Communication method and apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium and computer program product

Abstract

A communication method and apparatus, and a computer-readable storage medium and a computer program product. The method comprises: a network device sending an on-demand reference signal to a terminal before a DRX activation time and / or during the DRX activation time; correspondingly, the terminal receiving the on-demand reference signal, wherein the on-demand reference signal is aperiodically transmitted in a serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable during the DRX activation time. By means of the solution in the present disclosure, an on-demand reference signal can be configured for a terminal with a DRX state, such that the terminal can periodically wake up to detect a PDCCH and data scheduling, and less reference signals are sent, thereby reducing signaling overheads and network power consumption.

Description

Communication method and device, computer-readable storage medium, and computer program product

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on April 3, 2024, with application number 202410408394.8 and application name “Communication method and device, computer-readable storage medium, computer program product”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and device, a computer-readable storage medium, and a computer program product. Background Art

[0003] In 5G (New Radio, NR), deployed at high frequencies, wireless signals exhibit strong directionality and high path loss. Therefore, a large cell requires multiple beams to achieve complete coverage, and a single beam can only cover a limited area. Small cells can contain only a single beam. For cells composed of multiple beams, due to hardware limitations, not all beams can transmit simultaneously, requiring time-sharing transmission, a process known as beam sweeping.

[0004] For a cell in NR, its synchronization signals (including primary and secondary synchronization signals) are transmitted according to a certain period, such as 5 milliseconds (ms), 10 ms, 20 ms, 40 ms, or 80 ms. Within each period, the synchronization signals corresponding to different beams are limited to 5 ms. A cell transmits one or more SS blocks (synchronization signal blocks, i.e., different beams), such as 4 SS blocks or 8 SS blocks. An SS block includes the Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) / Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) and the Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH). The PSS and SSS are used by terminals to identify the cell identity and achieve symbol-level synchronization. When evaluating the signal quality of a cell, the terminal needs to combine the N strongest beams measured in the cell to obtain the cell signal quality. The value of N can be configured by the network, and N>=1.

[0005] Typically, cells, including primary cells and secondary cells, periodically broadcast reference signals (such as SSBs). However, periodic transmission of SSBs significantly increases network power consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem solved by the present invention is how to reduce the sending of reference signals, saving signaling overhead and network power consumption.

[0007] To solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides a communication method, comprising: receiving an on-demand reference signal before the start of the discontinuous reception DRX activation time and / or during the DRX activation time; wherein the on-demand reference signal is transmitted non-periodically in the serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

[0008] Optionally, receiving the on-demand reference signal before the start of the DRX activation time includes: receiving the on-demand reference signal at a first moment, wherein the first moment is earlier than the DRX activation time and is spaced from the start moment of the DRX activation time by a first offset value.

[0009] Optionally, the communication method further includes: receiving first information, where the first information includes the first offset value.

[0010] Optionally, the number of the on-demand reference signals transmitted before the DRX activation time is associated with at least one of the following parameters: the signal quality of the serving cell and the DRX cycle length.

[0011] Optionally, the variable transmission density of the on-demand reference signal within the DRX activation time includes: within the DRX activation time, the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal gradually decreases with time.

[0012] Optionally, receiving an on-demand reference signal within the DRX activation time includes: receiving m on-demand reference signals within a first time period before the DRX activation time, and receiving n on-demand reference signals within a second time period after the DRX activation time, wherein the ratio of m to the first time period is greater than the ratio of n to the second time period, m is a positive integer, and n is a non-negative integer.

[0013] Optionally, the variable transmission density of the on-demand reference signal within the DRX activation time includes: within the DRX activation time, determining the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal within the next fourth time period according to the number of scheduling times within the previous third time period.

[0014] Optionally, the number of scheduling times in the first third time period is positively correlated with the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal in the next fourth time period.

[0015] Optionally, receiving an on-demand reference signal within the DRX activation time includes: receiving m on-demand reference signals within the third time period before the DRX activation time, and receiving n on-demand reference signals within the fourth time period after the DRX activation time, where m is a positive integer and n is a non-negative integer. In response to the number of scheduling times within the third time period being greater than or equal to a preset threshold, n≥m; in response to the number of scheduling times within the third time period being less than a preset threshold, n≤m.

[0016] Optionally, the serving cell is a primary cell, a secondary cell, or a primary and secondary cell.

[0017] Optionally, the serving cell is a secondary cell, and the communication method further includes: receiving configuration information, where the configuration information is used to indicate whether there is an on-demand reference signal in the secondary cell.

[0018] Optionally, in response to receiving downlink control signaling DCI encrypted by a power-saving radio network temporary identifier PS-RNTI indicating detection of a physical downlink control channel PDCCH before the DRX activation time, or in response to sending a scheduling request before the DRX activation time, it is determined that the on-demand reference signal exists in the serving cell.

[0019] To solve the above technical problem, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a communication method, comprising: receiving an update indication, where the update indication is used to indicate updating the transmission density of an on-demand reference signal of a serving cell.

[0020] Optionally, the update indication information is transmitted via downlink control information DCI.

[0021] Optionally, before receiving the update indication, the method further includes:

[0022] Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling is received, where the RRC signaling is used to indicate a plurality of on-demand reference signal configurations of different densities.

[0023] Optionally, the serving cell is a primary cell, a secondary cell, or a primary and secondary cell.

[0024] Optionally, the update indication is an on-demand reference signal configuration index, and the update indication is used to indicate that the transmission density representation of the on-demand reference signal of the serving cell is updated to the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal indicated by the on-demand reference signal configuration index.

[0025] Optionally, the on-demand reference signal includes at least one of the following:

[0026] On-demand synchronization signal block SSB;

[0027] On-demand channel state information reference signal CSI-RS; or,

[0028] Tracking reference signal TRS on demand.

[0029] To solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention also provides a communication method, including: sending an on-demand reference signal before the terminal enters the DRX activation time and / or during the DRX activation time; wherein, the on-demand reference signal is transmitted non-periodically in the serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

[0030] Optionally, sending an on-demand reference signal before the terminal enters the DRX activation time includes: sending the on-demand reference signal at a first moment, wherein the first moment is earlier than the DRX activation time and is spaced from the start moment of the DRX activation time by a first offset value.

[0031] Optionally, the communication method further includes: sending first information, where the first information includes the first offset value.

[0032] Optionally, the number of the on-demand reference signals transmitted before the DRX activation time is associated with at least one of the following parameters: the signal quality of the serving cell and the DRX cycle length.

[0033] Optionally, the variable transmission density of the on-demand reference signal within the DRX activation time includes: within the DRX activation time, the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal gradually decreases with time.

[0034] Optionally, sending on-demand reference signals when the terminal is in the DRX activation time includes: sending m on-demand reference signals within a first time period before the DRX activation time, and sending n on-demand reference signals within a second time period after the DRX activation time, wherein the ratio of m to the first time period is greater than the ratio of n to the second time period, m is a positive integer, and n is a non-negative integer.

