Method and apparatus for sending information, and method and apparatus for receiving information

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a method and apparatus for sending information, and a method and apparatus for receiving information. The method for sending information comprises: a terminal device receives a first signal at a first frequency, the first signal being at least used by the terminal device to perform timing and / or time synchronization; and, at least on the basis of the first signal, the terminal device sends second information at a second frequency, the second information being carried in a second signal formed by the terminal device by means of backscattering a first waveform or carried in a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

Description

Information sending and receiving method and device Technical Field

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

[0002] From the 2G era to the early days of 4G, cellular mobile communication systems primarily served mobile phones—mobile terminal devices held by people. With the rapid development of mobile internet and the Internet of Things (IoT), the technological evolution of cellular mobile communication systems, starting in the late 4G era and continuing to this day, has considered and supported an increasingly diverse range of IoT application scenarios. Consequently, a wider variety of IoT device types have been supported and implemented in actual network deployments and service applications, including eMTC, NB-IoT, and RedCap. With this increasing diversity of IoT terminal devices, cellular mobile systems have increasingly enhanced their capabilities for providing services tailored to vertical industries.

[0003] It should be noted that the above introduction to the technical background is merely intended to provide a clear and complete description of the technical solutions of this application and facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. Simply because these solutions are described in the background technology section of this application, it should not be assumed that the above technical solutions are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The inventors discovered that among the vast number of IoT devices, cellular mobile communication systems still lack a large number of lower-cost IoT terminal devices. To provide more robust, reliable, and complete IoT application solutions, supporting lower-cost IoT terminal devices within the 3GPP cellular mobile system has become a pressing issue.

[0006] To address at least one of the above problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a method and apparatus for sending and receiving information.

[0007] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a method for sending information is provided, including:

[0008] A terminal device receives a first signal at a first frequency, where the first signal is used at least for timing and / or time synchronization of the terminal device;

[0009] The terminal device sends second information at a second frequency based on at least the first signal, and the second information is carried on a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or on a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

[0010] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, there is provided an information sending device, including:

[0011] A receiving unit, configured to receive a first signal at a first frequency, wherein the first signal is at least used for timing and / or time synchronization of a terminal device;

[0012] A sending unit sends second information at a second frequency according to at least the first signal, wherein the second information is carried on a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or on a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

[0013] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a method for receiving information is provided, including:

[0014] The network device sends a first signal at a first frequency, where the first signal is used at least for timing and / or time synchronization of the terminal device;

[0015] The network device receives second information at a second frequency, where the second information is carried in a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or in a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

[0016] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, there is provided an information receiving device, including:

[0017] A sending unit, configured to send a first signal at a first frequency, wherein the first signal is at least used for timing and / or time synchronization of a terminal device;

[0018] A receiving unit receives second information at a second frequency, where the second information is carried in a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or in a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

[0019] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a communication system is provided, including:

[0020] A network device, which sends a first signal at a first frequency, wherein the first signal is at least used for timing and / or time synchronization of a terminal device; and receives second information at a second frequency;

[0021] A terminal device that receives the first signal at the first frequency and sends the second information at the second frequency at least based on the first signal; the second information is carried on a second signal formed for the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or a third signal autonomously generated for the terminal device.

[0022] One of the beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present application is that a terminal device receives a first signal at a first frequency and transmits second information at a second frequency based on at least the first signal. This enables accurate and reliable information transmission and reception between a low-cost device and a network device, effectively reducing the complexity and cost of the terminal device.

[0023] With reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, specific embodiments of the present application are disclosed in detail, indicating the manner in which the principles of the present application can be employed. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present application are not limited in scope. Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the embodiments of the present application include many variations, modifications and equivalents.

[0024] Features described and / or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same or similar manner in one or more other embodiments, combined with features in other embodiments, or substituted for features in other embodiments.

[0025] It should be emphasized that the term "include / comprising" when used herein refers to the presence of features, integers, steps or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The elements and features described in one figure or one embodiment of the present application can be combined with the elements and features shown in one or more other figures or embodiments. In addition, in the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals represent corresponding parts in several figures and can be used to indicate corresponding parts used in more than one embodiment.

[0027] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG2 is another schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG3 is another schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a method for sending information according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG5 is an example diagram of a first frequency and a second frequency according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] FIG6 is an example diagram of a first frequency and a second frequency according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG7 is an example diagram of a first frequency and a second frequency according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG8 is an example diagram of the first frequency and the second frequency according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of an information receiving method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of an information sending device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of an information receiving device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The above and other features of the present application will become apparent through the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description and the accompanying drawings, specific embodiments of the present application are disclosed in detail, which illustrate some embodiments in which the principles of the present application can be adopted. It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the described embodiments. On the contrary, the present application includes all modifications, variations and equivalents that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0041] In the embodiments of the present application, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used to distinguish different elements from the name, but do not indicate the spatial arrangement or temporal order of these elements, and these elements should not be limited by these terms. The term "and / or" includes any one and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed terms. The terms "comprising", "including", "having", etc. refer to the presence of the stated features, elements, components or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components or components.

[0042] In the embodiments of this application, the singular forms "a," "the," etc. include plural forms and should be broadly understood to mean "a" or "a type" rather than being limited to "one." Furthermore, the term "said" should be understood to include both singular and plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, the term "according to" should be understood to mean "at least in part based on...", and the term "based on" should be understood to mean "at least in part based on...", unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0043] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "communication network" or "wireless communication network" may refer to a network that complies with any of the following communication standards, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), enhanced Long Term Evolution (LTE-A, LTE-Advanced), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), etc.

[0044] Furthermore, communication between devices in the communication system may be carried out according to communication protocols of any stage, for example, including but not limited to the following communication protocols: 1G (generation), 2G, 2.5G, 2.75G, 3G, 4G, 4.5G and 5G, New Radio (NR), future 6G, etc., and / or other communication protocols currently known or to be developed in the future.

[0045] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "network device" refers to, for example, a device in a communication system that connects a terminal device to the communication network and provides services to the terminal device. Network devices may include, but are not limited to, the following devices: base station (BS), access point (AP), transmission reception point (TRP), broadcast transmitter, mobile management entity (MME), gateway, server, radio network controller (RNC), base station controller (BSC), etc.

[0046] Among them, base stations may include but are not limited to: NodeB (NodeB or NB), evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB) and 5G base station (gNB), IAB host (Donor), etc., and may also include remote radio head (RRH, Remote Radio Head), remote radio unit (RRU, Remote Radio Unit), relay (relay) or low-power node (such as femeto, pico, etc.). The term "base station" may include some or all of their functions. Each base station can provide communication coverage for a specific geographical area. The term "cell" can refer to a base station and / or its coverage area, depending on the context in which the term is used.

[0047] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "user equipment" (UE) or "terminal equipment" (TE) refers to, for example, a device that accesses a communication network through a network device and receives network services. A terminal device can be fixed or mobile and may also be referred to as a mobile station (MS), a terminal, a subscriber station (SS), an access terminal (AT), a tag, and so on.

[0048] Among them, terminal devices may include but are not limited to the following devices: cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless modems, wireless communication devices, handheld devices, machine-type communication devices, laptop computers, cordless phones, smart phones, smart watches, digital cameras, tags, and devices attached to or related to objects, etc.

[0049] For another example, in scenarios such as the Internet of Things (IoT), terminal devices can also be machines or devices for monitoring or measurement, such as but not limited to: machine type communication (MTC) terminals, vehicle-mounted communication terminals, device-to-device (D2D) terminals, machine-to-machine (M2M) terminals, ambient IoT (AIoT) devices, etc.

[0050] In addition, the term "network side" or "network device side" refers to one side of the network, which can be a base station or one or more network devices as described above. The term "user side" or "terminal side" or "terminal device side" refers to the user or terminal side, which can be a UE or one or more terminal devices as described above. Unless otherwise specified herein, "device" can refer to either network equipment or terminal equipment.

