Communication method, and apparatus

Abstract

A communication method, and an apparatus. The method comprises: a first apparatus determining a first paging occasion within a DRX period; and if the first paging occasion is within the time when the first apparatus is covered by a downlink signal, the first apparatus detecting a paging message on the first paging occasion, wherein the downlink signal is from a non-terrestrial communication apparatus. In embodiments of the present application, a first apparatus can perform detection on a paging occasion at which a paging message can be received, and the first apparatus cannot perform detection on a paging occasion at which the paging message cannot be received. Therefore, the power consumption of the first apparatus can be reduced, and the usage duration and the service life of the first apparatus can be prolonged.

Description

Communication method and apparatus

[0001] Cross-reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese Patent Application No. 202410905881.5, filed on July 5, 2024, and entitled "A Communication Method and Apparatus", the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular, to a communication method and apparatus. BACKGROUND

[0004] In a satellite communication scenario, a satellite can cover thousands of square kilometers. In the process of moving or communication, the satellite usually has limited time to directly communicate with a ground terminal, and it cannot be guaranteed that the terminal can be provided with signals and services at all times.

[0005] Currently, in a ground communication system, when a base station pages a terminal, according to service requirements, the base station can page a message in a paging cycle at an equal probability at any time. In a satellite scenario, the time when the satellite sends a paging message is likely to be a time when the terminal is not covered by a satellite signal, and the terminal cannot receive the paging message at this time. In this case, the terminal consumes power unnecessarily when detecting the paging message. SUMMARY

[0006] Embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and apparatus for reducing power consumption of a terminal.

[0007] In a first aspect, a first communication method is provided, which can be applied to a first apparatus. The first apparatus is, for example, a terminal-side apparatus, which is also referred to as a terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus is, for example, a terminal device, or another device including a terminal device function, or a circuit, or a chip system (or a chip, such as a modem chip, also referred to as a baseband chip, or a system on chip (SoC) chip or a system in package (SIP) chip containing a modem core) or another functional module, which can implement the function of a terminal device, and is, for example, arranged in a terminal device. The method includes: determining a first paging occasion (PO) in a DRX cycle; and if the first paging occasion is located in a time when the first apparatus is covered by a downlink signal from a non-terrestrial communication apparatus, detecting a paging message at the first paging occasion.

[0008] In the embodiments of the present application, if the first paging occasion is located in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, the first device can detect the paging message at the first paging occasion. It can be understood that the first device can detect at the paging occasion at which the paging message can be received, and the first device can not detect at the paging occasion at which the paging message cannot be received (for example, the paging occasion located in the time when the first device is not covered by the downlink signal). In this way, the power consumption of the first device can be reduced, and the service life of the first device can be prolonged.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, the method further comprises: if the first paging occasion is located in the time when the first device is not covered by the downlink signal, determining the paging occasion in the next DRX cycle. That is, the first device can determine the paging occasion in one or more DRX cycles to find the paging occasion at which the paging message can be detected, so as to improve the probability of successful paging of the first device.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal is periodic, wherein the length of the DRX cycle is different from that of the period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, and / or the offset of the start time domain position of the DRX cycle is different from that of the period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal. The time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal can be periodic, or the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal can also be aperiodic or irregular. If the DRX cycle of the first device completely overlaps with the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, the first device can not be paged at all in the inactive time. Therefore, if the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal is periodic, the DRX cycle can be optionally offset in the time domain from the downlink signal coverage period. If the two periods are offset in the time domain, even if the paging occasion of the first device in a DRX cycle is located in the time when the first device is not covered by the downlink signal, the paging occasion of the first device in other DRX cycles can be located in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, so that the first device can be paged at least in one DRX cycle.

[0011] In an optional implementation, the method further comprises receiving first information, the first information being used to configure one or more of: a period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal; a first time period representing a time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal in the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal; a second time period representing a time in which the first device is not covered by the downlink signal in the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal; an offset of the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal; or, an offset of the first time period in the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal. With the first information, the first device can explicitly know the downlink signal coverage period, and thus can determine whether the first paging occasion is in the first time period.

[0012] In an optional implementation, the first time period is associated with a geographical location in which the first device is located. For example, different geographical locations can be covered by the downlink signal for different time, and thus different geographical locations can correspond to different first time periods.

[0013] In an optional implementation, the first information is included in a system message. The system message can be SIB1 or SIB19, or other system messages. Alternatively, the first information can not be included in a system message, but in other broadcast messages or unicast messages, without limitation.

[0014] In an optional implementation, the method further comprises detecting a paging message at each paging occasion in a first period, the first period having a length greater than or equal to a length of the DRX period, wherein the first device is paged at least once in the first period. For example, if the first paging occasion is not in the first time period, and the DRX period of the first device overlaps with the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, the first device can detect a paging message at each paging occasion in the first period. Alternatively, if the first device cannot be paged according to the DRX period, the first device can detect a paging message according to the first period. Alternatively, if the time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal is aperiodic, the first device can detect a paging message according to the first period. Alternatively, although the time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal is periodic, the first device does not know the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, and the first device can detect a paging message according to the first period. For the second device, it can be guaranteed that the first device will be paged in at least one paging occasion in the first period, and thus the probability of the first device being successfully paged is improved.

[0015] In an optional implementation, the paging occasion in the first period is determined according to the identity of the first device; or, at least one paging occasion in the first period is configured by the second device, and the remaining paging occasions in the first period are determined according to the identity of the first device. For example, the first device can determine all the paging occasions in the first period according to the identity of the first device, which does not need to change the determination of the paging occasions, and is beneficial to compatibility with existing technologies. Alternatively, part of the paging occasions in the first period can be configured by the second device, for example, the second device can page the first device in the part of the paging occasions, thereby improving the probability of paging success of the first device.

[0016] In an optional implementation, the method further includes receiving second information, where the second information is used to configure the first period. The second information is, for example, a broadcast message or a unicast message. The broadcast message is, for example, a system message, such as SIB1 or SIB19, or the like; or, the broadcast message can also be a broadcast message other than a system message.

[0017] In an optional implementation, the method further includes detecting a paging message in an active time in a second period. For example, if the first paging occasion is not located in the first time period, and the DRX cycle of the first device overlaps with the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, the first device can detect a paging message in the active time in the second period. Alternatively, if the first device cannot be paged according to the DRX cycle, the first device can detect a paging message in the active time in the second period. Alternatively, if the time of downlink signal coverage of the first device is aperiodic, the first device can also detect a paging message in the active time in the second period. Alternatively, although the time of downlink signal coverage of the first device is periodic, the first device does not know the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, and the first device can also detect a paging message in the active time in the second period. By detecting a paging message in the second period, the probability of paging success of the first device can be improved.

[0018] In an optional implementation, the method further includes sleeping in an inactive time in a second period. The first device can detect a paging message in the active time in the second period, and can sleep in the inactive time in the second period, thereby reducing the power consumption of the first device.

[0019] In an alternative embodiment, the paging occasions in the active time of the second period are determined according to the identity of the first device; or, at least one paging occasion in the active time of the second period is configured by the second device, and the remaining paging occasions in the active time of the second period are determined according to the identity of the first device. For example, the first device can determine all the paging occasions in the active time of the second period according to the identity of the first device, which does not need to change the determination of the paging occasions, and is advantageous for compatibility with the prior art. Alternatively, part of the paging occasions in the active time of the second period can be configured by the second device, for example, the second device can page the first device in the part of the paging occasions, which improves the probability of successful paging of the first device.

[0020] In an alternative embodiment, the method further comprises receiving third information, wherein the third information is used to configure the second period. The second information is, for example, a broadcast message or a unicast message. The broadcast message is, for example, a system message, such as SIB1 or SIB19, or the like; or, the broadcast message can also be a broadcast message other than a system message. The first information, the second information and the third information can be included in one message, or can be included in different messages, or any two of the information can be included in one message and the other information can be included in another message.

[0021] Alternatively, if the first paging occasion is not located in the active time of the downlink signal coverage period, and the DRX period of the first device overlaps with the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, the first device can detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period. Alternatively, if the first paging occasion is not located in the active time of the downlink signal coverage period, the first device can also detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period, for example, the first device can not need to determine whether the DRX period overlaps with the downlink signal coverage period. Alternatively, if the first device cannot be paged according to the DRX period, the first device can detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period. Alternatively, if the time of downlink signal coverage of the first device is aperiodic, the first device can also detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period. Alternatively, although the time of downlink signal coverage of the first device is periodic, the first device does not know the downlink signal coverage period of the first device (for example, the second device does not configure the downlink signal coverage period to the first device. It can be understood that the scanning of the second device for the ground area is the implementation behavior of the second device, and the scanning information does not need to be configured to the first device), and the first device can also detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period.

[0022] In an optional implementation, the first paging occasion is determined according to the identity of the first device and the DRX cycle. For example, the first device can determine the first paging occasion according to a conventional manner, which is beneficial to compatibility with existing technologies.

[0023] In an optional implementation, the first paging occasion is located in at least one of subframe 0, subframe 1, subframe 2, subframe 3, subframe 4, subframe 5, subframe 6, subframe 7, subframe 8 or subframe 9. According to a conventional scheme, paging occasions are generally located in subframe 0, subframe 4, subframe 5 and subframe 9, and embodiments of the present application extend the subframes used to carry paging occasions, so that paging for different first devices can be dispersed in more subframes, reducing phenomena such as paging conflict or paging congestion. Moreover, the increase in subframes used for paging also facilitates paging for more first devices.

[0024] In an optional implementation, the method further includes receiving downlink control information using the RNTI associated with the non-terrestrial communication device, and detecting the paging message at the first paging occasion according to the downlink control information. For example, the downlink control information can schedule the paging message, and the first device can determine the time domain resource and / or frequency domain resource of the paging message according to the downlink control information, thereby improving detection accuracy.

[0025] In a second aspect, a second communication method is provided, which can be applied to a second device. The second device is, for example, a network side device or a terminal side device. The network side device is also referred to as a network device. The network device is, for example, a network equipment, or other equipment including a function of the network equipment, or a circuit, or a chip system (or chip) or other functional module capable of implementing the function of the network equipment, which is, for example, arranged in the network equipment. The network equipment includes, for example, a core network equipment and / or an access network equipment. Optionally, the network equipment can be a non-terrestrial equipment, such as a satellite, a high-altitude aircraft or an unmanned aerial vehicle, etc. Alternatively, the network equipment can also be a ground equipment, such as located on the ground. The terminal side device is also referred to as a terminal device, and the description of the terminal device can be referred to the first aspect. The method includes determining a first paging occasion of a first device in a DRX cycle, and sending a first paging message at the first paging occasion if the first paging occasion is located in a time when the first device is covered by a downlink signal from a non-terrestrial communication device, the first paging message being used to page the first device.

[0026] In an optional implementation, the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal is periodic, wherein the DRX cycle of the first device is different from the length of the period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal; and / or the DRX cycle of the first device is different from the offset of the starting time domain position of the period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal.

[0027] In an optional implementation, the method further includes: sending first information, the first information being used for configuring one or more of the following: the period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal; a first time period, the first time period representing the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal in the period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal; a second time period, the second time period representing the time when the first device is not covered by the downlink signal in the period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal; the offset of the period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal; or the offset of the first time period in the period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal.

[0028] In an optional implementation, the first time period is associated with the geographical position where the first device is located.

[0029] In an optional implementation, the first information is included in a system message.

[0030] In an optional implementation, the method further includes: sending a second paging message in at least one paging occasion in a first period, the second paging message being used for paging the first device, the length of the first period being greater than or equal to the length of the DRX cycle of the first device.

[0031] In an optional implementation, the paging occasion in the first period is determined according to the identity of the first device; or at least one paging occasion in the first period is configured by a network device, and the remaining paging occasions in the first period are determined according to the identity of the first device.

[0032] In an optional implementation, the method further includes: sending second information, the second information being used for configuring the first period.

[0033] In an optional implementation, the method further includes: sending third information, the third information being used for configuring a second period.

[0034] In an optional implementation, the method further includes: sending a paging message in an active time in the second period.

[0035] In an optional implementation, the paging occasion in the active time of the second cycle is determined according to the identity of the first device; or, at least one paging occasion in the active time of the second cycle is configured by the network device, and the remaining paging occasions in the active time are determined according to the identity of the first device.

[0036] In an optional implementation, the first paging occasion is determined according to the identity of the first device and the DRX cycle.

[0037] In an optional implementation, the first paging occasion is located in at least one of subframe 0, subframe 2, subframe 3, subframe 4, subframe 5, subframe 7, subframe 8 or subframe 9.

