Communication method and communication apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides a communication method and a communication apparatus, and relates to the technical field of communications. The method is applied to a terminal device and comprises: receiving first information, the first information being used for indicating priorities of a plurality of second network devices and valid times of the priorities; and, on the basis of the priorities and the valid times, measuring reference signals sent by the plurality of second network devices. In the method in the embodiments of the present application, the terminal device can more reasonably measure the reference signals, thereby helping to improve positioning precision and reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

Description

Communication methods and communication devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411002069.8, filed on July 24, 2024, entitled "Communication Method and Communication Device", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communication technology, specifically to a communication method and a communication device. Background Technology

[0003] With the development of communication technology, non-terrestrial networks (NTN) systems can provide positioning services for terminal devices. However, existing positioning methods still have some problems, such as low positioning accuracy and excessive power consumption of terminal devices. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a communication method and a communication device that enables terminal devices to measure reference signals more effectively, thereby improving positioning accuracy and reducing the power consumption of terminal devices.

[0005] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, the method being applied to a terminal device or a component in the terminal device (e.g., a processor, chip, chip system, circuit, or a functional module, etc.), the method comprising:

[0006] Receive first information, which indicates the priority of a plurality of second network devices and the validity period of the priority; measure the reference signal sent by the plurality of second network devices based on the priority and the validity period.

[0007] In this embodiment, the priority system helps the terminal device to prioritize measuring reference signals that are beneficial for positioning (such as reference signals transmitted by satellites with good geometry), avoiding the measurement of unnecessary reference signals (such as reference signals transmitted by satellites with poor geometry). It also helps the terminal device to promptly measure reference signals that are beneficial for positioning but are about to become unmeasurable (such as reference signals transmitted by satellites with good geometry but about to move out of the terminal device's line of sight). At the same time, the effective time of this priority system also helps the terminal device to stop measuring reference signals in a timely manner. This helps the terminal device to measure reference signals more rationally, thereby improving positioning accuracy and reducing the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0008] In some possible implementations, the priority is related to the geometry and / or motion trajectory of the plurality of second network devices.

[0009] In this embodiment, the priority is related to the geometric configuration of multiple second network devices, which can enable the terminal device to prioritize measuring reference signals that are beneficial for positioning (such as reference signals transmitted by satellites with better geometric configurations) and avoid the terminal device measuring unnecessary reference signals; the priority is related to the motion trajectory of multiple second network devices, which can enable the terminal device to measure reference signals that are beneficial for positioning but will soon become unmeasurable in a timely manner.

[0010] In some possible implementations, the first information is also used to indicate the priority of the reference signal of each of the plurality of second network devices.

[0011] In this embodiment of the application, the terminal device can intuitively know the priority of the reference signal of each second network device through the first information, thereby facilitating the terminal device to measure the reference signal more reasonably.

[0012] In some possible implementations, the plurality of second network devices comprises N groups, each of the N groups comprising at least one second network device, and the first information is further used to indicate the priority of each of the N groups, where N is a positive integer.

[0013] In the embodiments of this application, the first information indicates the priority of each group in N groups, which can improve the flexibility of priority indication while indicating the priority of multiple second network devices.

[0014] In some possible implementations, receiving the first information includes: receiving the first information based on a first cycle.

[0015] In the embodiments of this application, periodically receiving the first information helps to achieve continuous positioning of the terminal device, thereby helping to meet the real-time positioning (or navigation) requirements of the terminal device.

[0016] In some possible implementations, the method further includes sending a second message, the second message being used to request an update of the first message.

[0017] In this embodiment, the terminal device can actively request to update the first information, thereby helping to achieve positioning according to the needs of the terminal device and satisfying the positioning requirements of the terminal device.

[0018] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: sending third information, the third information being used to instruct the terminal device to measure the reference signals sent by the plurality of second network devices to obtain measurement results.

[0019] In this embodiment, the terminal device sends measurement results, which helps the network side calculate the location and realize the positioning of the terminal device.

[0020] In some possible implementations, sending the third information includes: sending the third information based on a second period; or sending the third information at a preset time; or sending the third information when the validity period of the priority expires.

[0021] In the embodiments of this application, the terminal device can send third information in a variety of ways, which can meet the various positioning needs of the terminal device and be applicable to a variety of positioning scenarios.

[0022] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: receiving fourth information, the fourth information being used to indicate the location information of each of the plurality of second network devices at the time of reference signal transmission; and calculating the location of the terminal device based on the measurement results obtained by the terminal device measuring the reference signal transmitted by the plurality of second network devices and the fourth information.

[0023] In this embodiment, the terminal device can achieve autonomous positioning based on the measurement results and the fourth information.

[0024] Meanwhile, by receiving the fourth information, the terminal device can directly obtain the location information of each second network device at the time of reference signal transmission without the need for calculation by the terminal device, which can simplify the implementation complexity on the terminal device side.

[0025] Furthermore, the network-side clock is more accurate than that of the terminal device. If the network device sends the fourth information to the terminal device, it can avoid the additional errors introduced by the terminal device in calculating the location of the network device, thereby improving the accuracy of the location calculation.

[0026] In addition, calculating the location of network devices often requires a large amount of relevant data (such as satellite ephemeris). Compared with transmitting this relevant information to terminal devices, sending the fourth information directly to the terminal devices can effectively reduce the signaling overhead of the system.

[0027] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: receiving fifth information, the fifth information being used to request the terminal device to measure reference signals sent by the plurality of second network devices.

[0028] In this embodiment, the fifth information is used to request the terminal device to measure reference signals sent by multiple second network devices. This allows the terminal device to measure the reference signals according to the instructions from the network side, thereby enabling the network side to control the positioning of the terminal device.

[0029] In a second aspect, a communication method is provided, the method being applied to a network device or a component in the network device (e.g., a processor, chip, chip system, circuit, or a functional module, etc.), the method comprising:

[0030] Determine first information, which is used to indicate the priority of reference signals of a plurality of second network devices and the validity period of the priority; send the first information.

[0031] In this embodiment, the network device sends first information indicating the priority of reference signals from multiple second network devices and the validity period of that priority. Based on the priority, the terminal device can prioritize measuring reference signals that are beneficial for positioning (such as reference signals transmitted by satellites with good geometry), avoid measuring unnecessary reference signals (such as reference signals transmitted by satellites with poor geometry), and promptly measure reference signals that are beneficial for positioning but are about to become unmeasurable (such as reference signals transmitted by satellites with good geometry but about to move out of the terminal device's line of sight). At the same time, based on the validity period of the priority, the terminal device can promptly stop measuring reference signals. This helps the terminal device to measure reference signals more rationally, thereby improving positioning accuracy and reducing the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0032] In some possible implementations, the priority is related to the geometry and / or motion trajectory of the plurality of second network devices.

[0033] In this embodiment, the priority is related to the geometric configuration of multiple second network devices, which can enable the terminal device to prioritize measuring reference signals that are beneficial for positioning (such as reference signals transmitted by satellites with better geometric configurations) and avoid the terminal device measuring unnecessary reference signals; the priority is related to the motion trajectory of multiple second network devices, which can enable the terminal device to measure reference signals that are beneficial for positioning but will soon become unmeasurable in a timely manner.

