Communication method and corresponding apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the present application is a communication method, which is applied to a user-centric wireless communication service system. In the method, the signal quality of a first signal from a second communication apparatus in a sleep state can be obtained, and a communication service is provided for a first communication apparatus by means of using a third communication apparatus on the basis of the signal quality of the first signal. Therefore, the continuity of communication is improved while saving energy, thereby implementing intelligent energy saving.

Description

A communication method and corresponding device

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411215861.1, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on August 30, 2024, entitled "A Communication Method and Corresponding Device", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

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

[0003] In a continuous network centered on terminal devices, when there is no service transmission or terminal devices within the range of a certain transmission reception point (TRP), energy consumption can be saved by shutting down the transmission reception point.

[0004] When a terminal device enters the range of a TRP in a dormant state, how to quickly provide communication services to the terminal device becomes an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method for providing communication services to terminal devices within the coverage area of ​​a dormant transmission and receiving node, improving the continuity of terminal device communication while saving energy. This application also provides corresponding apparatus, computer-readable storage media, and computer program products.

[0006] The first aspect of this application provides a communication method applied to a first communication device. The method includes: acquiring the signal quality of a first signal, wherein the first signal originates from a second communication device in a dormant state; and sending a first request to a third communication device based on the signal quality of the first signal, wherein the first request requests the third communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device, and the third communication device provides the first service to the second communication device when the second communication device is in a dormant state.

[0007] In this application, the first signal can be a low-power synchronization signal (LP-SS).

[0008] In this application, being in a dormant state means that the second communication device has shut down the main modules such as the baseband module and the radio frequency module, and only retains the low-power module used to transmit the first signal.

[0009] In this application, the first communication device may be a communication device for receiving and sending information or a communication device capable of supporting the functions required for the communication device to implement the communication method, such as a chip. Exemplarily, the first communication device is a terminal device, or a chip disposed in a terminal device for implementing the functions of the terminal device, or other components for implementing the functions of the terminal device.

[0010] In this application, the second / third communication device may be a communication device for data exchange and communication, or a communication device capable of supporting the functions required for the communication device to implement the communication method, such as a chip. Exemplarily, the second / third communication device is an access network device, or a chip disposed in an access network device for implementing the functions of the access network device, or other components for implementing the functions of the access network device.

[0011] In this application, the service type of the first service includes the third communication device assisting the second communication device in providing communication services to the first communication device by enabling the coverage enhancement mode, or the third communication device directly providing communication services to the first communication device.

[0012] Using the above method, the first communication device can report its current status to the third communication device based on the signal quality of the first signal sent by the second communication device. This allows the third communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device within the communication range of the second communication device, which is in a dormant state. Thus, when the first communication device enters the communication coverage area of ​​the second communication device in a dormant state, it can obtain continuous communication services from the third communication device without waiting for the dormant second communication device to be woken up to provide communication services. This improves the continuity and smoothness of the communication services obtained by the first communication device.

[0013] One possible implementation further includes: acquiring the signal quality of the second signal, which comes from the third communication device; and sending the signal quality of the first signal and the signal quality of the second signal to the third communication device.

[0014] In this application, the second signal can be a synchronization signal block (SSB) signal sent by the second communication device.

[0015] In this application, the signal quality of the second signal can be determined by the signal receiving power of the second signal.

[0016] In this possible implementation, the first communication device can send the signal quality of the first signal and the signal quality of the second signal to the third communication device. The third communication device determines whether the first communication device is within the communication range of the second communication device (which is in a dormant state) and the communication range of the third communication device based on the signal quality of the first signal and the signal quality of the second signal, thereby more accurately determining whether communication services need to be provided to the first communication device and how to provide communication services to the first communication device.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the signal quality of the first signal is greater than a first preset threshold.

[0018] In this application, the value of the first preset threshold is configured by higher-layer signaling signals or predefined by the protocol.

[0019] In this possible implementation, when the signal quality of the first signal is greater than the first preset threshold, it can be considered that the first communication device has entered the communication range of the second communication device in a dormant state. In this way, the third communication device can provide communication services to the first communication device through the first request it reports, thereby improving the smoothness of the communication range provided to the first communication device.

[0020] One possible implementation further includes: if the signal quality of the first signal is less than a second preset threshold and the first communication device is within the communication range of the second communication device, sending a second request to the second communication device, the second request being used to request the second communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device.

[0021] In this application, the value of the second preset threshold is configured by higher-layer signaling signals or predefined by the protocol, and the second preset threshold is less than the first preset threshold.

[0022] In this possible implementation, when the signal quality of the first signal is less than the second preset threshold and the first communication device is still within the communication range of the second communication device, it is confirmed that the second communication device is not in a sleep state at this time. Then the third communication device can turn off the first service and the second communication device can provide communication services to the first communication device, which can reduce additional energy consumption.

[0023] One possible implementation further includes: if the signal quality of the first signal is less than a second preset threshold and the first communication device is within the communication range of the fourth communication device, a third request is sent to the fourth communication device, the third request being used to request the fourth communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device.

[0024] In this application, the fourth communication device may be a communication device for data exchange and communication, or a communication device capable of supporting the functions required by the communication device to implement the communication method, such as a chip. Exemplarily, the fourth communication device is an access network device, or a chip disposed in the access network device for implementing the functions of the access network device, or other components for implementing the functions of the access network device.

[0025] In this possible implementation, when the signal quality of the first signal is less than a second preset threshold and the first communication device is within the communication range of the fourth communication device, the third communication device can shut down the first service. The first communication device sends a third request to the fourth communication device, which then provides communication services to the first communication device, thus reducing additional energy consumption.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving identification information of the second communication device, wherein the identification information is periodically transmitted by the second communication device through radio resource control signaling or higher-level signaling, or is triggered by the first communication device to be transmitted by the second communication device when the signal quality of the first signal is greater than a first preset threshold.

[0027] In this application, radio resource control (RRC) is a protocol layer used in wireless communication systems to manage and control radio resources. It processes Layer 3 information in the control plane between terminal equipment and base stations. Higher-layer signaling is the signaling protocol responsible for implementing application layer functions.

[0028] In this application, the number information of the second communication device can be repeatedly sent by the second communication device within a preset time interval, or it can be sent only when the signal quality of the first signal obtained by the first communication device is greater than a first preset threshold.

[0029] In this possible implementation, the second communication device only sends the numbering information to the first communication device under specific conditions when needed, which reduces signaling overhead, thereby reducing unnecessary waste of communication resources and improving the utilization rate of network resources.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the signal quality is determined by at least one of the received power, received quality, or signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal.

[0031] In this possible implementation, signal quality is determined by at least one of the following: received power, received quality, or signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal. The first communication device can use at least one of these information to measure the signal quality of the first signal, and then determine whether the first communication device is within the communication range of the second communication device, which is in a dormant state, based on the signal quality. This improves the accuracy of determining whether the first communication device needs communication services from the third communication device.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the first request is sent using an uplink signal and / or a wake-up signal.

[0033] In this possible implementation, the first communication device can select to send a first request to the third communication device using an uplink signal and / or a wake-up signal based on the signal quality of the first signal. The uplink signal can be sent using either the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). The first communication device can select which signal to use to send the first request based on higher-layer signal configuration or preset conditions, thus improving the flexibility of sending the first request.

[0034] In one possible implementation, the preset conditions include at least one of the following: the operating state of the first communication device, the amount of data contained in the first request, or the state of the master transceiver. The operating state of the first communication device may include the first communication device being in a connected state or the first communication device being in an idle state.

[0035] In one possible implementation, if a wake-up signal is used to send a first request to a third communication device, the method further includes: determining the number of reports and / or the transmission signal format of the wake-up signal based on the signal quality of the first signal; wherein the number of reports is used to determine the number of times the first request is sent to the third communication device; and the transmission signal format of the wake-up signal is used to indicate the type of transmission signal used to send the first request.

