Sensing method and apparatus

Abstract

A sensing method and apparatus, which are used for improving sensing accuracy. The method comprises: sending first information, wherein the first information is used for configuring a first reference signal resource, the first reference signal resource indicating that a first sending time of a first reference signal is a first time, the first time being used for a first sensing device to determine a second sending time of the first reference signal, the first reference signal being used for sensing, the first time and a second time being used for determining a first round-trip time, the second time being the time of receiving the first reference signal, and the first round-trip time comprising a round-trip time of the transmission of a signal between a second sensing device, a sensing target and the first sensing device.

Description

A perception method and apparatus

[0001] Cross-reference to Related Applications

[0002] The present application claims priority to the Chinese Patent Application No. 202411074612.5, filed on August 6, 2024, and entitled "A Perception Method and Apparatus", the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a perception method and apparatus. BACKGROUND

[0004] For a perception service, such as an environmental imaging or reconstruction application scenario, the reflection, scattering or diffraction of a signal transmitted by a user equipment (UE) or a base station on a perception target when the signal propagates in space can be utilized to perceive the position or shape of the perception target in the environment. The base station or the UE can measure the signal reflected, scattered or diffracted by the perception target and report the measurement result to a perception network element, and the perception network element can perform perception on the perception target based on the measurement result.

[0005] In a two-station perception mode, the sending end and the receiving end of the perception signal are different, and the measurement result of the receiving end can be affected by the clock synchronization error between the sending end and the receiving end. Taking the case where the sending end of the signal is a UE and the receiving end is a base station as an example. The UE transmits a perception signal, and the base station can receive the signal reflected, scattered or diffracted by the perception target, so as to perform perception by measuring the signal. The base station can estimate the time delay and other parameters corresponding to the perception target based on the measurement result. If the clocks of the UE and the base station are not synchronized, the time delay and other parameters estimated by the base station can not be accurate enough, thereby reducing the perception accuracy. SUMMARY

[0006] Embodiments of the present application provide a perception method and apparatus for improving the perception accuracy.

[0007] In a first aspect, a first sensing method is provided, which can be applied to a second sensing device. Optionally, the second sensing device is a network-side apparatus, which is also referred to as a network apparatus. The network apparatus is, for example, a network device, or another device including the function of the network device, or a circuit, or a chip system (or chip) or another functional module capable of implementing the function of the network device, which is, for example, arranged in the network device. The network device includes, for example, a core network device and / or an access network device. Alternatively, the second sensing device is a terminal-side apparatus, which is also referred to as a terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus is, for example, a terminal device, or another device including the function of the terminal device, or a circuit, or a chip system (or chip, such as a modem chip, also referred to as a baseband chip, or a system on chip (SoC) chip or a system in package (SIP) chip including a modem core) or another functional module capable of implementing the function of the terminal device, which is, for example, arranged in the terminal device. The method includes: sending first information, the first information being used for configuring a first reference signal resource, the first reference signal resource indicating that a first sending time of a first reference signal is a first time, the first time being used for a first sensing device to determine a second sending time of the first reference signal, the first reference signal being used for sensing, the first time and the second time being used for determining a first round trip time, the second time being a receiving time of the first reference signal, and the first round trip time including a round trip time of a signal transmitted between the second sensing device, a sensing target and the first sensing device.

[0008] In the embodiments of the present application, the second sensing device can determine the round trip time according to the sending time of the first reference signal indicated by the first reference signal resource and the receiving time of the first reference signal, that is, the time information used for determining the round trip time does not necessarily include the time (for example, the second sending time) at which the first sensing device sends the first reference signal. Therefore, even if the first sensing device and the second sensing device are not synchronized in time, the accuracy of the round trip time determined by the second sensing device will not be affected, thereby improving the sensing accuracy.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving the first reference signal.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending a second reference signal, the second reference signal being used for sensing. In the two-station sensing mode, if sensing is performed on the sensing target based on only the first reference signal, the sensing accuracy can be affected by the clock synchronization error. Taking the case that the first sensing device sends a signal at t1 as an example. If the clocks of the first sensing device and the second sensing device are not synchronized, for example, the clock of the first sensing device is Δt later than the clock of the second sensing device, the first sensing device actually sends the signal at the time t1+Δt according to the second sensing device. If the second sensing device receives the signal at t2, the second sensing device determines that the uplink time delay of the first reference signal from the sensing target to the second sensing device via the first sensing device is t2-t1, but the actual uplink time delay should be t2-(t1+Δt). It can be seen that the uplink time delay determined by the second sensing device is inaccurate, thereby affecting the sensing accuracy. Sensing is performed on the sensing target based on the first reference signal and the second reference signal, and because the clock deviation between the second sensing device and the first sensing device is fixed, the clock deviation in the downlink time delay and the clock deviation in the uplink time delay can be offset, thereby reducing or eliminating the influence of the clock deviation of the first sensing device and the second sensing device on the round-trip time delay. Taking the case that the clock of the first sensing device is Δt later than the clock of the second sensing device as an example. The second sensing device sends the second reference signal at T1, at this time, the actual time of the first sensing device relative to the second sensing device is T1-Δt. The first sensing device receives the second reference signal at T2, therefore, the second sensing device determines that the downlink time delay is T2-T1, while the actual downlink time delay is T2-(T1-Δt). And, taking the foregoing example as an example, the second sensing device determines that the uplink time delay is t2-t1, while the actual uplink time delay is t2-(t1+Δt). That is, the second sensing device determines that the round-trip time delay is T2-T1+t2-t1, while the actual round-trip time delay is T2-(T1-Δt)+t2-(t1+Δt)=T2-T1+t2-t1, which is the same as the round-trip time delay determined by the second sensing device.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the first time, the receiving time of the second reference signal, and a third time are used to determine the second sending time, and the third time is a sending time of the second reference signal. Optionally, a time difference between the second sending time and the receiving time of the second reference signal is the same as a time difference between the first time and the third time, so that the downlink time delay of the second reference signal can be determined as a time difference between the second sending time and the first time, and the uplink time delay of the first reference signal can be determined as a time difference between the receiving time of the first reference signal and the second sending time, that is, the round-trip time delay can be determined according to the receiving time of the first reference signal and the first time. In this way, the time information used to determine the round-trip time delay does not need to include the time at which the first sensing device sends the first reference signal (for example, the second sending time), so that even if the first sensing device and the second sensing device are not synchronized, the accuracy of the round-trip time delay determined by the second sensing device is not affected, and therefore the sensing accuracy can be improved.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending second information, where the second information is used to indicate the third time. In this technical solution, the second sensing device indicates the sending time of the second reference signal, and the first sensing device can receive the second reference signal according to the third time. For example, the second sensing device can configure a second reference signal resource, and the first sensing device can receive the second reference signal on the second reference signal resource, where the second reference signal resource can indicate the third time.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the second information further indicates that the second sending time is determined according to the first time, the receiving time of the second reference signal, and the third time. In a conventional manner, a network device generally determines a round-trip time delay according to a downlink time delay and an uplink time delay, where the downlink time delay is determined by the network device according to a sending time of a downlink signal and a time of arrival (TOA) reported by a terminal, and therefore the terminal needs to report the TOA. In the embodiment of the present application, the second sensing device indicates that the first sensing device determines the second sending time according to the rule, so that the downlink time delay can be converted into a time difference between the first time indicated by the first reference signal resource and the second sending time, and the uplink time delay is a time difference between the second sending time and the receiving time of the first reference signal (that is, the second time). This enables the second sensing device to determine the round-trip time delay according to the first time and the second time, so that the first sensing device does not need to report the receiving time of the second reference signal, and this helps to reduce the reporting overhead of the first sensing device.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the first reference signal resource further indicates that a first sending phase of the first reference signal is a first phase, the first phase is used by the first sensing device to determine a second sending phase of the first reference signal, the first phase and the second phase are used to determine the first round trip time, and the second phase is a receiving phase of the first reference signal. Currently, in a two-station sensing mode, in addition to determining the round trip time according to time, the receiving end can also estimate the round trip time according to a phase difference, for example, the receiving end can estimate the round trip time according to time and / or the phase difference. Therefore, if there is a phase deviation between the sending end and the receiving end, it may also cause the inaccuracy of the time delay and other parameters estimated by the receiving end. In the embodiment of the present application, the second sensing device can determine the round trip time according to the receiving phase of the first reference signal and the sending phase of the first reference signal indicated by the first reference signal resource, that is, the phase information used to determine the round trip time does not have to include the phase of the first reference signal sent by the first sensing device. Therefore, even if there is a phase deviation between the first sensing device and the second sensing device, it will not affect the accuracy of the round trip time determined by the second sensing device, thereby making the accuracy of the distance, angle, or speed information of the sensing target determined by the second sensing device according to the round trip time higher, which helps to improve the sensing accuracy.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the first phase, the receiving phase of the second reference signal, and a third phase are used to determine the second sending phase, and the third phase is a sending phase of the second reference signal. Optionally, the phase difference between the second sending phase and the receiving phase of the second reference signal is the same as the phase difference between the first phase and the third phase, so that the downlink phase difference of the second reference signal can be determined as the phase difference between the second sending phase and the first phase, and the uplink phase difference of the first reference signal is determined as the phase difference between the receiving phase of the first reference signal and the second sending phase, that is, the round trip time can be determined according to the receiving phase of the first reference signal and the first phase. In this way, the time information used to determine the round trip time does not have to include the phase of the first reference signal sent by the first sensing device, so even if there is a phase deviation between the first sensing device and the second sensing device, it will not affect the accuracy of the round trip time determined by the second sensing device, thereby helping to improve the sensing accuracy.

[0016] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending third information, the third information being used to indicate the third phase. In this technical solution, the second sensing device indicates the sending phase of the second reference signal, and the first sensing device can receive the second reference signal according to the third phase. For example, the second sensing device can configure a second reference signal resource, the first sensing device can receive the second reference signal on the second reference signal resource, and the second reference signal resource can indicate the third phase.

[0017] In a possible implementation, the third information further indicates that the second sending phase is determined according to the first phase, a receiving phase of the second reference signal, and the third phase. In a conventional manner, a network device generally determines a round trip time (RTT) through a downlink phase difference and an uplink phase difference, where the downlink phase difference is determined by the network device according to a sending phase of a downlink signal and a receiving phase reported by a terminal, and thus the terminal needs to report the receiving phase. In the embodiment of the present application, the second sensing device instructs the first sensing device to determine the second sending phase according to the rule, which can convert the downlink phase difference into a phase difference between the first phase indicated by the first reference signal resource and the second sending phase, and the uplink phase difference is a phase difference between the second sending phase and a receiving phase (i.e., the second phase) of the first reference signal, so that the second sensing device can determine the RTT according to the first phase and the second phase, thereby eliminating the need for the first sensing device to report the receiving phase of the second reference signal, and helping to reduce the reporting overhead of the first sensing device.