[0035] Optionally, the variable transmission density of the on-demand reference signal within the DRX activation time includes: within the DRX activation time, determining the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal within the next fourth time period according to the number of scheduling times within the previous third time period.

[0036] Optionally, the number of scheduling times in the first third time period is positively correlated with the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal in the next fourth time period.

[0037] Optionally, sending on-demand reference signals when the terminal is in the DRX activation time includes: sending m on-demand reference signals within the third time period before the DRX activation time, and sending n on-demand reference signals within the fourth time period after the DRX activation time, where m is a positive integer and n is a non-negative integer. In response to the number of scheduling times within the third time period being greater than or equal to a preset threshold, n≥m; in response to the number of scheduling times within the third time period being less than a preset threshold, n≤m.

[0038] Optionally, the serving cell is a primary cell, a secondary cell, or a primary and secondary cell.

[0039] Optionally, the serving cell is a secondary cell, and the communication method further includes: sending configuration information, where the configuration information is used to indicate whether there is an on-demand reference signal in the secondary cell.

[0040] To solve the above technical problem, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a communication method, comprising: sending an update indication, where the update indication is used to indicate updating the transmission density of an on-demand reference signal of a serving cell.

[0041] Optionally, the update indication is transmitted via downlink control information DCI.

[0042] Optionally, before sending the update indication, the method further includes:

[0043] Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling is sent, where the RRC signaling is used to indicate a plurality of on-demand reference signal configurations of different densities.

[0044] Optionally, the serving cell is a primary cell, a secondary cell, or a primary and secondary cell.

[0045] Optionally, the update indication is an on-demand reference signal configuration index, and the update indication is used to indicate that the transmission density representation of the on-demand reference signal of the serving cell is updated to the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal indicated by the on-demand reference signal configuration index.

[0046] Optionally, the on-demand reference signal includes at least one of the following:

[0047] On-demand synchronization signal block SSB;

[0048] On-demand channel state information reference signal CSI-RS; or,

[0049] Tracking reference signal TRS on demand.

[0050] In order to solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention also provides a communication device, including: a receiving module, used to receive an on-demand reference signal before the start of the DRX activation time and / or within the DRX activation time; wherein, the on-demand reference signal is transmitted non-periodically in the serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

[0051] To solve the above technical problem, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a communication device, including: a receiving module, receiving an update indication, wherein the update indication is used to indicate an update of the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal of the serving cell.

[0052] In order to solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention also provides a communication device, including: a sending module, used to send an on-demand reference signal before the terminal enters the DRX activation time and / or during the DRX activation time; wherein, the on-demand reference signal is transmitted non-periodically in the serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

[0053] To solve the above technical problem, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a communication device, including: a sending module, configured to send an update indication, wherein the update indication is used to indicate updating the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal of the serving cell.

[0054] To solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is a non-volatile storage medium or a non-transient storage medium, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is run by a processor, the steps of the above method are executed.

[0055] To solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a communication device, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program that can be run on the processor, and the processor executes the steps of the above method when running the computer program.

[0056] To solve the above technical problem, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer program product, including a computer program / instruction, which implements the steps of the above method when executed by a processor.

[0057] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the embodiment of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0058] This embodiment provides a communication method, including: before the terminal enters the DRX activation time, the network device sends an on-demand reference signal to the terminal, and accordingly, the terminal receives the on-demand reference signal, wherein the on-demand reference signal is transmitted aperiodically in the serving cell.

[0059] Compared to the prior art where network equipment periodically transmits reference signals, the network equipment in this implementation configures on-demand reference signals for terminals, enabling on-demand transmission of reference signals, minimizing reference signal transmission and thus saving signaling overhead and network power consumption. Furthermore, for terminals in DRX mode, on-demand reference signals are configured to be transmitted before the DRX activation time, ensuring timely synchronization with the serving cell and enabling PDCCH reception and data scheduling within the following DRX activation time.

[0060] An embodiment of the present invention provides a communication method, including: when a terminal is in a DRX activation time, a network device sends an on-demand reference signal to the terminal, and accordingly, the terminal receives the on-demand reference signal, the on-demand reference signal is transmitted non-periodically in a serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

[0061] Compared to the prior art where network devices periodically transmit reference signals, the network devices in this embodiment configure on-demand reference signals for terminals, enabling on-demand transmission of reference signals, minimizing reference signal transmission and thus saving signaling overhead and network power consumption. Furthermore, for terminals in the DRX state, the network devices transmit on-demand reference signals with variable transmission density during the DRX activation period, minimizing reference signal transmission while meeting service transmission requirements, saving signaling overhead and network power consumption.

[0062] This embodiment provides a communication method, including: before the terminal enters the DRX activation time and during the DRX activation time, the network device sends an on-demand reference signal to the terminal, and accordingly, the terminal receives the on-demand reference signal, the on-demand reference signal is transmitted non-periodically in the serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

[0063] Compared to the prior art where network devices periodically transmit reference signals, the network devices of this embodiment configure on-demand reference signals for terminals, enabling on-demand transmission of reference signals. Furthermore, for terminals in the DRX state, configuring on-demand reference signals to be transmitted before and / or during the DRX activation time helps the terminal periodically wake up to detect PDCCH and data scheduling, while minimizing the transmission of reference signals to save signaling overhead and network power consumption. Furthermore, the transmission density of on-demand reference signals transmitted during the DRX activation time is variable, minimizing reference signal transmission while meeting service transmission requirements, further reducing network power consumption and signaling overhead. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0064] FIG1 is a signaling interaction diagram of a communication method according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0065] FIG2 is a timing diagram of a first typical application scenario of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0066] FIG3 is a timing diagram of a second typical application scenario of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0067] FIG4 is a timing diagram of a third typical application scenario of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0068] FIG5 is a signaling interaction diagram of a communication method according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0069] FIG6 is a timing diagram of a fourth typical application scenario of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0070] FIG7 is a timing diagram of a fifth typical application scenario of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0071] FIG8 is a signaling interaction diagram of a communication method according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0072] FIG9 is a timing diagram of a sixth typical application scenario of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0073] FIG10 is a timing diagram of a seventh typical application scenario of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0074] 11 is a signaling interaction diagram of a communication method according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0075] 12 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0076] FIG13 is a schematic structural diagram of another communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0077] As mentioned in the background art, in the prior art, reference signals such as SSB adopt a periodic transmission mode, which consumes a lot of network power.

[0078] To address the above issues, protocol version 19 (R19) considers introducing on-demand SSB on SCells, but the specific on-demand SSB transmission mechanism is still unclear. This article refers to non-periodic SSB transmission as on-demand SSB. Moreover, for SCells, discontinuous reception (DRX) may often be configured to handle non-continuous services. When DRX is applied to SCells, how to configure on-demand SSB is a problem that needs to be solved.

