Information transmission method and related apparatus

Abstract

An information transmission method and a related apparatus. The method comprises: a terminal receives first information, the first information being used for indicating the number of data streams M in uplink transmission; and on the basis of the first information and the capability of the terminal, the terminal determines a reference signal pattern for sending a reference signal, wherein the capability of the terminal comprises at least one of the following: the number of antenna ports used by the terminal in uplink transmission; or the coherence capability of the terminal. In this way, in the method, a reference signal pattern for sending a reference signal is determined on the basis of the number of data stream numbers M in uplink transmission and the capability of a terminal, so that non-ideal factors of the data streams can be estimated and corrected.

Description

Information transmission methods and related devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410509686.0, filed on April 25, 2024, entitled "Information Transmission Method and Related Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an information transmission method and related apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] Phase noise refers to the random phase changes of the output signal caused by various noises in the radio frequency link. Phase noise degrades the error vector magnitude (EVM) at the receiver, causing a large number of bit errors. The 3GPP standard specifies the EVM requirements for the transmitter at various modulation orders, and the higher the modulation order, the more stringent the EVM requirements. The main source of EVM is the nonlinear distortion of the transmitter's radio frequency link. Currently, the terminal can correct non-ideal factors such as common phase error (CPE) and inter-carrier interference (ICI) caused by oscillator phase noise in the radio frequency link by transmitting PTRS. However, these non-ideal factors have only one source, namely the terminal's oscillator. Therefore, it is only necessary to map PTRS to one or two uplink streams to achieve CPE and ICI correction for all transmitted data streams.

[0004] However, for more data streams, if the corresponding non-ideal factors are different, then how to estimate and correct these non-ideal factors is an unsolved problem. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an information transmission method and related apparatus that can estimate and correct non-ideal factors in more data streams.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides an information transmission method, which can be applied to a transmitting device, such as a terminal, or a chip or chip module in the terminal, or to a module or unit that can realize all or part of the functions of the terminal, etc. The following description takes a terminal as an example. In this method, the terminal receives first information, which is used to indicate the number M of uplink data streams; the terminal determines a reference signal mode for transmitting a reference signal based on the first information and the terminal's capabilities; wherein, the terminal's capabilities include at least one of the following: the number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission; or, the terminal's coherence capability.

[0007] Optionally, the reference signal pattern is used to indicate the mapping method of the reference signal on the M data streams. It can be seen that in this method, the reference signal pattern for transmitting the reference signal is determined based on the number of uplink data streams M and the terminal's capabilities, thereby enabling estimation and correction of non-ideal factors in each data stream. Furthermore, the terminal's coherence capability affects the phase consistency of the transmitted signals from different antenna ports. For antennas in the same coherence group, non-ideal factors can be considered consistent. Therefore, this implementation method, which determines the reference signal pattern for transmitting the signal based on the terminal's coherence capability, can effectively save reference signal overhead and improve spectral efficiency.

[0008] Optionally, the number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission includes at least one of the following: the number of ports used by the terminal for transmitting uplink data; or, the number of ports used by the terminal for transmitting sounding reference signals (SRS). Optionally, the coherence capability of the terminal includes at least one of the following: fully coherent capability, partially coherent capability, or incoherent capability. Optionally, in the partially coherent capability included in the terminal's coherence capability, different coherent antenna groups are divided based on at least one of the following: antenna port index, port index for transmitting uplink data, or port index for transmitting SRS.

[0009] In one optional implementation, the terminal determines the reference signal mode for transmitting the reference signal based on the number of data streams M and the terminal's capabilities, including: M greater than 1 and the terminal's coherence capability being fully coherent, the reference signal is mapped onto one of the M data streams; M greater than 1 and the terminal's coherence capability being partially coherent, the reference signal is mapped onto one of the N data streams in each coherent antenna group, where N is a positive integer less than M; or, M greater than 1 and the terminal's coherence capability being incoherent, the reference signal is mapped onto each of the M data streams. Optionally, this implementation is applicable when the terminal's capabilities include its coherence capability. Therefore, this implementation can determine the reference signal mode based on the number of uplink transmitted data streams and the terminal's coherence capability, thereby enabling estimation and correction of various non-ideal factors while reducing reference signal overhead and improving spectral efficiency.

[0010] In one optional implementation, the terminal determines the reference signal mode for transmitting the reference signal based on the number of data streams M and the terminal's capabilities, including: M greater than 1 and the terminal's coherence capability being fully coherent, the reference signal is mapped onto one of the M data streams; M greater than 1 and the terminal's coherence capability being partially coherent, the reference signal is mapped onto one of the N data streams in each coherent antenna group, where N is a positive integer less than M; or, M greater than 1 and the terminal's coherence capability being incoherent, the reference signal is mapped onto each of the M data streams; wherein the number of antenna ports determines the maximum value of M. Optionally, this implementation is applicable when the terminal's capabilities include the number of antenna ports used for uplink transmission and the terminal's coherence capability. It is evident that this implementation can determine the maximum value of M based on the number of antenna ports used for uplink transmission and determine the reference signal mode based on the terminal's coherence capability, thereby enabling estimation and correction of various non-ideal factors while reducing reference signal overhead and improving spectral efficiency.

[0011] In one optional implementation, the terminal determines a reference signal mode for transmitting a reference signal based on the number of data streams M and the terminal's capabilities. This includes mapping the reference signal onto each of the M data streams, thereby enabling estimation and correction of different non-ideal factors. Optionally, this implementation is applicable when the terminal's capabilities are limited to the number of antenna ports used for uplink transmission. Different numbers of antenna ports result in different non-ideal factors, and different data streams may be transmitted on different antenna ports. Mapping the reference signal onto each data stream allows for estimation and correction of each non-ideal factor.

[0012] Optionally, for each data stream mapped with a reference signal, the frequency domain position of the reference signal mapped on each data stream is different; or, the reference signal mapped on each data stream is transmitted in a frequency division multiplexing manner. It can be seen that, in this embodiment, frequency division multiplexing of the reference signal mapped on each data stream can reduce mutual interference between reference signals of the data streams, thereby improving the measurement accuracy for non-ideal factors.

[0013] Optionally, the first data stream is perforated at the time-frequency domain location occupied by the reference signal corresponding to the second data stream. Here, the first data stream is a different data stream from the M data streams, and the second data stream is a data stream among the M data streams that maps to the reference signal. Therefore, in this embodiment, perforating the resource unit occupied by the reference signal of the second data stream with the data from the first data stream can reduce mutual interference between the reference signal and the data in the data streams, thereby improving the measurement accuracy for non-ideal factors.

[0014] Optionally, for each data stream mapped to a reference signal, the frequency domain density of the reference signal mapped to each data stream is associated with the terminal's modulation and coding strategy (MCS). Since non-ideal factors in the terminal's RF link can cause inter-carrier interference (ICI), and higher-order modulation requires higher EVM (Electronic Virtual Machine) accuracy, better ICI estimation accuracy is needed. Consequently, more frequency domain tap coefficients are required, resulting in a higher frequency domain density. Therefore, this implementation associates the frequency domain density of the reference signal with the terminal's MCS, which can further improve ICI estimation accuracy.