[0036] In this possible implementation, since the wake-up signal has a small coverage capability, the first communication device can determine the number of reporting times based on the signal quality of the first signal. When the signal quality of the first signal is greater, it is considered that the signal of the first signal is strong and the first communication device is located closer to the second communication device. Therefore, it is necessary to send the first request to the third communication device more times so that the third communication device can receive it in time, thereby improving the rate at which the first communication device obtains the communication service provided by the third communication device.

[0037] In one possible implementation, the wake-up signal transmission signal format includes a physical random access channel (PRACH) signal or a chirp signal.

[0038] In this possible implementation, the first communication device can determine the transmission resource format of the wake-up signal according to the current specific communication environment, which enables the third communication device to obtain the first request sent by the first communication device, thereby improving the reliability of the communication system.

[0039] A second aspect of this application provides a communication method, comprising:

[0040] The system receives a first request from a first communication device, the first request being sent by the first communication device based on the signal quality of a first signal, the first signal being sent by a second communication device in a dormant state to the first communication device, the first request being used to request a third communication device to provide a first service to the second communication device while the second communication device is in a dormant state; and provides communication service to the first communication device according to the first request.

[0041] In the second aspect mentioned above, the third communication device can provide communication services to the first communication device based on the first request sent by the first communication device. Thus, when the second communication device is in a dormant state, the third communication device does not need to wait to wake up the second communication device before providing communication services to the first communication device, thereby reducing the waiting time of the first communication device and improving the communication continuity experience of the first communication device.

[0042] One possible implementation further includes: receiving the signal quality of the first signal from the first communication device, and disabling the first service based on the signal quality of the first signal.

[0043] In this possible implementation, the third communication device promptly shuts down the first service when the first communication device does not need the third communication device to provide communication services, based on the signal quality of the first signal, thereby reducing unnecessary energy consumption.

[0044] A third aspect of this application provides a communication device, which can be a first communication device, including: a transceiver module and a processing module;

[0045] A transceiver module is used to acquire the signal quality of a first signal, wherein the first signal comes from a second communication device in a dormant state;

[0046] The processing module is used to determine the first request based on the signal quality of the first signal;

[0047] The transceiver module is also used to send a first request to a third communication device; the first request is used to request the third communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device, and the third communication device is used to provide the first service to the second communication device when the second communication device is in a dormant state.

[0048] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module is further configured to acquire the signal quality of the second signal, which is transmitted by the third communication device; and to transmit the signal quality of the first signal and the signal quality of the second signal to the third communication device.

[0049] In one possible implementation, the signal quality of the first signal is greater than a first preset threshold.

[0050] In one possible implementation, the processing module is used to determine whether the signal quality of the first signal is less than a second preset threshold and whether the first communication device is within the communication range of the second communication device.

[0051] The transceiver module is used to send a second request to the second communication device when the signal quality of the first signal is less than a second preset threshold and the first communication device is within the communication range of the second communication device. The second request is used to request the second communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device.

[0052] In one possible implementation, the processing module is used to determine whether the signal quality of the first signal is less than a second preset threshold and whether the first communication device is within the communication range of the fourth communication device.

[0053] The transceiver module is used to send a third request to the fourth communication device when the signal quality of the first signal is less than a second preset threshold and the first communication device is within the communication range of the fourth communication device. The third request is used to request the fourth communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device.

[0054] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module is used to receive the identification information of the second communication device. The identification information is periodically sent by the second communication device through radio resource control signaling or higher-level signaling, or it is triggered by the first communication device to send the information to the second communication device when the signal quality of the first signal is greater than a first preset threshold.

[0055] In one possible implementation, the signal quality is determined by at least one of the received power, received quality, or signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal.

[0056] In one possible implementation, the first request is sent using an uplink signal and / or a wake-up signal.

[0057] In one possible implementation, the processing module is configured to determine the number of reports and / or the transmission signal format of the wake-up signal based on the signal quality of the first signal; wherein the number of reports is used to determine the number of times the first request is sent to the third communication device; and the transmission signal format of the wake-up signal is used to indicate the type of transmission signal used to send the first request.

[0058] The transceiver module is used to send a first request to a third communication device based on a determined number of reporting attempts and / or the transmission signal format of a wake-up signal.

[0059] In one possible implementation, the wake-up signal transmission signal format includes a PRACH signal or a chirp signal.

[0060] A fourth aspect of this application provides a communication device, which can be a third communication device communicating with a first communication device, the communication device comprising: a transceiver module and a processing module;

[0061] The transceiver module is used to receive a first request from a first communication device. The first request is sent by the first communication device based on the signal quality of a first signal. The first signal is sent by a second communication device in a dormant state to the first communication device. The first request is used to request a third communication device to provide a first service to the second communication device when the second communication device is in a dormant state.

[0062] The processing module is used to provide communication services to the first communication device according to the first request.

[0063] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module is used to receive the signal quality of the first signal from the first communication device;

[0064] The processing module is used to shut down the first service based on the signal quality of the first signal.

[0065] In one possible implementation, the signal quality is determined by at least one of the received power, received quality, or signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal.

[0066] In one possible implementation, the first request is sent using an uplink signal and / or a wake-up signal.

[0067] A fifth aspect of this application provides a communication device including a processor. The processor is configured to call and run a computer program stored in a memory, causing the processor to implement as described in the first aspect or any of the implementations of the first aspect.

[0068] Optionally, the communication device also includes a transceiver; the processor is also used to control the transceiver to send and receive signals.

[0069] Optionally, the communication device includes a memory in which a computer program is stored.

[0070] The communication device mentioned in the fifth aspect above can be a device or a chip (system) in a device.

[0071] A sixth aspect of this application provides a communication device including a processor. The processor is configured to invoke and execute a computer program stored in a memory, such that the processor implements as described in the second aspect or any of the implementations in the second aspect.

[0072] Optionally, the communication device also includes a transceiver; the processor is also used to control the transceiver to send and receive signals.

[0073] Optionally, the communication device includes a memory in which a computer program is stored.

[0074] The communication device described in the sixth aspect above can be a device or a chip (system) in a device.

[0075] The seventh aspect of this application provides a communication device, which may be a first communication device or a module or unit (e.g., a chip, a chip system, or a circuit) in the first communication device that corresponds to the execution of the methods / operations / steps / actions described in the first aspect.

[0076] The eighth aspect of this application provides a communication device, which can be a third communication device or a module or unit (e.g., a chip, a chip system, or a circuit) in the third communication device that corresponds to the execution of the methods / operations / steps / actions described in the second aspect.

[0077] The ninth aspect of this application provides a computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform an implementation as described in the first aspect or any of the first aspects.

[0078] The tenth aspect of this application provides a computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform an implementation as described in the second aspect or any of the second aspects.

[0079] The eleventh aspect of this application provides a computer program product including instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform an implementation as described in the first aspect or any of the first aspects.

[0080] The twelfth aspect of this application provides a computer program product including instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform an implementation as described in the second aspect or any of the second aspects.

[0081] The thirteenth aspect of this application provides a chip device including a processor for calling a program stored in a memory, such that the processor executes the first aspect or any implementation thereof.

[0082] Optionally, the memory may be located inside or outside the chip device.

[0083] The fourteenth aspect of this application provides a chip device including a processor for calling a program stored in a memory, such that the processor executes the second aspect or any implementation thereof described above.

[0084] Optionally, the memory may be located inside or outside the chip device.

[0085] The fifteenth aspect of this application provides a communication system, which includes a first communication device and a third communication device. The first communication device is used to execute the first aspect or any one of the implementations of the first aspect, and the third communication device is used to execute the second aspect or any one of the implementations of the second aspect.