[0079] In order to solve the above technical problems, this embodiment provides a communication method, including: before the terminal enters the DRX activation time and / or during the DRX activation time, the network device sends an on-demand reference signal to the terminal, and accordingly, the terminal receives the on-demand reference signal, the on-demand reference signal is transmitted non-periodically in the service cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

[0080] The network equipment in this implementation configures on-demand reference signals for terminals, enabling on-demand transmission of reference signals and minimizing reference signal transmission to save signaling overhead and network power. Furthermore, for terminals in DRX mode, on-demand reference signals are configured to be transmitted before and / or during the DRX activation time, helping the terminal to periodically wake up to detect PDCCHs and data scheduling. The transmission density of on-demand reference signals transmitted during the DRX activation time is variable, minimizing reference signal transmission while meeting service transmission requirements, further reducing network power consumption and signaling overhead.

[0081] The method provided in the embodiment of the present application involves a network device and a terminal, and uplink and downlink signals can be transmitted between the network device and the terminal.

[0082] The terminal in the embodiments of the present application is a device with wireless communication capabilities, which can be referred to as user equipment (UE), terminal equipment (terminal equipment), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), access terminal equipment, vehicle-mounted terminal equipment, industrial control terminal equipment, UE unit, UE station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal equipment, mobile device, UE terminal equipment, wireless communication equipment, UE agent or UE device, etc. The terminal can be fixed or mobile. It should be noted that the terminal can support at least one wireless communication technology, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), new radio (NR), etc. For example, the terminal may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, an all-in-one computer, an in-vehicle terminal, a virtual reality (VR) terminal device, an augmented reality (AR) terminal device, a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in self-driving, a wireless terminal in remote medical surgery, a wireless terminal in a smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation safety, a wireless terminal in a smart city, a wireless terminal in a smart home, a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld device with wireless communication function, a computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, a wearable device, a terminal device in a future mobile communication network, or a terminal device in a future evolved public mobile land network (PLMN), etc. In some embodiments of the present application, the terminal may also be a device with transceiver functions, such as a chip system, wherein the chip system may include a chip and may also include other discrete devices.

[0083] In the embodiment of the present application, a network device is a device that provides wireless communication functions for a terminal, and may also be referred to as an access network device, a radio access network (RAN) device, or an access network element. The network device may support at least one wireless communication technology, such as LTE, NR, etc. For example, the network device includes, but is not limited to, a next-generation base station (gNB) in a fifth-generation mobile communication system (5G), an evolved node B (eNB), a radio network controller (RNC), a node B (NB), a base station controller (BSC), a base transceiver station (BTS), a home base station (e.g., home evolved node B, or home node B, HNB), a baseband unit (BBU), a transmitting and receiving point (TRP), a transmitting point (TP), a mobile switching center, etc. The network device may also be a wireless controller, a centralized unit (CU), and / or a distributed unit (DU) in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario, or the access network device may be a relay station, an access point, a vehicle-mounted device, a terminal device, a wearable device, a network device in future mobile communications, or a network device in a future evolved PLMN, etc. In some embodiments, the network device may also be a device that provides wireless communication functions for a terminal, such as a chip system. For example, the chip system may include a chip and may also include other discrete devices. In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and beneficial effects of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0084] The on-demand reference signal in the embodiment of the present application refers to a reference signal configured and sent by a network device according to the needs of the terminal. In other words, the on-demand reference signal can be understood as a reference signal that is transmitted discontinuously. The on-demand reference signal may include an on-demand SSB (i.e., an SSB transmitted on demand), and may also include an on-demand channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS for short) (i.e., a CSI-RS transmitted on demand), or include an on-demand tracking reference signal TRS (Tracking Reference Signal), or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the content included in the on-demand reference signal may be the same as the content included in the existing periodically broadcast reference signal. For example, the on-demand SSB may include PSS, SSS, and PBCH. In some embodiments, multiple on-demand reference signals may be configured at equal intervals or at unequal intervals. For example, the time domain position of each on-demand reference signal may be configured according to the service transmission requirements of the terminal. In some embodiments, for the terminal, the on-demand reference signal configured by the network device is dedicated to itself; and for the network, the network device may configure the same on-demand reference signal for a group of terminals, or may configure an independent on-demand reference signal for a terminal. When the on-demand reference signal is an on-demand SSB, an on-demand SSB refers to an SSB burst. For example, if a cell has 8 beams, an SSB burst contains these 8 beams, or it can be explicitly indicated that some of the 8 beams constitute an SSB burst. In this case, it is only necessary to configure which beams exist through a bitmap.

[0085] The DRX Active Time in the embodiment of the present application includes the DRX duration (onduration time). Specifically, the terminal configured with DRX wakes up and monitors the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) through the OnDuration Timer and the DRX Inactivity Timer. Specifically, the terminal periodically enters sleep mode and does not monitor the PDCCH channel, and wakes up from sleep mode when monitoring is required. The terminal wakes up during this period. Furthermore, in the NR scenario, the DRX duration can be extended with the network scheduling. If the terminal receives a downlink schedule during the DRX duration, the terminal needs to start or restart the drx-Inactivity Timer, which will extend the activation time. For the specific DRX operation mechanism, please refer to the protocol TS38.321.

[0086] FIG1 is a signaling interaction diagram of a communication method according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0087] This embodiment can be applied to data transmission scenarios for terminals configured with DRX. In specific implementations, in the communication method provided in steps S101 and S102 below, the actions performed by the terminal can be performed by a chip with communication capabilities within the terminal or by a baseband chip within the terminal. The actions performed by the network device can be performed by a chip with communication capabilities within the network device or by a baseband chip within the network device.

[0088] Specifically, with reference to FIG1 , the communication method according to this embodiment may include the following steps:

[0089] Step S101: Before a terminal enters a DRX activation time, a network device sends an on-demand reference signal to the terminal. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the on-demand reference signal, wherein the on-demand reference signal is transmitted aperiodically in a serving cell.

[0090] More specifically, the serving cell may be selected from at least: a primary cell (PCell), a secondary cell (SCell), a primary-secondary cell, a primary cell and a secondary cell, or a primary-secondary cell and a secondary cell.

[0091] Further, step S101 may include: receiving the on-demand reference signal at a first moment, wherein the first moment is earlier than the DRX activation time and is separated from the start time of the DRX activation time by a first offset value. Considering that the DRX cycle is relatively long, the terminal may not be able to accurately maintain synchronization with the serving cell. Therefore, the terminal needs to wake up in advance before each DRX activation time to detect the on-demand reference signal to obtain synchronization with the serving cell, so that it can receive / uplink transmit the PDCCH at the next DRX activation time.