[0038] In an optional implementation, the method further comprises: sending downlink control information using the RNTI related to the non-ground communication device, wherein the downlink control information is used to indicate the transmission resource of the paging message in the first paging occasion.

[0039] As to the technical effects brought by the second aspect or various optional implementations, refer to the introduction of the technical effects of the first aspect or corresponding implementations.

[0040] The third aspect provides a third communication method, which can be applied to the first device. As to the implementation of the first device, refer to the first aspect. The method comprises: determining a first paging frame according to the identity of the first device and a first parameter, wherein the first parameter is determined according to a second paging frame of the first device, and the second paging frame refers to a paging frame located in a time when the first device is covered by a downlink signal from a non-ground communication device; and detecting a paging message in the first paging frame.

[0041] In the embodiments of the present application, the first device determines the first paging frame according to the second paging frame of the first device, which can make the first paging frame located in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal. Therefore, the paging occasion determined by the first device in the first paging frame is also located in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal. The first device can receive the signal from the second device in the paging occasion, thus having the possibility of detecting the paging message, which improves the probability of the first device being paged successfully. Moreover, the paging frame determined by the first device will not be located in the time when the first device is not covered by the downlink signal in a large probability, so that the detection of the paging frame by the first device is effective, which reduces the invalid detection process of the first device and reduces the power consumption of the first device.

[0042] In an optional implementation, the first parameter is determined according to a second paging frame of the first device, including: the first parameter is determined according to a number and / or a location of the second paging frame of the first device, the location including, for example, a time domain location. Alternatively, the first parameter can also be determined according to other related information of the second paging frame, which is not limited.

[0043] In an optional implementation, the first parameter is determined according to a second paging frame of the first device, including: the first parameter represents a number of the second paging frame in a DRX cycle of the first device.

[0044] In an optional implementation, the first paging frame satisfies the following relationship: (SFN+PF offset ) mod T = (UE_ID mod N); wherein SFN represents a system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset represents an offset of the first paging frame, T represents a length of a DRX cycle of the first device, a user equipment (UE)_identifier (ID) represents an identifier of the first device, mod represents a remainder operation, and N represents the first parameter.

[0045] In an optional implementation, the first parameter is determined according to a second paging frame of the first device, including: the first parameter represents a number of the second paging frame in a period in which the first device is covered by a downlink signal.

[0046] In an optional implementation, the first paging frame satisfies the following relationship: (SFN+PF offset ) mod T = (T div N)*(UE_ID mod N); wherein SFN represents a system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset represents an offset of the first paging frame, T represents a length of a DRX cycle of the first device, UE_ID represents an identifier of the first device, div represents a divisor operation, mod represents a remainder operation, and N represents the first parameter.

[0047] In an optional implementation, the first parameter is determined according to a second paging frame of the first device, including: the first parameter represents a number of the second paging frame in N paging frames in a DRX cycle of the first device, which is located in a period in which the first device is covered by a downlink signal, and N represents a number of paging frames included in the DRX cycle of the first device.

[0048] In an optional implementation, the first paging frame satisfies the following relationship: (SFN+PF offset) mod T = (T div N)*(UE_ID mod N a ); wherein SFN represents a system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset represents an offset of the first paging frame, T represents a length of a DRX cycle of the first device, UE_ID represents an identity of the first device, div represents a division operation, mod represents a remainder operation, N a represents the first parameter.

[0049] The above gives several ways of determining the first paging frame. In addition to this, the first paging frame can also be determined according to other ways, which are not limited.

[0050] In an optional implementation, the method further comprises: receiving first information, the first information being used for configuring one or more of: a period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal; a first time period, the first time period representing a time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal in the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal; a second time period, the second time period representing a time in which the first device is not covered by the downlink signal in the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal; an offset of the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal; or, an offset of the first time period in the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal.

[0051] In an optional implementation, the first time period corresponds to a geographical location where the first device is located.

[0052] In an optional implementation, the first information is included in a system message.

[0053] In an optional implementation, detecting the paging message in the first paging frame comprises: detecting the paging message in at least one paging occasion in the first paging frame, the at least one paging occasion being located on one or more of subframe 0, subframe 1, subframe 2, subframe 3, subframe 4, subframe 5, subframe 6, subframe 7, subframe 8 or subframe 9 in the first paging frame.

[0054] The technical effects brought by the optional implementations of the third aspect can be referred to the introduction of the technical effects of the first aspect or the corresponding implementations.

[0055] In a fourth aspect, a fourth communication method is provided, which can be applied to the second device. The implementation of the second device can refer to the second aspect. The method comprises: determining a first paging frame according to the identity of the first device and a first parameter, wherein the first parameter is determined according to a second paging frame of the first device, and the second paging frame refers to a paging frame located in a time period in which the first device is covered by a downlink signal from a non-ground communication device; and sending a paging message in the first paging frame, wherein the paging message is used to page the first device.

[0056] In an optional implementation, the first parameter is determined according to the second paging frame of the first device, and the first parameter is determined according to the number and / or position of the second paging frame of the first device.

[0057] In an optional implementation, the first parameter is determined according to the second paging frame of the first device, and the first parameter represents the number of the second paging frame in a DRX cycle of the first device.

[0058] In an optional implementation, the first paging frame satisfies the following relationship: (SFN+PF offset )mod T=(UE_ID mod N); wherein SFN represents the system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset represents the offset of the first paging frame, T represents the length of the DRX cycle of the first device, UE_ID represents the identity of the first device, mod represents the remainder operation, and N represents the first parameter.

[0059] In an optional implementation, the first parameter is determined according to the second paging frame of the first device, and the first parameter represents the number of the second paging frame in a period in which the first device is covered by a downlink signal.

[0060] In an optional implementation, the first paging frame satisfies the following relationship: (SFN+PF offset )mod T=(T div N)*(UE_ID mod N); wherein SFN represents the system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset represents the offset of the first paging frame, T represents the length of the DRX cycle of the first device, UE_ID represents the identity of the first device, div represents the divisor operation, mod represents the remainder operation, and N represents the first parameter.

[0061] In an optional implementation, the first parameter is determined according to a second paging frame of the first device, and the first parameter represents a number of the second paging frames in N paging frames in a DRX cycle of the first device, which are in a period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal, N representing a number of paging frames included in the DRX cycle of the first device.

[0062] In an optional implementation, the first paging frame satisfies the following relationship: (SFN+PF offset )mod T=(T div N)*(UE_ID mod N a ); wherein SFN represents a system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset represents an offset of the first paging frame, T represents a length of a DRX cycle of the first device, UE_ID represents an identifier of the first device, div represents a division operation, mod represents a remainder operation, and N a represents the first parameter.

[0063] In an optional implementation, the method further includes: sending first information, the first information being used for configuring one or more of the following: a period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal; a first time period, the first time period representing a time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal in the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal; a second time period, the second time period representing a time in which the first device is not covered by the downlink signal in the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal; an offset of the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal; or, an offset of the first time period in the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal.

[0064] In an optional implementation, the first time period corresponds to a geographical location in which the first device is located.

[0065] In an optional implementation, the first information is included in a system message.

[0066] In an optional implementation, the paging message is sent in the first paging frame, including: the paging message is sent in at least one paging occasion in the first paging frame, the at least one paging occasion being located in one or more of subframe 0, subframe 1, subframe 2, subframe 3, subframe 4, subframe 5, subframe 6, subframe 7, subframe 8, or subframe 9 in the first paging frame.

[0067] As to the technical effects brought by the fourth aspect or various optional implementations, reference can be made to the introduction of the technical effects of the third aspect or corresponding implementations.

[0068] In a fifth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided. The communication apparatus can be the first apparatus of any one of the above aspects. The communication apparatus has the functions of the first apparatus. For example, the communication apparatus has the functions of any one of the above aspects, e.g., the communication apparatus includes modules or units or means for performing the operations corresponding to the functions of any one of the above aspects, which can be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. The communication apparatus can be, for example, a terminal device, or another device with terminal device functions, or a chip system (or chip or circuitry) or another functional module that can implement the functions of a terminal device, e.g., the chip system or functional module is arranged in a terminal device. In an optional implementation, the communication apparatus includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device. In another optional implementation, the communication apparatus includes a processing unit (also sometimes referred to as a processing module) and a transceiver unit (also sometimes referred to as a transceiver module). The transceiver unit can implement the functions of transmitting and receiving. When the transceiver unit implements the function of transmitting, it can be referred to as a transmitting unit (also sometimes referred to as a transmitting module). When the transceiver unit implements the function of receiving, it can be referred to as a receiving unit (also sometimes referred to as a receiving module). The transmitting unit and the receiving unit can be the same functional module, which is referred to as a transceiver unit and can implement the functions of transmitting and receiving. Alternatively, the transmitting unit and the receiving unit can be different functional modules, and the transceiver unit refers to these functional modules collectively.

[0069] In an optional implementation, the processing unit is configured to determine a first paging occasion in a DRX cycle, and the transceiver unit (or the receiving unit) is configured to detect a paging message at the first paging occasion if the first paging occasion is within a time period in which the first apparatus is covered by a downlink signal from a non-terrestrial communication apparatus.

[0070] In an optional implementation, the processing unit is configured to determine a first paging occasion according to an identifier of the first apparatus and a first parameter, wherein the first parameter is determined according to a second paging occasion of the first apparatus, and the second paging occasion refers to a paging occasion that is within a time period in which the first apparatus is covered by a downlink signal from a non-terrestrial communication apparatus, and the transceiver unit (or the receiving unit) is configured to detect a paging message at the first paging occasion.

[0071] In an alternative implementation, the communication apparatus further includes a storage unit (also referred to as a storage module), and the processing unit is coupled to the storage unit and configured to execute a program or an instruction in the storage unit to enable the communication apparatus to perform the functions of the first apparatus in any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect.

[0072] In a sixth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided. The communication apparatus can be the second apparatus in any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect. The communication apparatus has the functions of the second apparatus. For example, the communication apparatus has the functions of any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect, e.g., the communication apparatus includes modules or units or means corresponding to the operations of any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect, which can be implemented in software, or implemented in hardware, or implemented in a combination of software and hardware. The communication apparatus can be, for example, a network device, or another device with network device functions, or a chip system (or chip or circuit) or another functional module, which can perform the functions of the network device, e.g., the chip system or functional module is arranged in the network device. The network device can include, for example, a core network device and / or an access network device. Alternatively, the communication apparatus can be, for example, a terminal device, or another device with terminal device functions, or a chip system (or chip or circuit) or another functional module, which can perform the functions of the terminal device, e.g., the chip system or functional module is arranged in the terminal device. In an alternative implementation, the communication apparatus includes a baseband apparatus and a radio frequency apparatus. In another alternative implementation, the communication apparatus includes a processing unit (also referred to as a processing module) and a transceiver unit (also referred to as a transceiver module). The implementation of the transceiver unit can be referred to the related description of the fifth aspect.

[0073] In an alternative implementation, the processing unit is configured to determine a first paging occasion corresponding to the first apparatus, and the transceiver unit (or the sending unit) is configured to send a first paging message at the first paging occasion if the first paging occasion is within a time period during which the first apparatus is covered by a downlink signal from a non-terrestrial communication apparatus, the first paging message being used to page the first apparatus.

[0074] In an optional implementation, the processing unit is configured to determine a first paging frame according to the identity of the first device and a first parameter, wherein the first parameter is determined according to a second paging frame of the first device, and the second paging frame refers to a paging frame located in a time period during which the first device is covered by a downlink signal from a non-ground communication device; and the transceiver (or the sending unit) is configured to send a paging message in the first paging frame, where the paging message is used to page the first device.

[0075] In an optional implementation, the communication device further includes a storage unit (also referred to as a storage module), and the processing unit is configured to be coupled to the storage unit and execute programs or instructions in the storage unit, so as to enable the communication device to perform the functions of the second device in any of the first aspect to the fourth aspect.

[0076] In a seventh aspect, a communication device is provided, which includes a memory and one or more processors. The memory is configured to store part or all of necessary computer programs or instructions for implementing the functions related to the first aspect or the fourth aspect. The one or more processors are configured to execute the computer programs or instructions, and when the computer programs or instructions are executed, cause the communication device to implement the method in any possible design or implementation manner of the first aspect or the fourth aspect.

[0077] In a possible design, the communication device can further include an interface circuit, and the processor is configured to communicate with other devices or components through the interface circuit.

[0078] In a possible design, the communication device can further include the memory.

[0079] The communication device can be a terminal, a communication module in the terminal, or a chip responsible for communication functions such as a modem chip (also referred to as a baseband chip) or an SoC or SIP chip including a modem module.

