Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application discloses a communication method and apparatus. The method comprises: a terminal device sends energy efficiency information to a network device; and the network device determines first scheduling information on the basis of the energy efficiency information, and sends the first scheduling information to the terminal device. The energy efficiency information can be used for representing the energy efficiency of the terminal device, and is related to one or more of the following parameters: an MCS, an RB configuration, a transmission waveform, the number of transmission layers, an output power, or the number of radio frequency links. By means of the solution, the network device can configure an appropriate scheduling parameter for the terminal device with reference to the energy efficiency information of the terminal device, so as to enable the terminal device to achieve high energy efficiency as much as possible.

Description

A communication method and apparatus

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410992509.2, filed on July 22, 2024, entitled "A Communication Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0004] When scheduling terminal devices, network devices consider their communication performance metrics. Several metrics measure communication performance, such as spectral efficiency (SE), energy efficiency (EE), transmission rate, bit error rate, and latency. SE is the information transmission rate (bps / Hz) per unit of spectrum resource. EE is the ratio of effective information transmission rate to signal transmission power. Ideally, both SE and EE should be high. However, increasing SE means transmitting more information with limited resources, leading to additional power consumption. Therefore, when network devices schedule terminal devices based on maximizing SE, the EE of the terminal devices will be lower. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and apparatus for improving the electrical efficiency (EE) of terminal devices.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of this application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0007] Firstly, a communication method is provided, which can be applied to the terminal side, for example, to a terminal device; or, the method can be applied to a module or unit in the terminal device, such as a circuit or chip / chip system (e.g., a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core, or a system-in-package (SIP) chip) or other functional module in the terminal device. For ease of description, the following example uses the method applied to a terminal device.

[0008] The communication method includes: a terminal device sending energy efficiency information to a network device and receiving first scheduling information from the network device, the first scheduling information being determined based on the energy efficiency information. The energy efficiency information is related to at least one of the following parameters: modulation and coding scheme (MCS), resource block (RB) configuration, transmission waveform, number of transmission layers, output power, or number of radio frequency links.

[0009] Energy efficiency information refers to information related to or affecting energy efficiency. For example, energy efficiency information is related to one or more parameters mentioned above. Different parameters result in different energy efficiency (EE) values ​​achieved by the terminal device. Currently, network devices cannot obtain EE-related information from terminal devices, and scheduling terminal devices based on the principle of maximizing energy efficiency (SE) often leads to lower actual EE values. In this solution, the terminal device reports energy efficiency information to the network device, assisting the network device in adjusting / optimizing the terminal device's initial scheduling information based on this information. This solution aims to maximize the EE achieved by the terminal device.

[0010] In one implementation, the terminal device also receives a request message from the network device, which requests energy efficiency information from the terminal device.

[0011] Terminal devices can report energy efficiency information to network devices based on requests from network devices. For example, when a network device schedules a terminal device for the first time, it may expect the terminal device to achieve a high energy efficiency (EE), and the network device can request the terminal device to report energy efficiency information. Alternatively, the terminal device can also report energy efficiency information to the network device itself, thus meeting the terminal device's energy efficiency needs more promptly. For example, if a terminal device needs to reduce energy consumption, it can proactively report energy efficiency information to the network device, triggering the network device to adjust the terminal device's initial scheduling information in a timely manner.

[0012] In one implementation, the request message includes one or more of the at least one parameter, used to request the terminal device to report energy efficiency information corresponding to the one or more parameters.

[0013] When a request message carries a specific parameter, it is assumed that the request message is used to provide energy efficiency information corresponding to that specific parameter. This specific parameter can be a parameter that the network device will use to schedule the terminal device. This scheme helps the network device determine which scheduling parameters configured for the terminal device will enable the terminal device to achieve higher energy efficiency. For example, if the network device determines that the scheduling parameters to be used cannot enable the terminal device to achieve higher energy efficiency, then the scheduling parameters to be configured for the terminal device will be adjusted to enable the terminal device to achieve higher energy efficiency; if the network device determines that the scheduling parameters to be used can enable the terminal device to achieve higher energy efficiency, then no adjustment of the scheduling parameters is needed to enable the terminal device to achieve higher energy efficiency.

[0014] In one implementation, the request message includes first indication information indicating the request for energy efficiency information from the terminal device.

[0015] The first indication information indicates that the terminal device is requesting energy efficiency information. This can be replaced with, "The first indication information indicates that the terminal device is requesting energy efficiency information under the current scheduling information." The current scheduling information refers to the scheduling information currently being used by the terminal device or the scheduling information last configured for the terminal device by the network device. This scheme helps the network device determine whether to adjust the scheduling parameters configured for the terminal device to achieve higher energy efficiency.

[0016] In one implementation, energy efficiency information includes: the value of energy efficiency, the level of energy efficiency, or the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency.

[0017] In one implementation, the relationship between output power and energy efficiency includes the relationship between output power and power consumption, wherein the relationship between output power and power consumption satisfies: y = ae bx +c, y is power consumption, x is output power, e is a constant, and a, b, and c are variables. The energy efficiency information includes the values ​​of a, b, and c.

[0018] It is understandable that energy efficiency is calculated by dividing the transmission rate by the power consumption. In this scheme, the relationship between output power and power consumption can be characterized by reporting the values ​​of a, b, and c. This allows network devices to determine the relationship between output power and energy efficiency based on the transmission rate, which helps network devices to rationally schedule terminal devices and maximize their energy efficiency.

[0019] In one implementation, the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency may include any of the following: a correspondence between the value of output power and energy efficiency, a correspondence between the level of output power and energy efficiency, a correspondence between the value of output power and power consumption, a correspondence between the level of output power and power consumption, a correspondence between the value of output power and electrical quantity, or a correspondence between the level of output power and electrical quantity, or a correspondence between the value of output power and amplifier efficiency, or a correspondence between output power and amplifier efficiency.

[0020] Energy efficiency can be characterized by energy efficiency values / levels, power consumption values / levels, electrical energy values / levels, and amplifier efficiency values / levels. Therefore, the relationship between output power and energy efficiency can also be characterized by reporting the correspondence between output power and any of the following: energy efficiency values / levels, power consumption values / levels, or electrical energy values / levels.

[0021] In one implementation, energy efficiency information is included in a power headroom report (PHR) or a user assistance information (UAI) message.

[0022] For example, by using reserved bits in the PHR to indicate the value / level of energy efficiency, the bit overhead of reporting the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency can be reduced.

[0023] In one implementation, energy efficiency information is included in PHR, and the method further includes: a terminal device receiving second indication information from a network device, the second indication information being used to deactivate the reporting of energy efficiency information.

[0024] When terminal devices use PHR to report energy efficiency information, network devices can deactivate the reporting of energy efficiency information. This avoids the periodic reporting of energy efficiency information along with PHR, thereby saving signaling overhead.

[0025] In one implementation, the method further includes: the terminal device sending capability information, which indicates whether the terminal device supports reporting energy efficiency information.

[0026] Terminal devices can report capability information so that network devices can understand their capabilities and avoid unnecessary signaling waste. For example, if a terminal device does not support energy efficiency information, the network device will not request energy efficiency information from the terminal device.

[0027] Secondly, a communication method is provided that can be applied to the network side. For example, the method can be applied to network devices, components within network devices (e.g., circuits, chips, or chip systems); or, the method can be applied to modules or units that perform some or all of the functions of an access network device, such as a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). For ease of description, the following example uses the method applied to a network device.

[0028] The communication method includes: a network device receiving energy efficiency information from a terminal device, and sending first scheduling information to the terminal device, wherein the first scheduling information is determined based on the energy efficiency information. The energy efficiency information is related to at least one of the following parameters: MCS, RB configuration, transmission waveform, number of transmission layers, output power, or number of radio frequency links.

[0029] In one implementation, the network device also sends a request message to the terminal device, which requests energy efficiency information from the terminal device.

[0030] In one implementation, the request message includes first indication information, which is used to request energy efficiency information of the terminal device.

[0031] In one implementation, the request message includes one or more of the at least one parameter, used to indicate a request for the terminal device to report energy efficiency information corresponding to the one or more parameters.

[0032] In one implementation, energy efficiency information includes: the value of energy efficiency, the level of energy efficiency, or the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency.

[0033] In one implementation, the relationship between output power and energy efficiency includes the relationship between output power and power consumption, wherein the relationship between output power and power consumption satisfies: y = ae bx +c, y is power consumption, x is output power, e is a constant, and a, b, and c are variables. The energy efficiency information includes the values ​​of a, b, and c.

[0034] In one implementation, the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency may include any of the following: a correspondence between the value of output power and energy efficiency, a correspondence between the level of output power and energy efficiency, a correspondence between the value of output power and power consumption, or a correspondence between the level of output power and power consumption, or a correspondence between the value of output power and amplifier efficiency, or a correspondence between the level of output power and amplifier efficiency.

[0035] In one implementation, energy efficiency information is included in a power margin report or a UAI message.

[0036] In one implementation, energy efficiency information is included in a power margin report, and the method further includes: a network device sending a second instruction to a terminal device, the second instruction being used to deactivate the reporting of energy efficiency information.

[0037] In one implementation, the method further includes: a network device receiving capability information, which is used to indicate whether a terminal device supports reporting energy efficiency information.

[0038] For the beneficial effects of the second aspect, please refer to the beneficial effects of the first aspect and its various implementation methods; they will not be elaborated here.

[0039] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method that can be executed by a first communication device and a second communication device. The first communication device has the function of implementing the behavior in the method example of the first aspect described above. For example, the first communication device includes corresponding means, modules, or units for executing the method of the first aspect, which can be implemented by software and / or hardware. The second communication device has the function of implementing the behavior in the method example of the second aspect described above. For example, the second communication device includes corresponding means, modules, or units for executing the method of the second aspect, which can be implemented by software and / or hardware. The first communication device can be the aforementioned terminal device, and the second communication device can be the aforementioned network device. The following example uses the first communication device as a terminal device and the second communication device as a network device.

[0040] The communication method includes: a terminal device sending energy efficiency information to a network device, the energy efficiency information being related to one or more of the following parameters: MCS, RB configuration, transmission waveform, number of transmission layers, output power, or number of radio frequency links; the network device determining first scheduling information of the terminal device based on the energy efficiency information, and sending the first scheduling information to the terminal device.

[0041] For the beneficial effects of the third aspect, please refer to the beneficial effects of the first aspect and its various implementation methods, which will not be elaborated here.

