Communication method and apparatus, communication device, chip, storage medium, program, and program product

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and apparatus, a communication device, a chip, a storage medium, a program, and a program product. The communication method comprises: a first device sends first information and / or a first reference signal to a network device, the first information and / or the first reference signal being used for determining a second device associated with the first device.

Description

Communication method and device, communication equipment, chip, storage medium, program, program product TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of mobile communication technology, in particular to a communication method and device, communication equipment, chip, computer storage medium, computer program, computer program product. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the business scenarios of logistics inventory and warehouse goods inventory of the environmental Internet of Things system, the Internet of Things device can receive information sent by one reader, send information to another reader, or use the carrier provided by one reader to send information to another reader through backscatter communication. This requires coordination between the two readers in terms of receiving and transmitting states, carrier transmission, etc. How to associate the two readers is a problem to be solved.

[0003] SUMMARY

[0004] Embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and device, communication equipment, chip, computer storage medium, computer program, computer program product.

[0005] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, comprising:

[0006] A first device sends first information and / or a first reference signal to a network device, the first information and / or the first reference signal being used to determine a second device associated with the first device.

[0007] In a second aspect, a communication method is provided, comprising:

[0008] A network device receives first information and / or a first signal sent by a first device, the first information and / or the first signal being used to determine a second device associated with the first device.

[0009] In a third aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising:

[0010] A first sending unit is configured to send first information and / or a first reference signal to a network device, the first information and / or the first reference signal being used to determine a second device associated with the first device.

[0011] In a fourth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising:

[0012] A second receiving unit is configured to receive first information and / or a first signal sent by a first device, the first information and / or the first signal being used to determine a second device associated with the first device.

[0013] In a fifth aspect, a communication device is provided, which includes a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to store a computer program, and the processor is configured to invoke and run the computer program stored in the memory to execute the communication method.

[0014] In a sixth aspect, a chip is provided, which is configured to implement the communication method.

[0015] Specifically, the chip includes a processor configured to invoke and run a computer program from a memory, so that a device installed with the chip executes the communication method.

[0016] In a seventh aspect, a computer readable storage medium is provided, which is configured to store a computer program, and the computer program is configured to make a computer execute the communication method.

[0017] In an eighth aspect, a computer program product is provided, which includes computer program instructions configured to make a computer execute the communication method.

[0018] In a ninth aspect, a computer program is provided, which, when running on a computer, is configured to make the computer execute the communication method.

[0019] The embodiments of the present application provide a communication method, in which a first device can send first information and / or a first reference signal, and a network device can determine an associated second device for the first device according to the first information and / or the first reference signal sent by the first device, so that the associated first device and the second device can complete data interaction with an Internet of Things device based on coordination of the network device, and requirements of the Internet of Things service are guaranteed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the present application, constitute a part of the present application, and the illustrative embodiments of the present application and their description serve to explain the present application, and do not limit the present application in any way. In the drawings:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an environment Internet of Things communication system architecture provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a structure of a radio frequency energy harvesting module provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a backscattering communication principle provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a resistance load modulation principle provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram of an environment Internet of Things topology structure one provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram of a second environment IoT topology according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram of a D2T2-A1 scenario according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram of a D2T2-A2 scenario according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG. 6C is a schematic diagram of a D2T2-B scenario according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of information interaction according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of information interaction according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of information interaction according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a chip according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative work fall within the scope of the present application.

[0041] Currently, cellular IoT is booming, and the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has standardized Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT), Machine Type Communication (MTC), Reduced Capability (RedCap), and other IoT technologies, but there are still many IoT communication needs in various scenarios that cannot be met using existing technologies, such as harsh communication environments (high temperature, extremely low temperature, high humidity, high pressure, high radiation, or high-speed movement, etc.), extremely small terminal form factor requirements, extremely low cost, etc.

[0042] Ambient IoT (A-IoT) can cover the above unmet IoT communication needs due to its ultra-low cost, extremely small size, and battery-free / maintenance-free characteristics.

[0043] A-IoT communication uses energy harvesting and backscattering communication technology. A-IoT devices refer to IoT devices that use various environmental energies such as wireless radio frequency energy, light energy, solar energy, thermal energy, mechanical energy, and other environmental energies to drive themselves. Such devices can have no energy storage capability or can have very limited energy storage capability (such as using a capacitor with a capacity of tens of microfarads (uF)). Compared with existing IoT devices, A-IoT devices have many advantages such as no conventional battery, no maintenance, small size, low complexity and low cost, long life cycle, etc.

[0044] Referring to the ambient IoT communication system architecture diagram shown in FIG. 1, the ambient IoT can be composed of a network device and an A-IoT device. The network device is used to send energy supply signals and / or downlink communication signals to the A-IoT device, and is also used to receive backscattering signals of the A-IoT device. A basic A-IoT device can include an energy harvesting module, a backscattering communication module, a low-power computing module, and a sensor module. In addition, the A-IoT device can also have a memory for storing some basic information (such as article identification, etc.), as well as environmental temperature, environmental humidity, and other sensor data.

[0045] In the embodiments of the present application, the A-IoT system can also be referred to as a zero-power (Zero-Power) system, and the A-IoT device can also be referred to as a zero-power device.

[0046] The key technologies of ambient IoT mainly include radio frequency energy harvesting (RF Power Harvesting) and backscattering (Back Scattering) communication.

[0047] Referring to the structure diagram of the radio frequency energy harvesting module shown in FIG. 2. The radio frequency energy harvesting module can include a diode, a capacitor C, and a resistor RL. In practical applications, the radio frequency energy harvesting module realizes the collection of space electromagnetic wave energy based on the principle of electromagnetic induction, and then obtains the energy required to drive the A-IoT device to work, such as for driving low-power demodulation and modulation modules, sensors, and memory reading, etc. That is, the A-IoT device can not need a traditional battery module.

[0048] Referring to the backscatter communication principle diagram shown in FIG. 3. The A-IoT device receives the wireless signal sent by the network device, and modulates the wireless signal, loads the information to be sent, and radiates the modulated signal from the antenna. This information transmission process is called backscatter communication.

[0049] It should be noted that backscatter and load modulation are inseparable. Load modulation adjusts and controls the circuit parameters of the oscillation loop of the A-IoT device according to the beat of the data stream, so that the size of the impedance of the electronic tag and other parameters change, thereby completing the modulation process.

[0050] The load modulation technology can include resistance load modulation and capacitance load modulation. Referring to the resistance load modulation principle diagram shown in FIG. 4, in resistance load modulation, the load RL can be connected in parallel with a resistor R3, which can be controlled to be turned on or off based on a binary data stream. The on-off of the resistor R3 will cause a change in the circuit voltage, thus realizing amplitude shift keying (ASK), that is, the modulation and transmission of signals by adjusting the amplitude of the backscatter signal of the zero-power terminal. Similarly, in capacitance load modulation, the on-off of the capacitor can realize the change of the circuit resonance frequency, realizing frequency shift keying (FSK), that is, the modulation and transmission of signals by adjusting the working frequency of the backscatter signal of the A-IoT device.

[0051] As can be seen, the A-IoT device modulates the incoming signal by means of load modulation, thereby realizing the backscatter communication process. Therefore, the A-IoT device has the following advantages:

[0052] (1) The A-IoT device does not actively transmit signals, so it does not need complex radio frequency links such as power amplifiers (PA), radio frequency filters, etc.;

[0053] (2) The A-IoT device does not need to actively generate high-frequency signals, so it does not need a high-frequency crystal oscillator;

[0054] (3) With the help of backscatter communication, A-IoT device signal transmission does not need to consume terminal itself energy.

[0055] A-IoT device includes the following types:

[0056] Device type 1: with peak power consumption of about 1 microwatt (~ 1 μW), with energy storage capability, initial sampling frequency offset (SFO) up to 10 X ppm, without downlink amplifier and without uplink amplifier, uplink transmission through backscatter of carrier wave.

[0057] Device type 2a: with peak power consumption of less than or equal to a few hundred microwatts (≤ a few hundred μW), with energy storage capability, initial sampling frequency offset up to 10 X ppm, with downlink amplifier and / or with uplink amplifier, uplink transmission through backscatter of carrier wave.

[0058] Device type 2b: with peak power consumption of less than or equal to a few hundred microwatts (μW), with energy storage capability, initial sampling frequency offset up to 10 X ppm, with downlink amplifier and / or with uplink amplifier, uplink transmission through internally generated, also known as based on active transmission.

[0059] Based on the discussion of A-IoT application scenarios based on 3GPP system architecture (SA) 1, A-IoT can be used for at least four types of scenarios:

[0060] Object identification, such as logistics, production line product management, supply chain management;

[0061] Environmental monitoring, such as temperature, humidity, and harmful gas monitoring of working environment and natural environment;

[0062] Positioning, such as indoor positioning, intelligent search, and production line article positioning;

[0063] Intelligent control, such as intelligent control of various appliances in smart home (turning on / off air conditioner, adjusting temperature), and intelligent control of various facilities in agricultural greenhouse (automatic irrigation, fertilization).

[0064] In the cellular network-based environmental Internet of Things, A-IoT devices can communicate directly with base station devices or communicate with base station devices through intermediate nodes.

[0065] A-IoT system mainly includes two deployment scenarios / topologies, Deployment scenario 1 with Topology 1 (D1T1) and Deployment scenario 2 with Topology 2 (D2T2).

[0066] In D1T1, referring to the environment IoT topology diagram 1 shown in FIG. 5A, the A-IoT device can directly receive the carrier, data or signal from the base station and send or backscatter the data or signal to the base station.

[0067] In D2T2, referring to the environment IoT topology diagram 2 shown in FIG. 5B, the A-IoT device communicates with the base station through an intermediate node. The intermediate node can relay the signaling and / or data between the base station and the A-IoT device. Specifically, the intermediate node can send the carrier, data or signal to the A-IoT device, and the A-IoT device sends or backscatters the data or signal to the intermediate node. The intermediate node can be a device under the control of the network, and the intermediate node is located indoors.

[0068] It should be noted that in the above two deployment scenarios / topologies, the base station in D1T1 and the intermediate node in D2T2 are called readers, and the A-IoT device can be called a device. The transmission from the reader to the device is called Reader to Device (R2D) transmission, and the transmission from the device to the reader is called Device to Reader (D2R) transmission. In addition, for the device that backscatters, the external carrier-wave (CW) is provided by the reader or an external node.

[0069] A-IoT supports two kinds of services, one is Device-terminated (DT) service, and the other is Device-originated-Device-terminated triggered (DO-DTT) service. Among them, the DT service mainly refers to making A-IoT devices execute specific actions through downlink commands, for example, in the smart home scenario, the A-IoT device is instructed to "turn on the air conditioner", and the A-IoT device executes the corresponding operation. The DO-DTT service mainly refers to triggering A-IoT devices to report information through downlink commands, typical scenarios are warehouse inventory or sensor sensing, for example, triggering a number of zero-power tags to report IDs or sensor data through trigger information.

[0070] In the standardization discussion, for the above two deployment scenarios / topologies (D1T1 and D2T2), they are further classified according to the information transmission direction and the CW providing direction. For example, for D2T2, it is specifically divided into D2T2-A1, D2T2-A2, and D2T2-B three scenarios.

[0071] Referring to a D2T2-A1 scenario diagram shown in FIG. 6A, BS represents a base station, R represents a reader, D represents a device, and CW represents a node providing a carrier. Among them, the reader sending R2D transmission to the device and the reader receiving D2R transmission sent by the device are two different readers.

[0072] Referring to a D2T2-A2 scenario diagram shown in FIG. 6B, the reader sending R2D transmission and the reader receiving D2R are the same reader.

[0073] Referring to a D2T2-B scenario diagram shown in FIG. 6C, the reader sending R2D transmission and the reader receiving D2R are the same reader, and the CW is provided by an external third-party node.

[0074] It should be understood that in the D2T2-A1 scenario shown in FIG. 6A, two different readers R1 and R2 participate in R2D transmission and D2R transmission, and R1 and R2 are controlled and scheduled by the base station. In supporting DO-DTT and DT services in A-IoT, such as logistics inventory, warehouse inventory, and other services, better cooperation between R1 and R2 is required to ensure the smooth completion of the inventory process, such as coordination of transceiving states between R1 and R2, coordination of CW transmission, etc. Therefore, before performing A-IoT transmission between the reader and the device, the network device side first needs to associate R1 and R2 that meet certain conditions, that is, two readers can be understood as a reader pair, and then A-IoT service transmission scheduling is performed. Therefore, how to associate R1 and R2 is a problem that needs to be researched and solved.

[0075] Based on this, the embodiment of the application provides a communication method. A network device can determine an associated second device for a first device according to first information and / or a first reference signal sent by the first device. In this way, the associated first device and the second device can complete data interaction with an A-IOT device based on the coordination of the network device, thereby guaranteeing the requirements of A-IOT services.

[0076] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the application, the technical solutions of the application are described in detail below through specific embodiments. The above related technologies can be combined with the technical solutions of the embodiments of the application in any way as optional solutions, and all belong to the protection scope of the embodiments of the application. The embodiments of the application include at least part of the following contents.

[0077] FIG. 7 shows a communication method provided by an embodiment of the application. The method can include the following steps.

