Communication method and related apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a communication method and a related apparatus. The communication method comprises: a terminal device performing communication with a network device using a first frame structure, wherein the first frame structure comprises at least one downlink time unit, a guard period and at least one uplink time unit, the at least one downlink time unit is located before the guard period, the at least one uplink time unit is located after the guard period, each of the at least one downlink time unit is used for downlink transmission, each of the at least one uplink time unit is used for uplink transmission, the duration of the guard period is greater than the maximum round trip time (RTT) of a first coverage range, and the terminal device is located within the first coverage range. The technical solution can solve the problem of a conflict between an uplink signal and a downlink signal when a TDD communication mode is used.

Description

Communication methods and related devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410683606.3, filed on May 29, 2024, entitled "Communication Method and Related Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communications, and more particularly to a communication method and related apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] To ensure that signals from different terminals in the same subframe arrive at the base station at roughly the same time, terminals typically need to advance the timing when sending uplink signals.

[0004] However, in communication systems with large round trip times (RTT), such as satellite communication systems, when communicating using TDD-based communication methods, uplink and downlink signal conflicts may occur after the terminal advances its timing, affecting normal communication. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and related apparatus to solve the problem of uplink and downlink signal conflict when using TDD communication.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a terminal device, or by a component (such as a chip, chip system, etc.) configured in the terminal device, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the terminal device. This application does not limit the scope of the method.

[0007] For example, the communication method includes: determining a first frame structure, the first frame structure including at least one downlink time unit, a guard band and at least one uplink time unit, the at least one downlink time unit being located before the guard band and the at least one uplink time unit being located after the guard band, each downlink time unit in the at least one downlink time unit being used for downlink transmission, each uplink time unit in the at least one uplink time unit being used for uplink transmission, the duration of the guard band being greater than the maximum round-trip time (RTT) within a first coverage area, and the terminal device being located within the first coverage area; and communicating using the first frame structure.

[0008] For example, the first coverage area is the coverage area of ​​the first beam or the coverage area of ​​the first cell; the first beam is the beam used by the network device to communicate with the terminal device, the first cell is one of the multiple cells covered by the first beam, and the terminal device is located in the first cell.

[0009] In this application, time resources consisting of at least one downlink time unit are also referred to as downlink time resources, and time resources consisting of at least one uplink time unit are also referred to as uplink time resources.

[0010] Correspondingly, the first frame structure includes at least one downlink time unit, a guard band, and at least one uplink time unit. The at least one downlink time unit is located before the guard band, and the at least one uplink time unit is located after the guard band. This can also be interpreted as: the first frame structure includes downlink time resources, a guard band, and uplink time resources. The downlink time resources include at least one consecutive downlink time unit, and the uplink time resources include at least one consecutive uplink time unit. The downlink time resources are located before the guard band, and the uplink time resources are located after the guard band.

[0011] In this technical solution, since the duration of the guard band in the first frame structure is greater than the maximum RTT within the first coverage area when the terminal device and the network device communicate based on the first frame structure, the problem of conflict between the uplink signal sent by the terminal device and the downlink signal sent by the network device can be avoided.

[0012] On the other hand, in this technical solution, the positions of uplink time resources, downlink time resources and protection bands are fixed, the relative proportions are simple to configure, the signaling overhead is small, and the length of uplink and downlink can be flexibly configured according to the uplink and downlink services.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the terminal device determines the first frame structure, including: determining the duration of the first frame structure, the duration of the guard band, and the position of the guard band in the first frame structure.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving first information sent by a network device, the first information being used by a terminal device to determine a first frame structure, the first information including one or more of the following: the duration of the first frame structure, information for determining the duration of the guard band and the position of the guard band in the first frame structure, and information for indicating the duration occupied by at least one uplink time unit and the duration occupied by at least one downlink time unit.

[0015] In other words, in this implementation, the network device can send information related to the structure of the first frame to the terminal device, so that the terminal device can determine the structure of the first frame based on the instructions of the network device.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving second information sent by a network device, the second information being used to indicate a first period for updating the guard band; and updating the first frame structure based on the second information.

[0017] With this implementation, the terminal device does not need to determine the duration of the protection band in real time, thus reducing the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving third information sent by a network device, the third information being used to indicate a second period for updating the duration occupied by at least one uplink time unit and the duration occupied by at least one downlink time unit; and updating the first frame structure based on the third information.

[0019] With this implementation method, the terminal device does not need to determine the duration of uplink and downlink time resource usage in real time, thus reducing the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0020] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving fourth information sent by a network device, the fourth information being used to indicate the offset between a first time when a terminal device scheduled by the network device sends an uplink signal and a second time when the terminal device receives a downlink signal sent by the network device; and determining the first time based on the offset.

[0021] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the method further includes: the terminal device being in a power-saving mode or performing GNSS measurements during a first time period, the first time period being the period between the third time after the terminal device finishes sending the uplink signal and the fourth time after receiving the downlink signal sent by the network device next time, the first time period being within the guard band.

[0022] The terminal device being in power-saving mode during the first period can also be interpreted as: the terminal device going into sleep mode during the first period, the terminal device receiving data intermittently during the first period, or the terminal device being inactive during the first period.

[0023] In this implementation, if the terminal device is in power-saving mode during the first time period, its power consumption can be reduced. Furthermore, if the terminal device performs GNSS measurements during the first time period, resource waste can be minimized.

[0024] Secondly, this application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a network device, or by a component (such as a chip, chip system, etc.) configured in the network device, or by a logic module or software capable of realizing all or part of the functions of the terminal device. This application does not limit the method in this regard.

[0025] For example, the communication method includes: communicating with a terminal device using a first frame structure; the first frame structure includes at least one downlink time unit, a guard band, and at least one uplink time unit, wherein the at least one downlink time unit is located before the guard band, the at least one uplink time unit is located after the guard band, each downlink time unit in the at least one downlink time unit is used for downlink transmission, each uplink time unit in the at least one uplink time unit is used for uplink transmission, the duration of the guard band is greater than the maximum round-trip time (RTT) within a first coverage area, and the terminal device is located within the first coverage area.

[0026] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the first coverage area is the coverage area of ​​the first beam or the coverage area of ​​the first cell; the first beam is the beam used when the network device communicates with the terminal device, the first cell is one of the multiple cells covered by the first beam, and the terminal device is located in the first cell.

[0027] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the method further includes: sending first information to a terminal device, the first information being used by the terminal device to determine a first frame structure, the first information including one or more of the following: the duration of the first frame structure, information for determining the duration of the guard band and the position of the guard band in the first frame structure, and information for indicating the duration occupied by at least one uplink time unit and the duration occupied by at least one downlink time unit.