[0086] The technical effects of the third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect, the fifth aspect, the seventh aspect, the ninth aspect, the eleventh aspect, the thirteenth aspect or the fifteenth aspect can be found in the first aspect or the technical effects of different possible implementations of the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0087] The technical effects of the fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the sixth aspect, the eighth aspect, the tenth aspect, the twelfth aspect or the fourteenth aspect can be found in the technical effects of the second aspect or different possible implementations of the second aspect, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0088] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of an example communication scenario provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0089] Figure 1B is another example schematic diagram of a communication scenario provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0090] Figure 1C is another example schematic diagram of a communication scenario provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0091] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the communication method provided in this application;

[0092] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the communication method provided in this application;

[0093] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of the communication range of multiple transmission and receiving nodes in the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0094] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the communication method provided in this application applied to a communication system.

[0095] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of the communication method provided in this application applied to a communication system.

[0096] Figure 5B is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of the communication method provided in this application applied to a communication system.

[0097] Figure 5C is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of the communication method provided in this application applied to a communication system.

[0098] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the communication method provided in this application;

[0099] Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0100] Figure 8 is another structural schematic diagram of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0101] Figure 9 is another structural schematic diagram of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0102] The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. As those skilled in the art will recognize, with the development of technology and the emergence of new scenarios, the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0103] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments described herein can be implemented in a sequence other than that illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0104] This application provides a communication method for providing communication services to terminal devices within the coverage area of ​​a dormant transmission and receiving node, thereby improving the continuity of communication for end users while saving energy. This application also provides corresponding apparatus, computer-readable storage media, and computer program products, etc., which are described in detail below.

[0105] The technical solutions of this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: satellite communication, 5th generation (5G) systems or new radio (NR), long term evolution (LTE) systems, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) systems, LTE time division duplex (TDD) systems, universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), future communication systems after 5G networks, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, etc.

[0106] The communication system described in this application can be a communication system based on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and / or time division multiplexing (TDM), or a communication system or communication and sensing system based on frequency modulated continuous waveform (FMCW).

[0107] The terminal equipment and access network equipment of this application are described below.

[0108] Terminal equipment can be a device capable of receiving core network information or access network device scheduling and instruction information, and can be a wireless terminal device. Wireless terminal equipment can be a device that provides voice and / or data connectivity to a user, a handheld device with wireless connectivity, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, or a device with sensing capabilities.

[0109] Terminal equipment, also known as user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), etc., is a device that includes wireless communication functions and / or sensing functions (providing voice / data connectivity to users), such as handheld devices with wireless connectivity or vehicle-mounted devices.

[0110] Terminal devices can communicate with one or more core networks or the Internet via a radio access network (RAN). Terminal devices can be mobile terminal devices, such as mobile phones (or "cellular" phones), computers, and data cards. For example, they can be portable, pocket-sized, handheld, computer-embedded, or vehicle-mounted mobile devices that exchange voice and / or data with the RAN. Examples include personal communication service (PCS) phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablets, and computers with wireless transceiver capabilities. Wireless terminal equipment can also be referred to as a system, subscriber unit, subscriber station, mobile station (MS), remote station, access point (AP), remote terminal, access terminal, user terminal, user agent, subscriber station (SS), customer premises equipment (CPE), terminal, user equipment (UE), mobile terminal (MT), etc.

[0111] By way of example and not limitation, in this embodiment, the terminal device can also be a wearable device. Wearable devices, also known as wearable smart devices or smart wearable devices, are a general term for devices that utilize wearable technology to intelligently design and develop everyday wearables, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothing, and shoes. Wearable devices are portable devices that are worn directly on the body or integrated into the user's clothing or accessories. Wearable devices are not merely hardware devices, but also achieve powerful functions through software support, data interaction, and cloud interaction. Broadly speaking, wearable smart devices include those that are feature-rich, large in size, and can achieve complete or partial functions without relying on a smartphone, such as smartwatches or smart glasses, as well as those that focus on a specific type of application function and require the use of other devices such as smartphones, such as various smart bracelets, smart helmets, and smart jewelry for vital sign monitoring.

[0112] Furthermore, terminal devices can also be terminal devices for communication systems evolved from fifth-generation (5G) communication systems (such as 5G Advanced or future communication systems). For example, the form and function of communication terminals can be further expanded, including but not limited to vehicles, cellular network terminals (integrating satellite terminal functions), drones, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, wireless terminals in self-driving vehicles, wireless terminals in remote medical surgery, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, or wireless terminals in smart homes. For example, wireless terminals in V2X communication can be in-vehicle equipment, vehicle-mounted equipment, in-vehicle modules, vehicles, etc. Wireless terminals in industrial control can be cameras, robots, etc. Wireless terminals in smart homes can be televisions, air conditioners, robot vacuums, speakers, set-top boxes, etc.

[0113] Access network equipment is a device deployed in a radio access network (RAN) that provides wireless communication and / or sensing functions for terminal devices. For example, an access network device can be a RAN node that connects terminal devices to a wireless network. Access network equipment can also be a device deployed in a RAN that can communicate with other access network devices and provide wireless communication and / or sensing functions between access network devices.

[0114] Access network equipment includes, but is not limited to: evolved Node B (eNB), radio network controller (RNC), Node B (NB), base station controller (BSC), base transceiver station (BTS), home base station (e.g., home evolved Node B, or home Node B, HNB), baseband unit (BBU), access point (AP), wireless relay node, wireless backhaul node, transmission point (TP), or transmission and reception point (TRP) in wireless fidelity (WIFI) systems, and can also be access network equipment in 5G mobile communication systems. For example, a next-generation NodeB (gNB), transmission reception point (TRP), or transmission point (TP) in a new radio (NR) system; or one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a base station in a 5G mobile communication system; or, access network equipment can also be network nodes constituting a gNB or transmission point. For example, a baseband unit (BBU) or a distributed unit (DU), etc.

[0115] In some deployments, a gNB may include a central unit (CU) and a dual unit (DU). A gNB may also include an active antenna unit (AAU). The CU implements some of the gNB's functions, and the DU implements others. For example, the CU handles non-real-time protocols and services, implementing radio resource control and the functions of the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer. The DU handles physical layer protocols and real-time services, implementing the functions of the radio link control (RLC), media access control (MAC), and physical (PHY) layers. The AAU implements some physical layer processing functions, radio frequency processing, and related functions of the active antenna. Information from the RRC layer ultimately becomes information from the PHY layer, or is derived from information from the PHY layer. Therefore, in this architecture, higher-layer signaling (such as RRC layer signaling) can be considered to be sent by the DU, or by both the DU and AAU. It is understood that access network equipment can be one or more of the following: CU nodes, DU nodes, and AAU nodes. Furthermore, the CU can be located in the access network (RAN) equipment or in the core network (CN), and this application does not limit it in this regard.

[0116] For ease of understanding, the technical terms involved in the embodiments of this application are briefly introduced below:

[0117] (1) Transmitter Receiver Node (TRP): Responsible for transmitting and receiving wireless signals, enabling terminal devices to access the mobile communication network and realize data exchange and communication with the core network.

[0118] (2) Coverage enhancement function: refers to the use of a series of technical means to enhance the coverage of wireless communication networks and improve the network performance in weak signal areas or complex environments.

[0119] (3) Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH): An important channel in wireless communication systems used to transmit uplink control information (UCI).

[0120] (4) Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH): Carries uplink transport block data and uplink control information of the terminal equipment.

[0121] (5) Uplink wake-up signal (UL WUS): This signal is used to notify the device to wake up at a specific time and prepare to receive downlink data.

[0122] (6) Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH): In a wireless communication system, a terminal device uses a physical channel to initiate a random access procedure to establish communication with a base station.

[0123] (7) Fixed slot: A fixed slot refers to a fixed time slice used for uplink or downlink transmission. These time slices are divided at the physical layer to carry user data, control information, or reference signals, etc. Through time division multiplexing or frequency division multiplexing, these fixed slots can be allocated to different users or services, so that resources can be used effectively and conflicts between different services or users can be reduced.

