Communication methods and related device

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present application are communication methods and a related device. A method is executed by a first device, or the method is executed by some components (such as a processor, a chip or a chip system, etc.) in the first device, or the method can be implemented by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or some functions of the first device. The method comprises: the first device first determines indication information and then transmits the indication information, the indication information being used for indicating an association relationship between a first demodulation reference signal (DMRS) transmitted on a first precoding resource block group (PRG) and data streams on a second PRG, and the first PRG and the second PRG being different PRGs. The indication information is used to indicate the association relationship between the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG and the data streams on second PRG, so that the data streams on the second PRG can multiplex the first DMRS on the first PRG, which can reduce the DMRS overhead of the second PRG, thereby supporting a higher number of data streams.

Description

A communication method and related equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on January 18, 2024, with application number 202410077620.9 and application name “A Communication Method and Related Equipment”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of wireless technology, and in particular to a communication method and related equipment. Background Art

[0003] Wireless communication can be the transmission of information between two or more communication nodes without using conductors or cables, or over the air. For example, communication nodes include network devices and terminal devices. Generally, terminal devices can access network devices and receive scheduling and instruction information from them to achieve wireless communication.

[0004] Currently, multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) systems transmit multiple streams simultaneously. To help the receiving side accurately estimate the channel or equivalent channel of each stream, multiple demodulation reference signal (DMRS) resources are configured to transmit DMRSs for multiple ports, with the number of DMRS ports equal to the number of streams. With the continued evolution of massive MIMO, the scale of base station and terminal antennas continues to increase, and the number of transmission streams continues to increase, which in turn increases the demand for DMRS capacity expansion.

[0005] Therefore, how to increase the number of data streams without increasing DMRS resource overhead is a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present application provides a communication method and related equipment, which can support a higher number of data streams through DMRS multiplexing.

[0007] The first aspect of the present application provides a communication method, which is executed by a first device, or the method is executed by some components in the first device (such as a processor, a chip or a chip system, etc.), or the method can also be implemented by a logic module or software that can realize all or part of the functions of the first device. In the first aspect and its possible implementation, the method is described as being executed by the first device. In this method, the first device first determines the indication information, then sends the indication information, and transmits the data stream based on the association relationship. The indication information is used to indicate the association relationship between the first demodulation reference signal DMRS transmitted on the first precoding resource block group (PRG) and the data stream on the second PRG. The indication information can also be understood as the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG is used for channel estimation of the data stream on the second PRG, and the first PRG and the second PRG are different PRGs.

[0008] Based on the above solution, the association between the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG and the data stream on the second PRG is indicated by the indication information. That is, the data stream on the second PRG can reuse the first DMRS on the first PRG, and the second PRG can support more data streams with lower DMRS overhead, thereby increasing the amount of data transmitted on the second PRG.

[0009] The second aspect of the present application provides a communication method, which is executed by a second device, or the method is executed by some components in the second device (such as a processor, chip or chip system, etc.), or the method can also be implemented by a logic module or software that can realize all or part of the functions of the second device. In the first aspect and its possible implementation, the method is described as being executed by the second device. In this method, the second device receives indication information and transmits a data stream based on an association relationship. The indication information is used to indicate the association relationship between the first demodulation reference signal DMRS transmitted on the first PRG and the data stream on the second PRG. The indication information can also be understood as the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG is used for channel estimation of the data stream on the second PRG, and the first PRG and the second PRG are different PRGs.

[0010] Based on the above solution, the association between the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG and the data stream on the second PRG is indicated by the indication information. That is, the data stream on the second PRG can reuse the first DMRS on the first PRG, and the second PRG can support more data streams with lower DMRS overhead, thereby increasing the amount of data transmitted on the second PRG.

[0011] Optionally, in a possible implementation manner of the first aspect or the second aspect, the above steps further include: transmitting the data stream based on the indication information.

[0012] In this possible implementation, the first device and the second device may multiplex DMRSs on different PRGs, thereby supporting more data streams with lower DMRS overhead on the second PRG, thereby increasing the amount of data transmitted on the second PRG.

[0013] Optionally, in a possible implementation of the first aspect or the second aspect, the above-mentioned first PRG is used to transmit N first data streams and the first DMRS; the second PRG is used to transmit M second data streams; the first DMRS is used for channel estimation of all or part of the N first data streams, and the first DMRS is also used for channel estimation of M second data streams, where N and M are positive integers.

[0014] In this possible implementation, the M second data streams transmitted on the second PRG can reuse the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG for channel estimation, so that more data streams can be supported on the second PRG with lower DMRS overhead, thereby increasing the amount of data transmitted on the second PRG.

[0015] Optionally, in a possible implementation of the first aspect or the second aspect, the above-mentioned first DMRS is also associated with the data stream on the first PRG, and has the same parameters as the data stream on different PRGs that are associated with the same DMRS in the first DMRS, and the parameters include at least one of the following: precoding matrix, antenna port, and analog beam.

[0016] In this possible implementation, limiting the parameters of data streams on different PRGs associated with the same DMRS to be the same can reduce interference caused by parameter differences, that is, the accuracy of channel estimation can be improved by limiting the parameters to be the same.

[0017] Optionally, in a possible implementation of the first aspect or the second aspect, the data stream transmitted by the first PRG and the second PRG is an uplink data stream, and the devices of the data streams on different PRGs associated with the same DMRS are the same terminal device.

[0018] In this possible implementation, the devices of data streams on different PRGs associated with the same DMRS are limited to the same terminal device, thereby ensuring that the accuracy of channel estimation is improved in the interaction scenario between multiple terminal devices and network devices.

[0019] Optionally, in a possible implementation manner of the first aspect or the second aspect, the second PRG is further used to transmit a second DMRS and a third data stream, and the second DMRS is used for channel estimation of the third data stream.

[0020] In this possible implementation, the second PRG may transmit not only the second data stream multiplexed with the first DMRS, but also the third data stream, thereby increasing the total number of data streams.

[0021] Optionally, in a possible implementation of the first aspect or the second aspect, the time domain interval between the first PRG and the second PRG is less than or equal to a first threshold, and / or the frequency domain interval between the first PRG and the second PRG is less than or equal to a second threshold.

[0022] In this possible implementation, by limiting the interval between the first PRG and the second PRG in the time domain and / or frequency domain to be close, interference can be reduced to improve the accuracy of channel estimation.

[0023] Optionally, in a possible implementation manner of the first aspect or the second aspect, the data stream and the first DMRS are carried on an uplink data channel and / or a downlink data channel.

[0024] In this possible implementation, the present application can be applied not only to uplink transmission scenarios, but also to downlink transmission scenarios.

