Communication method and communication apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a communication method and a communication apparatus. In the method, a meta-surface directly covers a first apparatus, or performs near-field coverage in proximity to the first apparatus at an extremely small spacing, and by means of reflection characteristics of the meta-surface, a plurality of propagation paths are separated from each other, or the degree of spatial isolation of the plurality of propagation paths is improved. The first apparatus receives a first reference signal from a second apparatus by means of the meta-surface, and performs rank-enhanced channel measurement on the basis of the first reference signal, so as to obtain measurement information of a channel between the first apparatus and the second apparatus; and the first apparatus sends first indication information to the second apparatus, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating at least one of multipath angular spread information and multipath angle information, or indicating a rank enhancement activation mode and a rank enhancement activation threshold value. Therefore, the first apparatus and the second apparatus can perform interaction on the basis of rank enhancement activation intervals, and thus a transmission rank can be improved on the basis of the meta-surface and a response difference for multipath angle information, thereby improving the system capacity.

Description

Communication method and communication device

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on January 19, 2024, with application number 202410083366.3 and application name “A Communication Method and Communication Device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

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

[0003] A metasurface is an intelligent panel consisting of multiple antenna arrays, each of which is a passive reflector. By flexibly configuring the amplitude and phase of each antenna array, it is possible to control wireless channel fading and form a desired directional beam. Common applications of metasurfaces are coverage enhancement and blind spot filling. Another application currently under discussion is rank enhancement. For example, in rank enhancement, metasurfaces can provide more gain-controllable transmission paths. Using metasurfaces, networks (such as radio access networks (RAN)) or base stations can actively control the quality of the wireless channel between the base station and user equipment (UE) (e.g., enhancing link gain and increasing the number of characteristic subchannels). One possible rank enhancement solution is to use the metasurface as an intermediate node, presenting a forwarding function similar to a relay or integrated access and backhaul (IAB); however, in the scenario where the metasurface is used as an intermediate node, the user's signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance gain will not decrease sharply only when the direct channel quality is poor or the channel gain of the cascade channel and the direct channel is comparable, thereby limiting the gain scenarios of existing rank enhancement solutions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides a communication method and a communication device, which can improve the transmission rank based on a metasurface and based on the response differences to different multipath angles, thereby improving the system capacity.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which is performed by a first device. For example, the first device may be a network device (such as a base station), or a component of a network device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module that can realize all or part of the functions of the network device. For another example, the first device may be a terminal, or a terminal or a communication module in a terminal, or a circuit or chip in a terminal responsible for the communication function (such as a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system on chip (SoC) chip or system in package (SIP) chip containing a modem core). Optionally, when the first device is a network device, the second device is a terminal; when the first device is a terminal, the second device is a network device. In which, the first device receives a first reference signal from the second device through a metasurface, and performs rank-enhanced channel measurement based on the first reference signal to obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device; the channel measurement information includes at least one of multipath angle extension information or multipath angle information. The first device sends first indication information to the second device, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of the multipath angle expansion information or the multipath angle information; the second information includes a rank enhancement validation mode and a rank enhancement validation threshold, where the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle expansion information or the multipath angle information. Optionally, the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface are used by the first device to perform rank enhancement channel measurement.

[0006] In this method, the first device includes a metasurface. For example, the metasurface can be a layer of surface material with one or more functions of reflection, transmission, and refraction. The surface material layer is attached to the antenna or antenna panel of the first device to achieve rank enhancement. For example, the metasurface has different reflection / refraction / transmission coefficients (or different responses) for different incident angles. Therefore, two incident paths with relatively close angles may have a large angle between the two paths after passing through the metasurface, thereby improving the spatial isolation of the two paths and improving the channel transmission rank (possibly supporting more data streams). Compared with the deployment of the metasurface alone (for example, the metasurface serves as a relay between the first device and the second device), the metasurface is directly covered on the first device, or is covered near the first device with a very small spacing, and the metasurface reflection characteristics are used to separate multiple propagation paths or improve the spatial isolation of the multiple propagation paths. In addition, the first device or the second device can obtain multipath angle extension information, multipath angle information and other information through rank enhancement channel measurement, and can interact between the first device and the second device in an explicit or implicit manner (such as interactive multipath angle extension information or at least one of the multipath angle information; or interactive rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold and other information) to determine whether rank enhancement is to be performed and the rank enhancement effectiveness interval, thereby achieving an improvement in transmission rank based on the metasurface and based on the difference in response to different multipath angles, thereby improving system capacity.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the first information is related to a first mapping relationship, a second mapping relationship, or a third mapping relationship. The first information includes at least one multipath angle extension information, and the first mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds corresponding to multiple multipath angle extension information. The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information, and the second mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds corresponding to multiple sets of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information. The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information, multipath angle information, and the transmitting antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the third mapping relationship includes multiple sets of multipath angle extension information, multipath angle information, and the transmitting antenna dimension of the first reference signal, corresponding multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds. Optionally, based on the above-mentioned first mapping relationship, the second mapping relationship, or the third mapping relationship, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0008] In this embodiment, the relationship between the rank enhancement effectiveness mode, the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, the multipath angle extension information, the multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal is defined. For example, it can be a predefined mapping relationship (such as a first mapping relationship, a second mapping relationship, and a third mapping relationship), and it is assumed that the first device and the second device can both predefine the above mapping relationship. Through the above mapping relationship, the first device and the second device can both determine the corresponding rank enhancement effectiveness interval, so that based on the metasurface and based on the difference in response to different multipath angles, the transmission rank can be improved, thereby improving the system capacity.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the first information is related to a first functional relationship, a second functional relationship, or a third functional relationship. The first information includes at least one multipath angle extension information, the input parameter of the first functional relationship includes the multipath angle extension information, and the output parameter includes the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold. The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information, the input parameter of the second functional relationship includes the multipath angle extension information and the multipath angle information, and the output parameter includes the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold. The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information, multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, the input parameter of the third functional relationship includes the multipath angle extension information, the multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the output parameter includes the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold. Optionally, based on the above-mentioned first functional relationship, the second functional relationship, or the third functional relationship, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0010] This embodiment defines a functional relationship between multipath angle expansion information, multipath angle information, and transmit antenna dimensions, and assumes that both the first and second devices can predefine this functional relationship. Based on this functional relationship, both the first and second devices can determine corresponding rank enhancement validity intervals, thereby improving transmission rank and system capacity based on the metasurface and the differences in responses to different multipath angles.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the rank enhancement validation threshold includes a channel quality indicator index threshold or a modulation and coding scheme index threshold. A set of channel quality indicator index thresholds or modulation and coding scheme index thresholds corresponds to a set of signal-to-noise ratio thresholds, a set of signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio thresholds, or a set of reference signal received power thresholds.

[0012] In this embodiment, when the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold includes a channel quality indication index threshold or a modulation and coding scheme index threshold, it means that the first device only needs to receive the channel quality indication (CQI) according to the channel state information (CSI) feedback information within the rank enhancement measurement period, and there is no need to newly define and receive the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the rank enhancement validation mode is used to indicate whether the rank enhancement validation interval is an open interval or a closed interval; the rank enhancement validation mode is indicated using at least two bits.

[0014] In this embodiment, the rank enhancement validity mode indicates whether the rank enhancement validity interval is an open interval or a closed interval. For example, the open interval can be a unilateral open interval (such as [,Δ1] or [Δ2,]), or a bilateral open interval (such as [,Δ1]∪[Δ2,]); the closed interval can be expressed as [Δ1,Δ2]. If the above four situations exist, at least two bits can be used to indicate.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold includes at least one of the maximum value or minimum value of the rank enhancement effectiveness interval; or, the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold includes a first value and a continuous unit length, and the first value and the continuous unit length are used to determine at least one of the maximum value or minimum value of the rank enhancement effectiveness interval.

[0016] In this embodiment, the rank enhancement effective threshold may only indicate the maximum value or minimum value of the rank enhancement effective interval (for example, when the rank enhancement effective interval is an open interval, it may only indicate the maximum value or minimum value), or it may indicate the maximum value and minimum value of the rank enhancement effective interval (for example, when the rank enhancement effective interval is a closed interval, it is necessary to indicate the maximum value and minimum value). Optionally, the rank enhancement effective interval may also be determined based on a first value (for example, a fixed threshold) and a continuous unit length; for example, the fixed threshold is subjected to a first operation (such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, etc.) on the continuous unit length to obtain the maximum value and / or minimum value of the rank enhancement effective interval.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the metasurface uses a unit weighting coefficient matrix for weighting; the state of the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface is the metasurface default state. The first device performs rank-enhanced channel measurement based on the first reference signal, specifically determining channel measurement information based on the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface and the first reference signal.

[0018] In this embodiment, when the metasurface of the first device is used to perform rank-enhanced channel measurement, a unit weighting coefficient matrix is ​​used for weighting, and when the first device performs rank-enhanced channel measurement, the state of the unit weighting coefficient matrix is ​​the meta-surface default state (meta-surface default state), so that the first device can perform rank-enhanced channel measurement based on the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface and the first reference signal.

[0019] In a possible implementation, the first device updates the weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface based on the first indication information.

[0020] In this embodiment, the first device can also update the weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface; for example, based on information such as multipath angle extension information or multipath angle information, update the corresponding phase vector or matrix (the phase vector or matrix belongs to the weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface).

[0021] In one possible implementation, the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement is determined based on the changing state of the multipath angle; the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement is greater than or equal to the measurement period of the second reference signal; the signal type of the second reference signal is the same as or different from the signal type of the first reference signal.

[0022] In this embodiment, the rank enhancement channel measurement may be independent of the channel state information CSI measurement process, and the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement is greater than or equal to (generally greater than) the channel state information CSI measurement period. Optionally, the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement includes the entire period of the rank enhancement channel measurement and feedback. Similarly, the CSI measurement period includes the entire period of the CSI measurement and feedback.

[0023] In the second aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which is performed by a first device. For example, the first device can be a network device (such as a base station), or a component of a network device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module that can realize all or part of the functions of the network device. For another example, the first device can be a terminal, or a terminal or a communication module in the terminal, or a circuit or chip responsible for the communication function in the terminal (such as a Modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a SoC or SIP chip containing a Modem core). Optionally, when the first device is a network device, the second device is a terminal; when the first device is a terminal, the second device is a network device. In which, the first device sends a first reference signal and a unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface to the second device through a metasurface; the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface are used by the second device to perform rank-enhanced channel measurement. The first device receives first indication information from the second device, and the first indication information is used to indicate at least one item of the first information or the second information; the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information; the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information is obtained by the second device performing rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal; the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one item of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0024] In this method, the first device includes a metasurface. Compared to the separate deployment of the metasurface (for example, the metasurface serves as a relay between the first device and the second device), the metasurface is directly covered on the first device, or is covered near the first device with a very small spacing, and the metasurface reflection characteristics are used to separate multiple propagation paths, or to improve the spatial isolation of the multiple propagation paths. In addition, the first device and the second device interact with each other in an explicit or implicit manner (such as at least one of the interactive multipath angle expansion information or multipath angle information; or information such as the interactive rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold) to determine whether rank enhancement is to be performed and the rank enhancement effectiveness interval. Therefore, based on the metasurface and based on the difference in response to different multipath angles, the transmission rank can be improved, thereby improving the system capacity.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the first information is related to a first mapping relationship, a second mapping relationship, or a third mapping relationship. The first information includes at least one multipath angle extension information, and the first mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds corresponding to multiple multipath angle extension information. The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information, and the second mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds corresponding to multiple sets of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information. The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information, multipath angle information, and the transmitting antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the third mapping relationship includes multiple sets of multipath angle extension information, multipath angle information, and the transmitting antenna dimension of the first reference signal, corresponding multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds. Optionally, based on the above-mentioned first mapping relationship, the second mapping relationship, or the third mapping relationship, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0026] In one possible implementation, when the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the first device obtains the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the first information from at least one of the preset first mapping relationship, second mapping relationship or third mapping relationship based on the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information.