[0028] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the method further includes: sending second information to a terminal device, the second information being used to indicate a first cycle of the duration for updating the protection band.

[0029] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the method further includes: sending third information to the terminal device, the third information being used to indicate a second period for updating the duration occupied by the at least one uplink time unit and the duration occupied by the at least one downlink time unit.

[0030] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the method further includes: sending fourth information to the terminal device, the fourth information being used to indicate the offset between the first time when the terminal device, scheduled by the network device, sends an uplink signal and the second time when the terminal device receives a downlink signal sent by the network device.

[0031] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the duration of the guard band is also determined based on the time required for the terminal equipment to perform GNSS measurements.

[0032] Thirdly, this application provides an apparatus including modules or units for implementing the methods of the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof. It should be understood that each module or unit can implement its corresponding function by executing a computer program.

[0033] Fourthly, this application provides a communication device including modules or units for implementing the methods of the second aspect and any possible implementation thereof. It should be understood that each module or unit can implement its corresponding function by executing a computer program.

[0034] Fifthly, an apparatus is provided, comprising a processor and a storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause a method as described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof to be implemented, or cause a method as described in the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof to be implemented.

[0035] A sixth aspect provides an apparatus comprising a processing circuit for processing data and / or information such that a method as in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof is implemented, or a method as in the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof is implemented.

[0036] The processing circuit may include one or more processors, or all or part of the circuitry in one or more processors used for control or processing functions.

[0037] Optionally, the apparatus may further include a memory for storing programs or instructions, and the processor for running the programs or instructions to implement the methods as described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof, or to implement the methods as described in the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0038] Optionally, the device may also include the transceiver circuit, or an input / output interface.

[0039] In a seventh aspect, a chip is provided, including processing circuitry for running a program or instructions to cause the method as described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof to be implemented, or to cause the method as described in the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof to be implemented.

[0040] Optionally, the chip may further include a memory for storing programs or instructions.

[0041] Optionally, the chip may also include transceiver circuitry, or input / output interfaces.

[0042] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the method as in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect to be implemented, or cause the method as in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect to be implemented.

[0043] Ninth aspect, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product comprising computer program code or instructions, which, when executed, cause the method as described in the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof to be implemented, or cause the method as described in the second aspect and any possible implementation thereof to be implemented.

[0044] In a tenth aspect, a communication system is provided, the communication system including means for performing the first or second aspect and any possible implementation thereof. Attached Figure Description

[0045] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of several scenarios in which the technical solution of this application can be applied;

[0046] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the signal transmission process without timing advance.

[0047] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the signal transmission process for timing advance;

[0048] Figure 4 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the first frame structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in another embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0052] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0053] Before introducing the communication method and related apparatus provided in the embodiments of this application, the following points should be noted:

[0054] First, the use of prefixes such as "first" and "second" in this application is solely for the purpose of distinguishing and describing different things belonging to the same category, and does not constrain the order, size, or quantity of things. For example, "first information" and "second information" are simply different pieces of information, and there is no temporal sequence, size, or priority relationship between them.

[0055] Second, in this application, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "send first information to a terminal device" can be understood as the destination of the information being the terminal device, which may include direct transmission via the air interface or indirect transmission via the air interface from other units or modules. "Receive first information from a network device" can be understood as the source of the first information being the network device, which may include direct reception from the network device via the air interface or indirect reception from the network device via the air interface from other units or modules. "Send" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receive" can also be understood as the "input" of the chip interface.

[0056] In other words, sending and receiving can occur between devices, such as between terminal devices and network devices; or they can occur within a device, such as between components, modules, chips, software modules, or hardware modules within a device via a bus, wiring, or interface.

[0057] Third, in this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following related objects, but it does not exclude the possibility of indicating an "and" relationship; the specific meaning can be understood in context. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: 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.

[0058] Fourth, in this application, the indication includes direct indication (also known as explicit indication) and indirect indication (also known as implicit indication). Direct indication information A refers to information A; indirect indication information A can refer to indicating information A through the correspondence between information A and information B and direct indication information B; or it can refer to indicating information A through a preset rule that can be used to determine A based on B and direct indication information B. The correspondence between information A and information B, and the preset rule, can be predefined, pre-stored, pre-burned, or pre-configured.

[0059] Fifth, in the embodiments of this application, "when," "if," and "if" all refer to the device making corresponding processing under certain objective circumstances, and are not limited to a time, nor do they require the device to make a judgment action when it is implemented, nor do they mean that there are other limitations.

[0060] Sixth, for ease of understanding, the method provided in this application is described in terms of multiple accompanying drawings. These drawings are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the application in any way. For example, the order of steps shown in the drawings may be modified according to their functions and internal logic; or, for example, all steps in the drawings may be performed, or only a portion of them may be performed, as long as the same function as in the embodiments of this application can be achieved.

[0061] Seventh, in this application, the words "example," "exemplarily," "for example," or "such as" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design described as "example," "exemplarily," "for example," or "such as" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the words "example," "exemplarily," "for example," or "such as" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0062] The technical solutions provided in this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) systems, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) systems, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, Advanced Long Term Evolution (LTE-A) systems, New Radio (NR) systems, evolution systems of NR systems, LTE-based access to unlicensed spectrum (LTE-U) systems, NR-based access to unlicensed spectrum (NR-U) systems, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) systems, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), and Wireless Fidelity (WF). Fidelity (WiFi), 5th-Generation (5G) communication systems or other communication systems, or future communication systems (such as 6th-generation communication systems), etc.

[0063] The terminal equipment involved in the embodiments of this application may also be referred to as user equipment (UE), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device. Terminal equipment can be a device that provides voice and / or data connectivity to a user, such as a handheld device with wireless connectivity, vehicle-mounted equipment, etc.Currently, examples of terminals include: mobile phones, tablets, laptops, PDAs, mobile internet devices (MIDs), wearable devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical surgery, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, cellular phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, wearable devices, terminal devices in 5G networks, or future public land mobile communication networks. Terminal devices in a network (PLMN), etc., are not limited to this in the embodiments of this application.

[0064] As an example, and not a limitation, terminal devices can also be IoT nodes. IoT is an important component of future information technology development. Its main technical characteristic is connecting objects to networks via communication technologies, thereby achieving intelligent networks that enable human-machine and machine-to-machine interconnection. Connectivity can be achieved through broadband or narrowband technologies. IoT technology, for example, can achieve massive connectivity, deep coverage, and low terminal power consumption through narrowband (NB) technology. IoT technologies include reflective communication, spread spectrum, and ultra-wideband (UWB), which will not be elaborated further.