[0124] (8) Configuration and Pre-configuration: In this application, both configuration and pre-configuration are used. Configuration refers to the network device / server sending configuration information or parameter values ​​to the terminal via messages or signaling, so that the terminal can determine communication parameters or transmission resources based on these values ​​or information. Pre-configuration is similar to configuration; it can be parameter information or parameter values ​​negotiated in advance between the network device / server and the terminal device, or it can be parameter information or parameter values ​​used by the base station / network device or terminal device as specified in standard protocols, or it can be parameter information or parameter values ​​pre-stored in the base station / server or terminal device. This application does not limit this.

[0125] Furthermore, these values ​​and parameters can be changed or updated.

[0126] (9) The terms "system" and "network" in the embodiments of this application can be used interchangeably. "Multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, "at least one of A, B and C" includes A, B, C, AB, AC, BC or ABC. And, unless otherwise specified, the ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" mentioned in the embodiments of this application are used to distinguish multiple objects and are not used to limit the order, sequence, priority or importance of multiple objects.

[0127] (10) In the embodiments of this application, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "send information to XX" can be understood as the destination of the information being XX, which may include sending directly through the air interface or sending indirectly through the air interface by other units or modules. "Receive information from YY" can be understood as the source of the information being YY, which may include receiving directly from YY through the air interface or receiving indirectly from YY through the air interface by other units or modules. "Send" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receive" can also be understood as the "input" of the chip interface.

[0128] In other words, sending and receiving can occur between devices, such as between network devices and terminal devices, or within a device, such as between components, modules, chips, software modules, or hardware modules within the device via buses, wiring, or interfaces.

[0129] It is understandable that information may undergo necessary processing, such as encoding and modulation, between the source and destination, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar statements in this application can be interpreted in a similar way and will not be elaborated further.

[0130] (11) In the embodiments of this application, "instruction" may include direct instruction and indirect instruction, as well as explicit instruction and implicit instruction. The information indicated by a certain piece of information (as described below, the instruction information) is called the information to be instructed. In the specific implementation process, there are many ways to indicate the information to be instructed, such as, but not limited to, directly indicating the information to be instructed, such as the information to be instructed itself or its index. It can also indirectly indicate the information to be instructed by indicating other information, where there is an association between the other information and the information to be instructed; or it can only indicate a part of the information to be instructed, while the other parts of the information to be instructed are known or pre-agreed upon. For example, the instruction can be implemented by using a pre-agreed (e.g., protocol predefined or pre-configured) arrangement order of various information, thereby reducing the instruction overhead to a certain extent. This application does not limit the specific method of instruction. It is understood that for the sender of the instruction information, the instruction information can be used to indicate the information to be instructed, and for the receiver of the instruction information, the instruction information can be used to determine the information to be instructed.

[0131] In this application, unless otherwise specified, the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. In the various embodiments of this application, and the various methods / designs / implementations within each embodiment, unless otherwise specified or logically conflicting, the terminology and / or descriptions between different embodiments and between the various methods / designs / implementations within each embodiment are consistent and can be mutually referenced. The technical features in different embodiments and the various methods / designs / implementations within each embodiment can be combined to form new embodiments, methods, or implementations based on their inherent logical relationships. The following descriptions of the embodiments of this application do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application.

[0132] With the popularization of mobile internet and the development of the Internet of Things, users' demands for network services are becoming increasingly diverse and personalized. Traditional network architectures are no longer sufficient to meet these demands. To satisfy users' diverse network needs and ensure that they can enjoy high-speed network services regardless of their location within network coverage, the scale of wireless networks is constantly increasing, along with the number of base stations and the amount of transmission bandwidth provided to users. Consequently, the energy required by the network system is also increasing.

[0133] Therefore, to save energy, various equipment manufacturers and operators have adopted a variety of energy-saving methods. When a transmission and receiving node is idle or under low load and does not need to provide communication services to terminal devices, it can be turned off to save energy. However, when a terminal device enters the range of the transmission and receiving node, the terminal device needs to send a wake-up signal to trigger the transmission and receiving node to wake up and resume providing communication services to the terminal device. Since the wake-up process of the transmission and receiving node takes a certain amount of time, this will affect the continuity of user communication experience. In energy-saving methods that shut down and put the transmission and receiving node into sleep mode at fixed time periods, the time period for shutting down the transmission and receiving node is not flexible enough.

[0134] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides a communication method and related apparatus, which will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0135] The communication method provided in this application can be applied to user-centric and no-cell (UCNC) scenarios. A user-centric network refers to a network that provides user-centric wireless communication services, weakening cell boundaries and allowing users to experience high-speed data rates similar to those in the center of a cell, regardless of their location while moving. In UCNC applications, base stations are continuously networked, and the same cell ID can be used to transmit signals within the coverage area.

[0136] This user-centric network architecture can be either a standalone (SA) scenario or a dual connectivity (DC) scenario. In a standalone scenario, the terminal device connects to a single base station, and both the base station and the core network to which the base station connects are of the same standard. In a dual connectivity scenario, the terminal device simultaneously connects to base stations of different / same standards, and this is suitable for connected terminal devices.

[0137] The standalone (SA) network scenario can be understood by referring to Figure 1A. As shown in Figure 1A, the core network communicates with terminal devices via base stations. The core network can be a 5G Core, and the base stations can be 5G base stations, directly connected to the 5G Core; alternatively, the core network can be a 6G Core, and the base stations can be 6G base stations, directly connected to the 6G Core. The core network can also be the core network in a future network, and the base stations can be access nodes in that future network.

[0138] The dual-connectivity scenario can be understood by referring to Figure 1B. As shown in Figure 1B, the terminal can connect to base stations of the same or different standards simultaneously. For example, if the core network is 5G, the terminal can connect to both 5G and 6G base stations, with the 5G base station acting as the primary station and the 6G base station as the secondary station. Another example: if the core network is 6G, the terminal can connect to both 6G and 5G base stations, with the 6G base station acting as the primary station and the 5G base station as the secondary station. Yet another example: if the core network is 6G, the terminal can connect to two 6G base stations simultaneously, meaning both the primary and secondary stations are 6G base stations.

[0139] The communication system of the communication method provided in this application will be understood below with reference to Figure 1C. Referring to Figure 1C, the dashed circle represents the communication coverage area of ​​the dormant TRP, and the solid circle represents the communication coverage area of ​​the active TRP. When a terminal device enters the communication coverage area of ​​an access network device in a dormant state, the dormant access network device sends a low-power synchronization signal to the terminal device. Based on the signal quality of the synchronization signal, the terminal device sends a first request to a nearby normally operating access network device, enabling the normally operating access network device to provide communication services to the terminal device. In this way, while ensuring that the terminal device can communicate normally, the communication continuity of terminal devices located at the cell edge is improved, and the energy consumption of access network devices is reduced.

[0140] In this application, the access network equipment and terminal equipment can be fixed or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted, on water, or in the air on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the access network equipment and terminal equipment.

[0141] The communication method provided in this application can be implemented through the interaction of a first communication device and a third communication device. The first communication device can be a communication device for receiving and sending information, or a communication device capable of supporting the functions required for the communication method, such as a chip. Exemplarily, the first communication device is a terminal device, or a chip disposed in a terminal device to implement the functions of the terminal device, or other components for implementing the functions of the terminal device. In the following description, the example of a terminal device as the first communication device will be used. The third communication device can be a communication device for data exchange and communication, or a communication device capable of supporting the functions required for the communication method, such as a chip. Exemplarily, the third communication device is an access network device, or a chip disposed in an access network device to implement the functions of the access network device, or other components for implementing the functions of the access network device. In the following description, the example of a TRP as the third communication device will be used. The communication method of this application will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0142] As shown in Figure 2, the communication method provided in this application embodiment includes:

[0143] S200. The second communication device sends a first signal.

[0144] The first signal originates from a second communication device that is in a dormant state. Being in a dormant state means that the communication device has its main modules, such as the baseband module and RF module, shut down, leaving only the low-power module used to transmit the first signal. The first signal can be a low-power signal, such as an LP-SS signal. The second communication device is a TRP adjacent to the third communication device.

[0145] S201. The first communication device acquires the signal quality of the first signal and determines the first request based on the signal quality of the first signal.

