Sensing method and apparatus

Abstract

A sensing method and apparatus. The method comprises: a first communication apparatus sending a first sensing request to a second communication apparatus, wherein the first sensing request comprises information used for indicating a first sensing mode, and the first sensing mode is used for instructing the execution of sensing by means of an indoor terminal; the second communication apparatus cooperating with a first terminal to execute sensing, so as to obtain a first point cloud corresponding to a sensed object, wherein the first terminal is an indoor terminal; and the second communication apparatus sending first sensing information to the first communication apparatus, wherein the first sensing information comprises the first point cloud. By means of the technical solution provided in the present application, the reconstruction accuracy of surfaces of some materials having relatively poor scattering performance is improved.

Description

A sensing method and device

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410927165.7, filed on July 11, 2024, entitled "A Sensing Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

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

[0003] Sensing is a crucial capability in some wireless communication technologies. Utilizing sensing capabilities, wireless networks can locate passive targets (such as drones, cars, and ships), reconstruct environments (such as urban landscapes and indoor environments), monitor environments (such as identifying ground water or ice, monitoring air humidity or precipitation), and monitor environmental deformation (such as building deformation and bridge deformation). Among these, environmental reconstruction is a significant use case for sensing and a crucial technological path to achieving digital twins.

[0004] One possible approach is to reconstruct the environment using surface scattering. For example, a terminal sends a sensing signal to a base station. This signal scatters on a building surface, and the echo is received by the base station. The base station can measure the signal propagation time and angle. Based on the propagation time, angle, and terminal position, the scattering location of the signal on the building surface can be estimated, thus constructing a point cloud of the building surface. By moving the terminal, the point cloud can be observed from different directions, thereby characterizing the building surface. Based on the superposition of multiple surfaces, a 3D model of the building can be reconstructed.

[0005] However, the above schemes rely heavily on the scattering characteristics of electromagnetic waves on building surfaces. For some special material surfaces, the scattering performance is poor (or even non-existent), resulting in low reconstruction accuracy achieved by the above schemes. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a sensing method and apparatus that can improve the reconstruction accuracy of some material surfaces with poor scattering properties.

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a sensing method, which can be applied to a first communication device, including:

[0008] Send a first sensing request to a second communication device, the first sensing request including information for indicating a first sensing mode, the first sensing mode for indicating sensing to be performed through an indoor terminal;

[0009] The device receives first sensing information from the second communication device. The first sensing information includes a first point cloud corresponding to the sensing object. The first point cloud is obtained through a first terminal, which is an indoor terminal.

[0010] In this context, an indoor terminal can be understood as a type of terminal. Perception is performed through an indoor terminal; specifically, it's performed through a terminal of type indoor terminal. The first point cloud can be understood as the point cloud obtained by performing perception on a perceived object through an indoor terminal (specifically, the first terminal). The first point cloud can also be called a transmissive point cloud. The first point cloud can be used to reconstruct the surface of the perceived object.

[0011] Through the above embodiments, for sensing objects with special material surfaces (e.g., surfaces with poor scattering properties and good transmission properties), sensing can be performed through an indoor terminal. By utilizing the transmission link between the indoor terminal and the second communication device, the transmission point cloud of the special material surface of the sensing object can be obtained to supplement the surface points of the sensing object that cannot be obtained by scattering, thereby improving the reconstruction accuracy of the surface of the sensing object.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the first terminal is an indoor terminal of the sensing object.

[0013] In the above embodiments, the first terminal is an indoor terminal of the sensing object, which can be understood as the first terminal being located indoors of the sensing object. By performing sensing through the indoor terminal of the sensing object, the transmission point cloud of the sensing object can be obtained more quickly and effectively, thereby improving the acquisition efficiency of the transmission point cloud of the sensing object.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the information used to indicate the first sensing mode includes: indication information from the first terminal.

[0015] In the above embodiments, the first communication device instructs the second communication device to indicate the first terminal, which eliminates the need for the second communication device to determine the first terminal itself, thus reducing network overhead.

[0016] In one possible implementation, prior to sending the first sensing request to the second communication device, the method further includes:

[0017] Send a second sensing request to the second communication device;

[0018] Receive second sensing information from the second communication device, the second sensing information including a second point cloud corresponding to the sensing object, the second point cloud being obtained based on a second sensing mode, the second sensing mode being different from the first sensing mode;

[0019] Based on the second point cloud, determine whether there is a first region on the surface of the perceived object that satisfies the first condition;

[0020] Sending the first sensing request to the second communication device includes:

[0021] If the first region exists on the surface of the object being sensed, a first sensing request is sent to the second communication device.

[0022] The second point cloud can be understood as the point cloud obtained by performing perception on the perceived object based on the second perception mode; the second point cloud can also be called a scattering point cloud. The second point cloud can be used to reconstruct the surface of the perceived object. The first condition can be understood as a condition that does not have scattering properties (or is unfavorable for scattering), and the first region can be understood as a region that does not have scattering properties (or is unfavorable for scattering).

[0023] In the above embodiments, the sensing is performed through the indoor terminal after the sensing is performed through the second sensing mode. When the surface of the sensing object has a first area, the sensing is performed through the indoor terminal. When the surface of the sensing object does not have a first area, the sensing is not performed through the indoor terminal, thus reducing overhead.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the first sensing request may further include indication information for the first region, with the first terminal corresponding to the first region.

[0025] In the above embodiments, the first sensing request also includes indication information of the first region, which can enable the second communication device to narrow the sensing range to the first region of the sensing object and use the first sensing mode to sense the first region. The other regions of the sensing object can be well reconstructed through the second sensing mode, so there is no need to use the first sensing mode to sense the other regions, which helps to reduce sensing overhead.

[0026] The first terminal corresponds to the first area. It can be understood as the indoor terminal of the sensing object, and it corresponds to the first area of ​​the sensing object. By performing sensing through the first terminal located indoors and corresponding to the first area, the transmission point cloud of the first area can be obtained more quickly and effectively, thereby improving the acquisition efficiency of the transmission point cloud of the first area.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the first condition includes: the number of point clouds corresponding to the first region is less than a first threshold, and / or the point cloud density corresponding to the first region is less than a second threshold.

[0028] In the above embodiments, the region is determined to be a region without scattering properties (or unfavorable for scattering) by the number and / or density of the point cloud corresponding to the region. Specifically, when the number of the point cloud corresponding to the region is less than a first threshold and / or the corresponding point cloud density is less than a second threshold, the region is determined to be a region without scattering properties (or unfavorable for scattering). In this way, regions without scattering properties (or unfavorable for scattering) on ​​the surface of the sensing object can be identified more accurately.

[0029] In one possible implementation, the first sensing information further includes a second point cloud corresponding to the sensing object, the second point cloud being obtained based on a second sensing mode, which is different from the first sensing mode.

[0030] In the above embodiments, the processes of sensing via the second notification device and / or the outdoor terminal and sensing via the indoor terminal can be performed synchronously (parallelized), thereby reducing latency. After receiving the first sensing information, the first communication device can obtain the first point cloud and the second point cloud from it, which is beneficial to obtain the complete point cloud of the sensing object. The complete point cloud includes scattering point cloud and transmission point cloud. Reconstructing the sensing object based on the complete point cloud can improve the reconstruction accuracy of the sensing object.

[0031] In one possible implementation, the first sensing information further includes first indication information, which indicates that the first point cloud was obtained through an indoor terminal.

[0032] Through the above implementation method, after receiving the first sensing information, the first communication device can obtain the first point cloud and the second point cloud from it, and can identify which point clouds were obtained through the indoor terminal so as to identify the material at the corresponding location.

[0033] In one possible implementation, the second sensing mode is used to indicate sensing to be performed via the second communication device, and / or to indicate sensing to be performed via an outdoor terminal.