[0080] In an eighth aspect, a communication device is provided, which includes a memory and one or more processors. The memory is configured to store part or all of necessary computer programs or instructions for implementing the functions related to the first aspect or the fourth aspect. The one or more processors are configured to execute the computer programs or instructions, and when the computer programs or instructions are executed, cause the communication device to implement the method in any possible design or implementation manner of the first aspect or the fourth aspect.

[0081] In a possible design, the communication device can further include an interface circuit, and the processor is configured to communicate with other devices or components through the interface circuit.

[0082] In a possible design, the communication apparatus can further include the memory.

[0083] The communication apparatus can be a network device, a communication module in a network device, or a chip responsible for communication function in a network device, such as a modem chip (also referred to as a baseband chip) or a SoC or SIP chip including a modem module.

[0084] In a ninth aspect, a communication system is provided, including a second apparatus, where the second apparatus is configured to perform the method performed by the second apparatus in any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect. For example, the second apparatus can be implemented by the communication apparatus in the sixth aspect or the eighth aspect.

[0085] Optionally, the communication system further includes a first apparatus, where the first apparatus is configured to perform the method performed by the first apparatus in any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect. For example, the first apparatus can be implemented by the communication apparatus in the fifth aspect or the seventh aspect.

[0086] In a tenth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, configured to store a computer program or instructions, which, when executed, cause the method performed by the first apparatus or the second apparatus in the aspects to be implemented.

[0087] In an eleventh aspect, a computer program product is provided, configured to include instructions, which, when executed on a computer, cause the method in the aspects to be implemented.

[0088] In a twelfth aspect, a chip system is provided, including a processor and an interface, where the processor is configured to invoke and execute instructions from the interface, so that the chip system implements the method in the aspects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0089] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of downlink transmission of a satellite through a hop beam;

[0090] FIG. 2, FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are schematic diagrams of several application scenarios of embodiments of the present application;

[0091] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a first communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0092] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of whether a first paging occasion is located in a time period in which a first apparatus is covered by a downlink signal;

[0093] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a second communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0094] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a downlink signal coverage period and a DRX period according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0095] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a third communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0096] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0097] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of another apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0098] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the embodiments of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0099] In the embodiments of the present application, the number of a noun, unless specifically stated, represents "a singular noun or a plural noun", i.e. "one or more". "At least one" means one or more, and "multiple" means two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of the associated objects, which means that there can be three kinds of relationships, for example, A and / or B can represent the following cases: A exists alone, A and B exist together, B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally represents an "or" relationship between the associated objects. For example, A / B means A or B. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions means any combination of these items, including any combination of single item or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c means a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0100] The ordinal numbers "first", "second", etc. mentioned in the embodiments of the present application are used to distinguish multiple objects, and are not used to limit the size, content, order, time sequence, priority or importance of the multiple objects. The numbering of steps in each embodiment introduced in the present application is only used to distinguish different steps, and is not used to limit the order of the steps.

[0101] In the following, some terms or concepts in the embodiments of the present application are explained and described, so as to facilitate the understanding of those skilled in the art.

[0102] In the embodiments of the present application, the terminal device is a device with wireless transceiving function, which can be a fixed device, a mobile device, a handheld device (for example, a mobile phone), a wearable device, a vehicle-mounted device, or a wireless device (for example, a communication module, a modem, or a chip system, etc.) built in the above devices. The terminal device is used to connect people, things, machines, etc., and can be widely used in various scenarios, for example, including but not limited to the following scenarios: sensing scenarios, cellular communication, device-to-device (D2D) communication, vehicle to everything (V2X) communication, machine-to-machine / machine-type communications (M2M / MTC), internet of things (IoT), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), industrial control, self driving, remote medical, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wear, smart transportation, smart city, unmanned aerial vehicle, robot, indoor commercial scenarios (such as mobile phone screen projection, file sharing, mobile phone to VR glasses video transmission) and other scenarios. When the terminal device is applied to V2X, it can also be referred to as a V2X device, for example, a smart car, a digital car, an unmanned car, a self-driving car, a pure EV, a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a range extended EV (REEV), a plug-in HEV (PHEV), a new energy vehicle, a road site unit (RSU), etc. The terminal device can also be a device in D2D communication, for example, a water meter, a gas meter, etc.

[0103] In addition, in the embodiments of the present application, the terminal device can also be a terminal device in an internet of things (IoT) system. The IoT is an important part of future information technology development. Its main technical feature is to connect objects to a network through communication technology, thereby realizing an intelligent network of human-machine interconnection and object-object interconnection.

[0104] As introduced above, various terminal devices can be considered as vehicle-mounted terminal devices if they are located on a vehicle (e.g., placed in or installed in a vehicle), and the vehicle-mounted terminal device is also referred to as an on-board unit (OBU). The terminal device of the present application can also be an on-board module, an on-board module group, an on-board component, an on-board chip or an on-board unit built in a vehicle as one or more components or units, and the vehicle can implement the method of the present application through the built-in on-board module, on-board module group, on-board component, on-board chip or on-board unit.

[0105] The terminal device can also be referred to as a UE, a terminal, an access station, a UE station, a remote station, a wireless communication device, or a user device, etc.

[0106] In the embodiments of the present application, the communication device for implementing the function of the terminal device can be a terminal device, which can be a terminal device or a device capable of supporting the terminal device to implement the function, such as a chip system, which can be installed in the terminal device. In the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application, the device for implementing the function of the terminal device is taken as an example of the terminal device to describe the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application.

[0107] The network device in the embodiments of the present application, for example, includes an access network device (or an access network network element) and / or a core network device (or a core network network element). The access network device is a device with wireless transceiving function, used for communicating with the terminal device. The access network device includes but is not limited to a base station (a base transceiver station (BTS), a Node B, an evolved Node B (eNodeB) / eNB, or a next generation Node B (gNodeB) / gNB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a base station evolved in the future of the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), an access node in a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) system, a wireless relay node, a wireless backhaul node, and the like. The base station can be a macro base station, a micro base station, a pico base station, a small station, a relay station, and the like. A plurality of base stations can support a network of the same access technology or a network of different access technologies. A base station can include one or more co-sited or non-co-sited transmission reception points. The access network device can also be a wireless controller, a centralized unit (CU), and / or a distributed unit (DU) in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. The access network device can also be a server and the like. For example, the network device in the V2X technology can be a road side unit (RSU). The access network device is described below by taking a base station as an example. The base station can communicate with the terminal device or communicate with the terminal device through a relay station. The terminal device can communicate with a plurality of base stations in different access technologies. The core network device is used to implement mobile management, data processing, session management, policy and charging, and the like. The names of devices implementing core network functions in systems of different access technologies can be different, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.Taking a 5th generation (5G) system as an example, the core network device includes, for example, an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), a policy control function (PCF), a user plane function (UPF), and the like.

[0108] In the CU-DU architecture, or in an open RAN (ORAN) system, the access network device can include one or more of a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU), and the like. The CU and the DU can be separately arranged, or can be included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in a radio frequency device or a radio frequency unit, such as a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH).

[0109] In different systems, the CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU can also have different names, but those skilled in the art can understand their meanings. For example, in an ORAN system, the CU can also be referred to as an open CU (O-CU), the DU can also be referred to as an open DU (O-DU), the CU-CP can also be referred to as an open CU-CP (O-CU-CP), the CU-UP can also be referred to as an open CU-UP (O-CU-UP), and the RU can also be referred to as an open RU (O-RU). For the convenience of description, the CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU are taken as examples for description in the embodiments of the present application. Any one of the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented by a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0110] The CU and the DU can be configured according to protocol layer functions of the wireless network that they implement. For example, the CU is configured to implement functions of a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer and above protocol layers (e.g., a radio resource control (RRC) layer and / or a service data adaption protocol (SDAP) layer, etc.). The DU is configured to implement functions of a PDCP layer and below protocol layers (e.g., one or more of a radio link control (RLC) layer, a media access control (MAC) layer, or a physical (PHY) layer). For another example, the CU is configured to implement functions of a PDCP layer and above protocol layers (e.g., an RRC layer and / or an SDAP layer), and the DU is configured to implement functions of a PDCP layer and below protocol layers (e.g., one or more of an RLC layer, a MAC layer, or a PHY layer).

[0111] The above configuration of the CU and the DU is merely an example, and the CU and the DU can be configured to have other functions as needed. For example, the CU or the DU can be configured to have more protocol layers, or the CU or the DU can be configured to have partial processing functions of the protocol layers. For example, partial functions of an RLC layer and functions of protocol layers above the RLC layer can be configured in the CU, and remaining functions of the RLC layer and functions of protocol layers below the RLC layer can be configured in the DU. For another example, the functions of the CU or the DU can be divided according to service types or other system requirements. For example, functions that require a shorter latency can be configured in the DU, and functions that do not require the shorter latency can be configured in the CU.

[0112] The DU and the RU can cooperate to implement functions of a PHY layer. One DU can be connected to one or more RUs. The DU and the RU can be configured in various manners according to design. For example, the DU is configured to implement baseband functions, and the RU is configured to implement intermediate radio frequency functions. For another example, the DU is configured to implement high-level functions in the PHY layer, and the RU is configured to implement low-level functions in the PHY layer or to implement the low-level functions and radio frequency functions. The high-level functions in the PHY layer can include a portion of functions of the PHY layer that are closer to a MAC layer, and the low-level functions in the PHY layer can include another portion of functions of the PHY layer that are closer to the intermediate radio frequency side.

[0113] In the embodiments of the present application, the communication device for implementing the function of the network device can be referred to as a network device, which can be a network element or a network device, or a device capable of supporting the network device or the network element to implement the function, such as a chip system, which can be installed in the network device. In the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application, the device for implementing the function of the network device is taken as an example (for example, the device for implementing the function of the access network device is the access network device, and the device for implementing the function of the core network device is the core network device), and the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application are described.

[0114] The technical features related to the embodiments of the present application are introduced below.

[0115] In a satellite communication scenario, the number of parallel transmission channels of a satellite is limited, and therefore, the base station can use a "hopping beam" mode to perform downlink transmission. The "hopping beam" can also be understood as beam scanning, and can refer to an example of a satellite scanning mechanism in FIG. 1. For the circle region marked with "1" in FIG. 1, the UE in the region can receive downlink signals in the time period [t1, t2], and cannot receive downlink signals in the time period (t2, t5] because the transmission beam of the satellite has been switched to another geographical region. For the UE in the region "1", the corresponding downlink transmission pattern is shown in the row corresponding to the region "1" in FIG. 1.

[0116] For the circle region marked with "3" in FIG. 1, the UE in the region can receive downlink signals in the time period [t2, t3], and cannot receive downlink signals in other time periods such as (t1, t2) and (t3, t5] because the transmission beam of the satellite has been switched to another geographical region. For the UE in the region "3", the corresponding downlink transmission pattern is shown in the row corresponding to the region "3" in FIG. 1.

[0117] For the circle region marked with "5" in FIG. 1, the UE in the region can receive downlink signals in the time period [t4, t5], and cannot receive downlink signals in the time period (t1, t4) because the transmission beam of the satellite has been switched to another geographical region. For the UE in the region "5", the corresponding downlink transmission pattern is shown in the row corresponding to the region "5" in FIG. 1.

[0118] In FIG. 1, t4 and t3 can be the same time (for example, the satellite switches to the region "5" for transmission immediately after completing transmission in the region "3"); or t4 can be located after t3 (for example, the satellite switches to the region "5" for transmission after a period of time after completing transmission in the region "3").

[0119] It can be seen that when the satellite uses the beam hopping manner to perform downlink transmission, for a UE located in a certain geographic area, the downlink signal received by the UE is discontinuous in the time domain; and the existing paging mechanism pages the UE in a uniform manner in time. The time at which the satellite transmits the paging message is likely to be the time when the UE is not covered by the satellite signal, and the UE cannot receive the paging message. In this case, the detection of the UE for the paging message only needlessly consumes the power consumption of the UE.

[0120] In view of this, in the embodiments of the present application, if the first paging occasion is located in the time when the UE is covered by the downlink signal, the UE can detect the paging message at the first paging occasion. It can be understood that the UE can detect at the paging occasion at which the UE can receive the paging message, and the UE can not detect at the paging occasion at which the UE cannot receive the paging message (for example, the paging occasion located in the time when the UE is not covered by the downlink signal). In this way, the power consumption of the UE can be reduced, and the use time and life of the UE can be prolonged.

