Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

A communication method and apparatus. The method comprises: a first apparatus sends first indication information to a terminal apparatus, and the first apparatus or the terminal apparatus uses a first group of beams to send or receive a first signal on a first time-frequency resource, wherein the first signal is used for communication, the first indication information is used for indicating the first group of beams, and the first time-frequency resource is a time-frequency resource used by a second apparatus for sensing. In the method, the first time-frequency resource can be used by the first apparatus for communication, and can also be used by the second apparatus for sensing. The first apparatus configures the beams used by the terminal device, so that the signal used for communication and the signal used for sensing occupy unused space domain resources, thereby reducing interference caused by communication to sensing, and helping to improve resource utilization.

Description

A communication method and apparatus

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411197879.3, filed on August 28, 2024, entitled "A Communication Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

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

[0004] The core idea of ​​integrated communication and sensing technology is to add sensing capabilities to mobile communication networks, thereby merging communication and sensing into a single network. This enables both communication and sensing functions. Sensing can include target detection and tracking.

[0005] In a network, some base stations are used for communication, while others are used for sensing. If the two are close to each other, they will interfere with each other. To reduce interference between communication and sensing, communication cannot use time-frequency resources used for sensing (also known as sensing resources), and sensing cannot use time-frequency resources used for communication (also known as communication resources). As a result, resource utilization is low. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a communication method and apparatus that can be used in a sensor-integrated system to improve resource utilization while reducing interference between communication and sensing.

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

[0008] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be applied to a first device, the first device being a network-side device (also referred to as a network device). The network device can be a network equipment, a component within the network equipment (e.g., a circuit, a chip, or a chip system); or, the network device can be a module or unit that performs some or all of the functions of the network equipment, such as a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). Alternatively, the network device can be a logical node, logical module, or software that implements all or part of the functions of the network equipment.

[0009] The communication method includes: a first device sending first indication information to a terminal device, and transmitting or receiving a first signal using a first set of beams on a first time-frequency resource, the first signal being used for communication. The first indication information is used to indicate the first set of beams. The first time-frequency resource is a time-frequency resource used by a second device for sensing.

[0010] In this scheme, the first time-frequency resource can be used for both communication by the first device and sensing by the second device. To reduce interference from communication to sensing, the first device can configure the beam used by the terminal equipment so that the signal used for communication (i.e., the first signal) and the signal used for sensing (e.g., the second signal) occupy different spatial resources, thereby reducing interference from communication to sensing. Through this scheme, the first signal and the second signal can be carried on the same time-frequency resource, which helps to improve resource utilization.

[0011] In one implementation, the time-domain resources corresponding to the first time-frequency resource are time slot 0 and / or time slot 5.

[0012] Temporal resources for sensing can be (pre-)configured or predefined. For example, temporal resources for sensing can be time slot 0, time slot 5, etc.

[0013] In one implementation, the pointing of the first set of beams satisfies specific conditions, thereby minimizing or even eliminating interference from communication with sensing. For example, the angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction falls within a first angular range, and the interference corresponding to the first angular range is less than or equal to a first threshold. Another example is that the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction falls within a second angular range, and the interference corresponding to the second angular range is less than or equal to a second threshold. Yet another example is that the angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction falls within a first angular range, and the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction falls within a second angular range. The first threshold, second threshold, etc., can be (pre)configured or predefined.

[0014] In one implementation, the method includes: a first device adjusting the azimuth angle of an antenna such that the angle of a first set of beams in the horizontal direction is within a first angular range.

[0015] For time-frequency resources shared by communication and sensing, the first device adjusts the beam direction of the first device by adjusting the azimuth angle of the antenna to reduce or even avoid interference from communication to sensing. For time-frequency resources used only for communication, the first device does not need to adjust the antenna angle.

[0016] In one implementation, the method includes: a first device adjusting the antenna tilt angle so that the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction is within a second angular range.

[0017] For time-frequency resources shared by communication and sensing, the first device adjusts the beam direction of the first device by adjusting the azimuth angle of the antenna to reduce or even avoid interference from communication to sensing. For time-frequency resources used only for communication, the first device does not need to adjust the antenna angle.

[0018] In one implementation, the vertical distance between the terminal device and the ground is lower than a first threshold, and / or the horizontal distance between the terminal device and the first device is lower than a second threshold.

[0019] If the terminal device is far from the ground or far from the first device, then the first device's beam may not cover part or all of the terminal device. In this case, even if the first device schedules the terminal device, it will be ineffective. In this solution, terminal devices that are closer to the ground or closer to the first device can be scheduled to reduce ineffective scheduling and improve scheduling efficiency.

[0020] In one implementation, a first device transmits a first signal using a first set of beams on a first time-frequency resource, comprising: the first device transmitting the first signal at a first transmission power using the first set of beams on the first time-frequency resource. The first transmission power is less than a second transmission power used by the first device to transmit the first signal, and the second transmission power and the first transmission power satisfy one or more of the following: the vertical distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the vertical distance corresponding to the first transmission power; the horizontal distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the horizontal distance corresponding to the first transmission power; or the path loss corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the path loss corresponding to the first transmission power.

[0021] In this scheme, if the terminal device is close to the first device in the horizontal or vertical dimension, or if the path loss between the terminal device and the first device is small, then the first device can use a smaller transmission power to transmit the first signal, so as to further reduce the interference of communication on sensing.

[0022] Secondly, a communication method is provided, which can be applied to a terminal-side device (also called a terminal device). The terminal device can be a terminal equipment, or it can be a module or unit that performs some of the functions of a terminal equipment. For example, the terminal device can be a circuit or chip / chip system (e.g., a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core, or a system-in-package (SIP) chip) or other functional module within the terminal equipment. Alternatively, the terminal device can be a logical node, logical module, or software that implements all or part of the functions of the terminal equipment.

[0023] The communication method includes: a terminal device receiving first indication information from a first device, and transmitting or receiving a first signal using a first set of beams on a first time-frequency resource, the first signal being used for communication. The first indication information is used to indicate the first set of beams. The first time-frequency resource is a time-frequency resource used by a second device for sensing.

[0024] In one implementation, the time-domain resources corresponding to the first time-frequency resource are time slot 0 and / or time slot 5.

[0025] In one implementation, the angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction is within a first angular range; and / or, the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction is within a second angular range. Wherein, the interference corresponding to the first angular range is less than or equal to a first threshold, and the interference corresponding to the second angular range is less than or equal to a second threshold.

[0026] In one implementation, the vertical distance between the terminal device and the ground is lower than a first threshold, and / or the horizontal distance between the terminal device and the first device is lower than a second threshold.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the second aspect and its various implementation methods can be referred to the beneficial effects of the first aspect and its various implementation methods mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0028] Thirdly, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a terminal device and a first device. The method includes: the first device sending first indication information to the terminal device, the first indication information indicating a first set of beams; the terminal device using the first set of beams to transmit or receive a first signal in a first time-frequency resource, the first signal being used for communication, the first time-frequency resource being a time-frequency resource used by a second device for sensing.