[0034] In the above embodiments, performing sensing through the second communication device can be understood as the second communication device performing sensing through a self-transmitting and self-receiving sensing method. An outdoor terminal can be understood as a type of terminal; performing sensing through an outdoor terminal can be understood as performing sensing through a terminal of type outdoor terminal. By performing sensing through the second notification device and / or the outdoor terminal, a scattering point cloud of the surface of the sensing object can be obtained, which is used to reconstruct the surface of the sensing object.

[0035] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a sensing method, which can be applied to a second communication device, including:

[0036] Receive a first sensing request from a first communication device, the first sensing request including information for indicating a first sensing mode, the first sensing mode for indicating sensing to be performed via an indoor terminal;

[0037] The first terminal, which is an indoor terminal, performs sensing in coordination with the first terminal to obtain the first point cloud of the corresponding sensing object.

[0038] Send first sensing information to the first communication device, the first sensing information including the first point cloud.

[0039] In one possible implementation, the first terminal is an indoor terminal of the sensing object.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the information for indicating the first sensing mode includes: indication information from the first terminal; and / or,

[0041] Before the first collaborative terminal performs perception to obtain the first point cloud of the corresponding perceived object, the method further includes:

[0042] Identify the first terminal.

[0043] In the above embodiments, the first communication device can instruct the second communication device on the first terminal, thus allowing the second communication device to clearly understand the needs of the first communication device, which helps reduce network overhead. Alternatively, the second communication device can determine the first terminal itself, allowing it to flexibly select an indoor terminal for performing sensing, which helps in determining a more suitable first terminal.

[0044] In one possible implementation, prior to receiving the first sensing request from the first communication device, the method further includes:

[0045] Receive a second sensing request from the first communication device;

[0046] Perception is performed based on a second perception mode to obtain a second point cloud of the corresponding perception object. The second perception mode is different from the first perception mode. The second point cloud is used to determine whether there is a first region on the surface of the perception object that satisfies a first condition.

[0047] Send second sensing information to the first communication device, the second sensing information including the second point cloud;

[0048] Receiving the first sensing request from the first communication device includes:

[0049] When the first region exists on the surface of the object being sensed, a first sensing request is received from a first communication device.

[0050] In one possible implementation, the first sensing request may further include indication information for the first region, with the first terminal corresponding to the first region.

[0051] In one possible implementation, the number of point clouds corresponding to the first region is less than a first threshold, and / or the point cloud density corresponding to the first region is less than a second threshold.

[0052] In one possible implementation, perception is performed based on a second perception mode to obtain a second point cloud corresponding to the perceived object, wherein the second perception mode is different from the first perception mode.

[0053] The first sensed information also includes the second point cloud.

[0054] In one possible implementation, the first sensing information further includes first indication information, which indicates that the first point cloud was obtained through an indoor terminal.

[0055] In one possible implementation, the second sensing mode is used to indicate sensing to be performed via the second communication device, and / or to indicate sensing to be performed via an outdoor terminal.

[0056] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a sensing device, which includes modules, units, or means for performing the method as described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect. Specifically, the modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0057] In one possible implementation, the device includes:

[0058] A transceiver unit is configured to send a first sensing request to a second communication device, the first sensing request including information indicating a first sensing mode, the first sensing mode indicating that sensing is performed via an indoor terminal; and...

[0059] Used to receive first sensing information from the second communication device, the first sensing information including a first point cloud corresponding to the sensing object, the first point cloud being obtained through a first terminal, the first terminal being an indoor terminal.

[0060] In one possible implementation, the first terminal is an indoor terminal of the sensing object.

[0061] In one possible implementation, the information used to indicate the first sensing mode includes: indication information from the first terminal.

[0062] In one possible implementation, the transceiver unit is further configured to:

[0063] Send a second sensing request to the second communication device; and,

[0064] Receive second sensing information from the second communication device, the second sensing information including a second point cloud corresponding to the sensing object, the second point cloud being obtained based on a second sensing mode, the second sensing mode being different from the first sensing mode;

[0065] The device further includes: a processing unit, configured to determine, based on the second point cloud, whether there exists a first region on the surface of the sensed object that satisfies a first condition;

[0066] When the transceiver unit sends the first sensing request to the second communication device, it is specifically used to: send the first sensing request to the second communication device when the first area exists on the surface of the sensing object.

[0067] In one possible implementation, the first sensing request may further include indication information for the first region, with the first terminal corresponding to the first region.

[0068] In one possible implementation, the first condition includes: the number of point clouds corresponding to the first region is less than a first threshold, and / or the point cloud density corresponding to the first region is less than a second threshold.

[0069] In one possible implementation, the first sensing information further includes a second point cloud corresponding to the sensing object, the second point cloud being obtained based on a second sensing mode, which is different from the first sensing mode.

[0070] In one possible implementation, the first sensing information further includes first indication information, which indicates that the first point cloud was obtained through an indoor terminal.

[0071] In one possible implementation, the second sensing mode is used to indicate sensing to be performed via the second communication device, and / or to indicate sensing to be performed via an outdoor terminal.

[0072] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a sensing device, which includes modules, units, or means for performing the methods described in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect. Specifically, the modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0073] In one possible implementation, the device includes:

[0074] A transceiver unit is configured to receive a first sensing request from a first communication device, the first sensing request including information for indicating a first sensing mode, the first sensing mode being configured to indicate sensing to be performed via an indoor terminal.

[0075] The processing unit is used to coordinate with the first terminal to perform perception and obtain the first point cloud of the corresponding perceived object, wherein the first terminal is an indoor terminal;

[0076] The transceiver unit is further configured to send first sensing information to the first communication device, the first sensing information including the first point cloud.

[0077] In one possible implementation, the first terminal is an indoor terminal of the sensing object.

[0078] In one possible implementation, the information for indicating the first sensing mode includes: indication information of the first terminal; and / or, the processing unit is further configured to: determine the first terminal.

[0079] In one possible implementation, the transceiver unit is further configured to: receive a second sensing request from the first communication device;

[0080] The processing unit is further configured to: perform perception based on a second perception mode to obtain a second point cloud of the corresponding perception object, wherein the second perception mode is different from the first perception mode, and the second point cloud is used to determine whether there is a first region on the surface of the perception object that satisfies a first condition;

[0081] The transceiver unit is further configured to: send second sensing information to the first communication device, the second sensing information including the second point cloud;

[0082] When the transceiver unit receives a first sensing request from the first communication device, it is specifically configured to: receive the first sensing request from the first communication device when the first area exists on the surface of the sensing object.

[0083] In one possible implementation, the first sensing request may further include indication information for the first region, with the first terminal corresponding to the first region.

[0084] In one possible implementation, the first condition includes: the number of point clouds corresponding to the first region is less than a first threshold, and / or the point cloud density corresponding to the first region is less than a second threshold.

[0085] In one possible implementation, the processing unit is further configured to: perform perception based on a second perception mode to obtain a second point cloud corresponding to the perceived object, wherein the second perception mode is different from the first perception mode;

[0086] The first sensed information also includes the second point cloud.

[0087] In one possible implementation, the first sensing information further includes first indication information, which indicates that the first point cloud was obtained through an indoor terminal.

[0088] In one possible implementation, the second sensing mode is used to indicate sensing to be performed via the second communication device, and / or to indicate sensing to be performed via an outdoor terminal.

[0089] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a sensing device including a processor for executing computer programs or instructions. When the processor executes the computer programs or instructions, the methods described in any of the first to second aspects or any possible implementations described above are implemented. Optionally, the sensing device further includes a memory. Optionally, the sensing device further includes a communication interface, and the processor is coupled to the communication interface.

[0090] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method described in any of the first to second aspects or any possible implementations described above to be implemented.

[0091] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product comprising a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method described in any of the first to second aspects or any possible implementation thereof to be implemented.

