Beam management method and apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present application are a beam management method and apparatus. The beam management method comprises: a terminal device receiving configuration information from a network device, the configuration information being used for configuring beam management and / or beam reporting; and the terminal device initiating beam reporting to the network device.

Description

Beam management method and device Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of communication technologies. Background Art

[0002] Beam management was introduced in Rel-15. Network equipment (e.g., gNB) can configure terminal devices (e.g., UE) to perform beam sweeping to select beams for communication. The terminal device can report the best beam or beams via physical layer beam reports (e.g., L1 beam reports containing L1-RSRP).

[0003] The network device can configure a list of transmission configuration indication (TCI) states to the terminal device, and the network device can send a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) to the terminal device to activate a subset of TCI states, where the activated TCI state can be further indicated to the terminal device via downlink control information (DCI).

[0004] It should be noted that the above introduction to the technical background is merely intended to provide a clear and complete description of the technical solutions of this application and facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. Simply because these solutions are described in the background technology section of this application, it should not be assumed that the above technical solutions are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The inventors found that the current beam management process is controlled by network equipment, including the network equipment configuring the terminal equipment to perform beam reporting, which will result in large uplink overhead and control signaling overhead.

[0007] To address at least one of the above problems, embodiments of the present application provide a beam management method and apparatus.

[0008] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a beam management method is provided, including:

[0009] The terminal device receives configuration information from the network device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting;

[0010] The terminal device initiates beam reporting to the network device.

[0011] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a beam management device is provided, including:

[0012] A receiving unit, configured to receive configuration information from a network device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting;

[0013] A sending unit initiates beam reporting to the network device.

[0014] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a beam management method is provided, including:

[0015] The network device sends configuration information to the terminal device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting;

[0016] The network device receives the beam report initiated by the terminal device.

[0017] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a beam management device is provided, including:

[0018] A sending unit, which sends configuration information to the terminal device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting;

[0019] A receiving unit, which receives the beam report initiated by the terminal device.

[0020] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a communication system is provided, including:

[0021] A network device that sends configuration information to a terminal device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting;

[0022] A terminal device initiates a beam report to the network device.

[0023] One of the beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present application is that: considering that the terminal device side has more timely information about the beam quality, the terminal device can initiate a beam reporting or beam management process, thereby not only maintaining or improving the accuracy and reliability of beam management, but also reducing signaling overhead.

[0024] With reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, specific embodiments of the present application are disclosed in detail, indicating the manner in which the principles of the present application can be employed. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present application are not limited in scope. Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the embodiments of the present application include many variations, modifications and equivalents.

[0025] Features described and / or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same or similar manner in one or more other embodiments, combined with features in other embodiments, or substituted for features in other embodiments.

[0026] It should be emphasized that the term "include / comprising" when used herein refers to the presence of features, integers, steps or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The elements and features described in one figure or one embodiment of the present application can be combined with the elements and features shown in one or more other figures or embodiments. In addition, in the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals represent corresponding parts in several figures and can be used to indicate corresponding parts used in more than one embodiment.

[0028] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a beam management method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG3 is another schematic diagram of the beam management method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG4 is an example diagram of an event-triggered beam reporting according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] FIG5 is another example diagram of event-triggered beam reporting according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG6 is another example diagram of event-triggered beam reporting according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG7 is another example diagram of event-triggered beam reporting according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG8 is another example diagram of event-triggered beam reporting according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG9 is an example diagram of the application time of candidate beams indicated by the MAC CE according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG10 is an example diagram of the application time of candidate beams indicated by the MAC CE according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG11 is another schematic diagram of the beam management method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of a beam management device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG13 is another schematic diagram of a beam management device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] FIG15 is a schematic diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] The above and other features of the present application will become apparent through the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description and the accompanying drawings, specific embodiments of the present application are disclosed in detail, which illustrate some embodiments in which the principles of the present application can be adopted. It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the described embodiments. On the contrary, the present application includes all modifications, variations and equivalents that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0044] In the embodiments of the present application, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used to distinguish different elements from the name, but do not indicate the spatial arrangement or temporal order of these elements, and these elements should not be limited by these terms. The term "and / or" includes any one and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed terms. The terms "comprising", "including", "having", etc. refer to the presence of the stated features, elements, components or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components or components.

[0045] In the embodiments of this application, the singular forms "a," "the," etc. include plural forms and should be broadly understood to mean "a" or "a type" rather than being limited to "one." Furthermore, the term "said" should be understood to include both singular and plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, the term "according to" should be understood to mean "at least in part based on...", and the term "based on" should be understood to mean "at least in part based on...", unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0046] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "communication network" or "wireless communication network" may refer to a network that complies with any of the following communication standards, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), enhanced Long Term Evolution (LTE-A, LTE-Advanced), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), etc.

[0047] Furthermore, communication between devices in the communication system may be carried out according to communication protocols of any stage, for example, including but not limited to the following communication protocols: 1G (generation), 2G, 2.5G, 2.75G, 3G, 4G, 4.5G and 5G, New Radio (NR), future 6G, etc., and / or other communication protocols currently known or to be developed in the future.

[0048] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "network device" refers to, for example, a device in a communication system that connects a terminal device to the communication network and provides services to the terminal device. Network devices may include, but are not limited to, the following devices: base station (BS), access point (AP), transmission reception point (TRP), broadcast transmitter, mobile management entity (MME), gateway, server, radio network controller (RNC), base station controller (BSC), etc.