[0051] RFID systems are a solution for the massive and cost-effective deployment of IoT devices. They are widely used. Their advantages include low tag costs and affordability. RFID tags are small, limiting the size and material of the items they can be used on, making them suitable for various scenarios such as item management and tracking. Despite their low tag costs, the deployment and operating costs of RFID systems are higher than those of wide-area commercial networks. Deployment is typically localized, using dedicated networks, making it difficult to effectively distribute deployment costs. Regarding usage, if manual handheld tag readers are used, labor costs can become a major expense and are difficult to reduce. Using dedicated RFID ports or gateways to read and manage tags significantly increases deployment costs. Furthermore, RFID systems have a simple logical architecture and loose radio resource management, making it difficult to effectively manage interference from radio wave transmissions. Consequently, RFID systems generally have low system capacity and spectrum efficiency.

[0052] Compared to existing RFID systems, leveraging existing commercial mobile communication cellular networks (such as LTE and 5G NR systems) to support industry applications requiring tag-based IoT devices can significantly reduce deployment costs, thereby lowering the barrier to entry for deploying these IoT devices. Furthermore, existing commercial mobile communication cellular networks (such as LTE and 5G NR systems) offer significantly higher network security and wireless resource management effectiveness than existing RFID systems.

[0053] Taking 5G systems as an example, they provide reliable authentication, network coordination, and accurate and stable terminal device management mechanisms. These systems can safely and effectively reduce labor costs, thereby lowering the cost of using this type of IoT. They can also optimize the network to increase system capacity and spectrum efficiency. These reductions in deployment and operating costs will effectively promote the application of these IoT devices in business management and industrial manufacturing, accelerating the digitalization of these industries, improving production efficiency, and ultimately promoting social development.

[0054] As a new type of IoT terminal in the 5G system, tag-type terminal devices (Ambient IoT devices, referred to as AIoT devices) are severely cost-constrained. The hardware capabilities of the devices are significantly weaker than those of ordinary smartphones and other IoT-type devices supported by existing cellular mobile communication systems. For example, tag-type terminal devices may not have a stable power supply (for example, using ambient energy harvesting instead of conventional batteries), have a narrow bandwidth, and the internal crystal oscillator has limited accuracy and large errors due to cost constraints, as well as limited signal processing capabilities.

[0055] Furthermore, tag-type terminal devices require simpler services than smartphones. To reduce costs, tag-type terminal devices do not require complex multi-layer management logic. During the discussion for the 3GPP 5G NR Release 19 Ambient IoT research project, it was clarified that Ambient IoT devices do not support RRC connection-related functions.

[0056] On the other hand, in RFID systems, the reader and tag only communicate with each other, without establishing a connection. For example, the reader does not assign an ID to the tag; it only uses a temporary ID during communication and then releases it. The tag only verifies the reader's permission when the reader performs a read or write operation on it, without distinguishing one reader from another. If such a loose communication mechanism is applied to an AIOT system in the context of 5G NR, which requires networking, it may cause AIOT terminal devices to be unable to identify the network system. If an AIOT terminal device receives signals from more than one network device at the same time, it will be unable to distinguish between the network devices. This is inconsistent with the inherently secure network architecture of the 5G NR system, is not conducive to network deployment and terminal device management, and makes it difficult to improve the efficiency of wireless resource utilization.

[0057] Therefore, how to design a management mechanism suitable for AIoT devices, or how to enable terminal devices to identify network devices and how to enable network devices to better manage terminal devices in order to better balance the cost and achievable performance of AIoT devices becomes the key to supporting AIoT devices in 5G NR systems.

[0058] The following describes the scenarios of the embodiments of the present application through examples, but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0059] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application, Figure 2 is another schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application, and Figure 3 is yet another schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application. Figures 1 to 3 schematically illustrate a situation using a terminal device and a network device as an example.

[0060] As shown in Figure 1, network devices can communicate directly with AIoT devices, directly sending signals to AIoT devices or directly receiving signals from AIoT devices; as shown in Figure 2, network devices can also go through an intermediate node and use the intermediate node to send signals to AIoT devices or use the intermediate node to receive signals from AIoT devices; as shown in Figure 3, network devices can also send signals to AIoT devices or receive signals from AIoT devices with the assistance of an assisting node.

[0061] The intermediate node can be a terminal device, a UE, or a network node, such as a relay, an IAB node, a repeater, etc., and the present application is not limited thereto. The intermediate node has the function of communicating with the network device in Figure 2, and also has at least the ability to send signals to and receive signals from AIoT devices. The auxiliary node can be a terminal device, a UE, or a network node, such as a relay, an IAB node, a repeater, etc., and the present application is not limited thereto. The auxiliary node has the function of communicating with the network device in Figure 3, and also has at least the ability to send signals to and / or receive signals from AIoT devices. The sending of signals to and receiving of signals from AIoT devices mentioned here comply with the provisions and descriptions of AIoT devices in the communication standard protocol.

[0062] In the embodiments of the present application, a network device may send signals / information / configurations to an AIoT device, or an AIoT device may receive signals / information / configurations from a network device. This may be done directly by the network device and received by the AIoT device, or by the network device via an intermediate node and received by the AIoT device, or by the network device with the help of an auxiliary node and received by the AIoT device, or by the network device using other methods and received by the AIoT device. Unless otherwise specified, this application is not limited to this.

[0063] In the embodiments of the present application, when an AIoT device sends a signal / information to a network device, or when a network device receives a signal / information from an AIoT device, the AIoT device may send the signal and the network device may receive it directly, or the AIoT device may send the signal and the network device may receive it via an intermediate node, or the AIoT device may send the signal and the network device may receive it with the help of an auxiliary node, or the AIoT device may send the signal and the network device may receive it through other methods. Unless otherwise specified, the present application is not limited to this.

[0064] Embodiments of the first aspect

[0065] An embodiment of the present application provides a method for sending information, which is described from the perspective of a terminal device.

[0066] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a method for sending information according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG4 , the method includes:

[0067] 401. A terminal device receives a first signal at a first frequency, where the first signal is used at least for timing and / or time synchronization of the terminal device.

[0068] 402. The terminal device sends second information at a second frequency based on at least the first signal, where the second information is carried on a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or on a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

[0069] It is worth noting that FIG4 above is merely a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the present application, and the present application is not limited thereto. For example, the execution order of the various operations may be appropriately adjusted, and other operations may be added or some operations may be reduced. Those skilled in the art may make appropriate modifications based on the above description, and are not limited to the description of FIG4 above.

[0070] Existing LTE systems and 5GNR systems are mainly based on OFDM signals, which are multi-carrier signals. Different terminal devices send their own signals to the network device at the same time. Their respective signals can use different subcarriers in the same bandwidth to carry their own information. The signals of different terminal devices are orthogonal to each other. Conversely, the network device can also modulate the information sent to different terminal devices onto different subcarriers. The subcarriers are orthogonal, and different terminal devices can obtain their own information on the corresponding subcarriers according to the instructions of the network device. Another waveform commonly used in existing LTE systems and 5GNR systems is SC-FDMA. This waveform is also a multi-carrier signal. Different users can achieve multiplexing by modulating different subcarriers at the same time.

[0071] In the embodiments of the present application, the first signal, the second signal, and / or the third signal are all single-carrier signals. Compared to multi-carrier signals, single-carrier signals have lower modulation and demodulation complexity and lower requirements on hardware capabilities and accuracy, which can effectively reduce the complexity and cost of terminal devices. Therefore, they are more suitable for AIoT-type terminal devices.

[0072] The first waveform can be a continuous wave (CW), a carrier wave (CW), a backscattered / backscattering wave, an uplink wave, or the like, but the present application is not limited thereto. The bandwidth of the first waveform is significantly narrower than the bandwidth of the first signal. For example, the bandwidth of the first waveform is 1 kHz, and the bandwidth of the first signal is 100 kHz. This is merely an example, and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0073] In one example, the terminal device sends the second information by backscattering a first waveform. The first waveform is a waveform sent by the network device or a third-party device. The terminal device modulates the information to be sent to the network device onto the first waveform by adjusting its backscatter circuit, and then backscatters the modulated first waveform. For example, the terminal device receives the first waveform at a second frequency and backscatters the modulated first waveform at the second frequency. For another example, the terminal device receives the first waveform at a third frequency and backscatters the modulated first waveform at the second frequency.

[0074] In another example, the terminal device autonomously generates the second information and transmits it at the second frequency. The terminal device autonomously generates a first waveform and modulates information to be sent to the network device onto the first waveform and transmits it as the second information at the second frequency.