[0034] In some possible implementations, the first information is also used to indicate the priority of the reference signal of each of the plurality of second network devices.

[0035] In this embodiment of the application, the first information helps the terminal device to intuitively understand the priority of the reference signal of each second network device, thereby facilitating the terminal device to measure the reference signal more reasonably.

[0036] In some possible implementations, the plurality of second network devices comprises N groups, each of the N groups comprising at least one second network device, and the first information is further used to indicate the priority of each of the N groups, where N is a positive integer.

[0037] In the embodiments of this application, the first information indicates the priority of each group in N groups, which can improve the flexibility of priority indication while indicating the priority of multiple second network devices.

[0038] In some possible implementations, sending the first information includes sending the first information based on a first cycle.

[0039] In this embodiment, periodically sending the first information helps to achieve continuous positioning of the terminal device, thereby helping to meet the real-time positioning (or navigation) requirements of the terminal device.

[0040] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: receiving second information, the second information being used to request an update of the first information.

[0041] In this embodiment of the application, the terminal device can actively request to update the first information through the second information, thereby helping to achieve positioning according to the needs of the terminal device and satisfying the positioning requirements of the terminal device.

[0042] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: receiving third information, the third information being used to instruct the terminal device to measure the reference signals sent by the plurality of second network devices to obtain measurement results; and calculating the position of the terminal device based on the measurement results.

[0043] In this embodiment of the application, the network device receives the measurement results and calculates the location based on the measurement results, thereby enabling the positioning of the terminal device.

[0044] In some possible implementations, receiving the third information includes receiving the third information based on a second cycle.

[0045] In the embodiments of this application, periodically receiving measurement results helps to achieve continuous positioning of the terminal device, thereby helping to meet the real-time positioning (or navigation) requirements of the terminal device.

[0046] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: sending fourth information, the fourth information being used to indicate the location information of each of the plurality of second network devices at the time of reference signal transmission.

[0047] In this embodiment, the network device sends fourth information, which helps the terminal device to achieve autonomous positioning based on the measurement results and the fourth information.

[0048] Meanwhile, the network device sends a fourth piece of information, which helps the terminal device directly obtain the location information of each second network device at the time of reference signal transmission without the terminal device having to perform calculations, thus helping to simplify the implementation complexity on the terminal device side.

[0049] Furthermore, the clock on the network side is more accurate than that on the terminal device. When the network device sends fourth information to the terminal device, it can avoid introducing additional errors due to the terminal device calculating the location of the network device, thereby improving the accuracy of the location calculation.

[0050] In addition, calculating the location of network devices often requires a large amount of relevant data (such as satellite ephemeris). Compared with transmitting this relevant data, directly sending the fourth information can effectively reduce the signaling overhead of the system.

[0051] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: sending fifth information, the fifth information being used to request the terminal device to measure reference signals sent by the plurality of second network devices.

[0052] In this embodiment, the fifth information is used to request the terminal device to measure reference signals sent by multiple second network devices. This allows the terminal device to measure the reference signals according to the instructions from the network side, thereby enabling the network side to control the positioning of the terminal device.

[0053] Thirdly, a communication device is provided, comprising: the communication device can be used in the terminal device of the first aspect, the communication device can be the terminal device, or a device in the terminal device (e.g., a chip, or a chip system, or a circuit, or a processor), or a device that can be matched with the terminal device, or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the terminal device.

[0054] The communication device includes modules that perform the methods / operations / steps / actions described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect. These modules can be hardware circuits, software, or a combination of hardware circuits and software.

[0055] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: the communication device can be used in the network device of the second aspect, the communication device can be the network device, or a device in the network device (e.g., a chip, or a chip system, or a circuit, or a processor), or a device that can be used in conjunction with the network device, or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the network device.

[0056] The communication device includes modules that perform the methods / operations / steps / actions described in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect. These modules can be hardware circuits, software, or a combination of hardware circuits and software.

[0057] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory, the processor being coupled to the memory, the memory being used to store a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions), the computer program being executed by the processor causing the device to perform the method of the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0058] In some possible implementations, the device also includes a memory coupled to the processor.

[0059] In some possible implementations, there are one or more processors, and / or one or more memories.

[0060] In some possible implementations, the memory can be integrated with the processor, or the memory can be set up separately from the processor.

[0061] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory, the processor being coupled to the memory, the memory being used to store a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions), the computer program being executed by the processor causing the device to perform the method of the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0062] In some possible implementations, the device also includes a memory coupled to the processor.

[0063] In some possible implementations, there are one or more processors, and / or one or more memories.

[0064] In some possible implementations, the memory can be integrated with the processor, or the memory can be set up separately from the processor.

[0065] In a seventh aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) is stored, which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods of any of the above aspects or any possible implementations thereof.

[0066] Eighthly, a computer program product is provided, comprising: a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method in any of the above aspects or any possible implementations of any of the above aspects.

[0067] A ninth aspect provides a chip comprising: a processor and a memory, the memory for storing a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions), the processor for calling and running the computer program stored in the memory, such that an apparatus or device on which the chip is mounted performs the method of any of the above aspects or any possible implementation thereof.

[0068] In a tenth aspect, a communication system is provided, comprising a communication device (such as a terminal device) for performing the method of the first aspect and / or a communication device (such as a network device) for performing the method of the second aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0069] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communication system applicable to this application.

[0070] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a communication system architecture applicable to this application.

[0071] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a satellite network architecture according to an embodiment of this application.

[0072] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of another satellite network architecture in an embodiment of this application.

[0073] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a positioning scenario in an embodiment of this application.

[0074] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the visible satellite geometry in one embodiment of this application.

[0075] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the visible satellite geometry configuration in another embodiment of this application.

[0076] Figure 8 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0077] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the visible satellite geometry in another embodiment of this application.

[0078] Figure 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0079] Figure 11 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided in another embodiment of this application.

[0080] Figure 12 is a schematic structural diagram of an apparatus provided in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0081] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0082] In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " indicates that the objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can represent A or B. "And / or" in this application merely describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" refers to two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple. Additionally, to facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish identical or similar items with essentially the same function and effect. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first," "second," etc., do not limit the quantity or order of execution, and that "first," "second," etc., do not necessarily imply that they are different. It should be understood that in this application, descriptions such as "in the case of," "if," "when," "if," etc., can be used interchangeably.

[0083] The technical solutions of this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: 5th generation (5G) systems or new radio (NR), long term evolution (LTE) systems, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) systems, LTE time division duplex (TDD) systems, satellite and other non-terrestrial communication systems, and communication systems that integrate terrestrial and non-terrestrial communication. The technical solutions provided in this application can also be applied to future communication systems.

[0084] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, a communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application will first be described with reference to FIG1. ​​As shown in FIG1, the communication system includes a wireless access network 100. The wireless access network 100 may include at least one network device (FIG. 110a, 110b and 110c in FIG1), and may also include at least one terminal (FIG. 120a to 120g in FIG1).