[0065] By way of example and not limitation, in this embodiment, the terminal device can also be a wearable device. Wearable devices, also known as wearable smart devices, are a general term for devices that utilize wearable technology to intelligently design and develop everyday wearables, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothing, and shoes. Wearable devices are portable devices that are worn directly on the body or integrated into the user's clothing or accessories. Wearable devices are not merely hardware devices, but also achieve powerful functions through software support, data interaction, and cloud interaction. Broadly speaking, wearable smart devices include those that are feature-rich, large in size, and can achieve complete or partial functions without relying on a smartphone, such as smartwatches or smart glasses, as well as those that focus on a specific type of application function and require the use of other devices such as smartphones, such as various smart bracelets and smart jewelry for vital sign monitoring.

[0066] In this embodiment, the device for implementing the functions of the terminal device can be the terminal device itself, or it can be any device capable of supporting the terminal device in implementing those functions, such as a chip system. This device can be installed in or used in conjunction with the terminal device. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete components. This embodiment only uses the terminal device as an example to illustrate the device for implementing the functions of the terminal device, and does not constitute a limitation on the solution of this embodiment.

[0067] Non-terrestrial communication, such as satellite communication, has unique characteristics compared to terrestrial communication. For example, by introducing non-terrestrial communication such as satellites and drones, communication services can be provided not only to areas such as oceans and forests that are not covered by terrestrial communication networks, but also the reliability of 5G communication can be enhanced, such as ensuring that users on airplanes, trains, and other modes of transportation receive higher-quality communication services. Furthermore, it can provide more data transmission resources for 5G communication, improving network speed. Therefore, simultaneously supporting communication with terrestrial and non-terrestrial base stations such as satellites and drones is an inevitable trend for future 5G communication, offering significant benefits in terms of wide coverage, reliability, multiple connections, and high throughput.

[0068] Figure 1 illustrates a communication scenario in which embodiments of this application can be applied.

[0069] As shown in Figure 1(a), the base station is deployed on the ground, and the satellite is connected to the ground station through an air interface. The ground station can be connected to the base station through a wireless or wired link. The ground terminal accesses the mobile communication network through the air interface (which can be of various types, such as the 5G air interface), and the satellite, as a transmission node, forwards the information of the terminal device.

[0070] As shown in Figure 1(b), the base station is deployed on a satellite. The satellite connects to the ground station via an air interface, and the ground station connects to the core network via a wireless or wired link. Ground terminals communicate with the satellite base station via the air interface to access the mobile communication network. The satellite, acting as a base station, connects to the ground station via the air interface NG interface, and the ground station connects to the core network via the NG interface, which can be either wireless or wired.

[0071] As shown in Figure 1(c), compared with Figure 1(b), a communication scenario between satellite base stations has been added. Specifically, satellite base stations can communicate with each other through the Xn interface.

[0072] In the scenarios shown in Figure 1, the terminals can include various types of terminals that support the new air interface, such as the types of terminals listed above. The terminals can access the satellite network via the air interface and initiate services such as making calls and accessing the internet.

[0073] Base stations are mainly used to provide wireless access services, allocate wireless resources to accessing terminal devices, and provide reliable wireless transmission protocols and data encryption protocols.

[0074] The core network includes services such as user access control, mobility management, session management, user security authentication, and accounting. It consists of multiple functional units, which can be divided into control plane and data plane functional entities. The Access and Mobility Management Unit (AMF) is responsible for user access management, security authentication, and mobility management. The User Plane Function (UPF) is responsible for managing user plane data transmission, traffic statistics, and other functions.

[0075] Ground stations are primarily responsible for relaying signaling and service data between satellites and base stations, or between satellites and the core network.

[0076] Air interface: refers to the wireless link between the terminal and the base station.

[0077] Xn interface: This refers to the interface between base stations, which is mainly used for signaling interactions such as handover.

[0078] NG interface: This refers to the interface between the base station and the core network, which mainly exchanges signaling such as NAS of the core network and user service data.

[0079] Before introducing the embodiments of this application, some terms used in this application will be explained to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0080] 1) Staring Beam: A staring beam means that the satellite's beam always serves a specific area during the satellite's movement. The network side continuously adjusts the beam's direction according to the satellite's movement needs to ensure that the specific area is covered by the satellite's beam for a period of time when the satellite is visible.

[0081] 2) Non-staring beam: A non-staring beam means that the direction of the satellite beam hardly changes during the satellite's motion, and the area served by the beam moves with the satellite's motion.

[0082] 3) Guard band: The guard band is generally a protection interval for switching from downlink time domain resources to uplink time domain resources, used to separate downlink time domain resources and uplink time domain resources.

[0083] 4) Time unit: This can be a slot, subframe, symbol, or other time unit to be defined in the future. It should be noted that a time unit is a unit of measurement in the time domain and is not necessarily the smallest time unit. In the embodiments of this application, the time unit used for downlink transmission is also called the downlink time unit, and the time unit used for uplink transmission is also called the uplink time unit.

[0084] 5) Frame or wireless frame: The transmission unit in wireless communication.

[0085] 6) Frame structure: Also known as wireless frame structure, it is a feature of the physical layer of wireless communication that defines the time-domain signal transmission structure. Network devices and terminals can communicate wirelessly using the time-domain resources constrained by the frame structure.

[0086] 7) GNSS: GNSS is a space-based radio navigation and positioning system that provides all-weather 3D coordinates, velocity, and time information to terminal devices at any location on the Earth's surface or in near-Earth space. GNSS can use observations such as pseudorange, ephemeris, and satellite transmission times from a set of satellites, as well as the clock bias of the terminal device, to locate the device. The terminal device can obtain GNSS measurement values ​​(also known as GNSS information) by performing GNSS measurements.

[0087] 8) Schedule in advance:

[0088] A key characteristic of uplink transmission is orthogonal multiple access in time and frequency domains between different terminals, meaning that uplink transmissions from different terminals within the same cell do not interfere with each other. To ensure the orthogonality of uplink transmission and avoid intra-cell interference, the base station requires that signals from different terminals originating from the same subframe but using different frequency domain resources arrive at the base station at essentially the same time. As long as the base station receives the uplink data transmitted by the terminal within the cyclic prefix (CP) range, it can correctly decode the uplink data.