[0027] In the above embodiment, if the first indication information indicates multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the first device can determine the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the multipath angle extension information and / or multipath angle information based on a preset mapping relationship (first mapping relationship, second mapping relationship or third mapping relationship), for example, by looking up a table.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the first information is related to a first functional relationship, a second functional relationship, or a third functional relationship. The first information includes at least one multipath angle extension information, the input parameter of the first functional relationship includes the multipath angle extension information, and the output parameter includes the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold. The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information, the input parameter of the second functional relationship includes the multipath angle extension information and the multipath angle information, and the output parameter includes the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold. The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information, multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, the input parameter of the third functional relationship includes the multipath angle extension information, the multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the output parameter includes the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold. Optionally, based on the above-mentioned first functional relationship, the second functional relationship, or the third functional relationship, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0029] In one possible implementation, when the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the first device uses the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information as the input parameter of the function, and combines it with at least one item of the preset first functional relationship, second functional relationship or third functional relationship to obtain the output parameters of the function including the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the first information.

[0030] In the above embodiment, if the first indication information indicates multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the first device can determine the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the multipath angle extension information and / or multipath angle information based on a preset functional relationship (first functional relationship, second functional relationship or third functional relationship).

[0031] Optionally, other possible implementations in the second aspect may refer to the corresponding descriptions of other possible implementations in the first aspect, for example, the descriptions of the first information and the second information, etc., which are not repeated here. Optionally, the effects that can be achieved by other possible implementations in the second aspect may also refer to the descriptions of the effects that can be achieved by other possible implementations in the first aspect, which are not repeated here.

[0032] On the third aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which is performed by a second device. For example, the second device can be a network device (such as a base station), or a component of a network device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module that can realize all or part of the functions of the network device. For another example, the second device can be a terminal, or a terminal or a communication module in a terminal, or a circuit or chip responsible for the communication function in the terminal (such as a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a SoC or SIP chip containing a modem core). Optionally, when the second device is a network device, the first device is a terminal; when the second device is a terminal, the first device is a network device. The second device sends a first reference signal to the first device. The second device receives first indication information from the first device, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information; the multipath angle extension information or the at least one of the multipath angle information is obtained by the first device performing rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal; the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, where the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information. Optionally, the first device includes a metasurface, and at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information is obtained by the first device performing rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal and a unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface.

[0033] In this method, the second device is the transmitter of the first reference signal; the first device is the receiver of the first reference signal, and the first device includes a metasurface, which can perform rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal, so that the rank enhancement effective interval can be fed back to the second device, which is beneficial for the first and second devices to achieve transmission rank improvement and improve system capacity.

[0034] In one possible implementation, the first information is related to a first mapping relationship, a second mapping relationship, or a third mapping relationship. The first information includes at least one multipath angle extension information, and the first mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds corresponding to multiple multipath angle extension information. The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information, and the second mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds corresponding to multiple sets of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information. The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information, multipath angle information, and the transmitting antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the third mapping relationship includes multiple sets of multipath angle extension information, multipath angle information, and the transmitting antenna dimension of the first reference signal, corresponding multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds. Optionally, based on the above-mentioned first mapping relationship, the second mapping relationship, or the third mapping relationship, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0035] In this embodiment, the relationship between the rank enhancement effectiveness mode, the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, the multipath angle extension information, the multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal is defined. For example, it can be a predefined mapping relationship (such as a first mapping relationship, a second mapping relationship, and a third mapping relationship), and it is assumed that the first device and the second device can both predefine the above mapping relationship. Through the above mapping relationship, the first device and the second device can both determine the corresponding rank enhancement effectiveness interval, so that based on the metasurface and based on the difference in response to different multipath angles, the transmission rank can be improved, thereby improving the system capacity.

[0036] In one possible implementation, when the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the second device obtains the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the first information from at least one of the preset first mapping relationship, second mapping relationship or third mapping relationship based on the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information.

[0037] In this embodiment, if the first indication information indicates multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the second device can determine the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the multipath angle extension information and / or multipath angle information based on a preset mapping relationship (first mapping relationship, second mapping relationship or third mapping relationship), for example, by looking up a table.

[0038] In one possible implementation, the first information is related to a first functional relationship, a second functional relationship, or a third functional relationship. The first information includes at least one multipath angle extension information, the input parameter of the first functional relationship includes the multipath angle extension information, and the output parameter includes the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold. The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information, the input parameter of the second functional relationship includes the multipath angle extension information and the multipath angle information, and the output parameter includes the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold. The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information, multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, the input parameter of the third functional relationship includes the multipath angle extension information, the multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the output parameter includes the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold. Optionally, based on the above-mentioned first functional relationship, the second functional relationship, or the third functional relationship, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0039] This embodiment defines a functional relationship between multipath angle expansion information, multipath angle information, and transmit antenna dimensions, and assumes that both the first and second devices can predefine this functional relationship. Based on this functional relationship, both the first and second devices can determine corresponding rank enhancement validity intervals, thereby improving transmission rank and system capacity based on the metasurface and the differences in responses to different multipath angles.

[0040] In one possible implementation, when the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the second device uses the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information as the input parameter of the function, and combines it with at least one item of the preset first functional relationship, second functional relationship or third functional relationship to obtain the output parameters of the function including the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the first information.

[0041] In this embodiment, if the first indication information indicates multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the second device can determine the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the multipath angle extension information and / or multipath angle information based on a preset functional relationship (first functional relationship, second functional relationship or third functional relationship).

[0042] In one possible implementation, the rank enhancement validation threshold includes a channel quality indicator index threshold or a modulation and coding scheme index threshold. A set of channel quality indicator index thresholds or modulation and coding scheme index thresholds corresponds to a set of signal-to-noise ratio thresholds, a set of signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio thresholds, or a set of reference signal received power thresholds.

[0043] In this embodiment, when the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold includes a channel quality indication index threshold or a modulation and coding scheme index threshold, it means that the first device only needs to receive CQI according to CSI feedback information within the rank enhancement measurement period, without the need to newly define and receive the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold.

[0044] In a possible implementation, the rank enhancement validation mode is used to indicate whether the rank enhancement validation interval is an open interval or a closed interval; the rank enhancement validation mode is indicated using at least two bits.

[0045] In this embodiment, the rank enhancement validity mode indicates whether the rank enhancement validity interval is an open interval or a closed interval. For example, the open interval can be a unilateral open interval (such as [,Δ1] or [Δ2,]), or a bilateral open interval (such as [,Δ1]∪[Δ2,]); the closed interval can be expressed as [Δ1,Δ2]. If the above four situations exist, at least two bits can be used to indicate.

[0046] In one possible implementation, the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold includes at least one of the maximum value or minimum value of the rank enhancement effectiveness interval; or, the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold includes a first value and a continuous unit length, and the first value and the continuous unit length are used to determine at least one of the maximum value or minimum value of the rank enhancement effectiveness interval.

[0047] In this embodiment, the rank enhancement effective threshold may only indicate the maximum value or minimum value of the rank enhancement effective interval (for example, when the rank enhancement effective interval is an open interval, it may only indicate the maximum value or minimum value), or it may indicate the maximum value and minimum value of the rank enhancement effective interval (for example, when the rank enhancement effective interval is a closed interval, it is necessary to indicate the maximum value and minimum value). Optionally, the rank enhancement effective interval may also be determined based on a first value (for example, a fixed threshold) and a continuous unit length; for example, the fixed threshold is subjected to a first operation (such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, etc.) on the continuous unit length to obtain the maximum value and / or minimum value of the rank enhancement effective interval.

[0048] In one possible implementation, the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement is determined based on the changing state of the multipath angle; the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement is greater than or equal to the measurement period of the second reference signal; the signal type of the second reference signal is the same as or different from the signal type of the first reference signal.

[0049] In this embodiment, the rank enhancement channel measurement may be independent of the channel state information CSI measurement process, and the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement is greater than or equal to (generally greater than) the channel state information CSI measurement period. Optionally, the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement includes the entire period of the rank enhancement channel measurement and feedback. Similarly, the CSI measurement period includes the entire period of the CSI measurement and feedback.

[0050] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which is performed by a second device. For example, the second device may be a network device (such as a base station), or a component of a network device (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logic module that can implement all or part of the network device functions. For another example, the second device may be a terminal, or a terminal or a communication module in a terminal, or a circuit or chip in a terminal responsible for the communication function (such as a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a SoC or SIP chip containing a modem core). Optionally, when the second device is a network device, the first device is a terminal; when the second device is a terminal, the first device is a network device. The second device receives a first reference signal and a unit weighting coefficient matrix of a metasurface from the first device, and performs rank-enhanced channel measurement based on the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface to obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device, and the channel measurement information includes at least one of multipath angle extension information or multipath angle information. The second device sends a first indication message to the first device, and the first indication message is used to indicate at least one item of the first information or the second information; the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information; the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one item of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0051] In this method, the second device is a receiver of a first reference signal; the first device is a transmitter of the first reference signal, and the first device includes a metasurface. The second device receives the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface, and can perform rank-enhanced channel measurement based on the first reference signal. This can then provide feedback to the first device on the rank-enhanced effective interval, facilitating transmission rank improvement for both the first and second devices, thereby increasing system capacity.

[0052] Optionally, for other possible implementations in the fourth aspect, reference may be made to the corresponding descriptions of other possible implementations in the third aspect, for example, the descriptions of the first information and the second information, etc., which are not repeated here. Optionally, for the effects that can be achieved by other possible implementations in the fourth aspect, reference may be made to the descriptions of the effects that can be achieved by other possible implementations in the third aspect, which are not repeated here.

[0053] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a communication device. The communication device may be a network device or terminal, or a component of a network device or terminal (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a device that can be used in conjunction with a network device or terminal. In one possible implementation, the communication device has the function of implementing the above-mentioned first aspect. For example, the communication device includes a module or unit or means corresponding to the operation involved in the above-mentioned first aspect. The module or unit or means can be implemented specifically by software, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware.

[0054] In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a communication unit and a processing unit. The communication unit is configured to receive a first reference signal from a second device through a metasurface. The processing unit is configured to perform rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal to obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device; the channel measurement information includes at least one of multipath angle extension information or multipath angle information. The communication unit is further configured to send a first indication message to the second device, the first indication message being configured to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information; the second information includes a rank enhancement effective mode and a rank enhancement effective threshold, and the rank enhancement effective mode and the rank enhancement effective threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0055] Optionally, other possible implementations in the fifth aspect can refer to the corresponding descriptions of other possible implementations in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0056] In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a communication device. The communication device may be a network device or terminal, or a component of a network device or terminal (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a device that can be used in conjunction with a network device or terminal. In one possible implementation, the communication device has the function of implementing the second aspect above. For example, the communication device includes a module or unit or means corresponding to the operation involved in the second aspect above. The module or unit or means can be implemented specifically by software, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware.

[0057] In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a communication unit and a processing unit. The communication unit is used to send a first reference signal to the second device through the metasurface. The communication unit is also used to receive first indication information from the second device, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information; the multipath angle extension information or at least one of the multipath angle information is obtained by the second device performing rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal; the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0058] Optionally, other possible implementations in the sixth aspect can refer to the corresponding descriptions of other possible implementations in the second aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0059] In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a communication device. The communication device may be a network device or terminal, or a component of a network device or terminal (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a device that can be used in conjunction with a network device or terminal. In one possible implementation, the communication device has the function of implementing the third aspect above. For example, the communication device includes a module or unit or means corresponding to the operation involved in the third aspect above. The module or unit or means can be implemented specifically by software, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware.

[0060] In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a communication unit and a processing unit. The communication unit is used to send a first reference signal to the first device. The communication unit is also used to receive first indication information from the first device, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information; the multipath angle extension information or the at least one of the multipath angle information is obtained by the first device performing rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal; the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0061] Optionally, other possible implementations in the seventh aspect can refer to the corresponding descriptions of other possible implementations in the third aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0062] In an eighth aspect, the present application provides a communication device. The communication device may be a network device or terminal, or a component of a network device or terminal (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a device that can be used in conjunction with a network device or terminal. In one possible implementation, the communication device has the function of implementing the fourth aspect above. For example, the communication device includes a module or unit or means corresponding to the operation involved in the fourth aspect above. The module or unit or means can be implemented specifically by software, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware.

[0063] In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a communication unit and a processing unit. The communication unit is used to receive a first reference signal from the first device. The processing unit is used to perform rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal to obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device, and the channel measurement information includes at least one of multipath angle extension information or multipath angle information. The communication unit is also used to send a first indication message to the first device, and the first indication message is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information; the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0064] Optionally, other possible implementations in the eighth aspect can refer to the corresponding descriptions of other possible implementations in the fourth aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0065] In a ninth aspect, the present application provides a communication device comprising a memory and one or more processors. The memory is used to store part or all of the necessary computer programs or instructions for implementing the functions involved in at least one of the first, second, third or fourth aspects above. One or more processors can execute the computer program or instructions, and when the computer program or instructions are executed, the communication device implements at least one of the following: the method in the first aspect and any possible implementation of the first aspect, the method in the second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect, the method in the third aspect and any possible implementation of the third aspect, or the method in the fourth aspect and any possible implementation of the fourth aspect.