[0049] Among them, base stations may include but are not limited to: NodeB (NodeB or NB), evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB) and 5G base station (gNB), IAB host, etc., and may also include remote radio head (RRH, Remote Radio Head), remote radio unit (RRU, Remote Radio Unit), relay (relay) or low-power node (such as femeto, pico, etc.). The term "base station" can include some or all of their functions. Each base station can provide communication coverage for a specific geographical area. The term "cell" can refer to a base station and / or its coverage area, depending on the context in which the term is used.

[0050] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "user equipment" (UE) or "terminal equipment" (TE) refers to, for example, a device that accesses a communication network through a network device and receives network services. A terminal device can be fixed or mobile and may also be referred to as a mobile station (MS), a terminal, a subscriber station (SS), an access terminal (AT), a station, and so on.

[0051] Among them, terminal devices may include but are not limited to the following devices: cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless modems, wireless communication devices, handheld devices, machine-type communication devices, laptop computers, cordless phones, smart phones, smart watches, digital cameras, etc.

[0052] For another example, in scenarios such as the Internet of Things (IoT), the terminal device can also be a machine or device for monitoring or measurement, including but not limited to: machine type communication (MTC) terminal, vehicle-mounted communication terminal, device-to-device (D2D) terminal, machine-to-machine (M2M) terminal, and so on.

[0053] In addition, the term "network side" or "network device side" refers to one side of the network, which can be a base station or one or more network devices as described above. The term "user side" or "terminal side" or "terminal device side" refers to the user or terminal side, which can be a UE or one or more terminal devices as described above. Unless otherwise specified herein, "device" can refer to either network equipment or terminal equipment.

[0054] The following describes the scenarios of the embodiments of the present application through examples, but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0055] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application, schematically illustrating a situation using a terminal device and a network device as an example. As shown in FIG1 , a communication system 100 may include a network device 101 and terminal devices 102 and 103. For simplicity, FIG1 illustrates only two terminal devices and one network device as an example, but the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0056] In the embodiment of the present application, existing services or future services can be transmitted between the network device 101 and the terminal devices 102 and 103. For example, these services may include but are not limited to: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine type communication (mMTC), and ultra-reliable and low-latency communication (URLLC), etc.

[0057] It is worth noting that FIG1 shows that both terminal devices 102 and 103 are within the coverage range of network device 101, but the present application is not limited thereto. Both terminal devices 102 and 103 may not be within the coverage range of network device 101, or one terminal device 102 may be within the coverage range of network device 101 while the other terminal device 103 is outside the coverage range of network device 101.

[0058] In the embodiments of the present application, the high-layer signaling may be, for example, radio resource control (RRC) signaling; for example, an RRC message, including, for example, an MIB, system information, or a dedicated RRC message; or an RRC information element (RRC IE). The high-layer signaling may also be, for example, MAC (Medium Access Control) signaling; or a MAC control element (MAC CE). However, the present application is not limited thereto.

[0059] Embodiments of the first aspect

[0060] An embodiment of the present application provides a beam management method, which is described from the perspective of a terminal device.

[0061] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a beam management method according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG2 , the method includes:

[0062] 201. A terminal device receives configuration information from a network device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting;

[0063] 202. The terminal device initiates a beam report to the network device.

[0064] It is worth noting that FIG2 above is merely a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the present application, and the present application is not limited thereto. For example, the execution order of the various operations may be appropriately adjusted, and other operations may be added or some operations may be reduced. Those skilled in the art may make appropriate modifications based on the above description, and are not limited to the description of FIG2 above.

[0065] In some embodiments, when conditions are met and / or events are triggered, the terminal device reports information of one or more beams to the network device through MAC CE and / or scheduling request (SR).

[0066] For example, for UE-initiated beam management, the UE can autonomously report information about one or more beams to the gNB under certain conditions or if certain events are triggered. For example, the report can be sent through an existing MAC CE or a newly defined MAC CE. In addition to the MAC CE, the UE can be configured with dedicated SR resources or use existing SR resources; this application is not limited to this, and other resources can also be used.

[0067] In some embodiments, the MAC CE includes at least one of the following: a channel state information reference signal resource indicator (CRI, CSI-RS resource indicator), a synchronization signal block resource indicator (SSBRI, SSB resource indicator), L1-RSRP, L1-SINR, a physical layer identifier, a component carrier identifier, a cell identifier, and a bandwidth fraction (BWP) identifier. The present application is not limited thereto, and for example, may include one of the above information, or may include any combination of two or more, or may include other information.

[0068] For example, if multiple CRI / SSBRIs are reported, the MAC CE may include the L1-RSRP / L1-SINR of each CRI / SSBRI. For another example, if multiple CRI / SSBRIs are reported, the MAC CE may include the difference between the L1-RSRP / L1-SINR of the CRI / SSBRI; for example, the MAC CE may include a reference L1-RSRP / L1-SINR and multiple differences based on the reference L1-RSRP / L1-SINR.

[0069] FIG3 is another schematic diagram of the beam management method according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG3 , the method includes:

[0070] 301, the terminal device receives configuration information from the network device;

[0071] For example, the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting, and may include, for example, reference signal configuration for beam management, and may also include resource configuration for beam reporting.

[0072] 302, the terminal device performs beam management;

[0073] For example, a terminal device can perform beam measurement based on the CSI-RS signal received from a network device based on configuration information. For example, beam sweeping can be performed to select one or more candidate beams. Regarding AI / ML-based beam management, non-AI / ML-based beam management can also be used; for details, please refer to the relevant technologies.

[0074] 303. The terminal device initiates a beam report to the network device.

[0075] For example, when an event is triggered or a condition is met, the terminal device autonomously initiates a beam report. The beam report may include only information about the current beam (such as whether the quality has deteriorated) or information about one or more candidate beams.