[0015] Secondly, this application also provides an information transmission method, which corresponds to the first aspect and is described from the perspective of a receiving device, such as a network device. This method can be applied to a network device, or a chip or chip module within a network device, or to a module or unit capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the network device. The following description uses a network device as an example. In this method, the network device sends first information, which indicates the number M of data streams M transmitted uplink by the terminal. Based on the number M of data streams and the capabilities of the terminal, the network device determines a reference signal mode for receiving a reference signal. The capabilities of the terminal include at least one of the following: the number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission; or, the coherence capability of the terminal.

[0016] As can be seen, in this method, the reference signal mode for receiving the reference signal is determined based on the number of uplink data streams M and the terminal's capabilities, thereby enabling the estimation and correction of non-ideal factors in each data stream. Furthermore, the terminal's coherence capability affects the phase consistency of signals transmitted from different antenna ports. For antennas in the same coherence group, non-ideal factors can be considered consistent. Therefore, this method, which determines the reference signal mode for receiving the signal based on the terminal's coherence capability, can effectively save reference signal overhead and improve spectral efficiency.

[0017] Optionally, the number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission includes at least one of the following: the number of ports used by the terminal for transmitting uplink data; or, the number of ports used by the terminal for transmitting a sounding reference signal (SRS). Optionally, the coherence capability of the terminal includes at least one of the following: fully coherent capability, partially coherent capability, or incoherent capability. Optionally, in the partially coherent capability included in the terminal's coherence capability, different coherent antenna groups are divided based on at least one of the antenna port index used by the terminal for uplink transmission, the port index used by the terminal for transmitting uplink data, or the port index used by the terminal for transmitting SRS.

[0018] In one optional implementation, the network device determines the reference signal mode for receiving the reference signal based on the number M of uplink data streams transmitted by the terminal and the second information, including: M greater than 1 and the terminal's coherence capability is fully coherent, the reference signal is mapped onto one of the M data streams; M greater than 1 and the terminal's coherence capability is partially coherent, the reference signal is mapped onto one of the N data streams in each coherent antenna group, where N is a positive integer less than M; or, M greater than 1 and the terminal's coherence capability is incoherent, the reference signal is mapped onto each of the M data streams. Optionally, this implementation is applicable to cases where the terminal's capability includes its coherence capability. Therefore, this implementation can determine the reference signal mode based on the number of uplink data streams transmitted and the terminal's coherence capability, thereby enabling estimation and correction of various non-ideal factors while reducing reference signal overhead and improving spectral efficiency.

[0019] In one optional implementation, the network device determines a reference signal mode for transmitting a reference signal based on the number of data streams M and the terminal's capabilities. This includes: M greater than 1 and the terminal's coherence capability being fully coherent, the reference signal is mapped onto one of the M data streams; M greater than 1 and the terminal's coherence capability being partially coherent, the reference signal is mapped onto one of the N data streams in each coherent antenna group, where N is a positive integer less than M; or, M greater than 1 and the terminal's coherence capability being incoherent, the reference signal is mapped onto each of the M data streams. The number of antenna ports determines the maximum value of M. Optionally, this implementation is applicable when the terminal's capabilities include the number of antenna ports used for uplink transmission and the terminal's coherence capability. Therefore, this implementation can determine the maximum value of M based on the number of antenna ports used for uplink transmission and determine the reference signal mode based on the terminal's coherence capability, thereby enabling estimation and correction of various non-ideal factors while reducing reference signal overhead and improving spectral efficiency.

[0020] In one optional implementation, the network device determines a reference signal mode for transmitting a reference signal based on the number of data streams M and the terminal's capabilities. This includes mapping the reference signal onto each of the M data streams, thereby enabling estimation and correction of different non-ideal factors. Optionally, this implementation is applicable when the terminal's capabilities are limited to the number of antenna ports used for uplink transmission. Different numbers of antenna ports result in different non-ideal factors, and different data streams may be transmitted on different antenna ports. Mapping the reference signal onto each data stream allows for estimation and correction of each non-ideal factor.

[0021] Optionally, for each data stream mapped with a reference signal, the frequency domain position of the reference signal mapped on each data stream is different; or, the reference signal mapped on each data stream is transmitted in a frequency division multiplexing manner. It can be seen that, in this embodiment, frequency division multiplexing of the reference signal mapped on each data stream can reduce mutual interference between reference signals of the data streams, thereby improving the measurement accuracy for non-ideal factors.

[0022] Optionally, the first data stream is perforated at the time-frequency domain location occupied by the reference signal corresponding to the second data stream. Here, the first data stream is a different data stream from the M data streams, and the second data stream is a data stream among the M data streams that maps to the reference signal. Therefore, in this embodiment, perforating the resource unit occupied by the reference signal of the second data stream with the data from the first data stream can reduce mutual interference between the reference signal and the data in the data streams, thereby improving the measurement accuracy for non-ideal factors.

[0023] Optionally, for each data stream mapped to a reference signal, the frequency domain density of the reference signal mapped to each data stream is associated with the terminal's modulation and coding strategy (MCS). Since non-ideal factors in the terminal's RF link can cause inter-carrier interference (ICI), and higher-order modulation requires higher EVM (Electronic Virtual Machine) accuracy, better ICI estimation accuracy is needed. Consequently, more frequency domain tap coefficients are required, resulting in a higher frequency domain density. Therefore, this implementation associates the frequency domain density of the reference signal with the terminal's MCS, which can further improve ICI estimation accuracy.

[0024] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a communication device. This communication device is a terminal, a device for a terminal, or a device compatible with a terminal. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a functional module, which is a hardware circuit, software, or a combination of hardware circuitry and software.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the communication device includes one or more functional units, such as a communication unit and a processing unit, wherein the communication unit is configured to receive first information, the first information indicating the number M of uplink data streams; the processing unit is configured to determine a reference signal mode for transmitting a reference signal based on the first information and the capabilities of the terminal; wherein the capabilities of the terminal include at least one of the following: the number of antenna ports of the terminal used for uplink transmission; or, the coherence capability of the terminal. Optionally, possible implementations of the communication device can be found in the relevant description in the first aspect, and will not be detailed here.

[0026] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide a communication device. This communication device is a network device, or a device for a network device, or a device compatible with a network device. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a functional module, which is a hardware circuit, or software, or a combination of hardware circuitry and software.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the communication device includes one or more functional units, such as a communication unit and a processing unit, wherein the communication unit is used to transmit first information, the first information being used to indicate the number M of data streams M transmitted uplink by the terminal; the processing unit is used to determine a reference signal mode for receiving a reference signal based on the number M of data streams and the capabilities of the terminal; wherein the capabilities of the terminal include at least one of the following: the number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission; or, the coherence capability of the terminal. Optionally, possible implementations of the communication device can be found in the relevant description in the second aspect, which will not be detailed here.

[0028] For the third and fourth aspects, as examples, the processing unit can be a processing unit or can be embodied as a processing circuit or logic circuit; the communication unit can be an input / output interface, interface circuit, output circuit, input circuit, pin or related circuit on the chip or chip system.