[0146] In one possible embodiment, the signal quality of the first signal obtained by the first communication device can be acquired by a signal measurement module mounted on the first communication device, or by an application program installed on the first communication device. In some embodiments, a measuring device connected to the first communication device can also measure the signal and then send the measurement result to the first communication device. The embodiments of this application do not limit how the first communication device obtains the signal quality of the first signal.

[0147] In one possible embodiment, the signal quality of the first signal can be determined by at least one of the received power, received quality, or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the first signal. For example, when the signal quality of the first signal is determined by one of the received power, received quality, or SNR, the first communication device can directly use the received power, received quality, or SNR of the first signal as the signal quality of the first signal. When the signal quality of the first signal is determined by two or more of the above-mentioned measurements, the first communication device can assign different weights to the received power, received quality, and SNR of the first signal according to different application scenarios, and then perform a weighted summation of the measurements to obtain the final signal quality of the first signal. By measuring and determining the signal quality of the first signal in multiple ways, the first communication device can improve the accuracy and flexibility of determining the signal quality of the first signal.

[0148] In one possible embodiment, when the first communication device determines the first request, the signal quality of the first signal is greater than a first preset threshold. The value of the first preset threshold is configured by higher-layer signaling signals or predefined by the protocol. When the signal quality of the first signal is greater than the first preset threshold, the first communication device determines that it is within the communication range of the second communication device, and that the second communication device is in a dormant state and cannot provide communication services to itself; therefore, the first communication device determines the first request.

[0149] In one possible embodiment, after the second communication device obtains the signal quality of the first signal in S201, it can also obtain the signal quality of the second signal sent by the third communication device.

[0150] This process can be understood with reference to Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, after obtaining the signal quality of the first signal, the following steps are also included:

[0151] S301. The first communication device receives a second signal from the third communication device, and correspondingly, the third communication device sends the second signal.

[0152] The second signal can be an SSB signal sent by a third communication device.

[0153] In this embodiment, when the first communication device is located at the edge of the communication range of the second and third communication devices, it can simultaneously acquire a first signal from the second communication device and a second signal from the third communication device. This situation can be understood through Figures 4A and 4B. As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the coverage area of ​​the first signal of the second communication device partially overlaps with the coverage area of ​​the second signal of the third communication device. When the first communication device is located within the shared communication range of the dormant TRP2 and the active TRP3, it can simultaneously acquire the SSB signal sent by TRP3 and the LP-SS signal sent by the dormant TRP2.

[0154] S302. The first communication device sends the signal quality of the first signal and the signal quality of the second signal to the third communication device, and correspondingly, the third communication device receives the signal quality of the first signal and the signal quality of the second signal.

[0155] The signal quality of the second signal can be determined by the signal receiving power of the second signal.

[0156] In one possible embodiment, the first communication device can transmit the signal quality of the second signal to the third communication device by reporting A3 and / or A5 events. Both A3 and A5 events are transmitted based on the signal quality of the received second signal.

[0157] In one possible embodiment, when the signal quality of the SSB signal received by the first communication device from the third communication device is higher than the signal quality of the SSB signals from other neighboring communication devices by an offset, that is, when the signal quality of the SSB signal from the third communication device is greater than a third preset threshold, the signal quality of the third communication device is considered to be superior to that of the other neighboring communication devices, triggering the reporting of an A3 event. In this case, the third preset threshold is a dynamic value, equal to the sum of the signal quality of the SSB signals from the neighboring communication devices and the offset. The value of the offset can be set according to the specific network environment.

[0158] Assuming the SSB signal quality from the third communication device is -100dBm and the SSB signal quality from other nearby communication devices is -95dBm, event A3 needs to be triggered when the signal quality of the third communication device is 3dB better than that of the nearby communication devices. In this case, the third preset threshold for event A3 can be set to -97dBm (i.e., -100dBm + 3dB). Thus, when the signal quality received by the first communication device from the third communication device exceeds -97dBm, event A3 will be triggered, indicating the signal quality of the second signal sent by the first communication device to the third communication device.

[0159] In one possible embodiment, when the signal quality of the SSB signal received by the first communication device from the third communication device is greater than a third preset threshold, it is considered that the signal quality of the third communication device can meet the communication requirements of the first communication device, triggering the reporting of an A5 event. In this case, the third preset threshold is a static value, and its value can be set according to the specific network environment.

[0160] The first communication device may report the signal quality of the second signal in the manner of event A3 or event A5, or in any other manner other than event A3 and event A5. In this embodiment of the application, the manner of reporting the signal quality of the second signal is not limited.

[0161] In one possible embodiment, the triggering condition for the first communication device to report can be that when the signal quality of the second signal is greater than a third preset threshold, it reports to the third communication device; or when the signal quality of the second signal obtained within a preset time interval is greater than the third preset threshold, it reports to the third communication device; or when the signal quality of the second signal obtained within a preset time interval is greater than the third preset threshold a preset number of times, it reports an A3 event or an A5 event to the third communication device.

[0162] In this possible embodiment, by limiting multiple triggering conditions, the accuracy of determining whether the first communication device is within the communication range of the third communication device is improved, reducing misjudgments caused by the first communication device receiving incorrect signal quality or by the first communication device leaving the communication range of the third communication device within a preset time interval, thereby improving the accuracy of determining the service type of the first service in subsequent steps.

[0163] S303. The third communication device determines the service type of the first service based on the signal quality of the first signal and the signal quality of the second signal.

[0164] The first service includes the third communication device enabling coverage enhancement to provide communication services to the first communication device and the third communication device directly providing communication services to the first communication device.

[0165] In one possible embodiment, the third communication device determines whether to activate the coverage enhancement mode based on the signal quality of the first signal and the signal quality of the second signal. For example, when the signal quality of the first signal is greater than a third preset threshold and the signal quality of the second signal is less than a fourth preset threshold, the third communication device determines that the first communication device is within the communication range of the second communication device, and therefore the third communication device needs to activate the coverage enhancement mode to provide communication services to the first communication device. When the signal quality of the first signal is less than or equal to the third preset threshold or the signal quality of the second signal is greater than or equal to the fourth preset threshold, the third communication device determines that the first communication device is within its communication range, and therefore the third communication device does not need to activate the coverage enhancement mode and can directly provide communication services to the first communication device.

[0166] In this possible embodiment, the third communication device can make a more accurate judgment on the situation of users at the cell edge based on the signal quality of the first signal and the signal quality of the second signal. This allows for a more precise determination of whether coverage enhancement is needed to provide communication services to the first communication device, improving the accuracy of the communication services provided by the third communication device and reducing unnecessary energy consumption.

[0167] S202. The first communication device sends a first request to the third communication device. Correspondingly, the third communication device receives the first request.

[0168] The first request is used to request the third communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device, and the third communication device provides the first service to the second communication device when the second communication device is in a dormant state.

[0169] In one possible embodiment, the triggering condition for the first communication device to send the first request can be that the first request is sent when the signal quality of the first signal is greater than a first preset threshold, or when the signal quality of the first signal obtained within a preset time interval is greater than the first preset threshold, or when the signal quality of the first signal obtained within a preset time interval is greater than the first preset threshold.

[0170] In this possible embodiment, by limiting multiple triggering conditions, the accuracy of determining whether the first communication device is within the communication range of the second communication device is improved, the misjudgment caused by the first communication device obtaining incorrect signal quality or the incorrect judgment caused by the first communication device leaving the communication range of the second communication device within a preset time interval is reduced, and the accuracy of sending the first request is improved.

[0171] In one possible embodiment, the first request is sent using an uplink signal and / or a wake-up signal.

[0172] The first communication device can select to send a first request to the third communication device using an uplink signal and / or a wake-up signal based on the signal quality of the first signal. The uplink signal can be sent via the PUCCH channel or the PUSCH channel, while the wake-up signal can be sent via the UL WUS channel. The first communication device can select which signal to use to send the first request based on higher-layer signaling signal configuration or preset conditions, improving the flexibility of sending the first request.