[0042] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device that has the functionality to implement the behaviors described in any of the method examples of the first or second aspect. The beneficial effects can be found in the relevant descriptions of the first or second aspect and will not be repeated here. For example, the communication device may be a terminal device as described in the first aspect, or it may be a device capable of supporting the terminal device in implementing the functions required by the method provided in the first aspect; for example, the communication device may be a chip or chip system in the terminal device. As another example, the communication device may be a network device as described in the second aspect, or it may be a device capable of supporting the network device in implementing the functions required by the method provided in the second aspect; for example, the communication device may be a chip or chip system in the network device.

[0043] In one possible design, the communication device includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device.

[0044] In one possible design, the communication device includes corresponding means, modules, or units for performing the methods of the first or second aspect. These modules, units, or means can be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination of both. For example, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also called a processing module or processor) and / or a transceiver unit (sometimes also called a transceiver module or transceiver). The transceiver unit is capable of both sending and receiving functions. When the transceiver unit performs the sending function, it can be called a sending unit (sometimes also called a sending module), and when it performs the receiving function, it can be called a receiving unit (sometimes also called a receiving module). The sending unit and the receiving unit can be the same functional unit, referred to as the transceiver unit, which performs both sending and receiving functions; or, the sending unit and the receiving unit can be different functional units, with "transceiver unit" being a general term for these functional units. These units (modules) can perform the corresponding functions in the method examples of the first or second aspect described above, as detailed in the method examples, and will not be repeated here.

[0045] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, which can be the communication device described in the fourth aspect of the above embodiments, or a chip or chip system disposed in the communication device described in the fourth aspect. The communication device includes a processor, and optionally, a memory. The memory is used to store computer programs, instructions, or data, and the processor is coupled to the memory. When the processor reads the computer program, instructions, or data, it causes the communication device to execute the method executed by the terminal device in the above method embodiments. For example, the communication device can be a terminal device, a device including a terminal device, or a functional module in a terminal device, such as a baseband chip and a radio frequency chip. Alternatively, when the processor reads the computer program, instructions, or data, it causes the communication device to execute the method executed by the network device in the above method embodiments. For example, the communication device can be a network device, a device including a network device, or a functional module in a network device, such as a baseband chip and a radio frequency chip.

[0046] Sixthly, embodiments of this application provide a chip system including a processor and a communication interface for implementing the methods described in the first or second aspect. Optionally, the chip system further includes a memory. The memory stores computer programs (also referred to as code or instructions). The processor retrieves and executes the computer program from the memory, causing a device equipped with the chip system to perform the methods of the first or second aspect and any possible implementation thereof. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0047] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication device including an input / output interface and logic circuitry. The input / output interface is used for inputting and / or outputting information. The input / output interface may be an interface circuit, an output circuit, an input circuit, pins, or related circuitry, etc. The logic circuitry is used to execute the methods described in the first or second aspect.

[0048] In practical implementation, the aforementioned communication device can be a chip, the input circuit can be an input pin, the output circuit can be an output pin, and the logic circuit can be a transistor, gate circuit, flip-flop, and various other logic circuits. The input signal received by the input circuit can be received and input by, for example, but not limited to, a receiver, and the signal output by the output circuit can be, for example, but not limited to, output to and transmitted by a transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as both the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the input / output interface and the logic circuit.

[0049] In one implementation, when the communication device is a wireless communication device, it can be a terminal device such as a mobile phone, or a network device such as a base station. The interface circuit can be a radio frequency processing chip in the wireless communication device, and the processing circuit can be a baseband processing chip in the wireless communication device.

[0050] Eighthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication system, the communication system including a terminal device and a network device, wherein the terminal device is used to implement the function of the method described in the first aspect, and the network device is used to implement the function of the method described in the second aspect.

[0051] Ninthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the methods described in the first or second aspect and any of their implementations to be implemented.

[0052] In a tenth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the methods described in the first or second aspect and any of their implementations to be implemented.

[0053] The beneficial effects of the above-mentioned fourth to tenth aspects and their implementation methods can be referenced with the beneficial effects of the first aspect and any of its implementation methods. Attached Figure Description

[0054] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the output power and power consumption of the PA under different voltage and linear states provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0056] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the energy efficiency of the terminal device provided in the embodiments of this application under different modulation methods and different layer configurations;

[0057] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method 400 provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0058] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence between output power and power consumption provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0059] Figure 6 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the PHR provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method 700 provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of another structure of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0063] The method provided in this application helps network devices understand the energy efficiency of terminal devices, configure reasonable scheduling parameters for terminal devices, and maximize the energy efficiency of terminal devices.

[0064] The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as long term evolution (LTE) communication systems, 5th generation (5G) mobile communication systems / NR communication systems, or future mobile communication systems, or other similar communication systems. Other similar communication systems may include wireless fidelity (WIFI), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems, Internet of Things (IoT) systems, and so on.

[0065] Please refer to Figure 1, which illustrates a communication system applicable to an embodiment of this application. The communication system includes a wireless access network 100 and a core network 200. Optionally, the communication system may also include an Internet 300 (Figure 1 uses this as an example).

[0066] The wireless access network 100 may include at least one network device and at least one terminal device. For example, the wireless access network 100 includes two network devices, 110a and 110b, and terminal devices 120a to 120j. The network architecture shown in Figure 1 is only schematic; the number of terminal devices and / or network devices may be fewer or more. The communication system described in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application and does not constitute a limitation on the communication system to which the embodiments of this application are applicable. For example, the communication system may also include other devices, such as wireless relay devices and wireless backhaul devices, which are not shown in Figure 1. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems. When applying the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application to other communication systems, the devices, components, modules, etc. in the embodiments can be replaced with corresponding devices, components, modules in other communication systems without limitation.

[0067] In this embodiment, network equipment refers to (radio)access network ((R)AN) equipment / RAN node. In this embodiment, (R)AN and RAN are interchangeable. RAN can be a cellular system related to the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), such as a 5G / NR mobile communication system or a future-oriented evolution system. RAN can also be an open RAN (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), a virtualized RAN (vRAN), a non-terrestrial network (NTN), etc. RAN can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems. RAN equipment can also be called a RAN node, RAN entity, or access node, etc.

[0068] In one possible scenario, a RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), or a base station in a future mobile communication system. RAN nodes can also be macro base stations, micro base stations, indoor stations, relay nodes, donor / host nodes, or radio controllers. RAN nodes can also be servers, wearable devices, vehicles, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, in V2X technology, the RAN node can be a roadside unit (RSU).

[0069] In another possible scenario, a RAN node can be a module or unit that performs some of the functions of a base station; or multiple RAN nodes can collaborate to assist terminal devices in achieving wireless access, with different RAN nodes performing some of the functions of a base station. For example, a RAN node can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). The function of a CU can be implemented by a single entity or by different entities. For example, the function of a CU can be further divided, that is, the control plane and the user plane can be separated and implemented by different entities, namely the control plane CU entity (i.e., CU-control plane (CP) entity) and the user plane CU entity (i.e., CU-user plane (UP) entity). The CU-CP entity and the CU-UP entity can be coupled with the DU to jointly complete the function of the RAN node. The CU and DU can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as in the baseband unit (BBU). Any of the units among the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented by software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software modules and hardware modules.

[0070] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples.

[0071] The CU and DU can be configured according to the protocol layer functions of the wireless network they implement: for example, the CU can be configured to implement the functions of the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and above (such as the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer and / or the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer); the DU can be configured to implement the functions of the protocol layers below the PDCP layer (such as the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, the Media Access Control (MAC) layer, and / or the Physical (PHY) layer). For specific descriptions of the above protocol layers, please refer to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications or the technical specifications of other applicable communication protocols.

[0072] The above division of the processing functions of CU and DU according to protocol layers is merely an example; other division methods are also possible, and this application does not limit this. For example, in one design, CU or DU can be further divided into processing functions with protocol layers. In one design, some functions of the RLC layer and the functions of the protocol layer above the RLC layer are located in the CU, while the remaining functions of the RLC layer and the functions of the protocol layer below the RLC layer are located in the DU.

[0073] In another possible design, the DU and RU collaborate to implement the PHY layer functionality, or, more specifically, a portion of the PHY layer functionality of the DU can be moved to the RU. A DU can be connected to one or more RUs. The functions of the DU and RU can be configured in various ways depending on the design. For example, the DU may be configured to implement baseband functions, and the RU may be configured to implement mid-RF functions. Alternatively, the DU may be configured to implement higher-level functions in the PHY layer, and the RU may be configured to implement lower-level functions in the PHY layer, or both lower-level and RF functions. Higher-level functions in the physical layer may include a portion of the physical layer's functionality closer to the MAC layer, and lower-level functions may include another portion of the physical layer's functionality closer to the mid-RF side. This application does not limit the specific functions of the DU and RU. The interface between the DU and RU can be called a fronthaul interface. In one design, the CU may not have a PDCP layer; for example, the CU may only include an RRC layer. The CU-CP may not have PDCP-C. The CU-UP may not have PDCP-U, or may not have a CU-UP. In one design, the DU may not have an RLC layer; for example, the DU may only have a MAC and a higher PHY layer.

[0074] When the RAN is O-RAN, it can also have artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. For example, O-RAN includes an intelligent controller. The intelligent controller can be a non-real-time RAN intelligent controller (RIC / non-RT RIC / NRT RIC) or a near-real-time RAN intelligent controller (RIC / near-RT RIC / nRT RIC). A non-real-time RIC can be used to implement non-real-time intelligent management of RAN functions, enabling workflows including model training and model updates, and guiding applications / functions in the nRT RIC based on policies. A near-real-time RIC can be used to implement near-real-time intelligent management of the RAN. Through data collection and related operations on the E2 interface, near-real-time control and optimization of O-RAN modules and resources are achieved.

[0075] In this application embodiment, anything capable of data communication with a base station can be considered a terminal device. Terminal devices are also called terminals, terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), mobile stations, or mobile terminals, etc. Terminal devices can be widely used in various scenarios. For example, terminal devices can be: mobile phones, computers, mobile internet devices (MID), wearable devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, stations (STA), robotic arms, cameras, robots, vehicles, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, or smart home devices (such as televisions, air conditioners, robot vacuums, speakers, set-top boxes), relays, customer premises equipment (CPE), etc.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the terminal device can also be a terminal device in an IoT system, such as a water meter or electricity meter. IoT is an important component of future information technology development. Its main technical characteristic is connecting objects to networks through communication technology, thereby realizing an intelligent network that enables human-machine interconnection and object-to-object interconnection.