[0092] Eighthly, embodiments of this application provide a chip including a processor for executing computer programs or instructions. When the processor executes the computer programs or instructions, the chip causes it to perform the methods described in any one of the first to second aspects or any possible implementations described above. Optionally, the chip further includes a communication interface for receiving or transmitting signals.

[0093] Ninthly, embodiments of this application provide a chip including logic circuitry and an input / output interface. The logic circuitry is coupled to the input / output interface and transmits data through the input / output interface to perform the method described in any of the first to second aspects or any possible implementations described above.

[0094] In a tenth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a sensing system that includes sensing devices as described in any of the third to fifth aspects or any possible implementations described above.

[0095] Eleventhly, embodiments of this application provide a communication system, the sensing system including a first sensing device and a second sensing device, wherein the first sensing device is used to perform the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, and the second sensing device is used to perform the method described in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect.

[0096] The beneficial effects of the second to eleventh aspects mentioned above can be referred to the description of the beneficial effects in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0097] Furthermore, in the process of implementing the methods described in any of the first to second aspects and any possible implementations thereof, the processes related to sending and / or receiving information in the above methods can be understood as the process of the processor outputting information, and / or the process of the processor receiving input information. When outputting information, the processor can output the information to a transceiver (or communication interface, or transmitting module) for transmission. After the information is output by the processor, it may require further processing before reaching the transceiver. Similarly, when the processor receives input information, the transceiver (or communication interface, or transmitting module) receives the information and inputs it to the processor. Furthermore, after the transceiver receives the information, it may require further processing before being input to the processor.

[0098] Based on the above principles, for example, the information sent mentioned in the aforementioned method can be understood as information output by the processor. Similarly, the information received can be understood as information received by the processor from input.

[0099] Alternatively, the operations of transmitting, sending, and receiving involved in the processor can be more generally understood as processor output and receiving, input, etc., unless otherwise specified, or if they do not contradict their actual function or internal logic in the relevant description.

[0100] Optionally, in the process of executing the method described in any of the first to second aspects and any possible implementation thereof, the processor may be a processor specifically designed to execute these methods, or it may be a processor that executes these methods by executing computer instructions stored in memory, such as a general-purpose processor. The memory may be a non-transitory memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), which may be integrated with the processor on the same chip or disposed on different chips. This application embodiment does not limit the type of memory or the arrangement of the memory and processor. Attached Figure Description

[0101] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly described below.

[0102] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the environment reconstructed based on surface scattering;

[0103] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the characteristics of a special material surface;

[0104] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a network architecture provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0105] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a sensing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0106] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating another sensing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0107] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating another sensing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0108] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sensing device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0109] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sensing device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0110] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0111] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0112] In this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or illustration. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0113] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the embodiments of this application do not limit the quantity or order of execution, and "first," "second," etc., are not necessarily different. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0114] The term "embodiment" as used in this application means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various locations throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will explicitly and implicitly understand that, unless otherwise specified or logically conflicting, the terminology and / or descriptions between the various embodiments of this application are consistent and can be mutually referenced, and technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships.

[0115] It should be understood that in this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: only A exists, only B exists, and both A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0116] In the description of this application, "instruction" can include direct and indirect instructions, as well as explicit and implicit instructions. The information indicated by a certain piece of information is called the information to be instructed. In specific implementations, there are many ways to instruct the information to be instructed. For example, the information to be instructed can be directly instructed, such as by instructing the information itself or its index. Alternatively, the information to be instructed can be indirectly indicated by instructing other information, where there is a relationship between the indicated other information and the information to be instructed. Another example is that only a part of the information to be instructed can be indicated, while the other parts are known or pre-agreed upon. Furthermore, the instruction of specific information can be achieved by using a pre-agreed (e.g., protocol-defined) arrangement of various pieces of information, thereby reducing instruction overhead to some extent.

[0117] Sensing is a crucial capability in some wireless communication technologies. Utilizing sensing capabilities, wireless networks can locate passive targets (such as drones, cars, and ships), reconstruct environments (such as urban landscapes and indoor environments), monitor environments (such as identifying ground water or ice, monitoring air humidity or precipitation), and monitor environmental deformation (such as building deformation and bridge deformation). Among these, environmental reconstruction is a significant use case for sensing and a crucial technological path to achieving digital twins.

[0118] In some possible solutions, surface scattering is used to reconstruct the environment. For example, please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of environment reconstruction based on surface scattering. As shown in Figure 1, the terminal sends a sensing signal to the base station. The sensing signal is scattered on the building surface, and the echo is received by the base station. The base station can measure the signal propagation time and angle. Based on the signal propagation time and angle, as well as the terminal's position, the scattering location of the signal on the building surface can be estimated, thereby constructing a point cloud of the building surface. By moving the terminal (e.g., moving according to the terminal trajectory shown in the figure), the point cloud can be observed from different directions, thus achieving the characterization of the building surface. Based on the superposition of multiple surfaces, a 3D model of the building can be reconstructed.

[0119] However, the above-mentioned methods are highly dependent on the scattering characteristics of electromagnetic waves on building surfaces. For some special material surfaces (such as glass curtain walls), their scattering performance is poor (or even non-existent), resulting in low reconstruction accuracy achieved by the above methods. For example, please refer to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of the characteristics of a special material surface. As shown in Figure 2, the arrows indicate the signal propagation direction. After the signal is incident on this special material surface, there is no scattering; part of the signal is transmitted, and the other part is reflected.

[0120] To address the aforementioned issues, embodiments of this application provide a sensing method and apparatus that can improve the reconstruction accuracy of surfaces made of materials with poor scattering properties.

[0121] The technical solutions of this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) systems, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD) systems, and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) systems. The technical solutions of this application can also be applied to other communication systems, such as Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) systems, LTE Advanced (LTE-A) systems, the 5th generation (5G) mobile communication systems, New Radio (NR) systems, Machine-to-Machine (M2M) systems, or other future evolutionary communication systems, etc. This application does not limit these applications.

[0122] Please refer to Figure 3, which is a schematic diagram of a network architecture provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 3, the network architecture may include radio access network (RAN) devices, user equipment (UE) devices, and sensing function (SF) network elements. Devices can communicate with each other, or devices and network elements can exchange information, for example, through corresponding interfaces.

[0123] The wireless access network equipment in this application embodiment may include, but is not limited to: base stations (or Node Bs, NBs), next-generation Node Bs (gNBs), evolved Node Bs (eNBs), next-generation evolved Node Bs (ng-eNBs), radio network controllers (RNCs), base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), home evolved Node Bs (HeNBs, or home Node Bs (HNBs), base band units (BBUs), servers, wearable devices, vehicle-mounted devices, access points (APs), wireless relay nodes, wireless backhaul nodes, transmission points (TPs), or transmission and reception points (TRPs) in wireless fidelity (WIFI) systems, and may also be 5G, such as new wireless networks. In a radio (NR) system, a gNB, TRP, or TP can refer to an antenna panel or a group of antennas in a base station in a 5G system. Alternatively, it can refer to network nodes that constitute a gNB or TP, such as baseband units or distributed units. A base station can be a macro base station, micro base station, pico base station, small cell, relay station, or balloon station, etc.

[0124] The user equipment in this application embodiment is a device with wireless communication function, and may also be referred to as: terminal, terminal equipment, terminal device, access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device. For example, the user equipment in this application embodiment can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver function, train, airplane, mobile internet device (MID), virtual reality (VR) terminal, augmented reality (AR) terminal, wireless terminal in industrial control (e.g., robot), wireless terminal in vehicle networking (e.g., in-vehicle equipment, vehicle equipment, in-vehicle module, vehicle), wireless terminal in self-driving, wireless terminal in remote medical care, wireless terminal in smart grid, wireless terminal in transportation safety, wireless terminal in smart city, wireless terminal in smart home, cellular phone, cordless phone, session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, wireless local loop (WLL) station, personal digital assistant (PDA). PDA (Power Assistant), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle devices, wearable devices, etc.

