Communication method and device, system, storage medium and program product

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present application are a communication method and device, a system, a storage medium and a program product. The method may comprise: a distributed unit (DU) generating first information. The first information indicates an uplink beamforming processing mode. The uplink beamforming processing mode is any one of the following: a first mode in which a radio unit (RU) does not perform uplink beamforming processing, a second mode in which the RU performs uplink beamforming processing using a weight obtained by means of channel estimation of a first reference signal, or a third mode in which the RU performs uplink beamforming processing using a weight obtained by means of channel estimation of a second reference signal. Subsequently, the DU sends the first information. In this way, uplink beamforming processing can be implemented in a coordinated scenario.

Description

Communication methods, devices, systems, storage media and software products

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411215900.8, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on August 30, 2024, entitled "Communication Method and Apparatus, System, Storage Medium and Program Product", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, apparatus, system, storage medium, and program product. Background Technology

[0003] In a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) communication system, after a network device receives uplink signals from a User Equipment (UE) via multiple antennas, it can use uplink beamforming technology to convert the antenna domain signals into beam domain signals, thereby reducing the complexity of subsequent uplink reception processing.

[0004] In a network architecture where the distributed unit (DU) and radio unit (RU) are separated, in non-cooperative scenarios, the signal transmitted by the UE is received and processed by one RU and then transmitted to the DU for further processing. In cooperative scenarios, the signal transmitted by the UE is received and processed by multiple RUs and then transmitted to the DU for further processing. How to perform beamforming in cooperative scenarios with DU-RU separation is an urgent research problem. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application discloses a communication method, device, system, storage medium, and program product that can realize uplink beamforming processing in collaborative scenarios.

[0006] Firstly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method. This method can be applied to network-side devices, such as network-side access network equipment, modules (e.g., circuits, chips, or chip systems) within the access network equipment, or logical nodes, logical modules, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the access network equipment. Taking the application of this method to a distributed unit (DU) of an access network equipment as an example, in this method, the DU generates first information, which indicates an uplink beamforming processing mode. The uplink beamforming processing mode is any one of the following: a first mode where the radio frequency unit (RU) does not perform uplink beamforming processing; a second mode where the RU performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated from a first reference signal channel; or a third mode where the RU performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated from a second reference signal channel. Then, the DU transmits the first information.

[0007] In this embodiment, the DU sends first information to the RU, enabling the RU to perform signal processing based on the mode indicated by the first information. For example, it may not perform uplink beamforming, or it may perform uplink beamforming using weights estimated from a first reference signal channel, or it may perform uplink beamforming using weights estimated from a second reference signal channel. This allows for the selection of an appropriate processing method for uplink beamforming based on the actual channel conditions in cooperative scenarios, thereby improving cooperative performance.

[0008] For example, the first reference signal can be a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS). The second reference signal can be a demodulation reference signal (DMRS). Accordingly, in the second mode, when the RU performs uplink beamforming on the received antenna domain signal, it uses the SRS channel estimation information sent to the RU by the DU. In this second mode, the fronthaul traffic is low, and the complexity of the RU is relatively moderate. In the third mode, when the RU performs uplink beamforming on the received antenna domain signal, it uses the information from its own DMRS channel estimation. In this third mode, the fronthaul traffic is low, but the complexity of the RU is high. Choosing the second mode can reduce the complexity and power consumption of the RU while ensuring uplink coordination performance. Choosing the third mode can ensure uplink coordination performance and also improve the transmission rate and reliability of the UE.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the first information indicates either the second mode or the third mode. The DU also receives second information indicating a first parameter and a second parameter. The first parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on the second mode, and the second parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on the third mode. Furthermore, the DU sends third information instructing the RF unit to perform uplink beamforming on the received antenna domain signal based on a target mode. The target mode is obtained based on the first and second parameters, and is either the second mode or the third mode.

[0010] In this example, the solution can select the target mode based on the results of uplink beamforming processing in the second mode and the results of uplink beamforming processing in the third mode. When the uplink coordination performance in the second mode is good, it switches to the second mode, thus reducing RU complexity and power consumption while ensuring uplink coordination performance. Alternatively, when the uplink coordination performance in the second mode is poor, the solution can select the third mode, which can guarantee uplink coordination performance and also improve the UE's transmission rate and reliability.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the first information further indicates the number of beams corresponding to the output result of the uplink beamforming processing performed by the radio frequency unit based on the second mode or the third mode.

[0012] In this example, the DU instructs the RU on the number of beams corresponding to the output of the uplink beamforming process, so that the RU can use uplink beamforming technology to convert the received antenna domain signal into a beam domain signal corresponding to the number of beams. Multiple RUs generate beam domain signals with the same number (dimension), which is beneficial for the DU to perform joint processing and reduce the complexity of the DU.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the third information further indicates the number of beams corresponding to the output result of uplink beamforming processing based on the target mode.

[0014] In this way, the RU can use uplink beamforming technology to convert the received antenna domain signal into a beam domain signal corresponding to the number of beams mentioned above. Multiple RUs can generate beam domain signals with the same number of beams (dimensions), which is beneficial for DU to perform joint processing and reduce DU complexity.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the first information indicates the second mode, and before receiving the second information, the DU also sends a fourth information, which instructs the RU to perform uplink beamforming based on the third mode.

[0016] In this example, the DU sends a fourth message to the RU so that the RU can feed back the uplink beamforming processing result corresponding to the mode indicated by the first message to the DU, and also feed back the uplink beamforming processing result corresponding to the mode indicated by the fourth message.

[0017] Optionally, the fourth information above also indicates the period of the result (i.e., the second parameter) obtained by using the third mode for uplink beamforming processing.

[0018] In this way, the RU can obtain the second parameter based on the third mode according to the indicated cycle, avoiding the generation of the second parameter too frequently, and avoiding the increase of RU load and forward traffic.

[0019] In another possible implementation, the first information indicates the third mode, and before receiving the second information, the DU also sends a fourth information, which instructs the radio frequency unit to perform uplink beamforming based on the second mode.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the first information indicates the third mode, the first reference signal is a sounding reference signal (SRS), and the fourth information further indicates the weights obtained by channel estimation based on the SRS.

[0021] In this example, the DU instructs the RU to perform uplink beamforming by indicating the weights obtained from channel estimation based on the SRS.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the evaluation parameter of the target mode is greater than the evaluation parameters of the second mode and the other modes in the third mode besides the target mode, wherein the evaluation parameter is obtained based on the first parameter and the second parameter.

[0023] This example uses the results of uplink beamforming processing based on the second mode (i.e., the first parameter) and the results of uplink beamforming processing based on the third mode (i.e., the second parameter) to obtain evaluation parameters for the second and third modes, respectively. The mode with the highest evaluation parameter is selected as the target mode. For example, if the evaluation parameter for the second mode is large, indicating better uplink coordination performance, then the second mode is selected as the target mode. This reduces RU complexity and power consumption while ensuring uplink coordination performance (in the third mode, the RU needs to perform DMRS channel estimation, which increases RU complexity and power consumption). Alternatively, if the evaluation parameter for the second mode is small, indicating poor uplink coordination performance, then the third mode is selected. This ensures uplink coordination performance and also improves the UE's transmission rate and reliability.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the evaluation parameters include one or more of the following: signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, correct decoding rate, bit error rate, and reference signal receiving power (RSRP).

[0025] In another possible implementation, if the difference between the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) of the target mode and the SINR of the second mode and the third mode (excluding the target mode) is less than a preset threshold, then the target mode is the second mode. If the difference is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, then the target mode is the third mode.