[0077] When the terminal device is applied to V2X, it can also be called a V2X device, such as a smart car or intelligent car, a roadside unit (RSU), etc. The various terminal devices described above, if located on a vehicle (e.g., placed / installed inside the vehicle), can all be considered in-vehicle terminal devices. In-vehicle terminal devices can be built into a vehicle's in-vehicle module, in-vehicle component, in-vehicle chip, or in-vehicle unit as one or more components or units. The vehicle can implement the methods of this application through the built-in in-vehicle module, in-vehicle component, in-vehicle chip, or in-vehicle unit. In-vehicle terminal devices can be vehicle equipment, in-vehicle modules, vehicles, in-vehicle units (on-board units, OBUs), RSUs, in-vehicle infotainment systems (or in-vehicle transmission units) (telematics boxes, T-boxes), chips, or SoCs, etc., and the aforementioned chips or SoCs can be installed in the vehicle, OBU, RSU, or T-box.

[0078] Taking a network device as a base station and a terminal device as a UE as an example, the base station and UE can be fixed or mobile. The base station and UE can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can also be deployed on airplanes, balloons, and artificial satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the base station and UE.

[0079] The roles of base station and UE can be relative. For example, the helicopter or drone 120i in Figure 1 can be configured as a mobile base station. For UEs 120j that access the radio access network 100 through 120i, UE 120i is a base station; however, for base station 110a, 120i is a UE, meaning that 110a and 120i communicate via a radio interface protocol. Of course, 110a and 120i can also communicate via a base station-to-base station interface protocol. In this case, relative to 110a, 120i is also a base station. Therefore, both base station and UE can be collectively referred to as communication devices. 110a and 110b in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with base station functions, and 120a-120j in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with UE functions.

[0080] The communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application has been described above. To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application, the relevant technical features involved in the embodiments of this application will be explained below. It should be noted that these explanations are intended to make the embodiments of this application easier to understand and should not be considered as a limitation on the scope of protection claimed by this application.

[0081] (1)EE and SE

[0082] SE is an important indicator for measuring communication performance; the higher the SE, the better the communication performance. SE is the information transmission rate (bps / Hz) per unit of spectrum resource.

[0083] EE is also an important indicator for measuring communication performance; the larger the EE, the better the communication performance. EE is the ratio of effective information transmission rate to signal transmission power, and its unit can be bits per joule (bit / J). EE can be calculated using formula (1), where Package represents the data to be transmitted (bit), E is the total energy (J), PC is the power consumption, N is the number of RBs, and T is the total energy. slot This represents the transmission time of one time slot; "*" indicates multiplication.

[0084] As can be seen from formula (1), when the data to be transmitted is large enough, EE is equivalent to the effective information transmission rate (i.e., SE*N) divided by the power consumption (i.e., PC).

[0085] PC is related to the input and output power of the device, and the output power / transmit power or output power of the device is related to the operating parameters of the device. The operating parameters of the device include the scheduling parameters of the device. Taking a terminal device as an example, the scheduling parameters of the terminal device may include MCS, RB configuration, transmission waveform, number of transmission layers, output power, number of RF links, etc. When one or more of the above parameters are different, the PC may also be different, and the corresponding EE will also be different. As shown in formula (1), the EE may also be different if the number of RBs N is different. Alternatively, MCS affects the transmission rate, and different MCS may lead to different SE, which in turn may lead to different EE.

[0086] (2) Power amplifier (PA)

[0087] The power amplifier (PA) is used to amplify signals. The transmit power of a terminal device mainly depends on the PA. The PA power consumption can be equivalent to voltage multiplied by current. Due to the nonlinear characteristics of the PA, its output power and power consumption do not necessarily satisfy a linear relationship. The correspondence between the PA's output power and power consumption also differs under different linear states at different voltages. For example, please refer to Figure 2, which exemplarily illustrates the correspondence between the PA's output power and power consumption under different linear states at different voltages.

[0088] (3) Transmit power parameters

[0089] The transmission power of a terminal device can be controlled by adjusting its transmission power parameters. For example, if the maximum transmission power of the terminal device is P... CMAX,f,c P CMAX,f,c The minimum value is P CMAX_L,f,c The minimum value is PCMAX_H,f,c Among them, P CMAX_L,f,c satisfy:

[0090] P CMAX_H,f,c satisfy:

[0091] Where min{} is the minimum value operation, P EMAX,c P is the maximum transmit power configured for the terminal by the network device. PowerClass This refers to the power class (PC) capability reported by the terminal device to the network device. Currently, the protocol defines four PCs: PC1 (31dBm), PC1.5 (29dBm), PC2 (26dBm), and PC3 (23dBm). ΔP PowerBoost This indicates that increased power is allowed when considering the internal RB allocation region, which will be discussed below. ΔP PowerClass This indicates that the terminal device is allowed to reduce the power consumption (PC) under certain conditions, such as from PC2 to PC3. Maximum power reduction (MPR), ΔMPR, additional maximum output power reduction (A-MPR), and Power Management Maximum Power Reduction (P-MPR) correspond to power reduction under different conditions. The settings of these back-off parameters primarily consider that the nonlinearity of the power amplifier (PA) at high power levels may be severe and may not meet radio frequency (RF) specifications.

[0092] MPR is mainly related to the RB allocation area, modulation method, and waveform of the transmitted signal. Modulation methods include Pi / 2 binary phase shift keying (BPSK), quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), 64QAM, and 256QAM. Waveforms include discrete fourier transform spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-s-OFDM) waveforms and cyclic prefix orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (CP-OFDM) waveforms.

[0093] For example, see Table 1, which shows the relationship between MPR and RB allocation areas, modulation schemes, and waveforms of transmitted signals.

[0094] Table 1

[0095] As shown in Table 1, one of the factors affecting MPR is the RB allocation region, which is mainly divided into edge RB allocation regions, external RB allocation regions, and internal RB allocation regions. These different RB allocation regions are based on the reference bandwidth. Edge RB allocation regions refer to areas with 2 or fewer RBs, where the RBs start at the upper or lower edges of the reference bandwidth. The internal RB allocation regions have different RB starting positions. Start The number L of RBs satisfies: RB Start,Low ≤RB Start ≤RB Start,High L≤ceil(N RB / 2)

[0096] Among them, RB Start,Low It is RB Start The minimum value of RB Start,Low =max(1,floor(L / 2)); RB Start,High It is RB Start The maximum value of RB Start,High =N RB -RB Start,Low -L; floor points to the floor and ceil points to the ceil, N RBThe maximum number of RBs for the reference bandwidth. ceil is greater than or equal to N. RB The smallest integer equal to 2. If it belongs to neither the internal RB allocation region nor the edge RB allocation region, it is an external RB allocation region. Generally, the MPR of lower-order modulation schemes is less than or equal to the MPR of higher-order modulation schemes, the MPR of internal RB allocation regions is less than or equal to the MPR of external RB allocation regions, and the MPR of external RB allocation regions is less than or equal to the MPR of edge RB allocation regions. External RB allocation regions are limited by the adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR), but are still partially limited by the spectral emission mask (SEM); while internal RB allocation regions are mainly limited by in-band emission (IBE).

[0097] ACLR (Accurate Range Regulator) is the ratio between the transmit power within the reference bandwidth and the average leakage power of adjacent channels outside the reference bandwidth. SEM (Signal Magnitude Regulator) is the maximum permissible leakage power in adjacent channels outside the reference bandwidth. Both ACLR and SEM are designed to ensure that the transmitter does not cause excessive interference to other adjacent channels during operation. The difference lies in that ACLR measures the average power of adjacent channels, while SEM measures the absolute power of adjacent channels. IBE (Internal Beta Filtering) refers to the transmission occurring in other frequency bands outside the effective signal range due to PA nonlinearity and other reasons. Under different scheduling resource configurations (e.g., RB configuration), ACLR, SEM, and IBE will be limited to varying degrees, ultimately resulting in limited transmit power.

[0098] (4) In the embodiments of this application, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "send information to XX" can be understood as the destination of the information being XX, which may include direct transmission via the air interface or indirect transmission by other units or modules via the air interface. "Receive information from YY" can be understood as the source of the information being YY, which may include direct reception from YY via the air interface or indirect reception from YY via other units or modules via the air interface. "Send" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receive" can also be understood as the "input" of the chip interface. In other words, sending and receiving can be performed between devices, such as between access network devices and terminal devices, or within devices, such as between components, modules, chips, software modules, or hardware modules within a device via a bus, wiring, or interface.

[0099] In this application embodiment, the number of nouns, unless otherwise specified, refers to "singular nouns or plural nouns," that is, "one or more." "At least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A / B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B. "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, and / or c means the following combinations: a exists alone, b exists alone, c exists alone, a and b exist simultaneously, a and c exist simultaneously, b and c exist simultaneously, or a, b, and c exist simultaneously, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0100] In the embodiments of this application, "when," "if," and "if" all refer to the device taking corresponding actions under certain objective circumstances, and are not time-limited, nor do they require the device to perform a judgment action, nor do they imply any other limitations. Unless otherwise specified, "if" and "if" can be substituted, and "when" and "in the case of" can be substituted. "When" and "if" / "if" can be substituted.

[0101] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is 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.

[0102] In this application, the ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish multiple objects, and are not used to limit the size, content, order, timing, priority, or importance of the multiple objects. For example, "first instruction information" and "second instruction information" refer to two different pieces of information, and do not indicate a difference in priority or importance between the two pieces of instruction information.

[0103] Typically, network devices consider the communication performance metrics of terminal devices when scheduling them. There are multiple metrics for measuring communication performance (e.g., SE, EE, transmission rate, bit error rate, latency, etc.), and network devices usually consider multiple performance metrics comprehensively. For example, a higher EE is desired for better communication performance; however, improving EE means transmitting more data within limited spectrum resources (i.e., improving SE), which often requires increasing the output power of the power amplifier (PA), consequently increasing power consumption. To achieve better communication performance, a balance needs to be struck between EE and SE. For example, more efficient modulation and coding techniques can be used to improve SE without increasing power consumption.

[0104] Currently, network devices schedule terminal devices based on the SE maximization principle without considering EE, resulting in low EE for terminal devices.

[0105] For example, please refer to Figure 3, which is a schematic diagram of the EE of the terminal device provided in this application under different scheduling parameters. Figure 3 takes the scheduling parameters including modulation scheme, number of transmission layers, waveform, and RB allocation area as an example. The waveform is a CP-OFDM waveform, the RB allocation area is an external RB allocation area, and the number of configured RBs is 133. The horizontal axis in Figure 3 is MCS, and the vertical axis is the total EE. Figure 3 shows the EE values ​​under different MCS and different numbers of layers, such as line type I, line type II, and line type III. Line type I corresponds to 1 layer, with MCS ranging from MCS0 to MCS28; line type III corresponds to 2 layers, with MCS ranging from MCS0 to MCS28; and line type III corresponds to 1 layer, with MCS ranging from MCS0 to MCS28. Currently, according to the SE maximization principle, the terminal device is scheduled with priority to configure a layer of 2 and MCS28 (as shown in line type II in Figure 3). In this case, the EE value that the terminal device can achieve is 0.8 * 10^6. 7 bit / J. However, as can be seen from Figure 3, there is still room for improvement in EE. For example, under light network load conditions, prioritizing EE, the transport layer number can be configured to 1, and the MCS to be MCS21, which can increase EE to 28 kbit / J (as shown by line type III in Figure 3). It is evident that, according to the principle of maximizing SE when scheduling terminal devices, there is still room for improvement in the EE of terminal devices.

