Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides a communication method and apparatus. The method comprises: a network apparatus sends first configuration information to a coordinating node, sends second configuration information to a terminal apparatus, and determines sensing data. The first configuration information is used for configuring at least one first beam corresponding to a first time unit, the first beam is used for receiving and / or sending a signal between the coordinating node and the terminal apparatus, and the coordinating node comprises a relay device or an RIS. The second configuration information is used for configuring at least one first beam corresponding to a first time unit. The sensing data is determined on the basis of the signal received from the first beam. In the method, on the basis of a beam direction where a coordinating node sends and / or receives a signal, a network apparatus can configure, for a terminal apparatus, a beam direction where a signal is sent and / or received, so that the terminal apparatus can receive a sensing signal from the network apparatus as much as possible, thereby implementing sensing.

Description

A communication method and apparatus

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411044811.1, filed on July 31, 2024, entitled "A Communication Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

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

[0004] Cooperative communication technology refers to the use of other devices to collaborate between a sender and a receiver to complete communication tasks. For example, a sender can transmit a signal to other devices, which then transmit the signal to the receiver. These other devices may have signal forwarding and / or processing capabilities, allowing them to forward signals from the sender to the receiver.

[0005] Reconfigurable intelligent meta-surfaces (RIS) reflect signals and are commonly used for collaborative communication. Currently, RIS are proposed for sensing. When RIS is used for sensing, it reflects the signal from the transmitting end. For the receiving end, the sensing data or results determined from the received signal (i.e., the signal from the transmitting end reflected by the RIS) may be abnormal, making sensing impossible. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a communication method and apparatus to ensure the realization of sensing as much as possible.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of this application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0008] Firstly, a communication method is provided, which can be applied to the access network side, for example, to a network device. The network device can be responsible for sensing-related management, or it may have a sensing management function (SMF) and / or a sensing control function (SCF). For example, the network device can implement sensing authorization / control, sensing data processing, and other functions. The network device can be a functional unit of the access network equipment, for example, a newly added sensing unit (SU) within the access network equipment. Alternatively, the network device can be a communication node independent of the access network equipment (e.g., a sensing control (SC) node), and this communication node is deployed on the access network side. Alternatively, the network device can be a circuit, a chip system / chip, or other functional module capable of implementing sensing-related functions.

[0009] The communication method includes: a network device sending first configuration information to a cooperating node, sending second configuration information to a terminal device, and determining sensing data. The first configuration information is used to configure at least one first beam corresponding to a first time unit. This first beam is used for receiving and / or transmitting signals between the cooperating node and the terminal device. The cooperating node includes a relay device or a RIS (Relay-In-Service). The second configuration information is used to configure at least one first beam corresponding to the first time unit. The sensing data is determined based on signals received from the first beam.

[0010] In this scheme, the network device can configure the beam direction of the signals transmitted and / or received by the cooperating nodes, and configure the beam direction of the signals transmitted and / or received by the terminal device according to the beam direction. This scheme can maximize the terminal device's reception of sensing signals from the network device, thereby achieving sensing.

[0011] In one implementation, the method further includes: the network device transmitting a sensing signal with at least one second beam on a first time unit.

[0012] In one implementation, the method further includes: a network device sending third configuration information, the third configuration information being used to indicate the correspondence between at least one second beam and at least one first beam on the first time unit.

[0013] This scheme enables the terminal device to determine which second beam corresponds to which first beam, which helps to identify signals in the same beam direction and determine sensing data based on signals in the same beam direction, thereby maximizing sensing performance.

[0014] In one implementation, the sensing data is further determined based on the signal received from the second beam.

[0015] In this scheme, the sensing data is determined based on the signals received from the first beam and the second beam. In this way, the transmitted phase and the received phase of the sensing signal can be combined and processed, reducing the processing complexity.

[0016] In one implementation, the network device determines the sensing data by receiving sensing data from the terminal device.

[0017] In one implementation, before sending the first configuration information to the cooperating node, the network device also sends a request message to the terminal device, receives sensing information of one or more beams from the terminal device, and determines the first configuration information based on the sensing information. This request message packet is used to request the terminal device to measure one or more first beams corresponding to the first time unit.

[0018] By requesting sensing information from at least one beam of the terminal device, a beam with superior sensing performance can be identified. Receiving sensing signals based on this beam helps to improve sensing performance.

[0019] In one implementation, the perceived information includes one or more of the following: perceived performance indicators, perceived resolution, perceived accuracy, or perceived recognition rate.

[0020] In one implementation, the cooperating node includes a RIS, and the second configuration information includes: the number N of RIS units, used to indicate the use of N RIS units to reflect and / or refract the received signal.

[0021] By configuring the number N of RIS units, it is helpful to meet the actual sensing area requirements or sensing resolution.

[0022] Secondly, this application provides a communication method applied to a terminal side, for example, the method applied to a terminal device; or, the method applied to a larger device including the terminal device; or, the method applied to a module or unit that performs some functions of the terminal device, such as a circuit or chip / chip system (e.g., a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core, or a system-in-package (SIP) chip) or other functional module in the terminal device. For ease of description, the following example illustrates the application of this method to a terminal device.

[0023] The communication method includes: a terminal device receiving second configuration information from a network device, and determining sensing data based on a signal received from a first beam. The second configuration information is used to configure at least one first beam corresponding to a first time unit, the first beam being used for receiving and / or transmitting signals between a cooperating node and the terminal device, the cooperating node including a relay device or a RIS (Relay-Integrated Signal).

[0024] In one implementation, the method further includes: a terminal device receiving third configuration information from a network device, the third configuration information being used to indicate the correspondence between at least one second beam and at least one first beam on a first time unit.

[0025] In one implementation, the method further includes: the terminal device receiving signals from at least one second beam in a first time unit. In this case, the terminal device determining sensing data based on the signals received from the first beam includes: the terminal device determining sensing data based on signals received from the first beam and the second beam corresponding to the first beam.

[0026] In one implementation, the method further includes: the terminal device sending sensing data to the network device.

[0027] In one implementation, the method further includes: a terminal device receiving a request message from a network device and sending sensing information of one or more beams to the network device. The request message packet is used to request the terminal device to measure one or more beams corresponding to a first time unit.

[0028] In one implementation, the perceived information includes one or more of the following: perceived performance indicators, perceived resolution, perceived accuracy, or perceived recognition rate.

[0029] For the beneficial effects of the second aspect, please refer to the beneficial effects of the first aspect and its various implementation methods; they will not be elaborated here.

[0030] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method that can be executed by a first communication device, a second communication device, and a third communication device. The first communication device has the function of implementing the behaviors described in the first aspect of the method example. For example, the first communication device includes corresponding means, modules, or units for executing the method of the first aspect, which can be implemented by software and / or hardware. The first communication device can be the aforementioned network device. The second communication device has the function of implementing the behaviors described in the second aspect of the method example. For example, the second communication device includes corresponding means, modules, or units for executing the method of the second aspect, which can be implemented by software and / or hardware. The following example uses the first communication device as a network device, the second communication device as a terminal device, and the third communication device as a cooperative node.

[0031] The communication method includes: a network device sending first configuration information to a cooperating node, the first configuration information being used to configure at least one first beam corresponding to a first time unit, wherein the first beam is used for receiving and / or transmitting signals between the cooperating node and the terminal device; the cooperating node reflecting or forwarding the received signal using at least one first beam in the first time unit; the network device sending second configuration information to the terminal device, the second configuration information being used to configure at least one first beam corresponding to the first time unit; and the terminal device receiving signals from at least one first beam in the first time unit.

[0032] For the beneficial effects of the third aspect, please refer to the beneficial effects of the first aspect and its various implementation methods, which will not be elaborated here.

[0033] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device that has the functionality to implement the behaviors described in any of the method examples of the first or second aspect. The beneficial effects can be found in the relevant descriptions of the first or second aspect and will not be repeated here. For example, the communication device may be a network device as described in the first aspect, or it may be a device capable of supporting a network device to implement the functions required by the method provided in the first aspect; for example, the communication device may be a chip or chip system in a network device. As another example, the communication device may be a terminal device as described in the second aspect, or it may be a device capable of supporting a terminal device to implement the functions required by the method provided in the second aspect; for example, the communication device may be a chip or chip system in a terminal device.

[0034] In one possible design, the communication device includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device.

[0035] In one possible design, the communication device includes corresponding means, modules, or units for performing the methods of the first or second aspect. These modules, units, or means can be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination of both. For example, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also called a processing module or processor) and / or a transceiver unit (sometimes also called a transceiver module or transceiver). The transceiver unit is capable of both sending and receiving functions. When the transceiver unit performs the sending function, it can be called a sending unit (sometimes also called a sending module), and when it performs the receiving function, it can be called a receiving unit (sometimes also called a receiving module). The sending unit and the receiving unit can be the same functional unit, referred to as the transceiver unit, which performs both sending and receiving functions; or, the sending unit and the receiving unit can be different functional units, with "transceiver unit" being a general term for these functional units. These units (modules) can perform the corresponding functions in the method examples of the first or second aspect described above, as detailed in the method examples, and will not be repeated here.

[0036] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, which can be the communication device described in the fourth aspect of the above embodiments, or a chip or chip system disposed in the communication device described in the fourth aspect. The communication device includes a communication interface and a processor, and optionally, a memory. The memory is used to store computer programs, instructions, or data, and the processor is coupled to the memory and the communication interface. When the processor reads the computer program, instructions, or data, it causes the communication device to execute the method executed by the network device in the above method embodiments. For example, the communication device can be a network device or a device including a network device or a functional module in a network device, such as a processing chip. Alternatively, when the processor reads the computer program, instructions, or data, it causes the communication device to execute the method executed by the terminal device in the above method embodiments. For example, the communication device can be a terminal device or a device including a terminal device or a functional module in a terminal device, such as a baseband chip and a radio frequency chip.