[0025] In a third aspect of the present application, a communication device is provided, which is a first device, or the device is a partial component in the first device (such as a processor, a chip or a chip system, etc.), or the device is a logic module or software that can realize all or part of the functions of the first device. The communication device includes a transceiver unit and a processing unit. The processing unit is used to determine indication information, and the indication information is used to indicate the association relationship between the first demodulation reference signal DMRS transmitted on the first precoding resource block group PRG and the data stream on the second PRG; the transceiver unit is used to send indication information, and the first PRG and the second PRG are different PRGs. The transceiver unit is also used to transmit the data stream based on the association relationship.

[0026] In a fourth aspect of the present application, a communication device is provided, which is a second device, or the device is a partial component in the second device (such as a processor, a chip or a chip system, etc.), or the device is a logic module or software that can realize all or part of the functions of the second device. The communication device includes a transceiver unit. The transceiver unit is used to receive indication information, and the indication information is used to indicate the association relationship between the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG and the data stream on the second PRG, and the first PRG and the second PRG are different PRGs. The transceiver unit is also used to transmit the data stream based on the association relationship.

[0027] Optionally, in a possible implementation manner of the third aspect or the fourth aspect, the above-mentioned transceiver unit is further used to transmit the data stream based on the indication information.

[0028] Optionally, in a possible implementation of the third aspect or the fourth aspect, the above-mentioned first PRG is used to transmit N first data streams and the first DMRS; the second PRG is used to transmit M second data streams; the first DMRS is used for channel estimation of all or part of the N first data streams, and the first DMRS is also used for channel estimation of M second data streams, where N and M are positive integers.

[0029] Optionally, in a possible implementation of the third aspect or the fourth aspect, the above-mentioned first DMRS is also associated with the data stream on the first PRG, and has the same parameters as the data stream on different PRGs that are associated with the same DMRS in the first DMRS, and the parameters include at least one of the following: precoding matrix, antenna port, and analog beam.

[0030] Optionally, in a possible implementation of the third aspect or the fourth aspect, the data stream transmitted by the first PRG and the second PRG is an uplink data stream, and the devices of the data streams on different PRGs associated with the same DMRS are the same terminal device.

[0031] Optionally, in a possible implementation manner of the third aspect or the fourth aspect, the second PRG is further used to transmit a second DMRS and a third data stream, and the second DMRS is used for channel estimation of the third data stream.

[0032] Optionally, in a possible implementation of the third aspect or the fourth aspect, the time domain interval between the first PRG and the second PRG is less than or equal to a first threshold, and / or the frequency domain interval between the first PRG and the second PRG is less than or equal to a second threshold.

[0033] Optionally, in a possible implementation manner of the third aspect or the fourth aspect, the above-mentioned data stream and the first DMRS are carried on an uplink data channel and / or a downlink data channel.

[0034] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a communication device comprising at least one processor coupled to a memory; the memory is used to store programs or instructions; and the at least one processor is used to execute the program or instructions so that the device implements a method of any possible implementation of the first aspect described above.

[0035] In a sixth aspect of the present application, a communication device is provided, comprising at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is coupled to a memory; the memory is used to store programs or instructions; and the at least one processor is used to execute the program or instructions so that the device implements a method of any possible implementation method of the aforementioned second aspect.

[0036] In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a communication device comprising at least one logic circuit and an input / output interface; the logic circuit is used to execute the method described in any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0037] In an eighth aspect, the present application provides a communication device comprising at least one logic circuit and an input / output interface; the logic circuit is used to execute a method as any possible implementation method in the aforementioned second aspect.

[0038] In a ninth aspect, the present application provides a communication system, which includes a communication device of any possible implementation method in the fifth aspect and a communication device of any possible implementation method in the sixth aspect, or includes a communication device of any possible implementation method in the seventh aspect and a communication device of any possible implementation method in the eighth aspect.

[0039] In a tenth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing one or more computer-executable instructions. When the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor, the processor executes the method described in any possible implementation of any of the first or second aspects above.

[0040] In an eleventh aspect, the present application provides a computer program product (or computer program). When the computer program in the computer program product is executed by the processor, the processor executes the method described in any possible implementation of any of the first or second aspects above.

[0041] A twelfth aspect of the present application provides a chip or chip system, which includes at least one processor for supporting a communication device to implement the method described in any possible implementation method of any aspect of the first or second aspect.

[0042] In one possible design, the chip system may further include a memory for storing program instructions and data necessary for the communication device. The chip system may be composed of a chip or may include a chip and other discrete components. Optionally, the chip system may also include an interface circuit that provides program instructions and / or data to at least one processor.

[0043] Among them, the technical effects brought about by any design method in the third aspect to the twelfth aspect can refer to the technical effects brought about by the different design methods in the above-mentioned first aspect and second aspect, and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] FIG1A is a schematic diagram of a communication system involved in this application;

[0045] FIG1B is another schematic diagram of the communication system involved in this application;

[0046] FIG1C is another schematic diagram of the communication system involved in this application;

[0047] FIG2 is a flow chart of the communication method involved in this application;

[0048] FIG3 is an example diagram of the arrangement of the PRG involved in this application in the time domain;

[0049] FIG4 is an example diagram of the arrangement of the PRG involved in this application in the frequency domain;

[0050] FIG5 is an example diagram of the PRG involved in this application;

[0051] FIG6 is another example diagram of the PRG involved in this application;

[0052] 7 to 10 are several schematic diagrams of the communication device involved in this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

[0054] First, some of the terms used in the embodiments of the present application are explained to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0055] 1. Precoding resource block group (PRG) or physical resource group (PRG)

[0056] A PRG represents a resource region consisting of a continuous time domain and / or frequency domain, and the same precoding is used for transmission in the resource region. For example, taking the resource region as a resource block as an example, the PRG includes multiple precoding resource blocks (PRBs).

[0057] It should be understood that the PRG and resource block are the names in the current communication system (this application describes the name of the precoding resource block group as an example). In future communication systems, the name of the PRG or resource area may change with the evolution of the communication system.

[0058] 2. Configuration and pre-configuration

[0059] In this application, configuration and pre-configuration are used simultaneously. Configuration refers to the network device / server sending some parameter configuration information or parameter values ​​to the terminal through messages or signaling, so that the terminal can determine the communication parameters or resources during transmission based on these values ​​or information. Pre-configuration is similar to configuration and can be parameter information or parameter values ​​pre-negotiated between the network device / server and the terminal device, parameter information or parameter values ​​used by the base station / network device or terminal device as specified in the standard protocol, or parameter information or parameter values ​​pre-stored in the base station / server or terminal device. This application does not limit this.

[0060] Furthermore, these values ​​and parameters can be changed or updated.

[0061] 3. In this application, "used for indication" can include direct indication and indirect indication. When describing that a certain indication information is used to indicate A, it can be understood that the indication information carries A, directly indicates A, or indirectly indicates A.