[0075] After receiving the second information, the network device does not need to distinguish whether it is sent by the terminal device through backscattering or generated autonomously. It can use a unified receiving algorithm and mechanism to receive the second information, and, in some embodiments, obtain the information carried by the second information.

[0076] The above schematically illustrates information transmission. The following first describes the first signal.

[0077] In some embodiments, the terminal device performs timing / time synchronization with the network device through the first signal, including at least one of the following:

[0078] The terminal device determines the symbol length and / or the starting point and / or the ending point of the signal from the network device;

[0079] The terminal device determines the length and / or starting point and / or ending point of a time unit of a signal from the network device;

[0080] The terminal device determines the length and / or starting point and / or ending point of the signal from the network device;

[0081] The terminal device determines a sampling clock and / or a sampling start position and / or a sampling frequency and / or a sampling end position for receiving a signal;

[0082] The terminal device determines the symbol length and / or the starting point and / or the ending point of the transmitted signal;

[0083] The terminal device determines the length and / or the starting point and / or the ending point of the time unit used for sending the signal;

[0084] The terminal device determines the start / length / end of the transmitted signal.

[0085] In the embodiment of the present application, after the terminal device performs timing / time synchronization with the network device, it receives information / signals from the network device and / or sends information / signals to the network device based on the timing / time synchronization result. This enables accurate and reliable information transmission and reception between low-cost devices and network devices.

[0086] In some embodiments, the first signal carries at least one of the following information: a first identifier, terminal device selection information, and information related to the sending of the second information.

[0087] In one example, the first signal carries at least a first identifier. The first identifier corresponds to N bits. The first identifier is an identifier related to the network device. For example, the first identifier is an identifier of the network device, and / or an identifier of a cell corresponding to the network device, and / or an identifier of the region / site / area where the network device is located.

[0088] The area (Area) where the network device is located can be a network-defined area consisting of one or more network devices, or an area consisting of the service range of the above network devices, etc. Here, the area can also be a field (Field), domain (Domain), scenario (Scenario), range (Range), application range (Application Range), etc., and this application is not limited to this.

[0089] In an example, the value range of the first identifier may be the same as the physical ID of the traditional cell of the 5G NR system or the LTE system, or the value range of the first identifier may be different from the physical ID of the traditional cell of the 5G NR system or the LTE system.

[0090] For example, a network device can serve both mobile phones and other IoT devices, as well as AIoT devices. The cell IDs seen by mobile phones and / or other IoT devices are identical to those seen by AIoT devices. In one example, the range of cell / network device IDs serving AIoT devices matches the existing range of 1008 cell IDs supported by the traditional 5G NR system. This simplifies network planning and management. Reusing the existing range can also streamline standardization discussions and accelerate implementation.

[0091] For another example, the cell ID visible to AIoT devices may be inconsistent with the cell ID visible to mobile phones and / or other IoT devices. In one example, the value range of the cell / network device ID serving AIoT devices can be redefined. The original design of 1008 cell IDs was based on the properties of the existing NR system SS sequence. As mentioned earlier, this sequence is not applicable to AIoT scenarios. Redesigning the cell / network device ID serving AIoT devices can simplify the logic. For example, if N is 9, the cell / network device ID serving AIoT devices ranges from 0 to 511; or, if N is 10, the cell / network device ID serving AIoT devices ranges from 0 to 1023. For another example, N is 4, 6, or 8. For another example, N is 12 or 16.

[0092] In some embodiments, the first signal carries at least an N-bit first identifier. N may be a positive integer, such as 10. N may also be a non-positive integer, such as log2(1008) or log2(504).

[0093] In some embodiments, the terminal device selection information is used by the network device to notify the terminal device to send the second information related to the first signal, or not to send the second information related to the first signal.

[0094] In some embodiments, the terminal device selection information is a selection condition and / or selection parameter, which is used by the terminal device to determine whether to send the second information related to the first signal, or not to send the second information related to the first signal.

[0095] In some embodiments, the terminal device selection information includes at least one of the following:

[0096] Terminal device identification;

[0097] Parameters / attributes of the terminal device;

[0098] The process (session / process) index of the terminal device;

[0099] Terminal device selection identifier;

[0100] Terminal equipment inventory identification.

[0101] In some embodiments, the information related to the second information transmission includes at least one of the following information:

[0102] information related to the second frequency,

[0103] Information related to the time domain resource where the second information is located,

[0104] information related to the second information content,

[0105] Information related to the second information sending method.

[0106] In some embodiments, the information related to the time domain resource where the second information is located includes at least one of the following:

[0107] the starting position of the second information time domain resource,

[0108] The time interval between the second information time domain resource and the time domain location of the first signal,

[0109] The duration of the second information,

[0110] a parameter used by the terminal device to determine a time domain resource available for sending the second information,

[0111] a starting position, and / or duration, and / or end position of a time domain resource that can be used for sending the second information,

[0112] Parameters used by the terminal device to select time domain resources for sending the second information from time domain resources that can be used for sending the second information.

[0113] For example, the time domain resources available for sending the second signal are configured / indicated by the network device to the terminal device as one or more time domain resources available for sending the second signal. The terminal device determines to send the second signal in the time domain resource according to actual conditions, or the terminal device determines not to send the second signal in the time domain resource according to actual conditions.

[0114] In some embodiments, the information related to the second information sending method includes at least one of the following:

[0115] information related to the second information preamble,

[0116] Information related to generating and / or sending a CRC checksum of the second information,

[0117] information related to the channel coding (forward error correction code) of the second information,

[0118] information related to the second information modulation,

[0119] Information related to the length of the second information symbol.

[0120] In some embodiments, the first signal further carries one of the following information:

[0121] Parameters related to random access,

[0122] Parameters used for downlink data transmission,

[0123] Parameters used for uplink data transmission,

[0124] Parameters related to downlink control channels.

[0125] The above schematically illustrates the content related to the first signal. The above information carried by the first signal can be carried by one first signal or by one or more first signals. Carrying by one first signal can reduce the implementation logic of the terminal device. Carrying by more than one first signal can provide more flexibility for network devices to better serve different businesses based on AIoT devices and AIoT devices with different capabilities.

[0126] The above schematically illustrates the function and content of the first signal. The following briefly describes the composition of the first signal.

[0127] In some embodiments, the first signal is composed of a first sub-signal and a second sub-signal. The first sub-signal is at least used for the terminal device to perform timing and / or time synchronization and / or for the terminal device to identify the first signal in the time domain, and the second sub-signal is at least used to carry information.

[0128] For example, the first sub-signal is unique and only appears at the front of the first signal. For another example, the first sub-signal is not unique. For another example, the first sub-signal indicates that the first signal may appear. After the terminal device identifies the first sub-signal in the time domain, it judges / determines whether the second sub-signal follows. In other words, identifying the first sub-signal in the time domain means that the second sub-signal may follow; if the first sub-signal is not identified in the time domain, the terminal device does not need to judge / determine whether there is a second sub-signal. In other words, the first sub-signal can be sent alone, and after the terminal device receives the first sub-signal, there may or may not be a second sub-signal; or, the first sub-signal cannot be sent alone, and after the terminal device receives the first sub-signal, there is a second sub-signal.

[0129] In one example, the first sub-signal may carry information. In another example, the first sub-signal may not carry information. In some embodiments, the first sub-signal includes one or more symbols. In some embodiments, the second sub-signal includes one or more symbols.

[0130] In one example, a first identifier corresponds to N bits and is carried by a first sub-signal and a second sub-signal. The first sub-signal is associated with M bits of the N bits corresponding to the first identifier, where M is less than or equal to N. The remaining bits of the N bits, except for M bits, are carried by the second sub-signal. In another example, the second sub-signal is also used to carry other information in addition to the first identifier.

[0131] In some embodiments, the first signal is a single signal, and the first signal is used for the terminal device to perform timing and / or time synchronization and carry information.

[0132] The first signal is schematically described above, and the second signal is schematically described below.

[0133] In some embodiments, the second information includes at least one of the following information:

[0134] Second identification information for identifying the terminal device;

[0135] Information for indicating the purpose of the second information.