[0018] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending fourth information, where the fourth information is used to instruct not to report a receiving time and / or a receiving phase of a second reference signal, and the second reference signal is used for sensing. In this technical solution, the second sensing device can determine an RTT according to a sending time (i.e., the first time) of the configured first reference signal and an actual receiving time (i.e., the second time) of the first reference signal, and / or the second sensing device can determine the RTT according to a sending phase (i.e., the first phase) of the configured first reference signal and an actual receiving phase (i.e., the second phase) of the first reference signal, thereby eliminating the need for the first sensing device to report the receiving time and / or the receiving phase of the second reference signal, and the second sensing device can instruct the first sensing device not to report the receiving time and / or the receiving phase of the second reference signal, which helps to reduce the reporting overhead of the first sensing device. In addition, since the first sensing device does not need to report the receiving time and / or the receiving phase of the second reference signal, the first sensing device can not need to enter an RRC active state to report the receiving time and / or the receiving phase of the second reference signal in an RRC inactive state, that is, the first sensing device can assist the second sensing device in sensing a sensing target in the RRC inactive state, which helps to reduce the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0019] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving fifth information, the fifth information being used for requesting to update the first reference signal resource. In this technical solution, the first sensing device can be mobile, and the first sensing device can cause the first path of the downlink reference signal (i.e., the second reference signal) to be lost or changed during the movement of the first sensing device, so that the second sending time determined by the first sensing device according to the receiving time of the second reference signal is inaccurate. The first sensing device can request the second sensing device to update the first reference signal resource, and can not send the first reference signal, so as to reduce the probability of inaccurate round-trip time and improve the sensing accuracy.

[0020] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending sixth information, the sixth information being used for reconfiguring the first reference signal resource. In this technical solution, when the second sensing device receives the fifth information from the first sensing device, the second sensing device can configure a new first reference signal resource for the first sensing device. The first sensing device can send the first reference signal according to the reconfigured reference signal resource, so as to reduce the probability of inaccurate round-trip time caused by the inaccurate second sending time of the first sensing device for sending the first reference signal, and improve the sensing accuracy.

[0021] In a second aspect, a second sensing method is provided, which can be applied to a first sensing device. The first sensing device is a terminal-side device, for example, also referred to as a terminal device. The terminal device is, for example, a terminal equipment, or other equipment including a terminal equipment function, or a circuit, or a chip system (or a chip, for example, a modem chip, also referred to as a baseband chip, or a system on chip (SoC) chip or a system in package (SIP) chip containing a modem core) or other functional module capable of realizing the function of a terminal equipment, for example, arranged in a terminal equipment. The method includes: receiving first information, the first information being used for configuring a first reference signal resource, the first reference signal resource indicating that a first sending time of a first reference signal is a first time, the first time being used for determining a second sending time of the first reference signal, and the first reference signal being used for sensing.

[0022] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending the first reference signal according to the second sending time.

[0023] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving a second reference signal, the second reference signal being used for sensing.

[0024] In a possible implementation, the method further includes determining the second sending time based on the first time, a receiving time of the second reference signal, and a third time, the third time being a sending time of the second reference signal.

[0025] In a possible implementation, the method further includes receiving second information, the second information being used to indicate the third time.

[0026] In a possible implementation, the second information further indicates that the second sending time is determined according to the first time, a receiving time of the second reference signal, and the third time.

[0027] In a possible implementation, the first reference signal resource further indicates that a first sending phase of the first reference signal is a first phase, the first phase being used to determine a second sending phase of the first reference signal.

[0028] In a possible implementation, the method further includes determining the second sending phase based on the first phase, a receiving phase of a second reference signal, and a third phase, the third phase being a sending phase of the second reference signal.

[0029] In a possible implementation, the method further includes receiving third information, the third information being used to indicate the third phase.

[0030] In a possible implementation, the third information further indicates that the second sending phase is determined according to the first phase, a receiving phase of the second reference signal, and the third phase.

[0031] In a possible implementation, the method further includes receiving fourth information, the fourth information being used to indicate that a receiving time and / or a receiving phase of a second reference signal is not reported, the second reference signal being used for sensing.

[0032] In a possible implementation, the method further includes sending fifth information, the fifth information being used to request to update the first reference signal resource.

[0033] In a possible implementation, the method further includes receiving sixth information, the sixth information being used to reconfigure the first reference signal resource.

[0034] In a third aspect, a third sensing method is provided, which can be applied to the second sensing device. Optionally, the second sensing device is a network-side apparatus, which is also referred to as a network apparatus. The network apparatus is, for example, a network device, or another device including the function of the network device, or a circuit, or a chip system (or, a chip) or another functional module capable of implementing the function of the network device, which is, for example, arranged in the network device. The network device includes, for example, a core network device and / or an access network device. Alternatively, the second sensing device is a terminal-side apparatus, which is also referred to as a terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus is, for example, a terminal device, or another device including the function of the terminal device, or a circuit, or a chip system (or, a chip, such as a modem chip, also referred to as a baseband chip, or a system on chip (SoC) chip or a system in package (SIP) chip including a modem core, or another functional module capable of implementing the function of the terminal device, which is, for example, arranged in the terminal device. The method includes: sending first information, the first information being used for configuring a first reference signal resource, the first reference signal resource indicating that a first transmission phase of a first reference signal is a first phase, the first phase being used for a first sensing device to determine a second transmission phase of the first reference signal, the first reference signal being used for sensing, the first phase and the second phase being used for determining a first round trip time, the second phase being a reception phase of the first reference signal, and the first round trip time including a round trip time of a signal transmitted between the second sensing device, a sensing target and the first sensing device.

[0035] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving the first reference signal.

[0036] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending a second reference signal, the second reference signal being used for sensing.

[0037] In a possible implementation, the first phase, a reception phase of the second reference signal and a third phase are used for determining the second transmission phase, the third phase being a transmission phase of the second reference signal.

[0038] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending third information, the third information being used for indicating the third phase.

[0039] In a possible implementation, the third information further indicates that the second transmission phase is determined according to the first phase, the reception phase of the second reference signal and the third phase.

[0040] In a possible implementation, the first reference signal resource further indicates that a first sending time of the first reference signal is a first time, the first time is used by the first sensing device to determine a second sending time of the first reference signal, and the first time and the second time are used to determine the first round-trip time, and the second time is a receiving time of the first reference signal.

[0041] In a possible implementation, the first time, a receiving time of the second reference signal, and a third time are used to determine the second sending time, and the third time is a sending time of the second reference signal.

[0042] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending second information, the second information being used to indicate the third time.

[0043] In a possible implementation, the second information further indicates that the second sending time is determined according to the first time, the receiving time of the second reference signal, and the third time.

[0044] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending fourth information, the fourth information being used to indicate that the receiving time and / or the receiving phase of the second reference signal are not reported, and the second reference signal is used for sensing.

[0045] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving fifth information, the fifth information being used to request to update the first reference signal resource.

[0046] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending sixth information, the sixth information being used to reconfigure the first reference signal resource.

[0047] In a fourth aspect, a fourth sensing method is provided, which can be applied to a first sensing device. The first sensing device is a terminal-side apparatus, which is also referred to as a terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus is, for example, a terminal device, or another device including a terminal device function, or a circuit, or a chip system (or a chip, such as a modem chip, also referred to as a baseband chip, or a system on chip (SoC) chip or a system in package (SIP) chip containing a modem core, or another functional module capable of realizing the function of a terminal device, which is, for example, arranged in a terminal device). The method comprises: receiving first information, the first information being used for configuring a first reference signal resource, the first reference signal resource indicating that a first transmission phase of a first reference signal is a first phase, the first phase being used for determining a second transmission phase of the first reference signal, the first reference signal being used for sensing.

[0048] In a possible implementation, the method further comprises: transmitting the first reference signal according to the second transmission phase.

[0049] In a possible implementation, the method further comprises: receiving a second reference signal, the second reference signal being used for sensing.

[0050] In a possible implementation, the method further comprises: determining the second transmission phase based on the first phase, a reception phase of the second reference signal, and a third phase, the third phase being a transmission phase of the second reference signal.

[0051] In a possible implementation, the method further comprises: receiving third information, the third information being used for indicating the third phase.

[0052] In a possible implementation, the third information further indicates that the second transmission phase is determined according to the first phase, the reception phase of the second reference signal, and the third phase.

[0053] In a possible implementation, the first reference signal resource further indicates that a first transmission time of the first reference signal is a first time, the first time being used for determining a second transmission time of the first reference signal.

[0054] In a possible implementation, the method further comprises: determining the second transmission time based on the first time, a reception time of a second reference signal, and a third time, the third time being a transmission time of the second reference signal.

[0055] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving second information, the second information being used to indicate the third time.

[0056] In a possible implementation, the second information further indicates that the second transmission time is determined according to the first time, a reception time of the second reference signal, and the third time.

[0057] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving fourth information, the fourth information being used to indicate that a reception time and / or a reception phase of a second reference signal are not reported, the second reference signal being used for sensing.

[0058] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending fifth information, the fifth information being used to request to update the first reference signal resource.

[0059] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving sixth information, the sixth information being used to reconfigure the first reference signal resource.

[0060] In a fifth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided. The communication apparatus can be the second sensing device of any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect. The communication apparatus has the functions of the second sensing device. For example, the communication apparatus has the functions of any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect, for example, the communication apparatus includes modules or units or means corresponding to the operations of any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect. The modules or units or means can be implemented by software or by hardware or by a combination of software and hardware. The communication apparatus, for example, is a terminal device, or is another device having functions of the terminal device, or is a chip system (or a chip or a circuit) or another functional module, which can implement the functions of the terminal device, and which is arranged in the terminal device for example. Alternatively, the communication apparatus, for example, is a network device, or is another device having functions of the network device, or is a chip system (or a chip or a circuit) or another functional module, which can implement the functions of the network device, and which is arranged in the network device for example. The network device, for example, includes a core network device and / or an access network device. In an optional implementation, the communication apparatus includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device.