[0026] In this example, when the difference in SINR between the second and third modes is small, the second mode is prioritized, thus reducing RU complexity and power consumption while ensuring uplink coordination performance.

[0027] In one possible implementation, when the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit is less than or equal to a first threshold, the first information indicates the second mode or the third mode.

[0028] This example determines the uplink beamforming processing mode based on the fronthaul interface traffic margin. When the fronthaul interface traffic is insufficient, the second or third mode can be selected, and the RU will perform uplink beamforming processing. This allows uplink cooperative reception to be achieved even when the fronthaul traffic is low, ensuring the communication experience and reliability of edge users.

[0029] In another possible implementation, when the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit is greater than the first threshold, the first information indicates the first mode.

[0030] This example determines the uplink beamforming processing mode based on the fronthaul interface traffic margin. When the fronthaul interface traffic is sufficient, the first mode can be selected, which can reduce RU complexity and power consumption.

[0031] In one possible implementation, the DU generates the first information based on a third parameter, which includes one or more of the following: the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit, the computing resource margin, the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, and the correct decoding rate.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the DU sends the first information to multiple RUs. In a collaborative scenario, sending the first information to multiple RUs enables collaborative processing, thereby improving communication speed and reliability.

[0033] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method. This method can be applied to network-side devices, such as network-side access network equipment, modules (e.g., circuits, chips, or chip systems) within the access network equipment, or logic nodes, logic modules, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the access network equipment. Taking the application of this method to a radio frequency unit (RU) of an access network equipment as an example, in this method, the RU receives first information, which indicates an uplink beamforming processing mode. The uplink beamforming processing mode is any one of the following: a first mode where the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing; a second mode where the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated from a first reference signal channel; or a third mode where the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated from a second reference signal channel. Furthermore, the RU performs signal processing based on the first information.

[0034] In this embodiment, the RU, based on the mode indicated by the first information sent by the DU, may not perform uplink beamforming processing, or may perform uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated from the first reference signal channel, or may perform uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated from the second reference signal channel. This allows for the selection of an appropriate processing method for uplink beamforming processing based on the actual channel conditions in cooperative scenarios, thereby improving cooperative performance.

[0035] In one possible implementation, the first information indicates either the second mode or the third mode. The RU also sends second information indicating a first parameter and a second parameter. The first parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on the second mode, and the second parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on the third mode. Furthermore, the RU receives third information instructing the radio frequency unit to perform uplink beamforming on the received antenna domain signal based on a target mode. The target mode is obtained based on the first and second parameters, and the target mode is either the second mode or the third mode.

[0036] In one possible implementation, the first information indicates the second mode, and before the second information is sent, the RU also receives a fourth information, which instructs the radio frequency unit to perform uplink beamforming based on the third mode.

[0037] Alternatively, the first information indicates the third mode, and before receiving the second information, the RU also receives a fourth information, which instructs the radio frequency unit to perform uplink beamforming based on the second mode.

[0038] In one possible implementation, the first information further indicates the number of beams corresponding to the output result of the uplink beamforming processing performed by the radio frequency unit based on the second mode or the third mode.

[0039] In one possible implementation, the third information further indicates the number of beams corresponding to the output result of uplink beamforming processing based on the target mode.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the first information indicates the third mode, the first reference signal is a sounding reference signal (SRS), and the fourth information further indicates the weights obtained by channel estimation based on the SRS.

[0041] In one possible implementation, the evaluation parameter of the target mode is greater than the evaluation parameters of the second mode and the other modes in the third mode besides the target mode, wherein the evaluation parameter is obtained based on the first parameter and the second parameter.

[0042] In one possible implementation, when the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit is less than or equal to a first threshold, the first information indicates the second mode or the third mode.

[0043] Alternatively, when the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit is greater than the first threshold, the first information indicates the first mode.

[0044] In one possible implementation, the evaluation parameters include one or more of the following: signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, and correct decoding rate.

[0045] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method. This method can be applied to network-side devices, such as network-side access network equipment, modules (e.g., circuits, chips, or chip systems) within the access network equipment, or logical nodes, logical modules, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the access network equipment. Taking the application of this method to a distributed unit (DU) of an access network equipment as an example, in this method, the DU obtains a target mode based on a third parameter. The third parameter includes one or more of the following: fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit, computational resource margin, signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, and correct decoding rate. The target mode is any one of the following: a first mode where the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing; a second mode where the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated from a first reference signal channel; or a third mode where the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated from a second reference signal channel. Furthermore, the DU sends fifth information, which indicates the target mode.

[0046] In this embodiment, the DU determines and indicates the target mode based on the fronthaul interface traffic margin, computing resource margin, SINR or correct decoding rate, and candidate modes between the RU and DU. This allows for the selection of an appropriate mode for uplink beamforming processing based on actual conditions, thereby improving the performance of uplink beamforming processing in cooperative scenarios.

[0047] In one possible implementation, the third parameter includes the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit, and the step of obtaining the target mode based on the third parameter includes: when the fronthaul interface traffic margin is greater than a first threshold, the target mode is the first mode.

[0048] In another possible implementation, when the fronthaul interface traffic margin is less than or equal to the first threshold, the target mode is the second mode or the third mode.

[0049] In one possible implementation, the third parameter includes the remaining computing resources, and obtaining the target mode based on the third parameter includes: the DU receiving sixth information, the sixth information including candidate modes, the candidate modes being the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode, the candidate modes being determined based on the remaining computing resources. Then, the DU determines the target mode based on the sixth information.

[0050] This example determines the uplink beamforming processing mode based on the available computing resources, avoiding situations where the computational capacity of the RU is exceeded, and ensuring the reliability of uplink coordination.

[0051] In one possible implementation, the DU receives the sixth information from a plurality of the radio frequency units. Then, the DU determines the target mode based on the sixth information from the plurality of radio frequency units.

[0052] In one possible implementation, when the computational resource margin of the radio frequency unit is less than a second threshold, the candidate mode is the first mode.

[0053] In another possible implementation, when the computational resource margin of the radio frequency unit is greater than a third threshold and less than a fourth threshold, the candidate mode is the second mode.

[0054] In another possible implementation, when the computational resource margin of the radio frequency unit is greater than the fifth threshold, the candidate mode is the third mode, wherein the third threshold is less than the fourth threshold.

[0055] In one possible implementation, the target mode is either the second mode or the third mode. The third parameter includes the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SNR) or the correct decoding rate. The DU also receives seventh information, which includes a first parameter and a second parameter. The first parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on the second mode, and the second parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on the third mode. Furthermore, the DU obtains the SNR or correct decoding rate corresponding to the second mode and the SNR or correct decoding rate corresponding to the third mode based on the first parameter and the second parameter.

[0056] In one possible implementation, the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio or correct decoding rate corresponding to the target mode is greater than the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio or correct decoding rate of the second mode and the third mode other than the target mode.

[0057] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method. This method can be applied to network-side devices, such as network-side access network equipment, modules (e.g., circuits, chips, or chip systems) within the access network equipment, or logic nodes, logic modules, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the access network equipment. Taking the application of this method to a radio frequency unit (RU) of an access network equipment as an example, in this method, the RU receives fifth information, which indicates a target mode. The target mode is any one of the following: a first mode where the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing; a second mode where the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated from a first reference signal channel; or a third mode where the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated from a second reference signal channel. The target mode is determined based on a third parameter, which includes one or more of the following: fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit, computational resource margin, signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, and correct decoding rate.