[0121] The communication method provided in the embodiments of the present application can be applied to a fourth generation (4th generation, 4G) communication system, such as a long term evolution (long term evolution, LTE) communication system, and can also be applied to a fifth generation (5th generation, 5G) communication system, such as a 5G new radio (new radio, NR) communication system, or to various communication systems evolved after 5G, such as a future communication system, a 6G communication system, etc. The method provided in the embodiments of the present application can also be applied to a bluetooth system, a wireless fidelity (wireless fidelity, Wifi) system, a long range radio (long range radio, LoRa) system or a vehicle-to-everything (vehicle-to-everything, V2X) system. The method provided in the embodiments of the present application can also be applied to a terrestrial network (terrestrial network, TN), and can also be applied to a non-terrestrial network (non-terrestrial network, NTN). The NTN can mean that a second device is at a high altitude relative to a first device (the first device and the second device will be introduced later). A typical application scenario in the NTN scenario is a satellite communication system. For example, the satellite communication system can be applied to a transparent satellite architecture or a regenerative satellite architecture, etc., which is not limited.

[0122] Please refer to FIG. 2 for a schematic diagram of an application scenario of an embodiment of the present application. FIG. 2 includes a first device and a second device. The first device is, for example, a UE, and the second device is, for example, a network device (such as an access network device, a core network device, an RSU, or a control node). Alternatively, the first device and the second device are two different UEs. Alternatively, the first device and the second device can be two different network devices, for example, the first device is an RSU or a control node, and the second device is an access network device or a core network device. Alternatively, the second device can also be a relay device or a forwarding device that forwards signals of other devices. Alternatively, the second device can page the first device.

[0123] Please refer to FIGS. 3A and 3B for schematic diagrams of two network architectures of an NTN, which are also schematic diagrams of two other application scenarios of an embodiment of the present application. For an architecture in which a UE is connected to a terrestrial access network through a satellite, it can be referred to as a transparent satellite architecture (for example, FIG. 3A). For an architecture in which an access network device is arranged on a satellite (or the satellite has the function of an access network device), it can be referred to as a regenerative satellite architecture or a regenerative satellite architecture (for example, FIG. 3B).

[0124] In FIG. 3A, the link between a UE and a satellite is referred to as a service link, and the link between the satellite and a ground gateway is referred to as a feeder link. Network elements (such as an access network device and / or a core network device) for transmitting services are located on the ground. A UE accesses an access network device (such as a satellite base station in FIG. 3A) located on the ground through a satellite, thereby accessing a network. The satellite has a transparent function. The satellite involved in an embodiment of the present application can include one or more of a geostationary orbit (GEO) satellite, a medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite, or a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite. FIG. 3A takes a GEO satellite and a LEO satellite as an example. The GEO satellite can cover the LEO satellite.

[0125] In FIG. 3B, an access network device is arranged on a satellite, or a bottom layer processing module of the access network device is arranged on the satellite, or the satellite has part or all of the functions of the access network device. In addition to the access network device, other network elements (such as a core network device) for transmitting services are located on the ground. Alternatively, part or all of the network elements in the core network can also be arranged on the satellite, or the satellite can have the functions of part or all of the network elements in the core network.

[0126] Alternatively, the satellite in FIG. 3A or FIG. 3B can also be replaced by an unmanned aerial vehicle or a high-altitude aerial vehicle, or other aerial devices.

[0127] The method provided by the embodiments of the present application is described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings corresponding to the various embodiments of the present application, the steps indicated by dashed lines are optional steps. The various embodiments herein can be applied to the network architecture shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3A or FIG. 3B. For example, the first device described in the various embodiments herein can be the first device shown in FIG. 2, and the second device described in the various embodiments herein can be the second device shown in FIG. 2. For another example, the first device described in the various embodiments herein can be a UE or a functional module in the UE shown in FIG. 3A or FIG. 3B, and the second device described in the various embodiments herein can be an access network device or a functional module in the access network device shown in FIG. 3A or FIG. 3B; or the first device described in the various embodiments herein can be a UE or a functional module in the UE shown in FIG. 3A or FIG. 3B, and the second device described in the various embodiments herein can be a core network device or a functional module in the core network device shown in FIG. 3A or FIG. 3B. Optionally, the various embodiments herein can be used in the network architecture shown in FIG. 3A or FIG. 3B, and the second device can be understood as a non-terrestrial communication device, such as an NTN device. The non-terrestrial communication device can be a standalone device, such as a satellite, a high-altitude aircraft or a drone, etc.; or it can also be an access network device and / or a core network device located on a satellite. Alternatively, the non-terrestrial communication device can not be a standalone device, but a functional module, such as a functional module on a satellite, a high-altitude aircraft or a drone, or a functional module located on a satellite that can implement the corresponding functions of an access network device and / or a core network device.

[0128] The first communication method provided by the embodiments of the present application is described below with reference to FIG. 4, which is a flowchart of the method.

[0129] S401, the first device determines a first paging occasion in a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle.

[0130] For example, the first device can determine a paging frame (PF) in a DRX cycle, and determine a paging occasion in the PF, and the first paging occasion includes one or more paging occasions in the PF, for example. Optionally, the first paging occasion is determined according to the identity of the first device and the DRX cycle, for example, any paging occasion in the PF can be determined according to the identity of the first device and the DRX cycle. For example, the PF can satisfy the following relationship: (SFN+PF offset )mod T=(T div N)*(UE_ID mod N) (Formula 1)

[0131] wherein SFN represents the system frame number (SFN) of the PF, PF offsetrepresents an offset for determining the PF, T represents a duration of a DRX cycle, N represents a number of PFs within the duration T, and UE_ID represents an identity of the first device. For example, when the first device is a UE, the identity of the first device can be all or part of bits in a 5G-S-TMSI (5G-System (S)-Temporary Mobile Subscription Identifier) of the first device. For example, the identity of the first device can be a value of 5G-S-TMSI mod 4096, or can be a value of 5G-S-TMSI mod 1024, where mod represents a modulo operation.

[0132] The first paging occasion (or any one of the first paging occasions) can satisfy the following relationship: i s = floor(UE_ID / N) mod N s (Formula 2)

[0133] i s represents an index of the first paging occasion, N s represents a number of paging occasions within one PF. When the first paging occasion includes one paging occasion, the paging occasion can satisfy Formula 2, and i s represents an index of the paging occasion; or when the first paging occasion includes a plurality of paging occasions, any one of the paging occasions can satisfy Formula 2, and i s represents an index of the any one of the paging occasions.

[0134] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present application, N s may be greater than 4. According to a conventional manner, N s is less than or equal to 4, and in the embodiment of the present application, N sgreater than 4, which corresponds to an expansion of the time domain positions that a paging occasion included in a PF can occupy, reducing the paging congestion in the paging occasion due to the reduction of the PF. In a PF, the first paging occasion (or the paging occasion included in the PF) can be located in a subframe carrying a synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel (PBCH) block (SSB) and / or in a subframe not carrying an SSB. For example, the first paging occasion includes one paging occasion, which can be located in subframe 0, subframe 1, subframe 2, subframe 3, subframe 4, subframe 5, subframe 6, subframe 7, subframe 8, or subframe 9; or the first paging occasion includes multiple paging occasions, which can be located in one or more of subframe 0, subframe 1, subframe 2, subframe 3, subframe 4, subframe 5, subframe 6, subframe 7, subframe 8, or subframe 9. According to the current scheme, the paging occasion is generally located in subframe 0, subframe 4, subframe 5, or subframe 9, and the embodiments of the present application expand the time domain position of the paging occasion, so that a radio frame can provide more paging occasions, thereby increasing the time for the first device to receive paging, so that different first devices can be dispersed to more time to be paged, reducing the paging conflict, and also increasing the probability of successful paging.

[0135] S402, if the first paging occasion is located in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, the first device detects the paging message in the first paging occasion. The downlink signal can be from the second device. For example, when the second device is an NTN device, the downlink signal can be directly transmitted by the second device. For example, for the regenerative satellite scenario shown in FIG. 3B, the second device can be a satellite, a high-altitude aircraft, or a drone, or the second device can be located on a satellite, a high-altitude aircraft, or a drone, and the downlink signal can be directly transmitted by the second device. Alternatively, when the second device is an NTN device, the downlink signal can also be forwarded by the second device, for example, it can be a signal from a ground network device forwarded by the second device. For example, for the regenerative satellite scenario shown in FIG. 3A, the second device can be a satellite, a high-altitude aircraft, or a drone, or the second device can be located on a satellite, a high-altitude aircraft, or a drone, and the downlink signal can be a signal transmitted by a ground access network device and / or a core network device, which is forwarded to the first device by the second device after being received by the second device.

[0136] Optionally, the second device can send the downlink control information using a radio network temporary identity (RNTI) associated with the second device. For example, the second device can scramble the downlink control information using the RNTI. The downlink control information can indicate a transmission resource of the paging message in the first paging occasion. The transmission resource can include a time domain resource and / or a frequency domain resource. Optionally, the downlink control information is, for example, a downlink control information (DCI). For example, the downlink control information can be used to schedule the paging message in the first paging occasion. The first device can receive the downlink control information using the RNTI. According to the transmission resource indicated by the downlink control information, the first device can detect the paging message in the first paging occasion.

[0137] Optionally, if the first paging occasion includes one paging occasion, S402 can specifically include that, if the paging occasion is located in a time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, the first device detects the paging message in the paging occasion. Or, if the first paging occasion includes multiple paging occasions, S402 can specifically include that, if at least one paging occasion of the multiple paging occasions is located in a time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, the first device detects the paging message in the at least one paging occasion. The at least one paging occasion can be part or all of the multiple paging occasions.

[0138] In the embodiments of the present application, after the first device determines the first paging occasion, the first device does not directly detect the paging message in the first paging occasion, but can determine whether the first paging occasion is located in a time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal. If the first paging occasion is located in a time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, the first device can detect the paging message in the first paging occasion. Or, if the first paging occasion is located in a time when the first device is not covered by the downlink signal, the first device can not detect the paging message in the first paging occasion.

[0139] It can be understood that the first device can detect in the paging occasion in which the paging message can be received. For the paging occasion in which the first device cannot receive the paging message (for example, the paging occasion in the time in which the first device is not covered by the downlink signal), the first device can not detect. Thus, the power consumption of the first device can be reduced, and the use time and service life of the first device can be prolonged. The time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal refers to the time in which the first device can receive the downlink signal from the second device, or the time in which the first device can communicate with the second device. The time in which the first device is not covered by the downlink signal refers to the time in which the first device cannot receive the downlink signal from the second device, or the time in which the first device cannot communicate with the second device. For example, the second device covers the first device by beam scanning, in some time, the first device can be covered by the beam of the second device, and thus the first device can receive the downlink signal from the second device, and this time is considered as the time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal. In other time, the first device cannot be covered by the beam of the second device, and thus the first device cannot receive any downlink signal from the second device, and this time is considered as the time in which the first device is not covered by the downlink signal. The time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal can also be described as the active time of the downlink transmission of the first device, or the active time in the downlink transmission cycle of the first device, or the time of the downlink transmission of the first device, or the active time of the corresponding beam of the first device, or the active time of the corresponding beam cycle of the first device. Alternatively, the time in which the first device is not covered by the downlink signal can also be described as the non-active time of the downlink transmission of the first device, or the non-active time in the downlink transmission cycle of the first device, or the time of the non-downlink transmission of the first device, or the non-active time of the corresponding beam of the first device, or the non-active time of the corresponding beam cycle of the first device. Alternatively, other description methods can also be used for the above concept, and the description will be given below by taking the time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal and the time in which the first device is not covered by the downlink signal as examples.

[0140] Alternatively, if the first paging occasion is in the time in which the first device is not covered by the downlink signal, the first device can determine the paging occasion in the next DRX cycle. For example, the first device can also determine whether the paging occasion in the next DRX cycle is in the time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal, to determine whether to detect the paging message in the paging occasion. That is, the first device can determine the paging occasion in one or more DRX cycles, to find the paging occasion in which the paging message can be detected, and to improve the probability of successful paging of the first device.

[0141] Optionally, the first device can be periodically covered by the downlink signal, i.e., the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal can be periodic. Alternatively, the first device can also be non-periodically covered by the downlink signal, e.g., the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal is non-periodic or irregular. Take an example that the second device is a satellite or located on a satellite, and the first device is a UE. The second device can perform periodic beam sweeping, and thus the UE can be periodically covered by the downlink signal. Alternatively, the beam sweeping of the second device can also be non-periodic, and thus the time when the UE is covered by the downlink signal is also non-periodic. If the first device is periodically covered by the downlink signal, optionally, the second device can configure the period to the first device, so that the first device can explicitly know the period, and thus explicitly know the time when the first device can receive the downlink signal. The period can be referred to as a downlink signal coverage period, or can also have other names. For example, the period can also be referred to as a third period or a beam activation period or a downlink transmission period, and the like, and the name is not limited. Optionally, the "period" in the "downlink signal coverage period" can be described using period or periodicity or cycle.