[0078] S710, the first device sends first information and / or a first reference signal, and correspondingly, the network device receives the first information and / or the first signal, wherein the first information and / or the first signal are used to determine the second device associated with the first device.

[0079] It should be noted that the communication method provided by the embodiments of the application can be applied to the scenarios shown in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6C.

[0080] It should also be noted that the first device and the second device are both readers; or the first device is a reader, and the second device is an external node providing a carrier; or the first device is an external node providing a carrier, and the second device is a reader.

[0081] In an example, the embodiments of the present application can be applied to the D2T2-A1 scenario shown in FIG. 6A, where the first device is R1 and the second device is R2, or the first device is R2 and the second device is R1. This scenario can support the function of reporting temperature, early warning and other messages from a central reader to an edge reader.

[0082] In an example, the embodiments of the present application can be applied to the D2T2-B scenario shown in FIG. 6C, where the first device is R and the second device is CW, or the first device is CW and the second device is R.

[0083] It should be understood that the A-IoT device has simple structure, extremely low power consumption, and supports simple services such as goods inventory, intelligent control, etc., which can be supported by simple data interaction between the reader and the device. In the D2T2-A1 scenario shown in FIG. 6A, since R1 and R2 are controlled by the network device, before R1 and D, or R2 and D perform transmission, the network device needs to associate R1 and R2, and notify the associated R1 and R2 of the association relationship, so as to ensure that the two readers cooperate to complete data interaction.

[0084] Similarly, in the D2T2-B scenario shown in FIG. 6C, the reader R and the external node CW providing the carrier also need to be controlled by the network device, before the reader R and the device D perform transmission, the network device needs to associate the reader R and the external node CW providing the carrier, and notify the associated R and CW of the association relationship, so as to ensure that the reader R and the external node CW cooperate to complete data interaction.

[0085] In the embodiments of the present application, the first device can send first information and / or a first reference signal to the network device, and the network device can determine which devices can be associated with each other to form a reader pair based on the first information and / or the first reference signal.

[0086] The first information can be a measurement result of a channel between the first device and other devices, can be information related to the location of the first device, or can be information related to the distance between the network device and the first device. The first reference signal can be used to determine the distance between the network device and the first device.

[0087] It should be noted that the content reported by the first device is different, and accordingly, the way the network device determines the second device associated with the first device is also different. The following describes the content reported by the first device and how to determine the second device associated with the first device based on the content reported by the first device through mode #A to mode #E.

[0088] Manner #A: the first device sends first information to the network device, and the network device determines a second device associated with the first device based on the first information. The first information includes one or more of the following:

[0089] one or more first measurement results, the one or more first measurement results being associated with one or more first channels;

[0090] one or more first identification information, the one or more first identification information being used to indicate a device sending the one or more first channels.

[0091] It should be understood that the first device can receive one or more first channels. The first channel here can be sent by other devices (for example, a reader in the network or an external node providing CW).

[0092] It should be noted that the one or more first channels can be sent by the same device or different devices, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0093] In some embodiments, the first channel is one or more of the following:

[0094] a physical reader to device channel (PRDCH);

[0095] a physical device to reader channel (PDRCH);

[0096] a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH);

[0097] a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH).

[0098] In some embodiments, the first channel can be transmitted on an A-IoT interface, wherein the first channel can be a PRDCH used to carry R2D transmission. The first channel can also be a PDRCH used to carry D2R transmission.

[0099] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first channel can be used to transmit control information and / or data information. Among them, the control information and / or data information at least includes identification information associated with the device, which is the device sending the first channel, and the above-mentioned identification information can be the ID associated with the device. In addition, the first channel needs to have a preamble associated therewith, and the above-mentioned preamble includes a start indication and / or a time acquisition part, the start indication is used for the device receiving the first channel to determine the start time of the first channel transmission, and the time acquisition part is used for the device receiving the first channel to perform time synchronization, and the above-mentioned preamble is transmitted before the first channel transmission.

[0100] In some embodiments, the first channel can be transmitted on a sidelink (SL) interface. Among them, the first channel can be a PSSCH or a PSCCH.

[0101] It should be noted that the PSCCH and the PSSCH associated therewith are always transmitted simultaneously and transmitted in the same time slot.

[0102] It should also be noted that the SL interface can also be referred to as the PC5 interface, and the two are equivalent or replaceable.

[0103] It should be understood that in the embodiments of the present application, the first device can measure one or more first channels to obtain the measurement result associated with or corresponding to the one or more first channels (referred to as the first measurement result in the embodiments of the present application).

[0104] It should be noted that the one or more first channels and the one or more first measurement results can be associated one by one or correspond one by one.

[0105] In some embodiments, the first measurement result can include one or more of the following:

[0106] PRDCH reference signal receiving power (RSRP);

[0107] PDRCH RSRP;

[0108] PSSCH RSRP;

[0109] PSCCH RSRP;

[0110] PRDCH received signal strength indication (RSSI);

[0111] PDRCH RSSI;

[0112] SL RSSI.

[0113] It should be understood that the first channel is transmitted on the A-IoT interface, and the first measurement result associated with or corresponding to the first channel can be one or more of PRDCH RSRP, PDRCH RSRP, PRDCH RSSI, and PDRCH RSSI. The first channel is transmitted on the SL interface, and the first measurement result associated with or corresponding to the first channel can be one or more of PSSCH RSRP, PSCCH RSRP, and SL RSSI.

[0114] It should be noted that the PSCCH and the PSSCH associated therewith are always transmitted simultaneously, and therefore, the first device can determine both the PSSCH RSRP and the PSCCH RSRP by receiving the first channel transmitted by the other device once.

[0115] It should be noted that, considering that the frequency domain resources or time domain resources of different parts of the first channel can be different, or considering the energy saving requirement or performance requirement of the first device, the first device can measure based on part or all of the first channel when determining the first measurement result based on the first channel.

[0116] For example, for the first channel transmitted on the A-IoT interface, the first channel can include a preamble, control information, and data information, and the first device can determine the first measurement result only based on the preamble. Assuming that the preamble time domain includes X Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols, the first device can determine the first measurement result based on the received power of the X OFDM symbols.

[0117] It should be noted that the first measurement result associated with or corresponding to the first channel can be the result of one measurement of the first channel by the first device, and the first measurement result includes a group of measurement values (for example, a group of PRDCH RSRP and PRDCH RSSI, or a group of PDRCH RSRP and PDRCH RSSI). Alternatively, the first measurement result associated with or corresponding to the first channel can be the result of multiple measurements of the first channel by the first device, and the first measurement result includes multiple groups of measurement values (for example, multiple groups of PRDCH RSRP and PRDCH RSSI, or multiple groups of PDRCH RSRP and PDRCH RSSI). The embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0118] It should also be noted that the first device can receive multiple first channels, and the multiple channels can be transmitted by the same or different devices (readers or external nodes providing the CW), and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0119] It should be further noted that the transmission resource of the first channel can be predefined or configured by the network device. That is, the first device can determine the resource of the first channel according to the predefined information or the network device configuration information.

[0120] In some embodiments, the network device can send second information, and the first device receives the second information, wherein the second information is used to configure the transmission resource of the one or more first channels.

[0121] It should be noted that the transmission resource can also be referred to as a transmission opportunity, and the two are equivalent or replaceable.

[0122] It should be noted that the second information can be configuration information (for example, Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration information) or scheduling information (for example, Downlink Control Information (DCI)), and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0123] It should be further noted that the transmission resources of different first channels can be different, specifically, the time domain resources and / or frequency domain resources corresponding to the transmission resources of different first channels are different. For example, different first channel transmission resources occupy different OFDM symbols and / or different physical resource blocks (PRBs).

[0124] In some embodiments, the first device can determine the transmission resource of the first channel used by itself according to the received second information. It should be understood that the network device can configure multiple devices to use the transmission resource of the first channel at the same time, and the first device can determine the transmission resource of the first channel used by itself from the second information according to the ID of the first device. For example, the first device can perform a modulo operation on the ID of the first device and a predefined first parameter to obtain the index of the transmission resource of the first channel used by itself.

[0125] In some embodiments, the transmission resource of the first channel can be a resource dedicated to receiving or a resource dedicated to transmitting. Alternatively, the transmission resource of the first channel can be configured to be dedicated to receiving or configured to be dedicated to transmitting. Any device can only be in one of the transmitting or receiving states on this resource.

[0126] In another implementation, the transmission resource of the first channel can be a flexible transmission resource, and the first device can randomly select one of the transmitting or receiving states on the transmission resource.

[0127] It should be understood that after the first device measures the one or more first channels to obtain the one or more first measurement results, the first device can report the one or more first measurement results and / or the one or more first identification information to the network device.

[0128] The first identification information is used to indicate or identify the device that sends the first channel. For example, the first identification information can be the ID of the device that sends the first channel.

[0129] It should be understood that the first channel can carry the identification information of the device that sends the first channel, that is, the first device can determine the first identification information of the device that sends the first channel by analyzing the content of the first channel. For example, if the first channel is PRDCH or PDRCH, the first identification information of the device that sends the PRDCH or PDRCH can be carried in the control information and / or data information of the PRDCH or PDRCH.

[0130] It should be noted that the first identification information can be associated with the first measurement result. It can be understood that the first identification information can indicate or identify the sending end of the first channel corresponding to the first measurement result.

[0131] It should also be noted that when the number of first identification information is multiple, the number of first measurement results can also be multiple. The multiple first identification information can be associated with the multiple first measurement results.

[0132] In an embodiment, the association between the multiple first measurement results and the multiple first identification information can be many-to-one, that is, the multiple first measurement results can be associated with one first identification information. It can be understood that the multiple first measurement results associated with one first identification information can be that the multiple first measurement results are obtained by measuring multiple first channels sent by the same device.

[0133] In another embodiment, the association between the multiple first measurement results and the multiple first identification information can be one-to-one. That is, one first measurement result can be associated with one first identification information. Different first measurement results associated with the first identification information can be the same or different, which is not limited by the embodiments of the present application.

[0134] It should be noted that the first identification information associated with different first measurement results can be the same, which can be understood as that the first device measures multiple first channels sent by the same device to obtain multiple different first measurement results.

[0135] In some embodiments, the one or more first measurement results and / or the one or more first identification information (first information) can be carried in a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and / or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0136] In some embodiments, the first information can be sent based on an event trigger. That is, the first device reports the one or more first measurement results and / or the one or more first identification information based on an event or condition trigger. Illustratively, the first device can report the one or more first measurement results and / or the one or more first identification information to the network device when receiving the first channel.

[0137] In some embodiments, the first information can be sent based on a time period. That is, the first device can periodically report the one or more first measurement results and / or the one or more first identification information to the network device.

[0138] It should be noted that the time period is determined based on pre-defined information or configuration information sent by the network device. It can be understood that the first information reported by the first device to the network device can be determined based on the measurement results obtained from one or more times of receiving the first channel in a period, and the first information can include a plurality of first measurement results and a plurality of first identification information.

[0139] In some embodiments, the transmission resource of the first device reporting the first information can be determined based on the configuration information sent by the network device. That is, the transmission resource used by the first device to report the one or more first measurement results and / or the one or more first identification information can be configured by the network device.

[0140] For example, the network device can configure a static resource or a semi-static resource for the first device through RRC signaling, and the first device can periodically report the first information in the static resource or the semi-static resource. For another example, the network device can configure a dynamic resource for the first device through DCI signaling, and the first device can report the first information once based on the resource.

[0141] In some embodiments, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with a transmission resource in which the first device receives the first channel. It can be understood that there is a mapping relationship between the resource in which the first device reports the first information and the resource in which the first device receives the first channel. For example, the time domain resource in which the first device reports the first information is separated from the time domain resource in which the first device receives the first channel by a first offset value, and / or the frequency domain resource in which the first device reports the first information is separated from the frequency domain resource in which the first device receives the first channel by a second offset value. The first offset value and the second offset value can be predefined or configured by the network device.

[0142] Based on this, the first device can determine the resource for reporting the first information based on the resource for receiving the first channel. The network device can not have to configure the reporting resource for the first device, thereby reducing signaling overhead and improving reporting efficiency.

[0143] In the embodiments of the present application, after receiving the first information reported by the first device, the network device can decode one or more first measurement results and / or one or more first identification information included in the first information. Further, the network device can determine the second device associated with the first device based on the one or more first measurement results and / or the one or more first identification information.

[0144] It should be understood that the network device can select a first measurement result satisfying a condition from the one or more first measurement results, wherein the device indicated by the first identification information associated with the first measurement result satisfying the condition is taken as the second device associated with the first device.

[0145] In some embodiments, the condition can be that the measurement result is better than a first threshold value; that is, the second device associated with the first device selected by the network device can be a device from a plurality of devices sending the first channel, wherein the measurement result corresponding to the first channel sent by the device is better than the first threshold value.

[0146] It should be noted that the network device can determine one or more second devices for the first device, that is, the number of second devices can be one or more, and the first device is associated with the one or more second devices to coordinate the data interaction with the A-IOT device. The number of second devices is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0147] In an implementation, the number of second devices can include N, and N is an integer greater than 1. Correspondingly, the network device can take the devices associated with the first N first measurement results satisfying the condition from the one or more first measurement results as the second devices.