[0037] Sixthly, embodiments of this application provide a chip system including a processor and a communication interface for implementing the methods described in the first or second aspect. Optionally, the chip system further includes a memory. The memory stores computer programs (also referred to as code or instructions). The processor retrieves and executes the computer program from the memory, causing a device equipped with the chip system to perform the methods of the first or second aspect and any possible implementation thereof. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0038] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication device including an input / output interface and logic circuitry. The input / output interface is used for inputting and / or outputting information. The input / output interface may be an interface circuit, an output circuit, an input circuit, pins, or related circuitry, etc. The logic circuitry is used to execute the methods described in the first or second aspect.

[0039] In practical implementation, the aforementioned communication device can be a chip, the input circuit can be an input pin, the output circuit can be an output pin, and the logic circuit can be a transistor, gate circuit, flip-flop, and various other logic circuits. The input signal received by the input circuit can be received and input by, for example, but not limited to, a receiver, and the signal output by the output circuit can be, for example, but not limited to, output to and transmitted by a transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as both the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the input / output interface and the logic circuit.

[0040] Eighthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication system, which includes a network device, cooperative nodes, and terminal devices. The network device is used to implement the functions described in the first aspect, and the terminal devices are used to implement the functions described in the second aspect.

[0041] Ninthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the methods described in the first or second aspect and any of their implementations to be implemented.

[0042] In a tenth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the methods described in the first or second aspect and any of their implementations to be implemented.

[0043] The beneficial effects of the above-mentioned fourth to tenth aspects and their implementation methods can be referenced with the beneficial effects of the first aspect and any of its implementation methods. Attached Figure Description

[0044] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the network architecture of the communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a collaborative node with RIS provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of various sensing modes provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0047] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the beam training process provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the network architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 6 illustrates a typical application scenario of sensing provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0050] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the core network architecture provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of two typical architectures for introducing perception-related functions on the RAN side according to embodiments of this application;

[0052] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of possible communication interfaces of the SU provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0053] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a network architecture provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the synchronization burst set, synchronization signal burst, and SSB provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0056] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of another structure of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0058] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application, the relevant technical terms involved in the embodiments of this application will be explained below. It should be noted that these explanations are intended to make the embodiments of this application easier to understand and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of protection claimed by this application.

[0059] (1) RIS

[0060] A Reconfigurable Artificial Electromagnetic Surface (RIS) is an artificial composite structure formed by a large number of subwavelength digitally reconfigurable artificial electromagnetic units arranged in a certain macroscopic pattern (periodic or aperiodic). It can reflect and / or refract incident infinite waves. The basic electromagnetic units of a RIS (also called RIS cells) and their arrangement can be arbitrarily designed. By changing the spatial arrangement of the electromagnetic units, the emission direction of the electromagnetic wave can be controlled, thereby changing the reflection angle of the radio wave. A RIS can reflect and / or refract received signals. For ease of description, this paper refers to the reflection and / or refraction of RIS as reflection. In other words, in this paper, when referring to RIS, reflection refers to both reflection and / or refraction.

[0061] For example, please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of the working principle of the RIS module. As shown in Figure 1, the RIS includes multiple RIS units, which are connected by diodes, such as PIN diodes and varactor diodes. The RIS can reflect or refract received wireless waves, thereby changing the phase difference of the reflected wireless waves, so that the wireless waves follow the generalized Snell's law at the reflection or refraction interface, or that the reflection angle of the wireless waves is not equal to the incident angle. Compared to a conventional surface (where the reflection angle of the wireless wave is reflection angle 1), it can make the reflection angle of the wireless wave 2. In other words, compared to a conventional surface, the RIS has the ability to shape wireless waves according to the generalized Snell's law.

[0062] By controlling the on / off state (open or closed) of the PIN diode connected to the electromagnetic unit, the electromagnetic unit can adjust the amplitude and / or phase of the received signal, thereby adjusting the reflection or refraction angle of the radio wave by the RIS, and collaboratively achieving beamforming for directional signal enhancement. For example, by applying different bias voltages to the PIN diode, the PIN diode is made to be in an on or off state, which in turn makes the electromagnetic unit connected to the PIN diode in an on or off state. The RIS comprises multiple electromagnetic units in different states, and the different amounts of amplitude and / or phase adjustment of the received signal by the RIS result in different reflection coefficients of the RIS, and thus different reflection or refraction angles of the radio wave.

[0063] Please refer to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of a cooperative node equipped with a RIS according to an embodiment of this application. In Figure 2, the cooperative node is equipped with a RIS and a RIS control module connected to the RIS. The RIS control module can be a circuit or chip independent of the RIS, or it can be a functional module or algorithm module integrated into the RIS.

[0064] The RIS control module can be used to adjust the beamforming parameters of the RIS, thereby adjusting the amplitude and / or phase of the RIS, and thus changing the angle of the reflected and / or refracted signal, so that the RIS points the received signal in a certain direction after reflection. For example, the RIS control module can generate a control signal for adjusting the beamforming parameters of the RIS. This control signal can control the switching on and off of one or more electromagnetic units of the RIS, thereby causing the RIS to point the received signal in a certain direction after reflection. The beamforming parameters of the RIS can also be called RIS parameters, RIS operating parameters, RIS phase parameters, etc. By adjusting the beamforming parameters of the RIS, the phase of the RIS can be changed, thus changing the angle of the reflected signal. In the embodiments of this application, when referring to the RIS, phase and angle / reflection angle are interchangeable. For example, the target phase of the RIS and the target angle of the RIS are interchangeable.

[0065] For example, a control signal can be an electrical signal with multiple amplitudes, each corresponding to a different phase and / or amplitude. Assuming the control signal occupies 1 bit, it corresponds to two voltage signal amplitudes (referred to as levels). A high level corresponds to a phase offset of 90°, and a low level corresponds to a phase offset of 180°. It should be understood that high and low levels are relative; for example, a level greater than 1V can be defined as high, and a level less than or equal to 1V as low. When the control signal is high, the RIS can shift the phase of the received signal by 90°, thus changing the RIS's reflection angle of the incident signal. Assuming the control signal occupies 2 bits, it can correspond to four different amplitude levels. For example, these four amplitudes are amplitude 1, amplitude 2, amplitude 3, and amplitude 4. Amplitude 1 corresponds to a phase offset of 45°, amplitude 2 to 135°, amplitude 3 to 225°, and amplitude 4 to 270°. When the amplitude of the control signal is 1, the RIS can shift the phase of the received signal by 45°; when the amplitude of the control signal is 4, the RIS can shift the phase of the received signal by 270°, thereby changing the reflection angle of the incident signal by the RIS.

[0066] (2) Perception

[0067] Perception can also be replaced by: sensing process, sensing operation, sensing detection, or detection processing.

[0068] Perception can be understood as a technology capable of acquiring information about the characteristics of the environment and / or objects within it. This information includes, but is not limited to, shape, size, orientation, speed, position, distance between objects, or relative motion. The working principle of perception is as follows: the transmitting end sends a perception signal, and the receiving end receives the signal reflected from the perception target (also called the echo signal). The perception result, such as speed, distance, shape, and size, is obtained based on the echo signal. The perception target can also be called a target, the object being detected, the object being sensed, or the object being sensed, etc., without limitation. The perception target can be any tangible object in the environment capable of reflecting electromagnetic waves. For example, the perception target can be a stationary object such as a building. Alternatively, the perception target can be a mobile object such as a vehicle, drone, or terminal device.

[0069] (3) Sensing signals and echo signals

[0070] Sensing signal: A signal used to sense (or detect) a target (or object). Sensing signals are also called detection signals, linear frequency modulated signals, radar signals, radar sensing signals, radar detection signals, environmental sensing signals, etc. Sensing signals can be pulse signals or any signal that may be present in a wireless communication system, such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signals. For example, sensing signals may include (or be) sounding reference signals (SRS), demodulation reference signals (DMRS), positioning reference signals (PRS), sidelink positioning reference signals (SL-PRS), channel state information reference signals (CSI), synchronization signal blocks (SSB), synchronization signal / physical broadcast channel blocks (SS / PBCH), tracking reference signals (TRS), phase tracking reference signals (PTRS), beam manager reference signals (BMRS), or cell reference signals (CRS), etc. Sensing signals may also include communication information, such as signals carried on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or the physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH).

[0071] Echo signal: The echo signal is the signal reflected back to the receiver after the sensing signal is emitted from the transmitter to the target object. By performing autocorrelation processing on the echo signal and the sensing signal, and then transforming them, the time delay of the echo signal relative to the sensing signal in the time domain can be analyzed. This allows us to determine the distance of the sensing target from the transmitting source. By comparing the echo signals reflected back from the same target by different transmitted signals, we can convert the signal to the Doppler domain. Combining the Doppler and range domain analyses, we can determine the distance and velocity of the sensing target. Furthermore, the direction of the sensing target relative to the transmitting source can be determined by the beam direction of the antenna emitting the sensing signal. The echo signal can be understood as the reflected sensing signal; therefore, the echo signal can also be called the sensing signal.

[0072] (4) Sensing data

[0073] Sensing data, also known as sensing measurement data, refers to the data obtained after processing echo signals. The processing of echo signals involves multiple steps, and the data obtained from each processing step can be called sensing data. For example, the processing flow of echo signals may include the following processing steps: (1) Performing operations such as symbol extraction and cyclic prefix removal on the echo signals to obtain the time domain data of the radar frame and separating in-phase (I / quadrature, IQ) data; (2) Performing time-frequency transformation, effective subcarrier extraction, signal estimation, and inverse fast fourier transform (IFFT) on the IQ data to obtain the range (R) spectrum; (3) Performing inter-symbol windowing and fast fourier transform (FFT) calculation on the R spectrum to obtain the range / doppler (RD) spectrum; (4) Performing channel-dimensional FFT on the RD spectrum to obtain the range / Doppler / angle (RDA) spectrum;

[0074] (5) Detect all valid point target information from the RD spectrum or RDA spectrum to obtain multiple data points. The set of these multiple data points is also called a point cloud. Each data point is used to represent a relative position or an absolute position relative to the sensing device. (6) Cluster the multiple data points to obtain the centroid of the real target.