[0125] The sensing function network element in the embodiments of this application can be understood as a device or component deployed in the core network to provide sensing functions.

[0126] In some possible implementations, as shown in Figure 3, the RAN can be an eNB or a gNB. An eNB can be understood as a device deployed in a radio access network that meets the 4th generation (4G) standard to provide wireless communication functions for the UE. An eNB can include various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations, small cells, relay stations, or APs, and can also include a TRP. A gNB can be understood as a device deployed in a radio access network that meets the 5G standard to provide wireless communication functions for the UE. A gNB can include various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations, small cells, relay stations, or APs, and can also include a TRP or transmission measurement function (TMF). A gNB can also include a central unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU) integrated on it. The RAN can also include a location and sensing unit (LSU), which can be understood as a device deployed on the access network side to provide wireless services such as location and sensing.

[0127] In some possible implementations, as shown in Figure 3, the UE may include a module that supports secure user plane location (SUPL), also known as a SUPL-enabled terminal (SET). The UE and eNB can communicate through corresponding interfaces (such as LTE-Uu), and the UE and gNB can communicate through corresponding interfaces (such as NR-Uu).

[0128] It should be noted that the network architecture shown in Figure 3 is not limited to the network elements shown in the figure, but may also include other network elements not shown in the figure. This application embodiment does not limit this. For example, the network architecture may also include an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element. An AMF can be understood as a device deployed in the core network to provide mobility management functions for the UE. The AMF can communicate with the RAN through a corresponding interface (such as NG-C), and the AMF can also communicate with the SF through a corresponding interface, thus enabling information exchange between the RAN and SF through the AMF. As another example, the network architecture may also include a location management function (LMF) network element. An LMF can be understood as a device or component deployed in the core network to provide location functions for the UE. The LMF can communicate with the AMF through a corresponding interface (such as NL1).

[0129] It should be understood that the devices or network elements involved in the embodiments of this application are exemplified in Figure 3 using names from a 5G mobile communication system. In future communication systems or other communication systems, such as the 6th generation (6G) mobile communication system, the devices or network elements involved in the embodiments of this application may have other names. Alternatively, in future communication systems or other communication systems, such as the 6G mobile communication system, the devices or network elements involved in the embodiments of this application may be replaced by other entities or devices with the same function, and this application does not limit them in this regard. This is a unified explanation here and will not be repeated hereafter.

[0130] It should be understood that the network architecture shown in Figure 3 is merely an example, and the network architecture applicable to the embodiments of this application is not limited thereto. Any network architecture capable of implementing some or all of the functions of the above-described devices or network elements is applicable to the embodiments of this application. The sensing method provided in the embodiments of this application may involve only some of the devices or network elements shown in Figure 3, or it may involve devices or network elements not shown in Figure 3. This application does not limit this.

[0131] The sensing method provided in the embodiments of this application is described below.

[0132] Please refer to Figure 4, which is a flowchart illustrating a sensing method provided in an embodiment of this application. The embodiment shown in Figure 4 illustrates the method using the interaction flow between a first communication device and a second communication device as an example. For example, the first communication device can be an SF (Single-Signal Component), and the second communication device can be an RAN (Radio Interconnect Component). This will be explained uniformly here and will not be elaborated further later.

[0133] As shown in Figure 4, the sensing method may include, but is not limited to, the following steps S401 to S403.

[0134] S401, the first communication device sends a first sensing request to the second communication device, and correspondingly, the second communication device receives the first sensing request from the first communication device.

[0135] The first sensing request includes information indicating a first sensing mode. The first sensing mode can be understood as a method used to perform sensing, and the first sensing request is used to request or trigger a second communication device to perform sensing using the first sensing mode.

[0136] Optionally, the first sensing request includes location information of the sensing object, used to indicate the location of the sensing object. The first sensing request is used to request or trigger the second communication device to perform sensing on the sensing object using the first sensing mode.

[0137] The first sensing mode is used to indicate that sensing is performed through an indoor terminal. Here, an indoor terminal can be understood as a type of terminal, and performing sensing through an indoor terminal can be understood as performing sensing through a terminal of type indoor terminal (or performing sensing through a terminal that is indoors).

[0138] In one possible implementation, terminals can be categorized into two types: indoor terminals and outdoor terminals. Optionally, the type of terminal can be determined using positioning methods, such as by the cellular signal strength detected by the terminal or the field strength of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). It should be understood that the type of terminal may change dynamically; for example, if a terminal is mobile, it may be indoors at one time (indoor terminal) and outdoors at another time (outdoor terminal).

[0139] In one possible implementation, the first communication device can determine the type of the terminal and inform the second communication device of the terminal type. In another possible implementation, the second communication device can also determine the type of the terminal. This application does not limit the specific implementation in this regard.

[0140] S402, the second communication device cooperates with the first terminal to perform sensing and obtain the first point cloud of the corresponding sensing object. The first terminal is an indoor terminal.

[0141] After receiving the first sensing request, the second communication device performs sensing based on the first sensing mode. Specifically, the second communication device can initiate a sensing process with the first terminal, that is, the second communication device collaborates with the first terminal to perform sensing on the sensing object and obtain the first point cloud.

[0142] The first terminal is an indoor terminal, meaning that the type of the first terminal is an indoor terminal. The first terminal can be understood as the indoor terminal that actually performs sensing. Optionally, the first terminal may be indicated by the first communication device or may be selected by the second communication device itself; this embodiment of the application does not limit this.

[0143] The sensing object refers to the object targeted by the sensing operation; it can also be understood as the object that needs to be sensed through an indoor terminal. The sensing object includes surfaces capable of transmitting signals (denoted as the first surface). For example, the sensing object can be a building, and the first surface can be a surface made of a special material, such as a glass curtain wall.

[0144] The first point cloud can be understood as the point cloud obtained by performing perception on a sensing object through an indoor terminal (specifically the first terminal). The first point cloud can also be called a transmission point cloud. The first point cloud can be used to reconstruct the surface of the sensing object.

[0145] The first terminal can also be understood as an indoor terminal capable of sensing an object, or in other words, the location of the object being sensed is within the area covered by the sensing signal of the first terminal. Optionally, the location of the object being sensed can be indicated by the first communication device or determined by the second communication device itself; this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0146] The first terminal is capable of performing sensing of a sensing object (or the location of the sensing object is within the area covered by the sensing signal of the first terminal), which may specifically include: the sensing signal sent by the first terminal can be transmitted through the sensing object (or the first surface of the sensing object) and received by the second communication device, or the first terminal can receive the sensing signal of the second communication device transmitted through the sensing object (or the first surface of the sensing object).

[0147] For example, the first terminal is an indoor terminal of the sensing object. The first terminal being an indoor terminal of the sensing object can be understood as the first terminal being located indoors of the sensing object.

[0148] By performing sensing through an indoor terminal of the sensing object, the transmission point cloud of the sensing object can be obtained more quickly and effectively, thereby improving the acquisition efficiency of the transmission point cloud of the sensing object. Taking a building as an example, whose surface includes glass windows, the first terminal can be a terminal located in the room where the glass window is located, thereby facilitating the transmission of the sensing signal sent by the first terminal through the glass window (or the first terminal receiving the sensing signal transmitted through the glass window). It should be understood that the number of first terminals can be one or more, and this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0149] In one possible implementation, the information used to indicate the first sensing mode in the first sensing request includes: indication information from the first terminal.

[0150] In this embodiment, the first communication device instructs the second communication device to identify the first terminal. Specifically, the first communication device includes indication information for the first terminal in the information sent to the second communication device to indicate the first sensing mode. Correspondingly, the first sensing mode indicates that sensing is performed through the first terminal. In other words, the first communication device informs the second communication device of the indoor terminal (i.e., the first terminal) that is actually performing the sensing. Thus, after receiving the first sensing request, the second communication device can directly identify the first terminal. This allows the second communication device to determine the first terminal without having to manually determine the terminal type (indoor or outdoor), which helps reduce network overhead.