[0029] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device that has the functionality to implement the behaviors described in the first or second aspect method examples. The beneficial effects can be found in the relevant descriptions of the first or second aspect and will not be repeated here. For example, the communication device may be the first device (or network device) in the first aspect, or it may be a device capable of supporting a network device to implement the functions required by the method provided in the first aspect; for example, the communication device may be a chip or chip system in the network device. As another example, the communication device may be a terminal device in the second aspect, or it may be a device capable of supporting a terminal device to implement the functions required by the method provided in the second aspect; for example, the communication device may be a chip or chip system in the terminal device.

[0030] In one possible design, the communication device includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device.

[0031] In one possible design, the communication device includes corresponding means, modules, or units for performing the methods of the first or second aspect. These modules, units, or means can be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination of both. For example, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also called a processing module or processor) and / or a transceiver unit (sometimes also called a transceiver module or transceiver). The transceiver unit is capable of both transmitting and receiving functions. When the transceiver unit performs the transmitting function, it can be called a transmitting unit (sometimes also called a transmitting module), and when it performs the receiving function, it can be called a receiving unit (sometimes also called a receiving module). The transmitting unit and the receiving unit can be the same functional unit, referred to as the transceiver unit, which performs both transmitting and receiving functions; or, the transmitting unit and the receiving unit can be different functional units, with "transceiver unit" being a general term for these functional units. These units (modules) can perform the corresponding functions in the method examples of the first or second aspect described above, as detailed in the method examples, and will not be repeated here.

[0032] For example, the communication device is used to implement the corresponding function in the method example of the first aspect, and the transceiver module is used to send first indication information to the terminal device, and to transmit or receive a first signal using a first set of beams on a first time-frequency resource. The first signal is used for communication, and the first indication information is used to indicate the first set of beams. The first time-frequency resource is a time-frequency resource used by the second device for sensing. The processing module is used to determine the first indication information.

[0033] For example, in a communication device used to implement the corresponding function in the method example of the second aspect, a transceiver module is used to receive first indication information and to transmit or receive a first signal using a first set of beams on a first time-frequency resource. The first signal is used for communication, and the first indication information is used to indicate the first set of beams. The first time-frequency resource is a time-frequency resource used by the second device for sensing. A processing module is used to determine the first set of beams.

[0034] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device including a processor configured to execute the methods of the first aspect or the second aspect and any implementation thereof. Optionally, the communication device further includes a communication interface. Optionally, the communication device also includes a memory for storing computer programs (also referred to as code or instructions), data, etc. The processor is coupled to the memory and the communication interface. When the processor reads the computer program, data, etc. from the memory, it causes the communication device to execute the methods of the first aspect or the second aspect and any implementation thereof.

[0035] Sixthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device including an input / output interface and logic circuitry. The input / output interface is used for inputting and / or outputting information. The input / output interface may be an interface circuit, an output circuit, an input circuit, pins, or related circuits, etc. The logic circuitry is used to execute the methods described in the first or second aspect.

[0036] In the fifth and sixth aspects, the communication device may be the first device (or network device) in the first aspect. Alternatively, the communication device may be a means capable of supporting the network device to perform the functions required by the method provided in the first aspect; for example, the communication device may be a chip or chip system in the network device. Alternatively, the communication device may be a terminal device in the second aspect. Alternatively, the communication device may be a means capable of supporting the terminal device to perform the functions required by the method provided in the second aspect; for example, the communication device may be a chip or chip system in the terminal device. The chip may be a baseband chip and / or a radio frequency chip, and the chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0037] In one implementation of the sixth aspect, when the communication device is a terminal device, the interface circuit can be a radio frequency processing chip in the terminal device, and the processing circuit can be a baseband processing chip in the terminal device. When the communication device is a network device, the interface circuit can be a radio frequency processing chip in the network device, and the processing circuit can be a baseband processing chip in the network device.

[0038] In one implementation of the sixth aspect, when the communication device is a chip or chip system, the input circuit can be an input pin, the output circuit can be an output pin, and the logic circuit can be a transistor, gate circuit, flip-flop, or various other logic circuits. The input signal received by the input circuit can be received and input by, for example, but not limited to, a receiver; the signal output by the output circuit can be, for example, but not limited to, output to a transmitter and transmitted by the transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as both the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the input / output interface and the logic circuit.

[0039] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication system, which includes a first network device and a second network device, wherein the first network device is used to implement the function of the method described in the first aspect, and the second network device is used for sensing.

[0040] Eighthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the methods described in the first or second aspect and any of their implementations to be implemented.

[0041] Ninthly, embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the methods described in the first or second aspect and any of their implementations to be implemented.

[0042] The beneficial effects of the third to ninth aspects and their implementation methods mentioned above can be referenced to the beneficial effects of the first to second aspects and any one of their implementation methods. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the beam angle provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of configuring beams for terminal devices using network devices provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0047] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application can be applied to sensing. Sensing can be understood as a technology capable of acquiring information about the environment and / or the characteristics of objects in the environment. Information about the characteristics of objects in the environment may include, for example, shape, size, direction, speed, position, distance between objects, or relative motion. Sensing can also be considered as the function of detecting, tracking, and imaging targets. The working principle of sensing is: sending a signal, receiving and processing the signal reflected by the sensing target (also called the echo signal) to obtain the sensing result (e.g., speed, distance, shape, size, etc.). The sensing target can also be called a target, a detected target, a sensed object, or a sensed object, etc., without limitation. The sensing target can be any tangible object in the environment capable of reflecting electromagnetic waves. For example, the sensing target can be a stationary object such as a building, or a movable object such as a vehicle, drone, or terminal device.

[0050] This application does not limit the application scenarios of the sensing technology. For example, this application can be applied to ground traffic detection, air traffic detection, weather detection, safety detection, electromagnetic imaging, etc. In ground traffic detection, it can detect vehicle speed, whether a vehicle is occupying the emergency lane, or whether a vehicle is illegally changing lanes. In this case, the sensing device can be installed on mobile devices, such as motor vehicles, drones, railcars, bicycles, speed measuring devices, terminal devices, etc.; the sensing device can also be installed on fixed devices, such as roadside measuring devices or traffic lights, etc.

[0051] Sensing capabilities can be integrated with mobile communication networks, such as through the currently developing integrated sensing and communication technology. The core idea of ​​integrated sensing and communication is to add sensing capabilities to the communication network, building capabilities for target detection, tracking, and imaging, thus integrating communication and sensing capabilities into a single network. The technical solution provided in this application can be applied to integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems. An integrated sensing and communication system refers to a system where communication and sensing are integrated, also known as a harmonized communication and sensing (HCS) system. For example, this system could be a communication system related to the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP). This system could be a long-term evolution (LTE), a 5th generation (5G) mobile communication system (e.g., a new radio (NR) communication system), or it could be applied to future mobile communication systems, or other similar communication systems. Other similar communication systems may include wireless fidelity (WIFI), vehicle-to-everything (V2X), and the Internet of Things (IoT) systems, etc.

[0052] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of a communication system applicable to an embodiment of this application. The communication system includes a wireless access network 100 and a core network 200. Optionally, the communication system may also include the Internet. The wireless access network 100 may include at least one network device and at least one terminal device. For example, the wireless access network 100 includes two network devices, 110a and 110b, and terminal devices 120a to 120j, etc. The network architecture shown in Figure 1 is only schematic; the number of terminal devices and / or network devices may be fewer or more. The communication system described in this application embodiment is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of this application embodiment and does not constitute a limitation on the communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application. For example, the communication system may also include other devices, such as wireless relay devices and wireless backhaul devices, etc., which are not shown in Figure 1. Those skilled in the art will understand that, with the evolution of network architecture, the technical solutions provided in this application embodiment are also applicable to similar technical problems. When applying the technical solutions of this application embodiment to other communication systems, the devices, components, modules, etc. in the embodiments can be replaced with corresponding devices, components, modules in other communication systems without limitation.