[0076] It is worth noting that FIG3 above is merely a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the present application, and the present application is not limited thereto. For example, the execution order of the various operations may be appropriately adjusted, and other operations may be added or some operations may be reduced. Those skilled in the art may make appropriate modifications based on the above description, and are not limited to the description of FIG3 above.

[0077] The following is a schematic illustration of the terminal device initiating beam reporting (such as event triggering).

[0078] In some embodiments, the beam reporting is triggered when the quality of a first beam different from the current beam exceeds a first threshold (ΔTH1) and lasts for a first period (ΔT1); wherein the first period and / or the first threshold are predefined or configured.

[0079] Figure 4 is another example diagram of event-triggered beam reporting in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 4, if the UE finds that the quality of another beam (the candidate beam shown in Figure 4) exceeds the threshold ΔTH1 and lasts for ΔT1, the beam reporting is triggered. The threshold (ΔTH1) and / or the period (ΔT1) can be predefined or configurable. Alternatively, the timer (T1) can be predefined or periodically configured, and if the timer expires, the beam reporting is triggered. The quality of the beam can be evaluated based on L1-RSRP / L1-SINR or hypothetical BLER (hypothetical BLRE).

[0080] In some embodiments, the beam reporting is triggered when the quality of a first beam different from the current beam exceeds the quality of the current beam by an amount that reaches a second threshold (ΔTH2) and lasts for a second period (ΔT2); wherein the second period and / or the second threshold are predefined or configured.

[0081] Figure 5 is another example diagram of event-triggered beam reporting in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 5, if the UE finds that the quality of another beam (the candidate beam shown in Figure 5) exceeds the quality of the current beam (the excess is greater than the threshold ΔTH2) and lasts for ΔT2, the beam reporting is triggered. The threshold (ΔTH2) and / or the period (ΔT2) can be predefined or configurable. Alternatively, the timer (T2) can be predefined or periodically configured, and if the timer expires, the beam reporting is triggered. The quality of the beam can be evaluated based on L1-RSRP / L1-SINR or hypothetical BLER (hypothetical BLRE).

[0082] In some embodiments, for example, in the MAC-CE reported by the beam, if only one CRI / SSBRI is reported, the reported CRI / SSBRI is the UE preferred one, for example, the CRI / SSBRI with the highest L1-RSRP / L1-SINR, and the reporting of the L1-RSRP / L1-SINR can be omitted (optional). If multiple CRI / SSBRIs are reported, the first CRI / SSBRI can be the UE preferred one, for example, the CRI / SSBRI with the highest L1-RSRP / L1-SINR.

[0083] For another example, the gNB can configure periodic / semi-persistent reference signals (CSI-RS, SSB) for the UE to monitor / measure (or all SSBs can be used for measurement). In one example, L1-RSRP / L1-SINR reporting is not configured for periodic / semi-persistent reference signals. In another example, reference signals used for beam failure detection and identification of new candidate beams in beam failure recovery can be used by the UE to monitor beam quality.

[0084] For example, averaged or filtered Layer 1 measurements (L1-RSRP / L1-SINR / hypothetical BLER) can be used to trigger an event. For example, if the average L1-RSRP of a candidate beam over a specific period exceeds a specific threshold for the current beam, the event can be triggered.

[0085] For another example, considering carrier aggregation operations, if the UE finds that the quality of another beam on at least one CC exceeds a specific threshold (ΔTH1) and lasts for a specific period (ΔT1), beam reporting is triggered. Alternatively, considering carrier aggregation operations, if the UE finds that the quality of another beam on at least one CC exceeds a specific threshold (ΔTH2) of the current beam and lasts for a specific period (ΔT2), beam reporting is triggered.

[0086] In some embodiments, the beam reporting is triggered when the quality of the current beam is lower than a third threshold (ΔTH3) and lasts for a third period (ΔT3); wherein the third period and / or the third threshold are predefined or configured.

[0087] Figure 6 is another example diagram of event-triggered beam reporting in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 6, if the UE finds that the quality of the current beam is lower than the threshold ΔTH3 and lasts for ΔT3, the beam reporting is triggered. The threshold (ΔTH3) and / or the period (ΔT3) can be predefined or configurable. Alternatively, the timer (T3) can be predefined or periodically configured, and if the timer expires, the beam reporting is triggered. The quality of the beam can be evaluated based on L1-RSRP / L1-SINR or hypothetical BLER (hypothetical BLRE).

[0088] In some embodiments, for example, in a beam-reported MAC CE, the L1-RSRP / L1-SINR of the current beam (or current TCI state) is reported. The current beam (or current TCI state) may be included in the MAC CE, or may not be included in the MAC CE. The UE may continue to measure the current beam (current TCI state). For example, the UE may continue to monitor the PDCCH / CORESET.

[0089] For another example, averaged or filtered layer 1 measurements (L1-RSRP / L1-SINR / hypothetical BLER) can be used to trigger an event. For example, if the average L1-RSRP of the current beam over a specific period is below a specific threshold, the event can be triggered.

[0090] For another example, considering carrier aggregation operation, if on at least one CC, the UE finds that the quality of the current beam (or current TCI state) is lower than a specific threshold (ΔTH3) and lasts for a specific period (ΔT3), beam reporting is triggered.

[0091] In some embodiments, the beam reporting is triggered when the quality of a first beam different from the current beam exceeds a first threshold (ΔTH1) and lasts for a first period (ΔT1), and the quality of the current beam is lower than a third threshold (ΔTH3) and lasts for a third period (ΔT3); wherein the first period and / or the first threshold and / or the third period and / or the third threshold are predefined or configured.