[0075] Accordingly, sensing data can represent one or more of the following: time delay, Doppler effect, angle, and intensity of a sampling point; or it can represent one or more of the following: position, distance, velocity, and intensity of a sampling point. For example, sensing data includes, but is not limited to, one or more of the following: IQ data, RD spectrum, RDA spectrum, distance / velocity (DV) spectrum, distance / velocity / angle (DVA) spectrum, range / velocity (RV) spectrum, range / velocity / angle (RVA) spectrum, set of coordinate points, point cloud, centroid of a real target, etc.

[0076] (5) Perception Results

[0077] Perception results refer to the results related to business functions and performance obtained through calculation and analysis of perceived data. For example, perception results include the existence of the target to be perceived and information about the target (e.g., speed, distance, angle, orientation, acceleration, position, movement path, imaging results, facial expression, breathing / heart rate, etc.). Some perception results can also be considered as perception data; for example, speed and distance information can be considered as perception data. Perception results also vary depending on the target being perceived. For example, if the target is air, the perception results include air quality and the composition of gases in the air; another example is vehicles, where the perception results include the number of vehicles, their positions, and their movement paths.

[0078] (6) Network equipment

[0079] In this embodiment, network device refers to (radio)access network ((R)AN) device / RAN node. In this embodiment, (R)AN and RAN are interchangeable. In future scenarios, RAN nodes may also have other evolved forms; for example, nodes may not be distinguished from core network devices and may be collectively referred to as network devices.

[0080] RAN can refer to cellular systems related to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 5G / New Radio (NR) mobile communication systems, or future-oriented evolution systems / networks. RAN can also be an open RAN (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), a virtualized RAN (vRAN), a non-terrestrial network (NTN), etc. RAN can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems. RAN equipment can also be called a RAN node, RAN entity, or access node, etc.

[0081] In one possible scenario, RAN nodes can be base stations, evolved NodeBs (eNodeBs), next-generation NodeBs (gNBs), base stations in future communication networks, access points (APs), transmission reception points (TRPs), satellites, etc. RAN nodes can also be macro base stations, micro base stations, indoor stations, relay nodes, donor / host nodes, or wireless controllers. RAN nodes can also be servers, wearable devices, vehicles, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, the RAN node can be a roadside unit (RSU).

[0082] In another possible scenario, a RAN node can be a module or unit that performs some of the functions of a base station; or multiple RAN nodes can collaborate to assist terminal equipment in achieving wireless access, with different RAN nodes each performing some of the functions of a base station. For example, a RAN node can be a centralized unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). The function of a CU can be implemented by a single entity or by different entities. For example, the function of a CU can be further divided, that is, the control plane and the user plane can be separated and implemented by different entities, namely the control plane CU entity (i.e., CU-control plane (CP) entity) and the user plane CU entity (i.e., CU-user plane (UP) entity). The CU-CP entity and the CU-UP entity can be coupled with the DU to jointly complete the functions of the RAN node. The CU and DU can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as in the baseband unit (BBU). Any of the units among the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented by software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software modules and hardware modules.

[0083] The CU and DU can be configured according to the protocol layer functions of the wireless network they implement: for example, the CU can be configured to implement the functions of the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and above (such as the RRC layer and / or the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer); the DU can be configured to implement the functions of protocol layers below the PDCP layer (such as the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, the MAC layer, and / or the Physical (PHY) layer). For specific descriptions of the above protocol layers, please refer to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications or the technical specifications of other applicable communication protocols.

[0084] The above division of CU and DU processing functions according to protocol layers is merely an example; other division methods are also possible, and this application does not limit this. For example, in one design, CU or DU can be further divided into processing functions with protocol layers. In one design, some functions of the RLC layer and the functions of the protocol layers above the RLC layer are located in the CU, while the remaining functions of the RLC layer and the functions of the protocol layers below the RLC layer are located in the DU. In some examples, the CU may not have a PDCP layer, i.e., it may only include the RRC layer. CU-CP may not have PDCP-C. CU-UP may not have PDCP-U, or may not have CU-UP at all. In some examples, the DU may not have an RLC layer, only MAC and higher PHY layers. Furthermore, in some examples, there may be no CU, only the DU.

[0085] When the RAN is O-RAN, it can also have artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. For example, O-RAN includes an intelligent controller. The intelligent controller can be a non-real-time RAN intelligent controller (RIC / non-RT RIC / NRT RIC) or a near-real-time RAN intelligent controller (RIC / near-RT RIC / nRT RIC). A non-real-time RIC can be used to implement non-real-time intelligent management of RAN functions, enabling workflows including model training and model updates, and guiding applications / functions in the nRT RIC based on policies. A near-real-time RIC can be used to implement near-real-time intelligent management of the RAN. Through data collection and related operations on the E2 interface, near-real-time control and optimization of O-RAN modules and resources are achieved.

[0086] (7) Terminal equipment

[0087] Any device capable of communicating with a base station can be considered a terminal device. Terminal devices are also called terminals, terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), mobile stations, or mobile terminals. Terminal devices can be widely used in various scenarios. For example, terminal devices can be: mobile phones, computers, mobile internet devices (MID), wearable devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, stations (STA), robotic arms, cameras, robots, vehicles, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, or smart home devices (such as televisions, air conditioners, robot vacuums, speakers, set-top boxes), relays, customer premises equipment (CPE), or terminal devices in Internet of Things (IoT) systems, such as water meters and electricity meters.

[0088] When the terminal device is applied to V2X, it can also be called a V2X device, such as a smart car, digital car, unmanned car, driverless car, pilotless car, autonomous car, pure electric vehicle, hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), range-extended electric vehicle (REEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), new energy vehicle, and RSU.

[0089] The various terminal devices described above, if located on a vehicle (e.g., placed / installed inside the vehicle), can all be considered in-vehicle terminal devices. In-vehicle terminal devices can be built into a vehicle's in-vehicle module, in-vehicle component, in-vehicle chip, or in-vehicle unit as one or more components or units. The vehicle can implement the methods of this application through the built-in in-vehicle module, in-vehicle component, in-vehicle chip, or in-vehicle unit. In-vehicle terminal devices can be vehicle equipment, in-vehicle modules, vehicles, in-vehicle units (on-board units, OBUs), remote sensing units (RSUs), in-vehicle infotainment systems (or in-vehicle transmission units) (telematics boxes, T-boxes), chips, or system-on-chips (SoCs), etc. These chips or SoCs can be installed in the vehicle, OBU, RSU, or T-box.

[0090] (8) Perception Mode

[0091] Sensing can generally be divided into two modes: single-site sensing and dual-site sensing. In single-site sensing, the transmitting device and the receiving device for the echo signal are the same device. In other words, in single-site sensing, the transmitting device both transmits the sensing signal and receives the echo signal reflected from the surface of the sensing target. Therefore, this single-site sensing mode can also be called a self-transmitting and self-receiving mode, without limitation. In dual-site sensing, the transmitting device and the receiving device for the echo signal are two different devices. In other words, sensing station A transmits the sensing signal, and the echo signal reflected from the surface of the sensing target is received by sensing station B. Therefore, this dual-site sensing mode can also be called the A-transmitting and B-receiving mode. It should be noted that the echo signal is obtained by reflecting the sensing signal from the surface of the sensing target; therefore, this echo signal can still be called the sensing signal. Sensing stations can be network devices or terminal devices.

[0092] For example, please refer to Figure 3, which is a schematic diagram of various sensing modes provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 3 illustrates a vehicle as the sensing target and provides six sensing modes. These six sensing modes are: the self-transmitting and self-receiving mode of network device A as shown in (1) of Figure 3, that is, the mode in which network device A sends sensing signals and receives echo signals; the self-transmitting and self-receiving mode of terminal device A as shown in (2) of Figure 3, that is, the mode in which terminal device A sends sensing signals and receives echo signals; the mode in which network device A sends sensing signals and network device B receives echo signals as shown in (3) of Figure 3; the mode in which terminal device A sends sensing signals and terminal device B receives echo signals as shown in (4) of Figure 3; the mode in which network device A sends sensing signals and terminal device A receives echo signals as shown in (5) of Figure 3; and the mode in which terminal device A sends sensing signals and network device A receives echo signals as shown in (6) of Figure 3. Figure 3 is illustrated using a smartphone as an example of a terminal device.

[0093] The sensing process for the six sensing modes shown in Figure 3 all includes sensing measurement configuration and reporting of sensing data. Optionally, the sensing process also includes reporting of sensing capabilities. Sensing capabilities mainly include whether sensing is supported, whether a certain sensing method / mode is supported, and whether the device has the function of processing sensing signals. Sensing capabilities are typically reported by the sensing device to the sensing management device. The sensing device refers to the device that performs sensing services / businesses; it can send sensing signals and / or receive echo signals. The sensing management device refers to the devices or units with management functions at each sensing node participating in the sensing process. The sensing management device determines the sensing measurement configuration based on the sensing capabilities reported by the sensing device and configures it for the sensing device. The sensing device performs sensing according to the sensing measurement configuration, obtains sensing data, and sends it to the sensing management device.

[0094] Depending on the different sensing modes, the interaction processes between network elements involved in the sensing process also differ, as shown in Table 1. In Table 1, SF refers to the network element with sensing management functions. The first column in Table 1 represents the sensing mode, the second column represents the interaction between SF and gNB (gNB A and / or gNB B), the third column represents the interaction between SF and UE, the fourth column represents the interaction between gNB and UE, and the fifth column represents the interaction between UEs. Optionally, SF and UE can interact through non-access stratum signaling. In this case, the interaction between SF and UE is transparent to gNB, and the complexity is lower than the interaction between SF, gNB, and UE. It should be noted that in Table 1, gNB in ​​gNB sensing capability reporting includes gNB A and / or gNB B; gNB in ​​gNB sensing measurement reporting includes gNB A and / or gNB B; UE in UE sensing capability reporting includes UE A and / or UE B; and gNB in ​​UE sensing measurement reporting includes UE A and / or UE B.