[0053] The communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application has been described above. Before introducing the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application, the technical terms and other technical terms involved in the embodiments of this application will be introduced first.

[0054] (1) Network equipment

[0055] Unless otherwise specified, the network device in this application embodiment refers to a (radio)access network ((R)AN) device. In this application embodiment, (R)AN and RAN are interchangeable. RAN can be a 3GPP-related cellular system, such as a 5G / NR mobile communication system, or a future-oriented evolution system. RAN can also be an open access network (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), a virtualized radio access network (vRAN), a non-terrestrial network (NTN), etc. RAN can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems. RAN device can also be called a RAN node, RAN entity, or access node, etc.

[0056] In one possible scenario, a RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), or a base station in a future mobile communication system. RAN nodes can also be macro base stations, micro base stations, indoor stations, relay nodes, donor / host nodes, or radio controllers. RAN nodes can also be servers, wearable devices, vehicles, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, in V2X technology, the RAN node can be a roadside unit (RSU).

[0057] In another possible scenario, the RAN node can be a module or unit that performs some of the functions of the base station; or multiple RAN nodes can cooperate to assist terminal equipment in achieving wireless access, with different RAN nodes performing some of the functions of the base station. For example, the RAN node can be a CU, DU, or RU. The function of the CU can be implemented by a single entity or by different entities. For example, the function of the CU can be further divided, that is, the control plane and the user plane can be separated and implemented by different entities, namely the control plane CU entity (i.e., CU-control plane (CP) entity) and the user plane CU entity (i.e., CU-user plane (UP) entity). The CU-CP entity and the CU-UP entity can be coupled with the DU to jointly complete the function of the RAN node. The CU and DU can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as in the baseband unit (BBU). Any of the units among the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented by software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software modules and hardware modules.

[0058] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples.

[0059] The CU and DU can be configured according to the protocol layer functions of the wireless network they implement: for example, the CU can be configured to implement the functions of the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer and above (such as the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer and / or the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer); the DU can be configured to implement the functions of the protocol layers below the PDCP layer (such as the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, the Media Access Control (MAC) layer, and / or the Physical (PHY) layer). For specific descriptions of the above protocol layers, please refer to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications or the technical specifications of other applicable communication protocols.

[0060] The above division of the processing functions of CU and DU according to protocol layers is merely an example; other division methods are also possible, and this application does not limit this. For example, in one design, CU or DU can be further divided into processing functions with protocol layers. In one design, some functions of the RLC layer and the functions of the protocol layer above the RLC layer are located in the CU, while the remaining functions of the RLC layer and the functions of the protocol layer below the RLC layer are located in the DU.

[0061] In another possible design, the DU and RU collaborate to implement the PHY layer functionality, or, more specifically, a portion of the PHY layer functionality of the DU can be moved to the RU. A DU can be connected to one or more RUs. The functions of the DU and RU can be configured in various ways depending on the design. For example, the DU may be configured to implement baseband functions, and the RU may be configured to implement mid-RF functions. Alternatively, the DU may be configured to implement higher-level functions in the PHY layer, and the RU may be configured to implement lower-level functions in the PHY layer, or both lower-level and RF functions. Higher-level functions in the physical layer may include a portion of the physical layer's functionality closer to the MAC layer, and lower-level functions may include another portion of the physical layer's functionality closer to the mid-RF side. This application does not limit the specific functions of the DU and RU. The interface between the DU and RU can be called a fronthaul interface. In one design, the CU may not have a PDCP layer; for example, the CU may only include an RRC layer. The CU-CP may not have PDCP-C. The CU-UP may not have PDCP-U, or may not have a CU-UP. In one design, the DU may not have an RLC layer; for example, the DU may only have a MAC and a higher PHY layer.

[0062] When the RAN is O-RAN, it can also have artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. For example, O-RAN includes an intelligent controller. The intelligent controller can be a non-real-time RAN intelligent controller (RIC / non-RT RIC / NRT RIC) or a near-real-time RAN intelligent controller (RIC / near-RT RIC / nRT RIC). A non-real-time RIC can be used to implement non-real-time intelligent management of RAN functions, enabling workflows including model training and model updates, and guiding applications / functions in the nRT RIC based on policies. A near-real-time RIC can be used to implement near-real-time intelligent management of the RAN. Through data collection and related operations on the E2 interface, near-real-time control and optimization of O-RAN modules and resources are achieved.

[0063] (2) Terminal equipment

[0064] Any device capable of data communication with network equipment can be considered a terminal device. Terminal devices are also called terminals, terminal equipment, user devices, mobile stations, or mobile terminals, etc. Terminal devices can be widely used in various scenarios. For example, terminal devices can be: mobile phones, computers, mobile internet devices (MID), wearable devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, stations (STA), robotic arms, cameras, robots, vehicles, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, or smart home devices (such as televisions, air conditioners, robot vacuums, speakers, set-top boxes), relays, customer premises equipment (CPE), etc. For ease of explanation, (R)AN will be used as an example to illustrate this further.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the terminal device can also be a terminal device in an IoT system, such as a water meter or electricity meter. IoT is an important component of future information technology development. Its main technical characteristic is connecting objects to networks through communication technology, thereby realizing an intelligent network that enables human-machine interconnection and object-to-object interconnection.

[0066] When the terminal device is applied to V2X, it can also be called a V2X device, such as a smart car, an unmanned car, a driverless car, a pilotless car, or an automobile, or a roadside unit (RSU). All the terminal devices described above, if located on a vehicle (e.g., placed / installed inside the vehicle), can be considered in-vehicle terminal devices. In-vehicle terminal devices can be built into a vehicle's on-board module, on-board unit, on-board component, on-board chip, or on-board unit as one or more components or units. The vehicle can implement the methods of this application through the built-in on-board module, on-board unit, on-board component, on-board chip, or on-board unit. In-vehicle terminal devices can be vehicle equipment, on-board modules, vehicles, on-board units (OBU), RSUs, in-vehicle infotainment systems (or on-board transmitting units) (telematics boxes, T-boxes), chips, or SoCs, etc., and the aforementioned chips or SoCs can be installed in the vehicle, OBU, RSU, or T-box.

[0067] Terminal devices can establish connections with the operator's network through interfaces provided by the operator's network (such as N1), and use data and / or voice services provided by the operator's network. Terminal devices can also access the DN (Network Provider) through the operator's network, and use operator services deployed on the DN, and / or services provided by third parties. These third parties can be service providers outside of the operator's network and terminal devices, and can provide other data and / or voice services to the terminal devices. The specific form of these third parties can be determined based on the actual application scenario and is not limited here.

[0068] (3) Beam

[0069] A beam is a communication resource. The technology that forms a beam is called beamforming. Beamforming refers to adjusting the amplitude and / or phase of a signal so that the radiated signal through an antenna array has a certain directionality. In beamforming, the signal is filtered by a spatial domain transmission filter to achieve amplitude and / or phase adjustment. Different spatial domain transmission filters using different spatial filtering parameters can achieve beams in different directions. Spatial domain transmission filters can also be called spatial filters. From this perspective, a beam can be understood as a spatial filter or spatial parameters.