[0062] In this application, the information indicated by the indication information is referred to as the information to be indicated. In the specific implementation process, there are many ways to indicate the information to be indicated. For example, it can be implemented by direct indication, such as by indicating the information to be indicated itself or the index of the information to be indicated. It can also be implemented by indirectly indicating other information, wherein there is an association between the other information and the information to be indicated. It is also possible to indicate only a part of the information to be indicated, while the other parts of the information to be indicated are known or agreed in advance. For example, the indication of specific information can also be achieved with the help of the arrangement order of each information agreed in advance (for example, stipulated in the protocol), thereby reducing the indication overhead to a certain extent.

[0063] The information to be indicated can be sent as a whole, or divided into multiple sub-information and sent separately, and the sending period and / or sending time of these sub-information can be the same or different. The specific sending method is not limited in this application. Among them, the sending period and / or sending time of these sub-information can be pre-defined, for example, pre-defined according to the protocol, or configured by the transmitting device by sending configuration information to the receiving device. Among them, the configuration information can, for example, but not limited to, include one or a combination of at least two of RRC signaling, medium access control (MAC) layer signaling and physical layer signaling. Among them, MAC layer signaling, for example, includes MAC CE; physical layer signaling, for example, includes downlink control information (DCI).

[0064] 4. "Sending" and "receiving" in the embodiments of this application indicate the direction of signal transmission. In this application, when entity A sends information to entity B, A may send it directly to B or indirectly to B through another entity. Similarly, when entity B receives information from entity A, entity B may directly receive the information sent by entity A or indirectly receive the information sent by entity A through another entity. Entities A and B herein may be RAN nodes or terminals, or modules within a RAN node or terminal. The sending and receiving of information may be information exchange between a RAN node and a terminal, for example, between a base station and a terminal; between two RAN nodes, for example, between a CU and a DU; or between different modules within a device, for example, between a terminal chip and other modules in the terminal, or between a base station chip and other modules within the base station. "Sending" may also be understood as the "output" of a chip interface, for example, a baseband chip outputting information to a radio frequency chip, and "receiving" may also be understood as the "input" of a chip interface.

[0065] 5. The terms "system" and "network" in the embodiments of the present application can be used interchangeably. "At least one" means one or more, and "plurality" 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. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, "at least one of A, B and C" includes A, B, C, AB, AC, BC or ABC. And, unless otherwise specified, the ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" mentioned in the embodiments of the present application are used to distinguish multiple objects, and are not used to limit the order, timing, priority or importance of multiple objects.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 1A, which is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system 1000 used in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 1A, the communication system includes a radio access network (RAN) 100 and a core network 200. Optionally, the communication system 1000 may also include the Internet 300. The RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (such as 110a and 110b in Figure 1A, collectively referred to as 110), and may also include at least one terminal (such as 120a-120j in Figure 1A, collectively referred to as 120). The RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay devices and / or wireless backhaul devices (not shown in Figure 1A). The terminal 120 is connected to the RAN node 110 via a wireless connection, and the RAN node 110 is connected to the core network 200 via a wireless or wired connection. The core network equipment in the core network 200 and the RAN node 110 in the RAN 100 can be independent and different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device that integrates the logical functions of the core network equipment and the logical functions of the RAN node. Terminals and RAN nodes may be connected to each other via wired or wireless means.

[0067] RAN 100 may be an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) system, a NR system, or a future radio access system defined in 3GPP. RAN 100 may also include two or more of the aforementioned different radio access systems. RAN 100 may also be an open RAN (O-RAN).

[0068] A RAN node, also known as a radio access network device, RAN entity, or access node, is used to help terminals access a communication system wirelessly. 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, or a base station in a future mobile communication system. A RAN node can be a macro base station (such as 110a in Figure 1A), a micro base station, or an indoor station (such as 110b in Figure 1A), or a relay node or a donor node.

[0069] 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.

[0070] 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 nodes in the embodiments of the present application may be implemented by software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software modules and hardware modules. 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 used by the RAN node.

[0071] In addition, a RAN node can also be referred to as a network device. A network device is a device deployed in a radio access network to provide wireless communication functions for terminal devices. Network devices may include various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations (also known as small stations), relay stations, access points, etc. In systems using different radio access technologies, the names of network devices may vary, such as eNB or eNodeB (Evolutional NodeB) in Long Term Evolution (LTE). A network device may also be a wireless controller in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. A network device may also be a base station device in a future 5G network or a network device in a future evolved PLMN network. A network device may also be a wearable device or an in-vehicle device. A network device may also be a transmission and reception point (TRP). In addition, in a network structure, a network device may include a centralized unit (CU) node, a distributed unit (DU) node, or a RAN device including a CU node and a DU node. For ease of description, the following description uses a base station as an example of a RAN node.

[0072] A terminal is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities that can send signals to a base station or receive signals from a base station. 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.

[0073] Base stations and terminals can be fixed or mobile. They can be deployed on land, indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; on water; or on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of base stations and terminals.

[0074] The roles of base stations and terminals can be relative. For example, the helicopter or drone 120i in Figure 1A can be configured as a mobile base station. To terminals 120j accessing the wireless access network 100 via 120i, terminal 120i is a base station. However, to base station 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 a base station-to-base station interface protocol. In this case, 120i is also a base station relative to 110a. Therefore, base stations and terminals can be collectively referred to as communication devices. 110a and 110b in Figure 1A can be referred to as communication devices with base station functionality, while 120a-120j in Figure 1A can be referred to as communication devices with terminal functionality.

[0075] Communication between base stations and terminals, between base stations, and between terminals can be carried out through authorized spectrum, unauthorized spectrum, or both; communication can be carried out through spectrum below 6 gigahertz (GHz), spectrum above 6 GHz, or spectrum below 6 GHz and spectrum above 6 GHz. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the spectrum resources used for wireless communication.

[0076] In the embodiments of the present application, the functions of the base station may also be performed by a module (such as a chip) in the base station, or by a control subsystem that includes the base station functions. The control subsystem that includes the base station functions 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 terminal functions.

[0077] It can be understood that the RAN 100 described above includes at least one RAN node (such as 110 a and 110 b in FIG. 1A , collectively referred to as 110 ), and may also include at least one terminal (such as 120 a - 120 j in FIG. 1A , collectively referred to as 120 ).

[0078] In one possible implementation, the communication system shown in FIG1A may also be as shown in FIG1B , that is, including a RAN node 110 and multiple terminals (such as 120A and 120B in FIG1B ). In this case, a single RAN node can transmit data or control signaling to a single terminal or multiple terminals.

[0079] In another possible implementation, the communication system shown in FIG1A may also be shown in FIG1C , that is, include multiple RAN nodes (such as 110A, 110B, and 110C in FIG1C ) 110 and a terminal 120. In this case, multiple RAN nodes may also simultaneously transmit data or control signaling for a single terminal.