[0095] Table 1

[0096] (9) Beam Training

[0097] A transmitting end may use multiple beams to send signals. To ensure communication quality, both the transmitting and receiving ends need to use specific beams for communication. Therefore, the transmitting and receiving ends perform beam training to ensure that the beams they ultimately select are aligned. Beam training, also known as beam management or beam scanning, can include three stages (P-1 to P-3). The following description uses a network device as the transmitting end and a terminal device as the receiving end as an example.

[0098] P-1: The network device sends reference signals in different beam directions. The terminal device measures the set of transmitted beams of the network device and selects the transmitted beams of the network device and the received beams of the terminal device from them. See Figure 4(a) for a schematic diagram of P-1. The set of transmitted beams of the network device is simply referred to as the network device transmitted beam set.

[0099] P-2: Based on the beam selected in P-1, the terminal device measures a smaller set of network device transmit beams (fine beams) to improve the transmit beam of the network device. This smaller set of network device transmit beams may include a portion of the beams selected in P-1. See Figure 4(b) for a schematic diagram of P-2.

[0100] P-3: The terminal device uses different receiving beams to measure the same transmitting beam improved according to P-2 in order to improve the receiving beam of the terminal device. Refer to Figure 4(c) for a schematic diagram of P-3.

[0101] Among them, beam direction can be equivalent to: beam, beam index, reference signal index, reference signal port, spatial filter, channel state information, channel state information index, etc.

[0102] (10) Time unit

[0103] A time unit generally refers to a unit of time. A time unit can be a radio frame, subframe, slot, mini-slot, OFDM symbol, millisecond (ms), or fractional milliseconds (e.g., 1 / 32 ms). Alternatively, a time unit can be multiple slots, multiple subframes, multiple mini-slots, multiple OFDM symbols, or several milliseconds (ms) or fractional milliseconds. A radio frame can include multiple subframes, a subframe can include one or more slots, and a slot can include at least one symbol. Alternatively, a radio frame can include multiple slots, and a slot can include at least one symbol.

[0104] (11) In the embodiments of this application, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "send information to XX" can be understood as the destination of the information being XX, which may include direct transmission via the air interface or indirect transmission by other units or modules via the air interface. "Receive information from YY" can be understood as the sender of the information being YY, which may include direct reception from YY via the air interface or indirect reception from YY via other units or modules via the air interface. "Send" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receive" can also be understood as the "input" of the chip interface. In other words, sending and receiving can be performed between devices, such as between network devices and terminal devices, or within a device, such as between components, modules, chips, software modules, or hardware modules within the device via a bus, wiring, or interface.

[0105] In this application embodiment, the number of nouns, unless otherwise specified, refers to "singular nouns or plural nouns," that is, "one or more." "At least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A / B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c means: a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0106] In the embodiments of this application, "when," "if," and "if" all refer to the device taking corresponding actions under certain objective circumstances, and are not time-limited, nor do they require the device to perform a judgment action, nor do they imply any other limitations. Unless otherwise specified, "if" and "if" can be substituted, and "when" and "in the case of" can be substituted. "When" and "if" / "if" can be substituted.

[0107] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0108] In this application, the ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish multiple objects, and are not used to limit the size, content, order, timing, priority, or importance of the multiple objects. For example, the first beam and the second beam refer to two different beams, and do not indicate a difference in the priority or importance of these two beams.

[0109] The technical terms related to the embodiments of this application have been introduced above. The network architecture applicable to the embodiments of this application is described below.

[0110] The technical solutions of this application are applicable to integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems. An integrated sensing and communication system refers to a system that integrates communication and sensing, also known as a harmonized communication and sensing (HCS) system. The core idea of ​​integrated sensing and communication is to add sensing-related capabilities to the communication system, building capabilities such as target detection, tracking, and imaging, thereby integrating communication and sensing capabilities within the same network. The communication system can be a long-term evolution (LTE), a sixth-generation (5G) mobile communication system / NR communication system, a future communication system, or other similar communication systems. Other similar communication systems may include wireless fidelity (WIFI), V2X, IoT systems, etc.

[0111] Please refer to Figure 5, which is a schematic diagram of the network architecture of a communication system applicable to an embodiment of this application. This network architecture comprises four components: terminal equipment, access network, core network (CN), and data network (DN). The terminal equipment, access network, and core network are the main components of the aforementioned network architecture. Logically, they can be divided into user plane and control plane. The control plane is responsible for the management of the mobile network, and the user plane is responsible for the transmission of service data. For example, as shown in Figure 5, in a 5G communication system, the N2 interface is located between the access network control plane and the core network control plane, the N3 interface is located between the access network user plane and the core network user plane, and the N6 interface is located between the core network user plane and the data network.

[0112] To achieve sensing services, sensing-related functions (such as sensing management function (SMF) and / or sensing control function (SCF)) can be integrated into the network architecture shown in Figure 5 to achieve integrated communication and sensing. A typical application scenario for sensing is shown in Figure 6. Figure 6 illustrates an environment including one network device and multiple terminal devices, with smartphones as the terminal devices and drones, pedestrians, and vehicles as the sensing targets. In Figure 6, solid lines represent communication, and dashed lines represent sensing.

[0113] In possible implementations, sensing-related functions can be introduced on either the core network side or the access network side to achieve basic sensing functions, such as sensing authorization, sensing control, sensing measurement data processing, or result output. The following sections, with reference to Figures 7-9, introduce potential sensing network architectures.

[0114] Please refer to Figure 7, which is a schematic diagram of the core network architecture provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 6 is an example of introducing perception-related functions on the core network side based on the 5G core network (5G core, 5GC).

[0115] As shown in Figure 7, a sensing function (SF) network element has been added to the core network side. Simultaneously, interfaces have been added between the SF network element and one or more 5GC network elements, enabling the SF network element to interact with the RAN or UE through the 5GC network elements to sense signaling, etc. For example, in Figure 7, the SF can perform sensing interaction with 5GC network elements such as the location management function (LMF), access and mobility management function (AMF), network exposure function (NEF), UDM, network data analytics function (NWDAF), and policy control function (PCF). The sensing data acquired by the RAN or UE can be transmitted to the SF network element via the control plane or user plane. When sensing data is transmitted to the SF network element via the user plane, it can be forwarded to the SF network element through the UPF or directly transmitted to the SF network element. The interface definitions between the SF and the 5GC network elements such as AMF, NEF, UDM, NWDAF, PCF, LMF, and UPF are as follows.

[0116] NS1: A new interface between SF and AMF, which can transmit sensing and control signaling. Additionally, this interface can also transmit sensing measurement data in scenarios where sensing measurement data is uploaded to the control plane.

[0117] NS2: A new interface between SF and NEF. This interface can transmit signaling messages between sensing network elements relayed through NEF and application functions (AF) on the service side, and at the same time open the sensing results to the AF.

[0118] NS3: A new interface between SF and UDM. This interface can be used for authentication or authorization, and to obtain UE-aware subscription information, service AMF information, or other information.

[0119] NS4: A new interface between SF and NWDAF. Through this interface, SF and NWDAF can jointly complete AI processing related to perception services.

[0120] NS5: A new interface between SF and PCF. Through this interface, SF can transmit information such as sensing requirements, quality of service (QoS) requirements, or sensing results of sensing services to PCF. PCF can then make decisions to generate policy control and charging (PCC) policies related to sensing services.

[0121] NS6: A new interface between SF and LMF. Through this interface, SF can obtain location-related information, such as the sensing area, the RAN information of the sensing target, and the location information of the sensed UE.

[0122] NS7: A new interface between SF and UPF. Sensing measurement data can be directly transmitted from (R)AN to SF via UPF, or indirectly forwarded to SF via UPF. In scenarios where (R)AN performs sensing, forwarding via UPF can improve the functionality of UPF to support data transmission at the (R)AN granularity.

[0123] In addition to the newly added interfaces mentioned above, existing interfaces (such as N1, N2, N5, N8, N33, etc.) can also support the transmission of information related to sensing services, such as authentication information, sensing service type, sensing service quality requirements, sensing measurement data, or sensing results, etc., one or more of these information. It should be noted that the above-mentioned interfaces "NSX (e.g., NS1 to NS6)" are only illustrative examples, and this application embodiment does not limit the names of interfaces between SF network elements and other network elements.

[0124] Please refer to Figure 8, which illustrates two typical architectures for introducing perception-related functions on the RAN side. This application does not limit the name of the perception-related functions introduced on the RAN side; for example, the function can be called SU.

[0125] As shown in Figure 8(a), the SU can be an entity independent of the RAN equipment and can connect to the base station through an interface similar to the Xn interface. For ease of distinction, the interface between the SU and the base station can be called the Xn-S interface. If the base station is a CU-DU structure, the SU can communicate with the CU through the Xn-S interface. When the SU is an entity independent of the RAN equipment, it can also be regarded as a communication node independent of the RAN equipment (e.g., called an SC node).

[0126] As shown in Figure 8(b), the SU can be a functional unit in the base station, which can communicate with the CU through an interface similar to F1. For ease of distinction, the interface between the SU and the CU can be called the F1-SC interface.

[0127] In Figure 8, the RAN side introduces the SU, which has the function of managing UEs for sensing. Therefore, the base station can communicate with both ordinary UEs and sensing UEs.