[0085] The terminal device in this application embodiment may refer to user equipment (UE), station, access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station (MS), remote station, remote terminal, mobile terminal (MT), user terminal, terminal (or terminal device), wireless communication equipment, user agent or user device, etc., or a device used to provide voice or data connectivity to users, or an Internet of Things device. For example, terminal devices include handheld devices with wireless connection functions, vehicle-mounted devices, etc., but this application embodiment does not limit this. The terminal device in this application embodiment may be a mobile phone, cellular phone, cordless phone, session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, wireless local loop (WLL) station, personal digital assistant (PDA), handheld device with wireless communication function, computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, large screen, vehicle-mounted device (e.g., car, bicycle, electric vehicle, airplane, ship, train, high-speed rail, etc.), wearable device (e.g., smartwatch, smart bracelet, pedometer, smart glasses, etc.), machine type communication (MTC) terminal device, terminal device in 5G network, or terminal device in future evolved public land mobile network (PLMN), etc., and is not limited to this in this application embodiment.The terminal device in the embodiments of this application may also be a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a mobile internet device (MID), a virtual reality (VR) device, an augmented reality (AR) device, a point of sale (POS) machine, customer-premises equipment (CPE), a light UE, a reduced capability UE (RedCap UE), a wireless terminal in industrial control, a smart home device (e.g., a refrigerator, a television, an air conditioner, an electricity meter, etc.), a smart robot, a robotic arm, workshop equipment, a wireless terminal in self-driving, a wireless terminal in remote medical surgery, a wireless terminal in a smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation safety, a wireless terminal in a smart city, a wireless terminal in a smart home, or a flying device (e.g., a smart robot, a hot air balloon, a drone, an airplane), etc. Terminal devices can also be vehicle devices, such as vehicle devices, vehicle modules, vehicle chips, on-board units (OBU), or telematics boxes (T-BOX). Terminal devices can also be other devices with terminal functions. For example, a terminal device can also be a device that plays a terminal function in device-to-device (D2D) communication.

[0086] In some implementations, the terminal device can be used to act as a base station. Optionally, the terminal device can act as a scheduling entity to provide sidelink signals between terminal devices in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) or device-to-device (D2D) scenarios. For example, cellular phones and cars can communicate using sidelink signals, or cellular phones and smart home devices can communicate using sidelink signals without relaying communication signals through a base station.

[0087] The network device (or communication device) in this application embodiment can refer to a radio access network (RAN) node (or device) that connects a terminal device to a wireless network, and can also be called a base station (BS). For example, the network device can be a NodeB, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in a 5G mobile communication system, a transmission reception point (TRP), an access point (AP), a network device (such as a satellite) in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) system, a base station in a future mobile communication system or an access point (AP) in a WiFi system, a wireless controller, relay station, access point, vehicle-mounted equipment, wearable device, or network device in other future evolved communication systems, etc.

[0088] In some implementations, multiple RAN nodes can collaborate to assist terminal devices in achieving wireless access, with different RAN nodes each implementing some of the base station's functions. For example, a RAN node (i.e., the network device in this application) can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU), etc. CUs and DUs can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radio heads (RRHs). In different systems, CUs (or CU-CPs and CU-UPs), DUs, or RUs may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) system, a CU can also be called an Open CU (O-CU), a DU can also be called an Open DU (O-DU), a CU-CP can also be called an O-CU-CP, a CU-UP can also be called an O-CU-UP, and a RU can also be called an O-RU. Any of the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU units in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. It should be understood that this application does not limit the specific technology or device form used in the network equipment.

[0089] In some implementations, the network device can be fixed or mobile, and this application does not limit this. For example, a helicopter or drone can be configured as a mobile network device, and one or more cells can move according to the location of the mobile network device. In other examples, a helicopter or drone can be configured as a device to communicate with another network device.

[0090] In some implementations, network devices can be deployed on land or in the air, and this application does not limit this. For example, network devices 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 in the air on airplanes, balloons, and satellites.

[0091] In this embodiment, the terminal device or network device may include a hardware layer, an operating system layer running on top of the hardware layer, and an application layer running on top of the operating system layer. The hardware layer includes hardware such as a central processing unit (CPU), a memory management unit (MMU), and memory (also called main memory). The operating system can be any one or more computer operating systems that implement business processing through processes. The application layer includes applications such as browsers, address books, word processing software, and instant messaging software. Furthermore, this embodiment does not specifically limit the specific structure of the execution entity of the method provided in this embodiment, as long as it can communicate according to the method provided in this embodiment by running a program that records the code of the method provided in this embodiment.

[0092] Furthermore, various aspects or features of this application can be implemented as methods, apparatus, or articles of manufacture using standard programming and / or engineering techniques. The term "article of manufacture" as used herein encompasses a computer program accessible from any computer-readable device, carrier, or medium. For example, computer-readable media may include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, or magnetic tapes), optical discs (e.g., compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), etc.), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMs), cards, sticks, or key drives, etc.). Additionally, the various storage media described herein may represent one or more devices and / or other machine-readable media for storing information. The term "machine-readable medium" may include, but is not limited to, wireless channels and various other media capable of storing, containing, and / or carrying instructions and / or data.

[0093] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a communication system architecture applicable to this application.

[0094] As shown in Figure 2, the communication system 200 may include: an orchestration layer 210 with a non-real-time RAN intelligent controller, a functional layer 220 with a near real-time RAN intelligent controller, an O-CU 230, an O-DU 240, and an O-RU 250. The O-CU 230 may also include an O-CU control plane (CP) and an O-CU user plane (UP).

[0095] The interface between the orchestration layer 210 with a non-real-time RAN intelligent controller and the functional layer 220 with a near-real-time RAN intelligent controller is the A1 interface; the interface between the functional layer 220 with a near-real-time RAN intelligent controller and O-CU 230 and O-DU 240 is the E2 interface; the interface between O-CU 230 and O-DU 240 is the F1 interface; the interface between O-DU 240 and O-RU 250 is a fronthaul interface (such as an open fronthaul interface); and the interface between the O-CU control plane and the O-CU user plane in O-CU 230 is the E1 interface.

[0096] With the development of communication technology, non-terrestrial networks (NTN) systems are being used more and more widely. Compared with terrestrial communication systems, NTN systems have the advantages of large coverage area and flexible networking. In addition, NTN systems can also be used in emergency rescue (such as disaster monitoring and emergency communication), the Internet of Things, and high-speed mobile scenarios (such as high-speed rail and airplanes).

[0097] Network devices (also referred to as NTN devices) in an NTN system can be satellites, high-altitude platform stations (HAPS), drones, or other non-ground devices / equipment. HAPS are typically located at an altitude of 8–50 km above the ground. An NTN system that uses satellites (such as network devices) for networking can be called a satellite communication system. For ease of description, the following examples use a satellite communication system as an example to illustrate the NTN system.

[0098] In satellite communication systems, satellites can be classified into three types based on their orbital altitude: geostationary Earth orbit (GEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO), and low Earth orbit (LEO).