[0089] As shown in Figure 2, due to the signal propagation delay between network devices and terminals, the interval from the start time of network device sending downlink signals to the start time of terminal 1 receiving downlink signals is T1 = d1 / c, where d1 is the distance between network device and terminal 1, and c is the signal propagation speed. For wireless communication, c is the speed of light. Similarly, T2 = d2 / c, where d2 is the distance between network device and terminal 2. If terminal 1 does not perform uplink timing adjustment and sends uplink signals to the network device with the start time of receiving downlink signals as a reference, the interval from the start time of terminal 1 sending uplink signals to the start time of network device receiving uplink signals is also T1. Therefore, for terminal 1, there is a time difference of 2T1 from the start time of network device sending downlink signals to the start time of receiving uplink signals. Similarly, for terminal 2, there is a time difference of 2T2 from the start time of network device sending downlink signals to the start time of network device receiving uplink signals. Because the distances between each terminal and the network device are different, the time for uplink signals to arrive at the network device is different, which may cause timing deviations between terminals. When the timing deviation is greater than the cyclic prefix (CP) of the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, the terminals will interfere with each other.

[0090] To resolve interference between terminals, timing adjustments, also known as timing advance (TA), are required. As shown in Figure 3, terminal 1 advances its uplink signal transmission start time by 2T1, and terminal 2 advances its uplink signal transmission start time by 2T2. The network device will then receive the uplink signals from both terminals at the same time, thus resolving the interference issue. Timing advance is sometimes also referred to as round-trip time (RTT) or round-trip delay (RTD).

[0091] As explained above regarding TA, for terminal devices, TA is essentially a negative offset between the start time of receiving downlink signals and the start time of transmitting uplink signals. Terminal devices located farther from the network equipment have a larger transmission delay and therefore need to send uplink signals earlier than terminal devices closer to the network equipment.

[0092] In some communication systems with a large RTT, such as satellite communication systems, terminals need to introduce a significant timing advance to achieve uplink synchronization. In this case, when the terminal uses timing advance to send uplink data, there may be conflicts between the transmitted uplink signal and the received downlink signal, making Time Division Duplex (TDD) unsuitable. Therefore, to avoid uplink and downlink interference caused by a large RTT, frequency division duplex (FDD) communication is commonly used between terminals and satellites in communication systems with large RTTs.

[0093] However, FDD communication does not make good use of spectrum resources, easily leading to resource waste. Furthermore, FDD uses paired spectrum, meaning it requires two sets of antennas operating in different frequency bands, increasing satellite load and power consumption. Therefore, how to implement TDD-based communication in communication systems with large RTTs, such as satellite communication, to leverage its advantages of high spectrum utilization, simple transmission and reception processing, and flexible scheduling, is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed.

[0094] In view of this, this application provides a communication method and a communication device, which introduces a frame structure suitable for communication scenarios with a long RTT. The guard band of this frame structure has a duration greater than the maximum RTT within the first coverage area, thereby avoiding uplink and downlink conflicts and improving the reliability of the communication system.

[0095] The communication method provided in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0096] Referring to Figure 4, which is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application, Figure 4 only illustrates the method from the perspective of network device and terminal interaction, and should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of this application in any way. The network in Figure 4 can be replaced by components configured in the network device (such as chips, chip systems, processors, etc.), or logical modules or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the network device; the terminal in Figure 4 can be replaced by components configured in the terminal (such as chips, chip systems, processors, etc.), or logical modules or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the terminal.

[0097] As shown in Figure 4, the method includes:

[0098] S401, the terminal device determines the first frame structure, which includes at least one downlink time unit, a guard band, and at least one uplink time unit. The at least one downlink time unit is located before the guard band, and the at least one uplink time unit is located after the guard band. Each downlink time unit in the at least one downlink time unit is used for downlink transmission, and each uplink time unit in the at least one uplink time unit is used for uplink transmission. The duration of the guard band is greater than the maximum RTT within the first coverage area, and the terminal device is located within the first coverage area.

[0099] Network devices often communicate with terminal devices based on beams. In this embodiment, the beam used by the network device to communicate with the terminal device is referred to as the first beam. Therefore, in one scenario, the first coverage area in S401 can be the coverage area of ​​the first beam. Furthermore, it is understood that each beam transmitted by the network device can cover one or more cells; that is, the coverage area of ​​each beam includes one or more cells. Therefore, in another scenario, the first coverage area in S401 can be a first cell, which is one of the multiple cells covered by the first beam, and the terminal device in S401 is located in the first cell.

[0100] Optionally, all terminal devices within the first coverage area communicate with the network device using the same first frame structure. In this case, if the first coverage area is the coverage area of ​​the first beam, the first frame structure can be considered a beam-level frame structure, or a beam-granular frame structure; while if the first coverage area is the coverage area of ​​the first cell, the first frame structure can be considered a cell-level frame structure, or a cell-granular frame structure.

[0101] In this embodiment, when the terminal device determines the first frame structure, the determined first frame structure is as shown in Figure 5, including at least one downlink time unit, a guard band, and at least one uplink time unit.

[0102] Specifically, each downlink time unit in at least one downlink time unit is used for downlink transmission, and each uplink time unit in at least one uplink time unit is used for uplink transmission. In this embodiment, at least one downlink time unit is located before the guard band, and at least one uplink time unit is located after the guard band; that is, a guard band separates at least one downlink time unit and at least one uplink time unit.

[0103] For example, uplink time units or downlink time units can be resources with different time granularities such as subframes, time slots, mini-time slots, or symbols. This embodiment does not limit the specific form of uplink time units and downlink time units.

[0104] For ease of description, in the embodiments of this application, the time resource consisting of at least one downlink time unit is also referred to as downlink time resource, and the time resource consisting of at least one uplink time unit is also referred to as uplink time resource.

[0105] Correspondingly, the first frame structure includes at least one downlink time unit, a guard band, and at least one uplink time unit. The at least one downlink time unit is located before the guard band, and the at least one uplink time unit is located after the guard band. This can also be interpreted as: the first frame structure includes downlink time resources, a guard band, and uplink time resources. The downlink time resources include at least one consecutive downlink time unit, and the uplink time resources include at least one consecutive uplink time unit. The downlink time resources are located before the guard band, and the uplink time resources are located after the guard band.

[0106] Understandably, when the terminal device and the network device communicate using the first frame structure provided in this embodiment, downlink transmission between the network device and the terminal device can only be performed before the guard band, and uplink transmission between the network device and the terminal device can only be performed after the guard band.

[0107] In this embodiment of the application, in order to avoid uplink and downlink conflicts caused by the terminal device using timing advance, the duration of the guard band in the first frame structure determined by the terminal device needs to be greater than the maximum RTT within the first coverage area.

