network services and applications requested by network users. Furthermore, the application layer coordinates the work of various applications. The application layer provides services and protocols such as file services, directory services, file transfer services (FTP), remote login services (Telnet), electronic mail services (e-mail), printing services, security services, network management services, and database services. The various network services mentioned above are implemented by different application protocols and programs in this layer. There are great differences between different network operating systems in terms of functions, interfaces, implementation technologies, hardware support, security and reliability, as well as various application program interfaces.

[0063] The main functions of the application layer include user interface and implementation of various services. Specifically, the application layer provides a direct interface between users and the network, and between applications and the network, enabling users to interact with the network. Regarding the implementation of various services, the various applications within this layer can complete and implement the various services requested by users. The application layer supports protocols such as the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), the File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP).

[0064] The transport layer supports protocols such as the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the User Datagram Protocol (UDP). The network layer supports protocols such as the Internet Protocol (IP), such as IPv4 or IPv6. The access layer includes the service data adaptation SDAP layer, the PDCP layer, the RLC layer, the MAC layer, and the physical layer (PHY).

[0065] (5) Data Packet

[0066] A data packet is a unit of data transmission. In addition to data, a data packet may also include the sender and receiver addresses and / or error control information. Examples include an Internet Protocol (IP) packet and a real-time performance management (RTP) packet. A data sequence can be understood as a collection of logically associated data packets generated by the application layer. For example, the collection of all data packets generated by the application layer for encoding a 3D model of a rendered scene can be understood as a data sequence, or the collection of all data packets generated by the application layer for encoding an AI model can also be understood as a data sequence.

[0067] From the above description, it can be seen that when new model data is generated, the application layer will terminate the transmission of the remaining data of the old model data, causing the old model data to become invalid. However, some old model data has been sent to the access layer. These old model data that have been sent to the access layer will start the discard timer according to the packet delay budget (PDB) requirements. Before the discard timer times out, these old model data that have been sent to the access layer will continue to be sent, but at this time, these old model data that have been sent to the access layer have become invalid. Continuing to send the old model data that have been sent to the access layer will increase the transmission delay of the new model data. Alternatively, the application layer generates a group of data under a certain model and sends it to the access layer, but during the sending process, the user cancels the sending of this group of data. At this time, this group of data has also become invalid. If the data that has been sent to the access layer continues to be sent, the access layer will increase more invalid transmissions. This will cause a waste of resources.

[0068] Based on the above analysis, this application proposes a communication method for timely clearing invalid data at the access layer, thereby reducing the transmission delay of service data.

[0069] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a common method provided by this application. Figure 2 is specific to uplink transmission and includes steps S201-S203. For uplink transmission, the terminal is the executing entity. Within the terminal, the terminal's application layer generates information and sends it to the access layer. The access layer then sends the corresponding information, for example, to an access network device. The application layer can be understood as the unit or module within the terminal that generates information, and the access layer can be understood as the unit or module within the terminal that transmits information to other devices.

[0070] S201: The access layer receives a first data packet.

[0071] Specifically, the data contained in the first data packet may belong to the first data sequence, or the first data packet may be mapped to the first QoS flow for transmission. The first data sequence can be understood as a set of logically associated data packets generated by the application layer. For example, all data packets generated by the application layer for encoding a 3D model of a rendered scene, or all data packets generated by the application layer for encoding an AI model.

[0072] S202: The access layer receives a second data packet.

[0073] Specifically, it is similar to the first data packet. The data contained in the second data packet may belong to the second data sequence, or the second data packet may also be mapped to the second QoS flow for transmission. Optionally, the first data sequence and the second data sequence may be data sequences of different models. The model may be an AI model or a three-dimensional physical digital model. For the case where the first data packet belongs to the first QoS flow and the second data packet belongs to the second QoS flow, in one possible manner, the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow are mapped to different DRBs respectively.

[0074] In one possible manner, the first data packet is earlier than the second data packet. Several specific forms in which the first data packet is earlier than the second data packet are listed below. That is, the first data packet in this application is earlier than the second data packet, which can be replaced by one or more of the following descriptions.