[0066] In one possible design, the communication device may further include an interface circuit, wherein the processor is configured to communicate with other devices or components through the interface circuit.

[0067] In one possible design, the communication device may further include a memory.

[0068] In one possible design, the communication device may be a terminal, or a communication module in a terminal, or a chip in the terminal responsible for communication functions such as a modem chip or a SoC or SIP chip including a modem module.

[0069] In the tenth aspect, the present application provides a communication device, comprising: a processor and an interface circuit, the interface circuit being used to receive signals from other communication devices and transmit them to the processor or send signals from the processor to other communication devices, the processor being used to implement at least one of the following through logic circuits or execution code instructions: the method in the first aspect and any possible implementation of the first aspect, the method in the second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect, the method in the third aspect and any possible implementation of the third aspect, or the method in the fourth aspect and any possible implementation of the fourth aspect.

[0070] In the eleventh aspect, the present application provides a communication system, which includes at least one device or equipment among the above-mentioned aspects 5 to 10, so that the above-mentioned at least one device or equipment performs at least one of the following: the method in the first aspect and any possible implementation of the first aspect, the method in the second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect, the method in the third aspect and any possible implementation of the third aspect, or the method in the fourth aspect and any possible implementation of the fourth aspect.

[0071] In the twelfth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which a computer program or computer-readable instructions are stored. When the computer program or computer-readable instructions are run on a computer, the computer is caused to execute at least one of the following: the method in the first aspect and any possible implementation of the first aspect, the method in the second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect, the method in the third aspect and any possible implementation of the third aspect, or the method in the fourth aspect and any possible implementation of the fourth aspect.

[0072] In the thirteenth aspect, the present application provides a computer program product, which, when read and executed by a computer, enables the computer to execute at least one of the following: the method in the first aspect and any possible implementation of the first aspect, the method in the second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect, the method in the third aspect and any possible implementation of the third aspect, or the method in the fourth aspect and any possible implementation of the fourth aspect.

[0073] In a fourteenth aspect, the present application provides a chip comprising a processor (or logic circuit). Optionally, the chip may further comprise a communication interface (or interfaces) configured to implement at least one of the following: the method of the first aspect and any possible implementation of the first aspect, the method of the second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect, the method of the third aspect and any possible implementation of the third aspect, or the method of the fourth aspect and any possible implementation of the fourth aspect.

[0074] In one possible implementation, if the chip is the smallest processing unit in the entire machine, the chip can be a processor, or it can include a processor and a memory, or it can include a processor, a memory and a transceiver, and is used to implement at least one of the following: the method in the first aspect and any possible implementation of the first aspect, the method in the second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect, the method in the third aspect and any possible implementation of the third aspect, or the method in the fourth aspect and any possible implementation of the fourth aspect.

[0075] In a fifteenth aspect, the present application provides a chip system. The chip system includes a processor and an interface. Optionally, it may also include a memory for implementing at least one of the following: the method in the first aspect and any possible implementation of the first aspect, the method in the second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect, the method in the third aspect and any possible implementation of the third aspect, or the method in the fourth aspect and any possible implementation of the fourth aspect. The chip system may be composed of a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0076] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams of a communication system provided by the present application;

[0077] FIG2 is a system diagram of a rank enhancement solution;

[0078] FIG3 is a flow chart of a communication method provided by the present application;

[0079] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of multipath angle information and multipath angle extension information provided by the present application;

[0080] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the relationship between multipath angle information and signal-to-noise ratio provided by the present application;

[0081] FIG6 is a flow chart of another communication method provided by the present application;

[0082] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a channel capacity provided by the present application;

[0083] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided by the present application;

[0084] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0085] In the embodiments of the present application, " / " can indicate that the objects associated with each other are in an "or" relationship, for example, A / B can indicate A or B; "and / or" can be used to describe that there are three relationships between the associated objects, for example, A and / or B can indicate: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural.

[0086] In the embodiments of the present application, words such as "first" and "second" can be used to distinguish technical features with the same or similar functions. The words such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity and execution order, and the words such as "first" and "second" do not necessarily limit them to be different. In the embodiments of the present application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" should not be interpreted as being more preferred or more advantageous than other embodiments or design. The use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present related concepts in a concrete way for easy understanding.

[0087] "Sending" and "receiving" in the embodiments of the present application indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "sending information to a terminal" can be understood as the destination end of the information being the terminal device, which can include direct sending through the air interface, and also includes indirect sending through the air interface by other units or modules. "Receiving information from a network device" can be understood as the source end of the information being the network device, which can include direct receiving from the network device through the air interface, and also includes indirect receiving from the network device through the air interface from other units or modules. "Sending" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receiving" can also be understood as the "input" of the chip interface.

[0088] In other words, sending and receiving can be performed between devices, for example, between a network device and a terminal device, or can be performed within a device, for example, sending or receiving between components, modules, chips, software modules or hardware modules within the device through a bus, wiring or interface.

[0089] It is understandable that information may be processed between the source and destination of information transmission, such as coding, modulation, etc., but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be understood similarly and will not be repeated.

[0090] In the embodiments of the present application, "indication" may include direct indication and indirect indication, and may also include explicit indication and implicit indication. The information indicated by a certain information (such as the indication information described below) is called information to be indicated. In the specific implementation process, there are many ways to indicate the information to be indicated, such as but not limited to, the information to be indicated can be directly indicated, such as the information to be indicated itself or the index of the information to be indicated. The information to be indicated can also be indirectly indicated by indicating other information, wherein 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 be achieved with the help of the arrangement order of each information agreed in advance (such as predefined by the protocol), thereby reducing the indication overhead to a certain extent. The present application does not limit the specific method of indication. It is understandable that, for the sender of the indication information, the indication information can be used to indicate the information to be indicated, and for the receiver of the indication information, the indication information can be used to determine the information to be indicated.

[0091] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

[0092] 1. For ease of understanding, the following is a detailed introduction to the definitions of relevant terms involved in this application:

[0093] 1. Multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system:

[0094] MIMO technology leverages spatial resources to achieve array gain, multiplexing and diversity gain, and interference cancellation gain in space without increasing system bandwidth, thereby improving the capacity and spectral efficiency of communication systems. For example, in Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, multiple antennas can be used at both the transmitter and receiver to support up to eight layers of transmission. However, as demands for high-speed, high-reliability, and low-latency communications continue to increase, modern communication systems will continue to face challenges in achieving greater capacity, wider coverage, and lower latency. These requirements will also become key requirements for next-generation communication systems.

[0095] 2. Reference signal:

[0096] During the demodulation process at the receiving end of a communication system, coherent demodulation offers superior performance compared to incoherent demodulation, making it widely adopted in modern communication systems. Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems suppress the carrier modulation of each carrier. Therefore, achieving coherent demodulation at the receiving end of an OFDM system requires a reference signal. Reference signals, also known as pilot signals or reference signals (RS), are distributed across different resource elements (REs) in the two-dimensional space of time and frequency within an OFDM symbol and have known amplitude and phase.

[0097] Similarly, in a MIMO system, each transmit antenna (virtual or physical) has an independent data channel. Based on a preset RS signal, the receiver performs channel estimation for each transmit antenna and restores the transmitted data based on this. Channel estimation refers to the process of reconstructing the received signal to compensate for channel fading and noise. Specifically, it refers to tracking the time and frequency domain changes of the channel using RSs known in advance by the transmitter and receiver. For example, to achieve channel quality measurement and data demodulation in high-order multi-antenna systems, various reference signals are defined: cell-specific reference signal (CRS), demodulation reference signal (DMRS), sounding reference signal (SRS), channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS), etc. DMRS is used for demodulation of the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). The CSI-RS is used to measure channel information and report information such as the channel quality indicator (CQI), precoding matrix indicator (PMI), and rank indicator (RI).

[0098] 3. Metasurfaces

[0099] (1) The meaning of metasurface:

[0100] Throughout the complex evolution of wireless communication systems, high throughput and large connections have always been core challenges and goals for wireless communication networks. To address these challenges, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS, also known as intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRS), large intelligent surfaces (LIS), or metasurfaces) have been widely researched as a technology with significant potential. For example, RIS-assisted networks, which control channel characteristics through RIS elements, are considered a key enabling technology for expanding the coverage of wireless communication networks.

[0101] Common application scenarios for metasurfaces are coverage enhancement and blind spot filling. For example, deploying one or more RIS at the edge of a cell or in a coverage blind spot caused by obstruction or deep attenuation can extend coverage and fill blind spots. Another possible application scenario for RIS is rank enhancement. The principle is that RIS can actively change channels and provide more gain-controllable transmission paths. The network (RAN) or base station (BS) can use RIS to actively control the quality of the wireless channel between the base station and the user (UE) (such as enhancing link gain and increasing the number of characteristic subchannels). For example, at centimeter wave frequencies (such as 10 GHz), RIS-MIMO systems have lower path loss and richer scattering than high frequencies, and the number of antennas in the centimeter wave band can be very large, providing a high degree of spatial freedom. However, the physical environment, such as multipath distribution, is not sufficient to support the transmission of a high number of streams. Therefore, in addition to coverage enhancement, rank enhancement may be one of the potential main features of centimeter wave RIS-MIMO systems.

[0102] 4. Network Architecture

[0103] The communication method provided in this application can be applied to a variety of communication systems, for example, it can be: 5G (or called new radio (NR)) communication system, it can also be a transition system between the LTE communication system and the 5G communication system, the transition system can also be called a 4.5G communication system, and of course it can also be a future communication system, such as the sixth generation (6G) or even the seventh generation (7G) system. The network architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. It is known to those skilled in the art that with the evolution of the communication network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0104] For example, Figures 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams of a communication system provided in this application, which includes at least one network device 110 and at least one terminal 120. The network device 110 and the terminal 120 can be connected to each other wirelessly. Figures 1A and 1B are only examples, and this application does not limit the number of network devices and terminals. Among them, the communication system also includes a metasurface 130, and it is assumed that the metasurface 130 is on the surface of the network device 110 (as shown in Figure 1A) or on the surface of the terminal 120 (as shown in Figure 1B). For example, the metasurface 130 can be a layer of surface material having one or more of reflection, transmission, and refraction functions, and the surface material layer is attached to the antenna of the network device 110 or the terminal 120 to achieve rank enhancement (based on the fact that the metasurface can actively change the channel and provide more gain-controllable propagation multipaths based on the response differences to different multipath angles). Optionally, the metasurface may be expressed as a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS), which may also be called an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS), a large intelligent surface (LIS), or any other metasurface name, which is not limited in this application.

[0105] The following introduces the network devices and terminals involved in this application.

[0106] A terminal can be a wireless terminal device that can receive scheduling information and indication information from network devices. A terminal can be a device that provides voice and / or data connectivity to users, or a handheld device with wireless connectivity, or other processing device connected to a wireless modem. A terminal is also known as user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), customer premise equipment (CPE), or terminal device. A terminal is a device that includes wireless communication capabilities (providing voice / data connectivity to users). For example, a handheld device with wireless connectivity, or an in-vehicle device, etc. Currently, some examples of terminals include: mobile phones, tablets, laptops, PDAs, mobile internet devices (MIDs), wearable devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), wireless terminals in self-driving systems, wireless terminals in remote medical surgery, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, and wireless terminals in smart homes. For example, wireless terminals in self-driving systems can be drones, helicopters, or airplanes. For example, wireless terminals in the IoV can be in-vehicle equipment, complete vehicle equipment, in-vehicle modules, vehicles, or ships. Wireless terminals in industrial control can be cameras, robots, or robotic arms. Wireless terminals in smart homes can be televisions, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, speakers, or set-top boxes.

[0107] It should be noted that the terminal can be a device or apparatus with a chip, or a device or apparatus with an integrated circuit, or a chip, chip system, module or control unit in the device or apparatus shown above, and this application does not limit it specifically. It should be noted that in this application, when referring to a terminal, it can refer to the terminal itself, or it can refer to a chip, functional module or integrated circuit in the terminal that performs the method provided in this application, and this application does not limit it specifically.