[0099] GEO satellites orbit at an altitude of 35,786 km. Their main advantages are relative stationary position relative to the ground and the ability to provide a large coverage area. However, GEO satellites also have significant disadvantages: 1) The large distance between GEO satellites and Earth's orbits results in significant free-space propagation loss, straining communication link budgets and requiring larger-diameter antennas to increase transmit / receive gain; 2) High communication transmission latency, with round-trip delays reaching around 500 ms, which cannot meet the demands of real-time services; 3) Relatively limited orbital resources, high launch costs, and inability to provide coverage to the polar regions.

[0100] MEO satellites orbit at altitudes ranging from 1500 km to 35786 km. Their advantage is that global coverage can be achieved with a relatively small number of MEO satellites. However, MEO satellites orbit at much higher altitudes than LEO satellites, resulting in significantly longer transmission delays. Considering both advantages and disadvantages, MEO satellites are primarily used for positioning and navigation.

[0101] LEO satellites orbit at altitudes ranging from 300km to 1500km. Compared to MEO and GEO satellites, LEO satellites have lower orbital altitudes, resulting in advantages such as lower data propagation latency, lower transmission loss, and relatively lower launch costs. Therefore, NTN communication based on LEO satellites has received widespread attention in recent years.

[0102] The network architecture of a satellite communication system (which can be called a satellite network architecture) can include the following network elements: gateway, service link, feeder link, base station, satellite, and inter-satellite links. Base stations are typically located on the ground and can also be called satellite base stations (which can be understood as base stations in a satellite network); gateways are used to connect satellites and public ground networks, and there can be one or more gateways, usually located on the ground; feeder links are the links for communication between gateways and satellites; service links are the links for communication between terminal equipment and satellites; inter-satellite links are the links for communication between satellites; the interfaces between base stations can be Xn interfaces, the interfaces between base stations and the core network can be next-generation (NG) interfaces, and the interfaces between the core network and the data network can be N6 interfaces.

[0103] Satellites in a satellite communication system can operate in different modes, such as bentpipe mode and regenerative mode. When satellites operate in these different modes, the satellite communication system can also implement different network architectures.

[0104] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a satellite network architecture. In this network, the satellite operates in transparent transmission mode, enabling relay forwarding. The gateway can perform all or part of the functions of a base station (gNB). In this case, the satellite and gateway can be regarded as remote radio units (RRUs) in a radio access network. The gNB and gateway can be located on the ground, and the gNB can be deployed together with the gateway (or close to it), or the gNB can be deployed separately from the gateway (or far apart). The feeder link in Figure 3 can be implemented through an air interface (such as the New Radio Interface (NR Uu)). The delay of the feeder link can include the delay from the satellite to the gateway and the delay from the gateway to the gNB.

[0105] For example, in Figure 3, a new radio interface signal is transmitted on the feed link between the gateway and the satellite. When the network side transmits downlink data to the UE, the satellite can copy the new radio interface signal transmitted on the feed link to the serving link between the UE and the satellite. When the UE transmits uplink data to the network side, the satellite can copy the radio signal transmitted on the serving link between the UE and the satellite to the feed link. The gateway can support all the functions necessary for forwarding air interface signals. Different transmission satellites can connect to the same gNB.

[0106] Figure 4 illustrates another satellite network architecture. In this network, the satellite operates in regenerative mode, possesses data processing capabilities, and can perform all or part of the functions of a gNB (gBase Station). In this case, the satellite can be considered as a gNB. The feed link in Figure 4 can be implemented through the NG interface, and the interface between the UE and the satellite can be an air interface.

[0107] For example, in Figure 4, the satellite can act as a base station to regenerate signals received from the ground. The satellite can contain a gNB or DU. New radio interface signals are transmitted on the service link between the UE and the satellite, and satellite radio interface (SRI) signals are transmitted on the feeder link between the gateway and the satellite. When the UE transmits uplink data to the network side, the UE can send new radio interface signals to the satellite. The satellite can transmit the data to the gateway through the satellite radio interface (SRI), and then the gateway forwards it to the core network equipment on the ground.

[0108] It should be noted that the satellites in Figures 3 and 4 above can be GEO satellites, MEO satellites, LEO satellites, etc., or other non-ground equipment such as HAPS and drones.

[0109] Currently, more and more communication scenarios require the use of location information (such as location information, related information with spatial location characteristics, etc.). Therefore, the need to provide location services and quickly and accurately obtain the location information of terminal devices has become increasingly urgent, for example, in scenarios such as intelligent navigation, warehousing and logistics, and hospital equipment management.

[0110] In NTN systems, communication and positioning have different requirements in terms of signal strength, timing, number of satellites, and satellite distribution. Satellite communication and satellite positioning systems (such as Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS) have developed and evolved independently. Satellite positioning / navigation has high requirements for satellite timing and geometric distribution, generally relying on medium-Earth orbit (MEO) or high-Earth orbit (HEO) satellites; while satellite communication has high requirements for coverage and signal quality, generally relying on low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. To support satellite communication and satellite positioning / navigation functions, terminal equipment needs to establish connections with both MEO / HEO and LEO satellites simultaneously, posing significant challenges to the complexity and power consumption of the terminal equipment.

[0111] Therefore, the current trend is towards the integration of satellite communication and satellite positioning, which involves adding low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite positioning functionality to the existing LEO satellite communication functionality. Compared to satellite positioning based on medium / high-Earth orbit (MEO) satellites (i.e., decoupling satellite communication and positioning), LEO satellite-based satellite positioning (integrated LEO satellite communication and positioning) has the following main advantages:

[0112] 1. Reduced power consumption of terminal devices: Low-Earth orbit satellites can be used for both communication and positioning, eliminating the need for terminal devices to additionally acquire and track medium / high-Earth orbit satellites;

[0113] 2. Enable UE positioning in scenarios without GNSS functionality / weak GNSS: Enable terminal devices without GNSS modules (such as low-cost IoT UEs) to achieve satellite positioning functionality;

[0114] 3. Superior satellite geometry and positioning performance: Low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites fly at high speeds, and the resulting geometric spatial distribution is more favorable for positioning. At the same time, LEO satellites are closer to the ground, resulting in wider coverage.

[0115] 4. Commercial value-added: By adding positioning features to NTN communication, commercial value-added can be achieved.

[0116] Unless otherwise specified, satellite positioning as used in the subsequent embodiments of this application refers to satellite positioning based on low-Earth orbit satellites.

[0117] Satellite positioning methods based on low-Earth orbit satellites are similar to those in terrestrial communication systems. In terrestrial communication systems, they support positioning technologies such as downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA), downlink angle of departure (DL-AoD), uplink time difference of arrival (UL-TDOA), uplink angle of arrival (UL-AoA), and multi-round trip time (Multi-RTT) positioning.

[0118] Among them, DL-TDOA positioning, UL-TDOA positioning, and Multi-RTT positioning are time-of-arrival (TOA) positioning technologies, which require the receiver to measure the arrival time of the signal sent by the transmitter, and then convert it into distance information between the two to obtain the location of the target. DL-AOD and UL-AOA are angle-based positioning technologies, which require the receiver to measure the arrival angle of the reference signal sent by the transmitter, and then infer the location of the receiver based on the angle information of the receiver and multiple transmitters at known locations.

[0119] The positioning methods described above in the terrestrial communication system are applicable to satellite positioning based on low-Earth orbit satellites. The following section uses DL-TDOA positioning as an example to introduce downlink-based positioning methods.