[0080] Currently, multiple streams are transmitted simultaneously in MIMO systems. To help the receiving side accurately estimate the channel or equivalent channel for each stream, multiple DMRS resources are configured to transmit DMRSs for multiple ports, with the number of DMRS ports equal to the number of streams. With the continued evolution of massive MIMO, the scale of base station and terminal antennas continues to increase, the number of transmitted streams continues to rise, and the demand for DMRS capacity expansion continues to increase. Therefore, how to increase the number of data streams without increasing DMRS resource overhead is a pressing technical challenge.

[0081] To address the above technical issues, the present application provides a communication method and related devices that use indication information to indicate the association between a first DMRS transmitted on a first PRG and a data stream on a second PRG. That is, the data stream on the second PRG can reuse the first DMRS on the first PRG, thereby supporting more data streams on the second PRG with lower DMRS overhead, thereby increasing the amount of data transmitted on the second PRG.

[0082] The communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application is described below. The method can be performed by a communication device. Unless otherwise specified, the "communication device" in this application can refer to the communication device itself (for example, the first device and / or the second device), or it can be a component in the communication device (for example, a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or it can be a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the communication device. The first device and the second device can be terminal devices in the communication system shown in Figures 1A to 1C, or they can be network devices in the communication system shown in Figures 1A to 1C. The embodiment of the present application is only exemplarily described as follows: the first device is a configuration end and the second device is a configured end. In actual applications, the first device can also be a configured end, the second device can be a configuration end, etc., which are not specifically limited here.

[0083] Please refer to Figure 2, which is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method may include steps 201 to 203. Steps 201 to 203 can be performed by the first device and / or the second device, or by some components in the first device and / or the second device (such as a processor, a chip or a chip system, etc.), or by a logic module or software that can realize all or part of the functions of the first device and / or the second device. The following description is taken as an example of execution by the first device and the second device. The processing performed by a single execution subject in steps 201 to 203 can also be divided into executions by multiple execution subjects, and these execution subjects can be logically and / or physically separated. For example, when the first device is a network device, such as a base station, the processing performed by the first device can be divided into executions by at least one of the CU, DU and RU. Steps 201 to 203 are described in detail below. In this case, the first device can be understood as the configuration end, and the second device is the configured end.

[0084] Step 201: The first device determines indication information.

[0085] The first device determines indication information, where the indication information is used to indicate an association relationship between a first DMRS transmitted on a first PRG and a data stream on a second PRG, where the first PRG and the second PRG are different PRGs.

[0086] The indication information in the embodiments of the present application can also be understood as configuration information of the second device, that is, this step can be understood as the process of the first device determining configuration information for the second device. The indication information can also be understood as instructing the data stream on the second PRG to multiplex the DMRS on the first PRG. The indication information can also be understood as indicating the association between the data stream on the second PRG and the DMRS port configured by the first PRG.

[0087] The association relationship between the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG and the data stream on the second PRG may also be understood as follows: the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG is used for channel estimation of the data stream on the second PRG.

[0088] It is understandable that the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG is also associated with the data stream transmitted on the first PRG, that is, the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG is used not only for channel estimation of the data stream on the first PRG, but also for channel estimation of the data stream on the second PRG.

[0089] In the embodiment of the present application, there is no limitation on the number of first DMRSs, that is, the first DMRS may be a single DMRS or a DMRS set (including multiple DMRSs).

[0090] In order to distinguish the data stream transmitted on the first PRG from the data stream transmitted on the second PRG, the data stream transmitted on the first PRG is referred to as the first data stream, and the data stream transmitted on the second PRG is referred to as the second data stream.

[0091] In the embodiment of the present application, the number of data streams transmitted on the first PRG and the second PRG may be one or more. For example, the number of data streams may be 12, 24, 36, etc., which is not limited here.

[0092] Optionally, the first PRG is used to transmit N first data streams and a first DMRS, and the second PRG is used to transmit M second data streams. The first DMRS is used for channel estimation of all or part of the N first data streams. The first DMRS is also used for channel estimation of M second data streams, where N and M are positive integers.

[0093] Furthermore, the second PRG is also used to transmit a second DMRS and a third data stream, and the second DMRS is used for channel estimation of the third data stream. Alternatively, it can be understood that the second data stream transmitted on the second PRG uses the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG for channel estimation, and the third data stream transmitted on the second PRG uses the second DMRS transmitted on the second PRG for channel estimation.

[0094] To ensure the effectiveness of channel estimation by multiplexing the first DMRS, the first PRG and the second PRG are as close as possible in the time domain and / or frequency domain. That is, the time domain interval between the first PRG and the second PRG is less than or equal to a first threshold, and / or the frequency domain interval between the first PRG and the second PRG is less than or equal to a second threshold.

[0095] It is understandable that, in practical applications, the first PRG and the second PRG may be adjacent in the time domain and / or frequency domain, or may be separated by one or more PRGs.

[0096] For example, PRGs arranged sequentially in the time domain are shown in Figure 3. If the first PRG and the second PRG are adjacent in the time domain, for example, the first PRG may be PRG1 shown in Figure 3, and the second PRG may be PRG2 shown in Figure 3. For another example, the first PRG may be PRG2 shown in Figure 3, and the second PRG may be PRG3 shown in Figure 3. If the first PRG and the second PRG are separated by one PRG in the time domain, for example, the first PRG may be PRG1 shown in Figure 3, and the second PRG may be PRG3 shown in Figure 3.

[0097] For example, PRGs arranged sequentially in the frequency domain are shown in FIG4 . If the first PRG and the second PRG are adjacent in the frequency domain, for example, the first PRG may be PRG1 shown in FIG4 , and the second PRG may be PRG2 shown in FIG4 . For another example, the first PRG may be PRG2 shown in FIG4 , and the second PRG may be PRG3 shown in FIG4 . If the first PRG and the second PRG are separated by one PRG in the frequency domain, for example, the first PRG may be PRG1 shown in FIG4 , and the second PRG may be PRG3 shown in FIG4 .

[0098] In one possible implementation, the first DMRS is used for channel estimation of all the N first data streams. The first DMRS is also used for channel estimation of the M second data streams.

[0099] In another possible implementation, the first DMRS is used for channel estimation of some first data streams among the N first data streams. The first DMRS is also used for channel estimation of the M second data streams.

[0100] Exemplarily, as shown in Figure 5, it is assumed that the first PRG is PRG1 and the second PRG is PRG2, and the Type-II DMRS pattern is used in each PRG as an example. Each PRG includes 3 code division multiplexing (CDM) groups, and each CDM group includes 4 DMRS ports. That is, 12 DMRS ports are configured in each PRG, which can be used for channel estimation of 12 data streams. That is, the first PRG is used to transmit 12 first data streams and 12 first DMRSs. The second PRG is used to transmit 12 second data streams, 12 third data streams and 12 second DMRSs. Among them, the 12 first DMRSs are used for channel estimation of the 12 first data streams and the 12 second data streams, and the 12 second DMRSs are used for channel estimation of the 12 third data streams.