[0029] In implementation, the processor can be used for, but is not limited to, baseband-related processing, and the transceiver or communication interface can be used for, but is not limited to, radio frequency transceiver. These devices can be disposed on separate chips, or at least partially or entirely on the same chip. For example, the processor can be further divided into analog baseband processors and digital baseband processors. The analog baseband processor can be integrated with the transceiver (or communication interface) on the same chip, while the digital baseband processor can be disposed on a separate chip. With the continuous development of integrated circuit technology, more and more devices can be integrated on the same chip. For example, a digital baseband processor can be integrated with multiple application processors (e.g., but not limited to graphics processors, multimedia processors, etc.) on the same chip. Such a chip can be called a System on a Chip (SoC). Whether the devices are disposed independently on different chips or integrated on one or more chips often depends on the needs of the product design. This application does not limit the implementation form of the above-mentioned devices.

[0030] Fifthly, this application provides a communication device that may include a processing circuit and a transceiver circuit connected together. The transceiver circuit is used for exchanging (or sending / receiving or inputting / outputting) information or data, and the processing circuit is used for executing program instructions to cause the communication device to perform one or more of the methods described in any one or more possible embodiments of the first to second aspects. The transceiver circuit may be a communication interface, an input / output interface, or a transceiver. The transceiver may be a radio frequency module in the communication device, or a combination of a radio frequency module and an antenna. The transceiver circuit may be an input / output interface of a chip or circuit.

[0031] Sixthly, this application provides a communication device including a processor for executing the methods shown in any possible implementation of any of the first to second aspects. Alternatively, the processor is configured to execute a program stored in a memory, wherein when the program is executed, one or more of the methods described in any possible implementation of any of the first to second aspects are executed.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the memory is located outside the aforementioned communication device.

[0033] In one possible implementation, the memory is located within the aforementioned communication device.

[0034] In one possible implementation, the processor and memory can also be integrated into a single device; that is, the processor and memory can be integrated together. For example, the communication device can be a chip or a chip system.

[0035] In one possible implementation, the communication device further includes a transceiver for receiving or transmitting first information. Exemplarily, the transceiver can also be used to receive or transmit a reference signal. Exemplarily, the communication device can be a terminal or a network device.

[0036] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform one or more of the methods described in any one or more possible embodiments of the first to second aspects above.

[0037] Eighthly, this application provides a program product containing program instructions that, when executed, cause one or more of the methods described in any one of the first to second aspects or any possible implementations of any one aspect to be performed.

[0038] Ninthly, this application provides an apparatus, which can be implemented as a chip or as a device, including a processing circuit. The processing circuit reads and executes a program stored in a memory to perform one or more methods provided in any of the possible embodiments of the first to second aspects described above. Optionally, the apparatus further includes a memory connected to the processing circuit via a circuit. Further optionally, the apparatus includes a communication interface connected to the processing circuit. The communication interface receives information to be processed, the processing circuit obtains the information from the communication interface, processes the information, and outputs the processing result through the communication interface. The communication interface can be an input / output interface.

[0039] Optionally, the aforementioned processing circuitry and memory can be physically independent units, or the memory can be integrated with the processing circuitry.

[0040] In a tenth aspect, this application provides a communication system comprising a terminal and a network device; the terminal is configured to perform one or more of the methods described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof, and the network device is configured to perform one or more of the methods described in the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Figure 1 is a simplified schematic diagram of a communication system;

[0042] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an ORAN framework;

[0043] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the network element function division and protocol layer structure of an ORAN device;

[0044] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of another possible application framework in a communication system;

[0045] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating an information transmission method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a reference signal mode provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of another reference signal mode provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another reference signal mode provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 9 is a time-frequency domain schematic diagram of the data stream of layer 1 among the four data streams of layer 1 to layer 4 shown in Figure 8 provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0052] This application can be applied to various communication systems, including but not limited to: Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, 5th Generation (5G) systems, such as new radio access technology (NR), networks that integrate multiple systems, Internet of Things (IoT) systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems, open-radio access network (O-RAN) systems, and future communication systems.

[0053] Referring to Figure 1, which is a simplified schematic diagram of a communication system, the system includes a radio access network (RAN) 100 and a core network (CN) 200. RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (110a and 110b in Figure 1, collectively referred to as RAN node 110) and at least one terminal (120a-120j in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 120). The RAN may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay equipment and / or wireless backhaul equipment (not shown in Figure 1). Terminal 120 is wirelessly connected to RAN node 110. RAN node 110 is connected to the core network 200 wirelessly or via a wired connection. The core network equipment in the core network 200 and RAN node 110 in the RAN 100 can be different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating core network logical functions and radio access network logical functions.

[0054] RAN100 can be a cellular system related to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as LTE systems, 5G systems (e.g., NR), multi-system converged networks, IoT systems, vehicular networks, O-RAN systems, and future communication systems. For example, RAN100 can also be a cloud radio access network (CRAN), a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system, or a communication system integrating two or more of the above systems. Optionally, RAN100 can be a non-terrestrial network (NTN) system, and can be in transparent or regenerative mode, such as an earth fixed cell or earth moving cell NTN system.

[0055] A terminal can be called a terminal device, user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), etc. It can be a device with wireless transceiver capabilities; it can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; it can also be deployed on water (such as on ships); and it can also be deployed in the air (such as on airplanes, balloons, and satellites). Terminals can be used to connect people, objects, and machines. Terminal 120 can be widely used in various scenarios, such as cellular communication, device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X), peer-to-peer (P2P), machine-to-machine (M2M), machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, smart homes, drones, robots, remote sensing, passive sensing, positioning, navigation and tracking, autonomous delivery and mobility, etc. Terminal 120 can be a 3GPP standard user equipment (UE), fixed equipment, mobile equipment, handheld device, wearable device, cellular phone, smartphone, session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, laptop computer, personal computer, smart book, vehicle, satellite, global positioning system (GPS) device, target tracking device, drone, helicopter, aircraft, ship, remote control device, smart home device, or industrial equipment. The terminal can also be a communication device in a future wireless communication system. The device used to implement the terminal's functions can be the terminal itself, or a device capable of supporting the terminal in implementing those functions, such as a chip system, communication module, or modem, which can be installed in the terminal. Optionally, the chip system can consist of chips or include chips and other discrete components. In the technical solutions provided in this application, the device used to implement the terminal's functions is the terminal, and the terminal is a UE, as an example, to describe the technical solutions provided in this application. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or specific device form adopted by the terminal. In one possible implementation, the UE can be used as a base station.For example, a UE can act as a scheduling entity, providing sidelink signaling between UEs in V2X, D2D, or P2P scenarios. As shown in Figure 1, cellular phone 120a and car 120b communicate with each other using sidelink signaling. Cellular phone 120a communicates with smart home device 120d without relaying communication signals through base station 110a. In one possible implementation, the UE can also be used as a relay node. For example, the UE can act as a relay device or an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node to provide wireless backhaul services to terminals.