[0148] In another embodiment, the number of the second devices is 1, if there are multiple first measurement results satisfying the condition in the one or more first measurement results, the network device can select the device associated with the first measurement result with the best measurement result as the second device, or the network device can select the second device in combination with other manners (for example, manner #B, manner #C or manner #D), for example, the network device can select the device closest to the first device from the devices associated with the multiple first measurement results satisfying the condition as the second device.

[0149] Through manner #A, the network device can select the second device that can be associated with the first device according to the measurement result of the first channel reported by the first device, and the associated first device and the second device can complete data interaction with the A-IOT device based on the coordination of the network device, thereby guaranteeing the A-IOT service requirement.

[0150] Manner #B: The first device sends first information to the network device, and the network device determines the second device associated with the first device based on the first information. The first information includes one or more of the following:

[0151] One or more second measurement results, the one or more second measurement results are associated with one or more second reference signals;

[0152] One or more second identification information, the one or more second identification information is used to indicate the device sending the one or more second reference signals.

[0153] It should be understood that the first device can receive one or more second reference signals. The second reference signal can be sent by other devices (for example, a reader in the network or an external node providing a CW).

[0154] It should be noted that the multiple second reference signals can be sent by the same device or different devices, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0155] It should also be noted that the second reference signal can be a sidelink reference signal. For example, the second reference signal can be one or more of a sidelink positioning reference signal (PRS), a sidelink demodulation reference signal (DMRS) and a sidelink phase tracking reference signal (PTRS), and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0156] In the embodiments of the present application, the first device can measure one or more second reference signals to obtain a second measurement result associated with the corresponding one or more second reference signals.

[0157] It should be noted that the second measurement result can include, but is not limited to, one or more of RSRP, signal received path power (RSRPP), relative time of arrival (RTOA), angle of arrival (AOA), Rx-Tx time difference, reference signal time difference (RSTD).

[0158] In some embodiments, the second reference signal can be a sidelink PRS; correspondingly, the second measurement result can include one or more of the following:

[0159] Sidelink PRS-RSRP;

[0160] SL PRS-RSRPP;

[0161] Sidelink RTOA;

[0162] Sidelink AOA;

[0163] Sidelink Rx-Tx time difference;

[0164] Sidelink RSTD.

[0165] It should be understood that the second measurement result associated with the second reference signal can be used to determine the distance between the two ends of the second reference signal transmission and reception, and the relative position relationship.

[0166] It should be noted that the transmission resource of the one or more second reference signals can be predefined or configured by the network device. That is, the first device can determine the transmission resource of the second reference signal according to the predefined information or the network device configuration information.

[0167] It should also be noted that the transmission resource of different second reference signals can be different, specifically, the time domain resource and / or frequency domain resource corresponding to the transmission resource of different second reference signals are different. Exemplarily, the transmission resource of different second reference signals occupies different OFDM symbols and / or different PRBs.

[0168] It should be understood that after the first device measures the one or more second reference signals to obtain the one or more second measurement results, the first device can report the one or more second measurement results and / or the one or more second identification information to the network device.

[0169] The second identification information is used to indicate or identify the device that sends the second reference signal. For example, the second identification information can be an ID of the device that sends the second reference signal.

[0170] It should be noted that the second identification information can be associated with the second measurement result. It can be understood that the second identification information can indicate or identify the sending end of the second reference signal corresponding to the second measurement result.

[0171] It should also be noted that when the number of second identification information is multiple, the number of second measurement results can also be multiple, wherein the multiple second identification information is associated with the multiple second measurement results.

[0172] In an embodiment, the association between the multiple second measurement results and the multiple second identification information can be many-to-one, that is, the multiple second measurement results can be associated with one second identification information. Wherein, the multiple second measurement results associated with one second identification information can be understood as that the multiple second measurement results can be obtained by measuring multiple second reference signals sent by the same device.

[0173] In another embodiment, the association between the multiple second measurement results and the multiple second identification information can be one-to-one. That is, one second measurement result can be associated with one second identification information. Wherein, the second identification information associated with different second measurement results can be the same or different, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0174] It should be noted that the second identification information associated with different second measurement results can be the same, which can be understood as that the first device measures multiple second reference signals sent by the same device to obtain multiple different second measurement results.

[0175] In some embodiments, the one or more second measurement results and / or the one or more second identification information (first information) can be carried in PUCCH and / or PUSCH, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0176] In some embodiments, the first information can be sent based on an event trigger. That is, the first device reports the one or more second measurement results and / or the one or more second identification information based on an event or condition trigger. For example, the first device can report the one or more second measurement results and / or the one or more second identification information to the network device when receiving the second reference signal.

[0177] In some embodiments, the first information can be sent based on a time period. That is, the first device can periodically report the one or more second measurement results and / or the one or more second identification information to the network device.

[0178] It should be noted that the time period is determined based on pre-defined information or configuration information sent by the network device. It can be understood that the first information reported by the first device to the network device can be determined based on the measurement results obtained from one or more times of receiving the second reference signal in a period, and the first information can include a plurality of second measurement results and a plurality of second identification information.

[0179] In some embodiments, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is determined based on the configuration information sent by the network device. That is, the transmission resource used by the first device to report the one or more second measurement results and / or the one or more second identification information can be configured by the network device.

[0180] For example, the network device can configure a static resource or a semi-static resource for the first device through RRC signaling, and the first device can periodically report the first information in the static resource or the semi-static resource. For another example, the network device can configure a dynamic resource for the first device through DCI signaling, and the first device can report the first information based on the resource once.

[0181] In some embodiments, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with the transmission resource used by the first device to receive the second reference signal. It can be understood that there is a mapping relationship between the resource used by the first device to receive the second reference signal and the resource used by the first device to report the first information. For example, the time domain resource used by the first device to report the first information is spaced apart from the time domain resource used by the first device to receive the second reference signal by a first offset value, and / or the frequency domain resource used by the first device to report the first information is spaced apart from the frequency domain resource used by the first device to receive the second reference signal by a second offset value. The first offset value and the second offset value can be pre-defined or configured by the network device.

[0182] Based on this, the first device can determine the resource for reporting the first information based on the resource for receiving the second reference signal. The network device can not have to configure the reporting resource for the first device, thereby reducing the signaling overhead and improving the reporting efficiency.

[0183] It should be understood that after receiving the first information reported by the first device, the network device can decode to obtain the one or more second measurement results and / or the one or more second identification information included in the first information. Further, the network device can determine the second device associated with the first device based on the one or more second measurement results and / or the one or more second identification information.

[0184] In some embodiments, the network device determines the second device associated with the first device based on the one or more second measurement results and / or the one or more second identification information, which can be implemented in the following ways:

[0185] The network device determines the first distance between the first device and the device sending the one or more second reference signals based on the one or more second measurement results and / or the one or more second identification information.

[0186] The network device determines the second device associated with the first device based on the first distance, wherein the first distance between the second device and the first device is less than a second threshold.

[0187] It should be understood that in the sidelink positioning (SL positioning) technology, the second measurement result associated with the second reference signal can be used to determine the relative position relationship between the two ends of the second reference signal.

[0188] In the embodiments of the present application, the network device can determine the relative position relationship between the first device and the device sending the second reference signal based on the measurement result of the second reference signal according to the sidelink positioning (SL positioning) technology. In this way, the network device can determine the association relationship between the two devices based on the relative position relationship between the first device and the second device, and the basic principle can be understood as that the network device establishes the association between the two devices with a relatively close distance.

[0189] In this way, the network device can associate the first device with another device with a relatively close distance.

[0190] In the embodiments of the present application, the second device can be selected by the second threshold. The network device can determine the device with a first distance less than the second threshold from the first device as the second device associated with the first device.

[0191] It should be noted that the network device can determine one or more second devices for the first device, that is, the number of second devices can be one or more, and the first device is associated with one or more second devices to coordinate the data interaction with the A-IOT device. The number of second devices is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0192] In an implementation, the number of second devices can include N, and N is an integer greater than 1. Correspondingly, the network device can determine the first N devices with a first distance less than the second threshold as the second devices associated with the first device.

[0193] In another embodiment, the number of the second devices is one, and the network device can select the device closest to the first device as the second device if there are multiple devices closer to the first device than the second threshold, or the network device can select the second device in combination with other manners (e.g., manner #A, manner #C or manner #D), for example, the network device can select the device with the better measurement result of the first channel from the multiple devices closer to the first device.

[0194] It should be noted that the specific method of how the network device determines the distance between devices based on the second measurement result depends on the implementation of the network device, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0195] Through manner #B, the network device can determine the relative distance between the first device and other devices according to the second measurement result reported by the first device, and then select the second device that can be associated with the first device based on the relative distance between the first device and other devices. In this way, the associated first device and second device can complete data interaction with the A-IOT device based on the coordination of the network device, and guarantee the A-IOT service requirements.

[0196] Manner #C: The first device sends first information to the network device, and the network device determines the second device associated with the first device based on the first information. The first information can include third identification information, and the third identification information is used to indicate the second device.

[0197] It should be understood that in manner #C, the first device can select the second device that can be associated by itself, and report the third identification information corresponding to the second device to the network device.

[0198] It should be noted that the third identification information can include one or more, that is, the first device can report the identification information of one or more second devices that can be associated to the network device. Correspondingly, the network device can select part or all of the third identification information as the second device associated with the first device.

[0199] In some embodiments, the first device can determine the second device that can be associated before sending the third identification information to the network device.

[0200] The first measurement result corresponding to the first channel sent by the second device determined by the first device is better than the first threshold; and / or the first distance between the second device determined by the first device and the first device is less than the second threshold; wherein the first distance is determined based on the second measurement result corresponding to the second reference signal sent by the second device.

[0201] That is, the first device can determine the second device that can be associated based on the first measurement result corresponding to the one or more first channels, and / or the second measurement result corresponding to the one or more second reference signals.

[0202] In a possible implementation, the first device can determine the second device based on the first measurement result corresponding to the one or more first channels. Wherein, the first device can select the first measurement result satisfying a condition from the one or more first measurement results, and take the device associated with the first measurement result as the second device that can be associated.

[0203] It should be understood that the condition can be that the measurement result is better than a first threshold value; that is, the second device that can be associated selected by the first device can be the device from the multiple devices sending the first channel, and the measurement result corresponding to the first channel sent by the device is better than the first threshold value.

[0204] It should be noted that the first threshold value can be predefined or configured by the network device, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0205] It should be further noted that the first device can determine one or more second devices that can be associated to report, that is, the identification information of the second device that can be associated reported by the first device can be one or more. It can be understood that the first device can be associated with one or more second devices to coordinate the completion of data interaction with the A-IOT device, and the number of second devices is not limited by the embodiments of the present application.

[0206] In an example, the first device can report the identification information of N second devices, N is an integer greater than 1. Specifically, the first device can take the devices associated with the first N first measurement results satisfying the condition in the one or more first measurement results as the second devices that can be associated by the first device.

[0207] In another example, the first device can only report the identification information of one second device. If there are multiple first measurement results satisfying the condition in the one or more first measurement results, the first device can select the device associated with the first measurement result with the best measurement result as the second device that can be associated, or the first device can select the second device in combination with the distance between devices, for example, the network device can select the device closest to the first device from the multiple devices associated with the first measurement result satisfying the condition as the second device.

[0208] It should be noted that the first measurement result and the related description of the first channel can be understood in the manner #A in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here for brevity.

[0209] In another possible implementation, the first device can determine the second device based on the second measurement result of the one or more second reference signals. In this case, the first device can determine the first distance between the first device and each device sending the second reference signal based on the second measurement result of the one or more second reference signals, and take the device with the first distance less than the second threshold value as the associable second device.

[0210] It should be noted that the first device can determine one or more associable second devices to report, that is, the number of second devices can be one or more, and the first device can be associated with one or more second devices to coordinate the data interaction with the A-IOT device. The number of second devices is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0211] In an example, the first device can report the identification information of N associable second devices, where N is an integer greater than 1. Correspondingly, the first device can take the first N devices with the first distance less than the second threshold value as the associable second devices.

[0212] In another example, the first device can report the identification information of one second device. In this case, if the devices with the first distance less than the second threshold value include multiple devices, the first device can select the device closest to the first device as the associable second device, or the first device can select the second device in combination with the first measurement result of the first channel, for example, the network device can select the device with the better measurement result of the first channel as the second device.

[0213] It should be noted that the second threshold value can be predefined or configured by the network device, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0214] It should be further noted that the second measurement result and the related description of the second reference signal can be understood in the manner #B in the above embodiments, and details are not repeated here for brevity.

[0215] In yet another possible implementation, the first device can determine the associable second device based on the first measurement result corresponding to the one or more first channels and the second measurement result corresponding to the one or more second reference signals.

[0216] In an example, the first device can select the first measurement result satisfying a condition from the first measurement result corresponding to the one or more first channels, where the device associated with the first measurement result satisfying the condition is referred to as a candidate device. Further, the first device can determine the first distance between the candidate device based on the second measurement result of the second reference signal sent by the candidate device, and select the candidate device with the smaller first distance as the associable second device.

[0217] In another example, the first device can determine a first distance between the first device and a device sending the second reference signal based on a second measurement result of the second reference signal, and select a device with a first distance less than a second threshold value as a candidate device. Further, the first device can select a device with an optimal first measurement result of a first channel sent by the candidate device as the second device, or select multiple devices with first measurement results satisfying a condition as the second devices that can be associated.

[0218] It should be understood that after the first device determines the second devices that can be associated, the first device can report identification information (i.e., third identification information) of the second devices to the network device.