[0136] For example, the second information carries at least the second identification information of the terminal device. The second identification information is used to identify the terminal device and / or is used by the network device to identify the terminal device. The second identification information is used to identify the terminal device within a range and / or a period of time. In one example, the second identification information uniquely identifies the terminal device within a range and / or a period of time; in another example, the second identification information uniquely corresponds to the terminal device within a range and / or a period of time; in yet another example, the second identification information corresponds one-to-one to the terminal device within a range and / or a period of time.

[0137] In some embodiments, the second identification information is at least one of the following: an inherent identifier of the terminal device, or a sequence or identifier generated or selected by the terminal device itself (randomly), or an identifier configured / allocated / specified by a network device for the terminal device, or other information used to identify the terminal device, etc.

[0138] The second identification information may be: a number / serial number / index, sequence, or other information used to identify the terminal device, etc. The other information used to identify the terminal device may be inherent information such as the type / attributes of the terminal device, information / attributes of goods or items attached to / associated with the terminal device, application information of the terminal device, geographical information of the terminal device, location information of the terminal device, etc.

[0139] In one embodiment, the second identification information is a unique ID of the terminal device, such as a global identifier for electronic devices. This ID is written into the terminal device memory before the terminal device leaves the factory and serves as its globally unique long-term identifier. Accordingly, the aforementioned one range can be a cell corresponding to the network device and / or the range within which the unique ID is valid, and the aforementioned one time period can be from the time the terminal device leaves the factory until the terminal device is abandoned.

[0140] In another embodiment, the second identification information is a sequence or ID generated / selected by the terminal device itself. The second identification information is a sequence or ID generated / selected randomly or non-randomly by the terminal device itself. For example, the second identification information is a temporary ID generated / selected by the terminal device. The temporary ID is an ID generated / selected by the terminal device for temporary use. The temporary ID can subsequently become a formal terminal device identifier or can be replaced by other terminal device identifiers specified by the network device. For another example, when the terminal device is temporarily communicating / talking with the network device, and / or, the terminal device is in the initial random access process or random access process, and / or, the terminal device is in the process of requesting to access the network, and / or, the terminal device is in the process of requesting to resume communication / connection with the network device, the terminal device can use the above-mentioned (random) autonomously generated / selected sequence or ID as the second identification information.

[0141] The second identification information is a sequence or ID generated / selected by the terminal device itself, and the aforementioned one range is a cell corresponding to the network device. The aforementioned one range may also be an area defined by a network (which may be implemented by the network device, core network, or other network device). The area may consist of one or more network nodes, the coverage area of ​​one or more network nodes, or the service area of ​​one or more network nodes.

[0142] The second identification information is a sequence or ID generated / selected by the terminal device itself, and the above-mentioned period of time is before the terminal device establishes a connection with the network device, or the above-mentioned period of time is the time when the terminal device is in a temporary communication / dialogue process with the network device. For example, when the network device does not specify an ID for the terminal device, in order to be able to identify the terminal device during the temporary communication / dialogue process, the terminal device and the network device use the temporary ID. The terminal device generates / selects an ID by itself and notifies the network device for identifying the terminal device. After the temporary communication / dialogue ends / terminates / is aborted, the ID is no longer used to identify the terminal device. In the next temporary communication / dialogue process, the terminal device randomly generates / selects another temporary ID again, and the temporary ID may be the same as or different from the previous temporary ID.

[0143] In another embodiment, the second identification information is an ID configured / allocated / specified by the network device for the terminal device. The above-mentioned one range can be a cell corresponding to the network device. The above-mentioned one range can also be an area defined by the network (which can be implemented by the network device or the core network or other network devices), which can be composed of one or more network nodes, or can be composed of the coverage area of ​​one or more network nodes, or can be composed of the service area of ​​one or more network nodes. The above-mentioned period of time can start from the ID that the network device previously configured / allocated / specified for the terminal device. For example, the terminal device previously obtained the ID in the connection / communication with the network device, and then the connection / communication was interrupted / suspended / paused / terminated. This time, the terminal device sends the second signal to request to resume the connection / communication. The terminal device can use the ID configured / allocated / specified by the above-mentioned network device for the terminal device as the second identification information for the network device to identify itself and the corresponding connection / communication.

[0144] In some embodiments, the second identification information is represented by L bits, where L is a positive integer, for example, L is 16, 24, 32, 48, etc.

[0145] The second identification information is schematically described above. The information used to indicate the purpose of the second information (hereinafter referred to as purpose information) will be described below.

[0146] For example, the purpose information may be the purpose of the terminal device sending the second information to the network device. The purpose information may be explicitly carried by the second information, for example, as a part of the second information. The purpose information may be information specifically used to indicate a purpose. For example, a communication standard protocol predefines one or more purpose information, and the terminal device informs the network device of the purpose of sending the second information this time by indicating the index of the purpose information. The purpose information may also be implicitly indicated by other information. For example, the communication standard pre-divides the candidate set of the second identification information (and / or second identifier) ​​of the terminal device into several subsets, one subset corresponding to one purpose, and another subset corresponding to another purpose. The terminal device indicates the purpose of sending the second information to the network device by selecting the second identification information in one subset or another subset.

[0147] In one example, the purpose information may also be implicitly carried by the second signal, for example, different signal formats and / or signal transmission modes are used to indicate different purposes for sending the second information. The terminal device selects the corresponding signal format and / or signal transmission mode according to the purpose of sending the second signal / second information. For example, second signals / second information for different purposes have different preamble codes, and / or different CRC check generator polynomials, and / or different scrambling code initial phases or different scrambling code generator polynomials, etc., but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0148] In another example, the purpose information may not be directly carried by the second information or the second signal, but the network device may determine it independently after receiving the second information in combination with other information / features, for example, whether the network device has previously established a connection with the terminal device, the type / attributes of the terminal device, the services of the terminal device, etc.

[0149] In some embodiments, the second information may further include other information required by the first signal.

[0150] The second information is schematically described above, and the third information and / or fourth information will be described below.

[0151] In some embodiments, after sending the second information, the terminal device also receives third information from the network device, and the third information is at least used to carry a second identifier, and the second identifier is an identifier determined (determine) / allocated (allocate) / assigned (assigned) by the network device for the terminal device and / or an identifier of the terminal device confirmed (confirmed) by the network device, or the second identifier is an identifier re-determined / allocated / assigned by the network device for the terminal device and / or an identifier of the terminal device reconfirmed by the network device.

[0152] In one example, the second identifier is represented by S bits, where S is a positive integer, such as 10, 16, 24, 32, 48, and so on.

[0153] Considering the low hardware capability of AIoT devices, the value of S is appropriate, for example, S is 16 or 24. The larger S is, the more terminal devices the ID set supports. For example, if the valid range of the second identifier of the terminal device is a network device or a cell or a region consisting of several network devices / cells / service areas, 2 S The maximum number of supported terminal devices within the range that can be notified. A larger S indicates higher requirements for the capabilities of the network devices within the range. This, in turn, increases the storage and data processing capabilities required of the terminal devices due to the increased number of bits. AIoT devices have relatively low hardware capabilities, so S should not be set too high.

[0154] The third information also carries information for the terminal device to confirm the second identification information. Thus, the terminal device can confirm that the third information was sent to it by the network device. When a conflict occurs between the terminal device and another terminal device during the aforementioned process of sending the second signal, for example, when the terminal device and the other terminal device send a second signal to the network device using overlapping resources, the third information carrying information for the terminal device to confirm the second identification information facilitates conflict resolution, for example, helping the terminal device and the other terminal device confirm whether the third information is sent to themselves or to the other terminal device.

[0155] For example, the third information explicitly includes part or all of the second identification information, or the third signal used to carry the third information implicitly carries all of the second identification information. This allows the terminal device to determine that it is the receiving terminal device of the third information, or in other words, allows the terminal device to determine that the third information is sent to it by the network device.

[0156] In one example, the second identification information is a sequence or bit string of an identifier. The third information includes or carries part or all of the sequence or bit string carried by the third signal. For example, part of the bits of the sequence or bit string, such as the first X bits or the last X bits, and for example, the X bits starting from the most significant bit or the X bits starting from the least significant bit, where X is a positive integer, and X is less than or equal to the length of the sequence or bit string of the second identification information, and X is 5, 6, 10, 11, 16, etc. For example, as part of the third information. For another example, the third information is sent in a time domain resource corresponding to the time domain resource of the second information. For another example, the CRC check bits of the third information are scrambled using X bits.