[0056] RAN node 110, sometimes also called access network equipment, or simply network equipment, RAN entity, or access node, constitutes part of the communication system and is used to help terminals achieve wireless access. Multiple RAN nodes 110 in communication system 1000 can be of the same type or different types. In some scenarios, the roles of RAN node 110 and terminal 120 are relative. For example, network element 120i in Figure 1 can be a helicopter or drone, which can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminals 120j accessing RAN 100 through network element 120i, network element 120i is a base station; but for base station 110a, network element 120i is a terminal. RAN node 110 and terminal 120 are sometimes both referred to as communication devices. For example, network elements 110a and 110b in Figure 1 can be understood as communication devices with base station functions, and network elements 120a-120j can be understood as communication devices with terminal functions.

[0057] In one possible scenario, a RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. A RAN node can be a macro base station (as shown in Figure 1, 110a), a micro base station or indoor station (as shown in Figure 1, 110b), a relay node or donor node, or a radio controller in a CRAN scenario. Optionally, a RAN node can also be a server, wearable device, vehicle, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, the access network equipment in V2X technology can be a roadside unit (RSU).

[0058] Communication between access network devices and terminals follows a specific protocol layer structure. This protocol layer may include a control plane protocol layer and a user plane protocol layer. The control plane protocol layer may include at least one of the following: radio resource control (RRC) layer, packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, radio link control (RLC) layer, media access control (MAC) layer, or physical (PHY) layer, etc. The user plane protocol layer may include at least one of the following: service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer, PDCP layer, RLC layer, MAC layer, or physical layer, etc.

[0059] In another possible scenario, multiple RAN nodes collaborate to assist the terminal in achieving wireless access, with different RAN nodes each implementing some of the base station's functions. For example, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an ORAN framework. The ORAN system may include access network equipment and terminals. The ORAN system may include other components besides those shown in the figure. As shown in Figure 2, the access network equipment (e.g., an eNB, gNB, or next-generation access network equipment) communicates with the CN equipment via a backhaul link and with the user equipment via an air interface. For example, the baseband unit (BBU) in the access network equipment may communicate with the core network via a backhaul link, and the RU in the access network equipment may communicate with at least one UE via an air interface. The BBU communicates with at least one radio unit (RU) via a fronthaul link. The BBU and RU may or may not be co-located. The BBU includes at least one of at least a central unit (CU) and at least one distributed unit (DU), which can communicate via at least one midhaul link. In the ORAN system, the CU can be an open CU (O-CU) and the DU can be an open DU (O-DU).

[0060] Figure 3 shows the network element function partitioning and protocol layer structure of an ORAN device. In some examples, the CU is a logical node carrying the RRC layer, SDAP layer, PDCP layer, and other control functions of the access network device. The CU connects to network nodes such as the core network through interfaces, which can be interfaces such as E2 interfaces. Optionally, the CU can have some core network functions. The CU (e.g., PDCP layer and higher layers) connects to the DU (e.g., RLC layer and lower layers) through interfaces, which can be interfaces such as F1 interfaces. In some examples, these interfaces (e.g., F1 interfaces) can provide control plane (C-Plane) and user plane (U-Plane) functions (e.g., interface management, system information management, UE context management, RRC message transmission, etc.). F1AP is the application protocol of the F1 interface, which defines the signaling procedures of F1 in some examples. The F1 interface supports control plane F1-C and user plane F1-U.

[0061] In some examples, a CU can be split into CU-CP and CU-UP. CU-CP is a logical node carrying the RRC layer and PDCP-C (control plane part of PDCP) layer, used to implement the CU's control plane functions. CU-CP can interact with network elements in the core network used to implement control plane functions. CU-UP is a logical node carrying the SDAP layer and PDCP-U (user plane part of PDCP) layer, used to implement the CU's user plane functions. CU-UP can interact with network elements in the core network used to implement user plane functions. Network elements in the core network used to implement user plane functions, such as UPF in a 5G system, are responsible for forwarding and receiving data in the terminal. The above CU and DU configurations are merely examples; the functions of CU and DU can be configured as needed. In some examples, DU is a logical node carrying the RLC layer, MAC layer, higher physical (higher PHY) layer, and other functions. In some examples, DU can control at least one RU. DU connects to RU through interfaces, which can be fronthaul interfaces. In some examples, the CU may not have a PDCP layer, i.e., it only includes the RRC layer. CU-CP does not have PDCP-C. CU-UP may not have PDCP-U, or may not have CU-UP at all. In some examples, the DU may not have an RLC layer, only a MAC and a higher PHY layer. Furthermore, in some examples, it may not have a CU and may only include the DU.

[0062] In some examples, the higher physical layer includes PHY layer processing, such as forward error correction (FEC) encoding and decoding, scrambling, modulation, and demodulation. In some examples, the RU is a logical node carrying lower physical layer (Lower PHY) and radio frequency (RF) chain processing. The RU communicates with one or more UEs via a radio link. DU and RU may or may not be co-located. DU and RU exchange control plane and user plane information via the lower-layer split control user synchronous-plane (LLS-CUS) interface through the fronthaul link. DU and RU exchange management information via the LLS-M interface of the fronthaul link; the management plane (M-Plane) refers to the non-real-time management operations between DU and RU. DU and RU can cooperate to implement PHY layer functions. A DU can be connected to one or more RUs. For example, the CU has RRC, PDCP, and SDAP processing capabilities, while the DU has RLC, MAC, and PHY processing capabilities. It is understood that the above functional division is merely an example and does not constitute a limitation on the CU and DU. The RU can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH). The functions of the DU and RU can be configured in various ways depending on the design.

[0063] To support artificial intelligence (AI) technology in wireless networks, AI nodes may be introduced. Optionally, AI nodes can be deployed in one or more of the following locations within the communication system: access network devices, terminals, or core network devices, or they can be deployed independently, for example, in a location other than any of the aforementioned devices, such as a host in an over-the-top (OTT) system or a cloud server. Figure 4 illustrates another possible application framework in the communication system. As shown in Figure 4, the communication system includes a RAN intelligent controller (RIC). RICs include near-real-time (near-RT) RICs and non-near-real-time (non-RT) RICs. Non-near-real-time RICs primarily handle non-real-time information, such as data that is not sensitive to latency, with latency in the order of seconds. Near-real-time (near-RT) RICs primarily handle near-real-time information, such as data that is relatively sensitive to latency, with latency in the order of tens of milliseconds. Near-real-time (near-RT) RICs are used for model training and inference. Near real-time RICs can obtain network-side and / or terminal-side information from RAN nodes (e.g., CUs, CU-CPs, CU-UPs, DUs, and / or RUs) and / or terminals. This information can be used as training data or inference data. Optionally, the near real-time RIC can deliver inference results to RAN nodes and / or terminals. Optionally, inference results can be exchanged between CUs and DUs, and / or between DUs and RUs. For example, the near real-time RIC delivers inference results to the DU, which then sends them to the RU. Non-near real-time RICs are also used for model training and inference. Non-real-time RICs can obtain network-side and / or terminal-side information from RAN nodes (e.g., CUs, CU-CPs, CU-UPs, DUs, and / or RUs) and / or terminals. This information can be used as training data or inference data, and inference results can be delivered to RAN nodes and / or terminals. Optionally, inference results can be exchanged between CUs and DUs, and / or between DUs and RUs; for example, the non-real-time RIC delivers inference results to the DU, which then sends them to the RU. Near real-time RICs and non-near real-time RICs can also be configured as separate network elements. Optionally, near real-time and non-real-time RICs can also be part of other devices. For example, near real-time RICs can be located in RAN nodes (e.g., CU, DU), while non-real-time RICs can be located in OAM, cloud servers, core network devices, or other network devices.For example, near real-time RIC and non-real-time RIC can also be set up separately as a network element, and the network device can be a near real-time RIC or a non-real-time RIC.