[0061] In an alternative implementation, the communication apparatus comprises a processing unit (also referred to as a processing module) and a transceiving unit (also referred to as a transceiving module). The transceiving unit is capable of implementing the transmitting function and the receiving function. When the transceiving unit implements the transmitting function, it can be referred to as a transmitting unit (also referred to as a transmitting module). When the transceiving unit implements the receiving function, it can be referred to as a receiving unit (also referred to as a receiving module). The transmitting unit and the receiving unit can be the same functional module, which is referred to as a transceiving unit and is capable of implementing the transmitting function and the receiving function. Alternatively, the transmitting unit and the receiving unit can be different functional modules, and the transceiving unit refers to these functional modules in general.

[0062] In an alternative implementation, the processing unit is configured to configure a first reference signal resource, the first reference signal resource indicating a first transmission time of a first reference signal as a first time, the first time being used by a first sensing device to determine a second transmission time of the first reference signal, the first reference signal being used for sensing, the first time and the second time being used to determine a first round-trip time, the second time being a reception time of the first reference signal, the first round-trip time including a round-trip time of a signal transmitted between a second sensing device, a sensing target and the first sensing device; and the transceiving unit (or the transmitting unit) is configured to transmit first information, the first information being used to configure the first reference signal resource.

[0063] In an alternative implementation, the communication apparatus further comprises a storage unit (also referred to as a storage module), and the processing unit is configured to be coupled with the storage unit and execute a program or an instruction in the storage unit, so as to enable the communication apparatus to perform the functions of the second sensing device in any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect.

[0064] In a sixth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided. The communication apparatus can be the first sensing device in any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect. The communication apparatus has the functions of the first sensing device. For example, the communication apparatus has the functions of any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect. For example, the communication apparatus comprises a module or a unit or a means corresponding to the operations described in any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect. The module or the unit or the means can be implemented by software, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware. In an alternative implementation, the communication apparatus comprises a baseband device and a radio frequency device. In another alternative implementation, the communication apparatus comprises a processing unit (also referred to as a processing module) and a transceiving unit (also referred to as a transceiving module). For the implementation of the transceiving unit, refer to the related description of the fifth aspect.

[0065] In an optional implementation, the transceiver (or the receiver) is configured to receive first information, where the first information is used to configure a first reference signal resource, and the first reference signal resource indicates that a first transmission time of a first reference signal is a first time, and the first time is used to determine a second transmission time of the first reference signal, and the first reference signal is used for sensing.

[0066] In an optional implementation, the communication apparatus further includes a storage unit (also referred to as a storage module), and the processing unit is coupled to the storage unit and executes programs or instructions in the storage unit to enable the communication apparatus to perform the functions of the first sensing device according to any of the first aspect to the fourth aspect.

[0067] In a seventh aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, which includes a memory and one or more processors. The memory is configured to store part or all of the computer programs or instructions necessary for implementing the functions related to any of the first aspect to the fourth aspect. The one or more processors are configured to execute the computer programs or instructions, which, when executed, cause the communication apparatus to implement the method in any possible design or implementation of any of the first aspect to the fourth aspect.

[0068] In a possible design, the communication apparatus can further include an interface circuit, and the processor is configured to communicate with other apparatuses or components through the interface circuit.

[0069] In a possible design, the communication apparatus can further include the memory.

[0070] The communication apparatus can be a network device or a server, or a communication module in the network device or the server, or a chip responsible for communication functions in the network device or the server, such as a modem chip (also referred to as a baseband chip) or an SoC or SIP chip including a modem module. Optionally, the network device or the server can implement the method in any possible design or implementation of the first aspect, or can implement the method in any possible design or implementation of the third aspect.

[0071] In an eighth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, which includes a memory and one or more processors. The memory is configured to store part or all of the computer programs or instructions necessary for implementing the functions related to any of the first aspect to the fourth aspect. The one or more processors are configured to execute the computer programs or instructions, which, when executed, cause the communication apparatus to implement the method in any possible design or implementation of any of the first aspect to the fourth aspect.

[0072] In a possible design, the communication apparatus further includes an interface circuit, and the processor is configured to communicate with other apparatuses or components through the interface circuit.

[0073] In a possible design, the communication apparatus further includes the memory.

[0074] The communication apparatus described above can be a terminal, or a communication module in the terminal, or a chip responsible for a communication function in the terminal, such as a modem chip (also referred to as a baseband chip) or a SoC or SIP chip including a modem module. Optionally, the terminal can implement the method in any possible design or implementation manner of the first aspect, or can implement the method in any possible design or implementation manner of the second aspect, or can implement the method in any possible design or implementation manner of the third aspect, or can implement the method in any possible design or implementation manner of the fourth aspect.

[0075] In a ninth aspect, a communication system is provided, including a second sensing device and a first sensing device, where the second sensing device is configured to perform the method performed by the second sensing device in any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect, and the first sensing device is configured to perform the method performed by the first sensing device in any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect. For example, the second sensing device can be implemented by the communication apparatus in any one of the fifth aspect to the eighth aspect, and the first sensing device can be implemented by the communication apparatus in the sixth aspect or the eighth aspect.

[0076] In a tenth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, configured to store a computer program or instructions, which, when executed, cause the method performed by the second sensing device or the first sensing device in the aspects described above to be implemented.

[0077] In an eleventh aspect, a computer program product is provided, configured to include instructions, which, when executed on a computer, cause the method described in the aspects described above to be implemented.

[0078] In a twelfth aspect, a chip system is provided, including a processor and an interface, where the processor is configured to call and execute instructions from the interface, so that the chip system implements the method in the aspects described above.

[0079] The technical effects that can be achieved by any one of the second aspect to the twelfth aspect described above can be explained with reference to the technical effects that can be achieved by any possible implementation manner of the first aspect described above, which will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0080] FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of an access network device structure under an ORAN architecture;

[0081] Figure 1B is a schematic diagram of a structure of a RAN chip;

[0082] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a base station measuring a target;

[0083] Figures 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams of two network architectures to which embodiments of the present application are applied;

[0084] Figures 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams of single station sensing mode and double station sensing mode respectively;

[0085] Figure 6 is a flowchart of a sensing method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0086] Figure 7 is a flowchart of another sensing method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0087] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a network device determining a round trip time in an embodiment of the present application;

[0088] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0089] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of another apparatus provided by an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0090] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of embodiments of the present application clearer, the following will further describe the embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0091] In the embodiments of the present application, the number of a noun, unless otherwise specified, represents "a singular noun or a plural noun", i.e. "one or more". "At least one" means one or more, and "multiple" means two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of the associated objects, which means that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B, which can represent the following cases: A exists alone, A and B exist together, B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally represents an "or" relationship between the associated objects. For example, A / B means A or B. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions means any combination of these items, including any combination of single item or multiple 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.

[0092] The ordinal numbers such as "first", "second", and the like used in the embodiments of the present application are used to distinguish a plurality of objects, and are not used to limit the size, content, order, time sequence, priority, or importance of the plurality of objects. In addition, the numbering of steps in each embodiment introduced in the present application is only to distinguish different steps, and is not used to limit the order of the steps.

[0093] In the following, some terms or concepts in the embodiments of the present application are explained and described, so as to facilitate the understanding of those skilled in the art.

[0094] In the embodiments of the present application, the terminal device is a device with wireless transceiving function, which can be a fixed device, a mobile device, a handheld device (for example, a mobile phone), a wearable device, a vehicle-mounted device, or a wireless device (for example, a communication module, a modem, or a chip system, etc.) built in the above devices. The terminal device is used to connect people, things, machines, etc., and can be widely used in various scenarios, for example, including but not limited to the following scenarios: sensing scenarios, cellular communication, device-to-device (D2D) communication, vehicle to everything (V2X) communication, machine-to-machine / machine-type communications (M2M / MTC), internet of things (IoT), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), industrial control, self driving, remote medical, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wear, smart transportation, smart city, unmanned aerial vehicle, robot, indoor commercial scenarios (such as mobile phone screen projection, file sharing, mobile phone to VR glasses video transmission) and other scenarios. When the terminal device is applied to V2X, it can also be referred to as a V2X device, for example, a smart car, a digital car, an unmanned car, a self-driving car, a pure EV, a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a range extended EV (REEV), a plug-in HEV (PHEV), a new energy vehicle, a road site unit (RSU), etc. The terminal device can also be a device in D2D communication, for example, a water meter, a gas meter, etc.

[0095] In addition, in the embodiments of the present application, the terminal device can also be a terminal device in an internet of things (IoT) system. The IoT is an important part of future information technology development. Its main technical feature is to connect objects to a network through communication technology, thereby realizing an intelligent network of human-machine interconnection and object-object interconnection.

[0096] As introduced above, various terminal devices can be considered as vehicle-mounted terminal devices if they are located on a vehicle (e.g., placed in or installed in a vehicle), which are also called on-board units (OBU). The terminal device of the present application can also be an on-board module, on-board module group, on-board component, on-board chip or on-board unit built in a vehicle as one or more components or units, and the vehicle can implement the method of the present application through the built-in on-board module, on-board module group, on-board component, on-board chip or on-board unit.

[0097] The terminal device can also be referred to as a UE, terminal, access station, UE station, remote station, wireless communication device, user equipment, etc.

[0098] In the embodiments of the present application, the communication device for implementing the function of the terminal device can be a terminal device, which can be a terminal device or a device capable of supporting the terminal device to implement the function, such as a chip system, which can be installed in the terminal device. In the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application, the device for implementing the function of the terminal device is taken as an example to describe the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application.

[0099] The network device in the embodiments of the present application, for example, includes an access network device (or an access network network element) and / or a core network device (or a core network network element). The access network device is a device with wireless transceiving function, used for communicating with the terminal device. The access network device includes but is not limited to a base station (a base transceiver station (BTS), a Node B, an evolved Node B (eNodeB) / eNB, or a next generation Node B (gNodeB) / gNB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a base station evolved in the future of the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), an access node in a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) system, a wireless relay node, a wireless backhaul node, and the like. The base station can be a macro base station, a micro base station, a pico base station, a small station, a relay station, and the like. A plurality of base stations can support a network of the same access technology or a network of different access technologies. A base station can include one or more co-sited or non-co-sited transmission reception points. The access network device can also be a wireless controller, a centralized unit (CU), and / or a distributed unit (DU) in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. The access network device can also be a server and the like. For example, the network device in the V2X technology can be a road side unit (RSU). The access network device is described below by taking a base station as an example. The base station can communicate with the terminal device or communicate with the terminal device through a relay station. The terminal device can communicate with a plurality of base stations in different access technologies. The core network device is used to implement mobile management, data processing, session management, policy and charging, and the like. The names of devices implementing core network functions in systems of different access technologies can be different, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.Taking a 5th generation (5G) system as an example, the core network device includes, for example, an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), a policy control function (PCF), a user plane function (UPF), and the like.