[0092] Figure 7 is another example diagram of event-triggered beam reporting in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 7, if the UE finds that the quality of the current beam is lower than the threshold ΔTH3 and lasts for ΔT3, and the quality of another beam (the candidate beam shown in Figure 7) exceeds the threshold ΔTH1 and lasts for ΔT1, the beam reporting is triggered. The threshold (ΔTH1) and / or the period (ΔT1) and / or the threshold (ΔTH3) and / or the period (ΔT3) can be predefined or configurable. Alternatively, the timer (T4) can be predefined or periodically configured, and if the timer expires, the beam reporting is triggered. The quality of the beam can be evaluated based on L1-RSRP / L1-SINR or hypothetical BLER (hypothetical BLRE).

[0093] In addition, in the MAC CE, the UE can also report one or more beams that the UE prefers, i.e., candidate beams, to the gNB. For example, if the quality of one or more beams exceeds a threshold ΔTH4 for a period (ΔT4), the beam can be reported as a candidate beam. The threshold (ΔTH4) and period (ΔT4) can be predefined or configurable. Alternatively, the timer (T4) can be predefined or periodically configured. ΔTH4, ΔT4, and T4 can be the same as ΔTH1, ΔT1, and T1, respectively.

[0094] In some embodiments, the beam reporting is triggered when the quality of a first beam different from the current beam exceeds the quality of the current beam by an amount that reaches a second threshold (ΔTH2) and lasts for a second period (ΔT2), and the quality of the current beam is lower than a third threshold (ΔTH3) and lasts for a third period (ΔT3); wherein the second period and / or the second threshold and / or the third period and / or the third threshold are predefined or configured.

[0095] Figure 8 is another example diagram of event-triggered beam reporting in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 8, if the UE finds that the quality of the current beam is lower than the threshold ΔTH3 and lasts for ΔT3, and the quality of another beam (the candidate beam shown in Figure 8) exceeds the quality of the current beam (the amount of excess is greater than the threshold ΔTH2) and lasts for ΔT2, then the beam reporting is triggered. The threshold (ΔTH2) and / or the period (ΔT2) and / or the threshold (ΔTH3) and / or the period (ΔT3) can be predefined or configurable. Alternatively, the timer (T5) can be predefined or periodically configured, and if the timer expires, the beam reporting is triggered. The quality of the beam can be evaluated based on L1-RSRP / L1-SINR or hypothetical BLER (hypothetical BLRE).

[0096] In addition, in the MAC CE, the UE can also report one or more beams that the UE prefers, i.e., candidate beams, to the gNB. For example, if the quality of one or more beams exceeds a certain threshold (ΔTH5) for a certain period (ΔT5) over the current beam, the beam can be reported as a candidate beam. The threshold (ΔTH5) and period (ΔT5) can be predefined or configurable. Alternatively, the timer (T5) can be predefined or periodically configured. ΔTH5, ΔT5, and T5 can be the same as ΔTH2, ΔT2, and T2, respectively.

[0097] In some embodiments, for example, in the MAC-CE reported by the beam, if only one CRI / SSBRI is reported, the reported CRI / SSBRI is the UE preferred one, for example, the CRI / SSBRI with the highest L1-RSRP / L1-SINR, and the reporting of the L1-RSRP / L1-SINR can be omitted (optional). If multiple CRI / SSBRIs are reported, the first CRI / SSBRI can be the UE preferred one, for example, the CRI / SSBRI with the highest L1-RSRP / L1-SINR.

[0098] For another example, the MAC CE may include the quality of the current beam (current TCI state), or may not include the quality of the current beam (current TCI state). The triggering of the MAC CE may implicitly carry information that the quality of the current beam is poor.

[0099] For another example, the UE may continue to measure the current beam (current TCI state). For example, the UE may continue to monitor the PDCCH / CORESET. The gNB may configure periodic / semi-persistent reference signals (CSI-RS, SSB) for the UE to monitor / measure (or all SSBs may be used for measurement). In one example, L1-RSRP / L1-SINR reporting is not configured for periodic / semi-persistent reference signals. In another example, reference signals used for beam failure detection and identification of new candidate beams in beam failure recovery may be used by the UE to monitor beam quality.

[0100] For example, averaged or filtered layer 1 measurements (L1-RSRP / L1-SINR / hypothetical BLER) can be used to trigger an event. For example, if the average L1-RSRP of the current beam over a specific period is below a specific threshold, the event can be triggered.

[0101] For another example, considering carrier aggregation operation, if on at least one CC, the UE finds that the quality of the current beam (or current TCI state) is lower than a specific threshold (ΔTH3) and lasts for a specific period (ΔT3), and the quality of the candidate beam exceeds the quality of the current beam (the excess is greater than the threshold ΔTH2) and lasts for ΔT2, then beam reporting is triggered.

[0102] The above schematically illustrates the triggering of beam reporting, and the present application is further explained below.

[0103] In some embodiments, for beam reporting initiated by a terminal device, parameters for beam reporting are configured according to component carriers (CCs); the parameters for beam reporting include at least one of the following: a threshold, a period, and a timer, but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0104] In some embodiments, for beam reporting initiated by a terminal device, parameters for beam reporting are configured for all CCs; the parameters for beam reporting include at least one of the following: a threshold, a period, and a timer, but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0105] In some embodiments, for beam reporting initiated by a terminal device, candidate beams are reported according to component carriers (CCs), or candidate beams are reported for all CCs, or candidate beams are reported for some CCs, or candidate beams are reported for a subset of all CCs.

[0106] In some embodiments, when the serving beam (or current TCI state) is changed, the timer for the beam report initiated by the terminal device is restarted.

[0107] In some embodiments, multiple events are predefined; one MAC CE corresponds to one event, or one or more events are indicated in one MAC CE.