[0101] As can be seen from the above example, the 12 second data streams transmitted on the second PRG do not require 12 separate DMRSs. Instead, they reuse the 12 first DMRSs transmitted on the first PRG. This approach reduces the DMRS overhead on PRG2, thereby supporting a higher number of data streams. That is, using the existing solution, PRG1 and PRG2 can only transmit 24 (12 + 12) data streams, while using this solution, PRG1 and PRG2 can transmit 36 ​​(12 + 24) data streams.

[0102] The above example can also be understood as scheduling 12 data streams on PRG1 and 24 data streams (assuming sequence numbers 1-24) on PRG2. Data streams 1-12 on PRG2 use the same DMRS for channel estimation as the 12 data streams on PRG1, and this DMRS is transmitted on PRG1. Data streams 13-24 on PRG2 are equivalent to additional data streams and require channel estimation using the DMRS transmitted on PRG2.

[0103] It should be noted that the three CDM groups corresponding to different PRGs shown in FIG5 may be the same or different, and the specific details are not limited here.

[0104] It can be understood that the above is an exemplary description using DMRS multiplexing between two PRGs as an example. In actual applications, DMRS multiplexing between three or more PRGs may also be used.

[0105] For example, the PRG includes a first PRG, a second PRG, and a third PRG. This can provide multiple data flow expansion. For example, in the example of FIG. 5 , the first PRG is PRG1 in FIG. 5 , the second PRG is PRG2 in FIG. 5 , and the third PRG is PRG3 in FIG. 5 .

[0106] For example, 12 data streams are scheduled on PRG1, 24 data streams are scheduled on PRG2 (assuming sequence numbers 1-24), and 24 data streams are scheduled on PRG3 (assuming sequence numbers 1-24). Among them, data streams 1-12 on PRG2 and 12 data streams on PRG1 use the same DMRS (DMRS transmitted on PRG1) for channel estimation. Data streams 13-24 on PRG2 are equivalent to additional data streams, and channel estimation needs to be performed using the DMRS transmitted on PRG2. Data streams 1-12 on PRG3 and data streams 13-24 on PRG2 use the same DMRS (DMRS transmitted on PRG2) for channel estimation. Data streams 13-24 on PRG3 are equivalent to additional data streams, and channel estimation needs to be performed using the DMRS transmitted on PRG3. This example can also be understood as a 2x capacity expansion.

[0107] In the above example, the indication information can be specifically used to indicate: the data streams 1-12 on PRG2 correspond to the 12 DMRS ports on PRG1, the data streams 13-24 on PRG2 correspond to the 12 DMRS ports on PRG2, the data streams 1-12 on PRG3 correspond to the 12 DMRS ports on PRG2, and the data streams 13-24 on PRG3 correspond to the 12 DMRS ports on PRG3.

[0108] For another example, 12 data streams are scheduled on PRG1, 24 data streams are scheduled on PRG2 (assuming sequence numbers 1-24), and 36 data streams are scheduled on PRG3 (assuming sequence numbers 1-36). Among them, data streams 1-12 on PRG2 and the 12 data streams on PRG1 use the same DMRS (DMRS transmitted on PRG1) for channel estimation. Data streams 13-24 on PRG2 are equivalent to additional data streams and need to be estimated through the DMRS transmitted on PRG2 for channel estimation. Data streams 1-24 on PRG3 and the 24 data streams on PRG2 use the same DMRS for channel estimation (that is, data streams 1-12 on PRG3 use the DMRS transmitted on PRG1 for channel estimation, and data streams 13-24 on PRG3 use the DMRS transmitted on PRG2 for channel estimation). Data streams 25-36 on PRG3 are equivalent to additional data streams and need to be estimated through the DMRS transmitted on PRG3. This example can also be understood as a 4-fold expansion.

[0109] In the above example, the indication information can be specifically used to indicate: the data streams 1-12 on PRG2 correspond to the 12 DMRS ports on PRG1, the data streams 13-24 on PRG2 correspond to the 12 DMRS ports on PRG2, the data streams 1-12 on PRG3 correspond to the 12 DMRS ports on PRG1, the data streams 13-24 on PRG3 correspond to the 12 DMRS ports on PRG2, and the data streams 25-36 on PRG3 correspond to the 12 DMRS ports on PRG3.

[0110] Optionally, when the first DMRS is a DMRS set, in order to improve the effect of subsequent channel estimation, the parameters of data streams on different PRGs associated with the same DMRS in the first DMRS are the same. The parameters include at least one of the following: a precoding matrix, an antenna port, or an analog beam.

[0111] For example, as shown in FIG6 , assume that data stream 1, data stream 2, DMRS 1, and DMRS 2 are transmitted on the first PRG, and data stream 3 and data stream 4 are transmitted on the second PRG. Furthermore, DMRS 1 on the first PRG is associated not only with data stream 1 on the first PRG, but also with data stream 3 on the second PRG. That is, DMRS 1 is used for channel estimation for data stream 1 and data stream 3. In this case, the parameters of data stream 1 and data stream 3 are the same.

[0112] In addition, the data stream in the embodiment of the present application may include: an uplink data stream and / or a downlink data stream. Alternatively, it can be understood that the above data stream and DMRS can be carried on an uplink data channel and / or a downlink data channel.

[0113] Optionally, in order to improve the channel estimation effect in the case of uplink transmission, the data stream transmitted by the first PRG and the second PRG is an uplink data stream. The devices with data streams on different PRGs that have an associated relationship with the same DMRS are the same terminal device. For example, in the example of Figure 6 above, the transmitters of data stream 1 and data stream 3 are the same terminal device. By limiting the devices with data streams on different PRGs that have an associated relationship with the same DMRS to the same terminal device, it is possible to ensure that the accuracy of channel estimation is improved in the interaction scenario between multiple terminal devices and network devices.

[0114] Optionally, after determining the indication information, the first device may transmit the data stream with the second device based on the indication information.

[0115] Step 202: The first device sends indication information to the second device.

[0116] After determining the indication information, the first device sends the indication information to the second device. Correspondingly, the second device receives the indication information sent by the first device.

[0117] This step can be understood as a configuration process of the first device for the second device.

[0118] Optionally, the indication information is carried on a control channel. Specifically, the indication information may be at least one of the following: RRC signaling, MAC layer signaling, or physical layer signaling. MAC layer signaling may include, for example, MAC CE; and physical layer signaling may include, for example, DCI.

[0119] Step 203: The first device and the second device transmit data streams based on the association relationship.

[0120] After the first device configures the above association relationship for the second device, the first device and the second device transmit data streams based on the association relationship.

[0121] The term "transmission" can be understood in various ways. For the data stream transmitter, transmission includes operations such as sending the data stream. For the data stream receiver, transmission includes operations such as receiving the data stream and performing channel estimation on the channel where the data stream resides.