[0092] In some embodiments, before executing step S101, this embodiment may further include the following steps: the network device sends first information to the terminal, and the terminal receives the first information accordingly, wherein the first information includes a first offset value.

[0093] The first offset value may be sent to the terminal together with the DRX configuration information. That is, the first information may include DRX-related configuration parameters (eg, DRX cycle, duration, etc.) and the first offset value.

[0094] Alternatively, the first offset value may be indicated to the terminal via separate signaling. For example, the first information may be transmitted via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.

[0095] In some embodiments, the first information may be sent by the primary cell PCELL to the terminal. Specifically, PCELL may determine the specific value of the first offset value configured for the terminal based on the terminal capability (e.g., the data processing time required for the terminal to receive the on-demand SSB and then be able to receive the PDCCH).

[0096] In a typical application scenario, as shown in Figure 2, a terminal accesses a PCell and establishes a signaling radio bearer and a data radio bearer (DRB). Multiple DRBs can be configured. Due to service requirements, the PCell is configured with one or more secondary cells (SCells) for the terminal. The PCell can also be configured with one or more DRBs for data transmission only over the SCell.

[0097] Assume that data transmitted via the SCell is intermittent, with a long interval between transmissions, such as over 500ms. The PCell also configures DRX for the UE. Assume the DRX cycle is 512ms, and the DRX duration (onDurationTimer) is 40ms. In other words, the interval from t2 to t3 in Figure 2 is 40ms, and the interval from t2 to t6 is 512ms. As previously mentioned, the DRX activation time includes the DRX duration and can be extended based on actual scheduling.

[0098] It is assumed in this example that the SCell adopts non-persistent SSB, that is, on-demand SSB.

[0099] Furthermore, the network may configure a first offset value for the terminal through the first information so that the terminal can accurately know that there is an SSB at a specific time before the DRX activation time on the SCell.

[0100] For example, referring to Figure 2 , according to the DRX configuration, the terminal should wake up (monitor the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)) at time t2. However, according to this embodiment, the terminal wakes up and detects the on-demand SSB at a first offset value (i.e., the first time, exemplified by time t0 in the figure) before time t2 to achieve synchronization with the SCell. Then, at time t2, the terminal wakes up and monitors the PDCCH.

[0101] In some embodiments, after waking up and receiving the on-demand reference signal at the first moment, the terminal may enter a light sleep state until the DRX activation time arrives. For example, referring again to Figure 2 , the terminal wakes up earlier (relative to the DRX activation time) between t0 and t1 to receive the on-demand SSB, then enters a light sleep state at t1, and then wakes up again at t2 to enter the DRX activation time.

[0102] In a variation, the first offset value may be predefined or preconfigured through a protocol.

[0103] In a specific implementation, the number of the on-demand reference signals transmitted before the DRX activation time may be associated with at least one of the following parameters: signal quality of a serving cell, and a DRX cycle length.

[0104] Specifically, the number of on-demand reference signals transmitted before the DRX activation time can be multiple. If the terminal's signal conditions on the SCell are poor, such as in the edge area of ​​the SCell, the terminal may not be able to achieve downlink synchronization by detecting only one on-demand SSB during each DRX cycle. To address this scenario, the network can configure more than one on-demand SSB when the terminal is in poor signal conditions. The network can send the conditions for configuring more than one on-demand SSB to the terminal in advance, such as when the reference signal received power is lower than a preset threshold 1, there are three on-demand SSBs (i.e., three on-demand SSBs before the DRX activation time); when the reference signal received power is higher than or equal to the preset threshold 1 but lower than the preset threshold 2, there are two on-demand SSBs (i.e., two on-demand SSBs before the DRX activation time); and when the reference signal received power is higher than the preset threshold 2, there is one on-demand SSB (i.e., one on-demand SSB before the DRX activation time). Typically, a terminal always reports the signal quality of the serving cell, such as the signal quality of the primary cell and serving cell, such as the reference signal received power. This reporting can be periodic or event-triggered, so the network can promptly learn the terminal's channel environment. Once it detects that the terminal is in a scenario with poor signal conditions and low reference signal received power, it configures more than one on-demand SSB. For the terminal, once it reports poor reference signal received power, it also realizes that the network will send more than one on-demand SSB. The terminal detects more than one on-demand SSB based on its channel environment. The above example uses the configuration of up to three on-demand SSBs before the DRX activation time. In practice, up to two on-demand SSBs can be configured.

[0105] For example, referring to Figure 3, the network configures two on-demand SSBs before the DRX activation time, and the first offset value indicated by the first information covers the transmission of the two on-demand SSBs. Accordingly, after the terminal wakes up at the first moment (t0 in the figure), it can receive two on-demand SSBs (transmitted at t0 and t2 respectively). As a result, the terminal can accurately obtain downlink synchronization by receiving more than one on-demand SSB, thereby successfully receiving PDCCH / sending uplink data during the DRX activation phase (i.e., t4 to t5).

[0106] For another example, referring to Figure 4, the network configures two on-demand SSBs before the DRX activation time, and the first offset value indicates the offset value of the on-demand SSB closest to the DRX activation time. Furthermore, the time interval gap between adjacent on-demand SSBs can be configured by a preset default value or by the first information. Accordingly, the terminal determines the first moment (t0 in the figure) from the start moment of the DRX activation time (t4 in the figure) based on the first offset value, the number of on-demand SSBs, and the time interval between adjacent on-demand SSBs. Then, the terminal wakes up and receives the on-demand SSB every time interval gap from t0 to synchronize with the SCell before t4, and wakes up at t4 to monitor the PDCCH and or send uplink data.

[0107] In some embodiments, the longer the DRX cycle, the greater the number of on-demand reference signals required, as the synchronization information originally obtained by the terminal gradually becomes ineffective over time. For example, if the DRX cycle is less than 160ms, one on-demand reference signal can be used (i.e., one on-demand reference signal, which can be a single SSB burst, occurs before the DRX activation time). For another example, if the DRX cycle is greater than 640ms, three on-demand reference signals must be sent before the DRX activation time (i.e., three on-demand reference signals, which can be three SSB bursts, occur before the DRX activation time). The network sends the terminal the number of on-demand reference signals corresponding to different DRX cycle lengths (the number of on-demand reference signals before the DRX activation time) in advance. Two or more levels of on-demand reference signals can be configured. For example, if the DRX cycle length is less than 320ms, one on-demand reference signal is configured, while if the DRX cycle length is greater than or equal to 320ms, two on-demand reference signals are configured. During DRX operation, the terminal determines the number of on-demand reference signals before the DRX activation time based on the currently used DRX cycle length. Typically, a terminal can be configured with two DRX cycle lengths and switch between long and short DRX cycles according to certain rules (for details, refer to protocol TS38.321). By adopting the solution described in this embodiment, the terminal can smoothly apply on-demand reference signals during the DRX long and short cycle switching process.