[0075] In a first approach, the application layer generates the first data sequence earlier than the application layer generates the second data sequence.

[0076] For example, the first data sequence is the data sequence of the first AI model, and the second data sequence is the data sequence of the second AI model. The application layer generation time of the first AI model is earlier than the generation time of the second AI model. For example, the first AI model is used for image compression in scene one (cartoon scene), and the second AI model is used for image compression in scene two (real-life scene). The terminal first opens scene one, generates the first AI model, and then switches to scene two, at which time the second AI model is generated.

[0077] Method 2: The first data packet arrives at the access layer earlier than the second data packet. Methods 1 and 2 can be combined or separate. For example, if the application layer generates the first data packet earlier than the application layer generates the second data packet, then the first data packet arrives at the access layer earlier than the second data packet. For another example, if the application layer generates the first data packet at the same time as or later than the application layer generates the second data packet, then the first data packet arrives at the access layer earlier than the second data packet.

[0078] In a third embodiment, the first data packet and the second data packet are data packets for different services or scenarios. The first data packet corresponds to the previous scenario, and the second data packet corresponds to the next scenario. The scenarios correspond to different application maps. For example, scenario one is a forest scene, and scenario two is an ocean scene. Another example is scenario one is a combat mode, and scenario two is a walking mode.

[0079] S203: The access layer discards the first data packet based on the second data packet.

[0080] Specifically, discarding the first data packet can be understood as the access layer not transmitting the first data packet. For example, the access layer does not clear the cache for the first data packet but does not transmit the first data packet. Another example is not transmitting the first data packet and clearing the cache for the first data packet. The specific operation of discarding the first data packet can be that the access layer considers that the discard timer for the first data packet has expired, and then discards the first data packet.

[0081] Since data packets can be carried in a DRB, discarding the first data packet can also be understood as resetting the DRB that carries the first data packet, and resetting the DRB that carries the first data packet can also be understood as clearing all data packets in the DRB that carries the first data packet. Resetting the DRB that carries the first data packet in the present application can be to clear all data in the mapped DRB that carries the first data packet and then reset the state variables related to the DRB to zero, such as the transmission window variable.

[0082] In one possible manner, if the first data packet contains data that has been processed by the DRB and data that has not been processed by the DRB, the discarding of the first data packet in the present application specifically includes discarding the data that has not been processed by the DRB and the data that has been processed by the DRB in the first data packet. The data that has been processed by the DRB in the present application can be understood as these data to which a data link layer header has been added. Alternatively, the data that has not been processed by the DRB in the first data packet is discarded, and the data that has been processed by the DRB can continue to be sent.

[0083] In this application, the access layer discards a first data packet based on a second data packet. This can be done by identifying the first data packet based on the second data packet's header, or by identifying the arrival of a new data sequence based on the QoS flow corresponding to the second data packet. The following provides possible implementations for triggering the access layer to discard the first data packet based on the second data packet. It should be noted that the specific implementation described in the following example can replace the aforementioned method of the access layer discarding the first data packet based on the second data packet.

[0084] Method A: The access layer discards the second data packet based on the fact that the second data packet is different from the first data packet. In one possible method, if the first data packet arrives earlier than the second data packet, if the access layer receives the second data packet and identifies it as a new data packet, it discards the earlier data packet, that is, discards the first data packet. One possible scenario is that the application layer generates a group of data packets logically associated as a first data sequence for scenario one, including the first data packet. In this case, the data contained in the first data packet belongs to the first data sequence. While the application layer is sending the first data packet to the access layer, the user switches to another scenario. The application layer generates a group of data packets logically associated as a second data sequence for scenario two, including the second data packet. In this case, the data contained in the second data packet belongs to the second data sequence. The access layer identifies that the second data sequence of the data in the received second data packet is different from the first data sequence described by the data in the first data packet, or in other words, the access layer identifies the second data sequence as a new sequence. The access layer then discards the first data packet and no longer transmits the first data packet.

[0085] In mode B, the second data packet carries first indication information, the first indication information indicates the second data sequence, and the access layer discards the first data packet according to the first indication information. For example, the first indication information indicates the sequence number of the second data sequence.