[0122] In one possible implementation, the first device is a network device and the second device is a terminal device. That is, the embodiment shown in FIG3 can be understood as a configuration process of a network device as a terminal device.

[0123] In the case where the data stream is an uplink data stream, the network device sends indication information to the terminal device. After receiving the indication information sent by the network device, the terminal device sends the first data stream and the first DMRS to the network device through the first PRG, and the terminal device sends the second data stream to the network device through the second PRG. Since the network device knows the relationship between the first DMRS and the second data stream. Furthermore, after receiving the first DMRS and the second data stream, the network device uses the first DMRS to perform channel estimation on the first data stream and the second data stream. Of course, the terminal device can also transmit the second DMRS and the third data stream on the second PRG. Accordingly, the network device uses the second DMRS to perform channel estimation on the third data stream.

[0124] In the case where the data stream is a downlink data stream, the network device sends indication information to the terminal device, the network device sends the first data stream and the first DMRS to the terminal device through the first PRG, and the network device sends the second data stream to the terminal device through the second PRG. After receiving the indication information sent by the network device, the terminal device clarifies the association relationship between the first DMRS and the second data stream. The terminal device uses the first DMRS to perform channel estimation on the first data stream and the second data stream. Of course, the network device can also transmit the second DMRS and the third data stream on the second PRG. Accordingly, the terminal device uses the second DMRS to perform channel estimation on the third data stream.

[0125] In another possible implementation, the first device is a terminal device and the second device is a network device. That is, the embodiment shown in FIG3 can be understood as a configuration process of a terminal device as a network device.

[0126] In the case where the data stream is an uplink data stream, the terminal device sends indication information to the network device, the terminal device sends the first data stream and the first DMRS to the network device through the first PRG, and the terminal device sends the second data stream to the network device through the second PRG. After receiving the indication information sent by the terminal device, the network device clarifies the association relationship between the first DMRS and the second data stream. The network device uses the first DMRS to perform channel estimation on the first data stream and the second data stream. Of course, the terminal device can also transmit the second DMRS and the third data stream on the second PRG. Accordingly, the network device uses the second DMRS to perform channel estimation on the third data stream.

[0127] In the case where the data stream is a downlink data stream, the terminal device sends indication information to the network device. After receiving the indication information sent by the terminal device, the network device sends the first data stream and the first DMRS to the terminal device through the first PRG, and the network device sends the second data stream to the terminal device through the second PRG. Since the terminal device knows the relationship between the first DMRS and the second data stream. Furthermore, after receiving the first DMRS and the second data stream, the terminal device uses the first DMRS to perform channel estimation on the first data stream and the second data stream. Of course, the network device can also transmit the second DMRS and the third data stream on the second PRG. Accordingly, the terminal device uses the second DMRS to perform channel estimation on the third data stream.

[0128] It is understandable that the above is only a partial description of the multiplexing of DMRSs between different PRGs. For specific transmission conditions, please refer to the description of the aforementioned data streams and DMRSs, which will not be repeated here.

[0129] In the embodiments of the present application, on the one hand, indication information is used to indicate the association between the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG and the data stream on the second PRG. That is, the data stream on the second PRG can reuse the first DMRS on the first PRG, thereby supporting more data streams on the second PRG with lower DMRS overhead, thereby increasing the amount of data transmitted on the second PRG. On the other hand, by limiting the parameters of data streams on different PRGs associated with the same DMRS to be the same, subsequent channel estimation can be made more accurate.

[0130] The communication method in the embodiment of the present application is described above. The communication device in the embodiment of the present application is described below. Please refer to Figure 7, which is an embodiment of a communication device 700 in the embodiment of the present application. The communication device 700 can implement the functions of the first device or the second device in the above method embodiment, and thus can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiment. In the embodiment of the present application, the communication device 700 can be a communication device, or it can be an integrated circuit or component inside the communication device, such as a chip. The communication device 700 includes: a transceiver unit 701 and a processing unit 702. Or the communication device 700 includes: a transceiver unit 701.

[0131] In one possible implementation, the communication device 700 is the first device in the embodiments shown in FIG. 1A to FIG. 6 . In this case, the functions of the various units are as follows:

[0132] The processing unit 702 is configured to determine indication information, where the indication information is used to indicate an association relationship between a first demodulation reference signal DMRS transmitted on a first precoding resource block group PRG and a data stream on a second PRG, where the first PRG and the second PRG are different PRGs.

[0133] The transceiver unit 701 is configured to send indication information.

[0134] The transceiver unit 701 is further configured to transmit data streams based on the association relationship.

[0135] Optionally, the first PRG is used to transmit N first data streams and the first DMRS; the second PRG is used to transmit M second data streams; the first DMRS is used for channel estimation of all or part of the N first data streams, and the first DMRS is also used for channel estimation of M second data streams, where N and M are positive integers.

[0136] Optionally, the first DMRS is also associated with a data stream on the first PRG, and has the same parameters as the data stream on a different PRG associated with the same DMRS in the first DMRS, and the parameters include at least one of the following: precoding matrix, antenna port, and analog beam.

[0137] Optionally, the data stream transmitted by the first PRG and the second PRG is an uplink data stream, and the devices of the data streams on different PRGs associated with the same DMRS are the same terminal device.

[0138] Optionally, the second PRG is further used to transmit a second DMRS and a third data stream, and the second DMRS is used for channel estimation of the third data stream.

[0139] Optionally, a time domain interval between the first PRG and the second PRG is less than or equal to a first threshold, and / or a frequency domain interval between the first PRG and the second PRG is less than or equal to a second threshold.

[0140] Optionally, the data stream and the first DMRS are carried on an uplink data channel and / or a downlink data channel.

[0141] In this embodiment, the operations performed by each unit in the communication device are similar to the description of the first device in the embodiments shown in Figures 1A to 6 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0142] In this embodiment, on the one hand, the indication information determined by the processing unit 702 indicates the association between the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG and the data stream on the second PRG. That is, the data stream on the second PRG can reuse the first DMRS on the first PRG, thereby supporting more data streams on the second PRG with lower DMRS overhead, thereby increasing the amount of data transmitted on the second PRG. On the other hand, by limiting the parameters of data streams on different PRGs associated with the same DMRS to be the same, subsequent channel estimation can be more accurate.

[0143] In another possible implementation, the communication device 700 is the second device in the embodiments shown in FIG. 1A to FIG. 6 . In this case, the functions of the various units are as follows:

[0144] The transceiver unit 701 is configured to receive indication information, where the indication information is used to indicate an association relationship between a first DMRS transmitted on a first PRG and a data stream on a second PRG, where the first PRG and the second PRG are different PRGs.

[0145] The transceiver unit 701 is further configured to transmit data streams based on the association relationship.

[0146] Optionally, the transceiver unit 701 or the processing unit 702 is further configured to perform data stream transmission with the first device based on the indication information.