[0108] In some embodiments, the terminal may report the signal quality of the serving cell, and the network device may determine the signal condition at the terminal's location based on the report, and further determine the number of on-demand reference signals that need to be sent to the terminal in advance.

[0109] In a specific implementation, with continued reference to FIG. 1 , the communication method of this embodiment may further include: Step S102 , within the DRX activation time, the network device sends a PDCCH to the terminal, and correspondingly, the terminal monitors the PDCCH.

[0110] Alternatively, in step S102, within the DRX activation time, the terminal may send uplink data to the network device, and correspondingly, the network device receives the uplink data.

[0111] As described above, using the solution of the first embodiment, the network device configures an on-demand reference signal for the terminal, enabling on-demand transmission of the reference signal, minimizing reference signal transmission and thus saving signaling overhead and network power consumption. Furthermore, for terminals in the DRX state, the on-demand reference signal is configured to be transmitted before the DRX activation time, ensuring that the terminal synchronizes with the serving cell in a timely manner and can perform PDCCH reception and data scheduling within the subsequent DRX activation time.

[0112] FIG5 is a signaling interaction diagram of a communication method according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0113] This embodiment can be applied to data transmission scenarios for terminals configured with DRX. In specific implementations, in the communication method provided in steps S201 and S202 below, the actions performed by the terminal can be performed by a chip with communication capabilities within the terminal or by a baseband chip within the terminal. The actions performed by the network device can be performed by a chip with communication capabilities within the network device or by a baseband chip within the network device.

[0114] Specifically, referring to FIG5 , the communication method according to this embodiment may include the following steps:

[0115] Step S201: During a DRX activation period of a terminal, a network device sends an on-demand reference signal to the terminal, and the terminal receives the on-demand reference signal accordingly. The on-demand reference signal is transmitted aperiodically in a serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable during the DRX activation period.

[0116] The difference from the first embodiment is that in this embodiment, the terminal does not need to wake up before the DRX activation time, but receives the on-demand reference signal within the DRX activation time to complete synchronization with the serving cell.

[0117] Furthermore, considering that a data transmission between the network and the terminal usually lasts for a period of time, non-uniformly spaced on-demand reference signals can be configured during this period to achieve both network power saving and better communication quality.

[0118] In some embodiments, the changes in the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal can be indicated in real time through dynamic signaling such as downlink control information (DCI), such as indicating the time interval of on-demand SSB transmission through DCI, or the network configures several on-demand reference signal configurations with different transmission densities through RRC signaling in advance, and then uses DCI to indicate the on-demand reference signal configuration index for this application. Alternatively, a static configuration method can be used, that is, the number of on-demand reference signals within a single DRX activation time and the time domain position of each on-demand reference signal can be pre-configured. Alternatively, the transmission density adjustment rule can be pre-configured, and when the adjustment rule is met within a certain DRX activation time, the terminal automatically adjusts the transmission density of subsequent on-demand reference signals within the DRX activation time.

[0119] In a specific implementation, during the DRX activation time, the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal may gradually decrease over time.

[0120] Specifically, considering that terminals need to closely track the channel environment during the DRX activation period, a gradually sparse on-demand reference signal (ODRS) can be configured. This dense-first-then-sparse approach allows terminals to quickly track the channel and evaluate channel state information. The network then uses this estimated channel state information for effective scheduling. Subsequently, as data transmission decreases and channel variations become less drastic, sparse on-demand reference signals can meet service transmission requirements.

[0121] Furthermore, step S201 may include: the network device sending m on-demand reference signals within a first duration before the DRX activation time, and sending n on-demand reference signals within a second duration after the DRX activation time. Accordingly, the terminal receives m on-demand reference signals within the first duration before the DRX activation time, and receives n on-demand reference signals within the second duration after the DRX activation time. (m / first duration) > (n / second duration), where m is a positive integer and n is a non-negative integer.

[0122] For example, referring to Figure 6, assuming that the duration of the DRX activation time is 40ms, two on-demand CSI-RS transmissions can be configured within the first 20ms of the 40ms (corresponding to the time t1-t2 and the time t3-t3 in the figure), and only one on-demand CSI-RS transmission can be configured in the last 20ms (corresponding to the time t5-t6 in the figure).

[0123] Furthermore, the sum of the first duration and the second duration is equal to the total duration of this DRX activation time.

[0124] In another specific implementation, within the DRX activation time, the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal in the next fourth time period may be determined according to the number of scheduling times in the previous third time period.

[0125] Specifically, the sparseness of the on-demand reference signals during the DRX activation time may depend on the number of schedulings.

[0126] More specifically, the number of scheduling times in the first third time duration and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal in the next fourth time duration may be positively correlated.

[0127] Furthermore, step S201 may include: the network device sending m on-demand reference signals within a third duration before the DRX activation time, and sending n on-demand reference signals within a fourth duration after the DRX activation time. Accordingly, the terminal receives m on-demand reference signals within the third duration before the DRX activation time, and receives n on-demand reference signals within the fourth duration after the DRX activation time. Here, m is a positive integer, and n is a non-negative integer.

[0128] In response to the number of scheduling times within the first third time period being greater than or equal to a preset threshold, n≥m; and in response to the number of scheduling times within the first third time period being less than a preset threshold, n≤m. The preset threshold may be predefined by a protocol or configured by a network device through RRC signaling, DCI, or the like.

[0129] For example, referring to Figure 7, assuming that within the current DRX activation time, the terminal receives a total of one scheduling from time t0 to time t3 (the figure uses uplink scheduling as an example for exemplary display), which is lower than the preset threshold (assuming it is 2), the terminal determines that the number of on-demand SSBs to be received from time t3 to time t5 remains at one (the same as the number of on-demand SSBs received from time t0 to time t3). Accordingly, the terminal receives the on-demand SSB at time t4.

[0130] Furthermore, assuming that the terminal receives two schedulings from time t3 to t5 (one downlink scheduling and one uplink scheduling are used as examples in the figure), which is equal to the preset threshold, the terminal determines that the number of on-demand SSBs to be received from time t5 to t10 is increased by one, that is, two. Accordingly, the terminal receives the on-demand SSBs at time t6 and time t8, respectively.

[0131] For another example, the number of schedulings within the third time period may include only the number of uplink schedulings within the third time period, or only the number of downlink schedulings within the third time period.

[0132] That is to say, if during this DRX activation time (or the previous period of time), the terminal finds that the number of scheduling times of the base station for the terminal (downlink scheduling, or uplink scheduling, or the sum of uplink and downlink scheduling) exceeds or is equal to the preset threshold, then the density of on-demand reference signal transmission of the base station during the remaining time of the DRX activation time remains unchanged or increases; conversely, if during this DRX activation time (or the previous period of time), the terminal finds that the number of scheduling times of the base station for the terminal (downlink scheduling, or uplink scheduling, or the sum) is lower than the preset threshold, then the density of on-demand reference signal transmission of the base station during the remaining time of the DRX activation time is reduced or no on-demand reference signal is transmitted.