[0058] In one possible implementation, the third parameter includes the remaining computing resources. The RU generates sixth information based on the remaining computing resources. The sixth information includes candidate modes, which are the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode. Then, the RU sends the sixth information.

[0059] In one possible implementation, when the computational resource margin of the radio frequency unit is less than a second threshold, the candidate mode is the first mode.

[0060] In another possible implementation, when the computational resource margin of the radio frequency unit is greater than a third threshold and less than a fourth threshold, the candidate mode is the second mode.

[0061] In another possible implementation, when the computational resource margin of the radio frequency unit is greater than the fifth threshold, the candidate mode is the third mode, wherein the third threshold is less than the fourth threshold.

[0062] In one possible implementation, the third mode includes a fourth mode and a fifth mode. The RU determines whether to use the fourth mode or the fifth mode based on a second preset rule. The fourth mode involves the RU performing uplink beamforming using weights estimated by its own DMRS channel, while the fifth mode involves the RU performing uplink beamforming using weights estimated by its own SRS channel.

[0063] For example, the second preset rule may include: if the SRS reference signal received power RSRP is greater than or equal to (or greater than) a sixth threshold, then the RU uses the fifth mode. And / or, if the SRS reference signal received power is less than (or less than or equal to) the sixth threshold, then the RU uses the fourth mode.

[0064] In the fifth mode of this example, the RU has SRS channel estimation capabilities, which allows it to perform uplink beamforming using the weights obtained from its own SRS channel estimation. In this example, for devices with this capability in their product form, uplink beamforming can be performed based on the weights obtained from their own SRS channel estimation, eliminating the need for the DU to transmit the SRS channel estimation weights, thus reducing signaling overhead.

[0065] In one possible implementation, the DU sends configuration information to the RU, the configuration information including the aforementioned second preset rule. Then, the RU determines the candidate mode as either the fourth mode or the fifth mode based on this configuration information.

[0066] Alternatively, RU may determine the candidate mode as the fourth or fifth mode based on the second preset rule defined in the standard.

[0067] In this example, the RU can choose to use the weights estimated by its own DMRS (corresponding to the fourth mode mentioned above) or SRS (corresponding to the fifth mode mentioned above) for uplink beamforming processing to select the appropriate mode. When the SRS signal quality (e.g., RSRP) is good, the weights estimated by the SRS channel (i.e., the fifth mode mentioned above) are selected, which can reduce processing complexity and ensure better coordination performance. When the SRS signal quality (e.g., RSRP) is poor, the weights estimated by the DMRS channel (i.e., the fourth mode mentioned above) are selected to ensure better coordination performance. In this way, the RU can choose the appropriate mode itself, reducing the fronthaul signaling interaction between the DU and RU.

[0068] In one possible implementation, the third parameter includes the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit, and the step of obtaining the target mode based on the third parameter includes: when the fronthaul interface traffic margin is greater than a first threshold, the target mode is the first mode.

[0069] In another possible implementation, when the fronthaul interface traffic margin is less than or equal to the first threshold, the target mode is the second mode or the third mode.

[0070] In one possible implementation, the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio or correct decoding rate corresponding to the target mode is greater than the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio or correct decoding rate of the second mode and the third mode other than the target mode.

[0071] Fifthly, this application provides a communication device that has the functions of the first aspect described above. For example, the communication device includes modules, units, or means that perform the operations involved in the first aspect. These modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0072] In one implementation, the communication device includes: a processing module for generating first information, the first information indicating an uplink beamforming processing mode, the uplink beamforming processing mode being any of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing; a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by a first reference signal channel; or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by a second reference signal channel.

[0073] A communication module is used to send the first information.

[0074] For other implementations of the processing module and communication module in this communication device, please refer to the description in the first aspect, which will not be repeated here.

[0075] Sixthly, this application also provides a communication device that has the functions of the second aspect above. For example, the communication device includes modules, units, or means that perform the operations involved in the second aspect above. These modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0076] In one implementation, the communication device includes: a communication module for receiving first information, the first information indicating an uplink beamforming processing mode, the uplink beamforming processing mode being any of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing; a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by a first reference signal channel; or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by a second reference signal channel.

[0077] For other implementations of the communication module and other components in this communication device, please refer to the description in the second aspect, which will not be repeated here.

[0078] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a communication device that has the functions of the third aspect above. For example, the communication device includes modules, units, or means that perform the operations involved in the third aspect above. These modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0079] In one implementation, the communication device includes: a processing module for obtaining a target mode based on a third parameter, the third parameter including one or more of the following: fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit, computing resource margin, signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, and correct decoding rate, wherein the target mode is any one of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing, a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by a first reference signal channel, or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by a second reference signal channel.

[0080] A communication module is used to send a fifth message, which indicates the target mode.

[0081] For other implementations of the processing module and communication module in this communication device, please refer to the description in the third aspect, which will not be repeated here.

[0082] Eighthly, this application also provides a communication device that has the functions of the fourth aspect above. For example, the communication device includes modules, units, or means that perform the operations involved in the fourth aspect above. These modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0083] In one implementation, the communication device includes: a communication module for receiving fifth information, the fifth information indicating a target mode, the target mode being any one of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming; a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming using weights estimated by a first reference signal channel; or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming using weights estimated by a second reference signal channel. The target mode is determined based on a third parameter, the third parameter including one or more of the following: fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit, computing resource margin, signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, and correct decoding rate.

[0084] For other implementations of the communication module and other components in this communication device, please refer to the description in Section 4, which will not be repeated here.

[0085] In a ninth aspect, this application provides a communication device including a processor, the processor being configured to execute a computer program or computer-executable instructions stored in a memory, and / or to cause the device to perform a method as provided in any of the possible embodiments of the first to fourth aspects via logic circuitry.

[0086] One possible implementation also includes memory. Alternatively, the memory and processor can be integrated together.

[0087] One possible implementation also includes an interface circuit.

[0088] In one possible implementation, the device is a chip or chip system.

[0089] In a tenth aspect, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that is executed by a processor to implement the method provided in any of the possible embodiments of the first to fourth aspects.

[0090] In one aspect, this application provides a computer program product that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform a method as provided in any of the possible implementations of the first to fourth aspects.

[0091] Understandably, the apparatus described in the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth aspects, the computer storage medium described in the tenth aspect, or the computer program product described in the eleventh aspect are all used to execute the methods provided in any of the first to fourth aspects. Therefore, the beneficial effects they can achieve can be referred to in the beneficial effects of the corresponding methods, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0092] The accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application are described below.

[0093] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0094] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the network element connection relationship on the access network side provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0095] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a collaborative scenario provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0096] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0097] Figure 5a is a schematic diagram of the first mode process;

[0098] Figure 5b is a schematic diagram of the second mode process;

[0099] Figure 5c is a schematic diagram of the third mode process;

[0100] Figure 5d is a schematic diagram of another collaborative scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0101] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0102] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0103] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0104] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0105] The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terminology used in the implementation section of this application is for explaining specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0106] The technology provided in this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as fourth-generation (4G) communication systems (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems), fifth-generation (5G) communication systems, wireless local area network (WLAN) systems, satellite communication systems, integrated systems of multiple systems, or future communication systems. Among these, 5G communication systems can also be referred to as new radio (NR) systems.