[0147] Optionally, the first PRG is used to transmit N first data streams and the first DMRS; the second PRG is used to transmit M second data streams; the first DMRS is used for channel estimation of all or part of the N first data streams, and the first DMRS is also used for channel estimation of M second data streams, where N and M are positive integers.

[0148] Optionally, the first DMRS is also associated with a data stream on the first PRG, and has the same parameters as the data stream on a different PRG associated with the same DMRS in the first DMRS, and the parameters include at least one of the following: precoding matrix, antenna port, and analog beam.

[0149] Optionally, the data stream transmitted by the first PRG and the second PRG is an uplink data stream, and the devices of the data streams on different PRGs associated with the same DMRS are the same terminal device.

[0150] Optionally, the second PRG is further used to transmit a second DMRS and a third data stream, and the second DMRS is used for channel estimation of the third data stream.

[0151] Optionally, a time domain interval between the first PRG and the second PRG is less than or equal to a first threshold, and / or a frequency domain interval between the first PRG and the second PRG is less than or equal to a second threshold.

[0152] Optionally, the data stream and the first DMRS are carried on an uplink data channel and / or a downlink data channel.

[0153] In this embodiment, on the one hand, the association between the first DMRS transmitted on the first PRG and the data stream on the second PRG is determined through the indication information received by the transceiver unit 701. That is, the data stream on the second PRG can reuse the first DMRS on the first PRG, thereby supporting more data streams on the second PRG with lower DMRS overhead, thereby increasing the amount of data transmitted on the second PRG. On the other hand, by limiting the parameters of data streams on different PRGs associated with the same DMRS to be the same, subsequent channel estimation can be more accurate.

[0154] Please refer to Fig. 8, which is another schematic structural diagram of a communication device 800 provided in this application. The communication device 800 includes a logic circuit 801 and an input / output interface 802. The communication device 800 may be a chip or an integrated circuit.

[0155] The transceiver unit 701 shown in FIG7 may be a communication interface, which may be the input / output interface 802 in FIG8 , which may include an input interface and an output interface. Alternatively, the communication interface may be a transceiver circuit, which may include an input interface circuit and an output interface circuit. The processing unit 702 shown in FIG7 may be the logic circuit 801 in FIG8 .

[0156] Optionally, when the communication device is the first device in the aforementioned embodiment, the logic circuit 801 is configured to determine the indication information and transmit the data stream with the second device based on the indication information. The input / output interface 802 is configured to send the indication information.

[0157] Optionally, when the communication apparatus is the second device in the aforementioned embodiment, the input / output interface 802 is configured to receive indication information, and the logic circuit 801 is configured to transmit a data stream with the first device based on the indication information.

[0158] The logic circuit 801 and the input / output interface 802 may also execute other steps executed by the first device or the second device in any embodiment and achieve corresponding beneficial effects, which will not be described in detail here.

[0159] Optionally, the logic circuit 801 may be a processing device, and the functions of the processing device may be partially or entirely implemented by software. The functions of the processing device may be partially or entirely implemented by software.

[0160] Optionally, the processing device may include a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor reads and executes the computer program stored in the memory to perform corresponding processing and / or steps in any one of the method embodiments.

[0161] Alternatively, the processing device may include only a processor. A memory for storing the computer program is located outside the processing device, and the processor is connected to the memory via circuits / wires to read and execute the computer program stored in the memory. The memory and processor may be integrated or physically separate.

[0162] Optionally, the processing device may be one or more chips, or one or more integrated circuits. For example, the processing device may be one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), system-on-chips (SoCs), central processor units (CPUs), network processors (NPs), digital signal processors (DSPs), microcontrollers (MCUs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), or other integrated chips, or any combination of the above chips or processors.

[0163] Please refer to FIG. 9 , which shows a communication device 900 involved in the above embodiments provided in an embodiment of the present application. Specifically, the communication device 900 may be a communication device serving as a terminal device in the above embodiments.

[0164] Herein, a possible logical structure diagram of the communication device 900 is shown. The communication device 900 may include but is not limited to at least one processor 901 and a communication port 902 .

[0165] The transceiver unit 701 shown in FIG7 may be a communication interface, which may be the communication port 902 in FIG9 , which may include an input interface and an output interface. Alternatively, the communication port 902 may be a transceiver circuit, which may include an input interface circuit and an output interface circuit.

[0166] It is understood that the communication port 902 in FIG. 9 can be used to transmit indication information. For example, when the communication device 900 is the first device in the aforementioned embodiment, the communication port 902 is used to send indication information. For another example, when the communication device 900 is the second device in the aforementioned embodiment, the communication port 902 is used to receive indication information.

[0167] Further optionally, the device may also include at least one of a memory 903 and a bus. In an embodiment of the present application, the at least one processor 901 is used to control and process the actions of the communication device 900.

[0168] In addition, the processor 901 can be a central processing unit, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. It can implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. The processor can also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, and so on. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0169] It should be noted that the communication device 900 shown in Figure 9 can be specifically used to implement the steps implemented by the terminal device in the aforementioned method embodiment and achieve the corresponding technical effects of the terminal device. The specific implementation methods of the communication device shown in Figure 9 can refer to the description in the aforementioned method embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0170] Please refer to Figure 10, which is a structural diagram of the communication device 1000 involved in the above-mentioned embodiments provided in an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 1000 can specifically be a communication device serving as a network device in the above-mentioned embodiments, wherein the structure of the communication device can refer to the structure shown in Figure 10.

[0171] The communication device 1000 includes at least one processor 1011 and at least one network interface 1014. Further optionally, the communication device also includes at least one memory 1012, at least one transceiver 1013 and one or more antennas 1015. The processor 1011, the memory 1012, the transceiver 1013 and the network interface 1014 are connected, for example, via a bus. In an embodiment of the present application, the connection may include various interfaces, transmission lines or buses, etc., which are not limited in this embodiment. The antenna 1015 is connected to the transceiver 1013. The network interface 1014 is used to enable the communication device to communicate with other communication devices through a communication link. For example, the network interface 1014 may include a network interface between the communication device and the core network device, such as an S1 interface, and the network interface may include a network interface between the communication device and other communication devices (such as other network devices or core network devices), such as an X2 or Xn interface.

[0172] The transceiver unit 701 shown in FIG7 may be a communication interface, which may be the network interface 1014 in FIG10 , which may include an input interface and an output interface. Alternatively, the network interface 1014 may be a transceiver circuit, which may include an input interface circuit and an output interface circuit.