[0128] Please refer to Figure 9, which shows the possible communication interfaces of the SU. Figure 8 uses dashed lines to illustrate the possible interfaces of the SU. As shown in Figure 9, the SU can communicate directly with the DU or the UE. The SU can be directly connected to one or more core network elements; for example, the SU may be directly connected to the SF, AMF, or UPF. The SU can also be indirectly connected to one or more core network elements; for example, the SU can connect to the SF via the AMF, or to the SF via the UPF. Alternatively, the SU can connect to the AMF via the CU, and then connect to the SF via the AMF.

[0129] In this embodiment, the SU is deployed on the RAN side and can interact directly with the CU, interacting with the core network through the CU. During the sensing and measurement process, the SU / CU can configure the sensing and measurement configuration for the UE, and the transmission path of this configuration can be: DU→CU / SU→UE. Similarly, the DU obtains sensing data and can send the sensing data to the SU / SC. The transmission path of the sensing data can be DU→SU / SC, or DU→CU→SU / SC.

[0130] It should be noted that the network architectures shown in Figures 5 to 9 are merely illustrative. The communication systems described in the embodiments of this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application and do not constitute a limitation on the communication systems to which the embodiments of this application are applicable. Those skilled in the art will understand that, with the evolution of network architectures, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems. When applying the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application to other communication systems, the devices, components, modules, etc., in the embodiments can be replaced with corresponding devices, components, modules, etc., in other communication systems, without limitation.

[0131] For example, to improve the quality of wireless transmission links and enhance coverage, the network architecture shown in Figures 5-9 can also incorporate cooperative communication technologies. Cooperative communication refers to the collaboration between the transmitter and receiver to complete communication tasks through other devices. For instance, the transmitter can send signals to other devices, which then transmit the signals to the receiver. These other devices may have signal forwarding and / or processing capabilities, allowing them to forward signals from the transmitter to the receiver. For example, these other devices could be relay nodes (RNs), such as network controlled repeaters (NCRs). Alternatively, other devices may have signal reflection and / or refraction capabilities, reflecting and / or refractioning signals received from the transmitter to the receiver. For example, these other devices may include (or be) RIS (Reference Signal Reflector).

[0132] Other devices can also be referred to as collaborating nodes. In the embodiments of this application, the collaborating node has the function of communicating with the terminal device and / or network device. When the collaborating node includes a RIS, it can be understood that the collaborating node includes not only the RIS, but also a component that communicates with the network device. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific name and implementation of this component.

[0133] For example, this component can be implemented as a mobile terminal (MT). In this case, the collaborating node includes both the RIS (Reference Component) and the MT; essentially, the collaborating node has an RIS-MT structure. The MT can be understood as a terminal-like component within the collaborating node, and is referred to as a function belonging to the collaborating node. Since the MT functions similarly to a regular terminal, it can be considered that the MT can be used for communication between the collaborating node and network devices. Optionally, the collaborating node may also include components for communicating with terminal devices.

[0134] Alternatively, the component can be a Bluetooth module or a Wi-Fi module, as long as it enables the collaborating node to communicate with the network device / terminal device. It should be noted that this application does not limit the number or type of communication interfaces provided on the collaborating node. For example, if the network device supports LTE technology, then the communication interface can be a communication interface supported by the LTE system; if the network device supports NR technology, then the communication interface can be a communication interface supported by the NR system. As another example, if the network device supports both NR and Bluetooth communication technologies, then the communication interface can include both NR-supported communication interfaces and Bluetooth communication interfaces.

[0135] For ease of description, this application's embodiments use a cooperative node including a RIS as an example. It should be understood that a cooperative node including a RIS can also be replaced by an NCR, or in other words, the behavior of a cooperative node including a RIS is equally applicable to an NCR.

[0136] Collaborating nodes can also be used to assist in perception. For example, please refer to Figure 10, which is a schematic diagram of a network architecture provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 10 illustrates an example of using collaborating nodes to assist network devices and terminal devices in implementing perception services (e.g., detecting the presence of a vehicle). For example, the network device sends a perception signal, which is reflected by the collaborating node to obtain a reflected signal. This reflected signal is transmitted to the vehicle, and the echo signal is reflected by the vehicle and can be received by the terminal device. Since the perception signal sent by the network device is reflected by the collaborating node, and the terminal device does not know the direction of the perception signal after being reflected by the collaborating node, the terminal device may not receive the perception signal, thus failing to achieve perception.

[0137] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides a solution based on its embodiments. In this embodiment, the network device can configure the beam direction of the reflected signal to the cooperating node and inform the terminal device of the direction for receiving the signal. Thus, the terminal device receives the echo signal in the direction indicated by the network device, processes the echo signal, and thereby achieves sensing.

[0138] The following describes in detail the solution provided in the embodiments of this application, taking the network architecture shown in Figures 1 to 10 and one or more perception scenarios shown in Figure 5 as examples.

[0139] For ease of description, the following description uses the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application, executed by a network device, a cooperating node, and a terminal device, as an example. The network device can be an access network device, or a CU or DU that performs some functions of the access network device. In this case, an SF network element can be introduced on the CN side. Alternatively, the network device has sensing capabilities, including sensing control and / or sensing management functions, responsible for executing sensing-related functions. For example, the network device is a SU, deployed on the access network side, and can be a functional unit or component independent of the RAN device, or it can be deployed on the RAN device. If the network device is deployed on the RAN device, it can also be considered that the network device is the RAN device, and that the RAN device has sensing capabilities. The cooperating node can be a relay device (e.g., an NCR), or the cooperating node includes a RIS, for example, a RIS-MT structure.

[0140] The steps performed by the network device can be implemented by the network device itself, by a device including the network device, or by components within the network device (e.g., processing units / processors). For example, if the network device is a Subsystem Unit (SU), the steps performed by the network device can be implemented by the SU itself or by the access network device in which the SU resides. As another example, if the network device is an access network device, the steps performed by the network device can be implemented by a SU that implements some functions of the access network device. The steps performed by the terminal device can be implemented by the terminal device itself, or by a device including the terminal device, such as by components within the terminal device (e.g., baseband chips, or other processing units or processor modules). The methods mentioned in the embodiments of this application can perform all or some of the steps and do not constitute a limitation. In the embodiments of this application, "cooperative node forwarding signals" and "cooperative node reflecting and / or refracting signals" are the same concept and are interchangeable. Similarly, "cooperative node forwarding received signals" and "cooperative node reflecting and / or refracting received signals" are also the same concept and are interchangeable.

[0141] Please refer to Figure 11, which is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in this embodiment. Figure 11 uses an example of a network device sending a sensing signal and a cooperating node assisting in completing a sensing service. For ease of distinction, in this embodiment, the beam sent by the network device is referred to as the second beam, and the beam sent / reflected by the cooperating node is referred to as the first beam. It can be understood that the first beam is used for receiving and / or sending signals between the cooperating node and the terminal device. The second beam is used for sending and / or receiving signals between the network device and the cooperating node. As shown in Figure 11, the communication method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps.

[0142] S1101, The network device sends first configuration information to the cooperating node, and correspondingly, the cooperating node receives the first configuration information from the network device.

[0143] Collaborating nodes can transmit / refract / reflect signals in specific beam directions, allowing network devices to manage the beam directions of collaborating nodes according to actual needs. For example, based on the required sensing area, the network device can configure collaborating nodes to transmit / refract / reflect signals in multiple beam directions to expand the coverage area. Based on the required sensing accuracy, the network device can configure collaborating nodes to transmit / refract / reflect signals in one beam direction to enhance the signal's resilience to path loss.

[0144] The network device can configure the beam direction to the cooperating node via first configuration information. For example, the network device may transmit at least one second beam in a first time unit, but if the network device wants the beam pointing towards the terminal device to be at least one first beam, then the network device can send the first configuration information to the cooperating node. This first configuration information is used to configure at least one first beam in the first time unit. The cooperating node receives the first configuration information and, based on the first configuration information, can control the beam direction to reflect / forward the signal received in the first time unit to the direction of at least one first beam.

[0145] The content of the first configuration information varies depending on the collaborating nodes. The following examples illustrate the possible contents of the first configuration information, using NCR and RIS as collaborating nodes.

[0146] (1) The collaborating node is NCR

[0147] It is understood that an NCR includes one or more antennas (or antenna arrays) corresponding to multiple beams. In this case, the NCR can report the multiple beams it includes to the network device. For example, the NCR can send the indexes of multiple beams to the network device, so that the network device knows all the beams of the NCR. When the network device configures the NCR to forward signals with at least one first beam in the first time unit, the first configuration information may include information about the first time unit and information about at least one first beam.

[0148] The information of the first time unit includes its start and end positions; or, it includes its start position and duration; or, it includes its end position and duration; or, it includes its index. For example, if the first time unit is one time slot, its information can be the index of that time slot, with the default start position being the start position of that time slot. The start and / or end position of the first time unit can be characterized by the start and end positions of the radio frame, time slot, or OFDM symbol in which the first time unit is located.

[0149] The information for at least one first beam can be the index corresponding to each of the at least one first beam. For example, if the NCR includes 8 beam directions, and the indices of all beams reported by the NCR to the network device are 0 to 7, and at least one first beam is beam 3 to beam 4, then the indices of at least one first beam are 3 and 4.

[0150] The NCR receives first configuration information and can determine a first time unit and at least one first beam corresponding to the first time unit, thereby controlling the signal to be forwarded with at least one first beam in the first time unit. For example, the NCR turns on at least one antenna corresponding to the first beam in the first time unit.

[0151] (2) Collaborating nodes include RIS

[0152] When the cooperating node includes a RIS, the first configuration information may include information about a first time unit and information about a target phase, wherein the target phase indicates the direction of at least one first beam, such that the beam direction of the cooperating node in the first time unit is the at least one first beam. Information regarding the first time unit can be found in the foregoing related content and will not be repeated here.