[0070] The beam used to transmit signals can be called a transmission beam (Tx beam), a spatial domain transmit filter, or spatial transmit parameters (spatial Tx parameters). The transmission beam can also refer to the distribution of signal strength in different directions in space after the signal is transmitted through the antenna. From this perspective, the transmission beam can also be a spatial transmission angle (such as azimuth, zenith) or a range of spatial transmission angles (such as azimuth center angle and offset, azimuth uncertainty, azimuth protection range, zenith center angle and offset, zenith uncertainty, zenith protection range, etc.). Correspondingly, the beam used to receive signals can be called a reception beam (Rx beam), a spatial domain receive filter, or spatial receive parameters (spatial Rx parameters). The reception beam can also refer to the distribution of signal strength of the wireless signal received from the antenna in different directions in space. From this perspective, the receiving beam can also be a spatial receiving angle (such as azimuth, zenith) or a spatial receiving angle range (such as azimuth center angle and offset, azimuth uncertainty, azimuth protection range, zenith center angle and offset, zenith uncertainty, zenith protection range, etc.).

[0071] The spatial angle of a beam (which can be simply referred to as beam angle / beam direction) includes the angle in the horizontal dimension and the angle in the vertical dimension. Different beam combinations result in different ranges of angles in the horizontal or vertical dimensions.

[0072] For example, please refer to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of the beam angles. Figure 2 uses an example with eight beams, which are beams #0 to #7 in sequence. Figure 2(a) is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of these eight beams. Figure 2(b) is a horizontal cross-sectional view of Figure 2(a). Figure 2(c) is a vertical cross-sectional view of Figure 2(a). From Figure 2(b), it can be seen that the angle corresponding to beam #7 is α1; the angle corresponding to beams #6 and #7 is α2; and the angle corresponding to beams #1, #6, and #7 is α3. From Figure 2(c), it can be seen that the angle corresponding to beam #7 is β1; and the angle corresponding to beams #5 and #7 is β2.

[0073] (4) Sensing signals and communication signals

[0074] A sensing signal is a signal used for sensing or performing sensing. For example, signal X used for sensing can be replaced with signal X used for performing / performing sensing. Sensing signals can also be called detection signals, radar signals, radar sensing signals, radar detection signals, environmental sensing signals, etc. Sensing signals can be pulse signals or reference signals in wireless communication systems, including (or may be) sounding reference signals (SRS), demodulation reference signals (DMRS), positioning reference signals (PRS), sidelink positioning reference signals (SL-PRS), channel state information reference signals (CSI), reference signals (RS), synchronization signal blocks (SSB), synchronization signal / physical broadcast channel blocks (SS / PBCH blocks), tracking reference signals (TRS), phase tracking reference signals (PTRS), beam manager reference signals (BMRS), and cell reference signals (CRS), etc. In this embodiment of the application, the sensing signal can be replaced with a signal, and the sensing signal can be transmitted through the 3GPP wireless interface.

[0075] In contrast, signals used for communication are called communication signals. Communication signals may include signals carried on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) and signals carried on the physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH), etc.

[0076] In possible implementations, communication signals can also be used for sensing, or in other words, communication signals can also act as sensing signals. That is, communication signals (e.g., reference signals) can be multiplexed for sensing. For example, when a first device sends a communication signal to a second device, this communication signal can serve as a sensing signal. The first device sends the communication signal and receives the echo signal, using the echo signal for sensing. Alternatively, a sensing signal can also act as a communication signal, meaning that the sensing signal may be received by devices in the environment as a communication signal.

[0077] (5) Resources

[0078] In this application embodiment, resources include resources of multiple dimensions, such as resources in the time domain, frequency domain, spatial domain, or one or more dimensions. This application does not limit the granularity of time-domain resources; for example, the granularity of time-domain resources can be a single time unit. A time unit generally refers to a unit of time. A time unit can be a radio frame, subframe, slot, mini-slot, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol (which may be simply referred to as a symbol), millisecond (ms), or fractional milliseconds (e.g., 1 / 32ms). Alternatively, a time unit can be multiple slots, multiple subframes, multiple mini-slots, multiple OFDM symbols, several milliseconds (ms), or several fractional milliseconds. A radio frame may include multiple subframes, a subframe may include one or more slots, and a slot may include at least one symbol. Alternatively, a radio frame may include multiple slots, and a slot may include at least one symbol.

[0079] This application does not impose any restrictions on the granularity of frequency domain resources. For example, the granularity of frequency domain resources can be a single frequency domain unit. A frequency domain unit generally refers to a unit of frequency. A frequency domain unit can be several subcarriers, several resource blocks, several subbands, several bandwidth portions (BWPs), or several frequency bands. Spatial domain information may include one or more of the following: layer information, antenna information, or beam information.

[0080] In this embodiment, (pre)configuration refers to configuration via signaling, which can be one or more of RRC messages, downlink control information (DCI), or MAC control elements (CE). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the information configured / sent by the network device can be carried in one or more of RRC messages, DCI, or MAC CE. For example, first indication information can be carried in one or more of RRC messages, DCI, or MAC CE.

[0081] (6) In the embodiments of this application, "transmission" includes "sending" and / or "receiving". "Sending" and "receiving" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "sending information to XX" can be understood as the destination of the information being XX, which may include direct transmission via the air interface or indirect transmission by other units or modules via the air interface. "Receiving information from YY" can be understood as the source of the information being YY, which may include direct reception from YY via the air interface or indirect reception from YY by other units or modules via the air interface. "Sending" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receiving" can also be understood as the "input" of the chip interface. In other words, sending and receiving can occur between devices, such as between access network devices and terminal devices, or within a device, such as between components, modules, chips, software modules, or hardware modules within the device via a bus, wiring, or interface.

[0082] In this application embodiment, the number of nouns, unless otherwise specified, refers to "singular nouns or plural nouns," that is, "one or more." "At least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A / B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, and / or c means the following combinations: a exists alone, b exists alone, c exists alone, a and b exist simultaneously, a and c exist simultaneously, b and c exist simultaneously, or a, b, and c exist simultaneously, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0083] In the embodiments of this application, "when," "if," and "if" all refer to the device taking corresponding actions under certain objective circumstances, and are not time-limited, nor do they require the device to perform a judgment action, nor do they imply any other limitations. Unless otherwise specified, "if" and "if" can be substituted, and "when" and "in the case of" can be substituted. "When" and "if" / "if" can be substituted.

[0084] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0085] In this application's embodiments, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish multiple objects, and are not used to limit the size, content, order, timing, priority, or importance of the multiple objects. For example, "first angle range" and "second angle range" refer to two different angle ranges, and do not indicate a difference in priority or importance between the two angle ranges.

[0086] In the embodiments of this application, the solutions in each embodiment can be used in a reasonable combination, and the explanations or descriptions of various terms, similar operations, or steps appearing in the embodiments can be referenced or explained to each other in the embodiments, without limitation.