[0133] In one specific implementation, with continued reference to FIG5 , the communication method of this embodiment may further include: Step S202 , during the DRX activation time, the terminal may send uplink data to the network device, and the network device may receive the uplink data. Alternatively, in Step S202 , during the DRX activation time, the network device may send a PDCCH to the terminal, and the terminal may monitor the PDCCH.

[0134] Furthermore, in this specific implementation, the terminal may monitor the PDCCH and / or send uplink data after receiving an on-demand reference signal and successfully synchronizing with the serving cell.

[0135] As described above, using this implementation, the network device configures on-demand reference signals for terminals, enabling on-demand transmission of reference signals, minimizing reference signal transmission and thus saving signaling overhead and network power consumption. Furthermore, for terminals in the DRX state, the network device transmits on-demand reference signals with variable transmission density during the DRX activation period. This minimizes reference signal transmission while meeting service transmission requirements, saving signaling overhead and network power consumption.

[0136] This embodiment can be implemented in various ways. The network configures the terminal to receive an on-demand reference signal, such as an on-demand SSB, before the DRX activation time. The network adjusts the density of on-demand reference signals in the period after the DRX activation time based on the number of times the terminal was scheduled during the previous period of the DRX activation time (e.g., the DRX duration). For example, if the network does not schedule the terminal at all during the DRX duration, that is, if the terminal does not detect its own downlink control signaling during the DRX onDuration, the network may not send an on-demand reference signal during this DRX activation time, and the terminal will also assume that the network will not send an on-demand reference signal during this DRX activation time. For another example, if the network schedules the terminal during the DRX duration, the terminal will restart the drx-InactivityTimer, and the network will send on-demand reference signals during the subsequent DRX activation time. Furthermore, if the network schedules the terminal frequently, the network will send more frequent on-demand reference signals (reference signals with shorter time intervals) during the subsequent DRX activation time.

[0137] FIG8 is a signaling interaction diagram of a communication method according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0138] This embodiment can be applied to data transmission scenarios for terminals configured with DRX. In specific implementations, in the communication method provided in steps S301 and S302 below, the actions performed by the terminal can be performed by a chip with communication capabilities within the terminal or by a baseband chip within the terminal. The actions performed by the network device can be performed by a chip with communication capabilities within the network device or by a baseband chip within the network device.

[0139] Specifically, referring to FIG8 , the communication method according to this embodiment may include the following steps:

[0140] Step S301: Before a terminal enters a DRX activation period and during the DRX activation period, a network device sends an on-demand reference signal to the terminal, and the terminal receives the on-demand reference signal accordingly. The on-demand reference signal is transmitted aperiodically in a serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable during the DRX activation period.

[0141] The difference from the first and second embodiments is that in this embodiment, the on-demand reference signal can be sent continuously from before the DRX activation time to within the DRX activation time. In other words, the network device sends the on-demand reference signal discontinuously before the DRX activation time and within the DRX activation time.

[0142] For example, referring to Figure 9, assuming that the DRX cycle is 512ms, and assuming that the duration of this DRX activation time is 40ms, the first information indicates the following information: the first offset value, the number of on-demand SSBs transmitted before the DRX activation time is 3, the time interval gap between adjacent on-demand SSBs before the DRX activation time, the offset value of the first on-demand SSB within the DRX activation time from the start time of the DRX activation time (or the previous on-demand SSB), and the time interval between each subsequent on-demand SSB within the DRX activation time and the first on-demand SSB (or the time interval between each two adjacent on-demand SSBs within the DRX activation time).

[0143] In response to receiving the first information, the terminal can determine the time domain position of each on-demand SSB (such as t0, t2, t4, t7, t9 and t11 as shown in Figure 9), and wake up at the first moment (t0) before the start moment (t6) of the DRX activation time to receive 3 on-demand SSBs, receive 2 on-demand SSBs within the first 25ms of the DRX activation time, and receive 1 on-demand SSB within the last 15ms.

[0144] For another example, referring to Figure 10, assuming that the DRX cycle is 512ms, assuming that the duration of this DRX activation time is 40ms, the pre-configured first offset value, the number of on-demand TRSs transmitted before the DRX activation time is 2, the time interval gap between adjacent on-demand TRSs before the DRX activation time, and 0 on-demand TRSs are sent within the first 20ms within the DRX activation time. If the number of uplink scheduling times in the first 20ms is greater than or equal to 1, the number of on-demand TRSs in the remaining 20ms is 1.

[0145] The terminal can determine that it needs to wake up early at t0 and t2 to receive on-demand TRS, and then wake up at t4 to monitor the PDCCH. Assuming that an uplink scheduling is received at t5 within 20ms before the DRX activation time, the terminal determines that it needs to receive an on-demand TRS within 20ms after the DRX activation time. Furthermore, this additional on-demand TRS transmission in the last 20ms can be at the beginning of the last 20ms, or the network device can dynamically schedule the specific time domain location through DCI.

[0146] In one specific implementation, with continued reference to FIG8 , the communication method of this embodiment may further include: Step S302 , during the DRX activation time, the terminal may send uplink data to the network device, and the network device may receive the uplink data. Alternatively, in Step S302 , during the DRX activation time, the network device may send a PDCCH to the terminal, and the terminal may monitor the PDCCH.

[0147] Based on the above, using this implementation, network equipment configures on-demand reference signals for terminals, enabling on-demand transmission of reference signals. Furthermore, for terminals in DRX mode, configuring on-demand reference signals for transmission before and / or during the DRX activation time helps terminals periodically wake up to detect PDCCH and data scheduling, while minimizing reference signal transmission to save signaling overhead and network power consumption. Furthermore, the transmission density of on-demand reference signals transmitted during the DRX activation time is variable, minimizing reference signal transmission while meeting service transmission requirements, further reducing network power consumption and signaling overhead.

[0148] In a common embodiment of the above embodiments, in response to the serving cell being a secondary cell, the communication method described in this embodiment may further include the step of: a network device sending configuration information to a terminal, and the terminal correspondingly receiving the configuration information. The configuration information indicates whether an on-demand reference signal exists in the secondary cell. Specifically, the network side may configure on-demand reference signals for some secondary cells as needed, while not configuring on-demand reference signals for other secondary cells.

[0149] Furthermore, the configuration information may be indicated to the terminal before the terminal applies DRX, or may be sent to the terminal together with the configuration of the secondary cell. For a secondary cell configured with an on-demand reference signal, if the secondary cell is not activated, the terminal considers that the on-demand reference signal configured on the secondary cell does not exist; only after the secondary cell is activated does the terminal consider that the on-demand reference signal configured on the secondary cell exists.