[0120] For downlink-based positioning methods, the downlink reference signal needs to be measured at the UE side. For example, the UE can measure the arrival time of the downlink positioning reference signal (PRS) sent by the base station. The measurement process generally involves the following steps: First, the location management function (LMF) requests the PRS configuration information from the base station (such as the UE's serving base station). The base station feeds back the PRS configuration information to the LMF, and the LMF sends the PRS configuration information to the UE. Then, the LMF requests measurement from the UE. After receiving the LMF's instruction, the UE begins receiving the PRS sent by the base station and measures the PRS arrival time. Next, the UE reports the measurement results to the LMF. Finally, the LMF uses the received measurement information to calculate the UE's location.

[0121] When calculating the location of a UE, the trilateration principle can be used, which estimates the target's position by calculating the intersection points of multiple circles. The trilateration principle also applies to satellite positioning based on low-Earth orbit satellites. The following section will explain the trilateration principle in conjunction with satellite positioning.

[0122] As shown in Figure 5, we first assume that the positions of the four satellites are known. Here, we define the coordinates of the i-th satellite as (x... i ,y i ,z i The coordinates of the target to be located are (x, y). UE ,y UE ,z UE And taking the first satellite as the reference base station, assuming that the arrival time of the PRS measured by the UE from the i-th satellite is t. i According to the definition of a circle (where the distance to a fixed point is constant), if the target lies on a circle centered at a certain point, then the following system of equations can be established:

[0123] In the above system of equations, c is the speed of light, Δt is the clock error (the error caused by the clock drift of the UE, which can also be simply referred to as clock bias), and d... i Let represent the distance between the UE and the i-th satellite, where i is a positive integer.

[0124] It can be seen that as long as the coordinates of each satellite and the distance or time t from the UE to the satellite are known, i The above equations can then be solved to obtain the UE's coordinates. However, in practice, errors in clock speed, measurement, and anchor node position can lead to inaccuracies in the UE's coordinates. Therefore, more satellites are needed to work together to solve the equations and mitigate the impact of various errors. Moreover, due to measurement errors, the above equations generally do not have a closed-form solution. In engineering, classic optimization algorithms such as least squares or particle swarm filtering are used to estimate the optimal solution to the above equations.

[0125] It can be seen that the basic conditions for achieving positioning are: sending a positioning reference signal, then measuring it to obtain time or angle information, and then calculating the distance and position. In addition, the receiver of the positioning reference signal needs to be able to see the sender of the positioning reference signal, or in other words, the sender and receiver need to be in a visual environment or a line of sight (LOS) environment.

[0126] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the satellite positioning method based on low-orbit satellites is basically the same as the positioning method in the terrestrial communication system, but there are still some differences between the two.

[0127] In terrestrial network positioning scenarios, the location of each base station is fixed and does not move. The network sends the configuration information of the positioning reference signals in the UE's serving cell and several surrounding cells to the UE. Each base station periodically sends positioning reference signals. The UE only needs to periodically measure the positioning reference signals sent by each base station and then perform the measurement, without needing to worry about changes in the base station's location. There are no particular restrictions on the order in which the UE measures the signals. Generally, the network will configure a sufficient number of base station reference signals for the UE, and the UE decides which base station reference signals to measure first.

[0128] However, in satellite positioning scenarios (especially low-Earth orbit satellite positioning scenarios), satellites are constantly moving and moving at a relatively high speed. This means that at different times, the satellites seen by the UE may be different, and the reference signals transmitted by the satellites that the UE can measure are also constantly changing. At the same time, the geometric configuration of the satellites is also different at different times.

[0129] In satellite positioning scenarios, the geometry of the satellite has a significant impact on positioning accuracy. Figures 6 and 7 are top-view diagrams of the geometry of the visible satellite as seen by the UE at different times.

[0130] As shown in Figure 6, UE610 can see satellites 621, 622, 623, and 624 at the first moment and can perform positioning based on these four satellites. The geometric configuration of these four satellites is shown in Figure 6. As shown in Figure 7, UE610 can see satellites 721, 722, 723, and 724 at the second moment and can perform positioning based on these four satellites. The geometric configuration of these four satellites is shown in Figure 7. The four satellites in Figure 6 and the four satellites in Figure 7 can be completely identical, partially identical, or completely different.

[0131] In both Figures 6 and 7, the UE610 can achieve positioning using four satellites. However, the positioning accuracy of the UE610 using the four satellites in Figure 7 is significantly higher than that using the four satellites in Figure 6. This demonstrates that satellite geometry greatly affects positioning accuracy. Therefore, careful selection of satellites with favorable geometries is necessary to ensure positioning accuracy in satellite positioning.

[0132] In summary, the satellites and their geometry seen by the UE are constantly changing at different times. The satellite geometry significantly impacts positioning accuracy. However, the UE only knows which satellites are transmitting reference signals, but not which satellites are about to move out of its line of sight. The UE might continuously measure the reference signals of those satellites, but this measurement is essentially useless and a waste of power. Furthermore, because satellite movement causes their geometry to constantly change, and this change affects positioning accuracy, the UE needs to prioritize measuring satellites with good geometries within a limited time and measurement capabilities to ensure positioning accuracy.

[0133] To address one or more of the aforementioned technical problems, this application proposes a communication method and a communication device that enables terminal devices to measure reference signals more effectively, thereby improving positioning accuracy and reducing the power consumption of the terminal devices. The communication method in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 8.

[0134] Figure 8 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method 800 shown in Figure 8 may include steps S810 to S830, as follows:

[0135] S810, the first network device determines the first information.

[0136] In some embodiments, the first information may be used to indicate the priority of a plurality of second network devices and the validity period of the priority.

[0137] The first network device can be a network element with location management functions, such as an LMF.

[0138] The second network device can be a network device in the NTN system, such as a satellite, HAPS, drone, or other non-terrestrial device / equipment. Optionally, the plurality of second network devices can be used to determine the location of the terminal device.

[0139] In some embodiments, the priority of the plurality of second network devices is beneficial for determining the location of the terminal device, or in other words, the priority of the plurality of second network devices can improve the positioning accuracy of the terminal device. For example, the priority may be related to the geometric configuration and / or motion trajectory of the plurality of second network devices.

[0140] In this embodiment, the priority is related to the geometric configuration of multiple second network devices, which can enable the terminal device to prioritize measuring reference signals that are beneficial for positioning (such as reference signals transmitted by satellites with better geometric configurations) and avoid the terminal device measuring unnecessary reference signals; the priority is related to the motion trajectory of multiple second network devices, which can enable the terminal device to measure reference signals that are beneficial for positioning but will soon become unmeasurable in a timely manner.

[0141] Figure 9 is a top-down view of the geometric configuration of the visible satellite as seen by the UE at a certain moment.