[0108] Understandably, when the length of the guard band exceeds the maximum RTT within the first coverage area, the RTT from any terminal device covered by the first coverage area to the network device will be less than the maximum RTT. Thus, after any terminal device within the coverage area of ​​the first coverage area advances its timing, it will not fall within the downlink time unit for receiving downlink signals before the guard band. Therefore, when the terminal device in this embodiment sends an uplink signal to the network device based on the first frame structure, the problem of uplink and downlink conflict can be avoided.

[0109] For example, when the first coverage area is the coverage area of ​​the first beam, the maximum RTT within the first coverage area is the RTT of the ground point farthest from the network device within the ground coverage area of ​​the first beam.

[0110] For example, when the first coverage area is the coverage area of ​​the first cell, the maximum RTT within the first coverage area is the RTT of the ground point farthest from the network device within the ground coverage area of ​​the first cell.

[0111] It should be noted that the aforementioned first coverage area can also be the coverage area of ​​the terminal device communicating with the network device. Here, the coverage area of ​​the terminal device can be understood as the location of the terminal device. Correspondingly, in this scenario, the duration of the guard band is greater than the maximum RTT within the first coverage area, which can be interpreted as: the duration of the guard band is greater than the RRT between the terminal device and the network device. Understandably, in this scenario, the first frame structure can be considered a UE-level frame structure, or a UE-granular frame structure.

[0112] Understandably, the duration of the protection band in this embodiment is determined based on the maximum RTT within the first coverage area. When the maximum RTT within the first coverage area is relatively large, the duration of the protection band is also relatively large.

[0113] Optionally, the first frame structure is relatively long, much longer than the 10ms frame length in existing standards. Its main purpose is to reduce the overhead of the guard band relative to the entire frame. The duration of uplink and downlink time resources in the first frame structure determined by the terminal device can be longer, thereby reducing the proportion of the guard band relative to the entire frame and minimizing resource waste. For example, in this embodiment, the duration of the first frame structure is 40ms, of which the guard band duration is 20ms, and the uplink and downlink time resources are each 10ms. The uplink time resources include 10 uplink time units, each lasting 1 second, and the downlink time resources include 10 downlink time units, each lasting 1 second.

[0114] In this embodiment, the terminal device determines the first frame structure by: determining the duration of the first frame structure, the duration of the guard band, and the position of the guard band within the first frame structure. Understandably, once the terminal device determines the duration of the first frame structure, the duration of the guard band, and the position of the guard band within the first frame structure, the duration occupied by at least one uplink time unit (i.e., the duration of uplink time resources) and the duration occupied by at least one downlink time unit (i.e., the duration of downlink time resources) are also determined.

[0115] In this embodiment, the position of the protective strip in the first frame structure includes the start position and the end position of the protective strip in the first frame structure.

[0116] It should be noted that this embodiment does not limit the way the terminal device determines the structure of the first frame.

[0117] In the first implementation, the network device sends first information to the terminal device. The first information is used by the terminal device to determine the first frame structure. The first information includes the following information: the duration of the first frame structure, information for determining the duration of the guard band and the position of the guard band in the first frame structure, and information for indicating the duration of uplink time resource occupation and the duration of downlink time resource occupation.

[0118] For example, the information used to determine the position of the guard band in the first frame structure is the end position information of the downlink time resource. Correspondingly, the terminal device determines the end position of the downlink time resource based on the end position information of the downlink time resource, and determines the end position of the downlink time resource as the start point of the guard band. Furthermore, the end position of the guard band is obtained based on the duration of the guard band, thereby obtaining the guard band and the uplink time resource in the first frame structure.

[0119] For example, the information used to determine the position of the guard band in the first frame structure is the starting position information of the uplink time resource. Correspondingly, the terminal device determines the starting position of the uplink time resource based on the starting position information of the uplink time resource, and determines the starting position of the uplink time resource as the end point of the guard band. Further, the starting position of the guard band is obtained based on the duration of the guard band, thereby obtaining the guard band and the downlink time resource in the first frame structure.

[0120] For example, the information indicating the duration of uplink time resource occupation and the duration of downlink time resource occupation is the proportion of the duration of uplink time resource occupation and the duration of downlink time resource occupation in the duration of the first frame structure.

[0121] For example, the information indicating the duration of uplink time resource occupation and the duration of downlink time resource occupation is the ratio of the duration of uplink time resource occupation to the duration of downlink time resource occupation.

[0122] For example, a network device can configure a terminal device to have a first frame length of 40ms, a guard band length of 20ms, and an uplink / downlink ratio of 1:1. Then the terminal device can determine that the first frame structure includes 10ms of downlink, 20ms of guard band, and 10ms of downlink.

[0123] For example, when a network device indicates the duration of a guard band, it can indicate the duration of the guard band, such as 20ms, or it can indicate the specific number of time units. Correspondingly, the terminal device determines the duration of the guard band based on the indicated number of time units. For example, if the network device indicates that there are 2 time units, and 1 time unit is 10ms, then the terminal device determines the duration of the guard band to be 20ms.

[0124] For example, the network device sends the first information to the terminal device in SIB signaling. It should be understood that this is merely an example of using SIB signaling to carry the first information and should not be construed as limiting this application in any way. For instance, the first information can also be carried in any known or unknown (newly added) signaling. For example, the first information can also be carried in UE-level signaling such as RRC, DCI, or MAC CE.

[0125] In the second implementation, the duration of the first frame structure, the duration of the guard band, the position of the guard band in the first frame structure, the duration of uplink time resource occupation, and the duration of downlink time resource occupation are agreed upon by the protocol.

[0126] For example, taking the duration of the first frame structure as an example, the protocol stipulates that the duration of the frame structure used is 40ms.

[0127] For example, the duration of uplink time resource usage can be agreed to be the same as the duration of downlink time resource usage, or a ratio between them can be agreed upon.

[0128] For example, the duration of the guard band is the maximum RTT within the first coverage area plus a value of #1. In this implementation, the network device can indicate the first coverage area to the terminal device, and correspondingly, the terminal device determines the maximum RTT within the first coverage area based on the first coverage area indicated by the network device.

[0129] In the third implementation, the protocol specifies a table and the network device indicates an index.

[0130] For example, network devices and terminal devices can agree on a table that defines the duration of frame structures used in different communication scenarios. Then, after determining the duration of the first frame structure to use based on the current communication scenario, the network device indicates the index of the duration of the first frame structure in the table to the terminal device, and the terminal device determines the duration of the first frame structure based on that index value.

[0131] For example, the communication scenarios here could be terrestrial communication scenarios, satellite communication scenarios, maritime communication scenarios, etc.