[0100] In the CU-DU architecture, or in an open RAN (ORAN) system, the access network device can include one or more of a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU), and the like. The CU and the DU can be separately arranged, or can also be included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in a radio frequency device or a radio frequency unit, such as a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH). For a structure of the access network device, refer to FIG. 1A. The core network device and the access network device can communicate through a backhaul link; within the access network device, the CU and the DU can communicate through a middlehaul link, and the DU and the RU can communicate through a front-haul link.

[0101] Alternatively, another structure of the access network device can refer to FIG. 1B, which takes the example of the access network device being implemented by a chip, for example, referred to as a RAN chip. The RAN chip can include a CU, a DU, and a RU. The CU can perform L2 functions, L3 functions, and the like. The DU can perform L1 functions, part of L2 functions, and the like. The RU can perform calculation of L1 and radio frequency (RF) digital part functions, and the like. The CU communicates with the core network device through a backhaul interface, which carries traffic between the CU and the core network device. The CU can include a central processing unit (CPU) of an X86 architecture or an ARM architecture, and an accelerator including a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or other accelerators, and the like. The CPU and the FPGA, GPU, or other accelerators can communicate through a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) interface.

[0102] The CU communicates with the DU through a midhaul interface, which carries traffic between the CU and the DU. The DU can include a CPU of an X86 architecture or an ARM architecture, and an accelerator including an FPGA, a GPU, or other accelerators, and the like. The CPU and the FPGA, GPU, or other accelerators can communicate through a PCIe interface.

[0103] The DU communicates with the RU through a fronthaul interface, which carries traffic between the DU and the RU. If the access network device adopts an integrated DU, the integrated DU can include the functions of the DU and the RU described above, and the RAN can no longer separately include the RU. The RU can include a RAN fronthaul processing unit (RAN FH processing unit), a digital processing unit, and a radio frequency processing unit (RF processing unit). The RAN FH processing unit is implemented by, for example, an FPGA or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The digital processing unit is implemented by, for example, an FPGA or an ASIC.

[0104] The RU can be connected with an antenna to communicate with the UE through the antenna.

[0105] The CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU or RU can also have different names in different systems, but those skilled in the art can understand their meanings. For example, in an ORAN system, the CU can also be referred to as an open CU (O-CU), the DU can also be referred to as an open DU (O-DU), the CU-CP can also be referred to as an open CU-CP (O-CU-CP), the CU-UP can also be referred to as an open CU-UP (O-CU-UP), and the RU can also be referred to as an open RU (O-RU). For the convenience of description, the CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU and RU are taken as examples for description in the embodiments of the present application. Any one of the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU and RU in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented by a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0106] The CU and the DU can be configured according to the protocol layer functions of the wireless network they implement. For example, the CU is configured to implement the functions of the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer and the protocol layers above the PDCP layer (such as the radio resource control (RRC) layer and / or the service data adaption protocol (SDAP) layer, etc.); the DU is configured to implement the functions of the protocol layers below the PDCP layer (such as one or more of the radio link control (RLC) layer, the media access control (MAC) layer, or the physical (PHY) layer). For another example, the CU is configured to implement the functions of the PDCP layer and the protocol layers above the PDCP layer (such as the RRC layer and / or the SDAP layer), and the DU is configured to implement the functions of the protocol layers below the PDCP layer (such as one or more of the RLC layer, the MAC layer, or the PHY layer).

[0107] The configuration of the above CU and DU is merely an example, and the CU and DU can be configured to have functions as needed. For example, the CU or the DU can be configured to have more protocol layer functions, or the CU or the DU can be configured to have partial processing functions of the protocol layer. For example, partial functions of the RLC layer and functions of protocol layers above the RLC layer are arranged in the CU, and the remaining functions of the RLC layer and functions of protocol layers below the RLC layer are arranged in the DU. For another example, the functions of the CU or the DU can be divided according to a service type or other system requirements, for example, according to a delay requirement. Functions that require a processing time to meet a relatively low delay requirement are arranged in the DU, and functions that do not require the processing time to meet the delay requirement are arranged in the CU.

[0108] The DU and the RU can cooperate to jointly implement the functions of the PHY layer. One DU can be connected to one or more RUs. The functions of the DU and the RU can be configured in various ways according to design. For example, the DU is configured to implement baseband functions, and the RU is configured to implement intermediate radio frequency functions. For another example, the DU is configured to implement high-layer functions in the PHY layer, and the RU is configured to implement low-layer functions in the PHY layer or to implement the low-layer functions and radio frequency functions. The high-layer functions in the PHY layer can include a part of the functions of the PHY layer that are closer to the MAC layer, and the low-layer functions in the PHY layer can include another part of the functions of the PHY layer that are closer to the intermediate radio frequency side.

[0109] In the embodiments of the present application, the communication device for implementing the function of the network device can be referred to as a network device, which can be a network element or a network device, or a device capable of supporting the network device or the network element to implement the function, such as a chip system, which can be installed in the network device. In the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application, the device for implementing the function of the network device is taken as an example (for example, the device for implementing the function of the access network device is the access network device, and the device for implementing the function of the core network device is the core network device), and the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application are described.

[0110] A sensing signal is a signal used for sensing (or detecting) a target (or target object). The sensing signal is also referred to as a detection signal, a chirp signal, a radar signal, a radar sensing signal, a radar detection signal, or an environment sensing signal, etc. The sensing signal can be a pulse signal, or a signal in a wireless communication system. For example, the sensing signal can be an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal modulated with a specific sequence on subcarriers, where the specific sequence can be any one of a Zadoff-Chu sequence (ZC sequence), a pseudo-random sequence, or a predefined sequence. The pseudo-random sequence includes any one of a maximum length linear feedback shift register sequence (m-sequence) or a Gold sequence. The predefined sequence is, for example, a random data symbol, such as a random data symbol modulated by quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) or 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM).

[0111] A communication signal is a signal used for communication transmitted between communication devices. For example, the communication signal can include a signal transmitted between a network device and a terminal device. The communication signal is, for example, carried on a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), etc.

[0112] A return signal is a signal generated by reflection of a sensing signal by a target. The return signal and the sensing signal can reflect parameters of the target, for example, a time delay of the return signal relative to the sensing signal can reflect a distance of the target relative to a transmitter, and a Doppler shift of the return signal relative to the sensing signal can reflect a speed of the target.

[0113] A communication-sensing fusion signal is also referred to as a communication-sensing fusion signal, a communication-sensing signal, or a communication-sensing integrated signal, etc. The communication-sensing fusion signal is a signal used for both communication and sensing. The communication-sensing fusion signal used for communication can be understood as a signal carrying communication data or a communication reference signal sequence to be transmitted between communication devices. The communication-sensing fusion signal used for sensing can be understood as a signal that can be used for sensing (or detecting) a target.

[0114] For a long time, wireless sensing is a technology developed independently. Sensing services are provided by various specialized sensing devices, such as ordinary radar, laser radar, computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and the like. In 5G and earlier communication systems, positioning is a sensing service that can be provided by a mobile communication system. In the next generation of mobile communication systems, in addition to positioning, general sensing will be integrated into the communication system as a new function, opening up new services such as high-precision positioning, environment reconstruction, gesture and motion recognition, and the like.

[0115] Among them, the sensing network element can reconstruct the target area environment through laser, radar, or base station, etc. For example, the sensing network element can reconstruct the real physical environment based on the measurement results reported by the laser, radar, or base station, etc. For example, the sensing network element can reconstruct the environment information based on the measurement results, using methods such as scattering polygon, etc. to depict various scatterers (also known as sensing targets, targets, or target objects, etc.) in the environment, such as walls, furniture, etc.

[0116] For sensing services, such as environment imaging or reconstruction application scenarios, the reflection, scattering, or diffraction of signals sent by UEs or base stations on sensing targets when propagating in space can be used to sense the position or shape of sensing targets in the environment. Among them, the base station or UE can measure the signal reflected, scattered, or diffracted by the sensing target, and report the measurement result to the sensing network element, so as to realize sensing of the sensing target by the sensing network element. Among them, the measurement result reported by the base station or UE can include the time delay of the signal transmitted between the UE, the sensing target, and the base station, and the sensing network element can perform sensing according to the time delay. For example, referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a base station measuring a sensing target. Among them, FIG. 2 takes a two-station sensing mode as an example, which is also called an A-to-B sensing mode, or a two-end sensing mode, or a bi-static sensing mode, etc. For example, the UE sends a sensing signal A, and the base station receives a sensing signal B, which is the signal reflected, scattered, or diffracted by the sensing target.

[0117] When the base station measures the time delay of the signal transmitted between the UE, the sensing target, and the base station, it needs to determine the time when the UE sends the signal (for example, sends the sensing signal A), and the time when the base station receives the signal (for example, receives the sensing signal B); or, it needs to determine the phase of the sensing signal A sent by the UE, and the phase of the sensing signal B received by the base station, so it needs to synchronize the clock or phase of the UE and the base station. If the clock or phase of the UE and the base station is not synchronized, the accuracy of the time delay measured by the base station will be low, thereby resulting in low sensing accuracy.

[0118] In view of this, in the embodiments of the present application, the second sensing device can determine the round-trip delay of the first reference signal transmitted between the second sensing device, the sensing target and the first sensing device according to the receiving time of the first reference signal and the sending time of the first reference signal indicated by the first reference signal resource indication (or the receiving phase of the first reference signal and the sending phase of the first reference signal indicated by the first reference signal resource indication), that is, the parameter (for example, the time parameter or the phase parameter) used to determine the round-trip delay does not necessarily include the parameter of the first sensing device sending the first reference signal (for example, the second sending time and / or the second sending phase of the first sensing device sending the first sensing signal), so even if the first sensing device and the second sensing device are not synchronized in clock or phase, it will not affect the accuracy of the round-trip delay determined by the second sensing device, thereby making the accuracy of the distance, angle, or speed information of the sensing target determined by the second sensing device according to the round-trip delay higher, thereby improving the sensing accuracy. Optionally, the second sensing device is, for example, a terminal device or a network device. Optionally, the second sensing device can also be referred to as a sensing device.