[0107] In a communication system, a network element can send signals to or receive signals from another network element. These signals can include information, signaling, or data. The term "network element" can also be replaced by an entity, network entity, device, communication equipment, communication module, node, communication node, etc. This application uses a network element as an example for description. For instance, a communication system may include at least one terminal and at least one access network device. The access network device can send downlink signals to the terminal, and / or the terminal can send uplink signals to the access network device. Furthermore, it is understood that if the communication system includes multiple terminals, these terminals can also exchange signals; that is, both the signal-sending network element and the signal-receiving network element can be a terminal.

[0108] Referring to Figure 1, which is a simplified schematic diagram of a wireless communication system provided in an embodiment of this application, the wireless communication system includes a wireless access network 100. The wireless access network 100 can be a future wireless access network or an existing (e.g., 5G or 4G) wireless access network. One or more communication devices (120a-120j, collectively referred to as 120) can be interconnected or connected to one or more network devices (110a, 110b, collectively referred to as 110) within the wireless access network 100. Figure 1 is only a schematic diagram; the wireless communication system may also include other devices, such as core network devices, wireless relay devices, and / or wireless backhaul devices, which are not shown in Figure 1.

[0109] For example, in practical applications, this wireless communication system can simultaneously include multiple network devices (also called access network devices) and multiple communication devices. A network device can simultaneously serve one or more communication devices. A communication device can also simultaneously access one or more network devices. This application embodiment does not limit the number of communication devices and network devices included in the wireless communication system.

[0110] In this context, a network device can be an entity on the network side used to transmit or receive signals. A network device can also be an access device that allows communication devices to wirelessly connect to the wireless communication system; for example, a network device can be a base station. A base station can broadly encompass, or be replaced by, various names including: NodeB, Evolved NodeB (eNB), Next Generation NodeB (gNB), Access Network Equipment in Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN), Relay Station, Access Point, Transmitting and Receiving Point (TRP), Transmitting Point (TP), Main eNB (MeNB), Secondary eNB (SeNB), Multi-mode Radio Node, Home Base Station, Network Controller, Access Node, Radio Node, Access Point (AP), Transmitting Node, Transceiver Node, Baseband Unit (BBU), Remote Radio Unit (RRU), Active Antenna Unit (AAU), Remote Radio Head (RRH), Centralized Unit (CU), Distributed Unit (DU), Radio Unit (RU), Centralized Unit Control Plane (CU control). Network devices can include CU-CP (Comprehensive User Plane) nodes, CU-UP (Comprehensive User Plane) nodes, and positioning nodes. Base stations can be macro base stations, micro base stations, relay nodes, donor nodes, or similar entities, or combinations thereof. Network equipment can also refer to communication modules, modems, or chips installed within the aforementioned devices or apparatuses. Network equipment can also be mobile switching centers and devices that function as base stations in device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X), and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, as well as devices that function as base stations in future communication systems. Network equipment can support networks using the same or different access technologies. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technologies or device forms used in the network equipment.

[0111] All or part of the functions of the network device in this application can also be implemented through software functions running on hardware, or through virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (such as a cloud platform). The network device in this application can also be a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of a network device.

[0112] Network devices can be fixed or mobile. For example, base stations 110a and 110b are stationary and are responsible for wireless transmission and reception in one or more cells from communication device 120. The helicopter or drone 120i shown in Figure 1 can be configured to act as a mobile base station, and one or more cells can move depending on the location of the mobile base station 120i. In other examples, the helicopter or drone (120i) can be configured as a communication device to communicate with base station 110b.

[0113] In this application, the communication device used to implement the above-mentioned network access functions can be an access network device, a network device with some access network functions, or a device capable of supporting the implementation of access network functions, such as a chip system, hardware circuit, software module, or hardware circuit plus software module. This device can be installed in the access network device or used in conjunction with the access network device. In the method of this application, the example of an access network device being used as the communication device to implement the access network device functions is described.

[0114] A communication device can be a user-side entity used to receive or transmit signals, such as a mobile phone. Communication devices can be used to connect people, objects, and machines. Communication devices can communicate with one or more core networks via network devices. Communication devices include handheld devices with wireless connectivity, other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, or vehicle-mounted devices. Communication devices can be portable, pocket-sized, handheld, computer-embedded, or vehicle-mounted mobile devices. Communication equipment 120 can be widely used in various scenarios, such as cellular communication, device-to-device, vehicle-to-everything (V2X), point-to-point (P2P), machine-to-machine (M2M), machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, drones, robots, remote sensing, passive sensing, positioning, navigation and tracking, autonomous delivery and mobility, etc.Examples of communication equipment 120 include: user equipment (UE) conforming to the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) standard, fixed equipment, mobile equipment, handheld devices, wearable devices, cellular phones, smartphones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, laptops, personal computers, smart books, vehicles, satellites, global positioning system (GPS) devices, drones, helicopters, aircraft, ships, remote control devices, smart home devices, industrial equipment, personal communication service (PCS) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless network cameras, tablets, handheld computers, mobile internet devices (MIDs), wearable devices such as smartwatches, smart point-of-sale (POS) machines, customer-premises equipment (CPE), light UE, reduced capability UE (REDCAP UE), and industrial control equipment. Wireless terminals in various scenarios include those in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems, self-driving systems, smart grids, transportation safety systems, smart cities (e.g., smart gas pumps, high-speed rail terminals), and smart homes (e.g., smart speakers, smart coffee machines, smart printers). Communication equipment 120 can be wireless devices or devices used to install on wireless devices, such as communication modules, modems, or chips. Communication equipment can also be vehicle-mounted devices, such as complete vehicle units, on-board modules, on-board chips, on-board units (OBUs), or telematics boxes (T-BOXs). Communication equipment can also be called terminals, terminal equipment, user interfaces (UEs), mobile stations (MS), or mobile terminals (MTs). Communication equipment can also be communication devices in future wireless communication systems.The communication equipment can be used in dedicated network equipment or general-purpose equipment. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or form of the communication equipment.

[0115] For example, a communication device can be used to act as a base station. For instance, a UE can act as a scheduling entity, providing sidelink signaling between UEs in V2X, D2D, or point-to-point (P2P) scenarios. As shown in Figure 1, cellular phone 120a and car 120b communicate with each other using sidelink signaling. Cellular phone 120a communicates with smart home device 120e without relaying communication signals through base station 110b.

[0116] In this application, the communication device used to implement the functions of the communication equipment can be a terminal, a terminal having some of the functions of the aforementioned communication equipment, or a device capable of supporting the implementation of the functions of the aforementioned communication equipment, such as a chip system. This device can be installed in the terminal or used in conjunction with the terminal. In this application, the chip system can be composed of chips or include chips and other discrete components. The technical solutions provided in this application are described using a terminal or UE as an example of the communication device.

[0117] For example, a wireless communication system typically consists of cells, with a base station managing the cell and providing communication services to multiple mobile stations (MS) within it. The base station includes a base unit (BBU) and a remote unit (RRU). The BBU and RRU can be located in different places; for example, the RRU can be deployed remotely to a high-traffic area, while the BBU is located in a central equipment room. Alternatively, the BBU and RRU can be located in the same equipment room. The BBU and RRU can also be different components within the same rack. For example, a cell can correspond to a carrier or a member carrier.

[0118] Communication between access network devices and terminals follows a specific protocol layer structure. This protocol layer structure can include a control plane protocol layer structure and a user plane protocol layer structure. For example, the control plane protocol layer structure can include the functions of protocol layers such as the radio resource control (RRC) layer, the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, the radio link control (RLC) layer, the medium access control (MAC) layer, and the physical layer. Similarly, the user plane protocol layer structure can include the functions of protocol layers such as the PDCP layer, the RLC layer, the MAC layer, and the physical layer. In one possible implementation, a service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer can be included above the PDCP layer.