[0108] A network device may be a device in a wireless network. For example, a network device may be a device deployed in a radio access network that provides wireless communication capabilities for terminal devices. For example, a network device may be a radio access network (RAN) node that connects a terminal device to a wireless network. The network device may also be referred to as an access network device, a RAN entity, an access node, a network node, or a communication device.

[0109] Specifically, the network device may be an access network device for a cellular system related to the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). For example, a 4G communication system or a 5G communication system. The network device may also be an access network device in an open access network (O-RAN or ORAN) or a cloud radio access network (CRAN). Alternatively, the network device may be an access network device in a communication system obtained by integrating two or more of the above communication systems.

[0110] The network device includes, but is not limited to, an evolved Node B (eNB), a radio network controller (RNC), a Node B (NB), a base station controller (BSC), a base transceiver station (BTS), a home base station (e.g., a home evolved Node B, or a home Node B, HNB), a baseband unit (BBU), an access point (AP) in a wireless fidelity (WIFI) system, a macro base station, a micro base station, a wireless relay node, a donor node, a wireless controller in a CRAN scenario, a wireless backhaul node, a transmission point (TP), or a transmission and receiving point (TRP), and may also be a network device in a 5G mobile communication system. For example, a next generation NodeB (gNB), a TRP, or a TP in an NR system; or one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a base station in a 5G mobile communication system; or the network device may also be a network node constituting a gNB or a transmission point. For example, a centralized unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a centralized unit control plane (CU-CP), a centralized unit user plane (CU-UP), or a radio unit (RU), etc. The CU and DU can be set separately, or can also be included in the same network element, such as a BBU. The RU can be included in a radio frequency device or a radio frequency unit. For example, in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH). Alternatively, the network device can also be a server, a wearable device, a vehicle, or an on-board device, etc. For example, the access network device in the V2X technology can be a road side unit (RSU).

[0111] It should be noted that in different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU or RU may also have different names, but those skilled in the art can understand their meanings. For example, in an open radio access network (ORAN) system, CU may also be called an open centralized unit (O-CU) or an open CU, DU may also be called an open distributed unit (O-DU), CU-CP may also be called an open centralized unit control plane (O-CU-CP), CU-UP may also be called an open centralized unit user plane (O-CU-UP), and RU may also be called an open radio unit (O-RU). This application does not limit this. Any of the CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU and RU in this application may be implemented through a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0112] Optionally, for network elements in the ORAN system, each network element may implement the protocol layer functions shown in Table 1 below.

[0113] Table 1

[0114] It should be noted that, in the ORAN system, the network device in this application may be one or more network elements in Table 1 above.

[0115] The following describes the architecture of the CU and DU of an access network device. The access network device includes at least one CU and at least one DU. Optionally, the access network device also includes at least one RU.

[0116] The following is an introduction using the example of an access network device including a CU and a DU. The CU has some functions of the core network, and the CU may include a CU-CP and a CU-UP. The CU and the DU may be configured according to the protocol layer functions of the wireless network they implement. For example, the CU is configured to implement the functions of the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer and the protocol layers above it (for example, the RRC layer and / or the SDAP layer). The DU is configured to implement the functions of the protocol layers below the PDCP layer (for example, the RLC layer, the MAC layer, and / or the physical (PHY) layer). For another example, the CU is configured to implement the functions of the protocol layers above the PDCP layer (such as the RRC layer and / or the SDAP layer), and the DU is configured to implement the functions of the PDCP layer and the protocol layers below it (for example, the RLC layer, the MAC layer, and / or the PHY layer, etc.).

[0117] When a CU includes a CU-CP and a CU-UP, the CU-CP is used to implement the control plane functions of the CU, and the CU-UP is used to implement the user plane functions of the CU. For example, when the CU is configured to implement the functions of the PDCP layer, RRC layer, and SDAP layer, the CU-CP is used to implement the RRC layer functions and the control plane functions of the PDCP layer, and the CU-UP is used to implement the SDAP layer functions and the user plane functions of the PDCP layer.

[0118] The above configuration of CU and DU is only an example, and the functions of CU and DU can also be configured as needed. For example, the CU or DU can be configured to have the functions of more protocol layers, or the CU or DU can be configured to have partial processing functions of the protocol layer. For example, some functions of the RLC layer and the functions of the protocol layers above the RLC layer are set in the CU, and the remaining functions of the RLC layer and the functions of the protocol layers below the RLC layer are set in the DU. For another example, the functions of the CU or DU can be divided according to the service type or other system requirements. For example, according to the delay, the functions whose processing time needs to meet the smaller delay requirement are set in the DU, and the functions that do not need to meet the delay requirement are set in the CU.

[0119] The DU and RU can work together to implement the functions of the PHY layer. A DU can be connected to one or more RUs. The functions of the DU and RU can be configured in various ways according to the design. For example, the DU is configured to implement the baseband function, and the RU is configured to implement the mid-RF function. For another example, the DU is configured to implement the high-layer functions in the PHY layer, and the RU is configured to implement the low-layer functions in the PHY layer or to implement the low-layer functions and the RF functions. The high-layer functions in the physical layer may include a part of the functions of the physical layer, which is closer to the MAC layer, and the low-layer functions in the physical layer may include another part of the functions of the physical layer, which is closer to the mid-RF side.

[0120] It should be noted that the network device can be a device or apparatus with a chip, or a device or apparatus with an integrated circuit, or a chip, chip system, module or control unit in the aforementioned device or apparatus, and this application does not limit this. It should be noted that in this application, when referring to a network device, it can refer to the network device itself, or it can refer to a chip, functional module or integrated circuit in the network device that performs the method provided in this application, and this application does not limit this.

[0121] Optionally, a common rank enhancement network architecture also includes a metasurface as an intermediate node to implement a forwarding function similar to a relay or integrated access and backhaul (IAB). For example, FIG2 is a system diagram of a rank enhancement solution, which includes a network device 110, a terminal 120, and a metasurface 130; and the metasurface 130 is used as an intermediate node to implement the forwarding function. Assuming that the channel between the network device 110 and the terminal 120 is represented as H0, the channel between the network device 110 and the metasurface 130 is represented as H1, and the channel between the metasurface 130 and the terminal 120 is represented as H2, taking the downlink transmission as an example, the received signal satisfies formula (1): Y = H0 + H1 * W * H2 (1)

[0122] Where Y represents the received signal and W represents the weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface. Therefore, compared to the traditional H0 channel, the metasurface provides an additional H1*W*H2 channel to improve the communication rank. However, in the scenario where the metasurface acts as an intermediate node, the user's signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance gain will not decrease sharply only when the direct channel (such as H0) has poor quality or the channel gain of the cascaded channels (such as H1 and H2) is comparable to the direct channel, thus limiting the gain scenarios of existing rank enhancement schemes.

[0123] To address the limited gain scenarios of existing rank enhancement schemes, this application provides a corresponding technical solution. By using first indication information, a first device and a second device can exchange rank enhancement validity intervals. This improves transmission rank and system capacity based on a metasurface and the differences in responses to different multipath angles. For details, please refer to the relevant description of the embodiments below.

[0124] 2. Communication method provided by this application:

[0125] 1. The first type of communication method provided by this application (the first device includes a metasurface, the second device sends a reference signal, and the first device performs rank-enhanced channel measurement and feedback):

[0126] For example, Figure 3 is a flow chart of a communication method provided by this application. The method can be implemented by interaction between a first device and a second device. For example, when the first device is a network device, the second device is a terminal; when the first device is a terminal, the second device is a network device. The method includes the following steps:

[0127] S101: A first device receives a first reference signal from a second device through a metasurface.

[0128] The second device sends a first reference signal to the first device. The present application assumes that the first device includes a metasurface; for example, the metasurface can be a reflective layer attached to the antenna of the first device to achieve rank enhancement. Optionally, the metasurface can be called RIS, or IRS, or LIS, or metasurface, or metasurface, or reflective surface, etc., which is not limited in the present application. For the convenience of description, they are collectively referred to as metasurfaces hereinafter. Optionally, the metasurface can be deployed independently of the first device to achieve the rank enhancement function, which is not limited in the present application.

[0129] In one possible implementation, the first device is a terminal and the second device is a network device, and the first reference signal may be a downlink reference signal, such as a first CSI-RS. In another possible implementation, the first device is a network device and the second device is a terminal, and the first reference signal may be an uplink reference signal, such as a first SRS.

[0130] Optionally, the second device sends the first reference signal to the first device according to a preset period; correspondingly, the first device receives the first reference signal from the second device through the metasurface according to the preset period. Optionally, the preset period may be a measurement period of the first reference signal. For example, assuming that the first reference signal is a first CSI-RS, the preset period may be a CSI measurement period. Optionally, the measurement period of the first reference signal includes a measurement period and a feedback period of the first reference signal. For example, assuming that the first reference signal is a first CSI-RS, the measurement period of the first reference signal includes a measurement period of the first CSI-RS and a feedback period of the CSI.

[0131] S102: The first device performs rank enhanced channel measurement based on the first reference signal to obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device.

[0132] Among them, the first device includes a metasurface, and when the metasurface of the first device is used to perform rank-enhanced channel measurement, a unit weighting coefficient matrix is ​​used for weighting, and when the first device performs rank-enhanced channel measurement, the state of the unit weighting coefficient matrix is ​​the meta-surface default state (meta-surface default state). Therefore, the first device performs rank-enhanced channel measurement based on the first reference signal. Specifically, the first device can perform periodic rank-enhanced channel measurement based on the first reference signal and metasurface related parameters (such as the unit weighting coefficient matrix), thereby obtaining channel measurement information between the first device and the second device. Optionally, the unit weighting coefficient matrix includes parameters such as a phase vector or matrix, and the elements of the vector or the diagonal elements of the matrix are all 1, and the values ​​of other elements of the matrix can be 0.

[0133] Optionally, the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement is greater than or equal to the measurement period of the second reference signal; the signal type of the second reference signal is the same as or different from the signal type of the first reference signal. For example, assuming that the signal type of the first reference signal and the second reference signal is the same (such as both are CSI-RS), the rank enhancement channel measurement can be independent of the CSI measurement, and the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement is greater than the CSI measurement period. Optionally, the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement includes measurement and feedback periods. For example, the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal includes measurement of the first reference signal, and a feedback period of the channel measurement information (such as the feedback period of the first indication information).

[0134] Optionally, the channel measurement information includes at least one of multipath angle expansion information or multipath angle information. Optionally, multipath is an abbreviation for multiple propagation paths, which refers to multiple propagation paths formed based on multiple antennas and a metasurface when signals are transmitted between the first device and the second device. The multiple propagation paths may include a line of sight (LOS) path and a non-line of sight (NLOS) path between the first device and the second device. When the metasurface is deployed on the first device or the second device, the multiple propagation paths all pass through the metasurface.

[0135] Optionally, the multipath angle information includes at least one of the following: a two-dimensional multipath incident angle average and a two-dimensional multipath exit angle average. The two-dimensional multipath incident angle average or the two-dimensional multipath exit angle average may be an arithmetic mean of angles, a geometric mean of angles, or a root mean square of power spectrum density (PSD), etc., which is not limited in this application.

[0136] Optionally, the multipath angle spread information includes at least one of the following: multipath horizontal arrival angle spread (azimuth spread of arrival angle, ASA), multipath vertical arrival angle spread (zenith spread of arrival angle, ZSA), multipath horizontal launch angle spread (azimuth spread of departure angle, ASD), and multipath vertical launch angle spread (zenith spread of departure angle, ZSD). The multipath angle spread information can be defined as the maximum angle between multipaths within a cluster, or the second-order center distance information of the multipath angular power spectrum (PAS).

[0137] Optionally, the multipath angle information may include a two-dimensional multipath incident angle average and / or a two-dimensional multipath exit angle average (in this case, the multipath angle information may be simply referred to as the multipath angle); and the multipath angle extension information may include at least one of ASA / ZSA / ASD / ZSD (in this case, the multipath angle extension information may be simply referred to as the multipath angle extension). Optionally, the multipath angle information is a type of indication information (e.g., 2-bit indication information), which is used to indicate the two-dimensional multipath incident angle average and / or the two-dimensional multipath exit angle average (equivalent to the multipath angle information indirectly including the two-dimensional multipath incident angle average and / or the two-dimensional multipath exit angle average), and the multipath angle extension information is another type of indication information, which is used to indicate at least one of ASA / ZSA / ASD / ZSD (equivalent to the multipath angle extension information indirectly including at least one of ASA / ZSA / ASD / ZSD).