[0108] For example, multiple events (of different types) may be defined, such as event type 1, event type 2, etc. Multiple MAC-CEs may be introduced, for example, one MAC CE for each event. Alternatively, the same MAC CE may be used, and the event type may be indicated in the MAC CE.

[0109] For another example, multiple MAC CEs may be defined, for example, one MAC CE is used for one CC, and another MAC CE is used for multiple CCs.

[0110] In some embodiments, for the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device, the reported MAC CE includes information that the quality of the current beam (or current TCI state) has deteriorated, then TCI switching is triggered by the network device through DCI, or beam measurement and / or TCI state update is triggered by the network device through RRC and / or MAC CE.

[0111] For example, for a UE-initiated beam management procedure, if the reported MAC CE only contains information that the current serving beam (current TCI state) has deteriorated, the gNB may trigger a TCI switch (e.g., via DCI) after receiving the MAC CE. Alternatively, the gNB may trigger beam measurement and then perform a TCI switch or TCI state update.

[0112] In some embodiments, for the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device, the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information and the candidate beam is not in the activated TCI state, then the TCI state update is triggered by the network device, or the beam measurement is triggered by the network device.

[0113] For example, for a UE-initiated beam management procedure, if the reported MAC CE contains candidate beam information and the candidate beam is not in an activated TCI state, the gNB may trigger a TCI state update after receiving the MAC CE. Alternatively, the gNB may trigger beam measurement and then perform TCI switching or TCI state update.

[0114] In some embodiments, for the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device, the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information and the candidate beam is in an activated TCI state, then the TCI status update is triggered by the network device, or the beam measurement and / or TCI status update is triggered by the network device through RRC and / or MAC CE.

[0115] For example, for a UE-initiated beam management procedure, if the reported MAC CE contains candidate beam information and the candidate beam is in an activated TCI state, the gNB may trigger a TCI state update after receiving the MAC CE. Alternatively, the gNB may trigger beam measurement and then perform a TCI switch or TCI state update.

[0116] In some embodiments, for the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device, the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information and the candidate beam is in an activated TCI state, then TCI switching is triggered by the network device through DCI, or beam measurement and / or TCI status update is triggered by the network device through RRC and / or MAC CE.

[0117] For example, for a UE-initiated beam management procedure, if the reported MAC CE contains candidate beam information and the candidate beam is in an activated TCI state, the gNB may trigger a TCI switch (e.g., via DCI) after receiving the MAC CE. Alternatively, the gNB may trigger beam measurement and then perform a TCI switch or TCI state update.

[0118] In some embodiments, for the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device, the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information and the candidate beam is in an activated TCI state, then TCI switching is triggered by the terminal device through the MAC CE, and the reported MAC CE is used for beam switching or TCI state switching.

[0119] For example, for a UE-initiated beam management procedure, if the reported MAC CE contains candidate beam information and the candidate beam is in an activated TCI state, the MAC CE reported by the UE can be used for beam switching or TCI state switching. The candidate beam indicated in the MAC CE will be used for communication.

[0120] For another example, the gNB may confirm receipt of a MAC CE for beam reporting. The UE receives a confirmation from the gNB indicating receipt of the MAC CE, and the candidate beam indicated in the MAC CE is used by the terminal device and the network device.

[0121] In one example, the acknowledgement may be a normal uplink grant that schedules a new transmission with the same HARQ process ID as the PUSCH carrying the MAC CE.

[0122] Figure 9 is an example diagram of the application time of candidate beams indicated by a MAC CE according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 9, when the gNB receives a MAC CE for beam reporting and sends an acknowledgment in timeslot n corresponding to the PUSCH carrying the MAC CE, the candidate beam indicated in the MAC CE is applied to communication starting from the first timeslot after timeslot n + ΔT6, where ΔT6 may be predefined or configurable, or depend on UE capabilities.

[0123] In some embodiments, for the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device, the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information, and the candidate beam indicated in the MAC CE is indicated by the network device as an activated TCI state through DCI.

[0124] For example, for a UE-initiated beam management procedure, if the reported MAC CE contains candidate beam information (regardless of whether the candidate beam is in the currently activated TCI state), the candidate beam contained in the MAC CE can be considered as a newly activated TCI state. The gNB can use DCI to indicate the newly activated TCI state. That is, the gNB does not need to send further signaling to update the TCI state list and activate the TCI state through the existing MAC CE.

[0125] For another example, the gNB acknowledges receipt of a MAC CE for a beam report. In one example, the acknowledgement can be a normal uplink grant that schedules a new transmission with the same HARQ process ID as the PUSCH carrying the MAC CE.

[0126] Figure 10 is an example diagram of the application time of candidate beams indicated by a MAC CE according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 10, when the gNB receives a MAC CE for beam reporting and sends an acknowledgment in timeslot n corresponding to the PUSCH carrying the MAC CE, the candidate beam indicated in the MAC CE is set to an activated TCI state starting from the first timeslot after timeslot n + ΔT7, where ΔT7 may be predefined or configurable, or depend on UE capabilities.

[0127] In some embodiments, for the UE-initiated beam management procedure, the maximum number of candidate beams included in the MAC CE may be the same as the number that can be indicated in the existing MAC CE with the TCI state activated; for example, the maximum number of candidate beams is 8. Alternatively, the maximum number of candidate beams included in the MAC-CE may be different from that in the existing MAC CE.

[0128] The above embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Appropriate modifications may be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments may be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments may be combined.

[0129] It can be seen from the above embodiments that, considering that the terminal device side has more timely information about beam quality, the terminal device can initiate a beam reporting or beam management process, which can not only maintain or improve the accuracy and reliability of beam management, but also reduce signaling overhead.