[0119] Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a potential sensing network architecture based on a 5G core network (5G core, 5GC). The network architecture shown in FIG. 3 can also be an application scenario of the embodiments of the present application.

[0120] In the architecture shown in FIG. 3, a sensing function (SF) network element is added, which can also be referred to as a sensing network element. The SF can be a device or component that provides sensing functions for the network, which can also be referred to as a sensing management function (SMF), or can have other names. The SF can be deployed at the core network side or the RAN side, and FIG. 3 takes the example of being deployed at the core network. In the network architecture shown in FIG. 3, the SF can reuse the interfaces between the location management function (LMF) and the AMF, network exposure function (NEF), unified data management (UDM), network data analytics function (NWDAF), PCF, and other 5GC network elements for sensing interaction. The sensing signaling between the SF and the radio access network (RAN) or the UE can be transmitted through the AMF. The sensing measurement data obtained by the RAN or the UE can be transmitted to the SF via the control plane, for example, by reusing the long term evolution (LTE) positioning protocol (LPP) or new radio (NR) positioning protocol annex (NRPPa) protocol, or can be transmitted to the SF through the user plane by being forwarded through the UPF or directly transmitted to the SF.

[0121] The newly added SF in the network architecture can implement basic sensing functions, such as sensing authorization, sensing control, sensing measurement data processing, or result output. Among them, interfaces are set between the SF and the AMF, NEF, UDM, NWDAF, PCF, LMF, and UPF, and other 5GC network elements, and interact with each other, which are defined as follows.

[0122] NS1: The newly added interface between the SF and the AMF, which can transmit sensing control signaling. In addition, for the scenario of transmitting sensing measurement data on the control plane, the interface can also transmit sensing measurement data.

[0123] NS2: The newly added interface between the SF and the NEF, which can transmit signaling messages exchanged between the sensing network element and the application function (AF) on the business side through the NEF, and at the same time, open the sensing result to the AF.

[0124] NS3: A newly added interface between the SF and the UDM, through which authentication or authorization can be achieved, and UE awareness subscription information, service AMF information, or other information can be obtained.

[0125] NS4: A newly added interface between the SF and the NWDAF, through which the SF can jointly complete artificial intelligence (AI) processing related to the awareness service with the NWDAF.

[0126] NS5: A newly added interface between the SF and the PCF, through which the SF can deliver information such as awareness requirements, quality of service (QoS) requirements, or awareness results of the awareness service to the PCF, and the PCF can generate policy control and charging (PCC) policies related to the awareness service.

[0127] NS6: A newly added interface between the SF and the LMF, through which the SF can obtain location-related information such as awareness areas, RAN information of awareness targets, and location information of the sensed UE.

[0128] NS7: A newly added interface between the SF and the UPF, through which awareness measurement data can be transmitted directly from the (R)AN to the SF via the UPF, or indirectly forwarded to the SF via the UPF. In the scenario where the (R)AN performs awareness via the UPF, the function of the UPF can be improved to support (R)AN-granularity data transmission.

[0129] In addition to the above-mentioned newly added interfaces, existing interfaces (such as N1, N2, N5, N8, N33, etc.) can also support the delivery of information related to the awareness service, such as one or more of the following: authentication information, awareness service type, awareness service quality requirement, awareness measurement data, or awareness result.

[0130] Figure 3 is an example of SF being a standalone device; or SF can also be combined with LMF, i.e., the network element for processing sensing services and the network element for processing positioning services can be the same network element; or SF can also be combined with other core network elements, such as AMF, etc. Among them, LMF is a core network element in 5GC that provides control plane positioning, can complete the calculation and feedback of location information in the 5G network, and provides functions such as positioning process management, UE capability acquisition, assistance data provision, and UE location estimation. Optionally, if SF is combined with LMF, the LMF and the gateway mobile location center (GMLC) can be functionally enhanced to support basic sensing functions. Among them, the GMLC can be the first network element in the operator network to process sensing requests, perform privacy checks or authorization functions, route sensing requests to the AMF, or perform LMF selection, etc.

[0131] For example, if SF is combined with LMF, an interface can be added between LMF and GMLC to deliver sensing service related information, such as the addition of NL9 interface. In addition, the interfaces related to LMF and GMLC (such as one or more of the NL1 interface between AMF and LMF, the NL2 interface between AMF and GMLC, the NL5 interface between NEF and GMLC, or the NL6 interface between UDM and GMLC) can also support the delivery of sensing service related information, which is described in detail as follows.

[0132] N33: Interface between AF and NEF, through which sensing service type information, service requirements, sensing results, etc. can be delivered.

[0133] NL5: Interface between NEF and GMLC, through which sensing service type information, service requirements, sensing results, etc. can be delivered.

[0134] NL6: Interface between GMLC and UDM, through which privacy check data can be delivered.

[0135] NL2: Interface between NEF and AMF, through which sensing service type information, service requirements, sensing results, etc. can be delivered.

[0136] NL1: Interface between AMF and LMF, through which sensing service type information, service requirements, sensing results, etc. can be delivered.

[0137] NL9: Newly added interface between GMLC and LMF, through which sensing service type information, service requirements, sensing results, etc. can be delivered.

[0138] Referring back to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is another potential possible sensing network architecture based on 5GC. The network architecture shown in FIG. 4 can also be another application scenario of the embodiments of the present application.

[0139] In the network architecture shown in FIG. 4, the SF is relatively independent of the existing core network elements, and the SF does not need to interact with the core network elements or performs less interaction. For scenarios where there is only a sensing demand in a specific area or there is only a sensing demand, this network architecture can provide sensing services without the control of 5GC or with the participation of only part of the network elements, and can also achieve that the sensing measurement data or sensing results do not go out of the park through the local deployment of the SF, thereby meeting the needs of enterprises for the security and privacy of sensing measurement data or sensing results, and reducing the sensing latency. This network architecture is relatively simple, flexible, efficient, has fewer transmission nodes, and is easy to deploy. Optionally, this network architecture can support UE-related sensing demands, and can consider implementation schemes of authorization, mobility management, and charging functions as needed.

[0140] In this network architecture, the SF can directly establish a connection with the RAN node, and the sensing signaling of the control plane and the sensing measurement data of the user plane can be transmitted via a newly defined interface NS1. When the UE participates in sensing, the control plane signaling can be forwarded to the SF through the AMF, and the sensing measurement data can be transmitted via NS1. In addition, there can be an interface between the SF and the 5GC network elements (such as AMF, NEF, or NWDAF) to control the AF to provide sensing service requirements to the SF through the core network functions. The interface between the SF and the 5GC network elements is described as follows.

[0141] NS1: a newly added interface between the SF and the (R)AN, which can transmit sensing control signaling or sensing measurement data. In an implementation manner, the SF can also be deployed on the RAN side, for example, the SF can be co-located with the access network device (such as a base station), or the SF can be a separate device within the access network.

[0142] NS2: a possible newly added interface between the SF and the AMF, which can receive sensing service requirements from the UE or transmit signaling between the SF and other network elements in the core network, such as transmitting interaction messages between the SF and the UDM.

[0143] NS3: a possible newly added interface between the SF and the NEF, which can transmit signaling of the interaction between the SF and the service-side AF through the NEF, and can also expose the sensing results to the AF, wherein the interaction between the SF and the AF can also not pass through the NEF. In actual deployment, NS2 and NS3 can be selected from one of them, that is, the AF can send a sensing service request to the SF indirectly through NS2 (NEF) or directly to the SF (without NEF); or the AF can send a sensing service request to the SF through N33 (NEF) and NS2 (AMF).

[0144] NS4: A possible new interface between the SF and the NWDAF, through which the SF and the NWDAF can jointly perform intelligent analysis and prediction to generate perception results.

[0145] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application can be applied in a fourth generation mobile communication technology (4th generation, 4G) system, such as an LTE system, or can be applied in a 5G system, such as an NR system, or can also be applied in a next generation mobile communication system or other similar communication system, or can be applied in an existing satellite mobile communication technology system, and the specific application is not limited. For example, both FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are based on 5GC, in addition to this, the SF can also be deployed in other networks, such as future other communication networks, etc.

[0146] For perception, according to the difference between the sender and the receiver of the perception signal, the perception mode can be divided into two modes: single-station perception and double-station perception. Among them, the single-station perception mode is also called self-transmission and self-reception mode, or single-end perception mode, or single-base perception mode, etc. It refers to the device that transmits the perception signal and the device that receives the echo signal reflected by the target are the same device, as shown in FIG. 5A, the device that transmits the perception signal and the device that receives the echo signal are both device 1.

[0147] The double-station perception mode is also called A-transmission and B-reception mode or self-transmission and other-reception mode, which refers to the device that transmits the perception signal and the device that receives the echo signal reflected by the target are different devices, as shown in FIG. 5B, the device that transmits the perception signal is device 2, and the device that receives the echo signal is device 3. Both FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B take the perception target as a vehicle as an example.

[0148] For example, in FIG. 5A, device 1 is a base station or a UE, in the single-station perception mode, device 1 transmits the perception signal, and device 1 receives the echo signal generated by the perception signal reflected, scattered or diffracted by the perception target (such as the vehicle in FIG. 5A) in the environment to perform environment perception. For another example, in FIG. 5B, device 2 is a base station or a UE, and device 3 is a base station or a UE, in the double-station perception mode, device 2 transmits the perception signal, and device 3 receives the echo signal generated by the perception signal reflected, scattered or diffracted by the scatterer (such as the vehicle in FIG. 5B) in the environment to perform environment perception.

[0149] In the single station sensing mode, when the sensing target is in the line of sight (LOS) area of the sensing device, the sensing device can effectively sense the sensing target, but when the sensing target is in the non line of sight (NLOS) area of the sensing device, the sensing device cannot effectively sense the sensing target due to the shielding of the obstacle. In the double station sensing mode, the terminal assisted sensing device is used for sensing, so that the sensing device can effectively sense the sensing target whether the sensing target is in the LOS area or the NLOS area of the sensing device. Therefore, the embodiments of the present application can be applied to the scenarios shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4 or FIG. 5B, or can also be used in other scenarios, for example, any scenario involving terminal assisted sensing service.

[0150] The method provided by the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In various embodiments of the present application, the signal used to implement the sensing function or the sensing service is referred to as a sensing signal or a reference signal, that is, in various embodiments of the present application, the sensing signal and the reference signal can be used alternately. Among them, the sensing signal is transmitted through reflection, scattering or diffraction, etc., and the sensing device (for example, the second sensing device) can determine the related characteristics of the sensing target according to the received sensing signal, for example, estimate the time delay, Doppler or angle spectrum information according to the received sensing signal, to determine the distance, angle or speed information of the sensing target. In the corresponding drawings of various embodiments of the present application, the steps represented by the dashed line are optional steps.