[0119] For example, the protocol layer structure between the access network device and the terminal may also include an artificial intelligence (AI) layer for transmitting data related to AI functions.

[0120] Taking data transmission between access network devices and terminals as an example, data transmission needs to pass through user plane protocol layers, such as the SDAP layer, PDCP layer, RLC layer, MAC layer, and physical layer. The SDAP layer, PDCP layer, RLC layer, MAC layer, and physical layer can also be collectively referred to as the access layer. Based on the direction of data transmission, it is divided into sending and receiving; each of these layers is further divided into a sending part and a receiving part. Taking downlink data transmission as an example, after the PDCP layer obtains data from the upper layer, it transmits the data to the RLC layer and MAC layer. The MAC layer then generates a transport block, and finally, it is wirelessly transmitted through the physical layer. Data is encapsulated in corresponding ways at each layer. For example, data received by a layer from the upper layer is considered a Service Data Unit (SDU) of that layer. After encapsulation by that layer, it becomes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) and is then passed to the next layer.

[0121] For example, the terminal may also have an application layer and a non-access layer. The application layer can be used to provide services to applications installed on the terminal. For instance, downlink data received by the terminal can be sequentially transmitted from the physical layer to the application layer, and then provided to the application by the application layer; or, the application layer can acquire data generated by the application and sequentially transmit the data to the physical layer for transmission to other communication devices. The non-access layer can be used to forward user data, such as forwarding uplink data received from the application layer to the SDAP layer or forwarding downlink data received from the SDAP layer to the application layer.

[0122] Access network equipment can include CUs and DUs. Multiple DUs can be centrally controlled by a single CU. As an example, the interface between the CU and DU can be called an F1 interface. The control plane (CP) interface can be F1-C, and the user plane (UP) interface can be F1-U. CUs and DUs can be distinguished according to the protocol layer of the wireless network: for example, the functions of the PDCP layer and above are located in the CU, and the functions of protocol layers below the PDCP layer (such as RLC and MAC layers) are located in the DU; or, for another example, the functions of the PDCP layer and above are located in the CU, and the functions of protocol layers below the PDCP layer are located in the DU.

[0123] It is understandable that the above division of CU and DU processing functions according to protocol layers is merely an example. Other division methods are also possible. For instance, CUs or DUs can be divided into those with more protocol layer functions, or they can be divided into those with partial protocol layer processing functions. In one design, some functions of the RLC layer and the protocol layer functions above the RLC layer are located in the CU, while the remaining functions of the RLC layer and the protocol layer functions below the RLC layer are located in the DU. In another design, the functions of CUs or DUs can be divided according to service type or other system requirements, such as latency. Functions that need to meet latency requirements are located in the DU, while functions that do not need to meet this latency requirement are located in the CU. In yet another design, the CU can also have one or more core network functions. For example, the CU can be located on the network side for convenient centralized management. In yet another design, the RU of the DU is remotely located. The RU has radio frequency functionality.

[0124] For example, DU and RU can be partitioned at the physical layer (PHY). For instance, DU can implement higher-level functions in the PHY layer, and RU can implement lower-level functions. Specifically, for transmission, the functions of the PHY layer may include adding cyclic redundancy check (CRC) codes, channel coding, rate matching, scrambling, modulation, layer mapping, precoding, resource mapping, physical antenna mapping, and / or radio frequency (RF) transmission functions. For reception, the functions of the PHY layer may include CRC, channel decoding, rate matching de-scrambling, demodulation, layer mapping de-mapping, channel detection, resource demapping, physical antenna demapping, and / or RF reception functions. The higher-level functions in the PHY layer may include a subset of the PHY layer's functions, for example, functions closer to the MAC layer, while the lower-level functions in the PHY layer may include another subset of the PHY layer's functions, for example, functions closer to the RF functions. For example, higher-level functions in the PHY layer may include adding CRC codes, channel coding, rate matching, scrambling, modulation, and layer mapping, while lower-level functions in the PHY layer may include precoding, resource mapping, physical antenna mapping, and radio frequency transmission functions; or, higher-level functions in the PHY layer may include adding CRC codes, channel coding, rate matching, scrambling, modulation, layer mapping, and precoding, while lower-level functions in the PHY layer may include resource mapping, physical antenna mapping, and radio frequency transmission functions.

[0125] For example, the functionality of a CU can be implemented by a single entity or by different entities. For instance, the functionality of the CU can be further divided, separating the control plane and user plane and implementing them through different entities: a control plane CU entity (i.e., the CU-CP entity) and a user plane CU entity (i.e., the CU-UP entity). These CU-CP and CU-UP entities can be coupled with a DU to jointly complete the functions of the access network device.

[0126] In the above architecture, signaling generated by the CU can be sent to the terminal via the DU, or signaling generated by the terminal can be sent to the CU via the DU. For example, signaling from the RRC or PDCP layer will eventually be processed into physical layer signaling and sent to the terminal, or it can be transformed from received physical layer signaling. Under this architecture, the RRC or PDCP layer signaling can be considered to be sent via the DU, or via the DU and RU.

[0127] For example, any one of DU, CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, and RU can be a software module, a hardware structure, or a combination of software and hardware structures, without limitation. The different entities can exist in different forms, without limitation. For example, DU, CU, CU-CP, and CU-UP are software modules, and RU is a hardware structure. These modules and the methods they execute are also within the scope of protection of this application.

[0128] 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 O-RAN system, CU may also be called O-CU (open CU), DU may also be called O-DU, CU-CP may also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP may also be called O-CU-UP, and RU may also be called O-RU.

[0129] It should be understood that the number and type of each device in the communication system shown in Figure 1 are for illustrative purposes only, and this application is not limited thereto. In actual applications, the communication system may include more terminals, more access network devices, and other network elements, such as core network devices and / or network elements used to implement artificial intelligence functions.

[0130] It is understood that all or part of the functions implemented by one or more of the terminals, access network devices, core network devices, or network elements used to implement artificial intelligence functions can be virtualized, that is, implemented through one or more of dedicated or general-purpose processors and corresponding software modules. Among these, the terminals and access network devices involve air interface transmission, and the transmit and receive functions of this interface can be implemented in hardware. Core network devices, such as operation administration and maintenance (OAM) network elements, can also be virtualized. For example, one or more of the functions of the virtualized terminals, access network devices, core network devices, or network elements used to implement artificial intelligence functions can be implemented by cloud devices, such as cloud devices in over-the-top (OTT) systems.

[0131] Figure 2 illustrates the connection relationship of network elements on the access network side. For example, access network nodes may further include CUs and DUs. A CU can connect to multiple DUs, but a DU can only connect to one CU. The separation of CUs and DUs can be based on the protocol stack. One possible approach is to deploy the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer, Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer, and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer on the CU, and the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, Media Access Control (MAC) layer, and physical layer on the DU. CUs and DUs are connected via the F1 interface. The CU, representing its associated access network node, connects to the core network via the NG interface, and the CU, representing its associated access network node, connects to other access network nodes via the Xn interface. This example uses the separation of CUs and DUs as an illustration; it is understood that CUs and DUs can also be integrated, and this solution does not impose such limitations.

[0132] In the actual deployment of access network nodes, in addition to the logical access network node composed of CU and DU, the access network node also includes RU. RU is a hardware unit containing some PHY layer functions and an antenna, and it connects to the DU via a fronthaul (FH) interface. Similarly, one DU can connect to multiple RUs, but one RU can only connect to one DU.