[0138] For example, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of multipath angle information and multipath angle extension information provided by the present application. The multiple solid lines in Figure 4 can be regarded as multiple propagation paths, and the multiple propagation paths constitute a cluster, as shown in the cone shape of Figure 4. Among them, φ is the angle between the horizontal dotted line in Figure 4 and the center line of the cone (that is, the average of the two-dimensional angles of the multipath), which can represent the multipath angle information. θ is the maximum angle between the multipaths in the cluster, which can represent the multipath angle extension information. Optionally, if the multipath angle extension information is the second-order center distance information of the multipath PAS, the process of deriving the multipath angle extension information based on θ satisfies formulas (2) and (3):

[0139] in, represents the PAS angle mean, and Θ represents the square root of the PAS second-order center distance (that is, the multipath angle expansion information).

[0140] Optionally, the multipath angle extension information may also be referred to as angle extension information of multiple propagation paths, and the multipath angle information may also be referred to as angle information of multiple propagation paths. For example, the multipath angle information includes the average of the angles of the multiple propagation paths, and the multipath angle extension information includes the maximum angle between multiple paths within a cluster formed by the multiple propagation paths.

[0141] Optionally, the channel measurement information also includes at least one of a transmit antenna dimension or a receive antenna dimension. The transmit antenna dimension or the receive antenna dimension can be considered separately as a vertical dimension M and a horizontal dimension N. Optionally, the transmit antenna dimension and / or the receive antenna dimension are used to determine the antenna beamwidth, which may affect the multipath angle spread information and the multipath angle information.

[0142] S103, the first device sends first indication information to the second device; correspondingly, the second device receives the first indication information.

[0143] The first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information. The first information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information, and the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, where the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information.

[0144] The multipath angle extension information and / or multipath angle information can refer to the corresponding description above and will not be repeated here. The following will introduce the rank enhancement validation mode and rank enhancement validation threshold in conjunction with the multipath angle extension information and / or multipath angle information.

[0145] The rank enhancement effective threshold includes at least one of the following: a reference signal receiving power (RSRP) threshold, a signal to noise ratio (SNR) threshold, a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) threshold, a channel quality indicator (CQI) index threshold, or a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) index threshold. In addition, the rank enhancement effective threshold is related to at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information. For example, FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the relationship between multipath angle information and signal to noise ratio provided in the present application. Figure 5 includes four clusters, each of which includes multipath. For example, assume that cluster 1 has an incident angle of 0–90°, 15 multipath paths, a multipath arrival angle of 0–0.6°, and a cluster scattering surface area of ​​0.44 m × 0.88 m. Cluster 2 has an incident angle of 70–90°, 15 multipath paths, a multipath arrival angle of 0–5°, and a cluster scattering surface area of ​​4 m × 2 m. Cluster 3 has an incident angle of 0–60°, 15 multipath paths, a multipath arrival angle of 0–1°, and a cluster scattering surface area of ​​0.88 m × 0.44 m. Cluster 4 has an incident angle of 0–60°, 15 multipath paths, a multipath arrival angle of 0–5°, and a cluster scattering surface area of ​​4 m × 2 m. Furthermore, assume that the metasurface weighting coefficient matrix W is a random complex matrix, considering different paths multiplied by different W matrices. Based on the above assumptions, the signal-to-noise ratio-related levels corresponding to clusters 1 to 4 can be derived as shown in Figure 5. Among them, as the incident angle and the multipath arrival angle change, the signal-to-noise ratio distribution area corresponding to the rank of the signal after reflection through the metasurface or not through the metasurface is different. Therefore, different multipath angle extension information and / or multipath angle information correspond to different rank enhancement signal-to-noise ratio threshold intervals, so that based on the signal-to-noise ratio threshold interval, it can be determined that CSI measurement and data transmission are based on the enhanced rank (that is, CSI measurement and data transmission are based on the corresponding metasurface weighting coefficient matrix W). Optionally, when the rank enhancement effective threshold is other thresholds such as the RSRP threshold and the SINR threshold, the relationship with the multipath angle extension information and / or multipath angle information is similar, and this application does not limit it.

[0146] The rank enhancement effectiveness mode is used to indicate that the rank enhancement effectiveness interval is an open interval or a closed interval, and the rank enhancement effectiveness interval is an open interval or a closed interval determined based on the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold. For example, the rank enhancement effectiveness mode includes at least two modes, an open interval mode and / or a closed interval mode; optionally, the open interval mode can be further divided into a unilateral open interval or a bilateral open interval, for example, a unilateral open interval can be expressed as [,Δ1] or [Δ2,], and a bilateral open interval can be expressed as [,Δ1]∪[Δ2,]; wherein, Δ1 or Δ2 represents a threshold. The closed interval can be expressed as [Δ1,Δ2], assuming that Δ1<Δ2. Optionally, Δ1 or Δ2 can be any one of the rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds described above, such as an SNR threshold, or an RSRP threshold, etc., which is not limited in this application.

[0147] Optionally, the rank enhancement effective interval is an SNR interval or an SINR interval or an RSRP interval. Optionally, when a reference signal measurement is performed between the first device and the second device, for example, when a CSI measurement is performed between the first device and the second device, information such as SNR / SINR / RSRP can be measured. If the SNR / SINR / RSRP value in the channel measurement result belongs to the rank enhancement effective interval, for example, if the measured SNR value belongs to the rank enhancement SNR effective interval, it means that the current network scenario meets the requirements of the rank enhancement effective interval, and the rank enhancement operation can be performed. If CSI measurement and data transmission are involved subsequently, the subsequent CSI measurement and data transmission are performed based on the enhanced rank, thereby avoiding the situation in which rank enhancement in some network scenarios leads to a decrease in system performance gain.

[0148] Optionally, the rank enhancement validation mode is indicated by at least two bits. For example, the rank enhancement validation mode can be implemented by at least two bits in an independent information element, or by at least two reserved bits in an existing information element. The specific implementation is shown in Table 2.

[0149] Table 2: Table of rank enhancement effectiveness modes.

[0150] Among them, the four states shown in Table 2 can be indicated by at least two bits. For example, the first indication information is used to indicate the mode of Table 2, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode can be determined in combination with Table 2; or, the first indication information is used to indicate the type of Table 2, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode can be directly determined.

[0151] Optionally, the rank enhancement effective threshold includes at least one of the maximum value or minimum value of the rank enhancement effective interval; or, the rank enhancement effective threshold includes a first value and a continuous unit length, and the first value and the continuous unit length are used to determine at least one of the maximum value or minimum value of the rank enhancement effective interval. For example, the first indication information is used to indicate the rank enhancement effective threshold, which can specifically indicate at least one of the maximum value or minimum value of the rank enhancement effective interval (such as the numerical value of Δ1 and / or Δ2); or, the first indication information is used to indicate a first value (assuming it is α) and a continuous unit length (assuming it is β), and based on α and β, the numerical value of Δ1 and / or Δ2 can be determined (for example, Δ1=α-β, Δ2=α+β). Optionally, the specific implementation method of determining the rank enhancement effective threshold based on the first value and the continuous unit length is not limited in this application.

[0152] In one possible implementation, when the first indication information is used to indicate the first information, the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the multipath angle extension information or the multipath angle information. In this implementation, the first device and the second device predefine a mapping relationship or a functional relationship, so that based on the first information and the predefined mapping relationship or functional relationship, a rank enhancement validation mode and a rank enhancement validation threshold can be determined, thereby determining a rank enhancement validation interval. Possible mapping relationships or functional relationships are described below.

[0153] (1) The first information is related to the first mapping relationship, the second mapping relationship, or the third mapping relationship.

[0154] In one possible implementation, the first information includes at least one multipath angle extension information, and the first mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds corresponding to the multiple multipath angle extension information. Optionally, based on the first mapping relationship, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to the multipath angle extension information or at least one of the multipath angle information. For example, Table 3 is a table of the first mapping relationship, including multiple multipath angle extension information, as well as multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds.

[0155] Table 3: Table of the first mapping relationship.

[0156] Among them, the parameters in Table 3 include multipath angle extension information. For example, Θ1 and Θ2 represent multiple different multipath angle extension information. Θ1 corresponds to rank enhancement mode 1 (that is, mode 1 in Table 2, and the type of rank enhancement effective interval is a bilateral open interval [,Δ1]∪[Δ2,]). Θ1 corresponds to rank enhancement effective thresholds 1 and 2, which are 0 and 25 respectively. Combining the above information, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement effective interval corresponding to Θ1 is [,0]∪[25,]. Similarly, Θ2 corresponds to rank enhancement mode 2 (that is, mode 2 in Table 2, and the type of rank enhancement effective interval is a unilateral open interval [,Δ1]). Θ2 corresponds to rank enhancement effective thresholds 1 and 2, which are 10 and 20 respectively. Combining the above information, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement effective interval corresponding to Θ2 is [,10] or [,20]. Therefore, when the first indication information is used to indicate the first information (including at least one multipath angle extension information), the first device can determine the rank enhancement validity interval corresponding to the multipath angle extension information based on the first information and in combination with the first mapping relationship shown in Table 3, so that the first device and the second device both use the same rank enhancement validity interval to perform rank enhancement channel measurement. For example, if the first indication information is used to indicate the multipath angle extension information Θ1, after the second device receives the first indication information, it searches Table 3 based on Θ1 to obtain the corresponding rank enhancement validity mode 1 and rank enhancement validity thresholds 0 and 25, then the second device can determine that the rank enhancement validity interval is [,0]∪[25,].

[0157] Optionally, the first mapping relationship shown in Table 3 above is only an example. The parameters, rank enhancement effectiveness mode, and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold in the first mapping relationship can be a one-to-one correspondence, or a one-to-many relationship (for example, parameter Θ1 may also correspond to rank enhancement effectiveness mode 1 and rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds 5 and 20), or a many-to-one relationship (for example, parameter Θ1 may also correspond to rank enhancement effectiveness mode 2 and rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds 10 and 20, that is, parameters Θ1 and Θ2 correspond to the same rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold), which is not limited in this application.

[0158] In another possible implementation, the first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information, and the second mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement validation modes and multiple rank enhancement validation thresholds corresponding to the multiple sets of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information. For example, Table 4 is a table of the second mapping relationship, including multiple sets of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information, as well as multiple rank enhancement validation modes and multiple rank enhancement validation thresholds.

[0159] Table 4: Table of the second mapping relationship.

[0160] Among them, the parameters in Table 4 include multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information. For example, (Θ1, φ1) and (Θ2, φ2) represent multiple sets of different multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information, (Θ1, φ1) corresponds to rank enhancement effectiveness mode 1 (that is, mode 1 in Table 2, the type of rank enhancement effectiveness interval is a bilateral open interval [,Δ1]∪[Δ2,]), (Θ1, φ1) corresponds to rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds 1 and 2, which are 0 and 25 respectively. Combining the above information, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement effectiveness interval corresponding to (Θ1, φ1) is [,0]∪[25,]. Similarly, (Θ2, φ2) corresponds to rank enhancement effectiveness mode 2 (that is, mode 2 in Table 2, the type of rank enhancement effectiveness interval is a unilateral open interval [,Δ1]), and (Θ2, φ2) corresponds to rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds 1 and 2, which are 10 and 20 respectively. Combining the above information, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement effectiveness interval corresponding to (Θ2, φ2) is [,10] or [,20]. Therefore, when the first indication information is used to indicate the first information (including at least one set of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information), based on the first information and combined with the second mapping relationship shown in Table 4, the rank enhancement effectiveness interval corresponding to the multipath angle extension information and the multipath angle information can be determined, so that the first device and the second device both use the same rank enhancement effectiveness interval to perform rank enhancement channel measurement. For example, if the first indication information is used to indicate multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information (Θ1, φ1), after the second device receives the first indication information, it searches Table 4 based on (Θ1, φ1) to obtain the corresponding rank enhancement effectiveness mode 1 and rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds 0 and 25. Then, the second device can determine that the rank enhancement effectiveness interval is [,0]∪[25,]. It can be understood that the difference between the second mapping relationship and the first mapping relationship is that the parameters of the second mapping relationship also include multipath angle information; the meanings of the other variables in Table 4 are the same as those in Table 3.