[0132] For example, network devices and terminal devices can agree on a table that defines different proportions of uplink and downlink time resources. Then, after determining the proportion of uplink and downlink time resources to be used, the network device indicates the index of the proportion in the table to the terminal device. The terminal device then determines the duration of the uplink and downlink time resources based on the index value.

[0133] For example, the network device and the terminal device can agree on a table defining multiple offsets between the guard band duration and the maximum RTT within a first coverage area. Then, after determining the offset to be used, the network device indicates the index of that offset in the table to the terminal device. The terminal device then determines the guard band duration based on that index value and the maximum RTT within the first coverage area. In this example, the network device can indicate the first coverage area to the terminal device, and correspondingly, the terminal device determines the maximum RTT within the first coverage area based on the first coverage area indicated by the network device.

[0134] In the fourth implementation, the protocol specifies a table, and the terminal device determines the duration of the first frame structure, the duration of the guard band, and the position of the guard band in the first frame structure based on the table, indicating the information on the duration of uplink time resource occupation and the duration of downlink time resource occupation.

[0135] For example, network devices and terminal devices can agree on a table that defines the duration of frame structures used in different communication scenarios. Then, both the network device and the terminal device determine the duration of the first frame structure based on the current communication scenario.

[0136] In the fifth implementation, some information regarding the duration of the first frame structure, the duration of the guard band, the position of the guard band within the first frame structure, the duration of uplink time resource occupation, and the duration of downlink time resource occupation is indicated by the network device, while other information is determined through protocol agreement or tables. The methods of network device indication, protocol agreement, or table-based determination are analogous to the first four implementations and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0137] S402, terminal devices and network devices communicate using the first frame structure.

[0138] For example, when a terminal device and a network device communicate using a first frame structure, the terminal device sends an uplink signal to the network device using the first frame structure. Correspondingly, the network device receives the uplink signal sent by the terminal device using the first frame structure.

[0139] For example, the network device transmits downlink signals to the terminal device using a first frame structure. Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the downlink signals transmitted by the network device using the first frame structure. For example, the network device transmits downlink signals in a first downlink time unit within the first frame structure. Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the downlink signals transmitted by the network device in a second downlink time unit within the first frame structure, where the first and second downlink time units are located within downlink time resources.

[0140] In this technical solution, since the duration of the guard band in the first frame structure is greater than the maximum RTT within the first coverage area when the terminal device and the network device communicate based on the first frame structure, the conflict between the uplink signal sent by the terminal device and the downlink signal sent by the network device can be avoided. On the other hand, in this technical solution, the positions of the uplink and downlink and the guard band are fixed, the relative ratio configuration is simple, the signaling overhead is small, and the length of the uplink and downlink can be flexibly configured according to the uplink and downlink services.

[0141] As shown in the embodiment of Figure 4, when the terminal device determines the structure of the first frame, the size of the guard band is determined based on the maximum RTT within the first coverage area. The first coverage area may change, causing the maximum RTT within the first coverage area to change. For example, when the terminal device communicates with the network device based on the first beam, if the elevation angle range (the angle range between the emitted beam and the horizontal plane) of the first beam transmitted by the network device is different, the coverage area of ​​the first beam will be different, resulting in different maximum RTTs. That is, the maximum RTT corresponding to different elevation angle ranges of the first beam will change. Understandably, frequent updates to the guard band duration lead to higher power consumption of the terminal device. Therefore, the communication method provided in this application embodiment may further include: the network device sending second information to the terminal device, the second information being used to indicate a first period for updating the guard band duration; correspondingly, the terminal device updating the first frame structure based on the second information. Wherein, the terminal device updating the first frame structure based on the second information means that the terminal device redetermines the guard band duration based on the first period to update the guard band duration, thereby updating the first frame structure.

[0142] For example, the first cycle can be determined by the network device based on the track height, with different first cycles configured for different track heights. Optionally, in another implementation, the terminal device and the network device can also agree on the first cycle for updating the guard band. In this case, the network device may not need to indicate the first cycle for updating the guard band to the terminal device.

[0143] Optionally, the duration of uplink and downlink time resources in the embodiment of Figure 4 can also change dynamically. For example, the network device sends third information to the terminal device, which indicates a second period for updating the duration of uplink and downlink time resources; correspondingly, the terminal device updates the first frame structure based on the third information. That is, the terminal device re-determines the duration of uplink and downlink time resources based on the second period, thereby updating the first frame structure. Optionally, in another implementation, the terminal device and the network device can also agree on a second period for updating the duration of uplink and downlink time resources. In this case, the network device may not need to indicate the second period to the terminal device.

[0144] Understandably, through the aforementioned second or third cycle, the terminal device only acquires the data during each update cycle (the second or third cycle), meaning that one update cycle can serve as the time granularity for changes in the first frame structure. This eliminates the need for the terminal device to adjust the frame structure in real-time, thereby reducing the terminal device's power consumption.

[0145] Optionally, the communication method provided in this application embodiment further includes: the network device sending four pieces of information to the terminal device, the fourth pieces of information being used to indicate the offset between the first time when the terminal device, scheduled by the network device, sends an uplink signal and the second time when the terminal device receives a downlink signal sent by the network device; the terminal device determining the first time based on the offset.

[0146] The first time when the network device schedules the terminal device to send the uplink signal can be interpreted as the first time when the network device receives the uplink signal sent by the terminal device.

[0147] Understandably, once the terminal device determines the first time, it can send the uplink signal in advance so that the uplink signal can reach the network device as soon as possible.

[0148] The scheduling delay parameter in existing standards is determined based on the round-trip time between the terminal device and the network device. Specifically, the scheduling delay parameter in existing standards indicates the offset between the time when the terminal device sends an uplink signal scheduled by the network device and the time when the terminal device receives a downlink signal sent by the network device. In this embodiment, the duration between the time when the terminal device receives the downlink signal sent by the network device and the time when the terminal device sends an uplink signal scheduled by the network device is also called the scheduling duration. It is understandable that if the uplink or downlink time resources are too long, for example, in this embodiment, there may be long downlink signals, guard bands, and uplink signals. In this case, a problem may arise: the scheduling duration is too large, and the existing standard cannot indicate the scheduling duration. This can also be interpreted as the scheduling delay parameter supported by the existing standard not being able to cover such a large scheduling duration. Therefore, in one implementation, when the fourth information in this embodiment indicates the offset, the offset is equal to the difference between the scheduling duration and the maximum offset that can be indicated by the scheduling delay parameter in the existing standard. Correspondingly, after receiving the fourth information, the terminal device determines the scheduling duration based on the maximum offset that can be indicated by the scheduling delay parameter in the existing standard and the offset indicated by the fourth information. For example, the magnitude of the offset indicated by the fourth information is the duration of the downlink time resource or uplink time resource in the first frame structure.