[0151] Various embodiments herein can be applied to the network architecture shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4 or FIG. 5B. For example, the second sensing device described in various embodiments herein can be a UE shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, and the first sensing device described in various embodiments herein can be a UE shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4; or the second sensing device described in various embodiments herein can be a (R)AN shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, and the first sensing device described in various embodiments herein can be a UE shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4; or for example, the second sensing device described in various embodiments herein can be a device 3 shown in FIG. 5B, and the first sensing device described in various embodiments herein can be a device 2 shown in FIG. 5B.

[0152] The embodiments of the present application provide a sensing method, please refer to FIG. 6, which is a flowchart of the method.

[0153] S601: The second sensing device sends first information to the first sensing device. Correspondingly, the first sensing device receives the first information. The first information is used to configure the first reference signal resource.

[0154] The first reference signal resource can indicate a first transmission parameter of the first reference signal, which can include a first transmission time and / or a first transmission phase, for example. If the first transmission parameter indicated by the first reference signal resource includes a first transmission time, the first transmission time indicated by the first reference signal resource is a first time, for example. If the first transmission parameter indicated by the first reference signal resource includes a first transmission phase, the first transmission phase indicated by the first reference signal resource is a first phase, for example. The first reference signal is used for sensing, which can be a sounding reference signal (SRS), a physical uplink control channel demodulation reference signal (PUCCH-DMRS), a physical uplink shared channel demodulation reference signal (PUSCH-DMRS), a phase noise tracking reference signal (PTRS), an uplink positioning RS, and the like, for example. The first reference signal resource is used to transmit the first reference signal. Taking the first reference signal being an SRS as an example, the first reference signal resource is an SRS resource.

[0155] The first sending parameter is a sending parameter of a first reference signal configured by the second sensing device, and the first sending parameter is used by the first sensing device to determine a second sending parameter of a second reference signal. The second sending parameter is a parameter used by the first sensing device to actually send the first reference signal. The second sending parameter includes a second sending time and / or a second sending phase, and the parameter type of the second sending parameter is the same as the parameter type of the first sending parameter. For example, if the first sending parameter includes a first sending time, the second sending parameter includes a second sending time; if the first sending parameter includes a first sending phase, the second sending parameter includes a second sending phase; if the first sending parameter includes a first sending time and a first sending phase, the second sending parameter includes a second sending time and a second sending phase. The second reference signal is used for sensing, and the second reference signal can be, for example, a positioning reference signal (PRS) primary synchronization signal (PSS) / secondary synchronization signal (SSS), a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), a time / frequency tracking reference signal (TRS), or the like. Optionally, the second reference signal is associated with the first reference signal.

[0156] Optionally, the second sending parameter is determined according to the first sending parameter, a sending parameter of the second reference signal, and a receiving parameter of the second reference signal.

[0157] Taking the second sending parameter including a second sending time as an example, the second sending time is determined according to a first sending time, a sending time of the second reference signal, and a receiving time of the second reference signal. Optionally, a time difference between the second sending time and the first sending time is a time difference between the receiving time of the second reference signal (i.e., the time at which the first sensing device receives the second reference signal) and the sending time of the second reference signal (i.e., the time at which the second sensing device sends the second reference signal). The second sending time, the first sending time, the receiving time of the second reference signal, and the sending time of the second reference signal satisfy the following formula 1: B2 -t2=T B1 -t1 (Formula 1)

[0158] The first sending parameter is a sending parameter of a first reference signal configured by the second sensing device, and the first sending parameter is used by the first sensing device to determine a second sending parameter of a second reference signal. The second sending parameter is a parameter used by the first sensing device to actually send the first reference signal. The second sending parameter includes a second sending time and / or a second sending phase, and the parameter type of the second sending parameter is the same as the parameter type of the first sending parameter. For example, if the first sending parameter includes a first sending time, the second sending parameter includes a second sending time; if the first sending parameter includes a first sending phase, the second sending parameter includes a second sending phase; if the first sending parameter includes a first sending time and a first sending phase, the second sending parameter includes a second sending time and a second sending phase. The second reference signal is used for sensing, and the second reference signal can be, for example, a positioning reference signal (PRS) primary synchronization signal (PSS) / secondary synchronization signal (SSS), a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), a time / frequency tracking reference signal (TRS), or the like. Optionally, the second reference signal is associated with the first reference signal. B2 B1 ​The receiving time of the second reference signal is t1, and the sending time of the second reference signal (i.e., the third time) is t2.

[0159] It can be concluded that the time difference between the second sending time and the first sending time is the time delay (e.g., a downlink time delay) of the second reference signal transmitted between the second sensing device, the sensing target, and the first sensing device. The time delay (e.g., an uplink time delay) of the first reference signal transmitted between the first sensing device, the sensing target, and the second sensing device is the time difference between the receiving time of the first reference signal (e.g., the second time) and the second sending time of the first reference signal (i.e., the first time). Therefore, the second sensing device can determine the round trip time (RTT) (e.g., a first round trip time delay) of the signal transmitted between the second sensing device, the sensing target, and the first sensing device according to the time difference between the second time and the first time. For example, the first round trip time delay satisfies the following formula 2: RTT = (T A -T B2 )-(T B2 -t2) = T A -t2 (Formula 2)

[0160] wherein RTT is the first round trip time delay, T A is the second time, T B2 is the second sending time, t2 is the first time, T A -T B2 is the aforementioned uplink time delay, and T B2 -t2 is the aforementioned downlink time delay.

[0161] Similarly, if the second sending parameter includes a second sending phase, the second sensing device can determine a phase difference according to the receiving phase of the first reference signal (e.g., a second phase) and the second sending phase of the first reference signal (i.e., a first phase), and determine the first round trip time delay of the signal transmitted between the second sensing device, the sensing target, and the first sensing device according to the phase difference. For example, the phase difference satisfies the following formula 3:

[0162] wherein, is the aforementioned phase difference, is the second phase, is the second sending phase, is the first phase, T A -T B2 is the aforementioned uplink time delay, and T B2 -t2 is the aforementioned downlink time delay. The second sensing device can determine the first round trip time delay according to .

[0163] As described above, the second transmission parameter is determined according to the first transmission parameter, a transmission parameter of the second reference signal, and a reception parameter of the second reference signal. The first transmission parameter is configured for the first sensing device by the second sensing device through the first information, and the reception parameter of the second reference signal is measured by the first sensing device according to the second reference signal. Therefore, the second sensing device can also send the transmission parameter of the second reference signal to the first sensing device, i.e., the method can also include S602 and / or S603. For example, if the transmission parameter of the second reference signal includes the transmission time of the second reference signal (i.e., the third time), the method also includes S601, if the transmission parameter of the second reference signal includes the transmission phase of the second reference signal (i.e., the third phase), the method also includes S603, and if the transmission parameter of the second reference signal includes the transmission time of the second reference signal and the transmission phase of the second reference signal, the method also includes S602 and S603.

[0164] S602: The second sensing device sends second information to the first sensing device. Correspondingly, the first sensing device receives the second information. The second information is used to indicate the third time.

[0165] S603: The second sensing device sends third information to the first sensing device. Correspondingly, the first sensing device receives the third information. The third information is used to indicate the third phase.

[0166] When the transmission parameter of the second reference signal includes the transmission time of the second reference signal and the transmission phase of the second reference signal, the above-mentioned second information and third information can be the same information, or the second information and the third information can also be different information. If the second information and the third information are different information, the second information and the third information can be included in the same signaling or in different signaling. If the second information and the third information are included in different signaling, S603 can occur before S602, or S603 can occur after S602, or S603 and S602 can occur at the same time. In addition, if the second information and the third information are the same information, or the second information and the third information are different signaling but included in the same signaling, the transmission steps of S603 and S602 can occur at the same time, or S603 and S602 are considered as the same step.

[0167] Optionally, the second information or the third information can also be used to configure the second reference signal resource, which can indicate the transmission parameter of the second reference signal.

[0168] Optionally, the manner in which the first sensing device determines the second transmission parameter according to the first transmission parameter, the transmission parameter of the second reference signal and the reception parameter of the second reference signal can be indicated by the second sensing device, for example, indicated by the second sensing device through the second information or the third information. For example, the second sensing device can further indicate, through the second information, that the second transmission time is determined according to the first transmission time, the transmission time of the second reference signal and the reception time of the second reference signal, and indicate, through the third information, that the second transmission phase is determined according to the first transmission phase, the transmission phase of the second reference signal and the reception phase of the second reference signal. Alternatively, the manner in which the first sensing device determines the second transmission parameter according to the first transmission parameter, the transmission parameter of the second reference signal and the reception parameter of the second reference signal can also be predefined by a protocol, and embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0169] In S601, the second sensing device can determine the first round-trip delay according to the first time and the second time, or determine the first round-trip delay according to the first phase and the second phase, that is, the parameter used by the second sensing device to determine the first round-trip delay does not include the measurement result of the second reference signal. Therefore, optionally, the method can further include S604: the second sensing device sends fourth information to the first sensing device. Correspondingly, the first sensing device receives the fourth information. The fourth information is used to indicate that the measurement result of the second reference signal is not reported.

[0170] The measurement result of the second reference signal may, for example, include the reception time and / or the reception phase of the second reference signal. The fourth information and the first information can be the same information, or the fourth information and the first information can also be different information. If the fourth information and the first information are different information, the fourth information and the first information can be included in the same signaling or can be included in different signaling. If the fourth information and the first information are included in different signaling, S604 can occur before S601, or S604 can occur after S601, or S604 and S601 can occur at the same time. In addition, if the first information and the fourth information are the same information, or the first information and the fourth information are different signaling but included in the same signaling, the sending steps of S604 and S601 can occur at the same time, or S604 and S601 are considered to be the same step.

[0171] In some embodiments, the first sensing device can be mobile. When the first sensing device is moving, the first sensing device can cause the first path of the second reference signal to be lost or changed. Therefore, the first sensing device determines the second sending time of the first reference signal based on the receiving time of the second reference signal, the sending time of the second reference signal and the first sending time of the first sensing signal, which is not accurate, thereby causing the first sensing device to determine the first round trip time with low accuracy. For example, when the first sensing device is moving, the first path of the second reference signal is lost, i.e., the first sensing device cannot measure the receiving time of the second reference signal, thereby failing to determine the second sending time of the first reference signal to send the first reference signal. Therefore, the method can further include S605 and S606.