[0150] In a common embodiment of the above embodiments, in response to receiving a DCI scrambled by a power saving Radio Network Temporary Identity (PS-RNTI) indicating detection of a PDCCH before the DRX activation time, or in response to sending a scheduling request before the DRX activation time, the terminal can determine that an on-demand reference signal exists in the serving cell, such as existing within the current DRX activation time or existing before the current DRX activation time. As a result, the terminal can independently determine whether the serving cell is configured with an on-demand reference signal based on its own behavior, thereby reasonably planning its behavior when applying DRX.

[0151] FIG11 is a signaling interaction diagram of a communication method according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0152] This embodiment can be applied to data transmission scenarios for terminals configured with DRX. In a specific implementation, in the communication method provided in step S1101 below, the actions performed by the terminal can be performed by a chip with communication capabilities within the terminal or by a baseband chip within the terminal. The actions performed by the network device can be performed by a chip with communication capabilities within the network device or by a baseband chip within the network device.

[0153] Specifically, referring to FIG11 , the communication method according to this embodiment may include the following steps:

[0154] In step S1101, a network device sends an update indication to a terminal, and the terminal receives the update indication. The update indication may be used to indicate updating the transmission density of an on-demand reference signal of a serving cell.

[0155] The serving cell may be a primary cell, a secondary cell, or a primary-secondary cell, etc.

[0156] The on-demand reference signal may include at least one of the following: an on-demand SSB; an on-demand CSI-RS; or an on-demand TRS.

[0157] The update indication may be transmitted via downlink control signaling DCI.

[0158] Furthermore, the update indication can be an on-demand reference signal configuration index, and the update indication can be used to indicate that the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal of the serving cell is updated to the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal indicated by the on-demand reference signal configuration index, and can also indicate the time domain position of the updated on-demand reference signal, etc.

[0159] The transmission density of the on-demand reference signal may be indicated by the time interval of on-demand reference signal transmission, or the period of on-demand reference signal transmission, etc. For example, the transmission density of the on-demand SSB may be indicated by the time interval of on-demand SSB transmission, or the period of on-demand SSB transmission, etc.

[0160] Furthermore, the terminal may receive an update indication within the DRX activation time.

[0161] Furthermore, before the network device sends the update indication to the terminal, it may also send RRC signaling to the terminal. Accordingly, the terminal may receive the RRC signaling sent by the network device. RRC signaling is used to indicate multiple on-demand reference signal configurations of different densities. Thus, after receiving the update indication, the terminal may determine the on-demand reference signal configuration indicated by the on-demand reference signal configuration index based on the on-demand reference signal configuration index and multiple on-demand reference signal configurations of different densities; and may determine the transmission density of the updated on-demand reference signal based on the on-demand reference signal configuration indicated by the on-demand reference signal configuration index.

[0162] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the communication device 4 according to this embodiment can be used to implement the method and technical solutions described in the embodiments described in FIG1 to FIG11 above.

[0163] Specifically, referring to FIG. 12 , the communication device 4 in this embodiment may include: a receiving module 41 .

[0164] In one example, the receiving module 41 is used to receive an on-demand reference signal before the start of the DRX activation time and / or during the DRX activation time; wherein the on-demand reference signal is transmitted non-periodically in the serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

[0165] In another example, the receiving module 41 is configured to receive an update indication, where the update indication is used to instruct updating of the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal of the serving cell.

[0166] For more details about the working principle and working mode of the communication device 4, please refer to the relevant description of the method executed by the terminal in Figures 1 to 11 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0167] In a specific implementation, the above-mentioned communication device 4 can correspond to a chip with communication function in the terminal, or to a chip with data processing function, such as a system-on-a-chip (SOC), a baseband chip, etc.; or to a chip module in the terminal that includes a chip with communication function; or to a chip module with a chip with data processing function, or to a terminal.

[0168] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the communication device 5 according to this embodiment can be used to implement the method and technical solutions described in the embodiments described in FIG1 to FIG11 above.

[0169] Specifically, referring to FIG. 13 , the communication device 5 in this embodiment may include: a sending module 51 .

[0170] In an exemplary embodiment, the sending module 51 is used to send an on-demand reference signal before the terminal enters the DRX activation time and / or during the DRX activation time; wherein, the on-demand reference signal is transmitted non-periodically in the serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

[0171] In another example, the sending module 51 is configured to send an update indication, where the update indication is used to indicate updating the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal of the serving cell.

[0172] For more details about the working principle and working mode of the communication device 5, please refer to the relevant description of the method executed by the network device in Figures 1 to 11 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0173] In a specific implementation, the above-mentioned communication device 5 can correspond to a chip with communication function in a network device, or to a chip with data processing function, such as a system-on-a-chip (SOC), a baseband chip, etc.; or to a chip module in a network device that includes a chip with communication function; or to a chip module with a chip with data processing function, or to a network device.

[0174] In specific implementations, the modules / units included in the various devices and products described in the above embodiments may be software modules / units or hardware modules / units, or may be partially software modules / units and partially hardware modules / units.

[0175] For example, for each device or product applied to or integrated into a chip, each module / unit contained therein may be implemented in the form of hardware such as circuits, or at least some of the modules / units may be implemented in the form of software programs, which run on a processor integrated inside the chip, and the remaining (if any) modules / units may be implemented in the form of hardware such as circuits; for each device or product applied to or integrated into a chip module, each module / unit contained therein may be implemented in the form of hardware such as circuits, and different modules / units may be located in the same component (such as a chip, circuit module, etc.) or different components of the chip module, or at least some of the modules / units may be implemented in the form of software programs. The element can be implemented in the form of a software program, which runs on the processor integrated inside the chip module, and the remaining (if any) modules / units can be implemented in the form of hardware such as circuits; for various devices and products applied to or integrated in the terminal, the various modules / units contained therein can be implemented in the form of hardware such as circuits, and different modules / units can be located in the same component (for example, chip, circuit module, etc.) or different components in the terminal, or, at least some modules / units can be implemented in the form of a software program, which runs on the processor integrated inside the terminal, and the remaining (if any) modules / units can be implemented in the form of hardware such as circuits.

[0176] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is a non-volatile storage medium or a non-transitory storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the steps of the communication method provided in any of the above embodiments are executed. Preferably, the storage medium may include a computer-readable storage medium such as a non-volatile memory or a non-transitory memory. The storage medium may include a ROM, RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0177] An embodiment of the present invention further provides another communication device, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program executable on the processor, and when the processor executes the computer program, the processor performs the steps of the communication method provided in the corresponding embodiments of Figures 1 to 11 above. The communication device can be integrated into a device / network device, or the communication device can be, for example, a device / network device.