[0086] In one possible approach, each data packet carries an indication of the data sequence to which the data it contains belongs. The application layer can determine whether a new data packet has arrived based on the data sequence indications carried by the two data packets. For example, the data in the first data sequence includes data packets 1 through 10, the sequence number of which is 10. Each of data packets 1 through 10 carries the data sequence sequence number 10. The data in the second data sequence includes data packets 11 through 30, the sequence number of which is 11. That is, each of data packets 11 through 30 carries the data sequence sequence number 11. Data packets 1 through 10 have already been sent to the access layer. The access layer receives data packet 11 and recognizes that the data sequence sequence 11 carried in the second data packet is different from the sequence number 10 carried in data packets 1 through 10. The access layer then discards the first data packet. For example, the access layer clears the first data packet, which is the data packet 1 through 10 that the access layer has not yet sent. Alternatively, the access layer stops sending the first data packet, which is the data packet 1 through 10 that the access layer has not yet sent, but does not clear the data packets 1 through 10 that the access layer has not yet sent.

[0087] In another possible approach, each data packet is not required to carry an indication of the data sequence to which the data it contains belongs. Instead, the second data packet carries first indication information, which indicates that the second data sequence is a new data sequence or the beginning of a new data sequence. For example, the data in the first data sequence includes data packets 1 through 10, with the sequence number of the first data sequence being 10. The data in the second data sequence includes data packets 11 through 30, with the sequence number of the second data sequence being 11. Data packets 1 through 10 have already been sent to the access layer. The application layer carries sequence number 11 in data packet 11. The access layer receives data packet 11, identifies the data sequence with sequence number 11 in the second data packet, and thereby detects the arrival of a data packet from a new data sequence. The access layer then discards the first data packet, which is the data packet from data packets 1 through 10 that has not yet been sent by the access layer. For example, the access layer clears the first data packet that is the data packet from data packets 1 through 10 that has not yet been sent by the access layer. Alternatively, the access layer no longer sends the first data packet that is the data packet from data packets 1 through 10 that has not yet been sent by the access layer, but does not clear the data packets from data packets 1 through 10 that have not yet been sent by the access layer.

[0088] Mode C, the second data packet carries the second indication information, and the second indication information indicates that the first data packet is discarded, that is, the second data packet contains indication information indicating that the first data packet needs to be discarded. In one possible way, the second indication information indicates the first data sequence, and the access layer discards the first data packet based on the first data sequence. For example, the first indication information can indicate the sequence identifier of the first data sequence. One possible scenario is that the application layer generates a set of data under a certain object (such as a picture, AI model, 3D model data, file, etc.) and sends a series of data packets of this set of data to the access layer, but during the sending process, the user cancels the sending of the object. At this time, the set of data has also become invalid. The application layer can carry the second indication information in a certain data packet, or the application layer generates a data packet containing data that does not belong to the first set of data and carries the second indication information. The second indication information can also be understood as a discard indication. In this scenario, a group of data packets for a specific object may be canceled by the user, but no new data packets for the model may be generated. In this case, the data in the first and second data packets belong to the same data sequence, or the data contained in the second data packet does not belong to the data sequence contained in the first data packet. Therefore, the second data packet needs to carry a second indication message, enabling the access layer to trigger the access layer to discard the first data packet based on the second indication message. For example, a terminal intends to send a photo to an access network device. The application layer generates 100 data packets for this photo, namely, packets 1 to 100. After the application layer sends packets 1 to 50 to the access layer, the user cancels the photo transmission. The application layer can carry the first indication message in packet 51, triggering the access layer to discard the unsent packets from packets 1 to 50. In other words, packet 51 is the second data packet, and the unsent packets from packets 1 to 50 are the first data packets. Alternatively, the application layer can generate a new packet 101 in addition to packets 1 to 100, and carry the second indication message in packet 101. The access layer receives packet 101 and discards the unsent packets from packets 1 to 50. That is, data packet 101 is the second data packet, that is, data packet 51 is the second data packet, and the data packets that have not been sent out among data packets 1 to 50 are the first data packets.