[0149] Since network devices do not schedule data during the guard band, terminal devices do not need to listen for downlink signals during the guard band. Therefore, as an optional embodiment, the terminal device in this application embodiment can also hibernate during the first time period; or, the terminal device can also perform GNSS measurements during the first time period. The first time period is the period between the third time after the terminal device finishes sending the uplink signal and the fourth time after it next receives the downlink signal sent by the network device. It can be understood that the first time period is also the period between the time the terminal device finishes sending the uplink signal while within the guard band and the time the terminal device next detects the network device.

[0150] Understandably, a scheme where the terminal device sleeps during the first time period can reduce its power consumption. The terminal device only listens for downlink signals sent by the network device during downlink time periods. For example, the signals sent by the network device are control signals.

[0151] In the scheme where the terminal device performs GNSS measurements within the first time period, for example, the terminal device starts a GNSS timer to perform GNSS measurements immediately after transmitting the uplink signal, or the terminal device starts GNSS measurements after a certain time offset after transmitting the uplink signal. Optionally, the terminal device can also indicate to the network device whether it has performed GNSS measurements within the guard band when sending the uplink signal. Understandably, in this scheme, since the terminal device can still perform GNSS measurements within the first time period, resource waste can be reduced.

[0152] Optionally, the duration of the guard band in the first frame structure of the embodiment in Figure 4 can also be determined based on the time required for the terminal device to perform GNSS measurements. For example, when determining the duration of the guard band, the duration of the guard band can cover the time required for the terminal device to perform GNSS measurements. That is, the time period for performing GNSS measurements is located within the guard band.

[0153] The communication method of the embodiments of this application has been described in detail above. The communication device provided by the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to FIG6 and FIG7.

[0154] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the device 600 includes a processing module 601 and a transceiver module 602.

[0155] For example, in an embodiment of the first device, device 600 is applied to a terminal device.

[0156] Specifically, the processing module 601 is used to determine the first frame structure, which includes at least one downlink time unit, a guard band, and at least one uplink time unit. The at least one downlink time unit is located before the guard band, and the at least one uplink time unit is located after the guard band. Each downlink time unit in the at least one downlink time unit is used for downlink transmission, and each uplink time unit in the at least one uplink time unit is used for uplink transmission. The duration of the guard band is greater than the maximum RTT within the first coverage area, and the terminal device is located within the first coverage area. The transceiver module 602 is used to communicate using the first frame structure.

[0157] In one possible implementation, the first coverage area is the coverage area of ​​the first beam or the coverage area of ​​the first cell; the first beam is the beam used by the network device to communicate with the terminal device, the first cell is one of the multiple cells covered by the first beam, and the terminal device is located in the first cell.

[0158] In one possible implementation, the processing module 601 is further configured to: determine the duration of the first frame structure, the duration of the guard band, and the position of the guard band in the first frame structure.

[0159] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 601 is further configured to: receive first information sent by the network device, the first information being used by the terminal device to determine the structure of the first frame, the first information including one or more of the following: the duration of the first frame structure, information for determining the duration of the guard band and the position of the guard band in the first frame structure, and information for indicating the duration occupied by at least one uplink time unit and the duration occupied by at least one downlink time unit.

[0160] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 602 is further configured to: receive second information sent by the network device, the second information being used to indicate a first cycle for updating the guard band; and the processing module 601 is further configured to: update the first frame structure based on the second information.

[0161] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 602 is further configured to: receive third information sent by the network device, the third information being used to indicate a second period for updating the duration occupied by at least one uplink time unit and the duration occupied by at least one downlink time unit; the processing module 601 is further configured to: update the first frame structure based on the third information.

[0162] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 602 is further configured to: receive fourth information sent by the network device, the fourth information being used to indicate the offset between the first time when the terminal device scheduled by the network device sends an uplink signal and the second time when the terminal device receives a downlink signal sent by the network device; the processing module 601 is further configured to: determine the first time based on the offset.

[0163] In one possible implementation, the terminal device is in a power-saving mode or performs GNSS measurements during a first time period. The first time period is the period between the third time after the terminal device finishes sending the uplink signal and the fourth time after it receives the downlink signal from the network device. The first time period is within the guard band.

[0164] In one possible implementation, the duration of the guard band is also determined based on the time required for the terminal equipment to perform GNSS measurements.

[0165] For example, in an embodiment of the second device, device 600 is applied to a network device.

[0166] Specifically, the transceiver module 602 communicates with the terminal device using a first frame structure. The first frame structure includes at least one downlink time unit, a guard band, and at least one uplink time unit. The at least one downlink time unit is located before the guard band, and the at least one uplink time unit is located after the guard band. Each downlink time unit in the at least one downlink time unit is used for downlink transmission, and each uplink time unit in the at least one uplink time unit is used for uplink transmission. The duration of the guard band is greater than the maximum round-trip time (RTT) within the first coverage area, and the terminal device is located within the first coverage area.

[0167] In one possible implementation, the first coverage area is the coverage area of ​​the first beam or the coverage area of ​​the first cell; the first beam is the beam used when the network device communicates with the terminal device, the first cell is one of the multiple cells covered by the first beam, and the terminal device is located in the first cell.

[0168] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 602 is further configured to: send first information to the terminal device, the first information being used by the terminal device to determine the first frame structure, the first information including one or more of the following: the duration of the first frame structure, information for determining the duration of the guard band and the position of the guard band in the first frame structure, and information for indicating the duration occupied by at least one uplink time unit and the duration occupied by at least one downlink time unit.

[0169] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 602 is further configured to: send second information to the terminal device, the second information being used to indicate a first cycle of the duration for updating the protection band.

[0170] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 602 is further configured to: send third information to the terminal device, the third information being used to indicate a second cycle for updating the duration occupied by at least one uplink time unit and the duration occupied by at least one downlink time unit.

[0171] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 602 is further configured to: send fourth information to the terminal device, the fourth information being used to indicate the offset between the first time when the terminal device, scheduled by the network device, sends an uplink signal and the second time when the terminal device receives a downlink signal sent by the network device.

[0172] In one possible implementation, the duration of the guard band is also determined based on the time required for the terminal equipment to perform GNSS measurements.

[0173] Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The device shown in Figure 7 can be used to perform the methods described in the foregoing embodiments.