[0219] In some embodiments, the third identification information (i.e., the first information described above) can be transmitted in PUCCH and / or PUSCH, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0220] In some embodiments, the first information can be sent based on an event trigger. That is, the first device reports the third identification information based on an event or a condition trigger. For example, the first device can report the third identification information to the network device when it is necessary to update the associated second devices, or the first device position moves, or the channel quality between the first device and the second device deteriorates.

[0221] In some embodiments, the transmission resource of the first information reported by the first device can be determined based on configuration information sent by the network device. That is, the transmission resource used by the first device to report the third identification information can be configured by the network device.

[0222] For example, the network device can indicate the transmission resource of the first information for the first device through DCI signaling, and the first device can report the first information based on the transmission resource.

[0223] In some embodiments, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with the transmission resource of the first channel received by the first device, or the transmission resource of the second reference signal. It can be understood that there is a mapping relationship between the resource of the first channel received by the first device (or the resource of the second reference signal received by the first device) and the resource of the first information reported by the first device. For example, the time domain resource of the first information reported by the first device is separated from the time domain resource of the first channel received by the first device (or the time domain resource of the second reference signal received by the first device) by a first offset value, and / or the frequency domain resource of the first information reported by the first device is separated from the frequency domain resource of the first channel received by the first device (or the frequency domain resource of the second reference signal received by the first device) by a second offset value. The first offset value and the second offset value can be predefined or configured by the network device.

[0224] Based on this, the first device can determine the resource for reporting the first information based on the resource for receiving the first channel or the resource for receiving the second reference signal. The network device can not need to configure the reporting resource for the first device, thereby reducing signaling overhead and improving reporting efficiency.

[0225] In the embodiment of the application, after receiving the first information reported by the first device, the network device can decode the third identification information included in the first information. Further, the network device can determine the second device associated with the first device based on the third identification information.

[0226] It should be noted that if the number of third identification information in the first information includes multiple, the network device can select one from the multiple devices indicated by the multiple third identification information as the second device associated with the first device, for example, the network device can randomly select one from the multiple devices indicated by the first device, or select a device that is idle or not associated with other devices as the final second device associated with the first device. In addition, the network device can also determine the devices corresponding to the multiple third identification information as the second devices associated with the first device, and the embodiment of the application does not limit this.

[0227] Through the way #C, the first device can directly report the identification information of the second device that can be associated, and correspondingly, the network device can configure the associated second device for the first device based on the identification information of the second device reported by the first device. The first device and the second device that are associated can complete data interaction with the A-IOT device based on the coordination of the network device, and guarantee the A-IOT service requirement.

[0228] Way #D: The first device sends the first information to the network device, and the network device determines the second device associated with the first device based on the first information. The first information includes the third measurement result corresponding to the third reference signal.

[0229] It should be noted that the third measurement result is used to determine the second distance between the first device and the network device; and the second distance is used for the network device to determine the second device.

[0230] It should be understood that the network device can determine the association relationship between the first device and the second device according to the distance between itself and each device.

[0231] In the embodiment of the application, the first device can receive the third reference signal and obtain the third measurement result of the third reference signal.

[0232] It should be noted that the third reference signal can be sent by the network device, that is, the third reference signal is a downlink reference signal. For example, the third reference signal can be one or more of a downlink PRS, a downlink DMRS, and a downlink PTRS, and the embodiment of the application does not limit this.

[0233] It should be noted that the third measurement result associated with the third reference signal can include, but is not limited to, one or more of RSRP, RSRPP, RTOA, AOA, Rx-Tx time difference, RSTD.

[0234] In some embodiments, the third reference signal can be a downlink PRS, and correspondingly, the third measurement result can include one or more of the following:

[0235] DL PRS-RSRP;

[0236] DL PRS-RSRPP;

[0237] DL RTOA;

[0238] DL AOA;

[0239] Device Rx-Tx time difference.

[0240] It should be understood that the measurement result corresponding to the downlink PRS can be used to determine the relative position relationship between the two ends of the PRS transceiver.

[0241] It should be noted that the transmission resource of the third reference signal can be predefined or configured by the network device. That is, the first device can determine the transmission resource of the third reference signal according to the predefined information or the network device configuration information.

[0242] It should be understood that after the first device measures the third reference signal to obtain the third measurement result, the first device can report the third measurement result to the network device.

[0243] In some embodiments, the third measurement result (i.e., the first information) can be carried in PUCCH and / or PUSCH, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0244] In some embodiments, the first information can be sent based on an event trigger. That is, the first device reports the third identification information based on an event or condition trigger. Illustratively, the first device can report the third measurement result of the third reference signal to the network device when the third reference signal is received.

[0245] In some embodiments, the first information can be sent based on a time period. That is, the first device can periodically report the third measurement result corresponding to the third reference signal to the network device.

[0246] It should be noted that the time period is determined based on pre-defined information or configuration information sent by the network device. It can be understood that the first information reported by the first device to the network device can be determined according to the measurement result obtained by receiving the third reference signal one or more times in a period, and the first information can include multiple third measurement results.

[0247] In some embodiments, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is determined based on the configuration information sent by the network device. That is, the transmission resource used by the first device to report the third measurement result can be configured by the network device.

[0248] For example, the network device can configure static resources or semi-static resources for the first device through RRC signaling, and the first device can periodically report the first information in the static resources or semi-static resources. For another example, the network device can configure dynamic resources for the first device through DCI signaling, and the first device can report the first information based on the resources once.

[0249] In some embodiments, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with the transmission resource of the third reference signal received by the first device. It can be understood that there is a mapping relationship between the resource of the third reference signal received by the first device and the resource of the first information reported by the first device. For example, the time domain resource of the first information reported by the first device is separated from the time domain resource of the third reference signal received by the first device by a first offset value, and / or the frequency domain resource of the first information reported by the first device is separated from the frequency domain resource of the third reference signal received by the first device by a second offset value. The first offset value and the second offset value can be pre-defined or configured by the network device.

[0250] Based on this, the first device can determine the resource for reporting the measurement result associated with the third reference signal based on the resource for receiving the third reference signal. The network device can not have to configure the reporting resource for the first device, thereby reducing the signaling overhead and improving the reporting efficiency.

[0251] It should be understood that after receiving the first information reported by the first device, the network device can decode and obtain the third measurement result included in the first information. Further, the network device can determine the second device associated with the first device based on the third measurement result.

[0252] In some embodiments, the network device determines the second device associated with the first device based on the third measurement result, which can be achieved by the following ways:

[0253] The network device determines the second distance between the first device and the network device based on the third measurement result;

[0254] The network device determines the second device associated with the first device based on the second distance and the distance between the network device and other devices.

[0255] It should be understood that in the NR positioning technology, the relative position relationship between the two ends of the uplink reference signal can be determined by the measurement result of the uplink reference signal (such as SRS), and / or the relative position relationship between the two ends of the downlink reference signal can be determined by the measurement result of the downlink reference signal (such as PRS).

[0256] In the embodiments of the present application, the network device can determine the relative position relationship between itself and the first device according to the third measurement result reported by the first device. In addition, the network device can also receive the measurement result of the downlink reference signal reported by other devices to determine the relative position relationship between the network device and the other devices, and the network device can also receive the uplink measurement reference signal sent by other devices to determine the relative position relationship between the network device and the other devices based on the measurement result of the uplink measurement reference signal.

[0257] In this way, the network device can determine the association relationship between the first device and the second device based on the relative position relationship between the network device and the first device and the relative position relationship between the network device and the second device. The basic principle can be understood as that the network device establishes association between two devices with a relatively close distance.

[0258] In some embodiments, the network device can determine the second distance between itself and the first device according to the third measurement result reported by the first device, and the network device can determine the second distance between itself and other devices according to the measurement result of the downlink reference signal reported by the other devices. In this way, the network device can associate two devices with a relatively close distance according to the second distance.

[0259] In some embodiments, the first device can also determine the relative position relationship and / or the second distance between the first device and the network device by itself according to the third measurement result of the third reference signal. The first device can report the determined relative position relationship and / or the second distance between itself and the network device to the network device. The network device can directly determine the associated second device for the first device based on the relative position relationship and / or the second distance reported by the first device.

[0260] It should be noted that the network device can determine one or more associated second devices for the first device. For example, the network device can determine one or more devices with the closest distance to the first device as the associated second devices.

[0261] According to mode #D, the network device can determine the distance between the network device and the first device according to the measurement result of the first device for the downlink reference signal, and then select a second device that can be associated with the first device based on the distance to the first device. In this way, the first device and the second device associated with each other can complete data interaction with the A-IOT device based on the coordination of the network device, thereby guaranteeing the A-IOT service requirements.

[0262] Mode #E: The first device sends a first reference signal to the network device, and the network device determines a second device associated with the first device based on the measurement result of the first reference signal.

[0263] It should be understood that the first reference signal is an uplink reference signal, for example, the first reference signal can be one or more of an uplink sounding reference signal (SRS), an uplink DMRS, and an uplink PTRS, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0264] It should be noted that the transmission resource of the first reference signal can be predefined or configured by the network device. That is, the first device can determine the transmission resource of the first reference signal according to the predefined information or the network device configuration information. The first device can send the first reference signal to the network device on the transmission resource.

[0265] In the embodiments of the present application, the network device can receive the first reference signal on the transmission resource described above, so that the network device can determine the second device associated with the first device based on the first reference signal sent by the first device.

[0266] In some embodiments, the network device determines the second device associated with the first device based on the first reference signal sent by the first device, which can be implemented in the following modes:

[0267] The network device determines a third distance between the network device and the first device based on the measurement result of the first reference signal.

[0268] The network device determines the second device associated with the first device based on the third distance and the distance between the network device and other devices.

[0269] It should be noted that the measurement result of the first reference signal can include but is not limited to one or more of RSRP, RSRPP, RTOA, AOA, Rx-Tx time difference, and RSTD.

[0270] In some embodiments, the first reference signal can be an uplink SRS, and correspondingly, the measurement result of the first reference signal can include one or more of the following:

[0271] UL SRS-RSRP;

[0272] UL SRS-RSRPP;

[0273] UL RTOA;

[0274] UL AOA;

[0275] Network device Rx-Tx time difference.

[0276] It should be understood that in the embodiments of the present application, the network device can determine the relative position relationship between itself and the first device based on the first reference signal sent by the first device according to the NR positioning technology. In addition, the network device can determine the relative position relationship between itself and other devices according to the uplink reference signal sent by the other devices, and the network device can also determine the relative position relationship between itself and the other devices according to the measurement result of the downlink reference signal reported by the other devices.

[0277] In this way, the network device can determine the association relationship between the first device and the second device based on the relative position relationship between the network device and the first device and the relative position relationship between the network device and the second device, and the basic principle can be understood as that the network device establishes association between two devices with a relatively close distance.

[0278] In some embodiments, the network device can determine the third distance between itself and the first device according to the measurement result of the first reference signal sent by the first device, and determine the third distance between itself and the other devices according to the measurement result of the uplink reference signal sent by the other devices (or according to the measurement result of the downlink reference signal reported by the other devices). In this way, the network device can associate two devices with a relatively close distance according to the third distance.

[0279] It should be noted that the network device can determine one or more associated second devices for the first device. For example, the network device can determine one or more devices with the closest distance to the first device as the associated second devices.

[0280] Through the mode #E, the network device can determine the distance between itself and the first device based on the uplink reference signal sent by the first device according to the NR positioning technology, and then select the second device that can be associated for the first device based on the distance to the first device. In this way, the associated first device and the second device can complete data interaction with the A-IOT device based on the coordination of the network device, and guarantee the A-IOT service requirements.

[0281] It should be noted that the above mode #A~mode #E can be combined for implementation.

[0282] In an example, the manner #A and the manner #B can be combined. Wherein the first device can send the first information to the network device, the network device determines the second device based on the first information, and the first information can include the following contents:

[0283] one or more first measurement results; the one or more first measurement results are associated with one or more first channels;

[0284] one or more first identification information, the one or more first identification information is used to indicate the device sending the one or more first channels;

[0285] one or more second measurement results; the one or more second measurement results are associated with one or more second reference signals;

[0286] one or more second identification information, the one or more second identification information is used to indicate the device sending the one or more second reference signals.

[0287] It should be understood that in this example, the network device can select the device with the first measurement result superior to the first threshold value and the first distance smaller than the second threshold value as the second device associated with the first device according to the above information reported by the first device.

[0288] Wherein, the first device can select the first measurement result meeting the condition from the first measurement results corresponding to the one or more first channels, and the device associated with the first measurement result meeting the condition is referred to as the candidate device. Further, the first device can determine the first distance between the candidate device and the first device based on the second measurement result of the second reference signal sent by the candidate device, and select the candidate device with the smaller first distance as the second device that can be associated.

[0289] Alternatively, the first device can determine the first distance between the first device and the device sending the second reference signal based on the second measurement result of the second reference signal, and select the device with the first distance smaller than the second threshold value as the candidate device. Further, the first device can select the device with the optimal first measurement result as the second device based on the first measurement result of the first channel sent by the candidate device, or select multiple devices with the first measurement result meeting the condition as the second device that can be associated.