[0064] Phase noise refers to the random phase changes of the output signal caused by various noises in the radio frequency link. Phase noise degrades the error vector magnitude (EVM) at the receiver, causing a large number of bit errors. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard specifies the EVM requirements for the transmitter at various modulation orders, and the higher the modulation order, the more stringent the EVM requirements. The main source of EVM is the nonlinear distortion of the transmitter's radio frequency link. Currently, the terminal can correct for non-ideal factors such as common phase error (CPE) and inter-carrier interference (ICI) caused by oscillator phase noise in the radio frequency link by transmitting a phase-tracking reference signal (PTRS). However, these non-ideal factors have only one source, namely the terminal's oscillator. Therefore, it is only necessary to map the PTRS to one or two uplink streams to achieve CPE and ICI correction for all transmitted data streams.

[0065] However, unlike the CPE oscillator, estimating and correcting for different non-ideal factors in a larger number of data streams remains a problem. For example, research has shown that, unlike the oscillator, the non-ideal factors of different coherent antenna groups on the terminal are different. In other words, when the terminal transmits data streams on different coherent antenna groups, the non-ideal factors corresponding to different data streams are not the same. In this case, the PTRS mapping method described above cannot be used for estimating and correcting non-ideal factors.

[0066] This application provides an information transmission method capable of estimating and correcting more non-ideal factors in the data stream at the sending end. The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0067] Please refer to Figure 5, which is a flowchart illustrating an information transmission method provided in an embodiment of this application. This information transmission method is described from the perspective of interaction between a network device and a terminal. The relevant descriptions of the network device and the terminal can be found above and will not be detailed here. As shown in Figure 5, this information transmission method includes, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0068] S101. The network device sends first information, and the terminal receives the first information accordingly. The first information is used to indicate the number M of data streams transmitted uplink by the terminal.

[0069] S102. The terminal determines the reference signal mode for transmitting reference signals based on the number of uplink data streams M and the terminal's capabilities.

[0070] Accordingly, the terminal transmits a reference signal based on a defined reference signal pattern.

[0071] S103. The network device determines the reference signal pattern for receiving reference signals based on the number M of uplink data streams transmitted by the terminal and the terminal's capabilities.

[0072] Accordingly, network devices receive reference signals based on a defined reference signal pattern.

[0073] Optionally, the embodiments of this application do not limit the order in which steps S102 and S103 are executed.

[0074] Optionally, before step S102, the terminal further sends second information to the network device. Correspondingly, the network device receives the second information reported by the terminal, which indicates the terminal's capabilities. The terminal's capabilities include at least one of the following: the number of antenna ports used for uplink transmission; or, the terminal's coherence capability. In this way, the network device can determine different reference signal modes based on the different capabilities of the terminals.

[0075] As can be seen, the reference signal pattern for mapping the M data streams to the reference signal is related to the terminal's capabilities. The maximum value of the number of uplink data streams M is determined by the number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission. This reference signal pattern indicates how the reference signal is mapped onto the M data streams.

[0076] Optionally, the number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission includes at least one of the following: the number of ports used by the terminal for transmitting uplink data; or the number of ports used by the terminal for transmitting sounding reference signals (SRS). That is, the antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission can be ports used by the terminal for transmitting uplink data, ports used for transmitting SRS, or ports used for transmitting both uplink data and SRS.

[0077] Optionally, the coherent capability of the terminal includes at least one of the following: fully coherent capability, partially coherent capability, or non-coherent capability. Optionally, the coherent capability of the terminal includes partially coherent capability, and different coherent antenna groups are divided based on at least one of the following: antenna port index, port index for transmitting uplink data, or port index for transmitting SRS.

[0078] Optionally, the association between the reference signal mode and the terminal's capabilities, or the reference signal mode that the terminal determines to transmit the reference signal based on the number of data streams M (M is an integer greater than 1) and the terminal's capabilities, includes:

[0079] The terminal's coherence capability is fully coherent, with the reference signal mapped onto one of the M data streams;

[0080] The terminal's coherence capability is partially coherent; the reference signal is mapped onto one of the N data streams in each coherent antenna group, where N is a positive integer less than M; or,

[0081] The terminal's coherent capability is a non-coherent capability, with the reference signal mapped onto each of the M data streams. As mentioned earlier, the number of antenna ports determines the maximum value of M.

[0082] As can be seen in this implementation method:

[0083] When the terminal's coherence capability is fully coherent, regardless of the number of uplink data streams transmitted by the terminal, the reference signal will only be mapped onto one of the uplink data streams. For example, Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a reference signal mode provided in an embodiment of this application. In Figure 6, the horizontal axis represents the time domain and the vertical axis represents the frequency domain. Taking an uplink transmission resource of 14 symbols and 12 subcarriers as an example, the resource units filled in dark gray are resource units mapped with a demodulation reference signal (DMRS), and the resource units filled in light gray are the transmitted data. The reference signal mode shown in Figure 6 is the reference signal mode determined by a 4 Tx full-coherent UE. The terminal uses 4 transmit antennas to transmit 4 data streams in full coherence. These 4 transmit antennas are in the same coherent antenna group, and the non-ideal factors of each data stream are the same. Therefore, the reference signal shown in Figure 6 only needs to be mapped onto one of the data streams. As shown in the resource units filled with diagonal lines in Figure 6, it is applicable to all antennas and all layers (RS for all antennas and all layers).

[0084] When the terminal's coherence capability is partially coherent, the reference signal will be mapped onto each coherent antenna group transmitted by the terminal. For example, Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of another reference signal mode provided in an embodiment of this application. Compared with Figure 6, in the reference signal mode shown in Figure 7, the terminal capability is a 4 Tx partially-coherent UE. The terminal uses 4 data streams for uplink transmission. Among them, the 4 antennas are in two coherent antenna groups. The non-ideal factors of the data streams transmitted in the same coherent antenna group are the same. Antenna 1 and antenna 3 belong to one coherent antenna group and transmit the first data stream and the third data stream. Antenna 2 and antenna 4 belong to one coherent antenna group and transmit the second data stream and the fourth data stream. Then, as shown in the resource cell filled with diagonal lines in Figure 7, the reference signal corresponding to the coherent antenna group to which antenna 1 and antenna 3 belong will be mapped on the first data stream or the third data stream (i.e., RS for all antenna 1 and 3) applicable to antenna 1 and antenna 3. The reference signal corresponding to the coherent antenna group to which antenna 2 and antenna 4 belong will be mapped on the second data stream or the fourth data stream (i.e., RS for all antenna 2 and 4 applicable to antenna 2 and antenna 4) applicable to antenna 2 and antenna 4.