[0173] In one possible embodiment, the preset conditions include at least one of the following: the operating state of the first communication device, the amount of data contained in the first request, or the state of the master transceiver. The operating state of the first communication device may include the first communication device being in a connected state or the first communication device being in an idle state; the state of the master transceiver includes whether the master transceiver is in a sleep state. When the master transceiver is in a sleep state, communication is performed by a low-power transmitter.

[0174] The first communication device being in a connected state means that it has established a stable connection with the core network and the TRP. The first communication device being in an idle state means that the connection between the first communication device and the TRP is broken, but it is still within the communication coverage of the TRP and can receive paging messages from the TRP. For example, when the first communication device is in a connected state, it can use an uplink signal to send a first request to the third communication device; when the first communication device is in an idle state, it can use a wake-up signal to send a first request to the third communication device.

[0175] In one possible embodiment, when the first communication device determines which signal to use to send the first request based on the amount of data contained in the first request, it may use an uplink signal to send the first request when the amount of data is greater than a preset threshold, and use a wake-up signal to send the first request when the amount of data is less than or equal to the preset threshold. The preset threshold can be configured by higher-layer signaling signals or predefined by the protocol.

[0176] In this possible embodiment, the first communication device can reduce energy consumption by sending the first request through a wake-up signal, and can improve the real-time performance and reliability of the first request by sending the first request through an uplink signal.

[0177] In one possible embodiment, when the first communication device sends a first request using a wake-up signal, since the wake-up signal has poor coverage, the first communication device can determine the number of times the first request is reported and / or the transmission resource format of the wake-up signal based on the signal quality of the first signal.

[0178] In one possible embodiment, when the signal quality of the first signal is greater than a first preset threshold, i.e., when the first communication device is within the communication range of the second communication device, the greater the signal quality of the first signal, the stronger the signal is considered to be. Since the first signal is emitted by the first communication device, it can be assumed that the first communication device is closer to the second communication device. Conversely, the greater the distance between the first communication device and the third communication device, the more times the first communication device needs to send the first request so that the third communication device can receive it.

[0179] For example, when the quality of the first signal is greater than a fifth preset threshold, the first communication device repeatedly sends the first request twice using the wake-up signal; when the quality of the first signal is greater than a sixth preset threshold, the first communication device repeatedly sends the first request three times using the wake-up signal. The fifth preset threshold is less than the sixth preset threshold, and the values ​​of the fifth and sixth preset thresholds, as well as the number of times the first request is repeatedly sent, can be configured by higher-layer signaling signals or predefined by the protocol.

[0180] In this possible implementation, the first communication device can determine the number of times the first request is reported based on the signal quality of the first signal, so that the third communication device can receive the first request sent by the first communication device and provide communication services to the first communication device in a timely manner, thereby improving the reliability of the communication system.

[0181] In one possible embodiment, the wake-up signal transmission signal format includes a PRACH signal or a chirp signal. When the first communication device needs to send the first request in a more energy-efficient manner, it can choose to send the first request using a chirp signal; when the first communication device needs a wider coverage area for the first request, it can choose to send the first request using a PRACH signal.

[0182] In this possible implementation, the first communication device can determine the transmission signal format of the wake-up signal according to the current specific communication environment, which enables the third communication device to obtain the first request sent by the first communication device in a timely manner, thereby improving the reliability of the communication system.

[0183] The solution provided in this application embodiment allows a first communication device to report its current status to a third communication device based on the signal quality of a first signal sent by a second communication device. This enables the third communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device within the communication range of the second communication device, which is in a dormant state. Thus, when the first communication device enters the communication coverage area of ​​the second communication device in a dormant state, it can obtain continuous communication services from the third communication device without waiting for the dormant second communication device to be woken up to provide communication services, thereby improving the continuity and smoothness of the communication services obtained by the first communication device.

[0184] In one possible embodiment, after the first communication device sends a first request to the third communication device, it may also send a second request to the second communication device or a third request to the fourth communication device based on the signal quality of the first signal.

[0185] The location of the first communication device refers to the communication range of the TRP that can provide communication services to the first communication device. The process by which the first communication device sends a second request to the second communication device or a third request to the fourth communication device based on the signal quality of the first signal and the location of the first communication device, and the process by which the third communication device closes the first service, can be understood with reference to Figures 5A to 5C.

[0186] The first service involves the third communication device activating a coverage enhancement mode to assist the dormant second communication device in providing services. The third communication device can expand its communication range by amplifying its signal transmission power and bandwidth, thereby improving the continuity of communication coverage.

[0187] In one possible embodiment, when the signal quality of the first signal measured by the first communication device is less than the second preset threshold, i.e., the signal of the first signal is weak, and the first communication device is still within the communication range of the second communication device (e.g., TRP2) in sleep mode, it is considered that the second communication device changes from sleep mode to wake-up working mode. Therefore, the first communication device can send a second request to the second communication device, and the second communication device can directly provide communication services to the first communication device.

[0188] This embodiment can be understood with reference to Figure 5A. Initially, the first communication device measures a signal quality greater than a first preset threshold. Therefore, it is considered that the first communication device is within the communication range of TRP2, which is in a dormant state. The first communication device provides communication services through the coverage enhancement mode activated by a nearby third communication device (e.g., the working TRP3) (the first communication device is not within the communication range of the working TRP3). After a period of time, the first communication device measures a signal quality less than a second preset threshold. Since the first communication device is still within the communication range of the second communication device, it is considered that the second communication device has changed from a dormant state to a wake-up state. The second communication device (e.g., the working TRP2) can directly provide communication services to the first communication device, eliminating the need for the third communication device (e.g., the working TRP3) to activate its coverage enhancement mode. Therefore, the third communication device (e.g., the working TRP3) can disable the first service to save energy.

[0189] In one possible embodiment, when the first communication device moves from the communication range of the second communication device (e.g., the dormant TRP2) to the communication range of the fourth communication device (e.g., the active TRP4), the signal quality of the first signal measured by the first communication device is less than a second preset threshold. Therefore, the first communication device can send a third request to the fourth communication device (e.g., the active TRP4). At this time, the fourth communication device (e.g., the active TRP4) can directly provide communication services to the first communication device.

[0190] This embodiment can be understood with reference to Figure 5B. Initially, the first communication device measures a signal quality greater than a first preset threshold, therefore it is considered that the first communication device is within the communication range of the dormant TRP2 (which is in a dormant state). The first communication device then provides communication services through the nearby working TRP3, which activates a coverage enhancement mode (the first communication device is not within the communication range of the working TRP3). After a period of time, the first communication device measures a signal quality less than a second preset threshold, and at this time, the first communication device is within the communication range of the fourth communication device (e.g., the working TRP4). In this case, the fourth communication device (e.g., the working TRP4) can directly provide communication services to the first communication device, eliminating the need for the third communication device (e.g., the working TRP3) to activate a coverage enhancement mode. Therefore, the third communication device (e.g., the working TRP3) can disable the first service to save energy.

[0191] In one possible embodiment, when the first communication device moves from the communication range of the dormant second communication device (e.g., the dormant TRP2) to the communication range of the third communication device (e.g., the active TRP3), if the signal quality of the first signal detected by the first communication device is less than the second preset threshold, as shown in FIG5C, the third communication device (e.g., the active TRP3) can also turn off the first service (coverage enhancement mode) and directly provide communication services to the first communication device.

[0192] In the embodiments described above, the third communication device can shut down the first service provided to the second communication device as needed, reducing unnecessary energy consumption.

[0193] In this possible embodiment, the first communication device initiates a request to the TRP that can provide communication services to the first communication device as needed, based on the signal quality of the first signal and the range of the first communication device, in order to obtain the communication services provided by the corresponding TRP. This not only enables the first communication device to obtain continuous communication services anywhere, but also allows the service of unnecessary TRPs to be shut down, reducing the energy consumption of idle TRPs.