[0087] In a typical integrated sensing system, some devices (e.g., base station 1) are used for sensing, while others (e.g., base station 2) are used for communication. If base station 1 and base station 2 are close together, interference can occur between sensing and communication. To reduce this interference, some communication resources are used for sensing, and these communication resources are no longer used for communication. For example, the sensing network uses time slots 0 and 5 of the 4.9 GHz band, while other time slots are used for communication. This way, the resources used for communication and sensing do not overlap, reducing interference. However, regardless of the situation, time slots 0 and 5 cannot be used for communication, resulting in low resource utilization. Furthermore, using some communication resources for sensing is equivalent to sensing signals additionally occupying time-frequency resources of communication signals, leading to a decrease in communication performance.

[0088] In view of this, the solution proposed in this application is described. This solution reduces the impact on communication performance and helps improve resource utilization.

[0089] The communication method provided in the embodiments of this application is described below.

[0090] The communication method provided in this application is applicable to scenarios where hybrid networks use the same time-frequency resources. These different networks can be networks with different communication standards. For example, a hybrid network can be a combination of an LTE / NR network and a sensing network; or, for another example, a hybrid network can be a combination of an LTE / NR network and an IoT network.

[0091] For ease of description, the following description uses the communication method provided in this application embodiment applied to the network architecture shown in Figure 1 as an example. The communication method provided in this application embodiment can be executed by a network device and a terminal device. The steps executed by the network device can be implemented by the RAN device itself, or by components within the RAN device (such as a baseband chip, or other processing units or processor modules), or by components that perform some or all of the functions of the RAN device (such as CU, DU, or RU). The steps executed by the terminal device can be implemented by the terminal device itself, or by components within the terminal device (such as a baseband chip, or other processing units or processor modules). There are no restrictions on the specific form of the network device and the terminal device. For example, the network device can be a chip, and the terminal device can be a device; or, both the network device and the terminal device can be chips or devices.

[0092] In this embodiment, the communication device and the sensing device are independent. For example, if both the communication device and the sensing device are network devices, then the network device for communication (e.g., referred to as the first network device) and the network device for sensing (e.g., referred to as the second network device) are independent. Continuing with the example in Figure 1, the first network device can be network device 110a, and the second network device can be network device 110b. The first network device communicates with a terminal device, which can be, for example, terminal device 120a. Of course, the sensing device can also be a terminal device; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0093] In this application embodiment, the time-frequency resource used for both communication and sensing is referred to as the first time-frequency resource. For example, the first time-frequency resource is the time-frequency resource used for communication by the first device, and the first time-frequency resource is also the time-frequency resource used for sensing by the second device. The first device is, for example, the aforementioned first network device, and the second device is, for example, the aforementioned second network device. The signal transmitted or received by the first device can be used for communication, and the signal transmitted by the second device can be used for sensing. For ease of description, in this application embodiment, the signal used for communication is referred to as the first signal, and the signal used for sensing is referred to as the second signal. This application embodiment does not limit the specific names of the first signal and the second signal; for example, the first signal can be the aforementioned communication signal, and the second signal can be the aforementioned sensing signal.

[0094] Please refer to Figure 3, which is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 describes the method from the perspective of the interaction between the first device and the terminal device. It should be understood that the communication method can also be implemented by other devices, such as a chip or communication device with communication capabilities. Furthermore, the processing performed by a single execution entity can be divided into multiple execution entities, which can be logically and / or physically separated. For example, the first device can be the aforementioned first network device, and the processing performed by the first device can be divided into execution by at least one of CU, DU, RU, etc.

[0095] As shown in Figure 3, the communication method includes the following steps.

[0096] S301. The first device sends a first instruction information to the terminal device, and correspondingly, the terminal device receives the first instruction information from the first device, which is used to indicate the first group of beams.

[0097] S302, the first device uses the first set of beams to transmit or receive the first signal in the first time-frequency resource, and correspondingly, the terminal device receives or receives the first signal in the first time-frequency resource.

[0098] When the first device schedules the terminal device, it configures first time-frequency resources for the terminal device. How the first device configures the first time-frequency resources will not be elaborated further in this application's embodiments. It is understood that the first device uses a first set of beams to transmit a first signal on the first time-frequency resources, and the terminal device receives the first signal on the first time-frequency resources.

[0099] The first time-frequency resource can be a block of time-frequency resources allocated for sensing from the time-frequency resources of the communication network. This block of time-frequency resources can be used for sensing by the second device, and it can also be used for communication by the first device. The first time-frequency resource can be continuous or discontinuous in the time domain. For example, the time-domain resources corresponding to the first time-frequency resource are one or more time units, which can be continuous or discontinuous. For instance, the time-domain resources corresponding to the first time-frequency resource can be time slot 0 and / or time slot 5. Alternatively, the time-domain resources corresponding to the first time-frequency resource can be multiple time slots 0 and / or multiple time slots 5.

[0100] Considering the coexistence of a first signal and a second signal on a first time-frequency resource, the first signal may interfere with the second signal. To reduce interference between the first and second signals, they can be configured to occupy different resources in the airspace. Accordingly, the first device can be configured with a suitable beam for transmitting the first signal. For example, the first device can send first indication information to a terminal device, which indicates a first group of beams. The embodiments of this application do not limit the manner in which the first indication information indicates the first group of beams. For example, the first indication information may include the index of the beams included in the first group of beams. The first indication information and the information indicating the first time-frequency resource can be carried in a single signaling message, or the first indication information and the information indicating the first time-frequency resource can be carried in different signaling messages.

[0101] The first beam group can be a group of one or more beams used to transmit the first signal. For example, the first beam group includes beams 0 to 2, and the first device / terminal device uses beams 0 to 2 to transmit the first signal. Alternatively, any beam within the first beam group can be used to transmit the first signal. That is, the first device / terminal device can use any beam within the first beam group to transmit the first signal. For example, the first beam group includes beams 0 to 3, and the first device / terminal device can choose to use beam 0 or beam 1 to transmit the first signal.

[0102] The first set of beams can be determined based on the beam of the second device, or it can be determined based on the beam used for sensing. Alternatively, the first set of beams can be determined based on the interference between the first and second devices. Ultimately, the first set of beams can reduce the interference of the first signal on the second signal, or even prevent the first signal from interfering with the second signal.

[0103] For ease of understanding, please refer to Figure 4, which is a schematic diagram of the principle of the first device configuring beams for the terminal device. The second device uses beams that form a second set of beams. As shown in Figure 4, the beams usable by the first device include beams 0 to 3. The directions of beams 0 and 1 overlap with the directions of some beams in the second set, which will interfere with sensing. The directions of beams 2 and 3 do not overlap with the directions of any beam in the second set, so the interference with sensing is controllable or does not interfere with sensing. Based on Figure 4, it can be determined that the first set of beams does not include beams 0 and 1, or in other words, the first set of beams includes beams 2 and 3. It should be noted that overlap includes partial overlap. Accordingly, the first set of beams and the second set of beams are allowed to overlap within a certain angular range.