[0142] As shown in Figure 9, UE910 can see satellites 921, 922, 923, 924, 925, and 926 at a certain time and can perform positioning based on these six satellites. For UE910, the geometric configuration of satellites 921, 923, 925, and 926 is better (higher positioning accuracy) because these four satellites are distributed around UE910. However, satellites 921 and 923 will soon fly out of UE910's line of sight. If UE910 does not promptly measure the reference signals transmitted by satellites 921 and 923, it may not be able to measure their reference signals for a long time (UE910 can only see them again after they have orbited the Earth once). In this case, satellites 921, 923, 925, and 926 can have the highest priority, so that UE910 can prioritize measuring the reference signals transmitted by these four satellites and perform positioning based on the measurement results.

[0143] It should be noted that the geometry of a network device is not only related to its location or distribution, but also to its altitude (such as satellite orbital altitude, orbital layer).

[0144] In some embodiments, the validity period of the priority can indicate a time period, for example, the validity period can be 10 seconds (s), which is calculated from the moment the terminal device receives the first information and ends (or expires) after 10 seconds, or, calculated from the time slot in which the terminal device receives the first information and ends after 10 seconds; or, the validity period of the priority can indicate a moment (i.e., a timestamp), for example, the validity period ends when the time (such as the local time on the terminal device) reaches or exceeds that moment.

[0145] In some embodiments, the first information may indicate a sequence priority. For example, the first information may be used to indicate the sequence priority of each of a plurality of second network devices, or the first information may also be used to indicate the sequence priority of a reference signal of each of a plurality of second network devices.

[0146] In this embodiment of the application, the terminal device can intuitively know the priority of the reference signal of each second network device through the first information, thereby facilitating the terminal device to measure the reference signal more reasonably.

[0147] For example, the first message could indicate: sat-1 (satellite 1), sat-3 (satellite 3), sat-6 (satellite 6), sat-7 (satellite 7), sat-2 (satellite 2), sat-4 (satellite 4), and sat-5 (satellite 5), that is, the satellites are ordered according to their priority, with the satellite at the beginning (i.e., sat-1) having the highest priority, and the priority decreasing as the messages go, with the satellite at the end (i.e., sat-5) having the lowest priority. Optionally, satellites not indicated in this first message may have even lower priority (below sat-5), and satellites not indicated may have the same priority.

[0148] In some embodiments, the first information may indicate group priority. For example, a plurality of second network devices may include N groups, each of the N groups may include at least one second network device, and the first information may be used to indicate the priority of each of the N groups, where N is a positive integer.

[0149] In the embodiments of this application, the first information indicates the priority of each group in N groups, which can improve the flexibility of priority indication while indicating the priority of multiple second network devices.

[0150] For example, the first information can indicate:

[0151] Priority group 1 (e.g., Priority_level-1): sat-1, sat-3, sat-6, sat-7

[0152] Priority group 2 (e.g., Priority_level-2): sat-2, sat-4, sat-5

[0153] Satellites in priority group 1 can have the highest priority, while satellites in priority group 2 can have a lower priority than those in priority group 1. Optionally, multiple satellites within the same group can have the same priority; in this case, the terminal device can determine which satellite's reference signal to measure first.

[0154] In some embodiments, before step S810, method 800 may further include step S802, as follows:

[0155] S802, the first network device and the second network device exchange location information.

[0156] Optionally, the first network device can interact with multiple second network devices around the terminal device to exchange location information.

[0157] For example, LMF can interact with the serving satellite of the terminal device, as well as the neighboring satellites of that serving satellite, to exchange positioning information.

[0158] Among them, positioning information can refer to positioning-related information, such as satellite position information, period of transmitting reference signals, time of transmitting reference signals, and configuration parameters of reference signals (such as bandwidth, number of symbols, starting symbol position, starting frequency, etc.).

[0159] In some embodiments, before step S810, method 800 may further include step S804, as follows:

[0160] S804, the terminal device sends the second information to the first network device.

[0161] The second piece of information can be used to request an update to the first piece of information.

[0162] In this embodiment, the terminal device can actively request to update the first information, thereby helping to achieve positioning according to the needs of the terminal device and satisfying the positioning requirements of the terminal device.

[0163] S820: The first network device sends the first information to the terminal device.

[0164] Optionally, the first information may also include the positioning information in S802 above.

[0165] In some embodiments, the first network device may send first information to the terminal device based on a first period. The first period may be related to the reporting period of measurement results (i.e., the second period in subsequent embodiments) or to the geometric configuration of the second network device.

[0166] For example, for services that require continuous positioning, such as real-time navigation, the first network device can periodically send the first information to the terminal device.

[0167] In the embodiments of this application, periodically receiving the first information helps to achieve continuous positioning of the terminal device, thereby helping to meet the real-time positioning (or navigation) requirements of the terminal device.

[0168] For services such as asset management that do not require continuous location tracking, only one location check is needed over a relatively long period. In this case, the first network device does not need to periodically send initial information to the terminal device. For example, the terminal device can send second information to the first network device to request an update to the initial information.

[0169] In S830, the terminal device measures reference signals sent by multiple second network devices based on priority and validity period.

[0170] For example, the terminal equipment can measure the reference signal based on the configuration parameters of the reference signal (such as bandwidth, number of symbols, starting symbol position, starting frequency, etc.) and the priority of the satellite, and obtain the measurement results (such as TOA, AOA, phase, reference signal receiving power (RSRP), etc.).

[0171] If the first information indicates sequential priority, the terminal device can first measure the reference signal transmitted by sat-1, then measure the reference signal transmitted by sat-3, then measure the reference signal transmitted by sat-6, and so on. If the first information indicates group priority, the terminal device can first measure the reference signal transmitted by the satellite in the first group, then measure the reference signal transmitted by the satellite in the second group. For satellites in the same group, the terminal device can decide which satellite to measure first.

[0172] If the terminal device has not completed the measurement of the satellites in the above priority list after the effective time expires, the terminal device can choose to stop continuing the measurement, which can further save the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0173] In some embodiments, the terminal device may perform measurements according to the instructions of the first network device. For example, before step S830, method 800 may further include step S822, as follows:

[0174] S822, the first network device sends the fifth information to the terminal device.

[0175] The fifth piece of information can be used to request the terminal device to measure reference signals sent by multiple second network devices. Optionally, the fifth piece of information and the first piece of information can be the same information.

[0176] Optionally, the fifth piece of information can also be used to indicate the second period (i.e., the period during which the terminal device reports the measurement results). The second period may differ from the first period in the aforementioned embodiments; that is, the terminal device may measure the reference signal multiple times before reporting a measurement result.

[0177] In some embodiments, after measuring the reference signal, the location of the terminal device can be determined based on the measurement results. In this application embodiment, depending on the object of location calculation, it can be divided into two methods: UE-assisted positioning and UE-based positioning.

[0178] UE-assisted positioning refers to a terminal device measuring the arrival time, angle, and phase of reference signals transmitted by satellites and reporting the measurement results to the network. The network then calculates the terminal device's position based on the measurement results and the satellite's position. The characteristic of UE-based positioning is that the terminal device does not need to know the satellite's position. UE-based positioning refers to a terminal device calculating its own position. In this case, the terminal device needs to know the satellite's position and measure the arrival time, angle, and phase of reference signals transmitted by satellites. It then calculates its own position based on the measurement results. The characteristic of UE-based positioning is that the UE does not need to report the measurement results.