[0157] In some embodiments, the terminal device may further send fourth information to the network device, where the fourth information is at least used by the terminal device to notify the network device that it has correctly received the third information.

[0158] In some embodiments, the second information and / or the third information and / or the fourth information includes CRC check bits.

[0159] In one example, the second information (third information / fourth information) includes a string of CRC check bits. For example, the string of CRC check bits is used to verify all information carried by the second information. For another example, the string of CRC check bits is used to verify part of the information carried by the second information.

[0160] In another example, the second information (third information / fourth information) includes more than one string of CRC check bits. For example, one string of CRC check bits is used to check a portion of information, and another string of CRC check bits is used to check other information.

[0161] For example, the CRC check bits of the second information (third information / fourth information) are 5 bits, 6 bits, 8 bits, 11 bits, 16 bits, 24 bits, etc.

[0162] For another example, the generator polynomial of the CRC check bits is one of the following: CRC24A (D)=[D 24 +D 23 +D 18 +D 17 +D 14 +D 11 +D 10 +D 7 +D 6 +D 5 +D 4 +D 3 +D+1]for a CRC length 24; g CRC24B (D)=[D 24 +D 23 +D 6 +D 5 +D+1]for a CRC length 24; g CRC24C (D)=[D 24 +D 23 +D 21 +D 20 +D 17 +D 15 +D 13 +D 12 +D 8 +D 4 +D 2 +D+1]for a CRC length 24; g CRC16 (D)=[D 16 +D 12 +D 5 +1]for a CRC length 16; g CRC11 (D)=[D 11 +D 10 +D 9 +D 5 +1]for a CRC length 11; g CRC6 (D)=[D 6 +D 5+1] for a CRC length 6.

[0163] The second identification information and the second identifier are further explained below.

[0164] In some embodiments, the second identification information is at least partially identical to the second identifier. In other embodiments, the second identification information is different from the second identifier.

[0165] In one example, the second identification information and the second identifier are both S-bit length sequences or bit strings.

[0166] For example, the network device can distinguish the second identification information from the second identifier. For example, the standard predetermines that the 0 to 2 bits corresponding to the S bit are S-1 (or 1-2 S ) range, the second identification information available for the terminal device to select is different from the range of the second identification specified by the network device. For example, the second identification information available for the terminal device to select is in the range of 0 to Z, and the second identification information available for the terminal device to select is in the range of Z+1 to 2 S-1 . In this way, terminal device management can be simplified, so that when the network device receives the second information, it can distinguish the purpose of the terminal device sending the second information based on the second identification information sent by the terminal device sending the second information (without the need for the terminal device to report the purpose additionally).

[0167] The second identification information available for the terminal device to select can be predefined by the standard (for example, Z is a fixed value specified by the standard), or it can be adjusted by the parameters carried by the first signal (for example, Z is calculated by the terminal device based on the parameters carried by the first signal). For example, the first signal also carries parameters for the terminal device to calculate the range of the second identification information. It should be noted that here only the second identification information and the second identifier are used to divide the range from 0 to 2. S-1 The set is taken as an example, and the set may also support IDs of other functions / attributes, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0168] For another example, the network device may not distinguish between the second identification information and the second identifier. This provides more flexibility for terminal device management, for example, allowing the network device to directly confirm the second identification information reported by a terminal device in the second information as the second identifier of the terminal device through the third information.

[0169] The above schematically illustrates various signals and information. The second information will be further described below.

[0170] In some embodiments, the second information is used for at least one of the following:

[0171] The terminal device responds / replies to the first signal;

[0172] The network device identifies the terminal device;

[0173] The terminal device requests access to the network device and / or the cell corresponding to the network device and / or the network where the network device is located;

[0174] The terminal device requests to establish a first connection with the network device and / or the cell corresponding to the network device and / or the network where the network device is located;

[0175] The terminal device requests to restore the first connection with the network device and / or the cell corresponding to the network device and / or the network where the network device is located;

[0176] The terminal device requests to re-access the network device;

[0177] The terminal device requests to resume the communication / dialogue / command process with the network device and / or the network where the network device is located;

[0178] The terminal device requests uplink data transmission;

[0179] The terminal device obtains a second identifier.

[0180] The following description will first be made using the example of a terminal device receiving a signal from a network device for the first time.

[0181] In some embodiments, the network device is unaware of the existence of the terminal device, the terminal device has never established a connection with the network device before, and / or has never successfully sent an identifier used to characterize itself to the network device.

[0182] The terminal device can synchronize with the network device and obtain a first identifier based on the first signal it receives at the first frequency. The first identifier is the network device identifier and / or the cell identifier corresponding to the network device.

[0183] The terminal device is powered on for the first time after leaving the factory, or the terminal device determines that the network device is different from the previously connected network device based on the obtained first identifier, or the terminal device enters a high power mode from a low power mode, etc. For example, some AIOT devices do not have conventional batteries and rely on collecting environmental radio wave energy to charge to maintain normal operation. The power supply wave can be provided by the network device or by a third-party device, and this application is not limited to this. Therefore, there are situations where the AIOT device loses power due to insufficient power or the power is unstable, or the network device does not need to communicate with the AIOT device and stops sending power supply waves so that the AIOT device enters a sleep / hibernation state.

[0184] The terminal device determines to send second information to the network device. The second information is used by the network device to identify the terminal device. For example, the second information includes second identification information. For details about the second identification information, please refer to the above description and will not be repeated here.

[0185] In one example, the second information is used by the terminal device to request access to the network device and / or the cell corresponding to the network device, or is also used by the terminal device to request establishment of a first connection with the network device and / or the cell corresponding to the network device and / or the network where the network device is located.

[0186] The network device receives the second information from the terminal device and obtains the second identification information therein. The network device determines / assigns a second identifier for the terminal device. The network device sends third information to the terminal device. The second identifier is included in the third information. The second identifier and the second identification information may be the same or different. When the second identifier and the second identification information are the same, the third information may include only one of the two and include information indicating to the terminal device that the two are the same.

[0187] The terminal device receives a signal carrying third information from a network device, and the terminal device obtains second identification information that is explicitly or implicitly carried. The terminal device determines that the second identification information is sent by itself to the network device in the second information. The terminal device also obtains the second identifier contained in the third information and stores the second identifier. For example, the second identifier serves as an identifier after the terminal device accesses the network device or after the network device establishes a first connection. The second identifier can be used for uplink and / or downlink communication between the terminal device and the network device.

[0188] The terminal device sends fourth information to the network device. The fourth information is at least used to respond to / reply to the third information. For example, the fourth information is at least used to notify the network device that the third information is correctly received.

[0189] After the terminal device receives the third information, or after the network device receives the fourth information, the terminal device successfully accesses the network device, or the first connection between the terminal device and the network device is successfully established.

[0190] The first connection is different from the RRC connection of the existing 5G NR system. The network device does not maintain the continuity of the first connection. The terminal device leaves the first network device and enters the second network device, and the connection established between the terminal device and the first network device is interrupted / terminated / ended. The terminal device re-establishes another first connection with the second network device.

[0191] The first connection is the connection between the terminal device and the network device. After the first connection is established, the network device becomes the service network device of the terminal device, and the cell where the terminal device is located and corresponding to the network device is the service cell of the terminal device. Unlike the existing 5G system, the RRC connection of the existing 5G NR system is a connection between the terminal device and the network rather than a connection between the terminal device and the network device. In the existing system, when the terminal device enters the coverage area of ​​the first network device to the second network device, the first network device will start the handover (HANDOVER) process in advance to ensure that the RRC connection state of the terminal device is not affected when switching between the two network devices, and thereby ensure that the ongoing business during the handover process is not interrupted due to the handover operation.