[0153] The target phase can also be called the target angle or phase offset. As mentioned above, when the cooperating node includes a RIS (Recognition Component), the cooperating node also includes a MT (Mechanical Mode Component). The network device sending the first configuration information to the cooperating node can be the network device sending the first configuration information to the MT of the cooperating node. The cooperating node receiving the first configuration information can be the MT receiving the first configuration information. The MT receiving the first configuration information can transmit the first configuration information to the RIS control module shown in Figure 2. The RIS control module controls the switching on and off of one or more electromagnetic units according to the first configuration information, adjusting the phase of the RIS to the target phase, so that the beam direction of the RIS in the first time unit is at least one first beam. For example, the control signal occupies 2 bits, corresponding to the levels of 4 amplitude values. For example, these 4 amplitude values ​​are amplitude 1, amplitude 2, amplitude 3, and amplitude 4, where the phase offset corresponding to amplitude 1 is 45°, the phase offset corresponding to amplitude 2 is 135°, the phase offset corresponding to amplitude 3 is 225°, and the phase offset corresponding to amplitude 4 is 270°. Assuming the target phase is 45°, then an amplitude of 1 can be selected. Accordingly, the target phase information in the first configuration information can be an amplitude of 1.

[0154] It should be noted that the specific name of the first configuration information is not limited in this application embodiment. For example, if the cooperating node includes a RIS, the first configuration information can be called RIS configuration information. The first configuration information can be carried in one or more fields of one or more signaling methods. For example, the first configuration information can be carried in one or more of the following signaling methods: RRC signaling, downlink control information (DCI), or MAC control element (CE). Of course, the first configuration information can also be carried in newly defined signaling or interfaces.

[0155] S1102, The network device sends second configuration information to the terminal device, the second configuration information being used to configure at least one first beam corresponding to the first time unit.

[0156] For a terminal device, beam alignment can be achieved through beam training with the network device, thereby revealing the direction of the network device's second beam. However, the second beam becomes the first beam via a cooperating node, and the terminal device is unaware of the first beam, thus unable to receive signals from it and complete the sensing service. Therefore, the network device may need to indicate the first beam to the terminal device, enabling the terminal device to clearly identify which beam(s) it should receive signals from.

[0157] The network device can instruct the terminal device on beam direction via second configuration information. For example, if the network device transmits at least one second beam in a first time unit, and the network device knows that the at least one second beam becomes at least one first beam via a cooperating node, then the network device can send second configuration information to the terminal device. This first configuration information is used to configure at least one first beam in the first time unit. The terminal device receives the second configuration information and receives the signal with at least one first beam in the first time unit.

[0158] Similar to the first configuration information, the second configuration information also includes information about the first time unit and information about at least one first beam. Information about the first time unit can be found in the foregoing related content and will not be repeated here. The information about at least one first beam in the second configuration information can be an index of at least one first beam. It should be understood that the index of at least one first beam in the second configuration information may differ from the index of at least one first beam in the first configuration information. For example, the second beam corresponds to the synchronization signal and (physical boardcast channel, PBCH) block (SSB), and one SSB can be transmitted in one beam. The network device can indicate the beam by configuring the SSB index to the terminal device. The index of at least one first beam in the second configuration information can be the index of the SSB corresponding to at least one first beam, thereby enabling the terminal device to identify at least one first beam.

[0159] Optionally, the second configuration information may also include the number N of RIS units, indicating the use of N RIS units to reflect and / or refract the received signal. The value of N can be determined based on sensing requirements. For example, if sensing of a larger area is required, the value of N will be larger.

[0160] After sending the first configuration information and the second configuration information, the network device sends at least one second beam in the first time unit. Alternatively, after sending the first configuration information and the second configuration information, the network device sends a sensing signal in at least one second beam in the first time unit. The cooperating node sends / refracts / reflects the received sensing signal towards at least one first beam direction. The terminal device receives the sensing signal from at least one first beam in the first time unit according to the second configuration information. Of course, the terminal device may also receive the sensing signal from one or more of the at least one second beam.

[0161] S1103. The network device sends third configuration information to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the third configuration information accordingly.

[0162] The terminal device receives sensing signals from at least one first beam and can determine sensing data based on the received sensing signals. For sensing, it is more important to focus on signals from the same beam direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, a decision can be made based on the sensing signals received from the first beam, or based on the sensing signals received from both the first and second beams, depending on actual needs. Since different first beams may correspond to multiple different second beams, the terminal device does not know which second beam corresponds to which first beam. When the terminal device determines sensing data based on sensing signals received from both the first and second beams, it is impossible to determine sensing data based on sensing signals from the same beam direction.

[0163] Therefore, for the first time unit, the network device can also indicate to the terminal device the correspondence between at least one second beam and at least one first beam, so that the terminal device can clearly identify the second beam corresponding to the first beam.

[0164] For example, a network device may send third configuration information to a terminal device, which indicates a correspondence between at least one second beam and at least one first beam in a first time unit. The correspondence between the at least one second beam and at least one first beam may be a correspondence between the index of the at least one second beam and the index of the at least one first beam.

[0165] For example, the network device may send fourth configuration information to the terminal device, which may indicate at least one first beam on the first time unit. Since the terminal device already knows at least one second beam on the first time unit, it can know the second beam corresponding to the first beam based on the fourth configuration information.

[0166] It is understandable that the second beam corresponds to an SSB, and an SSB can be transmitted on one beam. The network device periodically transmits SSBs. The set of all SSBs within a period can be called a synchronization signal burst set (SS burst set). A period of a synchronization burst set contains several synchronization signal bursts (SS bursts). A synchronization signal burst includes several SSBs. For example, see Figure 12, which illustrates the relationship between a synchronization burst set, synchronization signal bursts, and SSBs. The SSB transmitted by the network device to the terminal device includes the index of that SSB. The index of the SSB is mapped to the symbol position of the time slot within the SS burst set period. In this way, the terminal device can parse the SSB received from the network device to know the resource location occupied by that SSB.

[0167] The correspondence between the indices of at least one second beam and the indices of at least one first beam can be a correspondence between SSB indices. For ease of distinction, the second beam is referred to as the second SSB, and the first beam as the first SSB. Please refer to Table 2, which shows the correspondence between at least one second beam and at least one first beam.

[0168] Table 2

[0169] As shown in Table 2, one first beam can correspond to one second beam, or multiple second beams. For any first beam, the terminal device can determine the corresponding second beam based on the first correspondence, and thus determine the sensing data based on the first beam and the corresponding second beam.

[0170] It should be noted that S1103 is not a mandatory step, therefore it is shown as a dashed line in Figure 11.

[0171] S1104. The network device determines sensing data based on sensing signals received from the first beam.

[0172] In possible scenarios, after the terminal device determines the sensing data, it can send the sensing data to the network device. The network device receives the sensing data and can determine the sensing result based on the sensing data.

[0173] In possible scenarios, the terminal device receives sensing signals from multiple first beams. The terminal device can determine sensing data based on the sensing signal received from one of these first beams, or it can determine sensing data based on the sensing signals received from multiple first beams. For example, the terminal device can determine whether to use one or multiple first beams to determine sensing data based on sensing requirements. A specific example is given below, where the terminal device receives sensing signals from first beams A, B, and C.

[0174] Example 1: The terminal device can determine sensing data based on the sensing signal received from the first beam.

[0175] The terminal device can determine sensing data based on the sensing signal received from the first beam A among multiple first beams. Since the terminal device always determines sensing data based on the sensing signal received from the first beam, it does not need to pay attention to the second beam used by the network device to transmit the sensing signal, which helps improve sensing efficiency.

[0176] The first beam A at different times can be merged for processing. For example, if a terminal device receives a sensing signal from the first beam A at one time and also receives a sensing signal from the first beam A at another time, the terminal device can merge the sensing signals received at these two times. For the terminal device, regardless of the original phase of the sensing signal sent by the network device, it can focus only on the phase of the sensing signal reflected or forwarded by the cooperating nodes. Merging signals with the same phase can reduce processing complexity and improve sensing efficiency.

[0177] The terminal device can process sensing signals received from different first beams independently to reduce interference. For example, the terminal device can process sensing signals received from first beam A independently and sensing signals received from first beam B independently.

[0178] Example 2: The terminal device can determine sensing data based on sensing signals received from a first beam and a second beam corresponding to the first beam.

[0179] In possible scenarios, the terminal device may receive sensing signals from both the first beam and the second beam. In this case, the terminal device can also determine the sensing signal based on the sensing signals received from the first beam and the corresponding second beam. For example, the terminal device receives sensing signals from first beam A, first beam B, second beam A, and second beam B. If first beam A corresponds to second beam A, the terminal device can determine the sensing result based on the sensing signals received from first beam A and second beam A. As another example, the terminal device receives sensing signals from both first beam A and second beam A and second beam B. If first beam A corresponds to both second beam A and second beam B, the terminal device can determine the sensing result based on the sensing signals received from first beam A and second beam A and second beam B.

[0180] In Example 2, the network device sends a sensing signal from the second beam, and the terminal device can ensure that the phase corresponding to the received beam is always the same as the phase corresponding to the second beam, which helps to improve the sensing accuracy.

[0181] It is understandable that the beam direction configured for the cooperative nodes in the network device may be inapplicable, or the sensing performance corresponding to the beam direction configured for the cooperative nodes may be poor. In this case, the network device can reconfigure the beam direction for the cooperative nodes to improve their sensing performance. For example, before S1101, a beam training process can be performed, such as S1100, which includes S1100a to S1100c.

[0182] S1100a, The network device sends a request message to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the request message from the network device accordingly.

[0183] This request message can be used to request a terminal device to measure one or more first beams. Upon receiving the request message, the terminal device measures the one or more first beams and obtains the measurement results. The measurement results include sensing information for one or more beams. The sensing information can be used to characterize sensing performance; for example, the sensing information may include one or more of the following: sensing data, sensing results, sensing performance indicators, sensing resolution, sensing accuracy, or sensing recognition rate.

[0184] S1100b: The terminal device sends sensing information of one or more first beams to the network device, and correspondingly, the network device receives sensing information of one or more first beams from the terminal device.