[0179] In some embodiments, the terminal device can perform UE-assisted positioning. For example, after step S830, method 800 may further include steps S832 and S834, as follows:

[0180] S832, the terminal device sends third information to the first network device.

[0181] The third piece of information can be used to instruct the terminal device to measure the reference signals sent by multiple second network devices to obtain the measurement results.

[0182] In some embodiments, the terminal device may send third information to the first network device in any of the following ways:

[0183] The third information may be sent based on a second cycle; or, the third information may be sent at a preset time; or, the third information may be sent if the validity period of the priority expires. The preset time may be specified by the protocol or pre-configured.

[0184] For example, the terminal device can periodically send measurement results to the first network device; or, the terminal device can send measurement results to the first network device after measuring the reference signal; or, the terminal device can send measurement results to the first network device at a pre-configured time; or, the terminal device can send measurement results to the first network device when the valid time expires (or expires).

[0185] In the embodiments of this application, the terminal device can send third information in a variety of ways, which can meet the various positioning needs of the terminal device and be applicable to a variety of positioning scenarios.

[0186] S834, the first network device calculates the location of the terminal device based on the measurement results.

[0187] For example, the first network device calculates the location of the terminal device based on the measurement results and the location of the second network device.

[0188] In this embodiment of the application, the network device receives the measurement results and calculates the location based on the measurement results, thereby enabling the positioning of the terminal device.

[0189] In some embodiments, the terminal device can perform UE-based positioning. For example, before step S830, method 800 may further include step S824, and after step S830, method 800 may further include step S836, as follows:

[0190] S824, the first network device sends the fourth information to the terminal device.

[0191] The fourth information can be used to indicate the location information of each of the multiple second network devices at the time of reference signal transmission. Optionally, the fourth information and the first information can be the same information.

[0192] For example, the fourth piece of information could indicate the following:

[0193] Satellite 1 (sat-1): {{t1,pos1},{t2,pos2},{t3,pos3},{t4,pos4},…}

[0194] Satellite 2 (sat-2): {{t1,pos1},{t2,pos2},{t3,pos3},{t4,pos4},…}

[0195] Wherein, for sat-1, pos1 represents the position of sat-1 when it sends the reference signal at time t1, pos2 represents the position of sat-1 when it sends the reference signal at time t2, pos3 represents the position of sat-1 when it sends the reference signal at time t3, pos4 represents the position of sat-1 when it sends the reference signal at time t4, and so on; for sat-2, pos1 represents the position of sat-2 when it sends the reference signal at time t1, pos2 represents the position of sat-2 when it sends the reference signal at time t2, pos3 represents the position of sat-2 when it sends the reference signal at time t3, pos4 represents the position of sat-2 when it sends the reference signal at time t4, and so on.

[0196] S836, the terminal device calculates the position of the terminal device based on the measurement results and the fourth information.

[0197] In this embodiment, the terminal device can achieve autonomous positioning based on the measurement results and the fourth information.

[0198] Meanwhile, by receiving the fourth information, the terminal device can directly obtain the location information of each second network device at the time of reference signal transmission without the need for calculation by the terminal device, which can simplify the implementation complexity on the terminal device side.

[0199] Furthermore, the network-side clock is more accurate than that of the terminal device. If the network device sends the fourth information to the terminal device, it can avoid the additional errors introduced by the terminal device in calculating the location of the network device, thereby improving the accuracy of the location calculation.

[0200] In addition, calculating the location of network devices often requires a large amount of relevant data (such as satellite ephemeris). Compared with transmitting this relevant information to terminal devices, sending the fourth information directly to the terminal devices can effectively reduce the signaling overhead of the system.

[0201] In this embodiment, the priority system helps the terminal device to prioritize measuring reference signals that are beneficial for positioning (such as reference signals transmitted by satellites with good geometry), avoiding the measurement of unnecessary reference signals (such as reference signals transmitted by satellites with poor geometry). It also helps the terminal device to promptly measure reference signals that are beneficial for positioning but are about to become unmeasurable (such as reference signals transmitted by satellites with good geometry but about to move out of the terminal device's line of sight). At the same time, the effective time of this priority system also helps the terminal device to stop measuring reference signals in a timely manner. This helps the terminal device to measure reference signals more rationally, thereby improving positioning accuracy and reducing the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0202] The method embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to Figures 1 to 9. The apparatus embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 10 to 12. It should be understood that the descriptions of the method embodiments correspond to the descriptions of the apparatus embodiments; therefore, any parts not described in detail can be referred to the preceding method embodiments.

[0203] Figure 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 1000 shown in Figure 10 can be used in the terminal device in the foregoing embodiments. The communication device 1000 can be a terminal device, or a device in the terminal device (e.g., a processor, chip, chip system, circuit, or a functional module, etc.), or a device that can be matched with the terminal device, or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the terminal device.

[0204] As shown in Figure 10, the communication device 1000 includes a receiving unit 1010 and a measuring unit 1020, as detailed below:

[0205] The receiving unit 1010 is configured to receive first information, wherein the first information is used to indicate the priority of a plurality of second network devices and the validity period of the priority;

[0206] The measurement unit 1020 is used to measure the reference signals sent by the plurality of second network devices based on the priority and the effective time.

[0207] Optionally, the priority is related to the geometry and / or motion trajectory of the plurality of second network devices.

[0208] Optionally, the first information is also used to indicate the priority of the reference signal of each of the plurality of second network devices.

[0209] Optionally, the plurality of second network devices comprises N groups, each of the N groups comprising at least one second network device, and the first information is further used to indicate the priority of each of the N groups, where N is a positive integer.

[0210] Optionally, the receiving unit 1010 is specifically used to: receive the first information based on a first cycle.

[0211] Optionally, the device 1000 further includes a sending unit 1030, configured to: send second information, the second information being used to request an update of the first information.

[0212] Optionally, the device 1000 further includes a transmitting unit 1030, configured to: transmit third information, the third information being used to instruct the terminal device to measure the reference signals transmitted by the plurality of second network devices to obtain measurement results.

[0213] Optionally, the sending unit 1030 is specifically used to: send the third information based on the second period; or, send the third information at a preset time; or, send the third information when the validity period of the priority expires.

[0214] Optionally, the receiving unit 1010 is further configured to: receive fourth information, the fourth information being used to indicate the location information of each of the plurality of second network devices at the time of transmission of the reference signal; the device 1000 further includes a calculation unit 1040, configured to: calculate the location of the terminal device based on the measurement results obtained by the terminal device measuring the reference signal transmitted by the plurality of second network devices and the fourth information.

[0215] Optionally, the receiving unit 1010 is further configured to: receive fifth information, the fifth information being used to request the terminal device to measure the reference signals sent by the plurality of second network devices.

[0216] Figure 11 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 1100 shown in Figure 11 can be used in the network device in the foregoing embodiments. The communication device 1200 can be a network device, or a device in the network device (processor, chip, chip system, circuit or a functional module, etc.), or a device that can be used in conjunction with the network device, or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the network device.