[0194] In one possible embodiment, the first communication device may also receive identification information from the second communication device. This identification information is periodically transmitted by the second communication device via radio resource control signaling or higher-layer signaling, or it may be triggered by the first communication device to be transmitted by the second communication device when the signal quality of the first signal exceeds a first preset threshold.

[0195] In this possible embodiment, the identification information of the second communication device can be periodically sent by the second communication device via LP-SS signals, or sent by the second communication device when the first communication device enters its communication range. By limiting the conditions for sending the identification information, signaling overhead is reduced, and the resource utilization of the second communication device is improved. Furthermore, the first communication device can, based on the identification information of the second communication device, use wake-up signals, fixed slots, RRC signaling, or higher-layer signaling configuration to report its location to the network side. This allows the network side to know which TRP the first communication device is within, thereby obtaining a more suitable TRP to provide communication services to the first communication device, and enabling the coverage enhancement function of the TRP as needed.

[0196] As can be seen from the above description, in the solution provided by the embodiments of this application, the first communication device can send a first request to the third communication device based on the signal quality of the first signal from the second communication device in a dormant state, so that when it is within the communication range of the second communication device, it can obtain the communication service provided by the third communication device without waiting for the second communication device to wake up, thereby improving the communication continuity of the first communication device in a continuously networked cell area while saving energy.

[0197] The following uses Figure 6 as an example to introduce the scheme for implementing communication on the third communication device side provided by the embodiments of this application.

[0198] As shown in Figure 6, the communication method provided in this application includes:

[0199] S601: The third communication device receives a first request from the first communication device, and correspondingly, the first communication device sends the first request.

[0200] The first request is sent by the first communication device based on the signal quality of the first signal, which is sent by the second communication device in a dormant state to the first communication device. The first request is used to request the third communication device to provide the first service to the second communication device when the second communication device is in a dormant state.

[0201] The contents of the first signal and the first request can be understood by referring to the introduction in section S201.

[0202] The third communication device can provide communication services to the first communication device based on the first request sent by the first communication device. Thus, when the second communication device is in a dormant state, it does not need to wait to wake up the second communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device, thereby reducing the waiting time of the first communication device and improving the communication continuity experience of the first communication device.

[0203] S602: According to the first request, the third communication device provides communication services to the first communication device.

[0204] In one possible embodiment, the third communication device receives the signal quality of the first signal from the first communication device; and shuts down the first service based on the signal quality of the first signal.

[0205] In this possible implementation, the third communication device promptly shuts down the first service when the first communication device does not need the third communication device to provide communication services, based on the signal quality of the first signal, thereby reducing unnecessary energy consumption.

[0206] The communication system and communication method in the embodiments of this application have been described above. The communication device provided in the embodiments of this application will now be described. Please refer to Figure 7, which is a structural schematic diagram of the communication device in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 700 can be used to execute the steps in the embodiments shown in Figures 2 to 6. Please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above method embodiments for details.

[0207] The communication device 700 includes a transceiver module 701 and a processing module 702. The transceiver module 701 can implement the corresponding communication functions, and the processing module 702 is used for data processing. The transceiver module 701 can also be referred to as a communication interface or a communication unit.

[0208] Optionally, the communication device 700 may further include a storage unit, which can be used to store instructions and / or data. The processing module 702 can read the instructions and / or data in the storage unit so that the communication device can implement the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0209] The communication device 700 can be used to perform the actions described in the method embodiments above. The communication device 700 can be a terminal device or an access network device, or a component or module configurable in a terminal device or access network device. The transceiver module 701 is used to perform the receiving-related operations in the method embodiments above, and the processing module 702 is used to perform the processing-related operations in the method embodiments above.

[0210] Optionally, the transceiver module 701 may include a sending module and a receiving module. The sending module is used to perform the sending operation in the above method embodiments. The receiving module is used to perform the receiving operation in the above method embodiments.

[0211] It should be noted that the communication device 700 may include a transmitting module but not a receiving module. Alternatively, the communication device 700 may include a receiving module but not a transmitting module. Specifically, it depends on whether the above-described scheme executed by the communication device 700 includes both transmitting and receiving actions.

[0212] As an example, the communication device 700 is used to perform the actions shown in the embodiment of Figure 2 above.

[0213] The transceiver module 701 is used to acquire the signal quality of the first signal, wherein the first signal comes from the second communication device in a dormant state;

[0214] Processing module 702 is used to determine the first request based on the signal quality of the first signal;

[0215] The transceiver module 701 is also used to send a first request to a third communication device. The first request is used to request the third communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device. The third communication device is used to provide the first service to the second communication device when the second communication device is in a sleep state.

[0216] It should be understood that the specific process of each module performing the above-mentioned steps has been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0217] The processing module 702 in the above embodiments can be implemented by at least one processor or processor-related circuitry. The transceiver module 701 can be implemented by a transceiver or transceiver-related circuitry. The transceiver module 701 can also be referred to as a communication unit or communication interface. The storage unit can be implemented by at least one memory.

[0218] This application embodiment also provides another communication device 800. As shown in FIG8, the communication device 800 includes a processor 810, which is coupled to a memory 820. The memory 820 is used to store computer programs or instructions and / or data, and the processor 810 is used to execute the computer programs or instructions and / or data stored in the memory 820, so that the methods in the above method embodiments are executed.

[0219] Optionally, the communication device 800 may include one or more processors 810.

[0220] Optionally, as shown in FIG8, the communication device 800 may further include a memory 820.

[0221] Optionally, the communication device 800 may include one or more memory 820.

[0222] Alternatively, the memory 820 may be integrated with the processor 810 or set separately.

[0223] Optionally, as shown in FIG8, the communication device 800 may further include a transceiver 830 for receiving and / or transmitting signals. For example, a processor 810 is used to control the transceiver 830 to receive and / or transmit signals.

[0224] In this embodiment, the memory 820 is mainly used to store software programs and data. The memory 820 can exist independently and be connected to the processor 810. Optionally, the memory 820 can be integrated with the processor 810, for example, integrated within one or more chips. The memory 820 can store program code that executes the technical solutions of this application embodiment, and its execution is controlled by the processor 810. The various types of computer program code being executed can also be considered as drivers for the processor 810. It should be understood that Figure 8 in this embodiment only shows one memory and one processor; however, in practical applications, the communication device 800 can have multiple processors or multiple memories, and this is not limited here. Furthermore, the memory 820 can also be called a storage medium or storage device, etc. The memory 820 can be a storage element located on the same chip as the processor 810 (i.e., an on-chip storage element), or it can be an independent storage element; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0225] As one option, the communication device 800 is used to implement the operations described in the method embodiments above.

[0226] For example, processor 810 is used to implement processing-related operations in the above method embodiments, and transceiver 830 is used to implement receiving-related operations in the above method embodiments.

[0227] This application also provides a communication device 800, which can be a terminal device, an access network device, or a chip or module in a core network device. This communication device 800 can be used to perform the operations described in the above method embodiments.

[0228] When the communication device 800 is a communication device, Figure 9 shows a simplified structural diagram of the communication device. As shown in Figure 9, the communication device includes a processor, a memory, and a transceiver. The memory can store computer program code, and the transceiver includes a transmitter 931, a receiver 932, a radio frequency circuit (not shown in the figure), an antenna 933, and input / output devices (not shown in the figure). The processor is mainly used to process communication protocols and communication data, control the communication device, execute software programs, and process data from the software programs. The memory is mainly used to store software programs and data. The radio frequency circuit is mainly used for the conversion between baseband signals and radio frequency signals, and for processing radio frequency signals. The antenna is mainly used for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals in the form of electromagnetic waves. Input / output devices, such as touch screens, displays, and keyboards, are mainly used to receive user input data and output data to the user. It should be noted that some types of communication devices may not have input / output devices.