[0106] With the future development of communication / networks, low power consumption of terminal devices is a trend, making it necessary to improve the energy efficiency (EE) of terminal devices and minimize their power consumption. To this end, this application provides a solution based on its embodiments. In this embodiment, the network device can obtain the energy efficiency information of the terminal device and configure reasonable scheduling parameters for the terminal device to maximize its EE or minimize its power consumption. In this embodiment, energy efficiency information can be replaced with energy efficiency / EE information.

[0107] The solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0108] In the following description, the communication method provided in this application embodiment is applied to the network architecture shown in Figure 1 as an example. The communication method provided in this application embodiment can be executed by network devices and terminal devices. The steps executed by the network device can be implemented by the RAN device itself, by components within the RAN device (such as a baseband chip, or other processing units or processor modules), or by a larger device including the RAN device. The steps executed by the terminal device can be implemented by the terminal device itself, by components within the terminal device (such as a baseband chip, or other processing units or processor modules), or by a larger device including the terminal device. There are no restrictions on the specific form of the network device and the terminal device. For example, the network device can be a chip, and the terminal device can be a device; or both the network device and the terminal device can be chips or devices. In possible scenarios, the network device can be the terminal device 120a shown in Figure 1, or it can be the chip (system) in the terminal device 120a in Figure 1; the terminal device can be the network device 110a shown in Figure 1, or it can be the chip (system) in the network device 110a in Figure 1. In possible scenarios, the network device can be the terminal device 120b shown in Figure 1, or it can be the chip (system) in the terminal device 120b in Figure 1; the terminal device can be the terminal device 120a in Figure 1, or it can be the chip (system) in the terminal device 120a in Figure 1.

[0109] The following describes the solution provided by the embodiments of this application with reference to Figure 1.

[0110] Please refer to Figure 4, which is a flowchart illustrating the communication method 400 provided in this embodiment. Figure 4 describes the method from the perspective of interaction between network devices and terminal devices. It should be understood that the communication method can also be implemented by other devices, such as a chip or communication device with communication functions. It should be noted that this embodiment only illustrates execution through network devices and terminal devices, and is not limited to network devices and terminal devices. For example, this embodiment can also be executed through more terminal devices. When more terminal devices are involved, the execution process is the same for each of these more terminal devices. As shown in Figure 4, the flow of this communication method includes the following steps.

[0111] S401. The network device sends the second scheduling information to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the second scheduling information accordingly.

[0112] The second scheduling information is used to schedule terminal devices. For example, the second scheduling information may include one or more scheduling parameters for the terminal devices to send and / or receive information. The terminal devices receive the second scheduling information and send and / or receive information according to the second scheduling information. The scheduling parameters may include one or more of the following: MCS, RB configuration, number of transmission layers, transmission waveform, output power, or number of RF links, etc.

[0113] S402. The network device sends a request message to the terminal device, which can be used to request energy efficiency information from the terminal device.

[0114] Accordingly, the terminal device receives a request message from the network device. The specific name of the request message is not limited in this embodiment. For example, the request message could also be called an energy efficiency information request message or an energy efficiency request message. The signaling carrying the request message is not limited in this embodiment. For example, the request message could be carried in one or more fields of one or more of the following signaling types: downlink control information (DCI), RRC message, or MAC-control element (CE). For example, the first request message could be an RRC reconfiguration message or an RRC resume message.

[0115] Energy efficiency information refers to information characterizing the energy efficiency (EE) of terminal devices. It's understandable that different scheduling parameters (such as load balancer, modulation scheme, and transmission waveform) can lead to different EEs for terminal devices. To maximize the EE of terminal devices, network devices can obtain their energy efficiency information and configure appropriate scheduling parameters based on this information.

[0116] In possible scenarios, when a network device has already scheduled a terminal device and wants to know if the scheduling parameters are reasonable, it can request the terminal device's energy efficiency information under those parameters. Similarly, when the network device wants to know if the scheduling parameters to be configured for a terminal device are reasonable, it can request the terminal device's energy efficiency information under those parameters. If the network device determines that the scheduling parameters to be configured for the terminal device are unreasonable, it can adjust those parameters promptly and configure the adjusted parameters for the terminal device. This method ensures that the scheduling parameters configured by the network device for the terminal device are generally reasonable each time.

[0117] In possible scenarios, when a network device needs to schedule a terminal device, it can request the terminal device's energy efficiency information. For example, when a network device schedules a terminal device for the first time, it expects the terminal device to achieve a high energy efficiency (EE), so the network device can request the terminal device to report energy efficiency information. Alternatively, if the network device has already configured scheduling parameters for the terminal device and wants to determine whether these parameters need adjustment / optimization, the network device can also request the terminal device to report energy efficiency information. If the terminal device's EE still has room for improvement when communicating based on the configured scheduling parameters, then the scheduling parameters need to be adjusted / optimized. Therefore, step S401 is not a mandatory step and is illustrated by a dashed line in Figure 4.

[0118] Optionally, the terminal device can proactively report energy efficiency information to the network device. For example, if the terminal device needs to improve its energy efficiency (EE), it can proactively report energy efficiency information to the network device. For instance, if the terminal device detects that the battery level is below a certain threshold, it can report energy efficiency information to the network device.

[0119] Depending on the scheduling parameters, the specific implementation of the request message will vary, and the content of the request message may also differ. For ease of understanding, the following example illustrates the content of a request message.

[0120] (1) The request message is used to request the energy efficiency information of the terminal device under the current scheduling information.

[0121] The current scheduling information is the scheduling information currently being used by the terminal device; in other words, it is the information configured by the network device in the most recent scheduling of the terminal device, such as the second scheduling information. When the network device wants to know whether the current scheduling parameters for the terminal device can enable the terminal device to achieve higher energy efficiency, it can request the terminal device's energy efficiency information under the current scheduling information. If the terminal device's energy efficiency information under the current scheduling information indicates that the terminal device's energy efficiency (EE) has room for improvement, then the network device can adjust the current scheduling parameters / current scheduling information and reschedule the terminal device to enable the terminal device to achieve a higher EE.

[0122] The network device can use the first indication information to indicate the energy efficiency information of the requesting terminal device in the request message, or it can use the first indication information to indicate the energy efficiency information of the requesting terminal device under the current scheduling parameters. For example, the request message may include the first indication information indicating the energy efficiency information of the requesting terminal device under the current scheduling parameters.

[0123] Optionally, if the request message includes the first indication information, it is considered that the network device is requesting energy efficiency information from the terminal device under the current scheduling parameters. If the request message does not include the first indication information, the terminal device can determine that it does not need to report energy efficiency information to the network device. For example, the first indication information may be carried in a first field; if the request message does not include the first field, the terminal device can determine that it does not need to report energy efficiency information to the network device. If the request message includes the first field, it is considered that the request message is used to request energy efficiency information from the terminal device under the current scheduling parameters. The specific name of the first field is not limited in this embodiment; for example, the first field may be called the UL-PAEE field.

[0124] Optionally, the first indication information can be 1 bit information, where the value of the 1 bit is "0" or "1", and the indication request message is used to request the energy efficiency information of the terminal device under the current scheduling parameters.

[0125] (2) The first request message is used to request the EE information of the terminal device under a specific scheduling configuration.

[0126] This specific scheduling configuration can be the one that the network device will use to schedule the terminal device. If the network device wants to know whether a certain scheduling configuration can enable the terminal device to achieve a higher EE, it can request the terminal device's energy efficiency information under that scheduling configuration. If the network device finds that the terminal device's EE can be improved under that scheduling configuration, it can adjust the scheduling configuration to achieve a higher EE. This approach aims to maximize the terminal device's EE.

[0127] For example, the request message may include one or more parameters / scheduling parameters indicating a request for energy efficiency information from the terminal device under those one or more parameters. For the terminal device, as long as the request message includes one or more parameters, it is considered that the request message requests energy efficiency information corresponding to those one or more parameters. For example, scheduling parameters may include MCS, RB configuration, transmission waveform, number of transmission layers, output power, and number of RF links, etc. When the request message includes MCS and RB configuration, it is used to request energy efficiency information from the terminal device under those MCS and RB configurations; when the request message includes transmission waveform and number of transmission layers, it is used to request energy efficiency information from the terminal device under those transmission waveform and number of transmission layers. It should be noted that when the request message includes only some parameters from all scheduling parameters related to energy efficiency information, it can be assumed that the remaining scheduling parameters of the terminal device, excluding the aforementioned partial parameters, remain unchanged, or that the remaining scheduling parameters of the terminal device, excluding the aforementioned partial parameters, are determined based on the current scheduling information. For example, all scheduling parameters related to energy efficiency information include the first MCS, the first RB configuration, the first transmission waveform, the first number of transmission layers, the first output power, and the first number of radio frequency links. The request message includes the second MSC and the second RB configuration. The request message for energy efficiency information of the terminal device under the second MSC and the second RB configuration refers to the request for energy efficiency information of the terminal device under the second MSC and the second RB configuration, as well as the first transmission waveform, the first number of transmission layers, the first output power, and the first number of radio frequency links.

[0128] In possible implementations, at least one parameter is carried in a second field, which may be called the UL-PAEE-Configlist field, or other names, without restriction. As an example, see Table 2 for a specific implementation of the UL-PAEE-Configlist field.

[0129] Table 2

[0130] `maxulpaeeconfig` represents the maximum number of configuration parameters included in `UL-PAEE-Configlist`, which can be an integer greater than or equal to 1. The configuration parameters included in `UL-PAEE-Configlist` can include one or more of the following parameters: `rbregion` represents the region information of the RB configuration, with three values: `outer`, `inner`, and `edge`. `outer` represents the external RB allocation region, `inner` represents the internal RB allocation region, and `edge` represents the edge RB allocation region; `modulationorder` represents the modulation method; `transformPrecoder` represents the waveform. When `transformPrecoder` is set to enabled, the waveform is CP-OFDM; when `transformPrecoder` is set to disabled, the waveform is DFT-s-OFDM; `power` represents the output power range, with multiple values, each corresponding to a range. For example, the values ​​for `power` include 0, 1, 2, and 3. The ranges corresponding to different values ​​do not overlap, as shown in Value 1 in Table 3. Alternatively, the ranges corresponding to different values ​​can overlap, as shown in Value 2 in Table 3. Optionally, if the request message does not include power, it can default to the entire power range (e.g., -5 to 26) and request energy efficiency information for the entire power range.