[0151] In another possible implementation, the second communication device may determine the first terminal before cooperating with the first terminal to perform sensing.

[0152] In this embodiment, the second communication device determines the first terminal independently. Specifically, each terminal in the network can serve as a candidate terminal, and the second communication device can select an indoor terminal capable of performing sensing of the target object from among the candidate terminals as the first terminal. For example, each candidate terminal can report its current location information and indoor / outdoor status information to the second communication device, and can also report its current cellular signal strength or global navigation satellite system signal strength. Based on the reported information, the second communication device selects an indoor terminal capable of performing sensing of the target object from among the candidate terminals as the first terminal. In this way, the second communication device can flexibly select the indoor terminal for performing sensing, which is beneficial for determining a more suitable first terminal.

[0153] S403, the second communication device sends first sensing information to the first communication device, and correspondingly, the first communication device receives the first sensing information from the second communication device.

[0154] After obtaining the first point cloud, the second communication device sends a response (denoted as the first sensing information) to the first communication device in response to the first sensing request. The first sensing information includes the first point cloud. Upon receiving the first sensing information, the first communication device can obtain the first point cloud from it and determine that the first point cloud was obtained through an indoor terminal.

[0155] Optionally, the first communication device can identify the transmission point location of the perceived object based on the first point cloud and determine the material corresponding to the transmission point location. In one possible scenario, if the first point cloud meets certain conditions (e.g., the number of points is greater than a corresponding threshold, or the point cloud density is greater than a corresponding threshold), it can be determined that the material corresponding to the transmission point location is a material with good transmission performance, such as a glass curtain wall. In another possible scenario, if the first point cloud does not meet the above conditions, it can be determined that the material corresponding to the transmission point location is not a material with good transmission performance, such as a smooth wall surface with reflective properties.

[0156] Through the above embodiments, for sensing objects (such as buildings) with special material surfaces (e.g., surfaces with poor scattering properties and good transmission properties), sensing can be performed through an indoor terminal. By utilizing the transmission link between the indoor terminal and the second communication device, the transmission point cloud of the special material surface of the building can be obtained to supplement the building surface points that cannot be obtained by scattering, thereby improving the reconstruction accuracy of the building surface.

[0157] Please refer to Figure 5, which is a flowchart illustrating another sensing method provided in an embodiment of this application. The embodiment shown in Figure 5 illustrates the method using the interaction flow between a first communication device and a second communication device as an example.

[0158] As shown in Figure 5, the sensing method may include, but is not limited to, the following steps S501 to S507.

[0159] S501, the first communication device sends a second sensing request to the second communication device, and correspondingly, the second communication device receives the second sensing request from the first communication device.

[0160] The second sensing request is used to request or trigger the second communication device to perform sensing. After receiving the second sensing request, the second communication device can perform sensing within a certain sensing range to obtain the corresponding point cloud. This sensing range can be the range that the second communication device can sense (or scan), or it can be the sensing range requested by the first communication device; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0161] Optionally, the second sensing request includes information indicating a second sensing mode. The second sensing mode can be understood as a method used to perform sensing, and it differs from the first sensing mode described above. The second sensing request is used to request or trigger the second communication device to perform sensing using the second sensing mode.

[0162] Optionally, the second sensing request includes location information of the sensing object, used to indicate the location of the sensing object. The second sensing request is used to request or trigger the second communication device to perform sensing on the sensing object using the second sensing mode.

[0163] In one possible implementation, the second sensing mode is used to indicate that sensing is performed via a second communication device, and / or to indicate that sensing is performed via an outdoor terminal.

[0164] Here, "performing sensing through the second communication device" can be understood as the second communication device performing sensing through a self-transmitting and self-receiving sensing method. An outdoor terminal can be understood as a type of terminal; "performing sensing through an outdoor terminal" can be understood as performing sensing through a terminal of type outdoor terminal (or performing sensing through a terminal in an outdoor state).

[0165] S502, the second communication device performs perception based on the second perception mode and obtains the second point cloud of the corresponding perception object.

[0166] The second point cloud can be understood as the point cloud obtained by performing perception on a perceived object based on a second sensing mode. The second point cloud can also be called a scattering point cloud. The second point cloud can be used to reconstruct the surface of the perceived object.

[0167] In one possible implementation, after receiving the second sensing request, the second communication device can initiate a self-initiated sensing process to obtain a point cloud within a certain sensing range (referred to as the third point cloud for distinction). Based on the third point cloud, the target (i.e. the sensing object) within the sensing range can be identified, and then the second point cloud of the corresponding sensing object can be obtained.

[0168] In another possible implementation, after receiving the second sensing request, the second communication device can initiate a sensing process with the second terminal. That is, the second communication device works with the second terminal to perform sensing and obtain a point cloud within a certain sensing range (referred to as the fourth point cloud for distinction). Based on the fourth point cloud, the target (i.e. the sensing object) within the sensing range can be identified, and then the second point cloud of the corresponding sensing object can be obtained.

[0169] In another possible implementation, after receiving the second sensing request, the second communication device can first initiate a self-initiated sensing process to obtain a third point cloud within a certain sensing range, identify the target (i.e., the sensing object) within the sensing range based on the third point cloud, and then initiate a sensing process with the second terminal, that is, the second communication device cooperates with the second terminal to perform sensing and obtain the second point cloud of the corresponding sensing object.

[0170] The second terminal is an outdoor terminal, meaning that the type of the second terminal is an outdoor terminal. The second terminal can be understood as the outdoor terminal that actually performs the sensing function. Optionally, the second terminal can be indicated by the first communication device or selected by the second communication device itself; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0171] The second terminal can also be understood as an outdoor terminal capable of performing sensing of a target object, or in other words, the location of the target object is within the coverage area of ​​the second terminal's sensing signal. Optionally, the location of the target object can be determined when the second communication device identifies the target object based on a third or fourth point cloud.

[0172] The second terminal is capable of sensing the object being sensed (or the location of the object being sensed is within the area covered by the sensing signal of the second terminal). Specifically, this may include: the sensing signal sent by the second terminal being able to be scattered through the object being sensed and received by the second communication device, or the second terminal being able to receive the sensing signal of the second communication device scattered through the object being sensed.

[0173] For example, the second terminal is an outdoor terminal of the sensing object. The second terminal being an outdoor terminal of the sensing object can be understood as the second terminal being located outdoors of the sensing object. By performing sensing through the outdoor terminal of the sensing object, the scattering point cloud of the sensing object can be obtained more quickly and effectively, thereby improving the efficiency of scattering point cloud acquisition. It should be understood that the number of second terminals can be one or more, and this embodiment of the application does not limit this.

[0174] Optionally, the second communication device determines the second terminal itself. Specifically, each terminal in the network can serve as a candidate terminal, and the second communication device can select an outdoor terminal capable of performing sensing of the target object from among the candidate terminals as the second terminal. For example, each candidate outdoor terminal can report its current location information and indoor / outdoor status information to the second communication device, and can also report its current cellular signal strength or global navigation satellite system signal strength. Based on the reported information, the second communication device selects an outdoor terminal capable of performing sensing of the target object from among the candidate terminals as the second terminal. In this way, the second communication device can flexibly select the outdoor terminal for performing sensing, which is beneficial for determining a more suitable second terminal.

[0175] S503, the second communication device sends second sensing information to the first communication device, and correspondingly, the first communication device receives the second sensing information from the second communication device.