[0172] S605: The first sensing device sends fifth information to the second sensing device. Correspondingly, the second sensing device receives the fifth information. The fifth information is used to request to update the first reference signal resource.

[0173] S606: The second sensing device sends sixth information to the first sensing device. Correspondingly, the first sensing device receives the sixth information. The sixth information is used to reconfigure the first reference signal resource.

[0174] Optionally, after the first sensing device receives the sixth information, the first sensing device can determine the second sending parameter of the first reference signal based on the first sending parameter indicated by the reconfigured first reference signal resource, the receiving parameter of the second reference signal and the sending parameter of the second reference signal, and send the first reference signal according to the second sending parameter; or the first sensing device can also report the measurement result of the second reference signal, and send the first reference signal according to the first sending parameter indicated by the first reference signal resource, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0175] If the first sensing device determines the second sending parameter of the first reference signal based on the first sending parameter indicated by the reconfigured first reference signal resource, the receiving parameter of the second reference signal and the sending parameter of the second reference signal, and sends the first reference signal according to the second sending parameter, the second sensing device also needs to re-indicate the sending parameter of the second reference signal, for example, reconfigure the second reference signal resource.

[0176] In the embodiments of the present application, the second sensing device can determine the round trip delay of the signal transmitted between the second sensing device, the sensing target and the first sensing device according to the transmission parameter of the first reference signal and the receiving parameter of the first reference signal, without the first sensing device reporting the receiving parameter of the second reference signal, thereby reducing the reporting overhead of the first sensing device. In addition, since the parameter of the round trip delay determined by the second sensing device does not include the parameter of the first sensing device, for example, the receiving time and / or the receiving phase of the second reference signal measured by the first sensing device, the round trip delay determined by the second sensing device is not affected by whether the clock of the first sensing device is synchronized with the clock of the second sensing device or whether the phase is deviated, which helps to improve the accuracy of the determined round trip delay, thereby helping to improve the sensing accuracy.

[0177] Please refer to FIG. 7, which is a flow chart of another sensing method provided by the embodiments of the present application. In the embodiments shown in FIG. 7, the first sensing device is taken as an example of UE, and the second sensing device is taken as an example of an access network device. In addition, in the embodiments shown in FIG. 7, the type of the parameter used to determine the RTT (i.e., the aforementioned first round trip delay) is taken as an example of time parameter.

[0178] S701: The sensing network element interacts with the access network device and / or the UE to obtain sensing capability information.

[0179] For example, the UE can send the sensing capability information of the UE to the sensing network element, for example, referred to as sensing capability information A; and / or, the access network device can send the sensing capability information of the access network device to the sensing network element, for example, referred to as sensing capability information B. The sensing capability information A can indicate whether the UE has sensing capability. The sensing capability information B can indicate whether the access network device has sensing capability.

[0180] Among them, S701 is an optional step, the sensing network element and the UE can also not interact with the sensing capability information, for example, the sensing network element can know the sensing capability of the UE in advance, or the sensing network element can consider that the sensing capability of the UE is default, for example, by default has sensing capability. The sensing network element and the access network device can also not interact with the sensing capability information, for example, the sensing network element can know the sensing capability of the access network device in advance, or the sensing network element can consider that the sensing capability of the access network device is default, for example, by default has sensing capability.

[0181] S702: The sensing network element sends a sensing measurement request to the access network device. Correspondingly, the access network device receives the sensing measurement request. Or the sensing measurement request can also have other names, for example, referred to as the first request, etc., the embodiments of the present application do not limit the name.

[0182] The perception measurement request can request the access network device to configure a reference signal resource (e.g., a first reference signal resource) for the UE, and to send a reference signal (e.g., a second reference signal) to the UE. Alternatively, the access network device measures the signal, or requests the access network device to perform a perception task, or requests the access network device to report a perception result (e.g., including the RTT), or requests the access network device to perform perception (e.g., determine the RTT) in the manner provided by the embodiments of the present application, etc.

[0183] S703: The access network device sends first information to the UE. Correspondingly, the UE receives the first information.

[0184] The first information is used to configure a first reference signal resource, and the first reference signal resource indicates that a first sending time of a first reference signal is a first time.

[0185] S704: The access network device sends a second reference signal to the UE. Correspondingly, the UE receives the second reference signal.

[0186] S705: The access network device sends second information to the UE. Correspondingly, the UE receives the second information.

[0187] The second information is used to indicate that a sending time of the second reference signal is a third time. S705 can be performed before S704, or S705 can be performed after S704, or S705 can also be performed simultaneously with S704.

[0188] S706: The UE determines a second sending time of the first reference signal according to the third time, a receiving time of the second reference signal, and the first sending time of the first reference signal.

[0189] The manner in which the UE determines the second sending time of the first reference signal according to the third time, the receiving time of the second reference signal, and the first sending time of the first reference signal can be, for example, the manner described in Formula 1.

[0190] S707: The UE sends the first reference signal to the access network device according to the second sending time. Correspondingly, the access network device receives the first reference signal.

[0191] S708: The access network device determines the RTT according to a receiving time of the first reference signal and the first sending time of the first reference signal.

[0192] For example, please refer to FIG. 8. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the first reference signal is SRS, and the second reference signal is PRS. The access network device sends PRS to the UE, the PRS can reach the UE through scattering, reflection or diffraction of the sensing target, when the UE receives the PRS, the UE can determine the second sending time of the SRS according to the receiving time of the PRS. The sending time of the PRS and the first sending time of the SRS determine the second sending time of the SRS. The UE can send the SRS to the access network device according to the second sending time. For example, the time when the access network device sends the PRS to the UE (i.e., the sending time of the PRS) is t1, the time when the UE receives the PRS (i.e., the receiving time of the PRS) is T B1 , the sending time of the SRS configured by the access network device for the UE (i.e., the first sending time of the SRS) is t2, the time when the UE sends the SRS to the access network device (i.e., the second sending time of the SRS) is T B2 , and the time when the access network device receives the SRS (i.e., the receiving time of the SRS) is T A .

[0193] The round trip time (RTT) of the signal transmitted between the access network device, the sensing target and the UE satisfies the following formula 4: RTT = (T A -T B2 ) + (T B1 -t1) (formula 4)

[0194] According to the above formula 1, T B2 = T B1 +t2-t1. Therefore, combining formula 4 and formula 1, the following formula 5 can be obtained: RTT = (T A -(T B1 +t2-t1)) + (T B1 -t1) = T A -t2 (formula 5)

[0195] Optionally, after obtaining the RTT, the access network device can send the RTT to the sensing network element, and the sensing network element can perform sensing on the sensing target based on the RTT.

[0196] More details in S703-S708 can refer to the related description of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, for example, more details of the first information can refer to the related description of the first information in S601, more details of the second reference signal can refer to the related description of the second reference signal in S601, and so on, which will not be repeated here.

[0197] In conclusion, in the embodiments of the present application, the access network device can determine the round trip delay of the signal transmitted among the access network device, the sensing target and the UE according to the sending time of the configured SRS and the receiving time of the SRS, without the UE reporting the receiving time of the PRS, thereby reducing the reporting overhead of the UE.

[0198] FIG. 9 shows a structural schematic diagram of a communication apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present application. The communication apparatus 900 can be the second sensing device or the circuitry of the second sensing device in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, for implementing the method corresponding to the second sensing device in the above method embodiments. Alternatively, the communication apparatus 900 can be the access network device or the circuitry of the access network device in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, for implementing the method corresponding to the access network device in the above method embodiments. Alternatively, the communication apparatus 900 can be the first sensing device or the circuitry of the first sensing device in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, for implementing the method corresponding to the first sensing device in the above method embodiments. Alternatively, the communication apparatus 900 can be the UE or the circuitry of the UE in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, for implementing the method corresponding to the UE in the above method embodiments. Alternatively, the communication apparatus 900 can be the sensing network element or the circuitry of the sensing network element in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 7, for implementing the method corresponding to the sensing network element in the above method embodiments. For example, one circuitry is a chip system.

[0199] The communication apparatus 900 includes at least one processor 901. The processor 901 can be used for internal processing of the apparatus, to implement certain control processing functions. Optionally, the processor 901 includes instructions. Optionally, the processor 901 can store data. Optionally, different processors can be independent devices, can be located in different physical locations, and can be located on different integrated circuits. Optionally, different processors can be integrated in one or more processors, for example, integrated on one or more integrated circuits.

[0200] Optionally, the communication apparatus 900 includes one or more memories 903 for storing instructions. Optionally, the memory 903 can also store data. The processor and the memory can be separately provided, or integrated together.

[0201] Optionally, the communication apparatus 900 includes a communication line 902 and at least one communication interface 904. Since the memory 903, the communication line 902 and the communication interface 904 are all optional, they are all represented by dashed lines in FIG. 9.

[0202] Optionally, the communication device 900 can further include a transceiver and / or an antenna. The transceiver can be used to send information to other devices or receive information from other devices. The transceiver can be referred to as a transceiver, a transceiver circuit, an input / output interface, etc., and is used to realize the transceiving function of the communication device 900 through the antenna. Optionally, the transceiver includes a transmitter and a receiver. Illustratively, the transmitter can be used to generate a radio frequency signal from a baseband signal, and the receiver can be used to convert a radio frequency signal into a baseband signal.

[0203] The processor 901 can include a general central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of programs of the present application.

[0204] The communication line 902 can include a path for transmitting information between the above-mentioned components.

[0205] The communication interface 904 is used to communicate with other devices or communication networks, such as Ethernet, a radio access network (RAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wired access network, etc., using any transceiver-like device.

[0206] The memory 903 can be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and instructions, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, a magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited to this. The memory 903 can exist independently and be connected to the processor 901 through the communication line 902. Alternatively, the memory 903 can be integrated with the processor 901.

[0207] The memory 903 is configured to store computer-executable instructions for implementing the solutions of the present application, and the processor 901 is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 903. The processor 901 is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 903, so as to implement the steps performed by the second awareness device or the first awareness device in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, or implement the steps performed by the access network device, the UE or the awareness network element in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

[0208] Optionally, the computer-executable instructions in the embodiments of the present application can also be referred to as application codes, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0209] In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the processor 901 can include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 in FIG. 9.