[0161] Optionally, the second mapping relationship shown in Table 4 above is only an example. The parameters, rank enhancement effectiveness mode, and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold in the second mapping relationship can be a one-to-one correspondence, or a one-to-many relationship (for example, the parameter (Θ1, φ1) may also correspond to rank enhancement effectiveness mode 1 and rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds 5 and 20), or a many-to-one relationship (for example, the parameter (Θ1, φ1) may also correspond to rank enhancement effectiveness mode 2 and rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds 10 and 20, that is, the parameters (Θ1, φ1) and (Θ2, φ2) correspond to the same rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold), which is not limited in this application.

[0162] In another possible implementation, the first information includes at least one set of multipath angle extension information, multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the third mapping relationship includes multiple sets of multipath angle extension information, multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, corresponding multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds. For example, Table 5 is a table of the third mapping relationship, including multiple sets of multipath angle extension information and multipath angle information, as well as multiple rank enhancement effectiveness modes and multiple rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds.

[0163] Table 5: Table of the third mapping relationship.

[0164] Among them, the parameters in Table 5 include multipath angle spread information, multipath angle information, and the dimension of the transmitting antenna. For example, (Θ1, φ1) and (Θ2, φ2) represent multiple sets of different multipath angle spread information and multipath angle information. Each set of multipath angle spread information and multipath angle information corresponds to the vertical dimension M of the transmitting antenna, and the vertical dimension M of the transmitting antenna satisfies being greater than or less than the dimension M1, as shown in Table 5. Similar to Tables 3 and 4, (Θ1, φ1) and the transmitting antenna dimension M < M1 or M > M1 correspond to the rank enhancement effective mode 1 (that is, mode 1 in Table 2, and the type of the rank enhancement effective interval is a bilateral open interval [, Δ1] ∪ [Δ2,]). (Θ1, φ1) corresponds to the rank enhancement effective thresholds 1 and 2, which are 0 and 25 respectively. Combining the above information, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement effective interval corresponding to (Θ1, φ1) is [, 0] ∪ [25,]. Similarly, (Θ2, φ2) and the transmitting antenna dimension M < M1 or M > M1 correspond to the rank enhancement effective mode 2 (that is, mode 2 in Table 2, and the type of the rank enhancement effective interval is a unilateral open interval [, Δ1]). (Θ2, φ2) corresponds to the rank enhancement effective thresholds 1 and 2, which are 10 and 20 respectively. Combining the above information, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement effective interval corresponding to (Θ2, φ2) is [, 10] or [, 20]. Similarly, (Θ3, φ3) and the transmitting antenna dimension M > M1 correspond to the rank enhancement effective mode 2. (Θ3, φ3) corresponds to the rank enhancement effective thresholds 1 and 2, which are 15 and 25 respectively. Combining the above information, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement effective interval corresponding to (Θ3, φ3) is [, 15] or [, 25]. Therefore, when the first indication information is used to indicate the first information (including at least one set of multipath angle spread information, multipath angle information, and the dimension of the first reference signal's transmitting antenna), based on the first information and combined with the third mapping relationship shown in Table 5, the rank enhancement effective interval corresponding to the multipath angle spread information, multipath angle information, and the dimension of the first reference signal's transmitting antenna can be determined, so that both the first device and the second device use the same rank enhancement effective interval for rank enhancement channel measurement. For example, if the first indication information is used to indicate the multipath angle spread information and multipath angle information (Θ1, φ1) and the antenna dimension M < M1, after receiving the first indication information, the second device looks up the corresponding rank enhancement effective mode 1 and rank enhancement effective thresholds 0 and 25 from Table 5 based on (Θ1, φ1) and M < M1, then the second device can determine that the rank enhancement effective interval is [, 0] ∪ [25,]. It can be understood that the difference between the third mapping relationship and the second mapping relationship is that the parameters of the third mapping relationship also include the dimension of the transmitting antenna; the meanings of other variables in Table 5 are the same as those in Table 4.

[0165] Optionally, the third mapping relationship shown in Table 5 above is only an example. The parameters, rank enhancement activation mode, and rank enhancement activation threshold in the third mapping relationship may be in a one-to-one correspondence, or a one-to-many relationship (for example, the parameters (Θ1, φ1) and M < M1 may also correspond to rank enhancement activation mode 1 and rank enhancement activation thresholds 5 and 20), or a many-to-one relationship (for example, the parameters (Θ1, φ1) and M < M1 may also correspond to rank enhancement activation mode 2 and rank enhancement activation thresholds 10 and 20, that is, the parameters (Θ1, φ1) and M < M1 and the parameters (Θ2, φ2) and M < M1 correspond to the same rank enhancement activation mode and rank enhancement activation threshold). This application does not make any limitations.

[0166] Optionally, based on the above first mapping relationship, second mapping relationship, or third mapping relationship, it can be deduced that the rank enhancement activation mode and rank enhancement activation threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angular spread information or multipath angle information. Optionally, the above first mapping relationship, second mapping relationship, or third mapping relationship may be a predefined mapping relationship, and it is assumed that both the first device and the second device can predefine the above mapping relationship. Therefore, through the first indication information, the first device and the second device can interact with information such as the rank enhancement activation mode, rank enhancement activation threshold, multipath angular spread information, and multipath angle information, so that both the first device and the second device can determine the corresponding rank enhancement activation interval, which is beneficial to achieving the improvement of the transmission rank.

[0167] (2) The first information is related to the first functional relationship, second functional relationship, or third functional relationship.

[0168] Optionally, the input parameters of the first functional relationship include multipath angular spread information, and the output parameters include the rank enhancement activation mode and rank enhancement activation threshold. For example, the first functional relationship satisfies formula (4): Y1 = f1(Θ) (4)

[0169] Where, f1 represents the first functional relationship, Θ represents the input parameter of the first functional relationship, and Y1 represents the output parameter of the first functional relationship, including the rank enhancement activation mode and rank enhancement activation threshold (the rank enhancement activation mode and rank enhancement activation threshold shown in Table 3).

[0170] Optionally, the input parameters of the second functional relationship include multipath angular spread information and multipath angle information, and the output parameters include the rank enhancement activation mode and rank enhancement activation threshold. For example, the second functional relationship satisfies formula (5): Y2 = f2(Θ, φ) (5)

[0171] Where, f2 represents the second functional relationship, Θ and φ represent the input parameters of the second functional relationship, and Y2 represents the output parameter of the second functional relationship, including the rank enhancement activation mode and rank enhancement activation threshold (the rank enhancement activation mode and rank enhancement activation threshold shown in Table 4).

[0172] Optionally, the input parameters of the third functional relationship include multipath angle spread information, multipath angle information, and transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the output parameters include rank enhancement validation mode and rank enhancement validation threshold. For example, the third functional relationship satisfies formula (6): Y3=f3(Θ,φ,M,N)(6)

[0173] Among them, f3 represents the third functional relationship, Θ, φ, M, N represent the input parameters of the third functional relationship (such as M is the vertical dimension of the transmitting antenna, and N is the horizontal dimension of the transmitting antenna), and Y3 represents the output parameters of the second functional relationship, including the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold (such as the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold shown in Table 5).

[0174] In one possible implementation, when the first indication information is used to indicate the second information, the first indication information is used to indicate the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold. For example, the first indication information indicates any set of threshold information (including rank enhancement effectiveness thresholds 1 and 2) as in Tables 3 to 5, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode corresponding to the set of threshold information. Optionally, in this implementation, the first indication information may indicate the index of the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold; for example, the first indication information indicates the index of any set of threshold information as in Tables 3 to 5, thereby indicating the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the index. Optionally, in this implementation, the first indication information may indicate the rank enhancement effectiveness mode, the first value and the continuous unit length; for example, the first indication information indicates any mode as in Table 2, as well as the first value and the continuous unit length (the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold can be calculated in the manner described above), thereby indicating the corresponding rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold.

[0175] In one possible implementation, when the first indication information is used to indicate the second information, the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold may be a channel quality indication index threshold or a modulation and coding scheme index threshold; wherein a set of channel quality indication index thresholds or modulation and coding scheme index thresholds corresponds to a set of signal-to-noise ratio thresholds, a set of signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio thresholds, or a set of reference signal received power thresholds. For example, in combination with the description in the protocol standard, a CQI index may correspond to an SNR value by default; assuming a set of CQI index thresholds is 3 and 10, the SNR thresholds corresponding to this set of CQI index thresholds may be 10 and 25, that is, a set of channel quality indication index thresholds (3 and 10) corresponds to a set of signal-to-noise ratio thresholds (10 and 25). In this implementation, unlike Tables 3 to 5 described above, a CQI parameter table or an MCS parameter table in an existing protocol may be referenced; the first indication information indicates a CQI index (CQI index) threshold in the CQI parameter table or an MCS index (MCS index) threshold in the MCS parameter table. For example, Table 6 is a CQI parameter table including a CQI index and corresponding parameters.

[0176] Table 6: CQI parameter table

[0177] Among them, QPSK is quadrature phase shift keying, and QAM is quadrature amplitude modulation. The first indication information can indicate the CQI index threshold (such as the value of the CQI index in Table 6), for example, indicating that the CQI index threshold is 3 and 10, and indicating that the rank enhancement effectiveness mode is mode 0 ([Δ1, Δ2]) in Table 2, then it can be deduced that the rank enhancement effectiveness mode indicated by the first indication information and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the rank enhancement effectiveness interval are [3, 10]; based on the rank enhancement effectiveness interval and Table 6 and the first reference signal, rank enhancement channel measurement can be performed. Similarly, the MCS parameter table also includes the MCS index and MCS related parameters. The first indication information can indicate the MCS index threshold and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode. The specific implementation method refers to the description of CQI and will not be repeated here. Optionally, in this implementation, the second device only needs to receive CQI according to CSI feedback within the measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement, without the need to newly define the rank enhancement validation mode and rank enhancement validation threshold as shown in Tables 3 to 5, thereby simplifying the processing flow.

[0178] In one possible implementation, the first indication information only indicates the rank enhancement validation mode. For example, assuming that the first device and the second device predefine the rank enhancement validation threshold, and assuming that the rank enhancement validation threshold is only a few default values ​​(such as assuming that the protocol only defines two default values ​​of 10dB and 30dB for SNR), Table 2 can be converted into the correspondence between the rank enhancement validation mode and the default rank enhancement validation threshold, as shown in Table 7.

[0179] Table 7: Correspondence between rank enhancement validation modes and default rank enhancement validation thresholds.

[0180] Optionally, the four states shown in Table 7 can be indicated by at least two bits. For example, the first indication information is used to indicate the mode of Table 7, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode can be determined in combination with Table 7; or, the first indication information is used to indicate the type of Table 7, thereby directly indicating the rank enhancement effectiveness mode. It can be seen that in this implementation, the first indication information can only indicate the rank enhancement effectiveness mode. In combination with the preset Table 7, the first device and the second device can determine the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, thereby determining the rank enhancement effectiveness interval.

[0181] Optionally, the first device sends the first indication information to the second device, and the first indication information may be sent periodically (such as sending the first indication information according to the measurement and feedback period of the rank enhancement channel measurement), or the first indication information may be sent non-periodically (such as after the terminal moves, the multipath angle changes, and the first indication information may be resent), which is not limited in this application.

[0182] Optionally, the signaling format and bearer channel of the interaction information (such as the reference signal and the first indication information) in S101 to S103 are not limited in this application; for example, if the first device is a terminal and the second device is a base station, assuming that the first reference signal is a first CSI-RS, the first reference signal can be carried on the PDSCH; the first indication information can be an RRC message, carried on the PUSCH. It will be understood that the above example is only an example.

[0183] Optionally, this embodiment also includes the following process: the first device updates the weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface based on the first indication information. For example, the first device confirms the rank enhancement operation based on the first indication information, and the change or update of the weighting coefficient of the metasurface can be achieved based on the following process: the first device receives at least one measurement reference signal through the metasurface, each measurement reference signal uses a different metasurface weighting coefficient (matrix or vector), the first device measures and obtains the measurement reference signal with the maximum SNR / RSRP and other indicators, determines the metasurface weighting coefficient corresponding to the measurement reference signal, and updates the metasurface weighting coefficient matrix based on the metasurface weighting coefficient. Optionally, the first device can also send the metasurface weighting coefficient corresponding to the measurement reference signal to the second device.