[0290] In an example, the manner #A and the manner #D are combined. Wherein the first device can send the first information to the network device, and the network device can determine the second device based on the first information, and the first information can include the following contents:

[0291] one or more first measurement results; the one or more first measurement results are associated with one or more first channels;

[0292] one or more first identification information, the one or more first identification information being used to indicate the device sending the one or more first channels;

[0293] a third measurement result, the third measurement result being associated with a third reference signal.

[0294] It should be understood that in this example, the network device can determine the second distance between itself and the first device according to the third measurement result reported by the first device, and determine the second distance between itself and other devices according to the measurement result of the downlink reference signal reported by the other devices. The network device can determine the second device associated with the first device as the device with the first measurement result superior to the first threshold value and closer distance according to the above information and the second distance reported by the first device.

[0295] In an example, the manner #A and the manner #E are combined, wherein the first device can send the first information and the first reference signal to the network device, and the first information can include the following contents:

[0296] one or more first measurement results, the one or more first measurement results being associated with one or more first channels;

[0297] one or more first identification information, the one or more first identification information being used to indicate the device sending the one or more first channels.

[0298] It should be understood that in this example, the network device can determine the third distance between itself and the first device according to the measurement result of the first reference signal sent by the first device, and determine the third distance between itself and other devices according to the measurement result of the uplink reference signal sent by the other devices (or according to the measurement result of the downlink reference signal reported by the other devices). In this way, the network device can determine the second device associated with the first device as the device with the first measurement result superior to the first threshold value and closer distance according to the above information and the third distance reported by the first device.

[0299] It should be noted that two or more of the manners #A to #E can be combined to determine the associated second device, and the combined implementation scheme belongs to the protection scope of the present application.

[0300] In the embodiments of the present application, the content contained in the first information can be related to the transmission capability of the first device. That is, the selection of the first device of one or more of the above manners #A to #E can be related to the transmission capability of the first device itself.

[0301] In some embodiments, the transmission capability can include one or more of the following:

[0302] the capability of supporting sending / receiving PRDCH;

[0303] a capability of supporting sending / receiving a PDRCH;

[0304] a capability of supporting sending / receiving a PSSCH and a PSCCH;

[0305] a capability of supporting sending an uplink measurement reference signal;

[0306] a capability of supporting sending / receiving a sidelink positioning reference signal;

[0307] a capability of supporting receiving a downlink positioning reference signal.

[0308] In an example, if the first device supports a capability of sending / receiving a PRDCH and a capability of sending / receiving a PDRCH, or supports a capability of sending / receiving a PSSCH and a PSCCH, the first device can report the first information in a manner #A or a manner #C.

[0309] In an example, if the first device supports a capability of sending / receiving a sidelink positioning reference signal, the first device can report the first information in a manner #B or a manner #C.

[0310] In an example, if the first device supports a capability of receiving a downlink positioning reference signal, the first device can report the first information in a manner #D.

[0311] In an example, if the first device supports a capability of sending an uplink measurement reference signal, the first device can report the first information in a manner #E.

[0312] It should be noted that if the first device supports two or more capabilities, the first device can report in combination of two or more manners.

[0313] In some embodiments, before sending the first information and / or the first reference signal, the first device can send fourth information to the network device, the fourth information being used to indicate a transmission capability of the first device.

[0314] In some embodiments, the network device can configure corresponding resources for the first device based on the fourth information, for example, the network device can configure one or more of a transmission resource of the first channel, a transmission resource of the first reference signal, a transmission resource of the second reference signal, and a transmission resource of the third reference signal for the first device based on the transmission capability supported by the first device.

[0315] In an example, if the first device supports the capability of sending / receiving PRDCH and the capability of sending / receiving PDRCH, or supports the capability of sending / receiving PSSCH and PSCCH, the network device can configure the first device with a transmission resource of the first channel, and correspondingly, the first device can report the first information in a manner #A or a manner #C.

[0316] In an example, if the first device supports the capability of sending / receiving sidelink positioning reference signals, the network device can configure the first device with a resource of a second reference signal, and correspondingly, the first device can report the first information in a manner #B or a manner #C.

[0317] In an example, if the first device supports the capability of receiving downlink positioning reference signals, the network device can configure the first device with a resource of a third reference signal, and correspondingly, the first device can report the first information in a manner #D.

[0318] In an example, if the first device supports the capability of sending uplink measurement reference signals, the network device can configure the first device with a resource of a first reference signal, and correspondingly, the first device can report the first information in a manner #E.

[0319] It should be noted that if the first device supports two or more capabilities, the network device can configure the first device with two or more resources, and correspondingly, can report in combination of two or more manners.

[0320] In the embodiments of the present application, after the second device is determined through the above manners #A-#E, the method provided by the embodiments of the present application can further include the following steps:

[0321] S720, the network device sends third information to the first device and / or the second device. The first device and / or the second device can receive the third information; the third information is used to indicate an association relationship between the first device and the second device.

[0322] It should be understood that after the network device determines the associated first device and second device according to the above manners, the network device needs to inform the first device and the second device of the association relationship.

[0323] In some embodiments, the third information includes one or more of the following:

[0324] identification information of the first device;

[0325] identification information of the second device;

[0326] association identification information of the first device and the second device.

[0327] It should be noted that the association identification information can be understood as pair identification information. The association identification information can be determined according to the identification information of the first device and the second device, for example, the identification information of the first device and the identification information of the second device are combined, or the first identification information and the second identification information are processed according to a certain rule. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the way of determining the association identification information.

[0328] It should be understood that according to the description in the foregoing, the first information can be reported based on event triggering or periodic reporting. For different reporting modes of the first information, the network device sending the third information can also have multiple implementation modes.

[0329] In some embodiments, for the scenario that the first information is triggered based on an event (or condition), the network device can send the third information in the following two different ways.

[0330] The following takes mode #A and mode #B as examples for illustration. For mode #A, the first device can trigger the network device to report the first information (the first measurement result and / or the first identification information) after receiving the first channel sent by the other device; for mode #B, the first device can trigger the network device to report the first information (the second measurement result and / or the second identification information) after receiving the second reference signal.

[0331] In an example, for the event (or condition) triggered first information reporting, at this time, the first information only includes one measurement result and / or one identification information. Referring to an information interaction flow diagram shown in FIG. 8, after receiving the event triggered first information, the network device can determine whether the measurement result in the first information meets the requirement according to the first information (for example, for mode #A, the first measurement result is better than the first threshold value, for mode #B, the first distance corresponding to the second measurement result is less than the second threshold value). If the requirement is met, the network device can indicate the device indicated by the identification information in the first information as the second device, and the network device can send the third information to notify the association relationship between the first device and the second device. Conversely, if the measurement result in the first information does not meet the requirement, the network device does not send the third information.

[0332] In another example, for the first information reporting triggered based on events (or conditions), referring to the second information interaction diagram in FIG. 9, the first device can receive the first channel or the second reference signal sent by the reader 1, the reader 2 and the reader 3, which triggers the behavior of reporting the first information three times respectively, and each time the first information is sent, the first information only includes one measurement result and one identification information (the first measurement result and the first identification information, or the second measurement result or the second identification information). It can be understood that the network device can receive the first information sent by the first device three times, and can obtain three measurement results from the first information sent three times. The network device can select the second device that meets the requirements according to the three measurement results and the three identification information. Further, the network device can send the third information to notify the association relationship between the first device and the second device. Conversely, if the above three measurement results do not meet the requirements, the network device will not send the third information.

[0333] It should be noted that if the network device determines multiple devices that meet the requirements according to the three measurement results and the three identification information, the network device can randomly select one device from the multiple devices that meet the requirements, or select the device with the optimal measurement result or the closest device from the multiple devices as the second device.

[0334] It should be further noted that the network device can continuously listen to the first information within a first time window after receiving the first first information, and determine the third information according to the multiple first information received within the first time window.

[0335] In some embodiments, for the scenario of periodically reporting the first information, the following takes the mode #A as an example to illustrate the specific mode of the network device sending the third information. Referring to the third information interaction diagram in FIG. 10, the first device receives the first channel sent by the reader 1, the reader 2 and the reader 3, and the first device determines the first information according to the above three received first channels. At this time, the first information can include three first measurement results and three first identification information. The network device can select the first measurement result with a measurement result higher than a first threshold value from the three first measurement results. The reader corresponding to the identification information associated with the first measurement result with the measurement result higher than the first threshold value is determined as the second device. Further, the network device sends the third information to notify the association relationship between the first device and the second device. Conversely, if the above three measurement results do not meet the requirements, the network device will not send the third information.

[0336] It should be noted that the network device can send the third information to the first device and the second device in a broadcast / multicast manner, and the network device can also send the third information to the first device and the second device respectively in a unicast manner, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit the sending mode of the third information.

[0337] The method provided by the embodiments of the present application is described in detail below in combination with the D2T2-A1 scenario.

[0338] An A-IoT device has a simple structure and extremely low power consumption, and the service supported by the A-IoT device is also relatively simple, for example, goods inventory, intelligent control, etc., which can be supported by simple data interaction between a reader and a device, and the R2D transmission and the D2R transmission between the reader and the device generally have a strong correlation. In the above D2T2-A1 scenario, two different readers participate in the R2D transmission and the D2R transmission, and such a mode can support a function of reporting temperature, early warning, etc. to an edge reader triggered by a central reader. Since both readers are controlled by a base station / network device, before the above R2D and D2R transmission is performed, the base station / network device needs to associate the above two readers in the deployment, and notify the associated readers of the association relationship, so as to ensure that the two readers cooperate to complete the data interaction. When the base station / network device associates / matches the readers, it can determine which readers can be associated with each other to form a reader pair based on auxiliary information, wherein the auxiliary information can be a measurement result reported by the reader, or relative distance or absolute position information of the reader obtained by the base station. Through different ways, the base station / network device can associate the readers according to different auxiliary information.

[0339] Embodiment One

[0340] In embodiment one, the base station / network device can determine the association relationship between the first device and the second device based on the RSRP measurement result of the first device on the A-IoT interface.

[0341] Referring to the flowchart shown in FIG. 11, the communication method provided by the embodiments of the present application can include the following steps:

[0342] S1, the first device receives the first channel to determine the first information.

[0343] The first channel is transmitted on the A-IoT interface, and the first channel can be PRDCH or PDRCH.

[0344] It should be noted that if the first channel is one of PRDCH or PDRCH, then the first device is required to have the capability of transmitting and receiving PRDCH or PDRCH at the same time, while the first device as a reader usually only needs to have the capability of transmitting RRDCH and receiving PDRCH.

[0345] It is also to be noted that the first channel is used to transmit one or more of the following: control information, data information. At least one of the above control and / or data information includes identification information associated with the reader, the reader being the reader that transmits the first channel, and the identification information is, for example, ID information associated with the reader. The first channel needs to have a preamble associated therewith, the preamble including a start indication and / or a time acquisition portion, the start indication being used by a device receiving the first channel to determine the start time of the transmission of the first channel, and the time acquisition portion being used by the device receiving the first channel to synchronize the time, the preamble being transmitted before the transmission of the first channel.

[0346] The first information includes a first measurement result and / or a first identification information.

[0347] The first measurement result can be an RSRP measurement value measured based on the first channel. Specifically, when determining the RSRP measurement value based on the first channel, the measurement can be based on part or all of the first channel, for example, the first channel includes a preamble, control information, data information, and the first device can determine the first measurement value only based on the preamble. Assuming that the preamble time domain includes X OFDM symbols, the first device determines the first measurement value based on the received power of the X OFDM symbols.

[0348] In some embodiments, the first measurement result can include one or more measurement values, the multiple measurement values being determined by the first device receiving the first channel multiple times, and the first channel can be transmitted by the same or different readers.

[0349] In addition, the first identification information is used by the receiving end to determine the ID information of the reader that transmits the first channel, and the first identification information is associated with the first measurement value. Optionally, the first identification information includes one or more identification information, and the multiple identification information is respectively associated with the multiple readers that transmit the first channel. When the first identification information includes multiple identification information, the first measurement result also includes multiple measurement values, and the multiple identification information is one-to-one associated with the multiple measurement values included in the first measurement result.

[0350] The base station / network device configures multiple first channel transmission opportunities (i.e., transmission resources), and the different first channel transmission opportunities are different at least in time domain resources or frequency domain resources, for example, the different first channel transmission opportunities occupy different OFDM symbols or different PRBs. The reader determines the first channel transmission opportunity used by itself according to the configuration / scheduling information of the base station / network device. In one implementation, the reader determines the transmission opportunity occupied by the dedicated first channel according to the scheduling information, and the transmission opportunities used by different readers are different, and any reader can only be in one of the transmission or reception states in any transmission opportunity. In another implementation, the reader can determine all the first channel transmission opportunities according to the configuration information, and the reader can uniformly and randomly select one of the transmission or reception states in each transmission opportunity.

[0351] S2, the first device sends the above first information to the base station / network device.

[0352] It should be noted that when the first device reports the above first information, the first information can be carried in PUCCH or PUSCH.

[0353] When the first device reports the above first information, it can be based on conditional triggering. In one implementation, the first device triggers the behavior of reporting the first information every time it receives the first channel.

[0354] When the first device reports the above first information, it can be periodic reporting. The time interval of the periodic reporting is determined according to the network configuration information. At this time, the first information reported by the first device is determined according to the measurement results obtained by receiving the first channel one or more times in a period, and the first measurement result and the first identification information include one or more values.