[0085] When the terminal's coherence capability is incoherent, regardless of the number of uplink data streams transmitted by the terminal, the reference signal will be mapped onto all uplink data streams transmitted by the terminal. For example, Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another reference signal mode provided by an embodiment of this application. Compared with Figure 6, in the reference signal mode shown in Figure 8, the terminal's capability is a terminal with four incoherent transmit antennas. The terminal uses four data streams for uplink transmission, and the four data streams are transmitted on four antennas, corresponding one-to-one. The non-ideal factors of each data stream are different. Therefore, the reference signal will be mapped onto each data stream, as shown in Figure 8, with resource units filled with diagonal lines.

[0086] Optionally, the terminal's capability refers to the number of antenna ports used for uplink transmission. Based on the number of data streams M and the terminal's capability, the terminal determines the reference signal mode for transmitting the reference signal, including mapping the reference signal onto each of the M data streams. Since different numbers of antenna ports have different non-ideal factors, different data streams may be transmitted on different antenna ports. This implementation maps the reference signal onto each data stream, enabling estimation and correction of various non-ideal factors.

[0087] Optionally, for each data stream mapped with a reference signal, the frequency domain position of the reference signal mapped on each data stream is different; or, the reference signal mapped on each data stream is transmitted in a frequency division multiplexing manner. It can be seen that frequency division multiplexing of the reference signal mapped on each data stream in this embodiment can reduce the mutual interference of reference signals between data streams, thereby improving the measurement accuracy for non-ideal factors. As shown in Figures 7 and 8 above, for each data stream mapped with a reference signal, the frequency domain position of the reference signal mapped on different data streams is different.

[0088] Optionally, the first data stream is perforated at the time-frequency domain positions occupied by the reference signal corresponding to the second data stream. Here, the first data stream is a different data stream from the M data streams, and the second data stream is a data stream among the M data streams that maps to the reference signal. It can be seen that in this embodiment, perforating the resource units occupied by the reference signal of the second data stream in the first data stream can reduce mutual interference between reference signals and data in the data streams, thereby improving the measurement accuracy for non-ideal factors. For example, as shown in Figure 9, the time-frequency domain diagram of the data streams shown in Figure 9 is a time-frequency domain diagram of the data stream of layer 1 among the four data streams of layers 1 to 4 shown in Figure 8. As shown in Figure 9, the data stream of layer 1 is perforated at the time-frequency domain positions occupied by the reference signals corresponding to layers 2 to 4. This avoids mutual interference between the data or reference signals of the data stream of layer 1 at these time-frequency domain positions and the data or reference signals of other layers at these time-frequency domain positions.

[0089] Optionally, for each data stream mapped to a reference signal, the frequency domain density of the reference signal mapped to each data stream is associated with the terminal's modulation and coding strategy (MCS). Since non-ideal factors in the terminal's RF link can cause inter-carrier interference (ICI), and higher-order modulation requires higher EVM (Electronic Virtual Machine) accuracy, better ICI estimation accuracy is needed. Consequently, more frequency domain tap coefficients are required, resulting in a higher frequency domain density. Therefore, this implementation associates the frequency domain density of the reference signal with the terminal's MCS, which can further improve ICI estimation accuracy.

[0090] Optionally, in this application, the reference signal mode is associated not only with the terminal's capabilities but also with the terminal's MCS. This addresses the high EVM requirements under higher-order modulation, necessitating better ICI estimation accuracy, and further enhances the ICI estimation accuracy.

[0091] Optionally, the method further includes the following steps:

[0092] S104. The terminal sends the M data streams based on a determined reference signal pattern; correspondingly, the network device receives the M data streams based on the determined reference signal pattern.

[0093] As can be seen, in this method, the reference signal mode for the terminal's transmitted reference signal is determined based on the number of uplink data streams M and the terminal's capabilities, thereby enabling the estimation and correction of non-ideal factors in each data stream. Furthermore, the terminal's coherence capability affects the phase consistency of signals transmitted from different antenna ports. For antennas in the same coherence group, non-ideal factors can be considered consistent. Therefore, this method, which determines the reference signal mode for the transmitted signal based on the terminal's coherence capability, can effectively save reference signal overhead and improve spectral efficiency.

[0094] The foregoing details the method provided in this application. To facilitate the implementation of the above-described solutions in the embodiments of this application, corresponding apparatus or devices are also provided. The following description only outlines the main steps of the solution; for specific technical details, please refer to the method embodiments described above.

[0095] This application divides the communication device into functional modules according to the above method embodiments. For example, each function can be divided into its own functional modules, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated modules can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules. It should be noted that the module division in this application is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division; other division methods may be used in actual implementation. The communication device of the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 10 and 11.

[0096] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 10, the communication device may include a communication unit 101 and a processing unit 102.

[0097] In some embodiments of this application, the communication device may be the UE shown above or a chip or circuit disposed in the UE. That is, the communication device may be used to perform the steps or functions performed by the UE in the method embodiments above.

[0098] In one design, a communication unit 101 receives first information indicating the number M of uplink data streams; a processing unit 102 determines a reference signal mode for transmitting a reference signal based on the first information and the capabilities of the terminal; wherein the capabilities of the terminal include at least one of the following: the number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission; or, the coherence capability of the terminal. Optionally, possible implementations of this communication device can be found in the possible implementations performed by the terminal in the above information transmission method, and will not be detailed here.

[0099] In some embodiments of this application, the communication device may be the RAN (such as a network device) shown above or a chip or circuit disposed in the RAN. That is, the communication device may be used to perform the steps or functions performed by the RAN in the method embodiments above.

[0100] In one design, the communication device includes one or more functional units, such as a communication unit 101 and a processing unit 102. The communication unit 101 is used to transmit first information, which indicates the number M of data streams M transmitted uplink by the terminal. The processing unit 102 is used to determine a reference signal mode for receiving a reference signal based on the number M of data streams and the terminal's capabilities. The terminal's capabilities include at least one of the following: the number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission; or, the terminal's coherence capability. Optionally, possible implementations of this communication device can be found in the possible implementations performed by network devices in the above-described information transmission methods, and will not be detailed here.

[0101] It is understood that the specific descriptions of the communication unit 101 and processing unit 102 shown in the embodiments of this application are merely examples. For the specific functions or execution steps of the communication unit and processing unit, please refer to the relevant functions or steps in the method embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 9 above, which will not be described in detail here. In addition, the technical effects of the embodiments of this application are the same as those in the method embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 9 above, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0102] The communication device according to embodiments of this application has been described above. The following describes possible product forms of the communication device. It should be understood that any product possessing the functions of the communication device described in FIG10 above falls within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application. It should also be understood that the following description is merely illustrative and does not limit the product form of the communication device according to the embodiments of this application to this extent.