[0133] For example, in a DU-RU separated architecture, the RU is used to receive uplink signals sent by the UE, and the DU is used to further process the received uplink signals. In this network architecture, the uplink coordination technology scenario is shown in Figure 3, where at least two RUs (RU1 and RU2 as shown in Figure 3) jointly process signals sent by the same UE, and the two RUs communicate with the same DU.

[0134] In this application, the phrase "sending information to... (e.g., a terminal)" or the related illustrations in the accompanying drawings can be understood as the destination of the information being the terminal. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to the terminal. Similarly, the phrase "receiving information from... (e.g., a terminal)" or "receiving information from... (e.g., a terminal)" or the related illustrations in the accompanying drawings can be understood as the source of the information being the terminal. This can include receiving information directly or indirectly from the terminal. Information may undergo necessary processing between the source and destination, such as format changes, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be interpreted similarly, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0135] The following is an introduction to the proprietary terms used in this application.

[0136] 1. Uplink beamforming (uplink (UL) beamforming)

[0137] In MIMO communication systems, after network equipment receives uplink signals from the UE via multiple antennas, it can use uplink beamforming technology to convert the antenna domain signals into beam domain signals. For example, it can convert the signals from 64 receiving antennas into 16 beam signals. This conversion reduces the complexity of subsequent uplink reception processing, and by optimizing the beam direction, it can reduce interference signals and improve uplink reception performance.

[0138] 2. Uplink Coordination

[0139] Uplink coordination is a technique to improve the communication performance of UEs in the coverage edge areas of a single network device. After the UE sends an uplink signal, multiple network devices jointly receive the signal and process it to improve communication speed and reliability. In a DU-RU separated network architecture, the signal sent by the UE is received and processed by multiple RUs and then transmitted to the DU for further processing.

[0140] 3. Uplink non-cooperative scenarios

[0141] In a DU-RU separated network architecture, for non-cooperative scenarios, the signals sent by the UE are received and processed by one RU and then transmitted to the DU for further processing.

[0142] The architecture of the embodiments of this application has been described above. The methods of the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below.

[0143] Referring to Figure 4, a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application is shown. Optionally, this method can be applied to the aforementioned communication system, such as the communication system shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2. The communication method shown in Figure 4 may include steps 401-402. Steps 401-402 are as follows:

[0144] 401. The distributed unit (DU) generates first information, which indicates an uplink beamforming processing mode, which is any one of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing, a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by the first reference signal channel, or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by the second reference signal channel.

[0145] In one possible implementation, the weights obtained based on the first reference signal channel estimation are sent from the distributed unit to the radio frequency unit, while the weights obtained based on the second reference signal channel estimation are acquired by the radio frequency unit itself.

[0146] In one possible implementation, the first reference signal can be an SRS. The second reference signal can be a DMRS. Alternatively, the first reference signal can be a DMRS, and the second reference signal can be an SRS. For ease of description, this application embodiment uses an SRS as the first reference signal and a DMRS as the second reference signal for illustration.

[0147] The aforementioned weights can also be called beamforming weights. For example, these weights are parameters obtained by processing the channel matrix based on channel estimation to transform the antenna domain into the beam domain.

[0148] The processing procedures for the first, second, and third modes described above will be introduced below.

[0149] For example, Figure 5a illustrates the processing flow of the first mode described above. As shown in Figure 5a, the UE sends an antenna domain signal to the RU. The RU does not perform uplink beamforming on the received antenna domain signal but directly sends it to the DU. The DU performs equalization processing on the received antenna domain signal to obtain the data stream signal. The DU uses DMRS channel estimation information during the equalization process. In this first mode, the RU has lower complexity, but the fronthaul traffic is higher.

[0150] Figure 5b illustrates the processing procedure of the second mode described above. As shown in Figure 5b, the UE sends an antenna domain signal to the RU. The RU performs uplink beamforming on the received antenna domain signal and sends the processed beam domain signal to the DU. During uplink beamforming, the RU uses the SRS channel estimation information (i.e., the weights obtained from the SRS channel estimation of the first reference signal) sent to the RU by the DU. Then, the DU performs equalization processing on the received beam domain signal to obtain the data stream signal. In this second mode, the fronthaul traffic is relatively low, and the complexity of the RU is relatively moderate.

[0151] Figure 5c illustrates the processing flow of the third mode described above. As shown in Figure 5c, the UE sends an antenna domain signal to the RU. The RU performs uplink beamforming on the received antenna domain signal and sends the processed beam domain signal to the DU. During uplink beamforming, the RU uses its own DMRS channel estimation information (i.e., the weights obtained from the DMRS channel estimation of the second reference signal mentioned above). Furthermore, the DU performs equalization on the received beam domain signal to obtain the data stream signal. In this third mode, the fronthaul traffic is low, but the RU has higher complexity.

[0152] The following describes how DU generates the first information.

[0153] (1) In one possible implementation, the DU generates first information based on the remaining traffic of the forward interface between the DU and the RU.

[0154] Understandably, the fronthaul interface traffic margin can also be referred to as bandwidth margin, available bandwidth, etc., and this solution does not restrict it in this regard.

[0155] Optionally, when the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the DU and RU is less than or equal to (or less than) a first threshold, the first information indicates a second mode or a third mode. In this example, determining the uplink beamforming processing mode based on the fronthaul interface traffic margin allows for the selection of either the second or third mode when fronthaul interface traffic is insufficient, with the RU performing uplink beamforming processing. This enables uplink cooperative reception even when fronthaul traffic is low, ensuring the communication experience and reliability for edge users.

[0156] For example, when the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the DU and RU is greater than (or greater than or equal to) a first threshold, this first information indicates the first mode. In this example, determining the uplink beamforming processing mode based on the fronthaul interface traffic margin allows the selection of the first mode when the fronthaul interface traffic is sufficient, thus reducing RU complexity and power consumption.

[0157] (2) In another possible implementation, the DU generates first information based on the SINR or the correct decoding rate. This first information indicates either the second mode or the third mode.

[0158] For example, before step 401, the DU sends eighth information to the RU, which indicates either the second or third mode. Accordingly, the RU receives this eighth information. Then, the RU sends ninth information to the DU, which includes a first parameter and a second parameter. The first parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on the second mode, and the second parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on the third mode. The DU obtains the SINR or correct decoding rate corresponding to the second mode and the SINR or correct decoding rate corresponding to the third mode based on the first and second parameters. Furthermore, the DU generates first information based on the SINR or correct decoding rate corresponding to the second mode and the SINR or correct decoding rate corresponding to the third mode.

[0159] Optionally, the SINR corresponding to the mode indicated by the first information is greater than the SINR of the modes in the second and third modes other than the mode indicated by the first information. That is, the mode indicated by the first information is the mode with the highest SINR. For example, if the SINR corresponding to the second mode is greater than the SINR corresponding to the third mode, then the first information indicates the second mode. Or, if the SINR corresponding to the third mode is greater than the SINR corresponding to the second mode, then the first information indicates the third mode.

[0160] Alternatively, the correct decoding rate corresponding to the mode indicated by the first information is greater than the correct decoding rate of the modes in the second and third modes other than the mode indicated by the first information.

[0161] For example, if the difference between the SINR corresponding to the mode indicated by the first information and the SINR of the other modes in the second and third modes (excluding the mode indicated by the first information) is less than (or less than or equal to) a preset threshold, then the first information indicates the second mode; if the difference is greater than or equal to (or greater than) the preset threshold, then the first information indicates the third mode. In other words, when the difference between the SINRs corresponding to the second and third modes is small, the second mode is selected; when the difference is large, the third mode is selected.