[0355] In some embodiments, the resource used by the first device to report the first information is associated with the time-frequency domain resource of receiving the first channel, and there is a mapping relationship between the two. Based on the time-frequency domain resource of the first channel transmission opportunity, the time-frequency domain resource of reporting the first information can be determined.

[0356] S3, the base station / network device determines that the first device is associated with the second device according to the first information reported by the first device.

[0357] After the base station / network device receives the first information reported by the first device, the first measurement result and / or the first identification information included in the first information can be decoded to obtain the first measurement result and / or the first identification information. The base station / network device determines the first measurement value meeting the first condition according to the first measurement result and the first condition, and determines the identification information associated with the first measurement value according to the determined first measurement value and the first identification information. The reader associated with the above identification information is the second device. Since there are various implementation manners for the first device to report the first information, the base station / network device can also have various manners to determine the association between the first device and the second device according to the first information.

[0358] Referring to an information interaction diagram I shown in FIG. 8, the first device reports the first information based on a condition trigger. When the first device receives the first channel sent by other readers, the first information is determined based on the first channel, and the above first information is reported to the base station / network device. The base station / network device receives the first information reported by the first device. At this time, the first measurement result and the first identification information included in the first information have only one measurement value and one identification information. The base station / network device determines whether the above one measurement value meets the first condition. If the first condition is met, the above measurement value is the first measurement value, the above identification information is the identification information associated with the first measurement value, the second device is the reader associated with the above identification information, and the base station / network device sends the first signaling (i.e., the third information in the above) to notify the association relationship between the first device and the second device. Conversely, if the above one measurement value does not meet the first condition, the base station / network device will not send the first signaling. Optionally, the first condition is that the measurement value is greater than or equal to a threshold M, and the above threshold depends on the standard predefinition or the implementation of the base station / network device.

[0359] Referring to a second information interaction schematic diagram shown in FIG. 9, the first device reports the first information based on a conditional trigger. When the first device receives the first channel sent by the other reader, the first information is determined based on the first channel, and the above-mentioned first information is reported to the base station / network device. Therefore, the first device triggers the behavior of reporting the first information three times respectively after receiving the first channel sent by the reader 1, the reader 2 and the reader 3, and the first measurement result and the first identification information in the first information respectively include only one measurement value and one identification information each time the first information is sent. The base station / network device correspondingly receives the first information sent by the first device three times, and can obtain three measurement values from the first information sent three times. According to the first condition, the base station / network device selects the first measurement value meeting the first condition, and determines the identification information associated with the first measurement value from the three identification information. The reader associated with the above-mentioned identification information is the second device. The base station / network device sends the first signaling to notify the association relationship between the first device and the second device. Conversely, if the above-mentioned one measurement value does not meet the above-mentioned first condition, the base station / network device will not send the first signaling. Optionally, if multiple measurement values in the three measurement values meet the first condition, the base station / network device randomly selects one measurement value as the first measurement value from the multiple measurement values meeting the condition, or selects the measurement value with the largest value as the first measurement value from the multiple measurement values.

[0360] Referring to a third information interaction schematic diagram shown in FIG. 10, the first device periodically reports the first information. In one period, the first device receives the first channel sent by the reader 1, the reader 2 and the reader 3. The first device determines the first information according to the above-mentioned three received first channels. At this time, the first measurement result and the first identification information included in the first information will respectively include multiple measurement values and multiple identification information. The base station / network device receives the first information sent by the first device, determines the first measurement value according to the first information and the first condition, and determines the identification information associated with the first measurement value from the three identification information. The reader associated with the above-mentioned identification information is the second device. The base station / network device sends the first signaling to notify the association relationship between the first device and the second device. Conversely, if the above-mentioned one measurement value does not meet the above-mentioned first condition, the base station / network device will not send the first signaling.

[0361] S4, the base station / network device sends the first signaling. The first signaling is used to associate the first device and the second device.

[0362] After the base station / network device determines the associated first device and the second device according to the above-mentioned method, the first signaling needs to be sent to notify the association relationship between the two devices.

[0363] The first signaling comprises one or more of the following information: identification information associated with the first device, identification information associated with the second device, and pair identification information. The pair identification information represents the association relationship between the first device and the second device, and is determined according to the identification information of the first device and the second device.

[0364] In an implementation, the base station / network device can send the first signaling to the associated first device and second device in a multicast manner.

[0365] In another implementation, the base station / network device sends the first signaling to the associated first device and second device respectively.

[0366] Embodiment Two

[0367] In Embodiment Two, the base station / network device determines the association relationship between the first device and the second device based on the RSRP measurement of the first device on the SL interface.

[0368] In this embodiment, the base station / network device determines the association relationship between the first device and the second device in the same four-step process as in Embodiment One, with the difference being that in the first step, the first device determines the first information according to the first channel, and the first device is determined according to the RSRP measurement value measured on the SL interface, that is, it can be understood that the first channel is transmitted on the SL interface (PC5 interface).

[0369] In the SL, two RSRP measurement quantities are defined: PSSCH-RSRP and PSCCH-RSRP, and the first measurement result in the first information can include one or more of the two. It should be noted that the PSCCH and the PSSCH associated therewith are always transmitted simultaneously and are transmitted in the same time slot, so the first device can determine the above two measurement quantities by receiving the first channel of the transmission of the other reader once.

[0370] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first device needs to perform measurement on the SL interface (PC5 interface), and the first device needs to support SL transmission sending and receiving capability. The remaining steps are consistent with the process of Embodiment One, and will not be repeated here.

[0371] Embodiment Three

[0372] In Embodiment Three, the base station / network device determines the association relationship between the first device and the second device based on the distance between the first device and the second device.

[0373] In the present embodiment, the base station / network device determines the association relationship of the first device and the second device based on the distance between the first device and the second device. The basic principle can be understood as that the base station / network device associates two readers with a shorter distance. The distance between the two readers can be determined based on the SL positioning technology. In the standard, only the features related to the SL positioning reference signal used and the measurement and reporting behavior of the related measurement quantity are embodied, and the specific method of calculating the distance between the two based on the measurement quantity is not embodied, which depends on the implementation of the base station / network device. Therefore, in the present embodiment, only the base station / network device determines the association relationship of the first device and the second device based on the second measurement quantity, and the second measurement quantity includes one or more of the following:

[0374] SL PRS-RSRP;

[0375] SL PRS-RSRPP;

[0376] Sidelink RTOA;

[0377] Sidelink AOA;

[0378] Sidelink Rx-Tx time difference;

[0379] Sidelink RATD.

[0380] It should be noted that the base station / network device sends the first signaling to associate the first device and the second device after determining the association relationship.

[0381] Embodiment Four

[0382] In the fourth embodiment, the base station / network device determines the association relationship of the first device and the second device based on the distance between the base station / network device and the first device and the distance between the base station / network device and the second device.

[0383] In the present embodiment, the base station / network device determines the association relationship of the first device and the second device based on the distance between the base station / network device and the reader. Similar to the case of embodiment 3, the standard does not embody the method of the base station / network device to calculate the terminal positioning information, only requiring the terminal to report the related measurement quantity. Therefore, the base station / network device determines the association relationship of the first device and the second device based on the third measurement quantity, and the third measurement quantity includes one or more of the following:

[0384] DL PRS-RSRP;

[0385] DL RSTD;

[0386] DL AOA;

[0387] UE Rx-Tx time difference;

[0388] UL RTOA;

[0389] gNB Rx-Tx time difference;

[0390] UL AOA.

[0391] It should be noted that when the base station / network device determines the association relationship, the first signaling is sent to associate the first device and the second device.

[0392] The communication method provided by the embodiments of the present application supports the base station / network device to associate two readers based on the assistance information in the D2T2-A1 scenario. The two associated readers can complete data interaction with the A-IOT device based on the coordination of the base station, and can support the A-IOT service requirements.

[0393] The preferred embodiments of the present application are described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the specific details in the above-described embodiments. Within the technical concept of the present application, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the present application, and these simple modifications all belong to the protection scope of the present application. For example, in the above-described specific embodiments, various specific technical features are described, which can be combined in any appropriate manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, various possible combination manners are not described again in the present application. For another example, various different embodiments of the present application can also be combined in any manner, as long as it does not deviate from the idea of the present application, and it should also be considered as the disclosed content of the present application. For another example, under the premise of no conflict, each embodiment described in the present application and / or the technical features in each embodiment can be combined with any prior art, and the technical solutions obtained after combination should also fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0394] It should also be understood that the size of the sequence number of the above processes does not mean the order of execution in various method embodiments of the present application, and the execution order of the processes should be determined according to its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application. In addition, in the embodiments of the present application, the terms "downlink", "uplink" and "sidelink" are used to represent the transmission direction of signals or data, wherein "downlink" is used to represent the first direction of the transmission direction of signals or data from the station to the user equipment of the cell, "uplink" is used to represent the second direction of the transmission direction of signals or data from the user equipment of the cell to the station, and "sidelink" is used to represent the third direction of the transmission direction of signals or data from user equipment 1 to user equipment 2. For example, "downlink signal" represents that the transmission direction of the signal is the first direction. In addition, in the embodiments of the present application, the term "and / or" is only used to describe the association relationship of the associated objects, and indicates that there can be three relationships. Specifically, A and / or B can represent three cases of A alone, A and B together, and B alone. In addition, the character " / " in this paper generally represents that the front and rear associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0395] FIG. 12 is a structural composition schematic diagram of a communication device provided by the embodiments of the present application, which is applied to a first device, as shown in FIG. 12, the communication device comprises:

[0396] A first sending unit 1210, configured to send first information and / or a first reference signal to a network device, the first information and / or the first reference signal being used to determine a second device associated with the first device.

[0397] In some embodiments, the first information comprises one or more of the following:

[0398] One or more first measurement results; the one or more first measurement results are associated with one or more first channels;

[0399] One or more first identification information, the one or more first identification information being used to indicate a device sending the one or more first channels; wherein the one or more first measurement results, and / or, the one or more first identification information are used to determine the second device.

[0400] In some embodiments, the one or more first identification information is one-to-one associated with the one or more first measurement results.

[0401] In some embodiments, the first channel is one or more of the following:

[0402] PRDCH, PDRCH, PSSCH, PSCCH.

[0403] In some embodiments, the first measurement result corresponding to the first channel comprises one or more of:

[0404] a PRDCH RSRP;

[0405] a PDRCH RSRP;

[0406] a PSSCH RSRP;

[0407] a PSCCH RSRP;

[0408] a PRDCH RSSI;

[0409] a PDRCH RSSI;

[0410] a SL RSSI.

[0411] In some embodiments, the first information comprises one or more of:

[0412] one or more second measurement results, the one or more second measurement results being associated with one or more second reference signals;

[0413] one or more second identification information, the one or more second identification information being used to indicate devices sending the one or more second reference signals;

[0414] wherein the one or more second measurement results are used to determine a first distance between the first device and the devices sending the one or more second reference signals, and the first distance and the one or more second identification information are used to determine the second device.

[0415] In some embodiments, the one or more second identification information is associated with the one or more second measurement results one by one.

[0416] In some embodiments, the second reference signal is a sidelink positioning reference signal, and the second measurement result comprises one or more of:

[0417] a sidelink positioning reference signal received power (RSRP);

[0418] a sidelink positioning reference signal received path power;

[0419] a sidelink relative time of arrival;

[0420] a sidelink angle of arrival;

[0421] a sidelink received-transmitted time difference;

[0422] a sidelink positioning reference signal time difference.

[0423] In some embodiments, the first information comprises:

[0424] third identification information, the third identification information being used to indicate the second device.

[0425] In some embodiments, the communication apparatus further comprises a first processing unit configured to determine the second device;

[0426] wherein the first measurement result corresponding to the first channel transmitted by the second device is better than a first threshold value; and / or a first distance between the second device and the first device is smaller than a second threshold value; the first distance being determined based on a second measurement result corresponding to a second reference signal transmitted by the second device.

[0427] In some embodiments, the first information comprises:

[0428] a third measurement result; the third measurement result being associated with a third reference signal; the third measurement result being used to determine a second distance between the first device and a network device; the second distance being used by the network device to determine the second device.

[0429] In some embodiments, the third reference signal is a downlink positioning reference signal; and the third measurement result comprises one or more of:

[0430] a downlink positioning reference signal received power (RSRP);

[0431] a downlink positioning reference signal received path power;

[0432] a downlink relative time of arrival;

[0433] a downlink angle of arrival;

[0434] a device receive-transmit time difference.

[0435] In some embodiments, the first reference signal is used by the network device to determine a third distance between the network device and the first device, the third distance being used to determine the second device.

[0436] In some embodiments, the first reference signal is used by the network device to determine one or more parameters of the following, the parameters being used to determine the third distance:

[0437] an uplink measurement RSRP;

[0438] an uplink measurement reference signal received path power;

[0439] an uplink relative time of arrival;

[0440] an uplink angle of arrival;

[0441] a network device receive-transmit time difference.

[0442] In some embodiments, the first information is sent based on an event trigger, or based on a time period; the time period is determined based on pre-defined information or configuration information sent by the network device.

[0443] In some embodiments, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is determined based on the configuration information sent by the network device.

[0444] Alternatively, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with a transmission resource of the first channel received by the first device.

[0445] Alternatively, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with a transmission resource of the second reference signal received by the first device.

[0446] Alternatively, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with a transmission resource of the third reference signal received by the first device.