[0184] Optionally, this embodiment further includes the following process: the first device receives a second reference signal from the second device via the metasurface; the first device performs reference signal measurement based on the second reference signal and provides feedback of channel state information; the first device and the second device perform data transmission, etc. For example, the first device and the second device perform channel measurement and provide feedback of channel state information according to the measurement period of the second reference signal. In this case, the first device does not use a unit matrix as the weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface.

[0185] In this embodiment, the metasurface is directly covered on the first device, or is covered near the first device in the near field with a very small spacing, and the metasurface reflection characteristics are used to separate multiple propagation paths, or to improve the spatial isolation of the multiple propagation paths. In addition, the first device can obtain multipath angle expansion information, multipath angle information and other information through rank enhancement channel measurement, and can exchange rank enhancement validity intervals between the first device and the second device in an explicit or implicit manner (such as interactive multipath angle expansion information or at least one of the multipath angle information; or interactive rank enhancement validity mode and rank enhancement validity threshold and other information), thereby achieving an improvement in transmission rank based on the metasurface and based on the difference in response to different multipath angles, thereby improving system capacity.

[0186] 2. The second type of communication method provided by this application (the first device includes a metasurface, the first device sends a reference signal, and the second device receives the reference signal and performs rank-enhanced channel measurement and feedback):

[0187] For example, Figure 6 is a flow chart of another communication method provided by this application. This method can be implemented by interaction between a first device and a second device. For example, when the first device is a network device, the second device is a terminal; when the first device is a terminal, the second device is a network device. The method includes the following steps:

[0188] S201, the first device sends a first reference signal and a weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface to the second device through the metasurface; correspondingly, the second device receives the first reference signal and the weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface from the first device.

[0189] The first device includes a metasurface. For example, the metasurface can be a reflective layer attached to the antenna of the first device to achieve rank enhancement. Furthermore, the first device transmits a first reference signal to the second device via the metasurface. The transmitted first reference signal can be transmitted to the second device via the multipath generated by the metasurface, thereby achieving rank enhancement. Alternatively, the description of the first reference signal can refer to the corresponding description in S101 and will not be repeated here.

[0190] Optionally, the first device sends a first reference signal to the second device through the metasurface according to a preset period. Correspondingly, the second device receives the first reference signal from the first device according to the preset period. Optionally, the preset period may be a measurement period of the first reference signal. For example, assuming that the first reference signal is a first CSI-RS, the preset period may be a CSI measurement period. Optionally, the measurement period of the first reference signal includes a measurement period and a feedback period of the first reference signal. For example, assuming that the first reference signal is a first CSI-RS, the measurement period of the first reference signal includes a measurement period of the first CSI-RS and a feedback period of the CSI.

[0191] It can be understood that the difference between this embodiment and the embodiment of Figure 3 is that in this embodiment, the first device includes a metasurface and is the transmitter of the first reference signal; the second device is the receiver of the first reference signal, and the second device is assumed to not include a metasurface. In order to achieve rank-enhanced channel measurement between the second device and the first device, the first device sends the weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface to the second device, so that the second device can perform rank-enhanced channel measurement based on the first reference signal and the weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface. Optionally, the weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface can refer to the corresponding description in S102 and will not be repeated here.

[0192] S202: The second device performs rank-enhanced channel measurement based on the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface to obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device.

[0193] Although the second device does not include a metasurface, the second device has obtained the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface attached to the first device, and can perform rank-enhanced channel measurement to obtain channel measurement information. For a description of the channel measurement information, reference can be made to the corresponding description in S102. For example, the channel measurement information includes at least one of multipath angle extension information or multipath angle information, as well as a description of the multipath angle extension information and the multipath angle information, which will not be repeated here.

[0194] S203, the second device sends first indication information to the first device; correspondingly, the first device receives the first indication information.

[0195] Among them, the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information. For the first indication information, the first information, the second information, the mapping relationship or functional relationship associated with the first information, and the specific feedback method of the first indication information, reference can be made to the corresponding description in S103. For example, the description of the rank enhancement effectiveness mode, the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, the rank enhancement effectiveness interval, and Tables 2 to 7, as well as formulas (4) to (6) and other related descriptions can all refer to the corresponding description in S103, which will not be repeated here.

[0196] In this embodiment, the second device is a receiver of a first reference signal; the first device is a transmitter of the first reference signal, and the first device includes a metasurface. The second device receives the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface, and can perform rank-enhanced channel measurement based on the first reference signal. This can then provide feedback to the first device on the rank-enhanced effective interval, facilitating transmission rank improvement for both the first and second devices, thereby increasing system capacity.

[0197] 3. Analysis of the effects of the first and second communication methods:

[0198] This application assumes that when the first and second types of communication methods described above are used for rank-enhanced channel measurement, the number of multipaths is 15, the carrier frequency is 10 GHz, and the antenna array spacing of the metasurface (represented by RIS in Figure 7) is half a wavelength (1.5 centimeters (cm)); and it is assumed that the unit weight coefficient matrix of the metasurface is a random complex matrix, considering different paths multiplied by different random complex matrices, and assuming that the SNR value is {0dB, 30dB}. The rank-enhanced channel measurement based on the metasurface can obtain a schematic diagram of the channel capacity as shown in Figure 7. Among them, the left part of Figure 7 is the channel capacity change line measured by metasurface reflection (solid line) or without metasurface reflection (dashed line) when SNR = 0dB; the left part of Figure 7 is the channel capacity change line measured by metasurface reflection (solid line) or without metasurface reflection (dashed line) when SNR = 30dB. Through analysis and comparison, it can be seen that through metasurface reflection and control, the transmission rank can be improved based on the response difference at different angles, thereby improving the system capacity.

[0199] It is understood that, in order to implement the functions in the above embodiments, the base station and the terminal include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should readily appreciate that, in conjunction with the units and method steps of the various examples described in the embodiments disclosed in this application, this application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or in a computer software-driven hardware manner depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0200] Figures 8 and 9 are schematic diagrams of possible communication devices provided in embodiments of the present application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of the first device or the second device in the above method embodiments, thereby also achieving the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments.

[0201] As shown in Figure 8, communication device 800 includes a processing unit 810 and a communication unit 820. Communication device 800 is used to implement the functions of the first device or the second device of the method embodiments shown in Figures 3 and 6 above. Optionally, communication unit 820 can also be referred to as a transceiver unit. Optionally, the transceiver unit includes a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, where the transmitting unit is used to transmit signals and the receiving unit is used to receive signals. Optionally, communication device 800 also includes a storage unit 830 for storing device program code and / or data.

[0202] (1) The communication device 800 may be the terminal-side device in the above-mentioned embodiment, for example, a terminal or a communication module in the terminal, or a circuit or chip in the terminal responsible for the communication function.

[0203] For example, when the communication device 800 is used to implement the function of the first device in the method embodiment shown in Figure 3: the communication unit 820 is used to receive a first reference signal from the second device through the metasurface, and the processing unit 810 is used to perform rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal to obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device; the channel measurement information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle. The communication unit 820 is also used to send first indication information to the second device, and the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle; the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle.

[0204] In one possible implementation, the metasurface uses a unit weighting coefficient matrix for weighting; the state of the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface is the metasurface default state. The processing unit 810 is further configured to: determine channel measurement information based on the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface and the first reference signal.

[0205] In a possible implementation, the processing unit 810 is further configured to: update a weight coefficient matrix of the hypersurface based on the first indication information.

[0206] For another example, when the communication device 800 is used to implement the function of the first device in the method embodiment shown in Figure 6: the communication unit 820 is used to send a first reference signal and a unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface to the second device through the metasurface; the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface are used by the second device to perform rank enhancement channel measurement. The communication unit 820 is also used to receive first indication information from the second device, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle; the at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle is obtained by the second device performing rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal; the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle.

[0207] In one possible implementation, when the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the processing unit 810 is also used to: based on the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information, obtain the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the first information from at least one item of the preset first mapping relationship, second mapping relationship or third mapping relationship.

[0208] In one possible implementation, when the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the processing unit 810 is further used to: use the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information as the input parameter of the function, and combine it with at least one item of the preset first functional relationship, second functional relationship or third functional relationship to obtain the output parameters of the function including the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the first information.

[0209] For another example, when the communication device 800 is used to implement the function of the second device in the method embodiment shown in FIG3 : the communication unit 820 is used to send a first reference signal to the first device. The communication unit 820 is further used to receive first indication information from the first device, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of a multipath angle extension or a multipath angle; at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle is obtained by the first device performing rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal; and the second information includes a rank enhancement validation mode and a rank enhancement validation threshold, where the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle.

[0210] In one possible implementation, when the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the processing unit 810 is also used to: based on the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information, obtain the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the first information from at least one item of the preset first mapping relationship, second mapping relationship or third mapping relationship.

[0211] In one possible implementation, when the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the processing unit 810 is further used to: use the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information as the input parameter of the function, and combine it with at least one item of the preset first functional relationship, second functional relationship or third functional relationship to obtain the output parameters of the function including the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the first information.

[0212] For example, when the communication device 800 is used to implement the function of the second device in the method embodiment shown in Figure 6: the communication unit 820 is used to receive the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface from the first device. The processing unit 810 is used to perform rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface, and obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device, and the channel measurement information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle. The communication unit 820 is also used to send first indication information to the first device, and the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle; the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle.

[0213] For a more detailed description of the processing unit 810 and the communication unit 820, please refer to the relevant description in the above method embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0214] In one possible implementation, when the communication device 800 is a terminal or a communication module in a terminal, the functions of the processing unit 810 may be implemented by one or more processors. Specifically, the processor may include a modem chip, or a SoC or SIP chip containing a modem core. The functions of the communication unit 820 may be implemented by a transceiver circuit.

[0215] In one possible implementation, when the communication device 800 is a circuit or chip responsible for communication functions in a terminal, such as a modem chip or a system-on-chip (SoC) chip or SIP chip containing a modem core, the functions of the processing unit 810 may be implemented by a circuit system including one or more processors or processor cores in the aforementioned chip. The functions of the communication unit 820 may be implemented by an interface circuit or data transceiver circuit on the aforementioned chip.

[0216] (2) The communication device 800 may be a network-side device in the above-mentioned embodiment, for example, a base station or a communication module in a base station, or a circuit or chip in a base station responsible for communication functions.

[0217] For example, when the communication device 800 is used to implement the function of the first device in the method embodiment shown in Figure 3: the communication unit 820 is used to receive a first reference signal from the second device through the metasurface, and the processing unit 810 is used to perform rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal to obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device; the channel measurement information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle. The communication unit 820 is also used to send first indication information to the second device, and the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle; the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle.

[0218] In one possible implementation, the metasurface uses a unit weighting coefficient matrix for weighting; the state of the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface is the metasurface default state. The processing unit 810 is further configured to: determine channel measurement information based on the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface and the first reference signal.

[0219] In a possible implementation, the processing unit 810 is further configured to: update a weight coefficient matrix of the hypersurface based on the first indication information.

[0220] For another example, when the communication device 800 is used to implement the function of the first device in the method embodiment shown in Figure 6: the communication unit 820 is used to send a first reference signal and a unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface to the second device through the metasurface; the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface are used by the second device to perform rank enhancement channel measurement. The communication unit 820 is also used to receive first indication information from the second device, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle; the at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle is obtained by the second device performing rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal; the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle.

[0221] In one possible implementation, when the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the processing unit 810 is also used to: based on the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information, obtain the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the first information from at least one item of the preset first mapping relationship, second mapping relationship or third mapping relationship.

[0222] In one possible implementation, when the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the processing unit 810 is further used to: use the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information as the input parameter of the function, and combine it with at least one item of the preset first functional relationship, second functional relationship or third functional relationship to obtain the output parameters of the function including the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the first information.

[0223] For another example, when the communication device 800 is used to implement the function of the second device in the method embodiment shown in FIG3 : the communication unit 820 is used to send a first reference signal to the first device. The communication unit 820 is further used to receive first indication information from the first device, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of a multipath angle extension or a multipath angle; at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle is obtained by the first device performing rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal; and the second information includes a rank enhancement validation mode and a rank enhancement validation threshold, where the rank enhancement validation mode and the rank enhancement validation threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle.

[0224] In one possible implementation, when the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the processing unit 810 is also used to: based on the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information, obtain the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the first information from at least one item of the preset first mapping relationship, second mapping relationship or third mapping relationship.