[0142] For example, the second device can send first information. The first device can receive the first information. The first information can configure one or more of the following: the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, the first time period, the second time period, the offset of the downlink signal coverage period, or the offset of the first time period in the downlink signal coverage period. Optionally, the first information can be included in a broadcast message, e.g., a system message, e.g., a system information block (SIB) 1 or SIB 19, or other system messages.

[0143] Optionally, the first information indicates the downlink signal coverage period, e.g., includes the length of the downlink signal coverage period. Optionally, the length of the downlink signal coverage period is, for example, 640 milliseconds (ms), 320 ms, 160 ms, or 80 ms, or can also be other lengths.

[0144] The first time period can be referred to as an active time or an on duration time, or can be referred to as another name. The second time period can be referred to as an inactive time, or can be referred to as another name. The first information configures the first time period, for example, includes configuring a start time domain position and / or a duration of the first time period, or includes configuring an end time domain position and / or a duration of the first time period, or includes configuring a start time domain position and / or an end time domain position of the first time period. The first information configures the second time period in a similar manner. For example, a length of the downlink signal coverage period is 640 ms, a length of the first time period is 20 ms in the 640 ms, and a length of the second time period is 620 ms in the 640 ms.

[0145] Optionally, if the first information configuring the first time period includes configuring a start time domain position and a duration of the first time period, or includes configuring an end time domain position and a duration of the first time period, or includes configuring a start time domain position and an end time domain position of the first time period, the first information can not need to configure an offset of the first time period in the downlink signal coverage period. Or, if the first information configuring the first time period includes configuring a duration of the first time period, or includes configuring an end time domain position of the first time period, the first information can further configure an offset of the first time period in the downlink signal coverage period to determine a start time domain position of the first time period in the downlink signal coverage period.

[0146] The offset of the downlink signal coverage period is, for example, a time domain offset of a start time domain position of the downlink signal coverage period in a radio frame (RF).

[0147] Optionally, the first time period corresponds to or is associated with a first geographical location. Optionally, the first geographical location is predefined, or is configured by signaling sent by the second device, or is a geographical location where the first device is located. Optionally, different geographical locations can correspond to different first time periods. Optionally, two geographical locations correspond to different first time periods. The two first time periods are different, for example, including different time lengths, and / or including different time domain positions. Taking the second device configuring the first geographical location as an example, the second device can configure a first time period corresponding to the first geographical location for a device located in the first geographical location. Optionally, the second device can send first information to a device located in the first geographical location, to configure the first time period and the like for the device located in the first geographical location through the first information. Optionally, the second device can also send information A to a device located in a second geographical location, to configure the first time period and the like for the device located in the second geographical location through the information A. Alternatively, the first information sent by the second device can indicate the first time period and the like corresponding to a device located in at least one geographical location. For example, the first information can include an association relationship between a parameter and information of a geographical location. After receiving the first information, the first device can determine the parameter associated with the information of the geographical location of the first device in the first information, and the parameter can include the first time period. Optionally, the information of the geographical location can be configured by signaling sent by the second device, and does not necessarily correspond to the first device. Only for a certain first device, it can be located in a certain geographical location pre-configured by the second device. Optionally, the information of the geographical location includes longitude and / or latitude of the geographical location, or can also include division information of the geographical location, for example, grid information corresponding to the geographical location.

[0148] Optionally, the first time period corresponding to different geographical locations can be different. In addition to the parameter of the first time period, other parameters corresponding to different geographical locations can be partially different or completely different. For example, the length of the downlink signal coverage period indicated by the first information can be the same as or different from the length of the downlink signal coverage period indicated by the information A. For another example, the second time period indicated by the first information can be different from the second time period indicated by the information A. The information A, for example, includes parameters configured by the second device for devices in the second geographical location. Taking the periodic beam scanning of the second device as an example, the time during which the devices in different geographical locations can be subjected to downlink transmission can be different. For example, the devices in geographical location 1 can be covered by the downlink signal of the second device during the first time period 1, and the devices in geographical location 2 can be covered by the downlink signal of the second device during the first time period 2. During the first time period 1, the devices in geographical location 2 are not covered by the downlink signal of the second device, and during the first time period 2, the devices in geographical location 1 are not covered by the downlink signal of the second device. Therefore, for the devices in geographical location 1, the first time period configured by the second device for the devices can include the first time period 1 but not the first time period 2. For the devices in geographical location 2, the first time period configured by the second device for the devices can include the first time period 2 but not the first time period 1.

[0149] After receiving the first information, the first device can determine the time during which the first device can be covered by the downlink signal of the second device, and thus determine the time during which the first device can detect the paging message. In this case, the first device can determine whether the first paging occasion is located in the time during which the first device is covered by the downlink signal. If the first paging occasion is located in the first time period of the downlink signal coverage period, it can be considered that the first paging occasion is located in the time during which the first device is covered by the downlink signal. If the first paging occasion is not located in the first time period of the downlink signal coverage period, it can be considered that the first paging occasion is not located in the time during which the first device is covered by the downlink signal. If the first paging occasion is located in the first time period, the first device can detect the paging message at the first paging occasion. If the first paging occasion is not located in the first time period, the first device can not detect the paging message at the first paging occasion. For example, if the first paging occasion is not located in the first time period, the first device can further determine whether the paging occasion in the next DRX is located in the first time period. Optionally, if the first paging occasion is not located in the first time period, it can be located in the second time period.

[0150] For example, refer to FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, "valid PO" refers to a paging occasion that is located in a time period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal; and "invalid PO" refers to a paging occasion that is located in a time period when the first device is not covered by the downlink signal. For example, the DRX cycle of the first device is shown in the second row of FIG. 5. If the first paging occasion is a "valid PO" shown in the second row of FIG. 5, it means that the first paging occasion is located in a time period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal; and if the first paging occasion is an "invalid PO" shown in the second row of FIG. 5, it means that the first paging occasion is not located in a time period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal. For another example, the DRX cycle of the first device is shown in the third row of FIG. 5. If the first paging occasion is a "valid PO" shown in the third row of FIG. 5, it means that the first paging occasion is located in a time period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal; and if the first paging occasion is an "invalid PO" shown in the third row of FIG. 5, it means that the first paging occasion is not located in a time period when the first device is covered by the downlink signal. The first row of FIG. 5 represents the downlink signal coverage cycle of the first device, wherein one downlink signal coverage cycle includes a first time period and a second time period. As an example, the first row of FIG. 5 includes three downlink signal coverage cycles.

[0151] If the DRX cycle of the first device completely overlaps with the downlink signal coverage cycle of the first device, the first device can not be paged at all during the non-active time. Therefore, if the time of the downlink signal coverage of the first device is periodic, optionally, the length of the DRX cycle of the first device can be different from the length of the downlink signal coverage cycle, and / or the offset of the starting time domain position of the DRX cycle can be different from the offset of the starting time domain position of the downlink signal coverage cycle. For example, the rule is predefined by the protocol or implemented by the second device when configuring the two cycles. It can be understood that the rule can make the DRX cycle and the downlink signal coverage cycle "offset" in time domain. If the two cycles are "offset" in time domain, even if the paging occasion of the first device in one DRX cycle is located in the time when the first device is not covered by the downlink signal, the paging occasion of the first device in other DRX cycles can be located in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, so that the first device can be paged at least in one DRX cycle. After such configuration, the first device can not have to detect all paging messages in the first cycle, but can detect the paging occasion in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, which can reduce the detection overhead of the first device. Moreover, the first cycle does not have to be introduced, which can simplify the implementation of the first device and the second device. The first cycle will be described later. The length of the downlink signal coverage cycle of the first device can be greater than, equal to or less than the length of the DRX cycle of the first device, and the two lengths can be in a multiple relationship or not. Optionally, the length of the DRX cycle is different from the length of the downlink signal coverage cycle, which can also be understood as that the DRX and the downlink signal coverage cycle are independently configured; and / or the offset of the starting time domain position of the DRX cycle is different from the offset of the starting time domain position of the downlink signal coverage cycle, which can also be understood as that the DRX and the downlink signal coverage cycle are independently configured.

[0152] The second device can also page according to the DRX cycle of the first device. For example, for the second device, the paging message for paging the first device can be sent in part or all of the paging occasions during the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, and the paging message for paging the first device can not be sent in the paging occasions during the time when the first device is not covered by the downlink signal. Thus, the first device can be paged, and the paging overhead can be reduced. For example, the second device can determine the first paging occasion in the same way as the first device. If the first paging occasion is located in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, the second device can send the first paging message at the first paging occasion to page the first device. Alternatively, the second device can not send the paging message for paging the first device at the first paging occasion, depending on the implementation of the second device. In FIG. 4, S402 is an example in which the second device sends the first paging message at the first paging occasion. If the first paging occasion is not located in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, the second device can not send the paging message for paging the first device at the first paging occasion to save the power consumption of the second device.

[0153] Optionally, as an implementation, the first device receives the first information, and can determine whether the first paging occasion is located in the first time period. If the first paging occasion is located in the first time period, the first device can detect the paging at the first paging occasion. Alternatively, the first device has other implementations. For example, the first device receives the first information, and can determine whether the first paging occasion is located in the first time period, and the first device can further determine whether the DRX cycle of the first device overlaps with the downlink signal coverage cycle. If the first paging occasion is located in the first time period, the first device can detect the paging message at the first paging occasion, regardless of whether the DRX cycle overlaps with the downlink signal coverage cycle. Alternatively, if the first paging occasion is not located in the first time period, and the DRX cycle overlaps with the downlink signal coverage cycle, the first device can not detect the paging message at the first paging occasion. In this case, the first device can also consider that the paging occasion in other DRX cycles is also not located in the first time period. Wherein, the DRX cycle overlaps with the downlink signal coverage cycle, for example, the duration of the DRX cycle is equal to the duration of the downlink signal coverage cycle, the starting time domain position of the DRX cycle is the same as the starting time domain position of the downlink signal coverage cycle, the on duration in the DRX cycle overlaps with the first time period in the downlink signal coverage cycle, and the sleep time in the DRX cycle overlaps with the second time period in the downlink signal coverage cycle. In other words, if the DRX cycle of the first device overlaps with the downlink signal coverage cycle, and the paging occasion of the first device in a certain DRX cycle is not located in the first time period, it can be indicated that the paging occasion of the first device in each DRX cycle will not be located in the first time period. If the first device can not be paged according to the DRX cycle.

[0154] If the first paging occasion is not located in the first time period, and the DRX cycle overlaps with the downlink signal coverage cycle, the first device can detect a paging message at each paging occasion in the first cycle, optionally. Or, if the first device cannot be paged according to the DRX cycle, the first device can detect a paging message at each paging occasion in the first cycle, optionally. The length of the first cycle can be greater than or equal to the length of the DRX cycle. The first device can be paged at least once in the first cycle. The first cycle can be configured by the second device. For example, the second device can send second information, and the second information can configure the first cycle. The first device receives the second information, and the length of the first cycle and / or the offset of the first cycle, etc. can be determined. Optionally, the first cycle can be associated with the geographical location of the first device. For example, devices in different geographical locations can be associated with different first cycles. For example, the second device can configure the first cycle for devices in different geographical locations. The length and / or time domain position of the first cycle corresponding to different geographical locations can be the same or different.

[0155] It can be understood that if the paging occasion of the first device in the DRX cycle is located in the second time period according to the DRX cycle of the first device, the first device cannot be paged at all. Therefore, the second device can configure the first cycle for the first device (or for the geographical location of the first device), and the second device can page the devices in the geographical location according to the first cycle. For example, the length of the first cycle is greater than the length of the DRX cycle, so that the first cycle can cover the first time period, which makes the first device have the possibility of being paged in the first cycle. For another example, the length of the first cycle is equal to the length of the DRX cycle, but the starting time domain position of the first cycle can be different from the starting time domain position of the DRX cycle, which means that the first cycle and the DRX cycle can be "offset" in time domain. By "offset" in time domain, the first cycle can cover the first time period, so that the first device has the possibility of being paged in the first cycle.