[0447] In some embodiments, the communication apparatus further comprises a first receiving unit configured to receive second information sent by the network device, the second information being used to configure one or more transmission resources of the first channel.

[0448] In some embodiments, the first receiving unit is further configured to receive third information sent by the network device; the third information being used to indicate an association relationship between the first device and the second device.

[0449] In some embodiments, the third information comprises one or more of the following:

[0450] identification information of the first device;

[0451] identification information of the second device;

[0452] association identification information of the first device and the second device.

[0453] In some embodiments, the first information contains content related to the transmission capability of the first device.

[0454] In some embodiments, the first sending unit 1210 is further configured to send fourth information to the network device, the fourth information being used to indicate the transmission capability of the first device.

[0455] The transmission capability of the first device is used for the network device to configure one or more of the following: a transmission resource of the first channel, a transmission resource of the first reference signal, a transmission resource of the second reference signal, and a transmission resource of the third reference signal.

[0456] In some embodiments, the transmission capability comprises one or more of the following:

[0457] a capability of whether to support sending / receiving PRDCH;

[0458] a capability of whether to support sending / receiving PDRCH;

[0459] a capability of whether to support sending / receiving PSSCH and PSCCH;

[0460] a capability of whether to support sending uplink measurement reference signal;

[0461] a capability of whether to support sending / receiving sidelink positioning reference signal;

[0462] a capability of whether to support receiving downlink positioning reference signal.

[0463] In some embodiments, the first device and the second device are both readers; or,

[0464] the first device is a reader and the second device is an external node providing a carrier; or,

[0465] the first device is an external node providing a carrier and the second device is a reader.

[0466] FIG. 13 is a structural composition schematic diagram of a communication apparatus provided by an embodiment of the present application, which is applied to a network device. As shown in FIG. 13, the communication apparatus comprises:

[0467] a second receiving unit 1310, configured to receive first information and / or a first signal sent by a first device, wherein the first information and / or the first signal are used to determine a second device associated with the first device.

[0468] In some embodiments, the first information comprises one or more of the following:

[0469] one or more first measurement results, wherein the one or more first measurement results are associated with one or more first channels;

[0470] one or more first identification information, wherein the one or more first identification information are used to indicate a device sending the one or more first channels.

[0471] In some embodiments, the one or more first identification information are one-to-one associated with the one or more first measurement results.

[0472] In some embodiments, the first channel is one or more of the following:

[0473] PRDCH, PDRCH, PSSCH, PSCCH.

[0474] In some embodiments, the first measurement result corresponding to the first channel comprises one or more of:

[0475] a PRDCH RSRP;

[0476] a PDRCH RSRP;

[0477] a PSSCH RSRP;

[0478] a PSCCH RSRP;

[0479] a PRDCH RSSI;

[0480] a PDRCH RSSI;

[0481] a SL RSSI.

[0482] In some embodiments, the communication device further comprises a second processing unit configured to determine, based on the determining of the one or more first measurement results, and / or the one or more first identification information, a second device associated with the first device; the first measurement result corresponding to the first channel transmitted by the second device is superior to a first threshold value.

[0483] In some embodiments, the first information comprises one or more of:

[0484] one or more second measurement results, the one or more second measurement results being associated with one or more second reference signals;

[0485] one or more second identification information, the one or more second identification information being used to indicate a device transmitting the one or more second reference signals.

[0486] In some embodiments, the one or more second identification information is associated with the one or more second measurement results one by one.

[0487] In some embodiments, the second reference signal is a sidelink positioning reference signal; and the second measurement result comprises one or more of:

[0488] a sidelink positioning reference signal received power (RSRP);

[0489] a sidelink positioning reference signal received path power;

[0490] a sidelink relative time of arrival;

[0491] a sidelink angle of arrival;

[0492] a sidelink received-transmitted time difference;

[0493] a sidelink positioning reference signal time difference.

[0494] In some embodiments, the second processing unit is further configured to determine, based on the one or more second measurement results and / or the one or more second identification information, a first distance between the first device and a device sending the one or more second reference signals; determine, based on the first distance, a second device associated with the first device, wherein the first distance between the second device and the first device is less than a second threshold value.

[0495] In some embodiments, the first information comprises:

[0496] third identification information, wherein the third identification information is used to indicate the second device.

[0497] In some embodiments, the first information comprises:

[0498] third measurement result, wherein the third measurement result is associated with a third reference signal.

[0499] In some embodiments, the third reference signal is a downlink positioning reference signal; and the third measurement result comprises one or more of:

[0500] downlink positioning reference signal received power (RSRP);

[0501] downlink positioning reference signal received path power;

[0502] downlink relative time of arrival;

[0503] downlink angle of arrival;

[0504] device reception transmission time difference.

[0505] In some embodiments, the second processing unit is further configured to determine, based on the third measurement result, a second distance between the first device and a network device; and determine, based on the second distance and distances between the network device and other devices, a second device associated with the first device.

[0506] In some embodiments, the second processing unit is further configured to determine, based on the measurement result of the first reference signal, a third distance between the network device and the first device; and determine, based on the third distance and distances between the network device and other devices, a second device associated with the first device.

[0507] In some embodiments, the measurement result of the first reference signal comprises one or more of:

[0508] uplink measurement reference signal received power (RSRP);

[0509] Uplink measurement reference signal receive path power;

[0510] Uplink relative time of arrival;

[0511] Uplink angle of arrival;

[0512] Network device receives time difference of transmission.

[0513] In some embodiments, the first information is transmitted based on an event trigger, or based on a time period; the time period is determined based on pre-defined information or configuration information transmitted by the network device.

[0514] In some embodiments, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is configured by the network device;

[0515] The transmission resource corresponding to the first information is determined based on configuration information transmitted by the network device;

[0516] Alternatively, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with the transmission resource of the first channel received by the first device;

[0517] Alternatively, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with the transmission resource of the second reference signal received by the first device;

[0518] Alternatively, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with the transmission resource of the third reference signal received by the first device.

[0519] In some embodiments, the communication apparatus further comprises a second sending unit configured to send second information to the first device, the second information being used to configure the transmission resource of one or more first channels.

[0520] In some embodiments, the second sending unit is further configured to send third information to the first device and / or the second device, the third information being used to indicate the association relationship between the first device and the second device.

[0521] In some embodiments, the third information comprises one or more of the following:

[0522] Identification information of the first device;

[0523] Identification information of the second device;

[0524] Association identification information of the first device and the second device.

[0525] In some embodiments, the second receiving unit 1310 is further configured to receive fourth information sent by the first device, the fourth information being used to indicate the transmission capability of the first device;

[0526] The transmission capability of the first device is used by the network device to configure one or more of the transmission resource of the first channel, the transmission resource of the first reference signal, the transmission resource of the second reference signal, and the transmission resource of the third reference signal.

[0527] In some embodiments, the transmission capability includes one or more of the following:

[0528] The capability of whether to support sending / receiving PRDCH;

[0529] The capability of whether to support sending / receiving PDRCH;

[0530] The capability of whether to support sending / receiving PSSCH and PSCCH;

[0531] The capability of whether to support sending uplink measurement reference signal;

[0532] The capability of whether to support sending / receiving sidelink positioning reference signal;

[0533] The capability of whether to support receiving downlink positioning reference signal.

[0534] In some embodiments, the first device and the second device are both readers; or,

[0535] The first device is a reader, and the second device is an external node providing a carrier; or,

[0536] The first device is an external node providing a carrier, and the second device is a reader.

[0537] Those skilled in the art should understand that the above description of the communication device of the embodiments of the present application can be understood with reference to the description of the communication method of the embodiments of the present application.

[0538] FIG. 14 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 1400 provided by an embodiment of the present application. The communication device can be a first device. The communication device 1400 shown in FIG. 14 includes a processor 1410, which can call and run a computer program from a memory to implement the method in the embodiments of the present application.

[0539] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 14, the communication device 1400 can further include a memory 1420. The processor 1410 can call and run a computer program from the memory 1420 to implement the method in the embodiments of the present application.

[0540] The memory 1420 can be a separate device independent of the processor 1410, or can be integrated in the processor 1410.

[0541] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 14, the communication device 1400 can further include a transceiver 1430, which can be controlled by the processor 1410 to communicate with other devices, specifically, to send information or data to other devices, or to receive information or data sent by other devices.

[0542] The transceiver 1430 can include a transmitter and a receiver. The transceiver 1430 can further include an antenna, and the number of antennas can be one or more.

[0543] Optionally, the communication device 1400 can be specifically a first device of the embodiments of the present application, and the communication device 1400 can implement the corresponding procedures implemented by the first device in each of the methods of the embodiments of the present application. For the sake of brevity, details are not described herein.

[0544] Optionally, the communication device 1400 can be specifically a network device of the embodiments of the present application, and the communication device 1400 can implement the corresponding procedures implemented by the network in each of the methods of the embodiments of the present application. For the sake of brevity, details are not described herein.

[0545] FIG. 15 is a schematic structural diagram of a chip according to the embodiments of the present application. The chip 1500 shown in FIG. 15 includes a processor 1510, which can call and run a computer program from a memory to implement the method in the embodiments of the present application.

[0546] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 15, the chip 1500 can further include a memory 1520. The processor 1510 can call and run a computer program from the memory 1520 to implement the method in the embodiments of the present application.

[0547] The memory 1520 can be a separate device independent of the processor 1510, or can be integrated in the processor 1510.

[0548] Optionally, the chip 1500 can further include an input interface 1530. The processor 1510 can control the input interface 1530 to communicate with other devices or chips, specifically, to obtain information or data sent by other devices or chips.

[0549] Optionally, the chip 1500 can further include an output interface 1540. The processor 1510 can control the output interface 1540 to communicate with other devices or chips, specifically, to output information or data to other devices or chips.

[0550] Optionally, the chip can be applied to the first device in the embodiments of the present application, and the chip can implement the corresponding procedures implemented by the first device in each of the methods of the embodiments of the present application. For the sake of brevity, details are not described herein.

[0551] Optionally, the chip can be applied to the network device in the embodiments of the present application, and the chip can implement the corresponding processes implemented by the network device in the various methods of the embodiments of the present application. For brevity, details are not described herein.

[0552] It should be understood that the chip mentioned in the embodiments of the present application can also be referred to as a system chip, a system chip, a chip system, or a system on chip, etc.

[0553] The embodiments of the present application also provide a computer storage medium, which stores one or more programs, and the one or more programs can be executed by one or more processors to implement the methods in the embodiments of the present application.

[0554] FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of a communication system 1600 provided by the embodiments of the present application. As shown in FIG. 16, the communication system 1600 includes a first device 1610 and a network device 1620.

[0555] The first device 1610 can be used to implement the corresponding functions of the first device in the above methods, and the network device 1620 can be used to implement the corresponding functions of the network device in the above methods. For brevity, details are not described herein.

[0556] It should be understood that the processor of the embodiments of the present application can be an integrated circuit chip having a signal processing capability. In the implementation process, each step of the above method embodiments can be completed by integrated logic circuits or instructions in the form of software in the processor. The processor mentioned above can be a general processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components. Each method, step and logic block diagram disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented or executed. The general processor can be a microprocessor or the processor can be any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be directly embodied as a hardware coding processor for execution, or a combination of hardware and software modules in the coding processor for execution. The software module can be located in a random access memory, a flash memory, a read only memory, a programmable read only memory or an electrically erasable programmable memory, a register, or other mature storage mediums in the art. The storage medium is located in the storage, and the processor reads the information in the storage, and combines the hardware to complete the steps of the above method.

[0557] It is to be understood that the memory in the embodiments of the present application can be a volatile memory or a nonvolatile memory, or can include both volatile and nonvolatile memory. Among them, the nonvolatile memory can be a read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), a programmable read-only memory (Programmable ROM, PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (Erasable PROM, EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (Electrically EPROM, EEPROM) or a flash memory. The volatile memory can be a random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM) used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (Static RAM, SRAM), dynamic random access memory (Dynamic RAM, DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (Synchronous DRAM, SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (Double Data Rate SDRAM, DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (Enhanced SDRAM, ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (Synchlink DRAM, SLDRAM) and direct memory bus random access memory (Direct Rambus RAM, DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory of the system and method described herein is intended to include, but not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0558] It should be understood that the above-mentioned memory is exemplary but not limiting, for example, the memory in the embodiments of the present application can also be static random access memory (static RAM, SRAM), dynamic random access memory (dynamic RAM, DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (synchronous DRAM, SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (double data rate SDRAM, DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (enhanced SDRAM, ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (synch link DRAM, SLDRAM) and direct memory bus random access memory (Direct Rambus RAM, DR RAM) and the like. That is, the memory in the embodiments of the present application is intended to include, but not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0559] The embodiment of the present application further provides a computer readable storage medium for storing the computer program.

[0560] Optionally, the computer readable storage medium can be applied to the first device in the embodiment of the present application, and the computer program makes the computer execute the corresponding process realized by the first device in the various methods of the embodiment of the present application. For the sake of brevity, details are not described herein.

[0561] Optionally, the computer readable storage medium can be applied to the network device in the embodiment of the present application, and the computer program makes the computer execute the corresponding process realized by the network device in the various methods of the embodiment of the present application. For the sake of brevity, details are not described herein.

[0562] The embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product comprising computer program instructions.