[0225] In one possible implementation, when the first information includes multipath angle extension information or at least one item of multipath angle information, the processing unit 810 is further used to: use the multipath angle extension information or at least one item of the multipath angle information as the input parameter of the function, and combine it with at least one item of the preset first functional relationship, second functional relationship or third functional relationship to obtain the output parameters of the function including the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and rank enhancement effectiveness threshold corresponding to the first information.

[0226] For example, when the communication device 800 is used to implement the function of the second device in the method embodiment shown in Figure 6: the communication unit 820 is used to receive the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface from the first device. The processing unit 810 is used to perform rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal and the unit weighting coefficient matrix of the metasurface, and obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device, and the channel measurement information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle. The communication unit 820 is also used to send first indication information to the first device, and the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of the first information or the second information; the first information includes at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle; the second information includes a rank enhancement effectiveness mode and a rank enhancement effectiveness threshold, and the rank enhancement effectiveness mode and the rank enhancement effectiveness threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle extension or the multipath angle.

[0227] For a more detailed description of the processing unit 810 and the communication unit 820, please refer to the relevant description in the above method embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0228] It is understandable that the division of units in the above-mentioned device is merely a division of logical functions, and each function may correspond to a functional unit, or two or more functions may be integrated into one functional unit. In actual implementation, all or part of the units may be integrated into one physical entity, or distributed across different physical entities. In addition, the above-mentioned functional units may be implemented in the form of hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel may use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0229] In an example, the storage unit 830 may include a random access memory, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a programmable read-only memory, or an electrically erasable programmable memory and / or a register.

[0230] As shown in Figure 9, the communication device 900 includes a processor 910 and an interface circuit 920. The processor 910 and the interface circuit 920 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 920 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. Optionally, the transceiver includes a receiver and a transmitter. Optionally, the communication device 900 may also include a memory 930 for storing instructions executed by the processor 910, or storing input data required by the processor 910 to execute instructions, or storing data generated after the processor 910 executes instructions. Sometimes, the interface circuit 920 can also be understood as a part of the processor 910, in which case the communication device 900 includes the processor 910.

[0231] When the communication device 900 is used to implement the methods shown in Figures 3 and 6, the processor 910 is used to implement the functions of the processing unit 810, and the interface circuit 920 is used to implement the functions of the communication unit 820. Optionally, when the communication device 900 is used to implement the methods shown in Figures 3 and 6, the implementation of the processor 910 and the interface circuit 920 is described in the corresponding description of the method embodiments above and will not be repeated here.

[0232] When the communication device is a chip implemented in the first device, the chip implements the functions of the first device in the above-described method embodiment. When the chip receives information from other devices, it can be understood that the information is first received by other modules in the first device (such as a radio frequency module or antenna) and then sent to the chip by these modules. When the chip sends information to other devices, it can be understood that the information is first sent to other modules in the first device (such as a radio frequency module or antenna) and then sent to other network elements by these modules.

[0233] When the communication device is a chip implemented in a second device, the chip implements the functions of the second device in the above-described method embodiment. When the chip receives information from another device, it can be understood that the information is first received by other modules in the second device (such as a radio frequency module or antenna) and then sent to the chip by these modules. When the chip sends information to another device, it can be understood that the information is sent to other modules in the second device (such as a radio frequency module or antenna), which are then sent to other network elements by these modules.

[0234] In this application, when device A sends information to device B, it can be done directly from A to B or indirectly through another device. Similarly, when device B receives information from device A, it can be done directly from A or indirectly through another device. Devices A and B here can be network devices or terminals, or modules within network devices or terminals. The sending and receiving of information can be information exchange between network devices or terminals; the sending and receiving of information can also be information exchange between two terminals; the sending and receiving of information can also be information exchange between different modules within a device, for example, the information exchange between a terminal chip and other modules in the terminal.

[0235] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of the present application may be a central processing unit (CPU), or may be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0236] 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 disks, mobile hard disks, compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM) or any other form of storage medium well known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. The storage medium can also be an integral part of the processor. The processor and the storage medium can be located in an ASIC. In addition, the ASIC can be located in a base station or a terminal. The processor and the storage medium can also be present in a base station or a terminal as discrete components.

[0237] 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.

[0238] 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.

[0239] It is understood that the various numbers used in the embodiments of this application are merely for ease of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the sequence numbers of the above-mentioned processes does not necessarily imply a specific order of execution; the order of execution of the processes should be determined by their functions and inherent logic.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: A first device receives a first reference signal from a second device through a metasurface; The first device performs rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal to obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device; the channel measurement information includes at least one of multipath angle spread information or multipath angle information; The first device sends first indication information to the second device; the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of first information or second information; The first information includes at least one of the multipath angle spread information or multipath angle information; The second information includes a rank enhancement activation mode and a rank enhancement activation threshold, and the rank enhancement activation mode and the rank enhancement activation threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle spread information or multipath angle information.

2. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: A first device sends a first reference signal and a unit weight coefficient matrix of the metasurface to a second device through the metasurface; the first reference signal and the unit weight coefficient matrix of the metasurface are used for the second device to perform rank enhancement channel measurement; The first device receives first indication information from the second device; the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of first information or second information; The first information includes at least one of multipath angle spread information or multipath angle information; at least one of the multipath angle spread information or multipath angle information is obtained by the second device performing rank enhancement channel measurement; The second information includes a rank enhancement activation mode and a rank enhancement activation threshold, and the rank enhancement activation mode and the rank enhancement activation threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle spread information or multipath angle information.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first information is related to a first mapping relationship, a second mapping relationship, or a third mapping relationship; The first information includes at least one multipath angle spread information, and the first mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement activation modes and multiple rank enhancement activation thresholds corresponding to multiple multipath angle spread information; The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle spread information and multipath angle information, and the second mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement activation modes and multiple rank enhancement activation thresholds corresponding to multiple sets of multipath angle spread information and multipath angle information; The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle spread information, multipath angle information, and the transmission antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the third mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement activation modes and multiple rank enhancement activation thresholds corresponding to multiple sets of multipath angle spread information, multipath angle information, and the transmission antenna dimension of the first reference signal.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The first information is related to a first functional relationship, a second functional relationship, or a third functional relationship; The first information includes at least one multipath angle spread information, and the input parameters of the first functional relationship include the multipath angle spread information, and the output parameters include the rank enhancement activation mode and the rank enhancement activation threshold; The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle spread information and multipath angle information, and the input parameters of the second functional relationship include the multipath angle spread information and the multipath angle information, and the output parameters include the rank enhancement activation mode and the rank enhancement activation threshold; The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle spread information, multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal. The input parameters of the third functional relationship include multipath angle spread information, multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the output parameters include a rank enhancement effective mode and a rank enhancement effective threshold.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The rank enhancement effective threshold includes a channel quality indicator index threshold or a modulation and coding scheme index threshold; Wherein, a set of channel quality indicator index thresholds or modulation and coding scheme index thresholds corresponds to a set of signal-to-noise ratio thresholds, a set of signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio thresholds, or a set of reference signal received power thresholds.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The rank enhancement effective mode is used to indicate whether the rank enhancement effective interval is an open interval or a closed interval; the rank enhancement effective mode is indicated by at least two bits.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The rank enhancement effective threshold includes at least one of the maximum value or the minimum value of the rank enhancement effective interval; or, The rank enhancement effective threshold includes a first value and a duration unit length, and the first value and the duration unit length are used to determine at least one of the maximum value or the minimum value of the rank enhancement effective interval.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first device performs rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal to obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device, including: The first device determines the channel measurement information based on the unit weight coefficient matrix of the metasurface and the first reference signal.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The method further includes: The first device updates the weight coefficient matrix of the metasurface based on the first indication information.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement is determined based on the change state of the multipath angle; The measurement period of the rank enhancement channel measurement is greater than or equal to the measurement period of the second reference signal; the signal type of the second reference signal is the same as or different from the signal type of the first reference signal.

11. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: The second device sends a first reference signal to the first device; The second device receives first indication information from the first device, and the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of first information or second information; The first information includes at least one of the multipath angle spread information or the multipath angle information; at least one of the multipath angle spread information or the multipath angle information is obtained by the first device performing rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal; The second information includes a rank enhancement effective mode and a rank enhancement effective threshold, and the rank enhancement effective mode and the rank enhancement effective threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle spread information or the multipath angle information.

12. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: The second device receives the first reference signal and the unit weight coefficient matrix of the metasurface from the first device; The second device performs rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal and the unit weight coefficient matrix of the metasurface to obtain channel measurement information between the first device and the second device; the channel measurement information includes at least one of the multipath angle spread information or the multipath angle information; The second device sends first indication information to the first device, and the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of first information or second information; The first information includes at least one of multipath angle spread information or multipath angle information; The second information includes a rank enhancement activation mode and a rank enhancement activation threshold, and the rank enhancement activation mode and the rank enhancement activation threshold are related to at least one of the multipath angle spread information or the multipath angle information.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that, The first information is related to a first mapping relationship, a second mapping relationship, or a third mapping relationship; The first information includes at least one multipath angle spread information, and the first mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement activation modes and multiple rank enhancement activation thresholds corresponding to the multiple multipath angle spread information; The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle spread information and multipath angle information, and the second mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement activation modes and multiple rank enhancement activation thresholds corresponding to the multiple sets of multipath angle spread information and multipath angle information; The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle spread information, multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the third mapping relationship includes multiple rank enhancement activation modes and multiple rank enhancement activation thresholds corresponding to the multiple sets of multipath angle spread information, multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal.

14. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that, The first information is related to a first functional relationship, a second functional relationship, or a third functional relationship; The first information includes at least one multipath angle spread information, and the input parameters of the first functional relationship include the multipath angle spread information, and the output parameters include the rank enhancement activation mode and the rank enhancement activation threshold; The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle spread information and multipath angle information, and the input parameters of the second functional relationship include the multipath angle spread information and the multipath angle information, and the output parameters include the rank enhancement activation mode and the rank enhancement activation threshold; The first information includes at least one set of multipath angle spread information, multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the input parameters of the third functional relationship include the multipath angle spread information, the multipath angle information, and the transmit antenna dimension of the first reference signal, and the output parameters include the rank enhancement activation mode and the rank enhancement activation threshold.

15. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that, The rank enhancement activation threshold includes a channel quality indicator index threshold or a modulation and coding scheme index threshold; Wherein, a set of channel quality indicator index thresholds or modulation and coding scheme index thresholds corresponds to a set of signal-to-noise ratio thresholds, a set of signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio thresholds, or a set of reference signal received power thresholds.

16. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that The rank enhancement activation mode is used to indicate whether the rank enhancement activation interval is an open interval or a closed interval; the rank enhancement activation mode is indicated by at least two bits.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein The rank enhancement activation threshold includes at least one of the maximum value or the minimum value of the rank enhancement activation interval; or, The rank enhancement activation threshold includes a first value and a duration unit length, and the first value and the duration unit length are used to determine at least one of the maximum value or the minimum value of the rank enhancement activation interval.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein The measurement period for rank enhancement channel measurement based on the first reference signal is determined based on the change state of the multipath angle; The measurement period of the rank enhanced channel measurement is greater than or equal to the measurement period of the second reference signal; the signal type of the second reference signal is the same as or different from the signal type of the first reference signal.

19. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes a module or unit for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

20. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes a module or unit for performing the method according to any one of claims 11 to 18.

21. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes a memory and one or more processors, where the memory is used to store a computer program; the one or more processors are used to execute the computer program in the memory, so that the communication device performs the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

22. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes a memory and one or more processors, where the memory is used to store a computer program; the one or more processors are used to execute the computer program in the memory, so that the communication device performs the method according to any one of claims 11 to 18.

23. A communication system, characterized in that, The communication system includes the communication device according to claim 19 or 21, and the communication device according to claim 20 or 22.

24. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, A computer program or instruction is stored in the computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer program or instruction is executed by a computer, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 or claims 11 to 18 is implemented.

25. A chip, characterized in that, The chip includes a processor, and the processor is used to execute a computer program, so that the chip implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 or claims 11 to 18.

26. A chip system, characterized in that, The chip system includes a processor and an interface, and the processor is used to execute a computer program, so that the chip system implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 or claims 11 to 18.

27. A computer program product, characterized in that, It includes instructions, and when the instructions run on a computer, the computer is made to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 or claims 11 to 18.

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