[0131] Table 3

[0132] As another example, see Table 4 for the specific implementation of the UL-PAEE-Configlist field. Unlike Table 2, where rbregion includes three values: outer, inner, and edge, in Table 4, rbregion can include Rbstart and Rbnumber, where Rbstart is the starting RB position and Rbnumber is the number of RBs.

[0133] Table 4

[0134] Optionally, the request message includes first indication information and at least one parameter, used to request the terminal device to report energy efficiency information corresponding to the at least one parameter. For the terminal device, when the request message includes first indication information and at least one parameter, the request message is used to request the terminal device to report energy efficiency information corresponding to the at least one parameter. Alternatively, the first indication information can be 1 bit information. When the request message includes first indication information and at least one parameter, and the value of the 1 bit is "0" or "1", the request message is used to request the terminal device to report energy efficiency information corresponding to the at least one parameter. Optionally, the first indication information and at least one configuration parameter are carried in different signaling. That is, the network device sending a request message is equivalent to the terminal device sending two signaling messages, one of which carries the first indication information and the other carries at least one configuration parameter. The terminal device receives these two signaling messages and can determine that the network device is requesting energy efficiency information from the terminal device under the at least one parameter.

[0135] It should be noted that network devices may not actively request energy efficiency information from terminal devices; instead, the terminal devices may decide for themselves whether to report energy efficiency information to the network devices. Therefore, step S402 is not a mandatory step, and it is illustrated by a dashed line in Figure 4.

[0136] S403. The terminal device sends energy efficiency information to the network device, and the network device receives the energy efficiency information from the terminal device accordingly.

[0137] In one possible example, a terminal device receives a request message from another terminal device. In response to this request message, the terminal device can determine its energy efficiency information and send this information to the network device. The energy efficiency information refers to information characterizing the terminal device's energy efficiency (EE). Upon receiving this energy efficiency information, the network device can determine if the terminal device's EE has room for improvement. If so, the network device can reconfigure the scheduling parameters for the terminal device, thereby improving its EE.

[0138] Energy efficiency information can be determined based on relevant information affecting the EE of the terminal device. As mentioned above, the relevant information affecting the EE of the terminal device may include one or more parameters in the second scheduling information or one or more parameters in the first request message. Accordingly, the energy efficiency information can be determined based on one or more parameters in the second scheduling information or the first request message. For example, the energy efficiency information can be determined based on MCS, RB configuration, transmission waveform, number of transmission layers, or output power. For another example, the energy efficiency information can be determined based on one or more scheduling parameters and the number of RF links, etc. For another example, the energy efficiency information can also be determined based on the relationship between the output power and power consumption of the terminal device. For another example, the energy efficiency information can be determined based on the aforementioned formula (1).

[0139] This application does not limit the signaling used to carry energy efficiency information in its embodiments. For example, energy efficiency information can be carried in one or more fields of one or more of the following signaling types: DCI, RRC message, or MAC-CE. For instance, energy efficiency information can be carried in an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message or an RRC Resume Complete message. It is understood that the request message sent by the network device to the terminal device is an RRC Reconfiguration message, and energy efficiency information can be carried in an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, a UAI message, or a PHR. Taking the example that energy efficiency information can be carried in an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, the terminal device sending energy efficiency information to the network device includes the terminal device sending an RRC Reconfiguration Complete message to the network device, which includes energy efficiency information. The request message sent by the network device to the terminal device is an RRC Resume message, and energy efficiency information can be carried in an RRC Resume Complete message, a UAI message, or a PHR. Taking the example that energy efficiency information can be carried in RRC RRCResume Complete, the terminal device sending energy efficiency information to the network device includes the terminal device sending an RRC RResume Complete message to the network device, which includes energy efficiency information.

[0140] This application does not limit the specific implementation of energy efficiency information, as long as it can characterize the energy efficiency (EE) of the terminal device. The following examples illustrate several implementation methods of energy efficiency information and the content included in it.

[0141] (1) EE value

[0142] The EE value can be a value calculated according to formula (1). Accordingly, energy efficiency information can occupy one or more bits to indicate an EE value or a range of EE values. For example, see Table 5, which shows the possible ranges of EE values.

[0143] Table 5

[0144] It should be noted that Table 5 uses 2 bits for energy efficiency information as an example. The number of bits occupied by energy efficiency information and the division of the value range of EE are only examples. For example, Table 5 may have more or fewer rows, and the value range in Table 5 may be larger or smaller.

[0145] (2) EE level

[0146] Each Energy Efficiency (EE) level corresponds to a range of EE values. This application does not limit the number of EE levels or the specific classification method. For example, as shown in Table 6, there are two EE levels: when the EE value is lower than the first value, the EE level is low energy efficiency; when the EE value is greater than or equal to the first value, the EE level is high energy efficiency. As another example, as shown in Table 7, there are four EE levels: when the EE value is lower than the first value, the EE level is low energy efficiency; when the EE value is greater than or equal to the first value and less than the second value, the EE level is medium energy efficiency; when the EE value is greater than or equal to the second value and less than the third value, the EE level is high energy efficiency; and when the EE value is greater than or equal to the third value, the EE level is the highest energy efficiency.

[0147] Table 6

[0148] Table 7

[0149] Taking Table 6 as an example, energy efficiency information occupies 1 bit. If the EE value corresponds to a low energy efficiency level, then the value of this 1 bit is "0". When the network device receives the energy efficiency information and determines that the EE of the terminal device can be higher, such as a high energy efficiency level, the network device can adjust the scheduling parameters of the terminal device to maximize the EE of the terminal device.

[0150] Taking Table 7 as an example, energy efficiency information occupies 2 bits. If the EE value corresponds to a high energy efficiency level, then the value of these 2 bits is "10". If the network device receives energy efficiency information and determines that the terminal device's EE is already high energy efficiency, then the network device does not need to adjust the terminal device's scheduling parameters. Alternatively, if the network device receives energy efficiency information and determines that the terminal device's EE, although high energy efficiency, can still be improved, then the network device can adjust the terminal device's scheduling parameters to maximize the terminal device's EE.

[0151] (3) Correspondence between output power and EE

[0152] This application does not limit the specific implementation of the correspondence between output power and EE; it is sufficient that the correspondence between output power and EE can be represented. For example, the correspondence between output power and EE includes, but is not limited to, the following five implementation forms, which will be described in turn below.

[0153] (3-1) The correspondence between output power and EE can be characterized by the correspondence between output power and power consumption.

[0154] For example, please refer to Figure 5, which exemplarily illustrates the correspondence between output power and power consumption. As can be seen from Figure 5, the correspondence between output power and power consumption differs under different modulation methods.

[0155] In possible implementations, the relationship between output power and power consumption can be quantified. For example, the relationship between output power and power consumption can satisfy the following formula: y = ae bx +c, y represents power consumption, x represents output power, e is a constant, and a, b, and c are variables. In this case, the values ​​of a, b, and c can characterize the correspondence between output power and power consumption. Accordingly, energy efficiency information can include the values ​​of a, b, and c. Network devices can determine the correspondence between output power and power consumption based on the values ​​of a, b, and c. It should be noted that one or more of a, b, and c can be reported by default. For example, the value of c may be 0. In this case, the energy efficiency information may include a and b, but not c. The network device receives energy efficiency information with the default value of c being 0. As another example, the value of a may be 1. In this case, the energy efficiency information may include b and c. The network device receives energy efficiency information with the default value of a being 1.

[0156] In this case, energy efficiency information can be carried in a third field, which can be called the UL-PAEElist field or any other name, without restriction. Taking the UL-PAEElist field as an example, the specific implementation of the UL-PAEElist field is shown in Table 8.

[0157] Table 8

[0158] Table 8 uses the example of a having 10 possible values ​​and b and c each having 11 possible values. This application does not limit the possible values ​​of a, b and c in the embodiments.

[0159] (3-2) The relationship between output power and energy efficiency can be the relationship between the values ​​of output power and energy efficiency.

[0160] In this case, the energy efficiency information may include values ​​for output power and energy efficiency. Optionally, the energy efficiency information may include multiple sets of values ​​for output power and energy efficiency, with each set corresponding to a value for output power and energy efficiency.

[0161] Optionally, this energy efficiency information can be carried in the PHR, where reserved bits in the PHR carry the energy efficiency value, and the output power is the power value carried in the PHR, as shown in Figure 6. Figure 6 is a partial structural diagram of a single-entry PHR. In Figure 6, PH (power headroom) represents the power headroom level, and this field occupies 6 bits. The P in Figure 6... CMAX,f,cThat is, the output power, and P CMAX,f,c This relates to Type 1 and the primary cell (PCell). In Figure 6, R represents reserved bits, and the P field indicates the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) for the UE in Frequency Range (FR) 2 cells, occupying 1 bit. The MPE in Figure 6 represents the P-MPR level used to meet the MPE metric when the P field is set to 1. The DPC in Figure 6 indicates the power level offset ΔP applicable to FR1 cells. PowerClass This field occupies 2 bits. The energy efficiency value can be carried by R in PHR, and the P value in PHR can be reused. CMAX,f,c The output power is reported, thereby realizing the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency. For example, assuming R occupies 2 bits, taking Table 5 as an example, if the value range of EE is 4-5 bits / J, then the value of R is "10".

[0162] (3-3) The correspondence between output power and EE can be the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency level.

[0163] In this case, energy efficiency information can include output power and energy efficiency ratings. This energy efficiency information can be carried in the PHR, where reserved bits in the PHR carry the energy efficiency rating, and the output power is the power value P carried in the PHR. CMAX,f,c For example, assuming R occupies 2 bits, taking Table 6 as an example, if the EE value corresponds to a high energy efficiency level, then the reserved bit value is "10". It can be seen that the energy efficiency level is carried by R in the PHR, and the P in the PHR is reused. CMAX,f,c It reports the output power, thereby realizing the reporting of the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency.

[0164] (3-4) The correspondence between output power and EE can be the correspondence between the values ​​of output power and power consumption.

[0165] In this case, energy efficiency information can include the values ​​of output power and power consumption. This energy efficiency information can be carried in the PHR, where reserved bits in the PHR carry the power consumption value, and the output power is the power value P carried in the PHR. CMAX,f,c By reusing the power consumption value of R in PHR, the P in PHR can be reused. CMAX,f,c It reports the output power, thereby realizing the reporting of the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency.

[0166] For example, see Table 9, which shows the power consumption values.