[0162] In this example, when the difference in SINR between the second and third modes is small, the second mode is prioritized, thus reducing RU complexity and power consumption while ensuring uplink coordination performance.

[0163] Alternatively, if the difference between the correct decoding rate corresponding to the mode indicated by the first information and the correct decoding rate of the modes other than the mode indicated by the first information in the second and third modes is less than (or less than or equal to) a preset threshold, then the first information indicates the second mode; if the difference is greater than or equal to (or greater than) the preset threshold, then the first information indicates the third mode.

[0164] This example uses SINR and correct decoding rate as examples, but it can also generate the first information based on bit error rate or RSRP, and this solution does not restrict it in this way.

[0165] In this example, because the RU performs DMRS channel estimation in the third mode, the RU has high complexity and increased power consumption. Therefore, the second mode can be selected when the uplink coordination performance is good, thus reducing RU complexity and power consumption while ensuring uplink coordination performance. Alternatively, the third mode can be selected when the uplink coordination performance of the second mode is poor, which can ensure uplink coordination performance and also improve the UE's transmission rate and reliability.

[0166] The examples above illustrate how DU generates this first information. It is understood that DU can also generate first information based on other information, as shown in the example in Figure 6, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0167] The following section introduces several ways to implement the first information.

[0168] In one possible implementation, if the first information indicates a second mode or a third mode, the first information also indicates the number of beams corresponding to the output result of the uplink beamforming processing performed by the radio frequency unit based on the second mode or the third mode.

[0169] The number of beams can be, for example, 8, 16, 32, etc., and the specific number is not limited. Understandably, the number of beams can also be referred to as the dimension value of the beam domain, etc.

[0170] In this example, the DU instructs the RU on the number of beams corresponding to the output of the uplink beamforming process, so that the RU can use uplink beamforming technology to convert the received antenna domain signal into a beam domain signal corresponding to the number of beams. Multiple RUs generate beam domain signals with the same number (dimension), which is beneficial for the DU to perform joint processing and reduce the complexity of the DU.

[0171] In another possible implementation, the first reference signal is a sounding reference signal (SRS), and in the case where the first information indicates the second mode, the first information also indicates the weights obtained by channel estimation based on the SRS.

[0172] In this example, the DU instructs the RU to perform uplink beamforming by indicating the weights obtained from channel estimation based on the SRS.

[0173] 402. The DU sends the first message to the RU. Accordingly, the RU receives the first message.

[0174] After receiving the first information, the RU processes the data based on the mode indicated by the first information. For example, if the first information indicates a first mode, the RU directly sends the antenna domain signal from the UE to the DU, which performs equalization processing to obtain the data stream signal. Alternatively, if the first information indicates a second mode, the RU performs uplink beamforming on the antenna domain signal from the UE and sends the processed beam domain signal to the DU. During uplink beamforming, the RU uses the SRS channel estimation information sent to it by the DU. Furthermore, if the first information indicates a third mode, the RU performs uplink beamforming on the antenna domain signal from the UE and sends the processed beam domain signal to the DU. During uplink beamforming, the RU uses its own DMRS channel estimation information.

[0175] In one possible implementation, the DU sends the aforementioned first information to multiple RUs. Correspondingly, each of the multiple RUs receives the first information. As shown in Figure 5d, in a collaborative scenario, multiple RUs receive and process signals sent by the UE. These multiple RUs also transmit the processed results to a DU for further processing. In this example, by sending the first information to multiple RUs, the DU can achieve collaborative processing among the multiple RUs, thereby improving communication speed and reliability.

[0176] For example, the DU manages non-cooperative communication between RU1 and the UE. When the DU determines that the UE is in an edge area of ​​RU1's coverage, it can choose to use RU1 and RU2 for uplink coordination with the UE, based on the UE's measurement results reported. The UE is also within the coverage area of ​​RU2. This example illustrates the coordination between two RUs, but other numbers, such as three or four, can also be used.

[0177] This example illustrates the scenario where the DU sends the same pattern to multiple RUs. Of course, the DU can also send different patterns to multiple RUs. For instance, when RU1 has ample computational resources and can independently complete DMRS channel estimation and generate weight information, while RU2 lacks sufficient computational resources to do so, in this scenario, the DU can indicate a third pattern to RU1 and a second pattern to RU2.

[0178] In one possible implementation, if the first information indicates a second or third mode, then optionally, after step 402, steps 403-404 are also included, as follows:

[0179] 403. The RU sends a second message to the DU, which indicates a first parameter and a second parameter. The first parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on a second mode, and the second parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on a third mode. Accordingly, the DU receives the second message.

[0180] In other words, when the first information indicates the second or third mode, the RU not only feeds back the uplink beamforming processing result corresponding to the mode indicated by the first information to the DU, but also feeds back the uplink beamforming processing result corresponding to other modes (when the first information indicates the second mode, the other mode is the third mode; when the first information indicates the third mode, the other mode is the second mode).

[0181] In one possible implementation, if the first information indicates a second mode, prior to step 403, the DU also sends a fourth message to the RU, instructing the RU to perform uplink beamforming based on a third mode. Optionally, the fourth message can be called a mode detection indication, used to detect whether and switch to the third mode. Other names are also possible and are not limited in this application.

[0182] Upon receiving the aforementioned fourth information, the RU does not cease the uplink beamforming process corresponding to the mode indicated by the first information (i.e., the second mode), but instead begins the uplink beamforming process corresponding to the mode indicated by the fourth information (i.e., the third mode).

[0183] Optionally, the fourth piece of information also indicates the period of the result (i.e., the second parameter) obtained by uplink beamforming using the third mode. In this way, the RU can obtain the second parameter based on the third mode according to the indicated period, avoiding the generation of the second parameter too frequently, and avoiding increased RU load and forward traffic.

[0184] In another possible implementation, if the first information indicates the third mode, before step 403, the DU also sends a fourth information to the RU, which instructs the RU to perform uplink beamforming based on the second mode.

[0185] Optionally, the fourth piece of information also indicates the period of the result (i.e., the first parameter) obtained by uplink beamforming using the second mode. In this way, the RU can obtain the first parameter based on the second mode according to the indicated period, avoiding the generation of the first parameter too frequently, and avoiding increased RU load and forward traffic.

[0186] Optionally, the fourth information also indicates the weights obtained from channel estimation based on SRS. For a description of this part, please refer to the relevant description of step 401 above, which will not be repeated here. Optionally, when the first information indicates the third mode (RU uses the weight information obtained from DMRS channel estimation for uplink beamforming), the DU sends the fourth information to the RU when the SRS signal quality is good (in this case, the fourth information indicates the second mode, i.e., the RU uses the weight information obtained from SRS channel estimation received from the DU for uplink beamforming).

[0187] In this example, the DU sends a fourth message to the RU so that the RU can feed back the uplink beamforming processing result corresponding to the mode indicated by the first message to the DU, and also feed back the uplink beamforming processing result corresponding to the mode indicated by the fourth message.

[0188] The example above shows the RU sending a second message to the DU based on the instruction of the received fourth message. Alternatively, in another possible implementation, the RU could send the second message to the DU based on a standard predefined or preconfigured period. This solution does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0189] 404. DU sends a third message to RU, which instructs RU to perform uplink beamforming on the received antenna domain signal based on a target mode. The target mode is obtained based on the first parameter and the second parameter, and the target mode is either the second mode or the third mode.