[0130] Embodiments of the second aspect

[0131] The embodiment of the present application provides a beam management method, which is described from the perspective of a network device. The embodiment of the second aspect can be combined with the embodiment of the first aspect, and the same contents as the embodiment of the first aspect will not be repeated.

[0132] FIG11 is another schematic diagram of a beam management method according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG11 , the method includes:

[0133] 1101. The network device sends configuration information to the terminal device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting; and

[0134] 1102. The network device receives the beam report initiated by the terminal device.

[0135] The above embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Appropriate modifications may be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments may be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments may be combined.

[0136] It can be seen from the above embodiments that, considering that the terminal device side has more timely information about beam quality, the terminal device can initiate a beam reporting or beam management process, which can not only maintain or improve the accuracy and reliability of beam management, but also reduce signaling overhead.

[0137] Embodiments of the third aspect

[0138] The embodiment of the present application provides a beam management device. The device may be, for example, a terminal device, or one or more components or assemblies configured in the terminal device. The contents that are the same as those in the first and second aspects of the embodiment are not repeated here.

[0139] FIG12 is another schematic diagram of a beam management device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG12 , the beam management device 1200 according to an embodiment of the present application includes:

[0140] A receiving unit 1201 receives configuration information from a network device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting;

[0141] The sending unit 1202 initiates a beam report to the network device.

[0142] In some embodiments, the sending unit 1202 reports information of one or more beams to the network device via MAC CE and / or scheduling request (SR) when conditions are met and / or events are triggered.

[0143] In some embodiments, the MAC CE includes at least one of the following: CRI, SSBRI, L1-RSRP, L1-SINR, physical layer identifier, component carrier identifier, cell identifier, and bandwidth portion (BWP) identifier.

[0144] In some embodiments, the beam reporting is triggered when the quality of a first beam different from the current beam exceeds a first threshold (ΔTH1) and lasts for a first period (ΔT1); wherein the first period and / or the first threshold are predefined or configured.

[0145] In some embodiments, the beam reporting is triggered when the quality of a first beam different from the current beam exceeds the quality of the current beam by an amount that reaches a second threshold (ΔTH2) and lasts for a second period (ΔT2); wherein the second period and / or the second threshold are predefined or configured.

[0146] In some embodiments, the beam reporting is triggered when the quality of the current beam is lower than a third threshold (ΔTH3) and lasts for a third period (ΔT3); wherein the third period and / or the third threshold are predefined or configured.

[0147] In some embodiments, the beam reporting is triggered when the quality of a first beam different from the current beam exceeds a first threshold (ΔTH1) and lasts for a first period (ΔT1), and the quality of the current beam is lower than a third threshold (ΔTH3) and lasts for a third period (ΔT3); wherein the first period and / or the first threshold and / or the third period and / or the third threshold are predefined or configured.

[0148] In some embodiments, the beam reporting is triggered when the quality of a first beam different from the current beam exceeds the quality of the current beam by an amount that reaches a second threshold (ΔTH2) and lasts for a second period (ΔT2), and the quality of the current beam is lower than a third threshold (ΔTH3) and lasts for a third period (ΔT3); wherein the second period and / or the second threshold and / or the third period and / or the third threshold are predefined or configured.

[0149] In some embodiments, for beam reporting initiated by a terminal device, parameters for beam reporting are configured according to component carriers (CCs), or parameters for beam reporting are configured for all CCs; wherein the parameters for beam reporting include at least one of the following: a threshold, a period, and a timer.

[0150] In some embodiments, for beam reporting initiated by a terminal device, candidate beams are reported according to component carriers (CCs), or candidate beams are reported for all CCs, or candidate beams are reported for some CCs, or candidate beams are reported for a subset of all CCs.

[0151] In some embodiments, when the serving beam (or current TCI state) is changed, the timer for the beam report initiated by the terminal device is restarted.

[0152] In some embodiments, multiple events are predefined; one MAC CE corresponds to one event, or one or more events are indicated in one MAC CE.

[0153] In some embodiments, for the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device, the reported MAC CE includes information that the quality of the current beam (or current TCI state) has deteriorated, then TCI switching is triggered by the network device through DCI, or beam measurement and / or TCI state update is triggered by the network device through RRC and / or MAC CE.

[0154] In some embodiments, for the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device, the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information and the candidate beam is not in the activated TCI state, then the TCI state update is triggered by the network device, or the beam measurement is triggered by the network device.

[0155] In some embodiments, for the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device, the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information and the candidate beam is in an activated TCI state, then the TCI status update is triggered by the network device, or the beam measurement and / or TCI status update is triggered by the network device through RRC and / or MAC CE.

[0156] In some embodiments, for the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device, the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information and the candidate beam is in an activated TCI state, then TCI switching is triggered by the network device through DCI, or beam measurement and / or TCI status update is triggered by the network device through RRC and / or MAC CE.

[0157] In some embodiments, for the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device, the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information and the candidate beam is in an activated TCI state, then TCI switching is triggered by the terminal device through the MAC CE, and the reported MAC CE is used for beam switching or TCI state switching.

[0158] In some embodiments, the receiving unit 1201 further receives an acknowledgment from the network device indicating that the MAC CE is received, and the candidate beams indicated in the MAC CE are used by the terminal device and the network device.

[0159] In some embodiments, for the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device, the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information, and the candidate beam indicated in the MAC CE is indicated by the network device as an activated TCI state through DCI.

[0160] The above embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Appropriate modifications may be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments may be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments may be combined.

[0161] It is worth noting that the above only describes the components or modules related to the present application, but the present application is not limited thereto. The beam management device 1200 may also include other components or modules. For the specific contents of these components or modules, reference may be made to the relevant art.