[0167] Table 9

[0168] Assuming R occupies 2 bits, as shown in Table 9, when R is "10", it indicates that the power consumption corresponding to the output power is between 1 and 2 watts.

[0169] (3-5) The correspondence between output power and EE can be a correspondence between output power and power consumption levels.

[0170] In this case, energy efficiency information can include output power and power consumption levels. This energy efficiency information can be carried in the Power Response Level (PHR), where reserved bits in the PHR carry the power consumption level, and the output power is the power value P carried in the PHR. CMAX,f,c By using the R in PHR to carry the power consumption level, the P in PHR is reused. CMAX,f,c It reports the output power, thereby realizing the reporting of the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency.

[0171] For example, see Table 10, which shows the power consumption levels.

[0172] Table 10

[0173] Assuming R occupies 2 bits, as shown in Table 10, when R is "10", it indicates that the power consumption level corresponding to the output power is the high power consumption level.

[0174] (3-6) The relationship between output power and EE can be the same as the relationship between output power and the value of electrical quantity.

[0175] In this case, energy efficiency information can include the values ​​of output power and energy consumption. This energy efficiency information can be carried in the PHR, where reserved bits in the PHR carry the energy consumption value, and the output power is the power value P carried in the PHR. CMAX,f,c By reusing the value of the R-carrying capacity in PHR, the P-carrying capacity in PHR can be reused. CMAX,f,c It reports the output power, thereby realizing the reporting of the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency.

[0176] For example, see Table 11, which shows the power values.

[0177] Table 11

[0178] Assuming R occupies 2 bits, as shown in Table 11, when R is "10", it indicates that the output power corresponds to a power level between 40% and 60%.

[0179] (3-7) The correspondence between output power and EE can be the correspondence between output power and the level of electrical quantity.

[0180] In this case, energy efficiency information can include output power and energy level ratings. This energy efficiency information can be carried in the Power Regulator (PHR), where reserved bits in the PHR carry the energy level rating, and the output power is the power value P carried in the PHR. CMAX,f,c By using the R-level of the PHR to carry the electrical capacity, the P-level of the PHR is reused. CMAX,f,c It reports the output power, thereby realizing the reporting of the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency.

[0181] For example, see Table 12, which shows the power levels.

[0182] Table 12

[0183] Assuming R occupies 2 bits, as shown in Table 12, when R is "10", it indicates that the output power level is high. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the power level can be either remaining power or power already consumed.

[0184] (3-8) The relationship between output power and EE can be the relationship between output power and amplifier efficiency.

[0185] In this case, energy efficiency information can include values ​​for output power and amplifier efficiency, where amplifier efficiency is approximately equal to output power divided by power consumption. This energy efficiency information can be carried in the PHR, where reserved bits in the PHR carry the amplifier efficiency value, and the output power is the power value P carried in the PHR. CMAX,f,c By using the value of the R-carrying amplifier efficiency in the PHR, the P in the PHR is reused. CMAX,f,c It reports the output power, thereby realizing the reporting of the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency.

[0186] For example, see Table 13, which shows the values ​​for amplifier efficiency.

[0187] Table 13

[0188] Assuming R occupies 2 bits, as shown in Table 13, when R is "10", it indicates that the amplifier efficiency corresponding to the output power is between 5% and 10%.

[0189] (3-9) The relationship between output power and EE can be the relationship between output power and amplifier efficiency level.

[0190] In this case, energy efficiency information can include the output power and amplifier efficiency rating. This energy efficiency information can be carried in the PHR, where reserved bits in the PHR carry the amplifier efficiency rating, and the output power is the power value P carried in the PHR. CMAX,f,c By using the R-carrying amplifier efficiency rating in the PHR, the P-carrying amplifier in the PHR is reused.CMAX,f,c It reports the output power, thereby realizing the reporting of the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency.

[0191] For example, see Table 14, which shows the levels of amplifier efficiency.

[0192] Table 14

[0193] Assuming R occupies 2 bits, as shown in Table 14, when R is "10", it indicates that the amplifier efficiency level corresponding to the output power is medium.

[0194] S404. The network device sends first scheduling information to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the first scheduling information accordingly.

[0195] When a network device determines that a terminal device's energy efficiency (EE) has room for improvement based on energy efficiency information, it can adjust scheduling parameters and reschedule the terminal device. For example, if the energy efficiency information reported by the terminal device is based on the second scheduling information, and this energy efficiency information indicates that the terminal device's EE is low, then the network device can adjust one or more parameters in the second scheduling information.

[0196] Using the example in Figure 3, the second scheduling information includes waveform parameters, RB configuration, MCS, and the number of transmission layers. The waveform parameters indicate the CP-OFDM waveform. The RB configuration indicates that the RB allocation area is an external RB allocation area, and the configured number of RBs is 133. The MCS is MCS28, and the number of transmission layers is 2. Under the second scheduling information, the EE of the terminal device is low. The network device can adjust one or more parameters in the second scheduling information, or adjust other parameters. For example, the network device can determine the number of RBs N to adjust, or the MCS affecting the transmission rate, based on the terminal device's energy efficiency information, to maximize the EE of the terminal device. For example, referring to Figure 3, the terminal device can adjust the MCS from MCS28 to MCS21, and the number of transmission layers can be adjusted from 2 to 1.

[0197] After adjusting the scheduling parameters, the network device reschedules the terminal device. For example, the network device may send first scheduling information to the terminal device, which includes one or more scheduling parameters for the terminal device to send and / or receive information. It should be understood that the scheduling parameters included in the first scheduling information are different from those included in the second scheduling information. Alternatively, for the same scheduling parameter, the value of the scheduling parameter in the first scheduling information is different from the value of the scheduling parameter in the second scheduling information. For example, continuing with the example in Figure 3, for MCS, the MCS in the first scheduling information is MCS21, and the MCS in the second scheduling information is MCS28.

[0198] It should be understood that network devices may adjust some or all of the scheduling parameters in the second scheduling information. The first scheduling information may include both the unadjusted and adjusted scheduling parameters. Alternatively, the first scheduling information may include only the adjusted scheduling parameters. The terminal device receives the first scheduling information and communicates by combining the unadjusted scheduling parameters from both the first and second scheduling information.

[0199] If the network device determines that the energy efficiency (EE) of the terminal device has no room for improvement based on the energy efficiency information, it may not adjust the scheduling parameters or send the first scheduling information. Figure 4 shows an example of the network device sending the first scheduling information.

[0200] Optionally, the terminal device can also execute S400.

[0201] S400: The terminal device sends capability information to the network device. This capability information can be used to indicate whether the terminal device supports reporting energy efficiency information.

[0202] Depending on the capabilities of the terminal devices, some terminal devices support reporting energy efficiency information, while others do not. To avoid network devices sending unnecessary request messages, terminal devices can inform network devices whether they support reporting energy efficiency information. For example, a terminal device can send capability information, which indicates whether it supports reporting energy efficiency information. The network device, upon receiving this capability information, can determine whether to send a request message to the terminal device, thus avoiding unnecessary signaling waste. For instance, if the terminal device supports reporting energy efficiency information, the network device can send a request message; if the terminal device does not support reporting energy efficiency information, the network device will not send a request message.

[0203] The execution order of S400 with S401 and S402 is not restricted. S400 can be executed before or after S401. Alternatively, S400 can be executed before or after S402. Furthermore, S401 is not a mandatory step and is therefore represented by a dashed line in Figure 4. In communication method 400, the network device, by obtaining the energy efficiency information of the terminal device, can determine whether the EE of the terminal device is better under a certain scheduling configuration, and thus improve the EE of the terminal device by adjusting the scheduling parameters. Alternatively, the network device, by obtaining the energy efficiency information of the terminal device, can deduce the EE of the terminal device under different scheduling configurations, and thus configure reasonable scheduling parameters for the terminal device to achieve a higher EE.

[0204] Specifically, if the terminal device uses a Power Response Rate (PHR) to report energy efficiency information to the network device, it may cause unnecessary signaling overhead. Since the PHR is reported periodically, the network device does not need to frequently know the terminal device's energy efficiency information. Therefore, in this case, the network device can instruct the terminal device not to report energy efficiency information again.

[0205] For example, please refer to Figure 7, which is a flowchart illustrating the communication method 700 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 7 illustrates an example of a terminal device reporting energy efficiency information via PHR. The communication method 700 includes the following steps.

[0206] S700: The terminal device reports capability information to the network device, and the network device receives the capability information accordingly.

[0207] This capability information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports reporting energy efficiency information. For details, please refer to the relevant content of S400 mentioned above, which will not be repeated here.

[0208] S701. The network device sends a second scheduling information to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the second scheduling information accordingly.

[0209] The second scheduling information includes one or more scheduling parameters used by the terminal device to send and / or receive information. Scheduling parameters may include, for example, MCS, RB configuration, number of transmission layers, transmission waveform, output power, or the radio frequency link used by the terminal device.

[0210] There is no restriction on the execution order of S701 and S700. S701 can be executed before or after S700.

[0211] S702, The network device sends a request message to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the request message accordingly.

[0212] This request message is used to request the terminal device to report energy efficiency information. For details, please refer to the relevant content of S401 mentioned above, which will not be repeated here.

[0213] S703. The terminal device reports energy efficiency information to the network device, and the network device receives the energy efficiency information accordingly.

[0214] This energy efficiency information can indicate the EE of the terminal device. For details, please refer to the relevant content of S402 mentioned above, which will not be repeated here.

[0215] S704. The network device sends first scheduling information to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the first scheduling information accordingly.

[0216] When a network device determines, based on energy efficiency information, that a terminal device's energy efficiency (EE) has room for improvement, it can adjust scheduling parameters and reschedule the terminal device. For example, the network device can send first scheduling information to the terminal device, which includes one or more scheduling parameters for the terminal device to send and / or receive information. It should be understood that the scheduling parameters included in the first scheduling information are different from those included in the second scheduling information, or, for the same scheduling parameter, the value of the scheduling parameter in the first scheduling information is different from the value of the scheduling parameter in the second scheduling information.

[0217] Understandably, if a network device determines, based on energy efficiency information, that there is no room for improvement in the energy efficiency (EE) of a terminal device, it may choose not to adjust scheduling parameters or send the first scheduling information. Figure 7 illustrates this with an example of a network device sending the first scheduling information.

[0218] S705. The network device sends a second instruction message to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the second instruction message accordingly.

[0219] The second instruction information is used to deactivate the reporting of energy efficiency information. It is understood that when a terminal device reports energy efficiency information to a network device using PHR, the network device may deactivate the reporting of energy efficiency information to avoid unnecessary signaling overhead. This application embodiment does not limit the signaling that carries the second instruction information.