[0185] S1100c, The network device determines first configuration information based on the sensing information of one or more first beams.

[0186] The network device can determine which first beam or beams has better sensing performance based on the sensing information of one or more beams, and thus allocate the first beam with better sensing performance to the cooperating node. Alternatively, the network device can determine which first beam or beams has poor sensing performance based on the sensing information of one or more beams, and thus avoid allocating the first beam with poorer sensing performance to the cooperating node.

[0187] It should be noted that S1100 uses the example of a network device sending a sensing signal to measure the transmitting beam of a cooperating node and improve the transmitting beam of the cooperating node. Similarly, the receiving beam of a terminal device can also be measured to improve the receiving beam of the terminal device. For example, the terminal device can use different receiving beams to measure the same beam of a cooperating node, thereby determining the receiving beam with better sensing performance based on the sensing information of each receiving beam.

[0188] Figure 11 illustrates an example where a network device transmits a sensing signal, and a terminal device receives the echo signal of the sensing signal. The method shown in Figure 11 is also applicable to a terminal device transmitting a sensing signal, and a network device receiving the echo signal of the sensing signal. In this case, the network device can configure the reflection angle of the transmitting beam of the terminal device to the cooperating node. The following explanation will use the example of the transmitting beam between the terminal device and the cooperating node being referred to as the first beam, equivalent to the terminal device's transmitting beam being the first beam; and the transmitting beam between the cooperating node and the network device being referred to as the second beam, equivalent to the network device's receiving beam being the second beam.

[0189] The network device can configure the terminal device to transmit sensing signals in at least one first beam, and also configure the reflection direction of the cooperating nodes to the first beam, for example, the network device configures the beam direction of the cooperating nodes to be a second beam. The terminal device transmits sensing signals with at least one first beam, and the network device measures one or more second beams of the cooperating nodes to determine the second beam with better sensing performance. Based on the second beam with better sensing performance, the network device reconfigures the transmission beam (i.e., the second beam) of the cooperating nodes. Thus, the terminal device transmits sensing signals with at least one first beam, which are transmitted / refracted / reflected by the cooperating nodes to at least one second beam. The network device receives the sensing signals with at least one second beam, thereby determining sensing data based on the sensing signals received from the second beam. Alternatively, the network device receives sensing signals from at least one first beam in addition to receiving sensing signals from at least one second beam. In this case, the network device can determine sensing data based on the second beam and the first beam corresponding to the second beam.

[0190] The methods provided in the embodiments of this application above are described using network devices, collaborative nodes, and terminal devices as examples. In this application, each embodiment can be implemented independently or in combination based on certain inherent connections; in each embodiment, different implementation methods can be implemented in combination or independently. To achieve the functions in the methods provided in the embodiments of this application above, each device may include hardware structures and / or software modules, implementing the above functions in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules. Whether a particular function is implemented in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0191] Based on the same inventive concept as the method embodiments, this application provides a communication device. The communication device used to implement the above method in the embodiments of this application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The content above can be used in subsequent embodiments, and repeated content will not be repeated.

[0192] Figure 13 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 1300 provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 1300 can implement the functions of a network device, cooperative node, or terminal device as described in the above embodiments. The communication device 1300 may include a processing module 1310 and a transceiver module 1320. Optionally, it may also include a storage module, which can be used to store instructions (code or program) and / or data. The storage module may be, for example, a memory. The processing module 1310 and the transceiver module 1320 may be coupled to the storage module. For example, the processing module 1310 can read instructions (code or program) and / or data from the storage module to implement a corresponding method. When the communication device 1300 is a terminal device, a network device, or a chip in a unit (SU), the storage module may be a storage module within the chip, such as a register, cache, etc. For example, the storage module may also be a storage module located outside the chip in the terminal device, network device, or SU, such as a read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage devices capable of storing static information and instructions, such as random access memory (RAM). The above-mentioned units can be set up independently, or they can be partially or fully integrated.

[0193] Processing module 1310 may be a processor or controller, such as a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processing unit (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. The processor may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc. Transceiver module 1320 is a transceiver, interface circuit, bus, pin, or other possible communication interface for receiving signals from other devices. For example, when the device is implemented as a chip, transceiver module 1320 is an interface circuit for the chip to receive signals from other chips or devices, or an interface circuit for the chip to send signals to other chips or devices.

[0194] In one implementation, the communication device 1300 can correspondingly implement the behavior and functions of the network device in the above method embodiments. The communication device 1300 can be a network device, or a unit or device with sensing capabilities. For example, the communication device 1300 can be a SU or a base station, or a chip (system) in a SU or base station; or a software module of a SU or base station. Alternatively, the communication device 1300 can also be a chip or circuit, or part of a chip or chipset deployed on the RAN side for performing related method functions, or a software module in the communication device 1300 capable of implementing the above communication method; there are no limitations. For details, please refer to the relevant content of the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0195] For example, the transceiver module 1320 is used to send first configuration information to the cooperating node and second configuration information to the terminal device. The first configuration information is used to configure at least one first beam corresponding to the first time unit, and the first beam is used for signal reception and / or transmission between the cooperating node and the terminal device. The second configuration information is used to configure at least one first beam corresponding to the first time unit. The processing module 1310 is used to determine sensing data based on the signal received from the first beam.

[0196] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 1320 is also used to transmit sensing signals with at least one second beam on a first time unit.

[0197] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 1320 is also used to: send third configuration information to the terminal device, the third configuration information being used to indicate the correspondence between at least one second beam and at least one first beam on the first time unit.

[0198] As an optional implementation, the sensing data is also determined based on the signal received from the second beam.

[0199] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 1320 is specifically used to receive sensing data from the terminal device.

[0200] As an optional implementation, before sending the first configuration information to the cooperating node, the transceiver module 1320 is further configured to: send a request message to the terminal device and receive sensing information of one or more first beams from the terminal device. This request message packet is used to request the terminal device to measure one or more first beams corresponding to the first time unit. The processing module 1310 is further configured to determine the first configuration information based on the sensing information.

[0201] As an optional implementation, the perceived information includes one or more of the following: perceived performance metrics, perceived resolution, perceived accuracy, or perceived recognition rate.

[0202] As an optional implementation, the cooperating node includes RIS, and the second configuration information includes the number N of RIS units, indicating that N RIS units are used to reflect and / or refract the received signal.

[0203] In one implementation, the communication device 1300 can correspondingly implement the behavior and functions of the terminal device in the above method embodiments. The communication device 1300 can be a terminal device, or it can be a chip (system) within the terminal device; or it can be a software module within the terminal device. For details, please refer to the relevant content of the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0204] For example, transceiver module 1320 is used to receive second configuration information from a network device, the second configuration information being used to configure at least one first beam corresponding to a first time unit, the first beam being used for receiving and / or transmitting signals between the cooperating node and communication device 1300. Processing module 1310 is used to determine sensing data based on the signals received from the first beam.

[0205] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 1320 is also configured to receive third configuration information from the network device, which is used to indicate the correspondence between at least one second beam and at least one first beam on the first time unit.

[0206] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 1320 is also configured to receive signals from at least one second beam in a first time unit. The processing module 1310 is specifically configured to determine sensing data based on the signals received from the first beam and the second beam corresponding to the first beam.

[0207] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 1320 is also used to send sensing data to the network device.

[0208] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 1320 is also configured to receive a request message from the network device and send sensing information of one or more first beams to the network device. This request message packet is used to request the communication device 1300 to measure one or more first beams corresponding to the first time unit.

[0209] As an optional implementation, the perceived information includes one or more of the following: perceived performance metrics, perceived resolution, perceived accuracy, or perceived recognition rate.

[0210] When the communication device 1300 is a chip-based device or circuit, the transceiver module can be an input / output circuit and / or a communication interface; the processing module is an integrated processor, microprocessor, or integrated circuit.

[0211] Figure 14 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 1400 provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 1400 can be a network device, a cooperative node, or a terminal device as described in the above embodiments. For example, the communication device 1400 can be a SU or base station as shown in Figure 8 or 9; or a chip (system) in a SU or base station. For example, the communication device 1400 can be a UE or a chip (system) in a sensing UE as shown in Figure 8 or 9. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips or can include chips and other discrete devices. Specific functions can be found in the descriptions of the above method embodiments.

[0212] The communication device 1400 includes one or more processors 1401, used to implement or support the communication device 1400 in implementing the functions of the network device, cooperative node, or terminal device in the methods provided in the embodiments of this application. For details, please refer to the detailed description in the method examples, which will not be repeated here. The processor 1401 can also be called a processing unit or processing module, and can implement certain control functions. The processor 1401 can be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, etc. For example, it includes: a baseband processor, a central processing unit, an application processor, a modem processor, a graphics processor, an image signal processor, a digital signal processor, a video codec processor, a controller, a memory, and / or a neural network processor, etc. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data. The central processing unit can be used to control the communication device 1400, execute software programs, and / or process data. Different processors can be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors, for example, integrated on one or more application-specific integrated circuits.

[0213] In one design, processor 1401 may include program 1403 (sometimes referred to as code or instructions) that can be executed on processor 1401 to cause communication device 1400 to perform the methods described in the embodiments below. In yet another possible design, communication device 1400 includes circuitry (not shown in FIG14) for implementing the functions of the network device, cooperative node, or terminal device described in the above embodiments.

[0214] In one design, the communication device 1400 may include one or more memories 1402 storing a program 1409 (sometimes referred to as code or instructions), which can be run on the processor 1401 to cause the communication device 1400 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0215] In one design, the processor 1401 and / or memory 1402 may include an artificial intelligence (AI) module 1407 and an AI module 1408, which are used to implement AI-related functions. The AI ​​modules can be implemented through software, hardware, or a combination of both. For example, the AI ​​module may include a RAN intelligent controller (RIC) module. For example, the AI ​​module may be a near real-time RIC or a non-real-time RIC.

[0216] In one possible design, the processor 1401 and / or memory 1402 may also store data. The processor and memory may be configured separately or integrated together.