[0156] The first device can correspond to one or more paging occasions in the first period. Optionally, each of the one or more paging occasions can be determined according to the identity of the first device. For example, the one or more paging occasions can be determined according to Formula 1 and Formula 2 as above. Alternatively, at least one of the one or more paging occasions can be configured by the second device, and the remaining paging occasions can be determined according to the identity of the first device. For example, for the first period, if all the paging occasions determined according to the identity of the first device are located in the second time period, the second device can additionally configure at least one paging occasion for the first device in the first period. The at least one paging occasion can not be determined according to the identity of the first device, but determined by the second device and indicated to the first device (or indicated to devices in the geographical location where the first device is located). For the second device, the paging message for paging the first device can be sent in part or all of the at least one paging occasion. For the first device, in the first period, the first device can detect both the paging occasions determined according to the identity of the first device and the at least one paging occasion. Alternatively, the first device can not detect the paging occasions determined according to the identity of the first device, but detect the at least one paging occasion. In the at least one paging occasion, the first device can receive the paging message from the second device.

[0157] For another example, for the first period, of the paging occasions determined according to the identity of the first device in the first period, part or all of the paging occasions can be located in the first time period. In this case, the second device can not have to additionally configure paging occasions for the first device, but can page the second device according to the paging occasions determined according to the identity of the first device. For the first device, in the first period, the first device can detect each of the paging occasions determined according to the identity of the first device, and thus can receive the paging message from the second device in one or more of the paging occasions.

[0158] It can be seen that, through the first period, the first device can be paged, the probability of successful paging of the first device is improved, the shortest time for successful paging of the first device is ensured, and the service experience of paging is improved.

[0159] Optionally, if the first paging occasion is not located in the first time period, and the DRX cycle overlaps with the downlink signal coverage cycle, the first device can optionally not detect the paging message according to the first cycle, but can detect the paging in the active time in the second cycle. Alternatively, if the first device cannot be paged according to the DRX cycle, the first device can optionally not detect the paging message according to the first cycle, but can detect the paging in the active time in the second cycle. For example, the first device can detect the paging in each paging occasion in the active time. In the non-active time in the second cycle, the first device can not detect the paging. The length of the second cycle can be greater than, equal to, or less than the length of the DRX cycle of the first device. Optionally, the second cycle is decoupled from the DRX cycle, or it is understood that the second cycle is irrelevant to the DRX cycle or the two cycles are independently configured. In the second cycle, the first device has an active time (or duration, or other names) and a non-active time. In the active time, the first device can detect information, and in the non-active time, the first device can not detect information. For example, the first device can sleep in the non-active time (which can also be referred to as sleep time), thereby saving the power consumption of the first device. Optionally, "sleep" can include not receiving any downlink signal, or only receiving downlink control signals without receiving data channels, or shutting down the radio frequency link of the receiver without shutting down the baseband, or shutting down the radio frequency link and the baseband of the receiver, or shutting down the radio frequency link, the baseband, and the main processor of the receiver.

[0160] The second cycle can be configured by the second device. For example, the second device can send third information, and the third information can configure the second cycle. The first device receives the third information, and can determine the second cycle. For example, the length of the second cycle and / or the offset of the second cycle, etc. Alternatively, the second cycle can also be pre-defined by the protocol. Optionally, the second cycle can be associated with the second geographical location. For example, devices in different geographical locations can be associated with different second cycles, and the second device or the protocol can respectively configure corresponding second cycles for devices in different geographical locations. The length and / or time domain position of the second cycle corresponding to different geographical locations can be the same or different.

[0161] For the second device, its behavior can be constrained. For example, the downlink transmission time of the second device can be constrained to be the same as the downlink reception time of the first device in the second cycle (e.g. the active time in the second cycle), or the downlink transmission time can be constrained to be a subset of the downlink reception time. The first device can receive in the downlink reception time of the second cycle. For example, it can be specified that the second device pages the first device in at least one paging occasion in the active time in the second cycle, and the first device will be paged at least once in the active time.

[0162] Alternatively, the behavior of the second device can not be restricted. The first device can perform the receiving in the downlink receiving time of the second cycle. For example, the second device can or can not page the first device in the active time of the second cycle. The second device can or can not page the first device in the non-active time of the second cycle. If the behavior of the second device is restricted, the first device can receive the paging message for paging the first device by detecting each paging occasion in the active time. If the behavior of the second device is not restricted, the first device can or can not receive the paging message for paging the first device by detecting each paging occasion in the active time. However, if the first device cannot be paged according to the DRX cycle, the first device can detect the paging according to the second cycle, and the probability of paging the first device successfully can be improved. Moreover, no matter whether the behavior of the second device is restricted or not, or no matter whether the second device performs the downlink transmission in any manner, the first device can perform the downlink receiving in the specified time (the downlink receiving time). Thus, the probability of missing the downlink signal of the first device can be reduced. Moreover, the first device does not have to detect the information in the time other than the downlink receiving time, and the power consumption of the first device can be reduced. It can be understood that the embodiments of the present application can specify the receiving behavior of the first device without forcing the transmission manner of the second device, and the detection power consumption of the first device can be greatly reduced.

[0163] It can be understood that if the paging occasions of the first device in the DRX cycle are all located in the second time period according to the DRX cycle of the first device, the first device cannot be paged all the time. Therefore, the first device can detect the paging according to the second cycle. Compared with detecting the paging according to the DRX cycle, detecting the paging according to the second cycle can improve the probability of detecting successfully.

[0164] The active time of the second period for the first device can correspond to one or more paging occasions. Optionally, each of the one or more paging occasions can be determined according to the identity of the first device. For example, the one or more paging occasions can be determined according to the above Formula 1 and Formula 2. Alternatively, among the one or more paging occasions, at least one paging occasion is configured by the second device, and the remaining paging occasions are determined according to the identity of the first device. For example, for the active time of the second period, if all the paging occasions determined according to the identity of the first device are located within the second time period, the second device can additionally configure at least one paging occasion for the first device within the active time. The at least one paging occasion can not be determined according to the identity of the first device, but determined by the second device and indicated to the first device (or indicated to devices within the geographical location where the first device is located). For the second device, a paging message for paging the first device can be sent within part or all of the at least one paging occasion. For the first device, within the active time, the first device can detect both the paging occasions determined according to the identity of the first device and the at least one paging occasion. Alternatively, the first device can not detect the paging occasions determined according to the identity of the first device, but detect the at least one paging occasion. Within the at least one paging occasion, the first device can receive the paging message from the second device.

[0165] For example, for the active time of the second period, among the paging occasions determined according to the identity of the first device, part or all of the paging occasions can be located within the first time period. Then the second device can not have to additionally configure paging occasions for the first device, but can page the second device according to the paging occasions determined according to the identity of the first device. For the first device, within the active time, the first device can detect each of the paging occasions determined according to the identity of the first device, and thus can receive the paging message from the second device within one or more of the paging occasions.

[0166] It can be seen that through the second period, the probability of the first device being successfully paged can be improved. The first device detects paging within the active time of the second period, and can not detect paging within the inactive time of the second period, and thus energy saving effect can also be achieved.

[0167] Alternatively, if the first paging occasion is not located in the active time of the downlink signal coverage period, the first device can also detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period, for example, the first device can not need to determine whether the DRX period overlaps with the downlink signal coverage period. Alternatively, if the first device cannot be paged according to the DRX period, the first device can also detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period. In addition, alternatively, if the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal is aperiodic, the first device can also detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period, and the detection mechanism can refer to the above description. Alternatively, although the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal is periodic, the first device does not know the downlink signal coverage period of the first device (for example, the second device does not configure the downlink signal coverage period to the first device. It can be understood that the scanning of the second device to the ground area is the implementation behavior of the second device, and the scanning information does not need to be configured to the first device), and the first device can also detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period, and the detection mechanism can refer to the above description.

[0168] If the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal is aperiodic, or the first device does not know the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, the first device can not be able to determine whether the first device has a paging occasion located in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, which is equivalent to being unable to determine whether the first device can be paged in the DRX period. Therefore, alternatively, if the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal is aperiodic, or the first device does not know the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, the first device can detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period. If the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal is aperiodic, or the first device does not know the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, the first device can not need to determine the first paging occasion (for example, S401 is not performed). Correspondingly, it can also not need to determine whether the first paging occasion is located in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal (for example, S402 is not performed), but can detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period.

[0169] Alternatively, even if the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal is aperiodic, or the first device does not know the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, the first device can determine the first paging occasion (e.g., perform S401), and determine whether the first paging occasion is within the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal (e.g., perform S401). If the first paging occasion is within the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, the first device can detect the paging message at the first paging occasion. Alternatively, if the first paging occasion is not within the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal, the first device can detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period. It can be understood that the first device cannot determine whether the first device can be paged according to the DRX period, and therefore the first device can randomly determine the first paging occasion, which is equivalent to sampling. If the paging message can be detected at the first paging occasion, the first device can not have to detect the paging message according to the first period or the second period, and can save power consumption of the first device. If the paging message cannot be detected at the first paging occasion, it is equivalent to the sampling result of the first device indicating that the paging message cannot be detected according to the DRX period, and the first device does not have to determine other paging occasions, but detects the paging message according to the first period or the second period.

[0170] For the second device, the first device can be paged according to the DRX mechanism, for example, the second device can determine the first paging occasion, and can page the first device at the first paging occasion, or can not page the first device. Alternatively, if the first paging occasion is not within the active time of the downlink signal coverage period, and the DRX period of the first device overlaps with the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, the second device can page the first device according to the first period or the second period. Alternatively, if the first paging occasion is not within the active time of the downlink signal coverage period of the first device, the second device can also page the first device according to the first period or the second period, for example, the second device can not have to judge whether the DRX period of the first device overlaps with the downlink signal coverage period of the first device. Alternatively, if the first device cannot be paged according to the DRX period, the second device can page the first device according to the first period or the second period. In addition, optionally, if the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal is aperiodic, the second device can also page the first device according to the first period or the second period. Alternatively, although the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal is periodic, the second device does not configure the downlink signal coverage period to the first device, and the second device can also page the first device according to the first period or the second period. It can be understood that the paging mechanism adopted by the second device for the first device can be consistent with the paging mechanism adopted by the first device, for example, both of which are paging according to the DRX period, or paging according to the first period, or paging according to the second period, etc., so as to improve the probability of successful paging of the first device.

[0171] In the embodiments of the present application, the first device can detect in the paging occasion in which the paging message can be received, and the first device can not detect in the paging occasion in which the paging message cannot be received (for example, the paging occasion in the time in which the first device is not covered by the downlink signal), thereby reducing the power consumption of the first device and prolonging the use time and life of the first device. Alternatively, if the first device cannot be paged according to the DRX cycle, or the first device does not know the downlink signal coverage, the first device can detect paging according to the first cycle or the second cycle to improve the probability of successful paging of the first device.

[0172] The embodiments of the present application provide a second communication method, please refer to FIG. 6, which is a flowchart of the method.

[0173] S601, the first device determines the first paging frame according to the identifier of the first device and the first parameter.

[0174] The first parameter can be determined according to the second paging frame of the first device. Alternatively, for example, the second paging frame can also be referred to as the effective paging frame, or can also have other names, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present application. The second paging frame of the first device refers to the paging frame in the time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal. For the time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal and other characteristics, please refer to the related introduction of the embodiments shown in FIG. 4.

[0175] Since the first device determines the first paging frame according to the second paging frame of the first device, the first paging frame can be located in the time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal. It can be understood that the embodiments of the present application change the formula for determining the paging frame, and the paging occasion of the first device is "moved" or "remapped". For example, the paging frame originally located in the time in which the first device is not covered by the downlink signal is "moved" or "remapped" to the time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal. Therefore, the paging occasion determined by the first device in the first paging frame is also located in the time in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal. The first device can receive the signal from the second device in the paging occasion, so it has the possibility of detecting the paging message, and improves the probability of successful paging of the first device. Moreover, the paging frame determined by the first device will not be located in the time in which the first device is not covered by the downlink signal with a high probability, so the detection of the first device on the paging frame is effective, reducing the invalid detection process of the first device and reducing the power consumption of the first device.

[0176] The first parameter is determined according to the second paging frame of the first device, for example, an optional determination manner includes that the first parameter can be determined according to the number and / or position (for example, the time domain position) of the second paging frame of the first device. The first parameter can have various implementation manners, which are introduced below.

[0177] 1、the first parameter indicates a number of second paging frames in a DRX cycle of the first device.

[0178] For example, refer to FIG. 7. The first row of FIG. 7 indicates a downlink signal coverage cycle of the first device, which includes a first time period and a second time period. For these features, refer to the introduction of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. The second row of FIG. 7 indicates a DRX cycle of the first device. FIG. 7 takes an example in which the length of the DRX cycle is twice the length of the downlink signal coverage cycle. In actual applications, the length of the downlink signal coverage cycle can be greater than, equal to, or less than the length of the DRX cycle. The two lengths can be in a multiple relationship or not. The first parameter can indicate the number of paging frames in the two "first time periods" in FIG. 7.