[0220] The option to deactivate energy efficiency information reporting can be replaced by deactivating or enabling energy efficiency information reporting. Alternatively, if network devices need to obtain energy efficiency information from terminal devices, they can activate / enable / configure energy efficiency information reporting via signaling.

[0221] The methods provided in the embodiments of this application above are described using terminal devices and network devices as examples. In this application, each embodiment can be implemented independently or in combination based on certain inherent connections; in each embodiment, different implementation methods can be implemented in combination or independently. To achieve the functions of the methods provided in the embodiments of this application above, the steps executed by the terminal device can be implemented by the terminal device itself or by different functional entities constituting the terminal device. The steps executed by the network device can be implemented by the network device itself or by different functional entities constituting the network device. For example, the network device is an access network device, which can be a CU-DU architecture, where the CU can generate request messages and the DU can send request messages. To achieve the functions of the methods provided in the embodiments of this application above, the terminal device and network device can include hardware structures and / or software modules, implementing the above functions in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or hardware structures plus software modules. Whether a particular function is executed in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or hardware structures plus software modules depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0222] Based on the same concept as the method embodiments, this application provides a communication device. The communication device used to implement the above method in the embodiments of this application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The content above can be used in subsequent embodiments, and repeated content will not be repeated.

[0223] Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 800 provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication device 800 can correspondingly implement the functions or steps implemented by the terminal device in the various method embodiments described above. For example, the communication device 800 can be the terminal device in Figure 1; or, the communication device 800 can be a chip (system) in the terminal device; or, the communication device 800 can be a software module of the terminal device. The communication device 800 can correspondingly implement the functions or steps implemented by the network device in the various method embodiments described above. For example, the communication device 800 can be the access network device in Figure 1; or, the communication device 800 can be a chip (system) in the access network device; or, the communication device 800 can be a software module of the access network device. The communication device 800 may include a processing module 810 and a transceiver module 820. Optionally, it may also include a storage module, which can be used to store instructions (code or program) and / or data. The storage module may be, for example, a memory. The processing module 810 and the transceiver module 820 may be coupled to the storage module. For example, the processing module 810 can read instructions (code or program) and / or data from the storage module to implement the corresponding method. When the communication device 800 is a chip in a terminal device or network device, the storage module can be a storage module within the chip, such as a register or cache. Alternatively, the storage module can also be an external storage module within the terminal device or network device, such as a read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage devices capable of storing static information and instructions, such as random access memory (RAM). The aforementioned units can be set independently or partially or completely integrated.

[0224] Processing module 810 may be a processor or controller, such as a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processing unit (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. The processor may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc. Transceiver module 820 is a transceiver, interface circuit, bus, pin, or other possible communication interface for receiving signals from other devices. For example, when the device is implemented as a chip, transceiver module 820 is an interface circuit for the chip to receive signals from other chips or devices, or an interface circuit for the chip to send signals to other chips or devices.

[0225] In one implementation, the communication device 800 can correspondingly implement the behavior and functions of the terminal device in the above method embodiments. The communication device 800 can be the terminal device itself, a component (e.g., a chip or circuit) within the terminal device, a part of a chip or chipset in the terminal device used to execute the relevant method functions, or a software module in the terminal device capable of implementing the above communication method; no limitation is imposed. For details, please refer to the relevant content of the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0226] For example, the transceiver module 820 is used to transmit energy efficiency information and receive first scheduling information, which is determined based on the energy efficiency information. The energy efficiency information is related to at least one of the following parameters: MCS, RB configuration, transmission waveform, number of transmission layers, output power, or number of RF links.

[0227] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 820 is also used to receive a request message from a network device, which requests energy efficiency information from the communication device 800.

[0228] As an optional implementation, the request message includes first indication information for requesting energy efficiency information from the communication device 800.

[0229] As an optional implementation, the request message includes one or more of the at least one parameter, used to request the communication device 800 to report energy efficiency information corresponding to the one or more parameters.

[0230] As an optional implementation method, energy efficiency information includes: the value of energy efficiency, the level of energy efficiency, or the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency.

[0231] As an optional implementation, the relationship between output power and energy efficiency includes the relationship between output power and power consumption. The relationship between output power and power consumption satisfies: y = ae bx +c, y is power consumption, x is output power, e is a constant, and a, b, and c are variables. The energy efficiency information includes the values ​​of a, b, and c.

[0232] As an optional implementation, the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency includes: a correspondence between the values ​​of output power and energy efficiency, or a correspondence between the level of output power and energy efficiency, or a correspondence between the values ​​of output power and power consumption, or a correspondence between the level of output power and power consumption, or a correspondence between the values ​​of output power and electrical quantity, or a correspondence between the level of output power and electrical quantity, or a correspondence between the values ​​of output power and amplifier efficiency, or a correspondence between output power and amplifier efficiency.

[0233] As an optional implementation, energy efficiency information is included in either PHR or UAI.

[0234] As an optional implementation, energy efficiency information is included in PHR, and transceiver module 820 is also used to receive second indication information, which is used to deactivate the reporting of energy efficiency information.

[0235] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 820 is also used to send capability information, which indicates whether the communication device 800 supports reporting energy efficiency information.

[0236] In one implementation, the communication device 800 can correspondingly implement the behavior and functions of the network device in the above method embodiments. The communication device 800 can be a network device, a component (e.g., a chip or circuit) within the network device, a part of a chip or chipset in the network device used to execute the relevant method functions, or a software module in the network device capable of implementing the above communication method; there are no limitations. For details, please refer to the relevant content of the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0237] For example, the transceiver module 820 is used to receive energy efficiency information and send first scheduling information. The first scheduling information is determined based on the energy efficiency information. The energy efficiency information is related to at least one of the following parameters: MCS, RB configuration, transmission waveform, number of transmission layers, output power, or the number of RF links in the terminal device.

[0238] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 820 is also used to send a request message to the terminal device, which requests the terminal device's energy efficiency information.

[0239] As an optional implementation, the request message includes first indication information, which is used to request energy efficiency information from the terminal device.

[0240] As an optional implementation, the request message includes one or more of the at least one parameter, used to request the terminal device to report energy efficiency information corresponding to the one or more parameters.

[0241] As an optional implementation method, energy efficiency information includes: the value of energy efficiency, the level of energy efficiency, or the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency.

[0242] As an optional implementation, the relationship between output power and energy efficiency includes the relationship between output power and power consumption. The relationship between output power and power consumption satisfies: y = ae bx +c, y is power consumption, x is output power, e is a constant, and a, b, and c are variables. The energy efficiency information includes the values ​​of a, b, and c.

[0243] As an optional implementation, the correspondence between output power and energy efficiency includes: a correspondence between the values ​​of output power and energy efficiency, or a correspondence between the level of output power and energy efficiency, or a correspondence between the values ​​of output power and power consumption, or a correspondence between the level of output power and power consumption, or a correspondence between the values ​​of output power and electrical quantity, or a correspondence between the level of output power and electrical quantity, or a correspondence between the values ​​of output power and amplifier efficiency, or a correspondence between output power and amplifier efficiency.

[0244] As an optional implementation, energy efficiency information is included in either PHR or UAI.

[0245] As an optional implementation, the energy efficiency information is included in the PHR, and the transceiver module 820 is also used to send a second indication information to the terminal device, which is used to deactivate the reporting of energy efficiency information.

[0246] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 820 is also used to receive capability information, which indicates whether the terminal device supports reporting energy efficiency information.

[0247] When the communication device 800 is a chip-based device or circuit, the transceiver module can be an input / output circuit and / or a communication interface; the processing module is an integrated processor, microprocessor, or integrated circuit.

[0248] Figure 9 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 900 provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 900 can be a terminal device or a network device as described in the above embodiments. For example, the communication device 900 can be the terminal device in Figure 1 or a chip (system) within a terminal device. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices. Specific functions can be found in the descriptions of the above method embodiments. As another example, the communication device 900 can be an access network device in Figure 1 or a chip (system) within an access network device. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices. Specific functions can be found in the descriptions of the above method embodiments.

[0249] The communication device 900 includes one or more processors 901, used to implement or support the communication device 900 in implementing the functions of the terminal device or the first access network device in the methods provided in the embodiments of this application. For details, please refer to the detailed description in the method examples, which will not be repeated here. The processor 901 can also be called a processing unit or processing module, and can implement certain control functions. The processor 901 can be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, etc. For example, it includes: a baseband processor, a central processing unit, an application processor, a modem processor, a graphics processor, an image signal processor, a digital signal processor, a video codec processor, a controller, a memory, and / or a neural network processor, etc. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data. The central processing unit can be used to control the communication device 900 (e.g., a network device or a terminal device), execute software programs, and / or process data. Different processors can be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors, for example, integrated on one or more application-specific integrated circuits.

[0250] In one design, processor 901 may include program 903 (sometimes referred to as code or instructions) that can be executed on processor 901 to cause communication device 900 to perform the methods described in the embodiments below. In yet another possible design, communication device 900 includes circuitry (not shown in FIG9) for implementing the functions of the terminal device or network device in the above embodiments.

[0251] In one design, the communication device 900 may include one or more memories 902 storing a program 904 (sometimes referred to as code or instructions), which can be run on the processor 901 to cause the communication device 900 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0252] In one design, the processor 901 and / or memory 902 may include an artificial intelligence (AI) module 907 and an AI module 908, which are used to implement AI-related functions. The AI ​​modules may be implemented through software, hardware, or a combination of both. For example, the AI ​​module may include a RAN intelligent controller (RIC) module. For example, the AI ​​module may be a near real-time RIC or a non-real-time RIC.

[0253] In one possible design, the processor 901 and / or memory 902 may also store data. The processor and memory may be configured separately or integrated together.

[0254] In one possible design, the communication device 900 may further include a transceiver 905 and / or an antenna 906. The processor 901, sometimes referred to as a processing unit, controls the communication device 900. The transceiver 905, sometimes referred to as a transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiver circuit, or transceiver, is used to implement the transmission and reception functions of the communication device 900 through the antenna 906.

[0255] In one possible design, the communication device 900 may further include one or more of the following components: a wireless communication module, an audio module, an external memory interface, internal memory, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a power management module, an antenna, a speaker, a microphone, an input / output module, a sensor module, a motor, a camera, or a display screen, etc. It is understood that in some embodiments, the communication device 900 may include more or fewer components, or some components may be integrated, or some components may be separated. These components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0256] The communication device in the above embodiments can be a terminal device, a circuit, a chip applied in a terminal device, or other combined devices or components having the aforementioned terminal device. Alternatively, the communication device in the above embodiments can be a network device, a circuit, a chip applied in a network device, or other combined devices or components having the aforementioned network device. When the communication device is a terminal device or a network device, the transceiver module can be a transceiver, which may include an antenna and radio frequency circuits, etc., and the processing module can be a processor, such as a CPU. When the communication device is a chip system, the communication device can be an FPGA, a dedicated ASIC, a SoC, a CPU, a network processor (NP), a DSP, a microcontroller unit (MCU), a programmable logic device (PLD), or other integrated chips. The processing module can be the processor of the chip system. The transceiver module or communication interface can be the input / output interface or interface circuit of the chip system. For example, the interface circuit can be a code / data read / write interface circuit. The interface circuit can be used to receive code instructions (the code instructions are stored in memory and can be read directly from memory or through other devices) and transmit them to the processor; the processor can then execute the code instructions to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. Alternatively, the interface circuit can also be a signal transmission interface circuit between a communication processor and a transceiver.