[0162] In addition, for the sake of simplicity, FIG12 only illustrates the connection relationship or signal direction between various components or modules. However, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that various related technologies such as bus connection can be used. The above-mentioned components or modules can be implemented by hardware facilities such as processors, memories, transmitters, and receivers; the implementation of this application is not limited to this.

[0163] It can be seen from the above embodiments that, considering that the terminal device side has more timely information about beam quality, the terminal device can initiate a beam reporting or beam management process, which can not only maintain or improve the accuracy and reliability of beam management, but also reduce signaling overhead.

[0164] Embodiments of the fourth aspect

[0165] The embodiment of the present application provides a beam management device. The device may be, for example, a network device, or one or more components or assemblies configured in the network device. The contents that are the same as those in the first to third aspects of the embodiment are not repeated here.

[0166] FIG13 is another schematic diagram of a beam management device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG13 , the beam management device 1300 includes:

[0167] A sending unit 1301 sends configuration information to a terminal device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting;

[0168] The receiving unit 1302 receives the beam reporting initiated by the terminal device.

[0169] The above embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Appropriate modifications may be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments may be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments may be combined.

[0170] It is worth noting that the above only describes the components or modules related to the present application, but the present application is not limited thereto. The beam management device 1300 may also include other components or modules. For the specific contents of these components or modules, reference may be made to the relevant art.

[0171] In addition, for the sake of simplicity, FIG13 only illustrates the connection relationship or signal direction between various components or modules. However, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that various related technologies such as bus connection can be used. The above-mentioned components or modules can be implemented by hardware facilities such as processors, memories, transmitters, and receivers; the implementation of this application is not limited to this.

[0172] It can be seen from the above embodiments that, considering that the terminal device side has more timely information about beam quality, the terminal device can initiate a beam reporting or beam management process, which can not only maintain or improve the accuracy and reliability of beam management, but also reduce signaling overhead.

[0173] Embodiments of the fifth aspect

[0174] An embodiment of the present application also provides a communication system, and reference may be made to FIG1 . The contents that are the same as those in the first to fourth aspects of the embodiments will not be repeated.

[0175] In some embodiments, the communication system 100 may include at least:

[0176] A network device that sends configuration information to a terminal device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting;

[0177] A terminal device initiates a beam report to the network device.

[0178] The embodiment of the present application also provides a terminal device, but the present application is not limited thereto and may also be other devices.

[0179] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 14 , terminal device 1400 may include a processor 1410 and a memory 1420. Memory 1420 stores data and programs and is coupled to processor 1410. It should be noted that this diagram is exemplary; other types of structures may be used to supplement or replace this structure to implement telecommunication or other functions.

[0180] For example, the processor 1410 may be configured to execute a program to implement the beam management method as described in the embodiment of the first aspect. For example, the processor 1410 may be configured to perform the following control: receiving configuration information from a network device; using the configuration information to configure beam management and / or beam reporting; and initiating beam reporting to the network device.

[0181] As shown in Figure 14 , the terminal device 1400 may further include: a communication module 1430, an input unit 1440, a display 1450, and a power supply 1460. The functions of these components are similar to those in the prior art and are not described in detail here. It is worth noting that the terminal device 1400 does not necessarily include all of the components shown in Figure 14 , and these components are not essential. Furthermore, the terminal device 1400 may also include components not shown in Figure 14 , for which reference may be made to the prior art.

[0182] An embodiment of the present application further provides a network device, which may be, for example, a base station, but the present application is not limited thereto and may also be other network devices.

[0183] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 15 , network device 1500 may include a processor 1510 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)) and a memory 1520; memory 1520 is coupled to processor 1510. Memory 1520 may store various data and may also store an information processing program 1530, which is executed under the control of processor 1510.

[0184] For example, the processor 1510 may be configured to execute a program to implement the beam management method as described in the embodiment of the second aspect. For example, the processor 1510 may be configured to perform the following control: sending configuration information to a terminal device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting; and receiving a beam reporting initiated by the terminal device.

[0185] In addition, as shown in FIG15 , network device 1500 may further include: a transceiver 1540 and an antenna 1550, etc.; wherein, the functions of the above components are similar to those in the prior art and are not described in detail here. It is worth noting that network device 1500 does not necessarily include all the components shown in FIG15 ; in addition, network device 1500 may also include components not shown in FIG15 , and reference may be made to the prior art for details.

[0186] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program, wherein when the program is executed in a terminal device, the program enables the terminal device to perform the beam management method described in the embodiment of the first aspect.

[0187] An embodiment of the present application also provides a storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program enables a terminal device to execute the beam management method described in the embodiment of the first aspect.

[0188] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program, wherein when the program is executed in a network device, the program enables the network device to perform the beam management method described in the embodiment of the second aspect.

[0189] An embodiment of the present application also provides a storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program enables a network device to execute the beam management method described in the embodiment of the second aspect.

[0190] The above devices and methods of the present application can be implemented by hardware or by a combination of hardware and software. The present application relates to such a computer-readable program that, when executed by a logic component, enables the logic component to implement the devices or components described above, or enables the logic component to implement the various methods or steps described above. The present application also relates to a storage medium for storing the above program, such as a hard disk, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a DVD, a flash memory, etc.