[0089] Mode D: The first data packet belongs to the first QoS flow, and the second data packet belongs to the second QoS flow. The access layer discards the first data packet based on the second data packet. Specifically, the access layer clears the first data packet of the first QoS flow based on the arrival of the data packet of the second QoS flow. Specifically, clearing the first data packet of the first QoS flow may include clearing all untransmitted data packets in the DRB corresponding to the first QoS flow and / or clearing the data packets in the first QoS flow waiting for data link layer processing. In one possible mode, the first QoS flow is associated with the second QoS flow. The access layer receives the second data packet and discards one or more data packets in the first QoS flow through the second QoS flow to which the second data packet belongs and the association between the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow. The one or more data packets in the first QoS flow include the first data packet. For example, the association relationship between the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow is that the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow are in a mutually clearing relationship. The mutually clearing relationship between the two QoS flows in this application can also be understood as the access layer clearing the data packets of one QoS flow after the data packets of another QoS flow arrive. The association between the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow can be predefined or configured. If the association between the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow is configured, the method shown in Figure 2 further includes: the access layer receiving first configuration information, the first configuration information indicating that the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow are in a mutually clear relationship. The following table is an example of the first configuration information. The first configuration information can be sent by the core network or an access network device.

[0090] Table 1

[0091] In Table 1, multiple QoS flows with a clearing relationship with each other are configured through the first configuration information. The access layer receives the first configuration information and can obtain the first QoS flow by looking up the table according to the second QoS flow and Table 1, thereby clearing the first data packet in the first QoS flow.

[0092] In the above-mentioned methods A to D, it is introduced how the access layer determines the first data packet based on the second data packet from the content of the second data packet itself. In one possible method, the access layer in this application discards the first data packet based on the second data packet. It can also be reflected from the perspective of the time when the access layer receives the second data packet. For a detailed description, method E is provided.

[0093] In method E, the access layer discards the first data packet based on the second data packet. Specifically, the access layer discards the first data packet based on whether the time interval between the arrival of the second data packet at the access layer and the arrival of the first data packet at the access layer exceeds a threshold. In this method, if the time interval between the time the access layer receives a new data packet and the time interval between the arrival of the previous data packet is large, the access layer may discard the previous data packet. This method is based on the fact that data of the same data sequence is typically generated simultaneously by the application layer and then sent to the access layer. The data packets arrive at the access layer consecutively. If there is a certain period of time between the two data packets, it is highly likely that the two packets belong to different data sequences.

[0094] In one possible embodiment, the method shown in Figure 2 further includes: the access layer receiving first information, the first information indicating that the access layer is permitted to discard the first data packet based on the second data packet. The first information may be sent by an access network device or a core network. In this mode, whether the access layer discards the first data packet based on the second data packet can be a configurable feature, for example, configured by the access network device or the core network, thereby increasing the flexibility of terminal data packet processing. The first information can be interpreted differently in different modes. For example, in modes A and B, the first information can be interpreted as indicating that the access layer is permitted to recognize the receipt of a new data packet and discard the old one. In mode C, the first information can be interpreted as indicating that the access layer is permitted to discard the first data packet based on the second indication information in the second data packet. In mode D, the first information can be interpreted as indicating that the arrival of a subsequent data sequence in a QoS flow can clear the previous data sequence. In mode E, the first information can be interpreted as allowing the access layer to discard the first data packet based on the time interval between the arrival of the second data packet at the access layer and the arrival of the first data packet at the access layer being greater than a threshold.

[0095] In one possible manner, the access layer may also receive second information, the second information coming from the application layer of the terminal, and the second information is used to trigger the access layer to discard the first data packet based on the second data packet. The difference between the first information and the second information is that the first information allows the terminal or the access layer to enable the ability to discard the first data packet based on the second data packet, and the second information is used to actually trigger the terminal or the access layer to discard the first data packet based on the second data packet. For example, the first information is carried in a semi-statically configured signaling, and the second information is carried in a data packet, thereby achieving a separate decision for each data sequence whether to trigger the previous data sequence. Specifically, the access network device or the core network is configured through the first information to allow the terminal to discard the second data packet based on the first data packet within a longer period, and the application layer of the terminal triggers the access layer to discard the first data packet based on the second data packet in real time through the second information.