[0104] In practical implementation, the first device can perform interference detection on the second device to determine which direction has interference, or which direction has greater or lesser interference. For example, the second device can send a reference signal (e.g., a CSI reference signal) to the first device, and the first device receives the reference signal through one or more beams. The first device can sequentially perform interference detection on the beams receiving the reference signal and calculate the interference value corresponding to each beam. This interference value can be characterized by the reference signal receiving power (RSRP). If the interference value of a certain beam exceeds a certain threshold, then the interference in that beam direction is considered greater, and the first signal can be excluded from being transmitted by that beam. If the interference value of a certain beam is lower than a certain threshold, then the interference in that beam direction is considered less, and the first signal can be transmitted by that beam. Alternatively, the second device can perform interference detection on the first device to determine which direction has interference. In this case, the second device can notify the first device of the interference detection result, so that the first device determines the first set of beams based on the interference detection result. The interference detection performed by the second device on the first device is similar to the interference detection performed by the first device on the second device, and will not be described in detail here.

[0105] The first device selects beams with less interference to form a first group of beams based on the interference detection results. The first group of beams may satisfy one or more of the following conditions: (1) The angle of the first group of beams in the horizontal direction is within a first angle range, and the interference corresponding to the first angle range is less than or equal to a first threshold. (2) The angle of the first group of beams in the vertical direction is within a second angle range, and the interference corresponding to the second angle range is less than or equal to a second threshold. The first threshold, second threshold, etc., may be (pre)configured or predefined.

[0106] The first device determines a first set of beams and can send first indication information to the terminal device. Alternatively, the first device can adjust the antenna angle so that the beam of the first device on the first time-frequency resource is the first set of beams. For example, the first device can adjust the azimuth angle of the antenna so that the angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction is within a first angular range. Of course, for other time-frequency resources used for communication besides the first time-frequency resource, the first device does not need to adjust the azimuth angle of the antenna. As another example, the first device can adjust the antenna tilt angle so that the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction on the first time-frequency resource is within a second angular range. Of course, for other time-frequency resources used for communication besides the first time-frequency resource, the first device does not need to adjust the antenna tilt angle.

[0107] If the terminal device is far from the ground, or far from the first device, then the first device's beam may not cover part or all of the terminal device. In this case, even if the first device schedules the terminal device, it will be ineffective. Therefore, terminal devices closer to the ground or closer to the first device can be scheduled to reduce ineffective scheduling and improve scheduling efficiency. For example, the vertical distance between the terminal device and the ground may be lower than a first threshold, and / or the horizontal distance between the terminal device and the first device may be lower than a second threshold. The first threshold can be (pre)configured or predefined, and the second threshold can also be (pre)configured or predefined.

[0108] If the terminal device is close to the first device in the horizontal or vertical dimension, or if the path loss between the terminal device and the first device is small, then the first device can use a lower transmission power to transmit the first signal, and the probability of the terminal device receiving the first signal is higher. To further reduce communication interference with sensing, the first device can use a lower transmission power to transmit the first signal. It is understood that the closer the terminal device is to the first device, or the smaller the path loss between the terminal device and the first device, the lower the transmission power used by the first device can be. For example, the first device uses a first set of beams on a first time-frequency resource to transmit the first signal at a first transmission power. Wherein, the first transmission power is less than the second transmission power used by the first device to transmit the first signal, and the second transmission power and the first transmission power satisfy one or more of the following: the vertical distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the vertical distance corresponding to the first transmission power; the horizontal distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the horizontal distance corresponding to the first transmission power; or the path loss corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the path loss corresponding to the first transmission power.

[0109] In this embodiment, when sensing and communication share the first time-frequency resource, the sensing signal and communication signal occupy different resources in the spatial domain, thereby reducing interference between them. Thus, the sensing signal does not additionally occupy the time-frequency resource of the communication signal, reducing the impact on communication performance and improving resource utilization. Furthermore, the first device can schedule nearby terminals to reduce ineffective scheduling and improve communication efficiency. Further, the first device transmits communication signals to the nearby terminals with lower transmission power to further reduce interference from communication to sensing.

[0110] In the embodiments provided above, the methods provided by the embodiments of this application are described using a terminal device and a first device as examples. In this application, each embodiment can be implemented independently or in combination based on certain inherent connections; in each embodiment, different implementation methods can be implemented in combination or independently. To achieve the functions in the methods provided by the embodiments of this application above, the steps executed by the terminal device can be implemented by the terminal device itself, or by a device including the terminal device. The steps executed by the first device can be implemented by the first device itself, or by a functional entity including the first device. For example, the first device is a network device, which can be a CU-DU-RU architecture, where the DU can generate first indication information and the RU can send the first indication information. To achieve the functions in the methods provided by the embodiments of this application above, the terminal device and the network device can include hardware structures and / or software modules, implementing the above functions in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or hardware structures plus software modules. Whether a particular function is executed in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or hardware structures plus software modules depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0111] Based on the same inventive concept as the method embodiments, this application provides a communication device. The communication device used to implement the above method in the embodiments of this application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The content above can be used in subsequent embodiments, and repeated content will not be repeated.

[0112] Figure 5 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 500 provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 500 can correspondingly implement the functions or steps implemented by the first device in the various method embodiments described above. For example, the communication device 500 can be the network device in Figure 1; or, the communication device 500 can be a chip (system) in the network device; or, the communication device 500 can be a software module of the network device. Alternatively, the communication device 500 can correspondingly implement the functions or steps implemented by the terminal device in the various method embodiments described above. For example, the communication device 500 can be the terminal device in Figure 1; or, the communication device 500 can be a chip (system) in the terminal device; or, the communication device 500 can be a software module of the terminal device. The communication device 500 may include a processing module 510 and a transceiver module 520. Optionally, it may also include a storage module, which can be used to store instructions (code or program) and / or data. The storage module may be, for example, a memory. The processing module 510 and the transceiver module 520 may be coupled to the storage module. For example, the processing module 510 can read instructions (code or program) and / or data from the storage module to implement the corresponding method. When the communication device 500 is a chip in a terminal device, the storage module can be a storage module within the chip, such as a register or cache. Alternatively, the storage module can be a storage module located outside the chip within the terminal device, such as a read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage devices capable of storing static information and instructions, such as random access memory (RAM). The aforementioned units can be set independently or partially or completely integrated.

[0113] Processing module 510 may be a processor or controller, such as a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processing unit (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. The processor may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as including one or more microprocessor combinations, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc. Transceiver module 520 is a transceiver, interface circuit, bus, pin, or other possible communication interface for receiving signals from other devices. For example, when the device is implemented as a chip, transceiver module 520 is an interface circuit for the chip to receive signals from other chips or devices, or an interface circuit for the chip to send signals to other chips or devices.

[0114] In one implementation, the communication device 500 can correspondingly implement the behavior and function of the first device in the above method embodiments. The communication device 500 can be a network device, a component (e.g., a chip or circuit) within the network device, a part of a chip or chipset in the network device used to execute the relevant method functions, or a software module in the network device capable of implementing the above communication method; there are no limitations. For details, please refer to the relevant content of the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0115] For example, processing module 510 is used to determine first indication information, which is used to indicate a first set of beams. Transceiver module 520 is used to send the first indication information to a terminal device, and to transmit or receive a first signal using the first set of beams on a first time-frequency resource, the first signal being used for communication. The first time-frequency resource is a time-frequency resource used by the second device for sensing.

[0116] As an optional implementation, the time domain resources corresponding to the first time-frequency resource are time slot 0 and / or time slot 5.