[0173] Processor 1011 is primarily used to process communication protocols and communication data, control the entire communication device, execute software programs, and process software program data, for example, to support the communication device in performing the actions described in the embodiments. A communication device may include a baseband processor and a central processing unit. The baseband processor is primarily used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the central processing unit is primarily used to control the entire communication device, execute software programs, and process software program data. Processor 1011 in Figure 10 may integrate the functions of both a baseband processor and a central processing unit. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the baseband processor and the central processing unit may also be independent processors interconnected via a bus or other technology. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a communication device may include multiple baseband processors to accommodate different network standards, multiple central processing units to enhance processing capabilities, and various components of the communication device may be connected via various buses. The baseband processor may also be referred to as a baseband processing circuit or a baseband processing chip. The central processing unit may also be referred to as a central processing circuit or a central processing chip. The functionality for processing communication protocols and communication data may be built into the processor or stored in memory as a software program, which is executed by the processor to implement the baseband processing functionality.

[0174] The memory is primarily used to store software programs and data. Memory 1012 can exist independently and be connected to processor 1011. Alternatively, memory 1012 and processor 1011 can be integrated together, for example, within a single chip. Memory 1012 can store program code for executing the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and execution is controlled by processor 1011. The various computer program codes executed can also be considered drivers for processor 1011.

[0175] Figure 10 shows only one memory and one processor. In an actual communication device, there may be multiple processors and multiple memories. The memory may also be referred to as a storage medium or storage device. The memory may be a storage element on the same chip as the processor, i.e., an on-chip storage element, or an independent storage element, which is not limited in the present embodiment.

[0176] The transceiver 1013 can be used to support the reception or transmission of radio frequency signals between the communication device and the terminal. The transceiver 1013 can be connected to the antenna 1015. The transceiver 1013 includes a transmitter Tx and a receiver Rx. Specifically, one or more antennas 1015 can receive radio frequency signals. The receiver Rx of the transceiver 1013 is used to receive the radio frequency signal from the antenna, convert the radio frequency signal into a digital baseband signal or a digital intermediate frequency signal, and provide the digital baseband signal or digital intermediate frequency signal to the processor 1011 so that the processor 1011 can further process the digital baseband signal or digital intermediate frequency signal, such as demodulation and decoding. In addition, the transmitter Tx in the transceiver 1013 is also used to receive a modulated digital baseband signal or digital intermediate frequency signal from the processor 1011, convert the modulated digital baseband signal or digital intermediate frequency signal into a radio frequency signal, and transmit the radio frequency signal through one or more antennas 1015. Specifically, the receiver Rx can selectively perform one or more stages of down-mixing and analog-to-digital conversion on the RF signal to obtain a digital baseband signal or a digital intermediate frequency signal. The order of the down-mixing and analog-to-digital conversion processes is adjustable. The transmitter Tx can selectively perform one or more stages of up-mixing and digital-to-analog conversion on the modulated digital baseband signal or digital intermediate frequency signal to obtain a RF signal. The order of the up-mixing and digital-to-analog conversion processes is adjustable. The digital baseband signal and the digital intermediate frequency signal may be collectively referred to as digital signals.

[0177] The transceiver 1013 may also be referred to as a transceiver unit, a transceiver, a transceiver device, etc. Optionally, a device in the transceiver unit that implements a receiving function may be referred to as a receiving unit, and a device in the transceiver unit that implements a transmitting function may be referred to as a transmitting unit. That is, the transceiver unit includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. The receiving unit may also be referred to as a receiver, an input port, a receiving circuit, etc., and the transmitting unit may be referred to as a transmitter, a transmitter, or a transmitting circuit, etc.

[0178] It should be noted that the communication device 1000 shown in Figure 10 can be specifically used to implement the steps implemented by the network device in the aforementioned method embodiment, and to achieve the corresponding technical effects of the network device. The specific implementation methods of the communication device 1000 shown in Figure 10 can refer to the description in the aforementioned method embodiment, and will not be repeated here one by one.

[0179] When the above-mentioned communication device is a chip applied to a terminal, the terminal chip implements the functions of the terminal in the above-mentioned method embodiment. The terminal chip receives information from other modules in the terminal (such as a radio frequency module or antenna), and the information is sent by the base station to the terminal; or the terminal chip sends information to other modules in the terminal (such as a radio frequency module or antenna), and the information is sent by the terminal to the base station. For example, when the first device is a terminal, the terminal sending the indication information can be understood as the process of the terminal chip outputting the indication information.

[0180] When the above-mentioned communication device is a module applied to a base station, the base station module implements the function of the base station in the above-mentioned method embodiment. The base station module receives information from other modules in the base station (such as a radio frequency module or an antenna), and the information is sent by the terminal to the base station; or, the base station module sends information to other modules in the base station (such as a radio frequency module or an antenna), and the information is sent by the base station to the terminal. The base station module here can be a baseband chip of the base station, or it can be a DU or other module. The DU here can be a DU under an open radio access network (O-RAN) architecture. For example, when the first device is a base station, the base station sending indication information can be understood as a process in which the base station chip outputs indication information.

[0181] 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 a base station or a terminal. The processor and storage medium can also exist in a base station or a terminal as discrete components.

[0182] 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.

[0183] 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.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: Determining indication information for indicating the association relationship between a first demodulation reference signal (DMRS) transmitted on a first precoding resource block group (PRG) and a data stream on a second PRG, where the first PRG and the second PRG are different PRGs; Transmitting the indication information; Transmitting the data stream based on the association relationship.

2. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: Receiving indication information for indicating the association relationship between a first DMRS transmitted on a first PRG and a data stream on a second PRG, where the first PRG and the second PRG are different PRGs; Transmitting the data stream based on the association relationship.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first PRG is used to transmit N first data streams and the first DMRS; the second PRG is used to transmit M second data streams; the first DMRS is used for channel estimation of all or part of the N first data streams, and the first DMRS is also used for channel estimation of the M second data streams, where N and M are positive integers.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The first DMRS also has an association relationship with the data stream on the first PRG, and the parameters of the data streams on different PRGs that have an association relationship with the same DMRS in the first DMRS are the same. The parameters include at least one of the following: precoding matrix, antenna port, analog beam.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein The data streams transmitted by the first PRG and the second PRG are uplink data streams, and the devices of the data streams on different PRGs that have an association relationship with the same DMRS are the same terminal device.

6. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that, The second PRG is also used to transmit a second DMRS and a third data stream, and the second DMRS is used for channel estimation of the third data stream.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The time domain interval between the first PRG and the second PRG is less than or equal to a first threshold, and / or the frequency domain interval between the first PRG and the second PRG is less than or equal to a second threshold.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The data stream and the first DMRS are carried on an uplink data channel and / or a downlink data channel.

9. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes: a processing unit and a transceiver unit; Wherein, the processing unit and the transceiver unit are used to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A communication device, characterized in that, Including at least one processor, the at least one processor is coupled to a memory; the at least one processor is used to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

11. A chip, characterized in that, The chip is used to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

12. A readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program or instruction, and when the computer program or instruction is executed by a communication device, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is implemented.

13. A computer program product, characterized in that, Including an instruction, when the instruction runs on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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