[0179] Optionally, the first paging frame can satisfy the following relationship: (SFN+PF offset )mod T=(UE_ID mod N) (Formula 3)

[0180] Wherein, SFN indicates the system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset indicates the offset of the first paging frame, T indicates the length of the DRX cycle of the first device, UE_ID indicates the identifier of the first device, mod indicates the remainder operation, and N indicates the first parameter.

[0181] For example, the length of the DRX cycle of the first device is 2560 ms, the length of the downlink signal coverage cycle of the first device is 160 ms, and the length of the first time period of the first device in the downlink signal coverage cycle is 20 ms. Therefore, N=16×2=32.

[0182] For another example, the length of the DRX cycle of the first device is 1.28 seconds (s), the length of the downlink signal coverage cycle of the first device is 640 ms, and the length of the first time period of the first device in the downlink signal coverage cycle is 20 ms. Therefore, N=2×2=4, and PF offset =0.

[0183] 2、the first parameter indicates a number of second paging frames in a downlink signal coverage cycle of the first device.

[0184] Continue to refer to FIG. 7. The first parameter can indicate the number of paging frames in one "first time period" in FIG. 7.

[0185] Optionally, the first paging frame can satisfy the following relationship: (SFN+PF offset )mod T=(T div N)*(UE_ID mod N) (Formula 4)

[0186] wherein SFN represents a system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset represents an offset of the first paging frame, T represents a length of a DRX cycle of the first device, UE_ID represents an identifier of the first device, div represents a division operation, mod represents a remainder operation, and N represents the first parameter. Optionally, (T div N) represents a number of discontinuous transmission (DTX) cycles included in the DRX cycle T of the first device.

[0187] For example, the length of the DRX cycle of the first device is 1.28s, the length of the downlink signal coverage cycle of the first device is 320ms, the length of the first time period of the first device in the downlink signal coverage cycle is 80ms, (T div N) = 1280 ÷ 320 = 4, and N = 8.

[0188] 3. The first parameter represents a number of second paging frames in N paging frames in the DRX cycle of the first device, which are located in the period in which the first device is covered by the downlink signal. N represents a number of paging frames included in the DRX cycle of the first device.

[0189] Reference can still be made to FIG. 7. N can represent a number of paging frames in the two “first time periods” and the two “second time periods” in FIG. 7. The first parameter represents a number of paging frames in N paging frames in the DRX cycle shown in FIG. 7, which are located in the “first time period” shown in FIG. 7.

[0190] Optionally, the first paging frame can satisfy the following relationship: (SFN + PF offset ) mod T = (T div N a ) * (UE_ID mod N offset ) (Formula 5)

[0191] wherein SFN represents a system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset represents an offset of the first paging frame, T represents a length of a DRX cycle of the first device, UE_ID represents an identifier of the first device, div represents a division operation, mod represents a remainder operation, and N a represents the first parameter.

[0192] For example, the length of the DRX cycle of the first device is 1.28s, the length of the downlink signal coverage cycle of the first device is 320ms, the length of the first time period of the first device in the downlink signal coverage cycle is 80ms, (T div N) = 1280 ÷ 320 = 4, and N = 320, N a = 4 * 8 = 32.

[0193] For example, the DRX cycle of the first device is 1.28s, the downlink signal coverage cycle of the first device is 640ms, the first time period of the first device in the downlink signal coverage cycle is 80ms, (T div N) = 1280 ÷ 640 = 2, then N = 640, N a = 2 x 8 = 16.

[0194] Optionally, the first device can also determine the paging occasion. For example, the first device determines the paging occasion according to formula 2. Optionally, in the embodiments of the present application, N s may be greater than 4. According to the conventional method, N s is less than or equal to 4, while in the embodiments of the present application, N s is greater than 4, which means that the time domain position that the paging occasion in one PF can occupy is expanded, and the paging congestion in the paging occasion caused by the reduction of PF is reduced. The paging occasion in the first paging frame can be located in the subframe carrying SSB, and / or located in the subframe not carrying SSB. For example, there is at least one paging occasion in the first paging frame, which can be located in one or more of subframe 0, subframe 1, subframe 2, subframe 3, subframe 4, subframe 5, subframe 6, subframe 7, subframe 8 or subframe 9. According to the current scheme, the paging occasion is generally located in subframe 0, subframe 4, subframe 5 or subframe 9. The embodiments of the present application expand the position of the paging occasion, so that one radio frame can provide more paging occasions. Thus, the time for the first device to receive paging can be increased, so that different first devices can be dispersed to more time to be paged, reducing the paging conflict, and increasing the probability of successful paging.

[0195] According to the above, the first device can be periodically covered by the downlink signal, that is, the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal can be periodic. This period is, for example, called the downlink signal coverage cycle, or can also be called other names, such as the third period or the beam activation period or the downlink transmission period, etc. Optionally, the second device can configure the downlink signal coverage cycle for the first device. For example, the second device can send first information, which can configure one or more of the following: the downlink signal coverage cycle of the first device, the first time period, the second time period, the offset of the downlink signal coverage cycle, or the offset of the first time period in the downlink signal coverage cycle. Optionally, the first information can be included in a broadcast message, such as a system message, for example, SIB1 or SIB19, or other system messages. For more information about this part, please refer to the related content of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4.

[0196] S602, the first device detects a paging message in the first paging frame.

[0197] The first device determines the first paging frame, and can also determine a paging occasion in the first paging frame. The first device can detect a paging message in at least one paging occasion in the first paging frame. The second device can also determine the first paging frame and the paging occasion in the same manner as the first device. The second device can send a paging message for paging the first device in some or all paging occasions in the first paging frame, so that the first device can be paged.

[0198] The first device in the embodiment of the present application determines the first paging frame according to the second paging frame of the first device, so that the first paging frame is located in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal. Therefore, the paging occasion determined by the first device in the first paging frame is also located in the time when the first device is covered by the downlink signal. The first device can receive a signal from the second device in the paging occasion, so as to have the possibility of detecting the paging message, and the probability of the first device being successfully paged is improved. Moreover, the paging frame determined by the first device will not be located in the time when the first device is not covered by the downlink signal with a large probability, so that the detection of the first device on the paging frame is effective, the invalid detection process of the first device is reduced, and the power consumption of the first device is reduced. For the first device and the second device, the paging frame and the paging occasion can be directly determined according to the corresponding formula, without introducing an additional processing process, so as to simplify the implementation of the first device and the second device.

[0199] The third communication method is provided in the embodiment of the present application, and a flowchart of the method is shown in FIG. 8.

[0200] S801, the second device sends a paging message in at least one paging occasion. Correspondingly, the first device detects the paging message in the at least one paging occasion. The paging message can be used for paging the first device.

[0201] The at least one paging occasion is, for example, all or part of the paging occasions corresponding to the first device. For example, the second device can send the paging message in some or all paging occasions in the at least one paging occasion; and the first device can detect the paging message in each paging occasion in the at least one paging occasion.

[0202] Optionally, the at least one paging occasion can be determined according to N s , and N s represents the number of paging occasions in one paging frame. Optionally, the paging occasions are determined according to N s , for example, the formula 2 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. In the embodiment of the present application, N s may be greater than 4. According to the conventional manner, N s is less than or equal to 4, and the embodiment of the present application makes N sgreater than 4, which corresponds to an extension of the time domain positions that a paging occasion included in a PF can occupy, and reduces the paging congestion in the paging occasion due to the reduction of the PF.

[0203] The at least one paging occasion can be located in a subframe carrying an SSB, and / or in a subframe not carrying an SSB. For example, the at least one paging occasion can be located in one or more of subframe 0, subframe 1, subframe 2, subframe 3, subframe 4, subframe 5, subframe 6, subframe 7, subframe 8, or subframe 9.

[0204] According to the current scheme, the paging occasions are generally located in subframe 0, subframe 4, subframe 5, or subframe 9. The embodiments of the present application extend the time domain positions of the paging occasions, so that more paging occasions can be provided in a radio frame. Thus, the time for the device to receive paging can be increased, so that different devices can be dispersed to be paged in more time, reducing the paging conflict and increasing the probability of successful paging.

[0205] FIG. 9 shows a structural schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 900 can be the first device or the circuitry of the first device according to the embodiments shown in any one of FIG. 4, FIG. 6, or FIG. 8, for implementing the method corresponding to the first device in the above method embodiments. Alternatively, the communication device 900 can be the second device or the circuitry of the second device according to the embodiments shown in any one of FIG. 4, FIG. 6, or FIG. 8, for implementing the method corresponding to the second device in the above method embodiments. For example, one of the circuitry can be a chip system.

[0206] The communication device 900 includes at least one processor 901. The processor 901 can be used for internal processing of the device, to implement certain control processing functions. Optionally, the processor 901 includes instructions. Optionally, the processor 901 can store data. Optionally, different processors can be independent devices, which can be located in different physical positions, and can be located on different integrated circuits. Alternatively, different processors can be integrated in one or more processors, for example, integrated on one or more integrated circuits.

[0207] Optionally, the communication device 900 includes one or more memories 903 for storing instructions. Optionally, the memory 903 can also store data. The processor and the memory can be separately provided, or integrated together.

[0208] Optionally, the communication device 900 includes a communication line 902 and at least one communication interface 904. Since the memory 903, the communication line 902, and the communication interface 904 are all optional, they are all represented by dashed lines in FIG. 9.

[0209] Optionally, the communication device 900 can further include a transceiver and / or an antenna. The transceiver can be used to send information to other devices or receive information from other devices. The transceiver can be referred to as a transceiver, transceiver circuit, input / output interface, etc., and is used to realize the transceiver function of the communication device 900 through the antenna. Optionally, the transceiver includes a transmitter and a receiver. Illustratively, the transmitter can be used to generate a radio frequency signal from a baseband signal, and the receiver can be used to convert a radio frequency signal into a baseband signal.

[0210] The processor 901 can include a general central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of programs of the solutions of the present application.

[0211] The communication line 902 can include a path for transmitting information between the above-mentioned components.

[0212] The communication interface 904 uses any transceiver-like device for communicating with other devices or communication networks, such as an Ethernet, a radio access network (RAN), a wireless local area networks (WLAN), a wired access network, etc.

[0213] The memory 903 can be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM), or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and instructions, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, a magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited to this. The memory 903 can exist independently, and be connected to the processor 901 through the communication line 902. Alternatively, the memory 903 can be integrated with the processor 901.

[0214] The memory 903 is configured to store computer-executed instructions for implementing the solutions of the present application, and the processor 901 is configured to control the execution of the computer-executed instructions stored in the memory 903. The processor 901 is configured to execute the computer-executed instructions stored in the memory 903, so as to implement the steps performed by the first device or the second device in the embodiments shown in any one of FIG. 4, FIG. 6, or FIG. 8.

[0215] Optionally, the computer-executed instructions in the embodiments of the present application can also be referred to as application program codes, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited in this regard.

[0216] In a specific implementation, as an example, the processor 901 can include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 in FIG. 9.

[0217] In a specific implementation, as an example, the communication device 900 can include multiple processors, such as the processor 901 and the processor 905 in FIG. 9. Each of these processors can be a single-CPU processor or a multi-CPU processor. The processor herein can refer to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores for processing data (for example, computer program instructions).

[0218] When the apparatus shown in FIG. 9 is a chip, for example, a chip of the first apparatus or a chip of the second apparatus, or the first apparatus is a chip or the second apparatus is a chip, the chip includes the processor 901 (and can also include the processor 905), the communication line 902, and the communication interface 904, and optionally, the memory 903. Specifically, the communication interface 904 can be an input interface, a pin, or a circuit, etc. The memory 903 can be a register, a cache, etc. The processor 901 and the processor 905 can be a general-purpose CPU, a microprocessor, an ASIC, or one or more integrated circuits for executing programs for controlling the communication method of any of the above embodiments.

[0219] The embodiments of the present application can divide the functions of the apparatus according to the above method examples, for example, each function module can be divided according to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The above integrated module can be realized in the form of hardware or in the form of a software function module. It should be noted that the division of the modules in the embodiments of the present application is illustrative, and is only a logical function division. When each function module is divided according to each function, FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus 1000, which can be the first apparatus or the second apparatus involved in each of the above method embodiments, or a chip in the first apparatus or a chip in the second apparatus, or the first apparatus is a chip or the second apparatus is a chip. The apparatus 1000 includes a processing unit 1002 and a transceiver unit 1001.

[0220] It should be understood that the apparatus 1000 can be used to implement the steps performed by the first apparatus or the second apparatus in the communication method of the embodiments of the present application, and the related features can refer to the embodiments shown in any of FIG. 4, FIG. 6, or FIG. 8, which will not be described here.