[0217] As shown in Figure 11, the communication device 1100 includes a determining unit 1110 and a transmitting unit 1120, as detailed below:

[0218] The determining unit 1110 is used to determine first information, which is used to indicate the priority of reference signals of a plurality of second network devices and the effective time of the priority;

[0219] The sending unit 1120 is used to send the first information.

[0220] Optionally, the priority is related to the geometry and / or motion trajectory of the plurality of second network devices.

[0221] Optionally, the first information is also used to indicate the priority of the reference signal of each of the plurality of second network devices.

[0222] Optionally, the plurality of second network devices comprises N groups, each of the N groups comprising at least one second network device, and the first information is further used to indicate the priority of each of the N groups, where N is a positive integer.

[0223] Optionally, the sending unit 1120 is specifically used to: send the first information based on a first cycle.

[0224] Optionally, the device 1100 further includes a receiving unit 1130, configured to: receive second information, the second information being used to request an update of the first information.

[0225] Optionally, the device 1100 further includes a receiving unit 1130 and a calculation unit 1140. The receiving unit 1130 is used to: receive third information, which is used to instruct the terminal device to measure the reference signals sent by the plurality of second network devices to obtain the measurement results; the calculation unit 1140 is used to: calculate the position of the terminal device based on the measurement results.

[0226] Optionally, the receiving unit 1130 is specifically used to: receive the third information based on the second period.

[0227] Optionally, the transmitting unit 1120 is further configured to: transmit fourth information, the fourth information being used to indicate the location information of each of the plurality of second network devices at the reference signal transmission time.

[0228] Optionally, the sending unit 1120 is further configured to: send fifth information, the fifth information being used to request the terminal device to measure the reference signals sent by the plurality of second network devices.

[0229] Figure 12 is a schematic structural diagram of an apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application. The dashed lines in Figure 12 indicate that the unit or module is optional. This apparatus 1200 can be used to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments. The apparatus 1200 can be a chip or a communication device.

[0230] Apparatus 1200 may include one or more processors 1210. The processor 1210 may support apparatus 1200 in implementing the methods described in the preceding method embodiments. The processor 1210 may be a general-purpose processor or a special-purpose processor. For example, the processor may be a central processing unit (CPU). Alternatively, the processor may be other general-purpose processors, microprocessor units (MPUs), microcontroller units (MCUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), artificial intelligence processors (AI processors) or neural processing units (NPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0231] The device 1200 may further include one or more memories 1220. The memories 1220 store a program that can be executed by the processor 1210, causing the processor 1210 to perform the methods described in the preceding method embodiments. The memories 1220 may be independent of the processor 1210 or integrated within the processor 1210. In this embodiment, the memories 1220 may include, but are not limited to, cache, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), etc.

[0232] The device 1200 may also include a transceiver 1230. The processor 1210 can communicate with other devices or chips via the transceiver 1230. For example, the processor 1210 can send and receive data with other devices or chips via the transceiver 1230.

[0233] It should be noted that the information interaction and execution process between the above-mentioned devices / units are based on the same concept as the method embodiments of this application. For details on their specific functions and technical effects, please refer to the method embodiments section, and they will not be repeated here.

[0234] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0235] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps described in the various method embodiments above.

[0236] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps described in the various method embodiments above.

[0237] This application also provides a chip, which includes a processor and a memory. The memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is used to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, so that a device or equipment (such as a communication device) with the chip installed performs the steps in the above-described method embodiments.

[0238] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments of this application can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or certain intermediate forms. The computer-readable storage medium can include at least: any entity or device capable of carrying computer program code to a device / app, a recording medium, a computer memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an electrical carrier signal, a telecommunication signal, and a software distribution medium. Examples include USB flash drives, portable hard drives, magnetic disks, or optical disks. In some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, a computer-readable storage medium may not be an electrical carrier signal or a telecommunication signal.

[0239] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0240] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0241] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus / devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus / device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or 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.

[0242] 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.

[0243] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method is applied to a terminal device, and the method comprises: receiving first information, the first information being used for indicating priorities of a plurality of second network devices and valid time of the priorities; performing measurement on reference signals transmitted by the plurality of second network devices based on the priorities and the valid time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The priorities are related to geometric configurations and / or motion trajectories of the plurality of second network devices.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first information is also used for indicating priorities of reference signals of each of the plurality of second network devices.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The plurality of second network devices comprises N groups, each of the N groups comprises at least one second network device, and the first information is also used for indicating a priority of each of the N groups, N being a positive integer.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The receiving of the first information comprises: receiving the first information based on a first period.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The method further comprises: transmitting second information, the second information being used for requesting updating of the first information.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method further comprises: transmitting third information, the third information being used for indicating measurement results obtained by the terminal device through measurement on reference signals transmitted by the plurality of second network devices.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, The transmitting of the third information comprises: transmitting the third information based on a second period; or transmitting the third information at a preset time; or transmitting the third information in a case where the valid time of the priorities expires.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method further comprises: receiving fourth information, the fourth information being used for indicating position information corresponding to each of the plurality of second network devices at a reference signal transmission moment; resolving a position of the terminal device according to the measurement results obtained by the terminal device through measurement on reference signals transmitted by the plurality of second network devices and the fourth information.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The method further comprises: receiving fifth information, the fifth information being used for requesting the terminal device to measure reference signals transmitted by the plurality of second network devices.

11. A communication method, comprising: The method is applied to a first network device, and the method comprises: determining first information, the first information being used for indicating priorities of reference signals of a plurality of second network devices and valid time of the priorities; transmitting the first information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, The priorities are related to geometric configurations and / or motion trajectories of the plurality of second network devices.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that, The first information is also used for indicating priorities of reference signals of each of the plurality of second network devices.

14. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein, The plurality of second network devices comprises N groups, each of the N groups comprises at least one second network device, and the first information is also used for indicating a priority of each of the N groups, N being a positive integer.

15. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that, The transmitting of the first information comprises: transmitting the first information based on a first period.

16. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that, The method further comprises: receiving second information, the second information being used for requesting updating of the first information.

17. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that, The method further comprises: receiving third information, the third information being used for indicating measurement results obtained by a terminal device through measurement on reference signals transmitted by the plurality of second network devices; resolving a position of the terminal device according to the measurement results.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, The receiving of the third information comprises: receiving the third information based on a second period.

19. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that, The method further comprises: The fourth information is used to indicate position information corresponding to a reference signal sending moment of each of the plurality of second network devices.

20. The method of any one of claims 11 to 19, wherein, The method further includes: The fifth information is used to request the terminal device to measure the reference signals sent by the plurality of second network devices.

21. A communications device, characterized by Comprise: A module or unit for performing the method of any one of claims 1 to 20.

22. A communications device, characterized by Comprise: A processor and a memory, the processor being coupled to the memory, the memory being used to store a computer program, the computer program being executed by the processor to enable the apparatus to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 20.

23. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer program is stored on the computer readable storage medium and, when executed on a computer, enables the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 20.

24. A computer program product, characterised in that, Comprise: A computer program, when executed on a computer, enables the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 20.

25. A chip, characterized by Comprise: A processor and a memory, the memory being used to store a computer program, and the processor being used to invoke and run the computer program stored in the memory, so that the apparatus or device installed with the chip performs the method of any one of claims 1 to 20.

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