[0217] In one possible design, the communication device 1400 may further include a transceiver 1405 and / or an antenna 1406. The processor 1401, sometimes referred to as a processing unit, controls the communication device 1400. The transceiver 1405, sometimes referred to as a transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiver circuit, or transceiver, is used to realize the transmission and reception functions of the communication device 1400 through the antenna 1406.

[0218] In one possible design, the communication device 1400 may further include one or more of the following components: a wireless communication module, an audio module, an external memory interface, internal memory, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a power management module, an antenna, a speaker, a microphone, an input / output module, a sensor module, a motor, a camera, or a display screen, etc. It is understood that in some embodiments, the communication device 1400 may include more or fewer components, or some components may be integrated, or some components may be separated. These components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0219] The communication device in the above embodiments can be a base station or SU, a circuit, or a chip or other combination device or component having the above-mentioned network device applied in a base station or SC node. Alternatively, the communication device in the above embodiments can be an access network device, a circuit, or a chip or other combination device or component having the above-mentioned access network device applied in an access network device. When the communication device is a base station or SC node, the transceiver module can be a transceiver, which may include an antenna and radio frequency circuit, etc., and the processing module can be a processor, such as a CPU. When the communication device is a chip system, the communication device can be an FPGA, a dedicated ASIC, a system-on-chip (SoC), a CPU, a network processor (NP), a DSP, a microcontroller unit (MCU), a programmable logic device (PLD), or other integrated chips. The processing module can be the processor of the chip system. The transceiver module or communication interface can be the input / output interface or interface circuit of the chip system. For example, the interface circuit can be a code / data read / write interface circuit. The interface circuit can be used to receive code instructions (the code instructions are stored in memory and can be read directly from memory or through other devices) and transmit them to the processor; the processor can then execute the code instructions to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. Alternatively, the interface circuit can also be a signal transmission interface circuit between a communication processor and a transceiver.

[0220] This application also provides a communication system, which includes at least one terminal device, a cooperating node, and a network device. The network device is a network apparatus for implementing the functions related to the aforementioned communication method, and the terminal device is a terminal apparatus for implementing the functions related to the aforementioned communication method.

[0221] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to execute the methods performed by the network device, cooperating node, or terminal device in the above-described communication method.

[0222] This application also provides a computer program product, including computer program code, which, when executed, causes a computer to perform the methods executed by the network device, cooperative node, or terminal device in the above-described communication method.

[0223] This application provides a chip system including a processor and potentially a memory, for implementing the functions of a network device, a cooperative node, or a terminal device in the aforementioned communication method. The chip system may be composed of a chip or may include chips and other discrete components.

[0224] To achieve the functions of the communication devices shown in Figures 13 and 14, this application embodiment also provides a chip, including a processor, for supporting the communication device in implementing the functions involved in the network device, cooperative node, or terminal device in the above method embodiments. In one possible design, the chip is connected to a memory or the chip includes a memory for storing necessary computer programs, instructions, and data for the communication device.

[0225] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0226] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the various illustrative logical blocks and steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0227] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0228] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0229] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0230] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the essential contributing part of the technical solution of this application, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, external hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0231] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the scope of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: Comprising: sending first configuration information to a cooperating node, the first configuration information being used for configuring at least one first beam corresponding to a first time unit, the first beam being used for receiving and / or transmitting signals between the cooperating node and a terminal device, the cooperating node comprising a relay device or a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS); sending second configuration information to the terminal device, the second configuration information being used for configuring the at least one first beam corresponding to the first time unit; determining sensing data according to signals received from the first beam.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: transmitting sensing signals with at least one second beam on the first time unit.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The method further comprises: sending third configuration information to the terminal device, the third configuration information being used for indicating a correspondence between at least one second beam and the at least one first beam on the first time unit.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The sensing data is further determined according to signals received from the second beam.

5. The method of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, Determining sensing data comprises: receiving sensing data from the terminal device.

6. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein, Before sending the first configuration information to the cooperating node, the method further comprises: sending a request message to the terminal device, the request message being used for requesting the terminal device to measure one or more first beams corresponding to the first time unit; receiving sensing information of the one or more first beams from the terminal device; determining the first configuration information according to the sensing information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The sensing information comprises one or more of: a sensing performance indicator, a sensing resolution, a sensing accuracy, or a sensing discrimination rate.

8. The method of any one of claims 1-7, wherein, The cooperating node comprises a RIS, and the second configuration information comprises a number N of RIS units, the N indicating that N RIS units are used to reflect and / or refract received signals.

9. A communication method characterized by comprising: Comprising: receiving second configuration information from a network device, the second configuration information being used for configuring at least one first beam corresponding to a first time unit, the first beam being used for receiving and / or transmitting signals between a cooperating node and a terminal device, the cooperating node comprising a relay device or a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS); determining sensing data according to signals received from the first beam.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving third configuration information from the network device, the third configuration information being used for indicating a correspondence between at least one second beam and the at least one first beam on the first time unit.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving signals from at least one second beam on the first time unit; determining sensing data according to signals received from the first beam comprises determining the sensing data according to signals received from the first beam and a second beam corresponding to the first beam.

12. The method of any one of claims 9-11, wherein, The method further comprises: sending the sensing data to the network device.

13. The method of any one of claims 9-12, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving a request message from the network device, the request message being used for requesting the terminal device to measure one or more first beams corresponding to the first time unit; sending sensing information of the one or more first beams to the network device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, The sensing information comprises one or more of: Perception performance indicator, perception resolution, perception accuracy, or perception discrimination rate.

15. A method of communication, comprising: Comprise: The network device sends first configuration information to the cooperative node, the first configuration information is used for configuring at least one first beam corresponding to the first time unit, and the first beam is used for receiving and / or sending signals between the cooperative node and the terminal device, and the cooperative node includes a relay device or a reconfigured intelligent surface (RIS); The cooperative node reflects or forwards the received signal with the at least one first beam on the first time unit; The network device further sends second configuration information to the terminal device, and the second configuration information is used for configuring the at least one first beam corresponding to the first time unit; The terminal device receives a signal from the at least one first beam on the first time unit.

16. A communications device, characterized by Comprise: The transceiver module is used for sending first configuration information to the cooperative node, and sending second configuration information to the terminal device, the first configuration information is used for configuring at least one first beam corresponding to the first time unit, and the first beam is used for receiving and / or sending signals between the cooperative node and the terminal device, the cooperative node includes a relay device or a reconfigured intelligent surface (RIS), and the second configuration information is used for configuring the at least one first beam corresponding to the first time unit; The processing module is used for determining perception data, and the perception data is determined according to the signal received from the first beam.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein, The transceiver module is further used for: Sending a perception signal with at least one second beam on the first time unit.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 or 17, wherein, The transceiver module is further used for: Sending third configuration information to the terminal device, the third configuration information is used for indicating the correspondence between at least one second beam and at least one first beam on the first time unit.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein, The perception data is further determined according to the signal received from the second beam.

20. The apparatus of any one of claims 16-19, wherein, The transceiver module is further used for: Receiving perception data from the terminal device.

21. The apparatus of any one of claims 16-20, wherein, Before sending the first configuration information to the cooperative node, the transceiver module is further used for: sending a request message to the terminal device, receiving perception information of the one or more first beams from the terminal device, and the request message is used for requesting the terminal device to measure one or more first beams corresponding to the first time unit; The processing module is further used for: determining the first configuration information according to the perception information.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein, The perception information includes one or more of the following: Perception performance indicator, perception resolution, perception accuracy, or perception discrimination rate.

23. The apparatus of any one of claims 16-22, wherein, The cooperative node includes an RIS, and the second configuration information includes: the number N of RIS units, and the N indicates that N RIS units are used to reflect and / or refract the received signal.

24. A communications device, characterized by Comprise: The transceiver module is used for receiving second configuration information from the network device, the second configuration information is used for configuring at least one first beam corresponding to the first time unit, and the first beam is used for receiving and / or sending signals between the cooperative node and the terminal device, and the cooperative node includes a relay device or a reconfigured intelligent surface (RIS); The processing module is configured to determine awareness data according to the signals received from the first beam.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein, The method further includes: receiving third configuration information from the network device, the third configuration information being used to indicate a correspondence between at least one second beam and at least one first beam in the first time unit.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein, The transceiver module is further configured to receive signals from at least one second beam in the first time unit. The processing module is specifically configured to determine the awareness data according to the signals received from the first beam and the second beam corresponding to the first beam.

27. The apparatus of any one of claims 24-26, wherein, The transceiver module is further configured to: send the awareness data to the network device.

28. The apparatus of any one of claims 24-27, wherein, The transceiver module is further configured to: receive a request message from the network device, the request message being used to request the terminal device to measure one or more first beams corresponding to the first time unit; send awareness information of the one or more first beams to the network device.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein, The awareness information includes one or more of: an awareness performance index, an awareness resolution, an awareness accuracy rate, or an awareness recognition rate.

30. A communications device, characterized by The communication device includes at least one processor and at least one memory, the at least one memory being used to store a computer program, and the at least one processor being used to execute the computer program stored on the memory, so that the communication device performs the method of any one of claims 1-8, or so that the communication device performs the method of any one of claims 9-15.

31. A computer readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer readable storage medium is used to store a computer program, when the computer program is run on a computer, so that the computer performs the method of any one of claims 1-8, or so that the computer performs the method of any one of claims 9-15.

32. A computer program product, characterised in that, The computer program product includes a computer program, when the computer program is run on a computer, so that the computer performs the method of any one of claims 1-8, or so that the computer performs the method of any one of claims 9-15.

33. A chip or chip system, characterized by The chip or chip system includes: at least one processor and an interface, the at least one processor being used to call and run instructions from the interface, when the at least one processor executes the instructions, the method of any one of claims 1-8 is implemented, or the method of any one of claims 9-15 is implemented.

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