[0176] After obtaining the second point cloud, the second communication device sends a response (denoted as the second sensing information) to the first communication device in response to the second sensing request. The second sensing information includes the second point cloud. Upon receiving the second sensing information, the first communication device can obtain the second point cloud from it and understand that the second point cloud was obtained based on the second sensing mode.

[0177] S504, the first communication device determines, based on the second point cloud, whether there exists a first region on the surface of the perceived object that satisfies the first condition.

[0178] The first condition can be understood as a condition that characterizes a region on the surface of the sensing object that does not have scattering properties (or is unfavorable for scattering). The region on the surface of the sensing object that satisfies the first condition (denoted as the first region) can be understood as a region that does not have scattering properties (or is unfavorable for scattering). The size of the first region can be predefined or preconfigured, and this embodiment of the application does not limit it.

[0179] In one possible implementation, the first condition includes: the number of point clouds corresponding to the first region is less than a first threshold, and / or the point cloud density corresponding to the first region is less than a second threshold.

[0180] The first threshold can be understood as the minimum number of point clouds corresponding to a region conducive to scattering, and the second threshold can be understood as the minimum point cloud density corresponding to a region conducive to scattering. It should be understood that the specific values ​​of the first and second thresholds can be predefined or preconfigured, and this embodiment does not limit them.

[0181] The second point cloud can be used to determine whether a first region exists on the surface of the sensed object. Specifically, the second communication device can reconstruct the surface of the sensed object based on the second point cloud, and then traverse the regions of the surface of the sensed object. For each region, it can determine whether the region is a first region based on the number and / or density of the point cloud corresponding to that region. For example, if the number of point clouds corresponding to a region is less than a first threshold, and / or the point cloud density corresponding to that region is less than a second threshold, then it can be considered that the region has few scattering point clouds, and thus it can be considered that the region does not have scattering properties (or is not conducive to scattering), and therefore the region can be determined as a first region. It is understood that the surface of the sensed object may have one or more first regions.

[0182] In the above embodiments, the region is determined to be a region without scattering properties (or unfavorable for scattering) by the number and / or density of the point cloud corresponding to the region. Specifically, when the number of the point cloud corresponding to the region is less than a first threshold and / or the corresponding point cloud density is less than a second threshold, the region is determined to be a region without scattering properties (or unfavorable for scattering). In this way, regions without scattering properties (or unfavorable for scattering) on ​​the surface of the sensing object can be identified more accurately.

[0183] If a first region exists on the surface of the object being sensed, perform steps S505 to S507.

[0184] S505, the first communication device sends a first sensing request to the second communication device, and correspondingly, the second communication device receives the first sensing request from the first communication device.

[0185] The first sensing request includes information indicating a first sensing mode, which in turn indicates that sensing should be performed via an indoor terminal. The first sensing request is used to request or trigger a second communication device to perform sensing on a sensing object using the first sensing mode.

[0186] In one possible implementation, the specific description of step S505 can be referred to the relevant description of step S401 in the previous embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0187] Optionally, the first sensing request also includes indication information for the first region. The first sensing request is used to request or trigger the second communication device to perform sensing on the first region of the sensing object using the first sensing mode. In this way, the second communication device can narrow its sensing range to the first region of the sensing object and use the first sensing mode to sense the first region, while other regions of the sensing object can already be well reconstructed through the second sensing mode, so there is no need to use the first sensing mode to sense other regions, which helps to reduce sensing overhead.

[0188] S506, the second communication device cooperates with the first terminal to perform sensing and obtain the first point cloud of the corresponding sensing object. The first terminal is an indoor terminal.

[0189] In one possible implementation, the specific description of step S506 can be referred to the relevant description of step S402 in the previous embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0190] Optionally, the first terminal corresponds to the first region. That is, the first terminal is the indoor terminal of the sensing object and corresponds to the first region of the sensing object. The first point cloud can be understood as the point cloud obtained by performing sensing on the first region of the sensing object through the indoor terminal (specifically the first terminal), and the first point cloud can be used to reconstruct the first region of the sensing object.

[0191] By performing perception through a first terminal located indoors and corresponding to the first area, the transmission point cloud of the first area can be obtained more quickly and effectively, thereby improving the acquisition efficiency of the transmission point cloud of the first area. Taking a building as an example, whose surface includes glass windows, the first area can be the location of the glass window, and the first terminal can be a terminal located inside the room where the glass window is located and corresponding to the glass window, which facilitates the transmission of the perception signal sent by the first terminal through the glass window (or the reception of the perception signal transmitted through the glass window by the first terminal).

[0192] S507, the second communication device sends first sensing information to the first communication device, and correspondingly, the first communication device receives the first sensing information from the second communication device.

[0193] After obtaining the first point cloud, the second communication device sends a response (denoted as the first sensing information) to the first communication device in response to the first sensing request. The first sensing information includes the first point cloud. Upon receiving the first sensing information, the first communication device can obtain the first point cloud from it and determine that the first point cloud was obtained through an indoor terminal.

[0194] Optionally, the first communication device can determine the complete point cloud of the perceived object based on the second point cloud and the first point cloud. The complete point cloud includes scattering point cloud and transmission point cloud. Reconstructing the perceived object based on the complete point cloud can improve the reconstruction accuracy of the perceived object.

[0195] Through the above embodiments, for a sensing object (e.g., a building), sensing can first be performed through a second notification device and / or an outdoor terminal to obtain a scattering point cloud of the building surface. Then, based on the scattering point cloud, it can be determined whether there are areas on the building surface that do not have scattering properties (or are unfavorable for scattering). When there are areas on the building surface that do not have scattering properties (or are unfavorable for scattering), sensing is then performed through an indoor terminal. Utilizing the transmission link between the indoor terminal and the second communication device, the transmission point cloud of the building surface is obtained to supplement the building surface points that cannot be obtained through scattering, thus improving the reconstruction accuracy of the building surface. Furthermore, sensing through the indoor terminal is initiated after sensing through the second notification device and / or the outdoor terminal. When there are areas on the building surface that do not have scattering properties (or are unfavorable for scattering), sensing is then performed through the indoor terminal; when there are no areas on the building surface that do not have scattering properties (or are unfavorable for scattering), sensing is not required through the indoor terminal, thus reducing overhead.

[0196] Please refer to Figure 6, which is a flowchart illustrating another sensing method provided in an embodiment of this application. The embodiment shown in Figure 6 illustrates the method using the interaction flow between a first communication device and a second communication device as an example.

[0197] As shown in Figure 6, the sensing method may include, but is not limited to, the following steps S601 to S603.

[0198] S601, the first communication device sends a first sensing request to the second communication device, and correspondingly, the second communication device receives the first sensing request from the first communication device.

[0199] The first sensing request includes information indicating a first sensing mode, which in turn indicates that sensing should be performed via an indoor terminal. The first sensing request is used to request or trigger a second communication device to perform sensing using the first sensing mode.

[0200] In one possible implementation, the specific description of step S601 can be referred to the relevant description of step S401 in the previous embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0201] Optionally, the first sensing request includes information indicating a first sensing mode and a second sensing mode. The first sensing request is used to request or trigger the second communication device to perform sensing using the first sensing mode and the second sensing mode.

[0202] S602, the second communication device cooperates with the first terminal to perform sensing and obtain the first point cloud of the corresponding sensing object. The first terminal is an indoor terminal, which performs sensing based on the second sensing mode and obtains the second point cloud of the corresponding sensing object.

[0203] In one possible implementation, the specific description of step S602 can be referred to the relevant descriptions of steps S402 and S502 in the previous embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0204] S603, the second communication device sends first sensing information to the first communication device, and correspondingly, the first communication device receives the first sensing information from the second communication device.

[0205] After acquiring the first and second point clouds, the second communication device sends a response (denoted as the first sensing information) to the first communication device in response to the first sensing request. The first sensing information includes the first and second point clouds, and also includes first indication information indicating that the first point cloud was acquired through an indoor terminal. Thus, upon receiving the first sensing information, the first communication device can obtain the first and second point clouds and identify which point clouds were acquired through the indoor terminal.