[0257] This application also provides a communication system, which includes at least one terminal device and at least one network device. The terminal device is a terminal device used to implement the functions related to the above-described communication method, and the network device is a network device used to implement the functions related to the above-described communication method.

[0258] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, including instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to execute the method performed by the terminal device or network device in the above-described communication method.

[0259] This application also provides a computer program product, including computer program code, which, when executed, causes a computer to perform the method executed by the terminal device or network device in the above-described communication method.

[0260] This application provides a chip system including a processor and potentially a memory, for implementing the functions of a terminal device or network device in the aforementioned communication method. The chip system can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete components.

[0261] To achieve the functions of the communication devices shown in Figures 8 and 9, this application embodiment also provides a chip, including a processor, for supporting the communication device in implementing the functions involved in the terminal device or network device in the above method embodiments. In one possible design, the chip is connected to a memory or the chip includes a memory for storing necessary computer programs, instructions, and data for the communication device.

[0262] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0263] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the various illustrative logical blocks and steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0264] 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.

[0265] 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.

[0266] 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.

[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 essential contributing part of the technical solution of this application, 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, external hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0268] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the scope of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method comprises: sending energy efficiency information, the energy efficiency information being related to at least one of the following parameters: modulation and coding strategy (MCS), resource block (RB) configuration, transmission waveform, transmission layer number, output power, or radio frequency chain number; receiving first scheduling information, the first scheduling information being determined according to the energy efficiency information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving a request message, the request message being used to request the energy efficiency information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, The request message comprises first indication information, the first indication information being used to request the energy efficiency information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein, The request message comprises one or more of the at least one parameter, and is used to request energy efficiency information corresponding to the one or more parameters.

5. The method of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The energy efficiency information comprises: a value of energy efficiency, a level of energy efficiency, or a correspondence between output power and energy efficiency.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The correspondence between the output power and the energy efficiency comprises a correspondence between the output power and power consumption, and the correspondence between the output power and the power consumption satisfies: y = ae bx +c, y is power consumption, x is output power, e is a constant, a, b, c are variables, wherein the energy efficiency information comprises values of a, b and c.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein, The correspondence between the output power and the energy efficiency comprises: a correspondence between the output power and a value of energy efficiency, or a correspondence between the output power and a level of energy efficiency, or a correspondence between the output power and a value of power consumption, or a correspondence between the output power and a level of power consumption, or a correspondence between the output power and a value of electric quantity, or a correspondence between the output power and a level of electric quantity, or a correspondence between the output power and a value of amplifier efficiency, or a correspondence between the output power and a level of amplifier efficiency.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The energy efficiency information is contained in a power headroom report or terminal device auxiliary information (UAI).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, The energy efficiency information is contained in a power headroom report, and the method further comprises: receiving second indication information, the second indication information being used to deactivate reporting of energy efficiency information.

10. The method of any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The method further comprises: sending capability information, the capability information being used to indicate whether reporting of energy efficiency information is supported.

11. A communication method, comprising: The method comprises: receiving energy efficiency information, the energy efficiency information being related to at least one of the following parameters: modulation and coding strategy (MCS), resource block (RB) configuration, transmission waveform, transmission layer number, output power, or radio frequency chain number; sending first scheduling information, the first scheduling information being determined according to the energy efficiency information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, The method further comprises: sending a request message, the request message being used to request the energy efficiency information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, The request message comprises first indication information, the first indication information being used to request the energy efficiency information.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein, The request message comprises one or more of the at least one parameter, and is used to request energy efficiency information corresponding to the one or more parameters.

15. The method of any one of claims 11-14, wherein, The energy efficiency information comprises: a value of energy efficiency, a level of energy efficiency, or a correspondence between output power and power consumption.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, The correspondence between the output power and the energy efficiency comprises a correspondence between the output power and power consumption, and the correspondence between the output power and the power consumption satisfies: y = ae bx +c, y is power consumption, x is output power, e is a constant, a, b, c are variables, wherein the energy efficiency information comprises values of a, b and c.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein, The correspondence between the output power and the energy efficiency comprises: a correspondence between the output power and a value of energy efficiency, or a correspondence between the output power and a value of the energy efficiency, or a correspondence between the output power and a value of the power consumption, or a correspondence between the output power and a level of the power consumption, or a correspondence between the output power and a value of the electric quantity, or a correspondence between the output power and a level of the electric quantity, or a correspondence between the output power and a value of the amplifier efficiency, or a correspondence between the output power and a level of the amplifier efficiency.

18. The method of any one of claims 11-17, wherein, The energy efficiency information is contained in a power headroom report or terminal device assistance information (UAI).

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, The energy efficiency information is contained in a power headroom report, and the method further includes: sending second indication information, the second indication information being used for deactivating reporting of the energy efficiency information.

20. The method of any one of claims 11-19, wherein, The method further includes: receiving capability information, the capability information being used for indicating whether reporting of the energy efficiency information is supported.

21. A communications device, characterized by comprising: a transceiver module, configured to send energy efficiency information and receive first scheduling information, the energy efficiency information being related to at least one of the following parameters: a modulation and coding strategy (MCS), a resource block (RB) configuration, a transmission waveform, a number of transmission layers, an output power, or a number of radio frequency (RF) links, and the first scheduling information being determined according to the energy efficiency information; a processing module, configured to determine the first scheduling information.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein, The transceiver module is further configured to: receive a request message, the request message being used for requesting the energy efficiency information.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, The request message includes first indication information, the first indication information being used for requesting the energy efficiency information.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, The request message includes one or more of the at least one parameter, and is used for requesting energy efficiency information corresponding to the one or more parameters.

25. The apparatus of any one of claims 21-24, wherein, The energy efficiency information includes: a value of the energy efficiency, a level of the energy efficiency, or a correspondence between the output power and the energy efficiency.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein, The correspondence between the output power and the energy efficiency includes a correspondence between the output power and the power consumption, and the correspondence between the output power and the power consumption satisfies: y = ae bx +c, y is power consumption, x is output power, e is a constant, a, b, c are variables, wherein the energy efficiency information comprises values of a, b and c.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein, The correspondence between the output power and the energy efficiency includes: a correspondence between the output power and a value of the energy efficiency, or a correspondence between the output power and a level of the energy efficiency, or a correspondence between the output power and a value of the power consumption, or a correspondence between the output power and a level of the power consumption, or a correspondence between the output power and a value of the electric quantity, or a correspondence between the output power and a level of the electric quantity, or a correspondence between the output power and a value of the amplifier efficiency, or a correspondence between the output power and a level of the amplifier efficiency.

28. The apparatus of any one of claims 21-27, wherein, The energy efficiency information is contained in a power headroom report or terminal device assistance information (UAI).

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein, The energy efficiency information is contained in a power headroom report, and the transceiver module is further configured to: receive second indication information, the second indication information being used for deactivating reporting of the energy efficiency information.

30. The apparatus of any one of claims 21-29, wherein, The transceiver module is further configured to: send capability information, the capability information being used for indicating whether reporting of the energy efficiency information is supported.

31. A communications device, characterized by comprising: The transceiver is configured to receive energy efficiency information, and transmit first scheduling information, wherein the energy efficiency information is related to at least one of the following parameters: modulation and coding strategy (MCS), resource block (RB) configuration, transmission waveform, number of transmission layers, output power, or number of radio frequency (RF) chains, and the first scheduling information is determined based on the energy efficiency information. The processing module is configured to determine the first scheduling information.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein, The transceiver is further configured to: transmit a request message, wherein the request message is used to request the energy efficiency information.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein, The request message comprises first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used to request the energy efficiency information.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein, The request message comprises one or more parameters of the at least one parameter, and is used to request energy efficiency information corresponding to the one or more parameters.

35. The apparatus of any one of claims 31-34, wherein, The energy efficiency information comprises: a value of energy efficiency, a level of energy efficiency, or a corresponding relationship between output power and power consumption.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein, The corresponding relationship between the output power and the power consumption satisfies: y = ae bx +c, y is power consumption, x is output power, e is a constant, a, b, c are variables, wherein the energy efficiency information comprises values of a, b and c.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein, The corresponding relationship between the output power and the energy efficiency comprises: a corresponding relationship between the output power and a value of the energy efficiency, or a corresponding relationship between the output power and a level of the energy efficiency, or a corresponding relationship between the output power and a value of the power consumption, or a corresponding relationship between the output power and a level of the power consumption, or a corresponding relationship between the output power and a value of the electric quantity, or a corresponding relationship between the output power and a level of the electric quantity, or a corresponding relationship between the output power and a value of the amplifier efficiency, or a corresponding relationship between the output power and a level of the amplifier efficiency.

38. The apparatus of any one of claims 31-37, wherein, The energy efficiency information is included in a power headroom report or terminal device auxiliary information (UAI).

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein, The energy efficiency information is included in a power headroom report, and the transceiver is further configured to: transmit second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used to deactivate reporting of the energy efficiency information.

40. The apparatus of any one of claims 31-39, wherein, The transceiver is further configured to: receive capability information, wherein the capability information is used to indicate whether to support reporting of the energy efficiency information.

41. A communications device, characterized by The communication device comprises at least one processor configured to execute a computer program, so that the communication device performs the method in any one of claims 1-10, or so that the communication device performs the method in any one of claims 11-20.

42. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer readable storage medium is configured to store a computer program, which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method in any one of claims 1-10, or causes the computer to perform the method in any one of claims 11-20.

43. A computer program product, characterised in that, The computer program product comprises a computer program, which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method in any one of claims 1-10, or causes the computer to perform the method in any one of claims 11-20.

44. A chip or chip system, characterized by The chip or chip system comprises: at least one processor configured to call and run instructions from the interface, which, when executed by the at least one processor, implement the method of any one of claims 1-10, or implement the method of any one of claims 11-20.

45. A communication system, characterized by comprising: a first communication device configured to implement the method of any one of claims 1-10, and a second communication device configured to implement the method of any one of claims 11-20.

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