[0096] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a communication method provided by this application. Figure 3 is for downlink transmission and includes steps S301-S303. For downlink transmission, the access network device performs the corresponding functions of the access layer described in Figure 2, and the core network or server performs the corresponding functions of the application layer described in Figure 2. The following description uses the interaction between the access network device and the core network as an example.

[0097] S301: The core network device sends a first data packet to the access network device. Correspondingly, the access network device receives the first data packet.

[0098] For the description of the first data packet, please refer to S201 in FIG. 2 , which will not be repeated here.

[0099] S302: The core network sends a second data packet to the access network device. Correspondingly, the access network device receives the second data packet.

[0100] For the description of the second data packet, please refer to S202 in FIG. 2 , which will not be described in detail.

[0101] In one possible approach, the first data packet is earlier than the second data packet. Similar to Approach 1 in Figure 2 , the first data packet being earlier than the second data packet means that the core network or server generated the first data sequence earlier than the second data sequence. Similar to Approach 2 in Figure 2 , the first data packet being earlier than the second data packet means that the access network device received the first data sequence earlier than the second data sequence. Similar to Approach 3 in Figure 2 , the first data packet and the second data packet are data packets for different services or scenarios, respectively.

[0102] S303: The access network device discards the first data packet based on the second data packet.

[0103] Specifically, the access network device may discard the first data packet by determining that the discard timer for the first data packet has expired, thereby triggering the discard of the first data packet. Since data packets can be carried in a DRB, discarding the first data packet can also be understood as the access network device resetting the DRB carrying the first data packet in order to clear all data packets within the DRB carrying the first data packet. How the access network device discards the first data packet based on the second data packet can be referred to S203 in Figure 2 and will not be repeated here.

[0104] In a possible embodiment, the method shown in FIG3 further includes: the access network device receives first configuration information sent by the core network, where the first configuration information indicates that the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow are in a mutually clearing relationship.

[0105] In a possible embodiment, the method shown in FIG3 further includes: the access network device receives configuration information of the Qos flow sent by the core network, where the configuration information indicates that the arrival of a subsequent data sequence of the Qos flow can clear the previous data sequence.

[0106] In a possible embodiment, the method described in FIG3 further includes: the access network device receiving first information sent by the core network, where the first information indicates that the access network device is allowed to discard the first data packet according to the second data packet.

[0107] It is understood that, in order to implement the functions described in the above embodiments, the access network equipment and terminals include 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 method steps described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is implemented in hardware or in a hardware-driven manner by computer software depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0108] Figures 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams of the structures of possible communication devices provided in embodiments of the present application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of the terminal or access network device in the above-mentioned method embodiments, thereby also achieving the beneficial effects of the above-mentioned method embodiments. In the embodiments of the present application, the communication device can be the terminal 120 shown in Figure 1, or the access network device 110 shown in Figure 1, or a module (such as a chip) applied to the terminal or access network device.

[0109] As shown in Figure 4, the communication device 400 includes a processing unit 410 and a transceiver unit 420. The communication device 400 is used to implement the functions of the terminal or access network device in the method embodiments of Figures 2 and 3 above.

[0110] When the communication device 400 is used to implement the functions of the terminal in the method embodiment shown in FIG2 : the transceiver unit 420 is used to perform the relevant functions of the access layer in FIG2 ; the processing unit 410 is used to perform the relevant functions of the application layer.

[0111] In one possible manner, the processing unit 410 sends the first data packet and the second data packet to the transceiver unit 420, and the transceiver unit 420 discards the first data packet based on the second data packet. In one possible manner, the transceiver unit 420 receives first configuration information, and the first configuration information indicates that the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow are in a mutually clearing relationship.

[0112] In a possible manner, the transceiver unit 420 receives first information, where the first information indicates that the communication device 400 is allowed to discard the first data packet according to the second data packet.