[0178] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer program product, including a computer program / instruction, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the communication method provided in the corresponding embodiments of Figures 1 to 11 above.

[0179] Although the present invention is disclosed as above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: include: receiving an on-demand reference signal before the start of the discontinuous reception (DRX) activation time and / or during the DRX activation time; The on-demand reference signal is transmitted aperiodically in the serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein: Receiving an on-demand reference signal before the start of the DRX activation time includes: The on-demand reference signal is received at a first time, wherein the first time is earlier than the DRX activation time and is spaced apart from a start time of the DRX activation time by a first offset value.

3. The communication method according to claim 2, wherein: Also includes: First information is received, where the first information includes the first offset value.

4. The communication method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The number of the on-demand reference signals transmitted before the DRX activation time is associated with at least one of the following parameters: signal quality of the serving cell and the DRX cycle length.

5. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The variable transmission density of the on-demand reference signal within the DRX activation time includes: within the DRX activation time, the variable transmission density of the on-demand reference signal gradually decreases with time. The communication method according to claim 5 , wherein: Receiving an on-demand reference signal during the DRX activation period includes: Receive m on-demand reference signals within a first time period before the DRX activation time, and receive n on-demand reference signals within a second time period after the DRX activation time, wherein a ratio of m to the first time period is greater than a ratio of n to the second time period, m is a positive integer, and n is a non-negative integer.

7. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The variable transmission density of the on-demand reference signal within the DRX activation time includes: determining, within the DRX activation time, the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal within a subsequent fourth duration according to the number of scheduling times within a previous third duration.

8. The communication method according to claim 7, wherein: The number of scheduling times in the first third time duration is positively correlated with the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal in the next fourth time duration.

9. The communication method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: Receiving an on-demand reference signal during the DRX activation period includes: Receive m on-demand reference signals within a third time period before the DRX activation time, and receive n on-demand reference signals within a fourth time period after the DRX activation time, where m is a positive integer and n is a non-negative integer. In response to the number of scheduling within the first third time period being greater than or equal to a preset threshold, n≥m; In response to the number of scheduling times within the first third time period being less than a preset threshold, n≤m.

10. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The serving cell is a secondary cell, and the communication method further includes: Configuration information is received, where the configuration information is used to indicate whether the secondary cell has an on-demand reference signal.

11. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: In response to receiving downlink control signaling DCI scrambled by a power-saving radio network temporary identifier PS-RNTI indicating detection of a physical downlink control channel PDCCH before the DRX activation time, or in response to sending a scheduling request before the DRX activation time, it is determined that the on-demand reference signal exists in the serving cell.

12. A communication method, characterized in that: include: An update indication is received, where the update indication is used to indicate updating of a transmission density of an on-demand reference signal of a serving cell.

13. The communication method according to claim 12, wherein: The update indication is transmitted via downlink control information DCI.

14. The communication method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that: Before receiving the update indication, the method further includes: Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling is received, where the RRC signaling is used to indicate a plurality of on-demand reference signal configurations of different densities.

15. The communication method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that: The serving cell is a primary cell, a secondary cell, or a primary-secondary cell.

16. The communication method according to claims 12-15, characterized in that: The update indication is an on-demand reference signal configuration index, and the update indication is used to instruct to update the transmission density representation of the on-demand reference signal of the serving cell to the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal indicated by the on-demand reference signal configuration index.

17. The communication method according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that: The on-demand reference signal includes at least one of the following: On-demand synchronization signal block SSB; On-demand channel state information reference signal CSI-RS; or, Tracking reference signal TRS on demand.

18. A communication method, characterized in that: include: Before the terminal enters the DRX activation time and / or during the DRX activation time, sending an on-demand reference signal; The on-demand reference signal is transmitted aperiodically in the serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

19. The communication method according to claim 18, wherein: Sending an on-demand reference signal before the terminal enters the DRX activation time includes: The on-demand reference signal is sent at a first time, wherein the first time is earlier than the DRX activation time and is spaced from a start time of the DRX activation time by a first offset value.

20. The communication method according to claim 19, wherein: Also includes: First information is sent, where the first information includes the first offset value.

21. The communication method according to any one of claims 18 to 20, characterized in that: The variable transmission density of the on-demand reference signal within the DRX activation time includes: within the DRX activation time, the variable transmission density of the on-demand reference signal gradually decreases with time.

22. The communication method according to claim 21, wherein: The sending of the on-demand reference signal during the DRX activation time of the terminal includes: m on-demand reference signals are sent within a first time period before the DRX activation time, and n on-demand reference signals are sent within a second time period after the DRX activation time, where a ratio of m to the first time period is greater than a ratio of n to the second time period, m is a positive integer, and n is a non-negative integer.

23. The communication method according to any one of claims 18 to 20, characterized in that: The variable transmission density of the on-demand reference signal within the DRX activation time includes: determining, within the DRX activation time, the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal within a subsequent fourth duration according to the number of scheduling times within a previous third duration.

24. The communication method according to claim 23, wherein: The sending of the on-demand reference signal during the DRX activation time of the terminal includes: m on-demand reference signals are sent within a third time period before the DRX activation time, and n on-demand reference signals are sent within a fourth time period after the DRX activation time, where m is a positive integer and n is a non-negative integer. In response to the number of scheduling within the first third time period being greater than or equal to a preset threshold, n≥m; In response to the number of scheduling times within the first third time period being less than a preset threshold, n≤m.

25. The communication method according to any one of claims 18 to 24, characterized in that: The serving cell is a secondary cell, and the communication method further includes: Configuration information is sent, where the configuration information is used to indicate whether the secondary cell has an on-demand reference signal.

26. A communication device, characterized in that: include: A receiving module, configured to receive an on-demand reference signal before the DRX activation time starts and / or during the DRX activation time; The on-demand reference signal is transmitted aperiodically in the serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

27. A communication device, characterized in that: include: a sending module, configured to send an on-demand reference signal before the terminal enters a DRX activation time and / or during the DRX activation time; The on-demand reference signal is transmitted aperiodically in the serving cell, and the transmission density of the on-demand reference signal is variable within the DRX activation time.

28. A computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium is a non-volatile storage medium or a non-transient storage medium, and a computer program is stored thereon, wherein: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the computer program performs the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, or the steps of the method according to any one of claims 12 to 17, or the steps of the method according to any one of claims 18 to 25.

29. A communication device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program that can be run on the processor, characterized in that: When the processor runs the computer program, it performs the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, or the steps of the method according to any one of claims 12 to 17, or the steps of the method according to any one of claims 18 to 25.

30. A computer program product comprising a computer program / instructions, characterized in that When the computer program / instructions are executed by a processor, the computer program / instructions implement the steps of the method described in any one of claims 1 to 11, or perform the steps of the method described in any one of claims 12 to 17, or perform the steps of the method described in any one of claims 18 to 25.

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