[0103] In one possible implementation, in the communication device shown in FIG10, the processing unit 102 may be one or more processing circuits, and the communication unit 101 may be a transceiver circuit. Alternatively, the communication unit 101 may also be a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, where the transmitting unit may be a transmitting circuit and the receiving unit may be a receiving circuit, integrated into a single device, such as a transceiver circuit. In this embodiment, the processing circuit and the transceiver circuit may be coupled, etc., and the connection method between the processing circuit and the transceiver circuit is not limited in this embodiment. During the execution of the above method, the process of sending information in the above method can be understood as the process of the processing circuit outputting the above information. When outputting the above information, the processing circuit outputs the above information to the transceiver circuit so that the transceiver circuit can transmit it. After the above information is output by the processing circuit, it may need to undergo other processing before reaching the transceiver circuit. Similarly, the process of receiving information in the above method can be understood as the process of the processing circuit receiving the input above information. When the processing circuit receives the input information, the transceiver circuit receives the above information and inputs it into the processing circuit. Furthermore, after the transceiver circuit receives the aforementioned information, the information may need to undergo further processing before being input into the processing circuit.

[0104] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 11, the communication device provided in this embodiment can be used to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments, and the description in the above method embodiments can be referred to. The communication device can be a RAN or UE, or a chip therein. Exemplarily, the communication device includes one or more processing circuits 111 and transceiver circuits 112. The communication device may further include a storage circuit 113. In one implementation, the communication device also includes an input / output device (e.g., a touch screen, a display screen, a keyboard, etc., mainly used to receive user input data and output data to the user, not shown in the figure).

[0105] The processing circuit 111 is mainly used to process communication protocols and communication data, control the entire communication device, execute software programs, and process the data of the software programs. The storage circuit 113 is mainly used to store software programs and data. The transceiver circuit 112 may include a control circuit and an antenna. The control circuit is mainly used for converting baseband signals to radio frequency signals and processing radio frequency signals. The antenna is mainly used for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals in the form of electromagnetic waves.

[0106] When the communication device is powered on, the processing circuit 111 can read the software program in the storage circuit 113, interpret and execute the instructions of the software program, and process the data of the software program. When data needs to be transmitted wirelessly, the processing circuit 111 performs baseband processing on the data to be transmitted and outputs the baseband signal to the radio frequency (RF) circuit. The RF circuit performs RF processing on the baseband signal and transmits the RF signal outward in the form of electromagnetic waves through the antenna. When data is sent to the communication device, the RF circuit receives the RF signal through the antenna, converts the RF signal into a baseband signal, and outputs the baseband signal to the processing circuit 111. The processing circuit 111 converts the baseband signal into data and processes the data.

[0107] In another implementation, the radio frequency circuit and antenna can be set up independently of the processing circuit that performs baseband processing. For example, in a distributed scenario, the radio frequency circuit and antenna can be arranged in a remote manner, independent of the communication device.

[0108] The processing circuit 111, the transceiver circuit 112, and the storage circuit 113 can be connected via the communication bus 114.

[0109] In one example, when the network device adopts the form shown in FIG11, the processing circuit 111 in FIG11 can call the computer execution instructions stored in the storage circuit 113 to cause the communication device to execute the method executed by the network device in any of the embodiments of FIG1 to FIG9.

[0110] In one example, when the terminal adopts the form shown in FIG11, the processing circuit 111 in FIG11 can call the computer execution instructions stored in the storage circuit 113 to cause the communication device to execute the terminal execution method in any of the embodiments of FIG1 to FIG9.

[0111] This application provides a communication system, which may include at least one network device and at least one terminal as shown in Figures 1 to 9. For details, please refer to the method embodiments described above.

[0112] In any of the above implementations, the transceiver circuit 112 may include a transceiver or interface circuit for implementing receiving and transmitting functions. The transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit for implementing receiving and transmitting functions may be separate or integrated together. The transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit may be used for reading and writing code / data, or it may be used for transmitting or relaying signals.

[0113] In any of the above implementations, the processing circuit 111 may be included in a processor, which may store instructions, which may be a computer program. The computer program runs on the processing circuit 111, causing the communication device to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. The computer program may be embedded in the processing circuit 111; in this case, the processing circuit 111 may be implemented in hardware.

[0114] The processing and transceiver circuits described in this application may be included in a chip, such as on an integrated circuit (IC), analog IC, radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), mixed-signal IC, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), printed circuit board (PCB), electronic device, etc. These processing and transceiver circuits can also be manufactured using various IC process technologies, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), n-metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS), positive channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS), bipolar junction transistor (BJT), bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS), silicon germanium (SiGe), gallium arsenide (GaAs), etc.

[0115] It is understood that the communication device shown in the embodiments of this application may have more components than those in Figure 11, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this. The methods performed by the processing circuit and transceiver circuit shown above are merely examples, and the specific steps performed by the processing circuit and transceiver circuit can be referred to the description of the method embodiments above.

[0116] In another possible implementation, in the communication device shown in Figure 11, the processing circuit 111 can be one or more logic circuits or processing circuits, and the transceiver circuit 112 can be an input / output interface, or a communication interface, or an interface circuit, or an interface, etc. Alternatively, the transceiver circuit 112 can also be a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, where the transmitting unit can be an output interface and the receiving unit can be an input interface, and the transmitting unit and the receiving unit are integrated into one unit, such as an input / output interface.

[0117] Furthermore, this application also provides a computer program for implementing the operations and / or processes performed by a terminal in the methods provided in this application. This application also provides a computer program for implementing the operations and / or processes performed by a network device in the methods provided in this application.

[0118] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer code that, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the operations and / or processes performed by a terminal in the method provided in this application.

[0119] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer code that, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the operations and / or processes performed by a network device in the method provided in this application.

[0120] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes computer code or a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the operations and / or processes performed by a terminal in the method provided in this application to be executed.

[0121] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes computer code or a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the operations and / or processes performed by a network device in the method provided in this application to be executed.

[0122] It should be understood that in this application, the indication includes direct indication (also known as explicit indication) and implicit indication. Direct indication information A refers to information A being included; implicit indication information A refers to information A being indicated through the correspondence between information A and information B, and through direct indication information B. The correspondence between information A and information B can be predefined, pre-stored, pre-burned, or pre-configured.

[0123] It should be understood that in this application, information C is used to determine information D, including both situations where information D is determined solely based on information C and situations where it is determined based on information C and other information. Furthermore, information C can also be used to determine information D indirectly, for example, where information D is determined based on information E, and information E is determined based on information C.

[0124] Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, "network element A sends information A to network element B" can be understood as network element B being the destination of information A or an intermediate network element in the transmission path between the destination and network element B, which may include sending information directly or indirectly to network element B. "Network element B receives information A from network element A" can be understood as network element A being the source of information A or an intermediate network element in the transmission path between the source and network element A, which may include receiving information directly or indirectly from network element A. Information may undergo necessary processing between the source and destination, such as format changes, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be understood in a similar way and will not be elaborated further here.

[0125] It is understood that in the various embodiments of this application, "B corresponding to A", "A corresponds to B" or similar expressions indicate that B is associated with A, or that B can be determined based on A. However, it should also be understood that determining B based on (or on) A does not mean that B is determined solely based on (or on) A; B can also be determined based on (or on) A and / or other information.