[0206] In one possible implementation, the first indication information may include a specific identifier (denoted as the first identifier). For a point cloud obtained through an indoor terminal (i.e., the first point cloud), the second communication device may associate it with the first identifier. The first communication device can determine whether a point cloud is the first point cloud obtained through the indoor terminal by identifying whether the point cloud is associated with the first identifier. For example, the first communication device may identify point clouds associated with the first identifier as the first point cloud obtained through the indoor terminal, and point clouds not associated with the first identifier as the second point cloud obtained based on the second sensing mode.

[0207] Optionally, the first communication device can determine the complete point cloud of the perceived object based on the second point cloud and the first point cloud. The complete point cloud includes scattering point cloud and transmission point cloud. Reconstructing the perceived object based on the complete point cloud can improve the reconstruction accuracy of the perceived object.

[0208] Through the above embodiments, for a sensing object (e.g., a building), sensing can be performed through a second notification device and / or an outdoor terminal to obtain a scattered point cloud of the building surface, and sensing can be performed through an indoor terminal to obtain a transmitted point cloud of the building surface. This is used to supplement building surface points that cannot be obtained through scattering, thereby improving the reconstruction accuracy of the building surface. Furthermore, the processes of sensing through the second notification device and / or the outdoor terminal and sensing through the indoor terminal can be performed synchronously (parallelized), thereby reducing latency.

[0209] The methods of the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. The following provides an apparatus for implementing any one of the methods in the embodiments of this application. For example, an apparatus is provided that includes a unit (or means) for implementing the steps performed by the network element / device in any of the above methods.

[0210] Please refer to Figure 7, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sensing device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0211] As shown in Figure 7, the sensing device 700 may include a transceiver unit 701 and a processing unit 702. The transceiver unit 701 and the processing unit 702 may be software, hardware, or a combination of both.

[0212] The transceiver unit 701 can implement sending and / or receiving functions, and can also be described as a communication unit. The transceiver unit 701 can also be a unit integrating an acquisition unit and a sending unit, wherein the acquisition unit is used to implement the receiving function, and the sending unit is used to implement the sending function. Optionally, the transceiver unit 701 can be used to receive information sent by other devices, and can also be used to send information to other devices.

[0213] In one possible design, the sensing device 700 may correspond to the first communication device in the above method embodiments. For example, the sensing device 700 may be the first communication device in the above method embodiments, or it may be a processor, circuit, chip, or chip system in the first communication device. The sensing device 700 may include units for performing the operations performed by the first communication device in the above method embodiments, and each unit in the sensing device 700 is for implementing the operations performed by the first communication device in the above method embodiments. The descriptions of each unit are as follows:

[0214] Transceiver unit 701 is configured to send a first sensing request to a second communication device, the first sensing request including information indicating a first sensing mode, the first sensing mode indicating that sensing is performed via an indoor terminal; and...

[0215] Used to receive first sensing information from the second communication device, the first sensing information including a first point cloud corresponding to the sensing object, the first point cloud being obtained through a first terminal, the first terminal being an indoor terminal.

[0216] In one possible implementation, the first terminal is an indoor terminal of the sensing object.

[0217] In one possible implementation, the information used to indicate the first sensing mode includes: indication information from the first terminal.

[0218] In one possible implementation, the transceiver unit 701 is further configured to:

[0219] Send a second sensing request to the second communication device; and,

[0220] Receive second sensing information from the second communication device, the second sensing information including a second point cloud corresponding to the sensing object, the second point cloud being obtained based on a second sensing mode, the second sensing mode being different from the first sensing mode;

[0221] The processing unit 702 is used to determine, based on the second point cloud, whether there is a first region on the surface of the sensing object that satisfies the first condition;

[0222] When the transceiver unit 701 sends the first sensing request to the second communication device, it is specifically used to: send the first sensing request to the second communication device when the first area exists on the surface of the sensing object.

[0223] In one possible implementation, the first sensing request may further include indication information for the first region, with the first terminal corresponding to the first region.

[0224] In one possible implementation, the first condition includes: the number of point clouds corresponding to the first region is less than a first threshold, and / or the point cloud density corresponding to the first region is less than a second threshold.

[0225] In one possible implementation, the first sensing information further includes a second point cloud corresponding to the sensing object, the second point cloud being obtained based on a second sensing mode, which is different from the first sensing mode.

[0226] In one possible implementation, the first sensing information further includes first indication information, which indicates that the first point cloud was obtained through an indoor terminal.

[0227] In one possible implementation, the second sensing mode is used to indicate sensing to be performed via the second communication device, and / or to indicate sensing to be performed via an outdoor terminal.

[0228] In another possible design, the sensing device 700 may correspond to the second communication device in the above method embodiments. For example, the sensing device 700 may be the second communication device in the above method embodiments, or it may be a processor, circuit, chip, or chip system in the second communication device. The sensing device 700 may include units for performing the operations performed by the second communication device in the above method embodiments, and each unit in the sensing device 700 is respectively for implementing the operations performed by the second communication device in the above method embodiments. The descriptions of each unit are as follows:

[0229] Transceiver unit 701 is configured to receive a first sensing request from a first communication device, the first sensing request including information for indicating a first sensing mode, the first sensing mode being configured to indicate sensing to be performed via an indoor terminal.

[0230] Processing unit 702 is used to coordinate with the first terminal to perform perception and obtain the first point cloud of the corresponding perceived object, wherein the first terminal is an indoor terminal;

[0231] The transceiver unit 701 is further configured to send first sensing information to the first communication device, the first sensing information including the first point cloud.

[0232] In one possible implementation, the first terminal is an indoor terminal of the sensing object.

[0233] In one possible implementation, the information for indicating the first sensing mode includes: indication information of the first terminal; and / or, the processing unit 702 is further configured to: determine the first terminal.

[0234] In one possible implementation, the transceiver unit 701 is further configured to: receive a second sensing request from the first communication device;

[0235] The processing unit 702 is further configured to: perform perception based on a second perception mode to obtain a second point cloud of the corresponding perception object, wherein the second perception mode is different from the first perception mode, and the second point cloud is used to determine whether there is a first region on the surface of the perception object that satisfies the first condition;

[0236] The transceiver unit 701 is further configured to: send second sensing information to the first communication device, the second sensing information including the second point cloud;

[0237] When the transceiver unit 701 receives a first sensing request from the first communication device, it is specifically configured to: receive the first sensing request from the first communication device when the first area exists on the surface of the sensing object.

[0238] In one possible implementation, the first sensing request may further include indication information for the first region, with the first terminal corresponding to the first region.

[0239] In one possible implementation, the first condition includes: the number of point clouds corresponding to the first region is less than a first threshold, and / or the point cloud density corresponding to the first region is less than a second threshold.

[0240] In one possible implementation, the processing unit 702 is further configured to: perform perception based on a second perception mode to obtain a second point cloud corresponding to the perceived object, wherein the second perception mode is different from the first perception mode;

[0241] The first sensed information also includes the second point cloud.

[0242] In one possible implementation, the first sensing information further includes first indication information, which indicates that the first point cloud was obtained through an indoor terminal.

[0243] In one possible implementation, the second sensing mode is used to indicate sensing to be performed via the second communication device, and / or to indicate sensing to be performed via an outdoor terminal.

[0244] According to embodiments of this application, the units in the device shown in FIG7 can be individually or entirely merged into one or more other units, or some of the units can be further divided into multiple functionally smaller units. This achieves the same operation without affecting the technical effect of the embodiments of this application. The above units are based on logical function division. In practical applications, the function of one unit can be implemented by multiple units, or the function of multiple units can be implemented by one unit. In other embodiments of this application, the above device may also include other units. In practical applications, these functions can also be implemented with the assistance of other units, and can be implemented collaboratively by multiple units.