[0174] As shown in Figure 7, the device 700 of this embodiment includes a memory 701 and a processor 702. In one implementation, the device 700 further includes a communication interface 703 and a bus 704. The memory 701, processor 702, and communication interface 703 are interconnected via the bus 704.

[0175] The memory 701 can be a read-only memory (ROM), a static storage device, a dynamic storage device, or a random access memory (RAM). The memory 701 can store programs, and when the program stored in the memory 701 is executed by the processor 702, the processor 702 performs the various steps of the method shown in FIG4.

[0176] The processor 702 may be a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), microprocessor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits, used to execute relevant programs to implement the method shown in FIG4 of the embodiment of this application.

[0177] The processor 702 can also be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, each step of the method in Figure 4 of this embodiment can be accomplished through integrated logic circuits in the processor 702 or through software instructions.

[0178] The processor 702 described above can also be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or a conventional processor, etc.

[0179] The steps of the method disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly implemented by a hardware decoding processor, or implemented by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software modules can reside in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. This storage medium is located in memory 701. The processor 702 reads the information in memory 701 and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the functions required by the units included in the device of this application. For example, it can execute the various steps / functions of the embodiment shown in FIG4.

[0180] The communication interface 703 can use, but is not limited to, transceivers to enable communication between the device 700 and other devices or communication networks.

[0181] Bus 704 may include a pathway for transmitting information between various components of device 700 (e.g., memory 701, processor 702, communication interface 703).

[0182] It should be understood that the device 700 shown in the embodiments of this application can be an electronic device, or it can be a chip configured in an electronic device. The device 700 can be deployed in a terminal device, or it can be deployed in a network device.

[0183] The above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, by software, hardware, firmware, or any other combination thereof. When implemented using software, the above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions or computer programs. When the computer instructions or computer programs are loaded or executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be a usable medium accessible to a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center containing one or more sets of usable media. The usable medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium. A semiconductor medium can be a solid-state drive.

[0184] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article 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 existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. A and B can be singular or plural. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following related objects, but it can also represent an "and / or" relationship. Please refer to the context for a more accurate understanding.

[0185] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "At least one 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 mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0186] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not limit the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0187] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0188] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0189] In the several 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. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0190] 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 to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0191] In addition, 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.

[0192] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a 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 storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory, random access memory, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: The application is applied to a terminal device, comprising: determining a first frame structure, the first frame structure comprising at least one downlink time unit, a guard band and at least one uplink time unit, the at least one downlink time unit being located before the guard band, the at least one uplink time unit being located after the guard band, each of the at least one downlink time unit being used for downlink transmission, each of the at least one uplink time unit being used for uplink transmission, the guard band having a time length greater than a maximum round trip time RTT in a first coverage range, the terminal device being located in the first coverage range; communicating by using the first frame structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The first coverage range is a coverage range of a first beam or a coverage range of a first cell; The first beam is a beam used by a network device when communicating with the terminal device, and the first cell is one of a plurality of cells covered by the first beam, and the terminal device is located in the first cell.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The determination of the first frame structure comprises: determining a time length of the first frame structure, a time length of the guard band and a position of the guard band in the first frame structure.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving first information sent by a network device, the first information being used by the terminal device to determine the first frame structure, and the first information comprising one or more of the following information: a time length of the first frame structure, information used to determine a time length of the guard band and a position of the guard band in the first frame structure, and information used to indicate a time length occupied by the at least one uplink time unit and a time length occupied by the at least one downlink time unit.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The method further comprises: receiving second information sent by a network device, the second information being used to indicate a first period in which the time length of the guard band is updated; updating the first frame structure based on the second information.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving third information sent by a network device, the third information being used to indicate a second period in which a time length occupied by the at least one uplink time unit and a time length occupied by the at least one downlink time unit are updated; updating the first frame structure based on the third information.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method further comprises: receiving fourth information sent by a network device, the fourth information being used to indicate an offset between a first time at which the terminal device transmits an uplink signal and a second time at which the terminal device receives a downlink signal sent by the network device; determining the first time based on the offset.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, The terminal device is in a power saving mode or performs a global navigation satellite system GNSS measurement in a first period, the first period being a period between a third time at which the terminal device transmits the uplink signal and a fourth time at which the terminal device next receives a downlink signal sent by the network device, and the first time being located in the guard band.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, The time length of the guard band is further determined based on a time length required by the terminal device to perform the GNSS measurement.

10. A communication method characterized by comprising: The application is applied to a network device, comprising: communicating with a terminal device by using a first frame structure; The first frame structure comprises at least one downlink time unit, a guard band and at least one uplink time unit, the at least one downlink time unit is located before the guard band, the at least one uplink time unit is located after the guard band, each of the at least one downlink time unit is used for downlink transmission, each of the at least one uplink time unit is used for uplink transmission, and a length of the guard band is greater than a maximum round trip time RTT in a first coverage range, and the terminal device is located in the first coverage range.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, The first coverage range is a coverage range of a first beam or a coverage range of a first cell. The first beam is a beam used by the network device to communicate with the terminal device, and the first cell is one of a plurality of cells covered by the first beam, and the terminal device is located in the first cell.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The method further comprises: sending first information to the terminal device, the first information being used by the terminal device to determine the first frame structure, and the first information comprising one or more of the following information: a length of the first frame structure, information used to determine a length of the guard band and a location of the guard band in the first frame structure, and information used to indicate a length of the at least one uplink time unit and a length of the at least one downlink time unit.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, The method further comprises: sending second information to the terminal device, the second information being used to indicate a first period in which the length of the guard band is updated.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein, The method further comprises: sending third information to the terminal device, the third information being used to indicate a second period in which the length of the at least one uplink time unit and the length of the at least one downlink time unit are updated.

15. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that, The method further comprises: sending fourth information to the terminal device, the fourth information being used to indicate an offset between a first time at which the terminal device transmits an uplink signal and a second time at which the terminal device receives a downlink signal transmitted by the network device.

16. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that, The length of the guard band is further determined based on a length of time required by the terminal device to perform a global navigation satellite system GNSS measurement.

17. A communications device, characterized by The apparatus comprises a module for performing the method of any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. A communications device, characterized by The apparatus comprises one or more processors and a communication circuit, the communication circuit being used by the apparatus to at least one of input or output signals, and the one or more processors being used to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 16.

19. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer readable storage medium is used to store a program or instructions, when the program or instructions are run on a computer, the computer is caused to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 16.

20. A computer program product, characterised in that, The computer program product comprises computer program code, when the computer program code is run on a computer, the computer is caused to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 16.

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