[0192] In one example, the first signal is also used by the network device to inventory / search / call up / conscript the terminal devices within its service range. The network device inventorying the terminal devices within its service range may be to confirm which terminal devices are within its service range, and / or to establish a first connection with a terminal device that has not established a connection / communication within a period of time, and / or to send a signal to a terminal device that has not been connected to the network device within a period of time. The period of time may be an absolute time, such as 200 seconds, 400 seconds, 20 minutes, etc. The period of time may also be a relative time, such as from the last time the network device provided a power supply signal to connect and / or communicate with the terminal device until the network device stopped sending the power supply signal, or from the last time the network device sent the first signal to before the network device sends the first signal this time, etc.

[0193] The following description will be made by taking the case where a terminal device requests to resume connection / communication as an example.

[0194] In some embodiments, after a terminal device successfully accesses a network, or after a terminal device successfully establishes a connection with a network device, the connection or communication between the terminal device and the network device is interrupted / terminated / suspended / paused. For example, the terminal device enters an unpowered mode / condition. For example, the terminal device enters a sleep / hibernation mode due to insufficient power and / or an instruction from the network device and / or a pre-configuration of the network device and / or a pre-agreed agreement with the network device. For example, the connection or communication between the terminal device and the network device is interrupted or terminated due to reasons such as a decrease in downlink and / or uplink signal quality or obstruction of signal propagation.

[0195] The terminal device receives a first signal at a first frequency. The terminal device obtains a first identifier based on the first signal. The terminal device determines, based on the first identifier, that the network device is the same as the previously connected network device. The terminal device determines to send second information, where the second information is used by the network device to identify the terminal device, for example, the second information includes second identification information.

[0196] The second identification information may be a second identifier previously sent by the network device to the terminal device, or the last second identifier. After the network device receives the second identifier, or after the network device sends a signal / information to the terminal device confirming that the second identifier is correctly received (for example, via third information or other information), the suspended first connection is successfully restored or re-established.

[0197] The second identification information may also be identification information selected or generated by the terminal device and different from the second identifier previously sent by the network device to the terminal device. For specific identification information, please refer to the previous description of the second identification information and will not be repeated here.

[0198] After receiving the second identification information, the device sends a second identifier to the terminal device via a third message, where the second identifier is the same as or different from the previous second identifier. After the terminal device receives the third information, or after the network device receives fourth information from the terminal device that is at least used to confirm that the third information was correctly received, the terminal device successfully re-accesses the network device, or the first connection between the terminal device and the network device is successfully re-established, or the connection between the terminal device and the network device is successfully restored.

[0199] The following description will be made by taking the case where the terminal device resends uplink resources as an example.

[0200] In some embodiments, services supported by the terminal device are all initiated by the network device for data transmission, such as DO-DTT services and DT services. In other embodiments, the terminal device at least supports data transmission initiated by the terminal device (tag), such as DO-A services. The terminal device supports data transmission initiated by the terminal device (tag). After the terminal device successfully accesses the network, or after the terminal device successfully establishes a first connection with the network device, the terminal device needs to initiate data transmission.

[0201] The terminal device receives a first signal at a first frequency. The terminal device sends second information, where the second information is used at least for the terminal device to initiate data transmission, and / or the terminal device to request uplink data transmission, and / or the terminal device to initiate a service. The second information includes the initiation request and / or a second identifier specified by the network device for the terminal device.

[0202] In one embodiment, the second identifier is used by the network device to identify the terminal device, and the initiation request is used by the network device to determine the purpose of the terminal device sending the second information. In another embodiment, the terminal device sends a second identifier to the network device, and the network device identifies the terminal device as a terminal device with established connection and / or a terminal device that has started communication based on at least the second identifier, and determines that the second information is used by the terminal device to initiate data transmission, and / or the terminal device requests uplink data transmission, and / or the terminal device initiates a service. When determining that the second information is used by the terminal device to initiate data transmission, etc., the network device may also refer to the type, capability, etc. of the terminal device.

[0203] The following description will be made by taking the case where the terminal device re-acquires the second identification (eg, requests other information, requests re-authentication) as an example.

[0204] In some embodiments, the terminal device sending the second information to the network device can also be used for the terminal device to apply to the network device for re-acquisition of the second identifier for some reason, or to apply for a reset, or to apply for reinitialization, or to apply for disabling (disable / kill), or to apply for re-authentication, etc.

[0205] For example, because of too many communication errors with the network device, or because the items attached to and / or related to the terminal device have changed, for example, the terminal device is no longer used in a special scenario (such as the goods attached to it are purchased and become personal property), etc.

[0206] In some other embodiments, the terminal device may send the second information to the network device to request information from the network device, for example, update a password, update a configuration, update a second identifier, etc.

[0207] The first frequency and the second frequency are schematically described below.

[0208] In some embodiments, the first frequency and / or the second frequency is a center frequency, and / or the first frequency and / or the second frequency is a frequency band having a width.

[0209] FIG5 is an example diagram of the first frequency and the second frequency according to an embodiment of the present application, showing a case where the first frequency and the second frequency are center frequencies, or a case where the first frequency and the second frequency are frequency bands.

[0210] In some embodiments, the first frequency and the second frequency are the same frequency;

[0211] The same frequency includes the same center frequency, or different center frequencies but overlapping frequency bands, or being in the same channel and / or bandwidth and overlapping with each other, or being in the same channel and / or bandwidth but not overlapping with each other.

[0212] In some embodiments, the first frequency and the second frequency are out of frequency;

[0213] The different frequencies include different center frequencies but overlapping frequency bands, or different center frequencies and non-overlapping frequency bands, or not being within the same channel and / or bandwidth.

[0214] Figure 6 is an example diagram of the first and second frequencies according to an embodiment of the present application, Figure 7 is an example diagram of the first and second frequencies according to an embodiment of the present application, and Figure 8 is an example diagram of the first and second frequencies according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, some situations of the first and second frequencies are illustrated using frequency bands and frequency bands as examples, and as shown in Figure 8, some situations of the first and second frequencies are illustrated using frequency bands and frequency points as examples. This application is not limited to the situations shown in Figures 5 to 8.

[0215] The above embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Appropriate modifications may be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments may be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments may be combined.

[0216] As can be seen from the above embodiment, the terminal device receives a first signal at a first frequency and transmits second information at a second frequency based on at least the first signal. This enables accurate and reliable information transmission and reception between low-cost devices and network devices, effectively reducing the complexity and cost of the terminal device.

[0217] Embodiments of the second aspect

[0218] The embodiment of the present application provides an information receiving method, which is described from the perspective of a network device. The embodiment of the second aspect can be combined with the embodiment of the first aspect, and the same contents as the embodiment of the first aspect will not be repeated.

[0219] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of an information receiving method according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG9 , the method includes:

[0220] 901. A network device sends a first signal at a first frequency, where the first signal is used at least for timing and / or time synchronization of a terminal device.

[0221] 902. The network device receives second information at a second frequency, where the second information is carried in a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or in a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

[0222] It is worth noting that FIG9 above is merely a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the present application, and the present application is not limited thereto. For example, the execution order of the various operations may be appropriately adjusted, and other operations may be added or some operations may be reduced. Those skilled in the art may make appropriate modifications based on the above description, and are not limited to the description of FIG9 above.

[0223] The above embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Appropriate modifications may be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments may be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments may be combined.

[0224] As can be seen from the above embodiment, the terminal device receives a first signal at a first frequency and transmits second information at a second frequency based on at least the first signal. This enables accurate and reliable information transmission and reception between low-cost devices and network devices, effectively reducing the complexity and cost of the terminal device.

[0225] Embodiments of the third aspect

[0226] The embodiment of the present application provides an information sending device, which may be, for example, a terminal device, or one or more components or assemblies configured in the terminal device, and the contents that are the same as those in the first and second aspects of the embodiment are not repeated here.

[0227] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of an information sending device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG10 , the information sending device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present application includes:

[0228] A receiving unit 1001 is configured to receive a first signal at a first frequency, where the first signal is used at least for timing and / or time synchronization of the terminal device;

[0229] The sending unit 1002 sends second information at a second frequency according to at least the first signal, where the second information is carried on a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or on a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

[0230] In some embodiments, the second information is used for at least one of the following:

[0231] The terminal device responds / replies to the first signal;

[0232] The network device identifies the terminal device;

[0233] The terminal device requests access to the network device and / or the cell corresponding to the network device and / or the network where the network device is located;

[0234] The terminal device requests to establish a first connection with the network device and / or the cell corresponding to the network device and / or the network where the network device is located;

[0235] The terminal device requests to restore the first connection with the network device and / or the cell corresponding to the network device and / or the network where the network device is located;

[0236] The terminal device requests to re-access the network device;

[0237] The terminal device requests to resume the communication / dialogue / command process with the network device and / or the network where the network device is located;

[0238] The terminal device requests uplink data transmission;

[0239] The terminal device obtains a second identifier.