[0221] Optionally, the functions / implementation processes of the transceiver unit 1001 and the processing unit 1002 in FIG. 10 can be realized by the processor 901 in FIG. 9 invoking computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 903. Alternatively, the functions / implementation processes of the processing unit 1002 in FIG. 10 can be realized by the processor 901 in FIG. 9 invoking computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 903, and the functions / implementation processes of the transceiver unit 1001 in FIG. 10 can be realized by the communication interface 904 in FIG. 9.

[0222] Optionally, when the apparatus 1000 is a chip or circuit, the functions / implementation procedures of the transceiver unit 1001 can also be implemented through pins or circuits, etc. Optionally, the transceiver unit 1001 can include a sending unit and / or a receiving unit, the sending unit is used to implement the sending function, and the receiving unit is used to implement the receiving function; or the transceiver unit 1001 can be an integral module, which can implement the sending function and / or the receiving function. Optionally, the transceiver unit 1001 can be implemented through a transceiver.

[0223] The application further provides a computer readable storage medium, which stores a computer program or instructions, when the computer program or instructions are executed, the method executed by the first device or the second device in the foregoing method embodiments is implemented. Thus, the functions described in the above embodiments can be implemented in the form of software function units and sold or used as independent products. Based on such understanding, the technical solutions of the application can be embodied in the form of software product in essence or the part that contributes to the application or part of the technical solutions. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium, and includes a plurality of instructions to make a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) execute all or part of the steps of the method described in the embodiments of the application. The storage medium includes a U disk, a mobile hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk or an optical disk, and various media that can store program codes.

[0224] The application further provides a computer program product, which includes computer program codes, when the computer program codes are executed on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method executed by the first device or the second device in any of the foregoing method embodiments.

[0225] The embodiments of the application further provide a processing device, which includes a processor and an interface; the processor is used to execute the method executed by the first device or the second device related to any of the foregoing method embodiments.

[0226] In the embodiments described above, all or some of the embodiments can be implemented by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented by software, all or some of the embodiments can be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded into and executed by a computer, all or some of the procedures or functions described in the embodiments of the present application are performed. The computer can be a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable apparatus. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer readable storage medium to another computer readable storage medium, for example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from a website, a computer, a server or a data center to another website, computer, server or data center through a wired (for example, coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (for example, infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) manner. The computer readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server, data center, etc. integrated with one or more available media sets. The available media can be a magnetic medium (for example, floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (for example, DVD), or a semiconductor medium (for example, solid state disk (SSD)) and the like.

[0227] The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithms described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented or performed by a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the described functions. The general purpose processor can be a microprocessor, optionally, the general purpose processor can also be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor can also be implemented by a combination of computing devices, such as a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other similar configuration.

[0228] The steps of methods or algorithms described in the embodiments of the present application can be directly embedded in hardware, a software unit executed by a processor, or a combination of the two. The software unit can be stored in a RAM, a flash memory, a ROM, an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an EEPROM, a register, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium in the art. The storage medium can be connected to the processor, so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium can also be integrated into the processor. The processor and the storage medium can be located in an ASIC, which can be located in the terminal device. Alternatively, the processor and the storage medium can also be located in different components of the terminal device.

[0229] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device to cause a series of operations to be performed on the computer or other programmable data processing device to generate a computer implemented process, so that the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable data processing device provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more flows of the flowchart and / or one or more blocks of the block diagram.

[0230] The contents of various embodiments of the present application can be mutually referred to, and the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be mutually referred to if there is no special description and logical conflict. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0231] It can be understood that, in the embodiments of the present application, the first device and / or the second device can perform part or all of the steps in the embodiments of the present application, and these steps or operations are only examples, and other operations or variations of various operations can also be performed in the embodiments of the present application. In addition, each step can be executed in a different order from that presented in the embodiments of the present application, and it is possible that not all the operations in the embodiments of the present application are executed.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method comprises: determining a first paging occasion in a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle; if the first paging occasion is located in a time period in which the terminal is covered by a downlink signal from a non-terrestrial communication device, detecting a paging message at the first paging occasion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The time period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal is periodic, wherein the length of the DRX cycle is different from the length of the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal; and / or the offset of the start of the DRX cycle in the time domain is different from the offset of the start of the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The method further comprises: receiving first information for configuring one or more of the following: the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal; a first time period representing a time period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal in the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal; a second time period representing a time period in which the terminal is not covered by the downlink signal in the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal; the offset of the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal; or the offset of the first time period in the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The first time period is associated with a geographical location in which the terminal is located.

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The first information is included in a system message.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further comprises: if the first paging occasion is located in a time period in which the terminal is not covered by a downlink signal, determining a paging occasion in a next DRX cycle.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further comprises: if the first paging occasion is located in a time period in which the terminal is not covered by a downlink signal, detecting a paging message at each paging occasion in a first cycle, the length of the first cycle being greater than or equal to the length of the DRX cycle, wherein the terminal is paged at least once in the first cycle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the paging occasions in the first cycle are determined according to an identity of the terminal; or at least one of the paging occasions in the first cycle is configured by a network device, and the remaining paging occasions in the first cycle are determined according to the identity of the terminal.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The method further comprises: receiving second information for configuring the first cycle.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The first paging occasion is determined according to an identity of the terminal and the DRX cycle.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The first paging occasion is located in at least one of subframe 0, subframe 2, subframe 3, subframe 4, subframe 5, subframe 7, subframe 8, or subframe 9.

12. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method comprises: determining a first paging occasion in a DRX cycle for a terminal; if the first paging occasion is located in a time period in which the terminal is covered by a downlink signal from a non-terrestrial communication device, transmitting a first paging message at the first paging occasion, the first paging message being used for paging the terminal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, The time period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal is periodic, wherein the length of the DRX cycle of the terminal is different from the length of the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal; and / or the offset of the start of the DRX cycle of the terminal in the time domain is different from the offset of the start of the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The method further comprises: sending first information, the first information being used for configuring one or more of the following: a period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal; a first time period, the first time period representing a time in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal in the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal; a second time period, the second time period representing a time in which the terminal is not covered by the downlink signal in the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal; an offset of the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal; or an offset of the first time period in the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, The first time period is associated with a geographical location in which the terminal is located.

16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that The first information is comprised in a system message.

17. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that, The method further comprises: if the first paging occasion is located in the time in which the terminal is not covered by the downlink signal, sending a second paging message at at least one paging occasion in a first period, the second paging message being used for paging the terminal, a length of the first period being greater than or equal to a length of a DRX cycle of the terminal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, the paging occasion in the first period is determined according to an identity of the terminal; or the at least one paging occasion in the first period is configured by a network device, and remaining paging occasions in the first period are determined according to the identity of the terminal.

19. The method of claim 17 or 18, wherein, The method further comprises: sending second information, the second information being used for configuring the first period.

20. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 19, characterized in that, The first paging occasion is determined according to the identity of the terminal and the DRX cycle.

21. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 20, characterized in that, The first paging occasion is located in at least one of subframe 0, subframe 2, subframe 3, subframe 4, subframe 5, subframe 7, subframe 8 or subframe 9.

22. A method of communication, comprising: The method comprises: determining a first paging frame according to an identity of a terminal and a first parameter, wherein the first parameter is determined according to a second paging frame of the terminal, the second paging frame referring to a paging frame located in a time in which the terminal is covered by a downlink signal, the downlink signal being from a non-terrestrial communication device; detecting a paging message in the first paging frame.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein, The first parameter is determined according to the second paging frame of the terminal, comprising: The first parameter is determined according to a number and / or a location of the second paging frame of the terminal.

24. The method of claim 22 or 23, wherein, The first parameter is determined according to the second paging frame of the terminal, comprising: The first parameter represents a number of the second paging frames in a DRX cycle of the terminal.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein, The first paging frame satisfies the following relationship: (SFN + PF offset ) mod T = (UE_ID mod N); wherein SFN denotes a system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset denotes an offset of the first paging frame, T denotes a length of a DRX cycle of the terminal, UE_ID denotes an identity of the terminal, mod denotes a remainder operation, and N denotes the first parameter.

26. The method of claim 22 or 23, wherein, The first parameter is determined according to the second paging frame of the terminal, comprising: The first parameter represents a number of the second paging frames in a period in which the terminal is covered by a downlink signal.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein, The first paging frame satisfies the following relationship: (SFN + PF offset ) mod T = (T div N) * (UE_ID mod N); wherein SFN denotes a system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset denotes an offset of the first paging frame, T denotes a length of a DRX cycle of the terminal, UE_ID denotes an identity of the terminal, div denotes a division operation, mod denotes a remainder operation, and N denotes the first parameter.

28. The method of claim 22 or 23, wherein, The first parameter is determined according to the second paging frame of the terminal, comprising: The first parameter represents a number of the second paging frames in N paging frames in a DRX cycle of the terminal, N representing a number of paging frames comprised in the DRX cycle of the terminal, which are located in the period in which the terminal is covered by the downlink signal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein, The first paging frame satisfies the following relationship: (SFN + PF offset ) mod T = (T div N) * (UE_ID mod N a ); wherein SFN denotes a system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset denotes an offset of the first paging frame, T denotes a length of a DRX cycle of the terminal, UE_ID denotes an identity of the terminal, div denotes a division operation, mod denotes a remainder operation, N a denotes the first parameter.

30. A method of communication, comprising: The method comprises: determining a first paging frame according to the identity of the terminal and a first parameter, wherein the first parameter is determined according to a second paging frame of the terminal, and the second paging frame refers to a paging frame located in a time period in which the terminal is covered by a downlink signal from a non-ground communication device; sending a paging message in the first paging frame, the paging message being used to page the terminal.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein, The first parameter is determined according to the second paging frame of the terminal, including: The first parameter is determined according to a number and / or a position of the second paging frame of the terminal.

32. The method of claim 30 or 31, wherein, The first parameter is determined according to the second paging frame of the terminal, including: The first parameter indicates a number of the second paging frames in a DRX cycle of the terminal.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein, The first paging frame satisfies the following relationship: (SFN + PF offset ) mod T = (UE_ID mod N); wherein SFN denotes a system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset denotes an offset of the first paging frame, T denotes a length of a DRX cycle of the terminal, UE_ID denotes an identity of the terminal, mod denotes a remainder operation, and N denotes the first parameter.

34. The method of claim 30 or 31, wherein, The first parameter is determined according to the second paging frame of the terminal, including: The first parameter indicates a number of the second paging frames in a period in which the terminal is covered by a downlink signal.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein, The first paging frame satisfies the following relationship: (SFN + PF offset ) mod T = (T div N) * (UE_ID mod N); wherein SFN denotes a system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset denotes an offset of the first paging frame, T denotes a length of a DRX cycle of the terminal, UE_ID denotes an identity of the terminal, div denotes a division operation, mod denotes a remainder operation, and N denotes the first parameter.

36. The method of claim 30 or 31, wherein, The first parameter is determined according to the second paging frame of the terminal, including: The first parameter indicates a number of the second paging frames in a period in which the terminal is covered by a downlink signal, in N paging frames in a DRX cycle of the terminal, N indicating a number of paging frames included in the DRX cycle of the terminal.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein, The first paging frame satisfies the following relationship: (SFN + PF offset ) mod T = (T div N) * (UE_ID mod N a ); wherein SFN denotes a system frame number of the first paging frame, PF offset denotes an offset of the first paging frame, T denotes a length of a DRX cycle of the terminal, UE_ID denotes an identity of the terminal, div denotes a division operation, mod denotes a remainder operation, N a denotes the first parameter.

38. A communications device, characterized by The communication device includes a module for performing the method of any one of claims 1-11, or a module for performing the method of any one of claims 12-21, or a module for performing the method of any one of claims 22-29, or a module for performing the method of any one of claims 30-37.

39. A communications device, characterized by The communication device includes a processor for performing the method of any one of claims 1-11, or performing the method of any one of claims 12-21, or performing the method of any one of claims 22-29, or performing the method of any one of claims 30-37.

40. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising: The computer readable storage medium is used to store a computer program, when the computer program runs on a computer, so that the method of any one of claims 1-11 is executed, or so that the method of any one of claims 12-21 is executed, or so that the method of any one of claims 22-29 is executed, or so that the method of any one of claims 30-37 is executed.

41. A computer program product, characterised in that, The computer program product includes a computer program, when the computer program runs on a computer, so that the computer executes the method of any one of claims 1-11, or so that the computer executes the method of any one of claims 12-21, or so that the computer executes the method of any one of claims 22-29, or so that the computer executes the method of any one of claims 30-37.

Images