[0229] When data needs to be transmitted, the processor performs baseband processing on the data to be transmitted and outputs a baseband signal to the radio frequency (RF) circuit. The RF circuit then processes the baseband signal and transmits it outward as an electromagnetic wave through the antenna. When data is sent to the communication device, the RF circuit receives the RF signal through the antenna, converts it into a baseband signal, and outputs the baseband signal to the processor. The processor converts the baseband signal back into data and processes it. For ease of explanation, Figure 9 only shows one memory, processor, and transceiver. In actual communication device products, there may be one or more processors and one or more memories. The memory can also be called a storage medium or storage device, etc. The memory can be set up independently of the processor or integrated with the processor; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0230] In this embodiment, transceiver 830 can be used to support the reception or transmission of radio frequency signals between communication device 800 and access network equipment. Transceiver 830 can be connected to antenna 933. Transceiver 830 includes transmitter Tx and receiver Rx. Specifically, one or more antennas 933 can receive radio frequency signals. The receiver Rx of transceiver 830 is used to receive the radio frequency signals from the antennas, convert the radio frequency signals into digital baseband signals or digital intermediate frequency signals, and provide the digital baseband signals or digital intermediate frequency signals to processor 810 so that processor 810 can perform further processing on the digital baseband signals or digital intermediate frequency signals, such as demodulation and decoding. In addition, the transmitter Tx in transceiver 830 is also used to receive modulated digital baseband signals or digital intermediate frequency signals from processor 810, convert the modulated digital baseband signals or digital intermediate frequency signals into radio frequency signals, and transmit the radio frequency signals through one or more antennas 933. Specifically, the receiver Rx can selectively perform one or more stages of downmixing and analog-to-digital conversion on the radio frequency signal to obtain a digital baseband signal or a digital intermediate frequency (IF) signal. The order of the downmixing and IF conversion processes is adjustable. The transmitter Tx can selectively perform one or more stages of upmixing and digital-to-analog conversion on the modulated digital baseband signal or digital IF signal to obtain a radio frequency signal. The order of the upmixing and IF conversion processes is also adjustable. The digital baseband signal and the digital IF signal can be collectively referred to as digital signals.

[0231] In the embodiments of this application, the antenna and radio frequency circuit with transceiver function can be regarded as the transceiver unit of the communication device, and the processor with processing function can be regarded as the processing unit of the communication device.

[0232] As shown in Figure 9, the communication device includes a processor 810, a memory 820, and a transceiver 830. The processor 810 can also be called a processing unit, processing board, processing module, processing device, etc., and the transceiver 830 can also be called a transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiver device, etc.

[0233] Optionally, the devices in transceiver 830 used for receiving functions can be considered as receiving units, and the devices in transceiver 830 used for transmitting functions can be considered as transmitting units. That is, transceiver 830 includes a receiver and a transmitter. A transceiver may also be called a transceiver unit, transceiver circuit, etc. A receiver may also be called a receiver unit, receiving circuit, etc. A transmitter may also be called a transmitter, transmitting unit, or transmitting circuit, etc.

[0234] For example, in one implementation, processor 810 is used to execute the processing actions in the embodiment shown in FIG2, and transceiver 830 is used to execute the transmit and receive actions in FIG2. For example, transceiver 830 is used to execute the transmit and receive operations of steps S201 and S202 in the embodiment shown in FIG2. Processor 810 is used to execute the processing operation of step S202 in the embodiment shown in FIG2.

[0235] It should be understood that Figure 9 is merely an example and not a limitation, and the communication device described above, including the transceiver unit and the processing unit, may not depend on the structure shown in Figure 9.

[0236] When the communication device 800 is a chip, the chip includes a processor, a memory, and a transceiver. The transceiver can be an input / output circuit or a communication interface; the processor can be a processing unit integrated on the chip, a microprocessor, or an integrated circuit. In the above method embodiments, the transmitting operation of the communication device can be understood as the chip's output, and the receiving operation of the communication device in the above method embodiments can be understood as the chip's input.

[0237] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions for implementing the methods in the above-described method embodiments.

[0238] For example, when the computer program is executed by a computer, it enables the computer to implement the methods performed in the above method embodiments.

[0239] This application also provides a computer program product containing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method described in the above method embodiments.

[0240] This application also provides a communication system, which includes the access network device and terminal device described in the above embodiments.

[0241] This application also provides a chip device, including a processor, for calling computer programs or computer instructions stored in a memory to cause the processor to execute the methods of the embodiments shown in Figures 2 to 6 above.

[0242] In one possible implementation, the input of the chip device corresponds to the receiving operation in the embodiments shown in Figures 2 to 6, and the output of the chip device corresponds to the transmitting operation in the embodiments shown in Figures 2 to 6.

[0243] Optionally, the processor is coupled to the memory via an interface.

[0244] Optionally, the chip device may also include a memory that stores computer programs or computer instructions.

[0245] The processor mentioned above can be a general-purpose central processing unit, a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits used to control the execution of a program for controlling the methods of the embodiments shown in Figures 2 to 6. The memory mentioned above can be read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage devices capable of storing static information and instructions, such as random access memory (RAM).

[0246] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the explanations and beneficial effects of the relevant content in any of the communication devices provided above can be referred to the corresponding method embodiments provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0247] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0248] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be an indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units through some interfaces, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0249] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0250] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0251] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the essential contribution of the technical solution of this application, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or an access network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory, random access memory, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a first communication device, and the method includes: The signal quality of the first signal is acquired, wherein the first signal comes from a second communication device in a dormant state; Based on the signal quality of the first signal, a first request is sent to a third communication device. The first request is used to request the third communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device. The third communication device is used to provide the first service to the second communication device when the second communication device is in a sleep state.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The signal quality of the second signal, which originates from the third communication device, is obtained. The signal quality of the first signal and the signal quality of the second signal are transmitted to the third communication device.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The signal quality of the first signal is greater than a first preset threshold.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Also includes: If the signal quality of the first signal is less than a second preset threshold, and the first communication device is within the communication range of the second communication device, a second request is sent to the second communication device. The second request is used to request the second communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Also includes: If the signal quality of the first signal is less than a second preset threshold, and the first communication device is within the communication range of the fourth communication device, a third request is sent to the fourth communication device. The third request is used to request the fourth communication device to provide communication services to the first communication device.

6. The method according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that, The method further includes: The system receives the identification information of the second communication device, which is periodically sent by the second communication device through radio resource control signaling or higher-layer signaling, or triggered by the first communication device to send the information when the signal quality of the first signal is greater than the first preset threshold.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The signal quality is determined by at least one of the received power, received quality, or signal-to-noise ratio of the first signal.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The first request is sent using an uplink signal and / or a wake-up signal.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, If the wake-up signal is used to send a first request to the third communication device, the method further includes: The number of reports and / or the transmission signal format of the wake-up signal are determined based on the signal quality of the first signal; wherein the number of reports is used to determine the number of times the first request is sent to the third communication device; and the transmission resource format of the wake-up signal is used to indicate the transmission resources for sending the first request.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The wake-up signal transmission signal format includes a PRACH signal or a chirp signal.

11. A communication method, characterized in that, include: A first request is received from a first communication device, the first request being sent by the first communication device based on the signal quality of a first signal, the first signal being sent by a second communication device in a dormant state to the first communication device, the first request being used to request a third communication device to provide a first service to the second communication device when the second communication device is in a dormant state; In accordance with the first request, provide communication services to the first communication device.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, Also includes: The signal quality of the first signal received from the first communication device; The first service is shut down based on the signal quality of the first signal.

13. A communication device, characterized in that, include: The transceiver module and the processing module, The transceiver module is used to perform the sending step or receiving step in the method according to any one of claims 1-12; The processing module is used to execute the steps in the method according to any one of claims 1-12, excluding the sending step and the receiving step.

14. A communication device, characterized in that, Includes at least one processor coupled to memory; The memory is used to store programs or instructions; The at least one processor is used to execute the program or instructions to cause the apparatus to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores program instructions that, when executed, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 12 to be performed.

16. A computer program product containing program instructions, characterized in that, When the program instructions are executed on a computer, the computer causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

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