[0240] In some embodiments, the first signal carries at least one of the following information: a first identifier, terminal device selection information, and information related to the sending of the second information.

[0241] In some embodiments, the first identifier is a network device identifier and / or a cell identifier corresponding to the network device.

[0242] In some embodiments, the terminal device selection information is at least used by the terminal device to determine whether to send the second information.

[0243] In some embodiments, the information related to the sending of the second information is at least used by the terminal device to determine the time domain resource location of the second information.

[0244] In some embodiments, the terminal device performs timing / time synchronization with the network device through the first signal, including at least one of the following:

[0245] The terminal device determines the symbol length and / or the starting point and / or the ending point of the signal from the network device;

[0246] The terminal device determines the length and / or starting point and / or ending point of a time unit of a signal from the network device;

[0247] The terminal device determines the length and / or starting point and / or ending point of the signal from the network device;

[0248] The terminal device determines a sampling clock and / or a sampling start position and / or a sampling frequency and / or a sampling end position for receiving a signal;

[0249] The terminal device determines the symbol length and / or the starting point and / or the ending point of the transmitted signal;

[0250] The terminal device determines the length and / or the starting point and / or the ending point of the time unit used for sending the signal;

[0251] The terminal device determines the start / length / end of the transmitted signal.

[0252] In some embodiments, the first frequency and / or the second frequency is a center frequency, and / or the first frequency and / or the second frequency is a frequency band having a width.

[0253] In some embodiments, the first frequency and the second frequency are the same frequency;

[0254] The same frequency includes the same center frequency, or different center frequencies but overlapping frequency bands, or being in the same channel and / or bandwidth and overlapping with each other, or being in the same channel and / or bandwidth but not overlapping with each other.

[0255] In some embodiments, the first frequency and the second frequency are out of frequency;

[0256] The different frequencies include different center frequencies but overlapping frequency bands, or different center frequencies and non-overlapping frequency bands, or not being within the same channel and / or bandwidth.

[0257] In some embodiments, the second information includes at least one of the following information:

[0258] Second identification information for identifying the terminal device;

[0259] Information for indicating the purpose of the second information.

[0260] In some embodiments, the second identification information is used to identify the terminal device within a range and / or a period of time.

[0261] In some embodiments, the second identification information is an inherent identifier of the terminal device, or a sequence or identifier generated or selected by the terminal device itself, or an identifier configured / allocated / specified by a network device for the terminal device.

[0262] In some embodiments, the second identification information is L bits.

[0263] In some embodiments, the terminal device receives third information from the network device, and the third information is at least used to carry the second identifier.

[0264] In some embodiments, the second identifier is an identifier assigned / specified by the network device to the terminal device, and / or an identifier of the terminal device determined by the network device.

[0265] In some embodiments, the second identifier is S bits.

[0266] In some embodiments, the third information also carries information used by the terminal device to confirm the second identification information.

[0267] In some embodiments, the third information explicitly includes part or all of the second identification information, or the third signal used to carry the third information implicitly carries part or all of the second identification information.

[0268] In some embodiments, the second identification information is at least partially identical to the second identifier.

[0269] In some embodiments, the second identification information is different from the second identifier.

[0270] In some embodiments, the terminal device sends fourth information to the network device, and the fourth information is at least used to respond to the third information.

[0271] In some embodiments, the fourth information is at least used to notify the terminal device that the third information is correctly received.

[0272] The above embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Appropriate modifications may be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments may be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments may be combined.

[0273] It is worth noting that the above only describes the components or modules related to the present application, but the present application is not limited thereto. The information sending device 1000 may also include other components or modules. For the specific contents of these components or modules, reference may be made to the relevant art.

[0274] Furthermore, for simplicity, FIG10 illustrates only the connection relationships or signal paths between various components or modules. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various related technologies, such as bus connections, may be employed. The aforementioned components or modules may be implemented using hardware such as processors, memories, transmitters, and receivers; this is not intended to limit the present invention.

[0275] As can be seen from the above embodiment, the terminal device receives a first signal at a first frequency and transmits second information at a second frequency based on at least the first signal. This enables accurate and reliable information transmission and reception between low-cost devices and network devices, effectively reducing the complexity and cost of the terminal device.

[0276] Embodiments of the fourth aspect

[0277] The present application provides an information receiving device. The device may be, for example, a network device, an intermediate node, or an auxiliary node, or may be one or more components or assemblies configured on the network device, the intermediate node, or the auxiliary node. The contents that are the same as those in the first to third aspects of the embodiments are not repeated here.

[0278] FIG11 is another schematic diagram of an information receiving device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG11 , the information receiving device 1100 includes:

[0279] A sending unit 1101 is configured to send a first signal at a first frequency, where the first signal is used at least for timing and / or time synchronization of the terminal device;

[0280] The receiving unit 1102 receives second information at a second frequency, where the second information is carried in a second signal formed by the terminal device through backscattering the first waveform or in a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

[0281] The above embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Appropriate modifications may be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments may be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments may be combined.

[0282] It is worth noting that the above description only describes the components or modules related to the present application, but the present application is not limited thereto. The information receiving device 1100 may also include other components or modules. For the specific contents of these components or modules, reference may be made to the relevant art.

[0283] In addition, for the sake of simplicity, FIG11 only illustrates the connection relationship or signal direction between various components or modules. However, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that various related technologies such as bus connection can be used. The above-mentioned components or modules can be implemented by hardware facilities such as processors, memories, transmitters, and receivers; the implementation of this application is not limited to this.

[0284] As can be seen from the above embodiment, the terminal device receives a first signal at a first frequency and transmits second information at a second frequency based on at least the first signal. This enables accurate and reliable information transmission and reception between low-cost devices and network devices, effectively reducing the complexity and cost of the terminal device.

[0285] Embodiments of the fifth aspect

[0286] An embodiment of the present application also provides a communication system, and reference may be made to Figures 1 to 3 . The contents that are the same as those in the first to fourth embodiments will not be repeated.

[0287] In some embodiments, the communication system 100 may include at least:

[0288] A network device, which sends a first signal at a first frequency, wherein the first signal is at least used for timing and / or time synchronization of a terminal device; and receives second information at a second frequency;

[0289] A terminal device that receives the first signal at the first frequency and sends the second information at the second frequency at least based on the first signal; the second information is carried on a second signal formed for the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or a third signal autonomously generated for the terminal device.

[0290] The embodiment of the present application also provides a terminal device, but the present application is not limited thereto and may also be other devices.

[0291] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 12 , terminal device 1200 may include a processor 1210 and a memory 1220. For example, memory 1220 stores data and programs and is coupled to processor 1210. It should be noted that this diagram is exemplary; other types of structures may be used to supplement or replace this structure to implement telecommunication or other functions.

[0292] For example, the processor 1210 may be configured to execute a program to implement the information sending method as described in the embodiment of the first aspect. For example, the processor 1210 may be configured to perform the following control: receiving a first signal at a first frequency, where the first signal is at least used for timing and / or time synchronization of the terminal device; and sending second information at a second frequency based on at least the first signal, where the second information is carried in a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or in a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

[0293] As shown in FIG12 , the terminal device 1200 may further include a communication module 1230 and may or may not include a power supply. It is worth noting that the terminal device 1200 does not necessarily include all of the components shown in FIG12 , and the aforementioned components are not essential. Furthermore, the terminal device 1200 may also include components not shown in FIG12 , for which reference may be made to existing technologies.

[0294] An embodiment of the present application further provides a network device, which may be, for example, a base station, but the present application is not limited thereto and may also be other network devices.

[0295] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 13 , network device 1300 may include a processor 1310 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)) and a memory 1320. Memory 1320 is coupled to processor 1310. Memory 1320 may store various data and may also store an information processing program 1330, which is executed under the control of processor 1310.