[0113] In a possible manner, the transceiver unit 420 receives second information, where the second information is used to trigger the transceiver unit 420 to discard the first data packet according to the second data packet.

[0114] When the communication device 400 is used to implement the functions of the access network device or the core network in the method embodiment shown in FIG2 , the communication device 400 may optionally not include the processing unit 410. In one possible embodiment, the transceiver unit 420 is configured to send first configuration information. The first configuration information indicates that the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow are in a mutually clearing relationship. Furthermore, in one possible embodiment, the transceiver unit 420 is configured to send first information indicating that the terminal is allowed to discard the first data packet based on the second data packet.

[0115] When the communication device 400 is used to implement the functions of the access network device in the method embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , the communication device 400 may optionally not include the processing unit 410 .

[0116] In a possible manner, the transceiver unit 410 receives a first data packet and a second data packet.

[0117] In one possible manner, the transceiver unit 410 discards the first data packet according to the second data packet.

[0118] In a possible manner, the transceiver unit 420 receives first configuration information, where the first configuration information indicates that the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow are in a mutually clearing relationship.

[0119] In a possible manner, the transceiver unit 420 receives first information, where the first information indicates that the communication device 400 is allowed to discard the first data packet according to the second data packet.

[0120] In a possible manner, the transceiver unit 420 receives second information, where the second information is used to trigger the transceiver unit 420 to discard the first data packet according to the second data packet.

[0121] When the communication device 400 is used to implement the functions of the core network or the server in the method embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , the communication device 400 may optionally not include the processing unit 410 .

[0122] In one possible manner, the transceiver unit 410 sends a first data packet and a second data packet.

[0123] In a possible manner, the transceiver unit 410 sends first configuration information, where the first configuration information indicates that the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow are in a mutually clearing relationship.

[0124] In a possible manner, the transceiver unit 410 sends first information, where the first information indicates that the access network device is allowed to discard the first data packet according to the second data packet.

[0125] As shown in Figure 5, communication device 500 includes a processor 510 and an interface circuit 520. Processor 510 and interface circuit 520 are coupled to each other. It is understood that interface circuit 520 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. Optionally, communication device 500 may also include a memory 530 for storing instructions executed by processor 510, input data required by processor 510 to execute instructions, or data generated after processor 510 executes instructions.

[0126] [Corrected 17.03.2025 according to Rule 91] When the communication device 500 is used to implement the method shown in Figure 2 or Figure 3, the processor 510 is used to implement the functions of the above-mentioned processing unit 410, and the interface circuit 520 is used to implement the functions of the above-mentioned transceiver unit 420.

[0127] When the communication device is a chip used in a terminal, the terminal chip implements the functions of the terminal in the above-mentioned method embodiments. When the terminal chip receives information from the access network device, it can be understood that the information is first received by other modules in the terminal (such as a radio frequency module or antenna) and then sent to the terminal chip by these modules. When the terminal chip sends information to the access network device, it can be understood that the information is first sent to other modules in the terminal (such as a radio frequency module or antenna) and then sent to the access network device by these modules.

[0128] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip used in an access network device, the access network device chip implements the functions of the access network device in the aforementioned method embodiments. When the access network device chip receives information from a terminal, it can be understood that the information is first received by other modules in the access network device (such as a radio frequency module or antenna) and then transmitted to the access network device chip by these modules. When the access network device chip sends information to a terminal, it can be understood that the information is transmitted to other modules in the access network device (such as a radio frequency module or antenna) and then transmitted to the terminal by these modules.

[0129] In this application, when entity A sends information to entity B, it can be done directly from A to B or indirectly through another entity. Similarly, when entity B receives information from entity A, it can be done directly from entity B or indirectly through another entity. Entities A and B herein can be RAN nodes or terminals, or modules within a RAN node or terminal. The sending and receiving of information can be information exchange between a RAN node and a terminal, for example, between an access network device and a terminal; the sending and receiving of information can also be information exchange between two RAN nodes, for example, between a CU and a DU; the sending and receiving of information can also be information exchange between different modules within a device, for example, between a terminal chip and other modules of the terminal, or between an access network device chip and other modules within the access network device.