[0210] In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the communication apparatus 900 can include multiple processors, such as the processor 901 and the processor 905 in FIG. 9. Each of the processors can be a single-CPU processor or a multi-CPU processor. The processor herein can refer to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores for processing data (for example, computer program instructions).

[0211] When the apparatus shown in FIG. 9 is a chip, for example, a chip of the second awareness device or a chip of the first awareness device (or the second awareness device is a chip or the first awareness device is a chip), or a chip of the access network device, a chip of the UE or a chip of the awareness network element (or the second awareness device is a chip, the first awareness device is a chip, or the awareness network element is a chip) described in FIG. 7, the chip includes the processor 901 (and can also include the processor 905), the communication line 902 and the communication interface 904, and optionally includes the memory 903. Specifically, the communication interface 904 can be an input interface, a pin or a circuit, etc. The memory 903 can be a register, a cache, etc. The processor 901 and the processor 905 can be a general-purpose CPU, a microprocessor, an ASIC, or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of a program for implementing the awareness method of any of the above embodiments.

[0212] The embodiments of the present application can divide the functions of the device according to the above method examples, for example, each function module can be divided according to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be realized in the form of hardware or in the form of a software function module. It should be noted that the division of the modules in the embodiments of the present application is illustrative, and is only a logical function division. In actual implementation, another division mode can be used. For example, in the case of dividing each function module according to each function, FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a device 1000. The device 1000 can be the second sensing device or the first sensing device in the method embodiments described above with reference to FIG. 6, or a chip in the second sensing device or a chip in the first sensing device. Alternatively, the device 1000 can be the access network device, the UE or the sensing network element in the method embodiments described above with reference to FIG. 7, or a chip in the second sensing device or the first sensing device or a chip in the sensing network element. The device 1000 includes a processing unit 1002 and a transceiver unit 1001.

[0213] It should be understood that the device 1000 can be used to implement the steps performed by the second sensing device, the first sensing device or the sensing network element in the sensing method of the embodiments of the present application. The related features can be referred to the embodiments shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 7, and will not be described here.

[0214] Optionally, the functions / implementation processes of the transceiver unit 1001 and the processing unit 1002 in FIG. 10 can be realized by the processor 901 in FIG. 9 invoking the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 903. Alternatively, the functions / implementation processes of the processing unit 1002 in FIG. 10 can be realized by the processor 901 in FIG. 9 invoking the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 903, and the functions / implementation processes of the transceiver unit 1001 in FIG. 10 can be realized by the communication interface 904 in FIG. 9.

[0215] Optionally, when the device 1000 is a chip or a circuit, the functions / implementation processes of the transceiver unit 1001 can also be realized by a pin or a circuit. Optionally, the transceiver unit 1001 can include a sending unit and / or a receiving unit, the sending unit is used to realize the sending function, and the receiving unit is used to realize the receiving function. Alternatively, the transceiver unit 1001 can be an integrated module, which can realize the sending function and / or the receiving function. Optionally, the transceiver unit 1001 can be realized by a transceiver.

[0216] Optionally, the structure of the access network device in the embodiments of the present application can also refer to FIG. 1A or FIG. 1B. For example, when the apparatus 1000 or the communication apparatus 900 is an access network device, the apparatus shown in any two or more of FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, FIG. 9, and FIG. 10 can all be the access network device, and these figures can be understood as multiple structure diagrams of the access network device.

[0217] The present application also provides a computer readable storage medium storing computer programs or instructions, when the computer programs or instructions are executed, the method executed by the second sensing device, the first sensing device, the access network device, the UE or the sensing network element in the foregoing method embodiments is implemented. In this way, the functions described in the above embodiments can be implemented in the form of software function units and sold or used as independent products. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of the present application can be essentially in the form of software products or parts of the technical solutions that contribute to the technical solutions. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes a plurality of instructions for causing a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in the embodiments of the present application. The storage medium includes a U disk, a mobile hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk or an optical disk, and various media that can store program codes.

[0218] The present application also provides a computer program product, which includes computer program codes, when the computer program codes are executed on a computer, the computer executes the method executed by the second sensing device, the first sensing device, the access network device, the UE or the sensing network element in any of the foregoing method embodiments.

[0219] The embodiments of the present application also provide a processing apparatus, including a processor and an interface; the processor is used to execute the method executed by the second sensing device, the first sensing device, the access network device, the UE or the sensing network element involved in any of the foregoing method embodiments.

[0220] In the embodiments described above, all or some of the embodiments can be implemented by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented by software, all or some of the embodiments can be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded into and executed by a computer, all or some of the procedures or functions described in the embodiments of the present application are performed. The computer can be a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable apparatus. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer readable storage medium to another computer readable storage medium, for example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from a website, a computer, a server or a data center to another website, computer, server or data center through a wired (for example, coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (for example, infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) manner. The computer readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server, data center, etc. integrated with one or more available media sets. The available media can be a magnetic medium (for example, floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (for example, DVD), or a semiconductor medium (for example, solid state disk (SSD)) and the like.

[0221] The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithms described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented or performed by a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the described functions. The general purpose processor can be a microprocessor, optionally, the general purpose processor can also be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor can also be implemented by a combination of computing devices, such as a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other similar configuration.

[0222] The steps of methods or algorithms described in the embodiments of the present application can be directly embedded in hardware, a software unit executed by a processor, or a combination of the two. The software unit can be stored in a RAM, a flash memory, a ROM, an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an EEPROM, a register, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium in the art. The storage medium can be connected to the processor, so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium can also be integrated into the processor. The processor and the storage medium can be located in an ASIC, which can be located in the terminal device. Alternatively, the processor and the storage medium can also be located in different components of the terminal device.

[0223] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device to cause a series of operations steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable data processing device to generate a computer implemented process, so that the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable data processing device provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more flows of the flowchart and / or one or more blocks of the block diagram.

[0224] The contents in various embodiments of the present application can be mutually referred to, and the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be mutually referred to if there is no special description and logical conflict. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0225] It can be understood that, in the embodiments of the present application, at least one of the second sensing device, the first sensing device and the sensing network element can perform part or all of the steps in the embodiments of the present application, and these steps or operations are only examples, and other operations or variations of various operations can also be performed in the embodiments of the present application. In addition, each step can be executed in a different order according to the embodiments of the present application, and it is possible that not all operations in the embodiments of the present application are executed.

Claims

A perception method characterized by, The method comprises: sending first information, the first information being used for configuring a first reference signal resource, the first reference signal resource indicating that a first sending time of a first reference signal is a first time, the first time being used for a first sensing device to determine a second sending time of the first reference signal, the first reference signal being used for sensing, the first time and the second time being used for determining a first round trip time, the second time being a receiving time of the first reference signal, the first round trip time comprising a round trip time of a signal transmitted between a second sensing device, a sensing target and the first sensing device. The method of claim 1, wherein The method further comprises: receiving the first reference signal. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein The method further comprises: sending a second reference signal, the second reference signal being used for sensing. The method of claim 3, wherein The first time, a receiving time of the second reference signal and a third time are used for determining the second sending time, the third time being a sending time of the second reference signal. The method of claim 4, wherein The method further comprises: sending second information, the second information being used for indicating the third time. The method of claim 5, wherein The second information further indicates that the second sending time is determined according to the first time, the receiving time of the second reference signal and the third time. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The first reference signal resource further indicates that a first sending phase of the first reference signal is a first phase, the first phase being used for the first sensing device to determine a second sending phase of the first reference signal, the first phase and the second phase being used for determining the first round trip time, the second phase being a receiving phase of the first reference signal. The method of claim 7, wherein The first phase, a receiving phase of the second reference signal and a third phase are used for determining the second sending phase, the third phase being a sending phase of the second reference signal. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein The method further comprises: sending third information, the third information being used for indicating the third phase. The method of claim 9, wherein The third information further indicates that the second sending phase is determined according to the first phase, the receiving phase of the second reference signal and the third phase. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that The method further comprises: sending fourth information, the fourth information being used for indicating that a receiving time and / or a receiving phase of a second reference signal is not reported, the second reference signal being used for sensing. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that The method further comprises: receiving fifth information, the fifth information being used for requesting to update the first reference signal resource. The method of claim 12, wherein The method further comprises: sending sixth information, the sixth information being used for reconfiguring the first reference signal resource. A perception method characterized by, The method comprises: receiving first information, the first information being used for configuring a first reference signal resource, the first reference signal resource indicating that a first sending time of a first reference signal is a first time, the first time being used for determining a second sending time of the first reference signal, the first reference signal being used for sensing. The method of claim 14, wherein The method further comprises: sending the first reference signal at the second sending time. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein The method further comprises: receiving a second reference signal, the second reference signal being used for sensing. The method of claim 16, wherein The method further comprises: determining the second sending time based on the first time, a receiving time of the second reference signal and a third time, the third time being a sending time of the second reference signal. The method of claim 17, wherein The method further comprises: receiving second information, the second information being used for indicating the third time. The method of claim 18, wherein The second information further indicates that the second transmission time is determined according to the first time, a reception time of the second reference signal and the third time. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 19, characterized in that The first reference signal resource further indicates that a first transmission phase of the first reference signal is a first phase, the first phase being used for determining a second transmission phase of the first reference signal. The method of claim 20, wherein The method further comprises: determining the second transmission phase based on the first phase, a reception phase of a second reference signal and a third phase, the third phase being a transmission phase of the second reference signal. The method of claim 20 or 21, wherein The method further comprises: receiving third information, the third information being used for indicating the third phase. The method of claim 22, wherein The third information further indicates that the second transmission phase is determined according to the first phase, a reception phase of a second reference signal and the third phase. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 23, characterized in that The method further comprises: receiving fourth information, the fourth information being used for indicating that a reception time and / or a reception phase of a second reference signal is not reported, the second reference signal being used for sensing. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 24, characterized in that The method further comprises: transmitting fifth information, the fifth information being used for requesting to update the first reference signal resource. The method of claim 25, wherein The method further comprises: receiving sixth information, the sixth information being used for reconfiguring the first reference signal resource. A communication device, characterized by The communication apparatus comprises a module for performing the method according to any one of claims 1-13, or a module for performing the method according to any one of claims 14-26. A communication device, characterized by The communication apparatus comprises a processor configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-13, or to perform the method according to any one of claims 14-26. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized by The computer readable storage medium is configured to store a computer program which, when executed on a computer, causes the method according to any one of claims 1-13 to be performed, or causes the method according to any one of claims 14-26 to be performed. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program product comprises a computer program which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-13, or causes the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 14-26.

Images