[0117] As an optional implementation, the angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction falls within a first angular range, and the interference corresponding to the first angular range is less than or equal to a first threshold. Alternatively, the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction falls within a second angular range, and the interference corresponding to the second angular range is less than or equal to a second threshold. Alternatively, the angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction falls within the first angular range, and the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction falls within the second angular range. The first threshold, second threshold, etc., can be (pre)configured or predefined.

[0118] As an optional implementation, the processing module 510 is also used to adjust the azimuth angle of the antenna so that the angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction is within a first angle range.

[0119] As an optional implementation, the processing module 510 is also used to adjust the antenna tilt angle of the first device so that the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction is within the second angle range.

[0120] As an optional implementation, the vertical distance between the communication device 500 and the ground is lower than a first threshold, and / or the horizontal distance between the communication device 500 and the first device is lower than a second threshold.

[0121] As an optional implementation, the transceiver module 520 is specifically used to transmit a first signal using a first set of beams at a first transmission power on a first time-frequency resource. The first transmission power is less than the second transmission power used by the transceiver module 520 to transmit the first signal, and the second transmission power and the first transmission power satisfy one or more of the following: the vertical distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the vertical distance corresponding to the first transmission power; the horizontal distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the horizontal distance corresponding to the first transmission power; or the path loss corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the path loss corresponding to the first transmission power.

[0122] In one implementation, the communication device 500 can correspondingly implement the behavior and functions of the terminal device in the above method embodiments. The communication device 500 can be a terminal device, a component (e.g., a chip or circuit) within the terminal device, a part of a chip or chipset in the terminal device used to execute the relevant method functions, or a software module in the terminal device capable of implementing the above communication method; there are no limitations. For details, please refer to the relevant content of the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0123] For example, transceiver module 520 is used to receive first indication information from the first device, and to transmit or receive a first signal using a first set of beams on a first time-frequency resource, the first signal being used for communication. The first indication information is used to indicate the first set of beams. The first time-frequency resource is a time-frequency resource used by the second device for sensing. Processing module 510 is used to determine the first set of beams.

[0124] As an optional implementation, the time domain resources corresponding to the first time-frequency resource are time slot 0 and / or time slot 5.

[0125] As an optional implementation, the angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction is within a first angular range; and / or, the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction is within a second angular range. Wherein, the interference corresponding to the first angular range is less than or equal to a first threshold, and the interference corresponding to the second angular range is less than or equal to a second threshold.

[0126] As an optional implementation, the vertical distance between the terminal device and the ground is lower than a first threshold, and / or the horizontal distance between the terminal device and the first device is lower than a second threshold.

[0127] When the communication device 500 is a chip-based device or circuit, the transceiver module can be an input / output circuit and / or a communication interface; the processing module is an integrated processor, microprocessor, or integrated circuit.

[0128] Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 600 provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication device 600 can implement the functions of the terminal device in the above embodiments. For example, the communication device 600 can be the terminal device in Figure 1 or a chip (system) in the terminal device. Alternatively, the communication device 600 can implement the functions of the first device in the above embodiments. For example, the communication device 600 can be the network device in Figure 1 or a chip (system) in the network device. In this application embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices. Specific functions can be found in the descriptions of the above method embodiments.

[0129] The communication device 600 includes one or more processors 601, used to implement or support the communication device 600 in implementing the functions of the first device or terminal device in the methods provided in the embodiments of this application. For details, please refer to the detailed description in the method examples, which will not be repeated here. The processor 601 can also be called a processing unit or processing module, and can implement certain control functions. The processor 601 can be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, etc. For example, it includes: a baseband processor, a central processing unit, an application processor, a modem processor, a graphics processor, an image signal processor, a digital signal processor, a video codec processor, a controller, a memory, and / or a neural network processor, etc. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data. The central processing unit can be used to control the communication device 600 (e.g., a terminal device or a network device), execute software programs, and / or process data. Different processors can be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors, for example, integrated on one or more application-specific integrated circuits.

[0130] In one design, processor 601 may include program 603 (sometimes referred to as code or instructions) that can be executed on processor 601 to cause communication device 600 to perform the methods described in the embodiments below. In yet another possible design, communication device 600 includes circuitry (not shown in FIG. 6) for implementing the functions of the terminal device or network device in the above embodiments.

[0131] In one design, the communication device 600 may include one or more memories 602 storing a program 604 (sometimes referred to as code or instructions), which can be run on the processor 601 to cause the communication device 600 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0132] In one design, the processor 601 and / or memory 602 may include AI modules 607 and 608, which are used to implement AI-related functions. The AI ​​modules can be implemented through software, hardware, or a combination of both. For example, the AI ​​modules may include RIC modules. For instance, the AI ​​modules may be near real-time RICs or non-real-time RICs.

[0133] In one possible design, the processor 601 and / or memory 602 may also store data. The processor and memory may be configured separately or integrated together.

[0134] In one possible design, the communication device 600 may further include a transceiver 605 and / or an antenna 606. The processor 601, sometimes referred to as a processing unit, controls the communication device 600. The transceiver 605, sometimes referred to as a transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiver circuit, or transceiver, is used to implement the transmission and reception functions of the communication device 600 through the antenna 606.

[0135] In one possible design, the communication device 600 may further include one or more of the following components: a wireless communication module, an audio module, an external memory interface, internal memory, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a power management module, an antenna, a speaker, a microphone, an input / output module, a sensor module, a motor, a camera, or a display screen, etc. It is understood that in some embodiments, the communication device 600 may include more or fewer components, or some components may be integrated, or some components may be separated. These components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0136] The communication device in the above embodiments can be a terminal device or a network device, a circuit, a chip applied in a terminal device or network device, or other combined devices or components having the aforementioned terminal device or network device. When the communication device is a terminal device, the transceiver module can be a transceiver, which may include an antenna and radio frequency circuits, etc., and the processing module can be a processor, such as a CPU. When the communication device is a chip system, the communication device can be an FPGA, a dedicated ASIC, a SoC, a CPU, a network processor (NP), a DSP, a microcontroller unit (MCU), a programmable logic device (PLD), or other integrated chips. The processing module can be the processor of the chip system. The transceiver module or communication interface can be the input / output interface or interface circuit of the chip system. For example, the interface circuit can be a code / data read / write interface circuit. The interface circuit can be used to receive code instructions (the code instructions are stored in memory and can be read directly from memory or through other devices) and transmit them to the processor; the processor can be used to run the code instructions to execute the methods in the above method embodiments. For example, the interface circuit can also be a signal transmission interface circuit between the communication processor and the transceiver.

[0137] This application also provides a communication system, which includes at least one terminal device and at least two network devices, including a first network device and a second network device. The first network device is used to implement the functions related to the first device in the above-described communication method, the second network device is used to implement the functions related to the second device in the above-described communication method, and the terminal device is used to implement the functions related to the above-described communication method.

[0138] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the method executed by the terminal device or the first device in the above-described communication method to be executed.

[0139] This application also provides a computer program product, including computer program code, which, when executed, causes the method executed by the terminal device or the first device in the above-described communication method to be executed.

[0140] This application provides a chip system including a processor and potentially a memory, for implementing the functions of the terminal device or the first device in the aforementioned communication method. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete components.

[0141] To achieve the functions of the communication devices shown in Figures 5 and 6, this application embodiment also provides a chip, including a processor, for supporting the communication device in implementing the functions involved in the terminal device or the first device in the above method embodiments. In one possible design, the chip is connected to a memory or the chip includes a memory for storing necessary computer programs, instructions, and data for the communication device.