[0130] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of the present application may be a central processing unit (CPU), or may be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0131] The method steps in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented in hardware or in software instructions that can be executed by a processor. The software instructions can be composed of corresponding software modules, and the software modules can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, registers, hard disk, mobile hard disk, CD-ROM or any other form of storage medium well known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. The storage medium can also be an integral part of the processor. The processor and storage medium can be located in an ASIC. In addition, the ASIC can be located in an access network device or a terminal. The processor and storage medium can also exist in an access network device or a terminal as discrete components.

[0132] In the above embodiments, all or part of the embodiments may be implemented using software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, all or part of the embodiments may be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of the present application are performed in whole or in part. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user device, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions may be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium may be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; an optical medium, such as a digital video disk; or a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or nonvolatile storage medium, or may include both volatile and nonvolatile types of storage media.

[0133] In the various embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified or there is a logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships.

[0134] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more" means two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. In the text description of this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship; in the formula of this application, the character " / " indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in a "division" relationship. "Including at least one of A, B and C" can mean: including A; including B; including C; including A and B; including A and C; including B and C; including A, B and C.

[0135] It is understood that the various numbers used in the embodiments of this application are merely for ease of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the sequence numbers of the above-mentioned processes does not necessarily imply a specific order of execution; the order of execution of the processes should be determined by their functions and inherent logic.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: Receiving a first data packet; Receiving a second data packet; Discarding the first data packet according to the second data packet.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The data included in the first data packet belongs to a first data sequence, and the data included in the second data packet belongs to a second data sequence. Specifically, discarding the first data packet according to the second data packet means discarding the first data packet because the second data sequence is different from the first data sequence.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein The second data packet carries first indication information, and the first indication information indicates that the data sequence of the data in the second data packet is the second data sequence. The data included in the first data packet belongs to the first data sequence, and the second data sequence is different from the first data sequence.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein Discarding the first data packet according to the second data packet includes: The second data packet carries second indication information, and the second indication information indicates discarding the first data packet. Discard the first data packet according to the second indication information.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein The data included in the first data packet belongs to a first data sequence, and the data included in the second data packet belongs to a second data sequence. The second indication information indicates the first data sequence. Discard the first data packet according to the second indication information.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein The second indication information indicates the sequence identifier of the first data sequence.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receiving first information, and the first information indicates that it is allowed to discard the first data packet according to the second data packet.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein The first data packet belongs to a first Qos Flow, and the second data packet belongs to a second Qos flow. Specifically, discarding the first data packet according to the second data packet means: Clearing the first data packet of the first Qos flow according to the second Qos flow.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The first Qos flow and the second Qos flow are associated.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that The method further includes: Receiving first configuration information, and the first configuration information indicates that the first Qos flow and the second Qos flow are in a relationship of mutual clearing.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8 - 10, characterized in that, The first Qos flow and the second Qos flow are respectively mapped to different DRBs.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1-11, characterized in that, Specifically, discarding the first data packet according to the second data packet means: Discarding the first data packet because the time interval between the arrival time of the second data packet and the arrival time of the first data packet is greater than a threshold.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, The first data packet includes data that has been processed by the DRB and data that has not been processed by the DRB. Specifically, discarding the first data packet means discarding the data in the first data packet that has not been processed by the DRB.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that, Discarding the first data packet according to the second data packet includes: Determining that the discard timer of the first data packet has timed out according to the second data packet, and discarding the first data packet, or discarding all the data of the data radio bearer DRB mapped by the first data packet according to the second data packet.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that, The arrival time of the first data packet at the access stratum is earlier than that of the second data packet, or the generation time of the data included in the first data packet is earlier than the generation time of the data included in the second data packet.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1-15, wherein the first communication device is a terminal device or an access network device.

17. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes a unit or module for performing the method according to any one of claims 1-16.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, A computer program or instruction is stored in the computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program or instruction is executed by a communication device, the method according to any one of claims 1-16 is executed.

19. A computer program product, characterized in that, When the computer program product runs on a computer, it causes the computer to execute the method according to any one of claims 1-16.

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