[0191] The method / device described in conjunction with the embodiments of the present application can be directly embodied as hardware, a software module executed by a processor, or a combination of the two. For example, one or more of the functional block diagrams shown in the figure and / or one or more combinations of functional block diagrams can correspond to various software modules of the computer program flow or to various hardware modules. These software modules can respectively correspond to the various steps shown in the figure. These hardware modules can be implemented by solidifying these software modules, for example, using a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0192] The software module may be located in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. A storage medium may be coupled to a processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium; or the storage medium may be an integral part of the processor. The processor and the storage medium may be located in an ASIC. The software module may be stored in the memory of the mobile terminal or in a memory card that can be inserted into the mobile terminal. For example, if the device (such as a mobile terminal) uses a large-capacity MEGA-SIM card or a large-capacity flash memory device, the software module may be stored in the MEGA-SIM card or the large-capacity flash memory device.

[0193] One or more of the functional blocks and / or one or more combinations of functional blocks described in the accompanying drawings may be implemented as a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, a discrete hardware component, or any appropriate combination thereof for performing the functions described in this application. One or more of the functional blocks and / or one or more combinations of functional blocks described in the accompanying drawings may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in communication with a DSP, or any other such configuration.

[0194] The present application has been described above in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, those skilled in the art should understand that these descriptions are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations to the present application based on the spirit and principles of the present application, and such modifications and variations are also within the scope of the present application.

[0195] Regarding the implementation methods including the above embodiments, the following additional notes are also disclosed:

[0196] 1. A beam management method, comprising:

[0197] The terminal device receives configuration information from the network device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting;

[0198] The terminal device initiates beam reporting to the network device.

[0199] 2. A beam management method, comprising:

[0200] The network device sends configuration information to the terminal device; the configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting;

[0201] The network device receives the beam report initiated by the terminal device.

[0202] 3. A terminal device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement the beam management method as described in Note 1.

[0203] 4. A network device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement the beam management method as described in Note 2.

Claims

1. A beam management device, comprising: a receiving unit configured to receive configuration information from a network device; the configuration information being used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting; a transmitting unit configured to initiate beam reporting to the network device.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein The transmitting unit reports information of one or more beams to the network device through MAC CE and / or scheduling request when conditions are met and / or an event is triggered.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein The MAC CE includes at least one of the following: CRI, SSBRI, L1-RSRP, L1-SINR, physical layer identifier, member carrier identifier, cell identifier, partial bandwidth identifier.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein, If the quality of a first beam different from the current beam exceeds a first threshold and lasts for a first period, the beam reporting is triggered; wherein the first period and / or the first threshold are predefined or configured.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein If the amount by which the quality of a first beam different from the current beam exceeds the quality of the current beam reaches a second threshold and lasts for a second period, the beam reporting is triggered; wherein the second period and / or the second threshold are predefined or configured.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein If the quality of the current beam is lower than a third threshold and lasts for a third period, the beam reporting is triggered; wherein the third period and / or the third threshold are predefined or configured.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, If the quality of a first beam different from the current beam exceeds a first threshold and lasts for a first period, and the quality of the current beam is lower than a third threshold and lasts for a third period, the beam reporting is triggered; wherein the first period and / or the first threshold and / or the third period and / or the third threshold are predefined or configured.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein If the amount by which the quality of a first beam different from the current beam exceeds the quality of the current beam reaches a second threshold and lasts for a second period, and the quality of the current beam is lower than a third threshold and lasts for a third period, the beam reporting is triggered; wherein the second period and / or the second threshold and / or the third period and / or the third threshold are predefined or configured.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein For beam reporting initiated by a terminal device, the parameters for beam reporting are configured according to member carriers, or the parameters for beam reporting are configured for all member carriers; wherein the parameters for beam reporting include at least one of the following: threshold, period, timer.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein, For beam reporting initiated by a terminal device, candidate beams are reported according to member carriers, or candidate beams are reported for all member carriers, or candidate beams are reported for some member carriers, or candidate beams are reported for a subset of all member carriers.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein, If the serving beam or the current TCI state is changed, the timer for beam reporting initiated by the terminal device is restarted.

12. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, Multiple events are predefined; One MAC CE corresponds to one event, or one or more events are indicated in one MAC CE.

13. The device according to claim 2, wherein For beam reporting initiated by a terminal device, if the reported MAC CE includes information indicating that the quality of the current beam or the current TCI state has deteriorated, then the TCI handover is triggered by the network device through DCI, or beam measurement and / or TCI state update is triggered by the network device through RRC and / or MAC CE.

14. The device according to claim 2, wherein, For beam reporting initiated by a terminal device, if the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information and the candidate beam is not in the active TCI state, then the TCI state update is triggered by the network device, or beam measurement is triggered by the network device.

15. The device according to claim 2, wherein, For beam reporting initiated by a terminal device, if the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information and the candidate beam is in the active TCI state, then the TCI handover is triggered by the network device through DCI, or beam measurement and / or TCI state update is triggered by the network device through RRC and / or MAC CE.

16. The device according to claim 2, wherein, For beam reporting initiated by a terminal device, if the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information and the candidate beam is in the active TCI state, then the TCI handover is triggered by the terminal device through the MAC CE, and the reported MAC CE is used for beam handover or TCI state handover.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein, The receiving unit further receives an acknowledgement from the network device indicating that the MAC CE has been received, and the candidate beam indicated in the MAC CE is used by the terminal device and the network device.

18. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, For beam reporting initiated by a terminal device, if the reported MAC CE includes candidate beam information, then the candidate beam indicated in the MAC CE is indicated by the network device as the active TCI state through DCI.

19. A beam management apparatus, comprising: A sending unit, which sends configuration information to a terminal device; The configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting; A receiving unit, which receives beam reporting initiated by the terminal device.

20. A communication system, comprising: A network device, which sends configuration information to a terminal device; The configuration information is used to configure beam management and / or beam reporting; A terminal device, which initiates beam reporting to the network device.

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