[0245] It should be noted that the implementation of each unit can also refer to the corresponding description in the above method embodiments.

[0246] Please refer to Figure 8, which is a schematic diagram of a sensing device according to an embodiment of this application. The sensing device 800 may include a processor 801. Optionally, the sensing device 800 may also include a memory 802. Further optionally, the sensing device 800 may also include a communication interface 803 and a bus 804. The processor 801, memory 802, and communication interface 803 are interconnected via the bus 804. The communication interface 803 is used for data interaction with other devices.

[0247] The processor 801 is a module that performs arithmetic and logical operations. It can be one or a combination of processing modules such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or a microprocessor unit (MPU). The processor 801 can also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0248] The memory 802 is used to provide storage space, in which data such as the operating system and computer programs can be stored. The memory 802 includes, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM).

[0249] In one possible design, the sensing device 800 may correspond to the first communication device in the above method embodiments. For example, the sensing device 800 may be the first communication device in the above method embodiments, or it may be a processor, circuit, chip, or chip system in the first communication device. The sensing device 800 may include components for performing the operations performed by the first communication device in the above method embodiments. Furthermore, each component in the sensing device 800 is configured to implement the operations performed by the first communication device in the above method embodiments. The processor 801 calls a computer program stored in the memory 802 to execute the method shown in the above method embodiments.

[0250] In another possible design, the sensing device 800 may correspond to the second communication device in the above method embodiments. For example, the sensing device 800 may be the second communication device in the above method embodiments, or it may be a processor, circuit, chip, or chip system in the second communication device. The sensing device 800 may include components for performing the operations performed by the second communication device in the above method embodiments. Furthermore, each component in the sensing device 800 is configured to implement the operations performed by the second communication device in the above method embodiments. The processor 801 calls a computer program stored in the memory 802 to execute the method shown in the above method embodiments.

[0251] Optionally, the sensing device 800 may be a chip or a chip system. For the case where the sensing device 800 is a chip or a chip system, please refer to the schematic diagram of the chip structure shown in Figure 9.

[0252] As shown in Figure 9, chip 900 includes processor 901 and interface 902. There can be one or more processors 901, and multiple interfaces 902. It should be noted that the functions of processor 901 and interface 902 can be implemented through hardware design, software design, or a combination of both; no restrictions are placed here.

[0253] Optionally, the chip 900 may also include a memory 903 for storing necessary program instructions and data.

[0254] In this application, processor 901 can be used to call an implementation program of the sensing method in an electronic device provided by one or more embodiments of this application from memory 903, and execute the instructions contained in the program. Interface 902 can be used to output the execution results of processor 901. In this application, interface 902 can specifically be used to output various messages or information of processor 901.

[0255] For the sensing methods provided by one or more embodiments of this application, please refer to the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0256] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program or instructions, which can implement the method shown in the above-described method embodiments when the computer program or instructions are run on a processor.

[0257] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product, which includes a computer program or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are run on a processor, they can implement the method shown in the above-described method embodiments.

[0258] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application also provide a sensing system, which includes at least one of the above-described sensing devices 700, or sensing devices 800, or chips 900.

[0259] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application also provide a sensing system, which includes a first communication device and a second communication device, wherein the first communication device is used to perform the steps performed by the first communication device in the above method embodiments, and the second communication device is used to perform the steps performed by the second communication device in the above method embodiments.

[0260] It should be understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid-state drive (SSD), a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous linked dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memories described herein are intended to include, but are not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0261] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are performed entirely or partially. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user equipment, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video optical disc; or it can be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or may include both types of storage media.

[0262] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments provided herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0263] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0264] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0265] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0266] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0267] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the technology, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0268] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A sensing method, characterized in that, Applied to a first communication device, comprising: Send a first sensing request to a second communication device, the first sensing request including information for indicating a first sensing mode, the first sensing mode for indicating sensing to be performed through an indoor terminal; The device receives first sensing information from the second communication device. The first sensing information includes a first point cloud corresponding to the sensing object. The first point cloud is obtained through a first terminal, which is an indoor terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first terminal is the indoor terminal of the sensing object.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The information used to indicate the first sensing mode includes: the indication information of the first terminal.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Before sending the first sensing request to the second communication device, the method further includes: Send a second sensing request to the second communication device; Receive second sensing information from the second communication device, the second sensing information including a second point cloud corresponding to the sensing object, the second point cloud being obtained based on a second sensing mode, the second sensing mode being different from the first sensing mode; Based on the second point cloud, determine whether there is a first region on the surface of the perceived object that satisfies the first condition; Sending the first sensing request to the second communication device includes: If the first region exists on the surface of the object being sensed, a first sensing request is sent to the second communication device.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first perception request also includes indication information for the first region, and the first terminal corresponds to the first region.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The first condition includes: the number of point clouds corresponding to the first region is less than a first threshold, and / or the density of point clouds corresponding to the first region is less than a second threshold.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The first perception information also includes a second point cloud corresponding to the perception object. The second point cloud is obtained based on a second perception mode, which is different from the first perception mode.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first sensing information also includes first indication information, which indicates that the first point cloud was obtained through an indoor terminal.

9. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that, The second sensing mode is used to indicate that sensing is performed via the second communication device, and / or to indicate that sensing is performed via an outdoor terminal.

10. A sensing method, characterized in that, Applied to a second communication device, including: Receive a first sensing request from a first communication device, the first sensing request including information for indicating a first sensing mode, the first sensing mode for indicating sensing to be performed via an indoor terminal; The first terminal, which is an indoor terminal, performs sensing in coordination with the first terminal to obtain the first point cloud of the corresponding sensing object. Send first sensing information to the first communication device, the first sensing information including the first point cloud.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The first terminal is the indoor terminal of the sensing object.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The information used to indicate the first sensing mode includes: indication information from the first terminal; and / or, Before the first collaborative terminal performs perception to obtain the first point cloud of the corresponding perceived object, the method further includes: Identify the first terminal.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, Before receiving the first sensing request from the first communication device, the method further includes: Receive a second sensing request from the first communication device; Perception is performed based on a second perception mode to obtain a second point cloud of the corresponding perception object. The second perception mode is different from the first perception mode. The second point cloud is used to determine whether there is a first region on the surface of the perception object that satisfies a first condition. Send second sensing information to the first communication device, the second sensing information including the second point cloud; Receiving the first sensing request from the first communication device includes: When the first region exists on the surface of the object being sensed, a first sensing request is received from a first communication device.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The first perception request also includes indication information for the first region, and the first terminal corresponds to the first region.

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that, The first condition includes: the number of point clouds corresponding to the first region is less than a first threshold, and / or the density of point clouds corresponding to the first region is less than a second threshold.

16. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, The method further includes: Perception is performed based on a second perception mode to obtain a second point cloud corresponding to the perceived object. The second perception mode is different from the first perception mode. The first sensed information also includes the second point cloud.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that, The first sensing information also includes first indication information, which indicates that the first point cloud was obtained through an indoor terminal.

18. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that, The second sensing mode is used to indicate that sensing is performed via the second communication device, and / or to indicate that sensing is performed via an outdoor terminal.

19. A sensing device, characterized in that, include: Includes a unit for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, or a unit for performing the method as described in any one of claims 10 to 18.

20. A sensing device, characterized in that, The method includes a processor for executing a computer program or instructions, which, when executed, cause the method of any one of claims 1 to 9 to be implemented, or the method of any one of claims 10 to 18 to be implemented.

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

22. A computer program product, characterized in that, It includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method of any one of claims 1 to 9 to be implemented, or the method of any one of claims 10 to 18 to be implemented.

23. A sensing system, characterized in that, include: A first communication device and a second communication device, wherein the first communication device is configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, and the second communication device is configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 10 to 18.

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