[0126] In the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish different objects and do not limit the quantity or order of execution, nor do they imply that they are necessarily different. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0127] In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " means "or". For example, A / B can mean A or B. "And / or" in this document is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Furthermore, "at least one item", "one or more of the following", or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c; a and b; a and c; b and c; or a and b and c. Here, a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0128] In the description of this application, the words "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or illustration. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary," "for example," or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of the words "exemplary," "for example," or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0129] It is understood that in the description of this application, "when," "if," and "if" all refer to the device making a corresponding action under certain objective circumstances, and are not time-limited, nor do they require the device to make a judgment action when it is implemented, nor do they mean that there are other limitations.

[0130] In this application, "simultaneously" can be understood as at the same point in time, within a period of time, or within the same cycle; the specific meaning can be determined by considering the context.

[0131] In this application, the use of singular designations for elements is intended to represent "one or more" rather than "one and only one," unless otherwise specified.

[0132] In addition, the terms “system” and “network” are often used interchangeably in this article.

[0133] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. In addition, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices, or units, or it may be an electrical, mechanical, or other form of connection.

[0134] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the technical effects of the solutions provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0135] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0136] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the essential contribution of the technical solution of this application, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a readable storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned readable storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0137] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An information transmission method, characterized in that, The method includes: Receive first information, which indicates the number M of uplink data streams; Based on the first information and the capabilities of the terminal, a reference signal mode for transmitting reference signals is determined; The capabilities of the terminal include at least one of the following: the number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission; or, the coherence capability of the terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission includes at least one of the following: The number of ports of the terminal used to transmit uplink data; or, the number of ports of the terminal used to transmit the Sounding Reference Signal (SRS).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The coherence capability of the terminal includes at least one of the following: Fully coherent, partially coherent, or incoherent.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The coherent capability of the terminal includes a subset of coherent capabilities, in which different coherent antenna groups are divided based on at least one of the following: antenna port index, port index for transmitting uplink data, or port index for transmitting SRS.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Determining the reference signal mode for transmitting the reference signal based on the first information and the capabilities of the terminal includes: M is greater than 1 and the coherence capability of the terminal is fully coherent, and the reference signal is mapped on one of the M data streams; Where M is greater than 1 and the coherence capability of the terminal is partially coherent, the reference signal is mapped onto one of the N data streams in each coherent antenna group, where N is a positive integer less than M; or, M is greater than 1 and the coherence capability of the terminal is incoherent capability, and the reference signal is mapped on each of the M data streams.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Determining the reference signal mode for transmitting the reference signal based on the first information and the capabilities of the terminal includes: M is greater than 1 and the coherence capability of the terminal is fully coherent, and the reference signal is mapped on one of the M data streams; Where M is greater than 1 and the coherence capability of the terminal is partially coherent, the reference signal is mapped onto one of the N data streams in each coherent antenna group, where N is a positive integer less than M; or, M is greater than 1 and the coherence capability of the terminal is incoherence capability, and the reference signal is mapped on each of the M data streams; The number of antenna ports determines the maximum value of M.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Determining the reference signal mode for transmitting the reference signal based on the first information and the capabilities of the terminal includes: The reference signal is mapped onto each of the M data streams.

8. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that, For each data stream that maps the reference signal, the frequency domain position of the reference signal mapped on each data stream is different; or, the reference signal mapped on each data stream is transmitted in a frequency division multiplexing manner.

9. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that, For each data stream mapped to a reference signal, the frequency domain density of the reference signal mapped to each data stream is associated with the modulation and coding strategy (MCS) of the terminal.

10. An information transmission method, characterized in that, The method includes: Send the first message, which indicates the number M of data streams M transmitted uplink by the terminal; Based on the number of data streams M and the capabilities of the terminal, a reference signal mode for receiving reference signals is determined; The capabilities of the terminal include at least one of the following: the number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission; or, the coherence capability of the terminal.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The number of antenna ports used by the terminal for uplink transmission includes at least one of the following: The number of ports of the terminal used to transmit uplink data; or, the number of ports of the terminal used to transmit the Sounding Reference Signal (SRS).

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The coherence capability of the terminal includes at least one of the following: Fully coherent, partially coherent, or incoherent.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, The coherent capability of the terminal includes a subset of coherent capabilities, in which different coherent antenna groups are divided based on at least one of the following: the antenna port index used by the terminal for uplink transmission, the port index used by the terminal for uplink data transmission, or the port index used by the terminal for SRS transmission.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that, The step of determining the reference signal mode for receiving the reference signal based on the number M of uplink data streams transmitted by the terminal and the second information includes: M is greater than 1 and the coherence capability of the terminal is fully coherent, and the reference signal is mapped on one of the M data streams; Where M is greater than 1 and the coherence capability of the terminal is partially coherent, the reference signal is mapped onto one of the N data streams in each coherent antenna group, where N is a positive integer less than M; or, M is greater than 1 and the coherence capability of the terminal is incoherent capability, and the reference signal is mapped on each of the M data streams.

15. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that, The step of determining the reference signal mode for receiving the reference signal based on the number M of uplink data streams transmitted by the terminal and the second information includes: M is greater than 1 and the coherence capability of the terminal is fully coherent, and the reference signal is mapped on one of the M data streams; Where M is greater than 1 and the coherence capability of the terminal is partially coherent, the reference signal is mapped onto one of the N data streams in each coherent antenna group, where N is a positive integer less than M; or, M is greater than 1 and the coherence capability of the terminal is incoherence capability, and the reference signal is mapped on each of the M data streams; The number of antenna ports determines the maximum value of M.

16. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that, The step of determining the reference signal mode for receiving the reference signal based on the number M of uplink data streams transmitted by the terminal and the second information includes: The reference signal is mapped onto each of the M data streams.

17. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that, For each data stream that maps the reference signal, the frequency domain position of the reference signal mapped on each data stream is different; or, the reference signal mapped on each data stream is transmitted in a frequency division multiplexing manner.

18. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that, For each data stream mapped to a reference signal, the frequency domain density of the reference signal mapped to each data stream is associated with the modulation and coding strategy (MCS) of the terminal.

19. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes one or more functional units, which are used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, or to perform the method as described in any one of claims 10 to 18.

20. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor that invokes a computer program stored in a memory to cause the communication device to implement the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, or to implement the method as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 18.

21. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor and an interface circuit, wherein the interface circuit is used to receive signals from other communication devices besides the communication device and transmit them to the processor, or to send signals from the processor to other communication devices besides the communication device. The processor is used to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, or to implement the method as described in any one of claims 10 to 18, through logic circuits or execution code instructions.

22. A communication system, characterized in that, It includes at least one of the following: a network device for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and a terminal for performing the method according to any one of claims 10 to 18.

23. A communication method, characterized in that, include: The network device is used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9; The terminal is used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 10 to 18.

24. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that, when executed, implements the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, or the method as described in any one of claims 10 to 18.

25. A computer program product containing instructions, characterized in that, When the instructions are executed on a computer, the computer performs the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, or the method as described in any one of claims 10 to 18.

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