[0563] Optionally, the computer program product can be applied to the network device in the embodiment of the present application, and the computer program instructions make the computer execute the corresponding process realized by the network device in the various methods of the embodiment of the present application. For the sake of brevity, details are not described herein.

[0564] Optionally, the computer program product can be applied to the first device in the embodiment of the present application, and the computer program instructions make the computer execute the corresponding process realized by the first device in the various methods of the embodiment of the present application. For the sake of brevity, details are not described herein.

[0565] The embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program.

[0566] Optionally, the computer program can be applied to the network device in the embodiment of the present application, and when the computer program runs on the computer, the computer executes the corresponding process realized by the network device in the various methods of the embodiment of the present application. For the sake of brevity, details are not described herein.

[0567] Optionally, the computer program can be applied to the first device in the embodiment of the present application, and when the computer program runs on the computer, the computer executes the corresponding process realized by the first device in the various methods of the embodiment of the present application. For the sake of brevity, details are not described herein.

[0568] Those skilled in the art can realize that the units and algorithm steps of the examples described in combination with the embodiments disclosed herein can be realized in electronic hardware or in combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether the functions are realized in hardware or software mode depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solutions. The skilled person can use different methods to realize the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the present application.

[0569] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the system, device and unit described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0570] In several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed system, device and method can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are only schematic, for example, the division of the units is only a logical function division, and actual implementation can have another division manner, for example, a plurality of units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection between the units shown or discussed can be indirect coupling or communication connection through some interface, device or unit, and can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0571] The units described as separate components can or can not be physically separate, and the components shown as units can or can not be physical units, that is, they can be located in one place, or can be distributed on a plurality of network units. Some or all of the units can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the embodiment scheme.

[0572] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application can be integrated in one processing unit, or each unit can be physically present separately, or two or more units can be integrated in one unit.

[0573] If the functions are realized in the form of software function units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of the present application or the essential part or part of the technical solutions that make contributions to the prior art can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium, and includes a plurality of instructions for causing a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present application. The foregoing storage medium includes: a U disk, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk, and various program code storage media.

[0574] The above merely provides the specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited to this. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of the changes or replacements within the technical range disclosed by the present application, which should be covered in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, the method comprising: a first device sending first information and / or first reference signals to a network device, the first information and / or first reference signals being used to determine a second device associated with the first device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, the first information comprising one or more of: one or more first measurement results; the one or more first measurement results being associated with one or more first channels; one or more first identification information, the one or more first identification information being used to indicate a device sending the one or more first channels; wherein the one or more first measurement results, and / or, the one or more first identification information are used to determine the second device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, the one or more first identification information being associated with the one or more first measurement results one-to-one.

4. The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein, the first channel being one or more of: a physical reader-to-device channel, PRDCH; a physical device-to-reader channel, PDRCH; a physical sidelink shared channel, PSSCH; a physical sidelink control channel, PSCCH.

5. The method according to any one of claims 2-4, wherein, the first measurement result corresponding to the first channel comprising one or more of: a PRDCH RSRP; a PDRCH RSRP; a PSSCH RSRP; a PSCCH RSRP; a PRDCH RSSI; a PDRCH RSSI; a SL RSSI.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, the first information comprising one or more of: one or more second measurement results; the one or more second measurement results being associated with one or more second reference signals; one or more second identification information, the one or more second identification information being used to indicate a device sending the one or more second reference signals; wherein the one or more second measurement results are used to determine a first distance between the first device and the device sending the one or more second reference signals; and the first distance and the one or more second identification information are used to determine the second device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, the one or more second identification information being associated with the one or more second measurement results one-to-one.

8. The method of claim 6 or 7, wherein, the second reference signal being a sidelink positioning reference signal; and the second measurement result comprising one or more of: a sidelink positioning reference signal received power, RSRP; a sidelink positioning reference signal received path power; a sidelink relative time of arrival; a sidelink angle of arrival; a sidelink received-transmitted time difference; a sidelink positioning reference signal time difference.

9. The method of any one of claims 1-8, wherein, the first information comprising: third identification information, the third identification information being used to indicate the second device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, before the first device sending the first information to the network device, the method further comprising: the first device determining the second device; wherein a first measurement result corresponding to a first channel sent by the second device is better than a first threshold value; and / or, a first distance between the second device and the first device is smaller than a second threshold value; the first distance being determined based on a second measurement result corresponding to a second reference signal sent by the second device.

11. The method of any one of claims 1-10, wherein, the first information comprising: a third measurement result; the third measurement result is associated with a third reference signal; the third measurement result is used to determine a second distance between the first device and the network device; the second distance is used by the network device to determine the second device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, The third reference signal is a downlink positioning reference signal; the third measurement result includes one or more of the following: downlink positioning reference signal received power (RSRP); downlink positioning reference signal received path power; downlink relative time of arrival; downlink angle of arrival; device receive-transmit time difference.

13. The method of any one of claims 1-12, wherein, The first reference signal is used by the network device to determine a third distance between the network device and the first device, and the third distance is used to determine the second device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, The first reference signal is used by the network device to determine one or more of the following parameters, which are used to determine the third distance: uplink measurement reference signal received power (RSRP); uplink measurement reference signal received path power; uplink relative time of arrival; uplink angle of arrival; network device receive-transmit time difference.

15. The method of any one of claims 1-14, wherein: the first information is sent based on an event trigger or based on a time period; the time period is determined based on pre-defined information or configuration information sent by the network device.

16. The method of any one of claims 1-15, wherein: the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is determined based on configuration information sent by the network device; alternatively, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with a transmission resource used by the first device to receive the first channel; alternatively, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with a transmission resource used by the first device to receive the second reference signal; alternatively, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with a transmission resource used by the first device to receive the third reference signal.

17. The method of any one of claims 2-5, 16, wherein, Further comprising: the first device receives second information sent by the network device, the second information being used to configure one or more transmission resources of the first channel.

18. The method of any one of claims 1-17, wherein, Further comprising: the first device receives third information sent by the network device; the third information is used to indicate an association relationship between the first device and the second device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, The third information includes one or more of the following: identification information of the first device; identification information of the second device; association identification information of the first device and the second device.

20. The method of any one of claims 1-19, wherein, The content included in the first information is related to the transmission capability of the first device.

21. The method of any one of claims 1-18, wherein, Further comprising: the first device sends fourth information to the network device, the fourth information being used to indicate the transmission capability of the first device; the transmission capability of the first device is used by the network device to configure one or more of the following: a transmission resource of the first channel, a transmission resource of the first reference signal, a transmission resource of the second reference signal, and a transmission resource of the third reference signal.

22. The method of claim 18 or 19, wherein, The transmission capability includes one or more of the following: whether to support sending / receiving PRSCH; whether to support sending / receiving PDRCH; whether to support sending / receiving PSSCH and PSCCH; whether the capability of transmitting uplink measurement reference signals is supported; whether the capability of transmitting / receiving sidelink positioning reference signals is supported; whether the capability of receiving downlink positioning reference signals is supported.

23. The method of any one of claims 1-22, wherein: the first device and the second device are both readers; or, the first device is a reader and the second device is an external node providing a carrier; or, the first device is an external node providing a carrier and the second device is a reader.

24. A communication method, the method comprising: receiving, by a network device, first information and / or a first signal transmitted by a first device, the first information and / or the first signal being used to determine a second device associated with the first device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein, the first information comprises one or more of: one or more first measurement results; the one or more first measurement results being associated with one or more first channels; one or more first identification information, the one or more first identification information being used to indicate a device transmitting the one or more first channels.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein: the one or more first identification information is in one-to-one correspondence with the one or more first measurement results.

27. The method of claim 25 or 26, wherein, the first channel is one or more of: a physical reader-to-device channel (PRDCH); a physical device-to-reader channel (PDRCH); a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH); a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH).

28. The method of any one of claims 25-27, wherein, the first measurement result corresponding to the first channel comprises one or more of: a PRDCH RSRP; a PDRCH RSRP; a PSSCH RSRP; a PSCCH RSRP; a PRDCH RSSI; a PDRCH RSSI; a SL RSSI.

29. The method of any one of claims 25-28, wherein, further comprising: determining, by the network device, the second device associated with the first device based on the one or more first measurement results, and / or, the one or more first identification information; the first measurement result corresponding to the first channel transmitted by the second device is better than a first threshold value.

30. The method of any one of claims 24-29, wherein, the first information comprises one or more of: one or more second measurement results; the one or more second measurement results being associated with one or more second reference signals; one or more second identification information, the one or more second identification information being used to indicate a device transmitting the one or more second reference signals.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein, the one or more second identification information is in one-to-one correspondence with the one or more second measurement results.

32. The method of claim 30 or 31, wherein, the second reference signal is a sidelink positioning reference signal; the second measurement result comprises one or more of: a sidelink positioning reference signal received power (RSRP); a sidelink positioning reference signal received path power; a sidelink relative time of arrival; a sidelink angle of arrival; a sidelink received transmit time difference; a sidelink positioning reference signal time difference.

33. The method of any one of claims 30-32, wherein, further comprising: determining, by the network device, a first distance between the first device and the device transmitting the one or more second reference signals based on the one or more second measurement results, and / or, the first or more second identification information; The network device determines a second device associated with the first device based on the first distance; the first distance between the second device and the first device is less than a second threshold value.

34. The method of any one of claims 24-33, wherein, The first information comprises: Third identification information, the third identification information being used to indicate the second device.

35. The method of any one of claims 24-34, wherein, The first information comprises: Third measurement result, the third measurement result being associated with a third reference signal.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein, The third reference signal is a downlink positioning reference signal; the third measurement result comprises one or more of the following: Downlink positioning reference signal received power (RSRP); Downlink positioning reference signal received path power; Downlink relative time of arrival; Downlink angle of arrival; Device received transmission time difference.

37. The method of claim 35 or 36, wherein, Further comprising: The network device determines a second distance between the first device and the network device based on the third measurement result; The network device determines a second device associated with the first device based on the second distance and distances between the network device and other devices.

38. The method of any one of claims 24-37, wherein, Further comprising: The network device determines a third distance between the network device and the first device based on the measurement result of the first reference signal; The network device determines a second device associated with the first device based on the third distance and distances between the network device and other devices.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein, The measurement result of the first reference signal comprises one or more of the following: Uplink measurement reference signal received power (RSRP); Uplink measurement reference signal received path power; Uplink relative time of arrival; Uplink angle of arrival; Network device received transmission time difference.

40. The method of any one of claims 24-39, wherein, The first information is sent based on an event trigger or based on a time period; the time period is determined based on pre-defined information or configuration information sent by the network device.

41. The method of any one of claims 24-40, wherein, The transmission resource corresponding to the first information is configured by the network device; The transmission resource corresponding to the first information is determined based on configuration information sent by the network device; Or, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with a transmission resource of the first channel received by the first device; Or, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with a transmission resource of the second reference signal received by the first device; Or, the transmission resource corresponding to the first information is associated with a transmission resource of the third reference signal received by the first device.

42. The method of any one of claims 25-29, 41, wherein, Further comprising: The network device sends second information to the first device, the second information being used to configure one or more transmission resources of the first channel.

43. The method of any one of claims 24-42, wherein, The network device sends third information to the first device and / or the second device, the third information being used to indicate an association relationship between the first device and the second device.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein, The third information comprises one or more of the following: Identification information of the first device; Identification information of the second device; Association identification information of the first device and the second device. 45.The method of any of claims 24-44, wherein, the network device receives fourth information sent by the first device, the fourth information being used to indicate a transmission capability of the first device; the transmission capability of the first device is used for the network device to configure one or more of a transmission resource of the first channel, a transmission resource of the first reference signal, a transmission resource of the second reference signal, and a transmission resource of the third reference signal.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein, the transmission capability comprises one or more of: a capability of whether to support sending / receiving PRSCH; a capability of whether to support sending / receiving PDRCH; a capability of whether to support sending / receiving PSSCH and PSCCH; a capability of whether to support sending an uplink measurement reference signal; a capability of whether to support sending / receiving a sidelink positioning reference signal; a capability of whether to support receiving a downlink positioning reference signal. 47.The method of any of claims 24-46, wherein, the first device and the second device are both readers; or the first device is a reader and the second device is an external node providing a carrier; or the first device is an external node providing a carrier and the second device is a reader. 48.A communication apparatus applied to a first device, the apparatus comprising: a first sending unit configured to send first information and / or a first reference signal to a network device, the first information and / or the first reference signal being used to determine a second device associated with the first device. 49.A communication apparatus applied to a network device, the apparatus comprising: a second receiving unit configured to receive first information and / or a first signal sent by a first device, the first information and / or the first signal being used to determine a second device associated with the first device.

50. A communication device, comprising: a processor and a memory, the memory being used to store a computer program, the processor being used to invoke and run the computer program stored in the memory to perform the method in any of claims 1-23, or 34-47.

51. A chip comprising: a processor configured to invoke and run a computer program from a memory, so that a device in which the chip is installed performs the method in any of claims 1-23, or 24-47. 52.A computer readable storage medium used to store a computer program, the computer program causing a computer to perform the method in any of claims 1-23, or 24-47. 53.A computer program product comprising computer program instructions, the computer program instructions causing a computer to perform the method in any of claims 1-23, or 24-47. 54.A computer program causing a computer to perform the method in any of claims 1-23, or 24-47.

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