[0296] For example, the processor 1310 may be configured to execute a program to implement the information receiving method as described in the embodiment of the second aspect. For example, the processor 1310 may be configured to perform the following control: sending a first signal at a first frequency, where the first signal is at least used for timing and / or time synchronization of a terminal device; and receiving second information at a second frequency, where the second information is carried in a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or in a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

[0297] In addition, as shown in FIG13 , network device 1300 may further include: a transceiver 1340 and an antenna 1350, etc.; wherein, the functions of the above components are similar to those in the prior art and are not described in detail here. It is worth noting that network device 1300 does not necessarily include all the components shown in FIG13 ; in addition, network device 1300 may also include components not shown in FIG13 , and reference may be made to the prior art for details.

[0298] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program, wherein when the program is executed in a terminal device, the program causes the terminal device to execute the information sending method described in the embodiment of the first aspect.

[0299] An embodiment of the present application also provides a storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program enables a terminal device to execute the information sending method described in the embodiment of the first aspect.

[0300] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program, wherein when the program is executed in a network device, the program causes the network device to execute the information receiving method described in the embodiment of the second aspect.

[0301] An embodiment of the present application also provides a storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program enables a network device to execute the information receiving method described in the embodiment of the second aspect.

[0302] The above devices and methods of the present application can be implemented by hardware or by a combination of hardware and software. The present application relates to such a computer-readable program that, when executed by a logic component, enables the logic component to implement the devices or components described above, or enables the logic component to implement the various methods or steps described above. The present application also relates to a storage medium for storing the above program, such as a hard disk, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a DVD, a flash memory, etc.

[0303] The method / device described in conjunction with the embodiments of the present application can be directly embodied as hardware, a software module executed by a processor, or a combination of the two. For example, one or more of the functional block diagrams shown in the figure and / or one or more combinations of functional block diagrams can correspond to various software modules of the computer program flow or to various hardware modules. These software modules can respectively correspond to the various steps shown in the figure. These hardware modules can be implemented by solidifying these software modules, for example, using a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0304] The software module may be located in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. A storage medium may be coupled to the processor so that the processor can read information from and write information to the storage medium; or the storage medium may be an integral part of the processor. The processor and storage medium may be located in an ASIC. The software module may be stored in the memory of the mobile terminal or in a memory card that can be inserted into the mobile terminal. For example, if the device (such as a mobile terminal) uses a large-capacity MEGA-SIM card or a large-capacity flash memory device, the software module may be stored in the MEGA-SIM card or the large-capacity flash memory device.

[0305] One or more of the functional blocks and / or one or more combinations of functional blocks described in the accompanying drawings may be implemented as a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, a discrete hardware component, or any appropriate combination thereof for performing the functions described in this application. One or more of the functional blocks and / or one or more combinations of functional blocks described in the accompanying drawings may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in communication with a DSP, or any other such configuration.

[0306] The present application has been described above in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, those skilled in the art should understand that these descriptions are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations to the present application based on the spirit and principles of the present application, and such modifications and variations are also within the scope of the present application.

[0307] Regarding the implementation methods including the above embodiments, the following additional notes are also disclosed:

[0308] 1. A method for sending information, comprising:

[0309] A terminal device receives a first signal at a first frequency, where the first signal is at least used for timing and / or time synchronization of the terminal device;

[0310] The terminal device sends second information at a second frequency based on at least the first signal, and the second information is carried on a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or on a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

[0311] 2. A method for receiving information, comprising:

[0312] The network device sends a first signal at a first frequency, where the first signal is used at least for timing and / or time synchronization of the terminal device;

[0313] The network device receives second information at a second frequency, where the second information is carried in a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or in a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

[0314] 3. A terminal device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement the information sending method as described in Note 1.

[0315] 4. A network device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement the information sending method as described in Note 2.

[0316] 5. A computer program product, comprising at least a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the terminal device executes the information receiving method as described in Note 1.

[0317] 6. A computer program product, comprising at least a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the network device executes the information receiving method as described in Note 2.

Claims

1. An information sending device, comprising: A receiving unit, configured to receive a first signal at a first frequency, wherein the first signal is at least used for timing and / or time synchronization of a terminal device; A sending unit sends second information at a second frequency according to at least the first signal, wherein the second information is carried on a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or on a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein The second information is used for at least one of the following: The terminal device responds / replies to the first signal; The network device identifies the terminal device; The terminal device requests access to the network device and / or the cell corresponding to the network device and / or the network where the network device is located; The terminal device requests to establish a first connection with the network device and / or the cell corresponding to the network device and / or the network where the network device is located; The terminal device requests to restore the first connection with the network device and / or the cell corresponding to the network device and / or the network where the network device is located; The terminal device requests to re-access the network device; The terminal device requests to resume the communication / dialogue / command process with the network device and / or the network where the network device is located; The terminal device requests uplink data transmission; The terminal device obtains a second identifier.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein The first signal carries at least one of the following information: a first identifier, where the first identifier is a network device identifier and / or a cell identifier corresponding to the network device; Terminal device selection information, where the terminal device selection information is at least used by the terminal device to determine whether to send the second information; Information related to the sending of the second information, information related to the sending of the second information is at least used by the terminal device to determine the time domain resource location of the second information.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein Performing timing / time synchronization with the network device through the first signal includes at least one of the following: determining a symbol length and / or a start point and / or an end point of a signal from a network device; determining the length and / or starting point and / or ending point of a time unit of a signal from a network device; determining the length and / or starting point and / or ending point of a signal from a network device; Determining a sampling clock and / or a sampling start position and / or a sampling frequency and / or a sampling end position for a received signal; Determining a symbol length and / or a start point and / or an end point of a transmitted signal; determining the length and / or the starting point and / or the ending point of a time unit to be used for transmitting the signal; Determine the start / length / end of the sent signal.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein The first frequency and the second frequency are the same frequency; The same frequency includes the same center frequency, or different center frequencies but overlapping frequency bands, or being in the same channel and / or bandwidth and overlapping with each other, or being in the same channel and / or bandwidth but not overlapping with each other.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein The first frequency and the second frequency are different frequencies; The different frequencies include different center frequencies but overlapping frequency bands, or different center frequencies and non-overlapping frequency bands, or not being within the same channel and / or bandwidth.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein The second information includes at least one of the following information: Second identification information for identifying the terminal device; Information for indicating the purpose of the second information.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein The second identification information is used to identify the terminal device within a range and / or a period of time.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein The second identification information is an inherent identifier of the terminal device, or a sequence or identifier generated or selected by the terminal device itself, or an identifier configured / allocated / specified by a network device for the terminal device.

10. The device according to claim 7, wherein The receiving unit is further configured to receive third information from the network device, where the third information is at least configured to carry the second identifier.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein The second identifier is an identifier allocated / specified by the network device to the terminal device, and / or an identifier of the terminal device determined by the network device.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein The second identification information is L bits, and / or the second identifier is S bits.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein The third information also carries information used by the terminal device to confirm the second identification information.

14. The device according to claim 10, wherein The third information explicitly includes part or all of the second identification information, or the third signal used to carry the third information implicitly carries part or all of the second identification information.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein The second identification information is at least partially identical to the second identifier.

16. The device according to claim 10, wherein The second identification information is different from the second identifier.

17. The device according to claim 10, wherein The sending unit is further configured to send fourth information to the network device, where the fourth information is at least used to respond to the third information.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein The fourth information is at least used to notify the terminal device that the third information is correctly received.

19. An information receiving device, comprising: A sending unit, configured to send a first signal at a first frequency, wherein the first signal is at least used for timing and / or time synchronization of a terminal device; A receiving unit receives second information at a second frequency, where the second information is carried in a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or in a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

20. A communication system comprising: A network device, which sends a first signal at a first frequency, wherein the first signal is used at least for timing and / or time synchronization of a terminal device; and receiving second information at a second frequency; A terminal device that receives the first signal at the first frequency and sends the second information at the second frequency at least based on the first signal, wherein the second information is carried on a second signal formed by the terminal device by backscattering the first waveform or on a third signal autonomously generated by the terminal device.

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