[0142] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0143] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the various illustrative logical blocks and steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0144] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0145] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0146] 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.

[0147] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the essential contributing part of the technical solution of this application, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, external hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0148] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the scope of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a first device, and the method includes: Send a first indication message to the terminal device, the first indication message being used to indicate a first group of beams; The first time-frequency resource is used to transmit or receive a first signal using the first set of beams in the first time-frequency resource, the first signal being used for communication, wherein the first time-frequency resource is a time-frequency resource used by the second device for sensing.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The time-domain resources corresponding to the first time-frequency resource are time slot 0 and / or time slot 5.

3. The method as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction is within a first angle range; and / or, the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction is within a second angle range, wherein the interference corresponding to the first angle range is less than or equal to a first threshold, and the interference corresponding to the second angle range is less than or equal to a second threshold.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The vertical distance between the terminal device and the ground is lower than a first threshold, and / or the horizontal distance between the terminal device and the first device is lower than a second threshold.

5. The method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, Transmitting a first signal using the first set of beams in the first time-frequency resource includes: The first signal is transmitted using the first group of beams on the first time-frequency resource at a first transmission power, wherein the first transmission power is less than a second transmission power used to transmit the first signal, and the second transmission power and the first transmission power satisfy one or more of the following: The vertical distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the vertical distance corresponding to the first transmission power; The horizontal distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the horizontal distance corresponding to the first transmission power; or, The path loss corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the path loss corresponding to the first transmission power.

6. The method according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that, The first set of beams has an angle in the horizontal direction within a first angle range, and the method includes: Adjust the azimuth angle of the antenna so that the angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction is within the first angle range.

7. The method according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that, The first set of beams has an angle in the vertical direction within the second angle range, and the method includes: Adjust the antenna tilt angle so that the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction is within the second angle range.

8. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a terminal device, and the method includes: Receive first indication information from the first device, the first indication information being used to indicate the first group of beams; The first time-frequency resource is used to transmit or receive a first signal using the first set of beams in the first time-frequency resource, the first signal being used for communication, wherein the first time-frequency resource is a time-frequency resource used by the second device for sensing.

9. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The time-domain resources corresponding to the first time-frequency resource are time slot 0 and / or time slot 5.

10. The method as described in claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction is within a first angle range; and / or, the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction is within a second angle range, wherein the interference corresponding to the first angle range is less than or equal to a first threshold, and the interference corresponding to the second angle range is less than or equal to a second threshold.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8-10, characterized in that, The vertical distance between the terminal device and the ground is lower than a first threshold, and / or the horizontal distance between the terminal device and the first device is lower than a second threshold.

12. The method as described in claim 11, characterized in that, Transmitting a first signal using the first set of beams in the first time-frequency resource includes: The first signal is transmitted using the first group of beams on the first time-frequency resource at a first transmission power, wherein the first transmission power is less than a second transmission power, and the second transmission power and the first transmission power satisfy one or more of the following: The vertical distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the vertical distance corresponding to the first transmission power; The horizontal distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the horizontal distance corresponding to the first transmission power; or, The path loss corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the path loss corresponding to the first transmission power.

13. A communication method, characterized in that, include: The first device sends a first indication message to the terminal device, the first indication message being used to indicate the first group of beams; The terminal device uses the first set of beams to send or receive a first signal in the first time-frequency resource, the first signal being used for communication, wherein the first time-frequency resource is the time-frequency resource used by the second device for sensing.

14. A communication device, characterized in that, include: The processing module is used to determine first indication information, which is used to indicate a first group of beams. The transceiver module is used to send the first indication information to the terminal device, and to send or receive a first signal using the first group of beams in the first time-frequency resource. The first signal is used for communication, and the first time-frequency resource is the time-frequency resource used by the second device for sensing.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that, The time-domain resources corresponding to the first time-frequency resource are time slot 0 and / or time slot 5.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction is within a first angle range; and / or, the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction is within a second angle range, wherein the interference corresponding to the first angle range is less than or equal to a first threshold, and the interference corresponding to the second angle range is less than or equal to a second threshold.

17. The apparatus according to any one of claims 14-16, characterized in that, The vertical distance between the terminal device and the ground is lower than a first threshold, and / or the horizontal distance between the terminal device and the first device is lower than a second threshold.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that, The transceiver module is specifically used for: The first signal is transmitted using the first group of beams on the first time-frequency resource at a first transmission power, wherein the first transmission power is less than a second transmission power used to transmit the first signal, and the second transmission power and the first transmission power satisfy one or more of the following: The vertical distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the vertical distance corresponding to the first transmission power; The horizontal distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the horizontal distance corresponding to the first transmission power; or, The path loss corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the path loss corresponding to the first transmission power.

19. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 16-18, characterized in that, The first set of beams has an angle in the horizontal direction within a first angle range, and the processing module is further configured to: Adjust the azimuth angle of the antenna so that the angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction is within the first angle range.

20. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 16-18, characterized in that, The first set of beams has an angle in the vertical direction within the second angle range, and the processing module is further configured to: Adjust the antenna tilt angle so that the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction is within the second angle range.

21. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A transceiver module is configured to receive first indication information from a first device, and to transmit or receive a first signal using the first set of beams on a first time-frequency resource. The first indication information is used to indicate the first set of beams, and the first signal is used for communication. The first time-frequency resource is a time-frequency resource used by a second device for sensing. The processing module is used to determine the first time-frequency resource.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that, The time-domain resources corresponding to the first time-frequency resource are time slot 0 and / or time slot 5.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21 or 22, characterized in that, The angle of the first set of beams in the horizontal direction is within a first angle range; and / or, the angle of the first set of beams in the vertical direction is within a second angle range, wherein the interference corresponding to the first angle range is less than or equal to a first threshold, and the interference corresponding to the second angle range is less than or equal to a second threshold.

24. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 21-23, characterized in that, The vertical distance between the communication device and the ground is lower than a first threshold, and / or the horizontal distance between the terminal device and the first device is lower than a second threshold.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 24, characterized in that, The transceiver module is specifically used for: The first signal is transmitted using the first group of beams on the first time-frequency resource at a first transmission power, wherein the first transmission power is less than a second transmission power, and the second transmission power and the first transmission power satisfy one or more of the following: The vertical distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the vertical distance corresponding to the first transmission power; The horizontal distance corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the horizontal distance corresponding to the first transmission power; or, The path loss corresponding to the second transmission power is greater than the path loss corresponding to the first transmission power.

26. A communication system, characterized in that, Includes a first device and a second device; The first device is used to send first indication information to the terminal device, and to send or receive a first signal using a first set of beams in a first time-frequency resource. The first indication information is used to indicate the first set of beams, and the first signal is used for communication. The second device is used to send or receive a second signal in the first time-frequency resource, the second signal being used for sensing.

27. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium is used to store a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 8 to 12.

28. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 8 to 12.

29. A chip or chip system, characterized in that, The chip or chip system includes: At least one processor and an interface, the at least one processor being configured to call and execute instructions from the interface, wherein when the at least one processor executes the instructions, it implements the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or implements the method as described in any one of claims 8 to 12.

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