[0190] In this example, the DU determines the target mode based on the first and second parameters fed back by the RU, and then instructs the RU on the target mode so that the RU can perform uplink beamforming processing based on the target mode. This scheme allows for flexible mode adjustment.

[0191] In one possible implementation, the evaluation parameter of the target mode is greater than the evaluation parameters of the other modes in the second and third modes besides the target mode. This evaluation parameter is obtained based on the first and second parameters. Optionally, the evaluation parameter includes one or more of the following: SINR, correct decoding rate, bit error rate, and RSRP.

[0192] For details on this part, please refer to the relevant records in step 401 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0193] In one possible implementation, the third information also indicates the number of beams corresponding to the output result of uplink beamforming processing based on the target mode. For a description of this part, please refer to the relevant description of step 401 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0194] In this embodiment, the DU sends first information to the RU, so that the RU can either not perform uplink beamforming processing based on the mode indicated by the first information, or perform uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by the first reference signal channel, or perform uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by the second reference signal channel. This allows for the selection of an appropriate processing method for uplink beamforming processing based on the actual channel conditions in cooperative scenarios, thereby improving cooperative performance.

[0195] On the other hand, this solution can select the target mode based on the results of uplink beamforming processing in the second mode and the results of uplink beamforming processing in the third mode. When the uplink coordination performance in the second mode is good, it switches to the second mode, thus reducing RU complexity and power consumption while ensuring uplink coordination performance. This solution can also select the third mode when the uplink coordination performance in the second mode is poor, thus ensuring uplink coordination performance and improving UE transmission rate and reliability.

[0196] Referring to Figure 6, a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application is shown. Optionally, this method can be applied to the aforementioned communication system, such as the communication system shown in Figure 1. The communication method shown in Figure 6 may include steps 601-602. Steps 601-602 are as follows:

[0197] 601. The DU obtains the target mode based on a third parameter, which includes one or more of the following: the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the RU and the DU, the computing resource margin of the RU, the SINR or correct decoding rate, and the candidate mode. The target mode is any one of the following: a first mode in which the RU does not perform uplink beamforming, a second mode in which the RU performs uplink beamforming using the weights estimated by the first reference signal channel, or a third mode in which the RU performs uplink beamforming using the weights estimated by the second reference signal channel.

[0198] The following section introduces several implementation methods for DU to obtain the target pattern based on the third parameter.

[0199] (1) In one possible implementation, the DU obtains the target mode based on the remaining traffic of the fronthaul interface between the RU and the DU.

[0200] For example, when the fronthaul interface traffic margin is greater than the first threshold, the target mode is the first mode. And / or, when the fronthaul interface traffic margin is less than or equal to the first threshold, the target mode is the second mode or the third mode.

[0201] For details on this part, please refer to the description of step 401 in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, which will not be repeated here.

[0202] (2) In another possible implementation, DU obtains the target pattern based on the computing resource surplus of RU.

[0203] Here, the computing resource reserve can be understood as the computing resource status, that is, the idle computing resource reserve, or the available computing resource reserve.

[0204] For example, DU obtains the remaining computing resources of RU. Then, DU obtains the target pattern based on the remaining computing resources of RU.

[0205] Optionally, DU determines the target mode based on a first preset rule. This first preset rule may include, for example, that the target mode is the first mode when the RU's computing resource reserve is less than a second threshold. And / or, the target mode is the second mode when the RU's computing resource reserve is greater than a third threshold and less than a fourth threshold. Wherein, the third threshold is less than the fourth threshold. Optionally, the third threshold is greater than or equal to the second threshold. And / or, the target mode is the third mode when the RU's computing resource reserve is greater than a fifth threshold. Optionally, the fifth threshold is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold.

[0206] This example determines the uplink beamforming processing mode based on the available computing resources, avoiding situations where the computational capacity of the RU is exceeded, and ensuring the reliability of uplink coordination.

[0207] (3) In another possible implementation, DU obtains the target mode based on SINR or the correct decoding rate.

[0208] For example, the DU receives seventh information, which includes a first parameter and a second parameter. The first parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on the second mode, and the second parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on the third mode. Then, the DU obtains the SINR or correct decoding rate corresponding to the second mode and the SINR or correct decoding rate corresponding to the third mode based on the first parameter and the second parameter. Furthermore, the DU obtains the target mode based on the SINR or correct decoding rate corresponding to the second mode and the SINR or correct decoding rate corresponding to the third mode.

[0209] For details on this part, please refer to the descriptions of steps 401, 402, 403, and 404 in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, which will not be repeated here.

[0210] (4) In another possible implementation, DU obtains the target pattern based on the candidate patterns.

[0211] For example, the DU receives sixth information from the RU, which includes candidate patterns. The candidate patterns can be a first pattern, a second pattern, or a third pattern. Then, the DU determines a target pattern based on this sixth information.

[0212] The following section describes how RU determines candidate patterns.

[0213] In one possible implementation, the DU sends configuration information to the RU, which includes the aforementioned first preset rule. The RU then determines candidate modes based on this configuration information.

[0214] In another possible implementation, the RU can also determine candidate patterns based on the first preset rule defined in the standard.

[0215] In one possible implementation, the third mode includes the aforementioned fourth and fifth modes. When the RU selects the third mode based on the first preset rule calculating that the resource margin is greater than the fifth threshold, it further includes: the RU determining whether to use the fourth or fifth mode based on the second preset rule. The fourth mode involves the RU performing uplink beamforming using weights estimated by its own DMRS channel, and the fifth mode involves the RU performing uplink beamforming using weights estimated by its own SRS channel.

[0216] For example, the second preset rule may include: if the SRS reference signal received power RSRP is greater than or equal to (or greater than) a sixth threshold, then the RU uses the fifth mode. And / or, if the SRS reference signal received power is less than (or less than or equal to) the sixth threshold, then the RU uses the fourth mode.

[0217] In the fifth mode of this example, the RU has SRS channel estimation capabilities, which allows it to perform uplink beamforming using the weights obtained from its own SRS channel estimation. In this example, for devices with this capability in their product form, uplink beamforming can be performed based on the weights obtained from their own SRS channel estimation, eliminating the need for the DU to transmit the SRS channel estimation weights, thus reducing signaling overhead.

[0218] In one possible implementation, the DU sends configuration information to the RU, which includes the aforementioned second preset rule. The RU then determines the candidate mode as either the fourth or fifth mode based on this configuration information. Alternatively, the RU determines the candidate mode as the fourth or fifth mode based on the aforementioned second preset rule defined in the standard, etc.

[0219] This example uses the second preset rule determined based on RSRP as an example. It can also be that the RU determines the candidate mode based on the SINR corresponding to the fourth mode and the SINR corresponding to the fifth mode, etc. This solution does not limit this.

[0220] In this example, the RU can choose to use either its own DMRS or SRS channel-estimated weights for uplink beamforming to select the appropriate mode. When the SRS signal quality (e.g., RSRP) is good, the weights estimated by the SRS channel are selected, which reduces processing complexity and ensures better coordination performance. When the SRS signal quality (e.g., RSRP) is poor, the weights estimated by the DMRS channel are selected to ensure better coordination performance. In this way, the RU can choose the appropriate mode itself, reducing the fronthaul signaling interaction between the DU and RU.

[0221] The following section introduces the implementation method of DU in determining the target pattern based on candidate patterns.

[0222] In one possible implementation, the target mode determined by the DU based on the aforementioned candidate modes can be the same as the aforementioned candidate modes. For example, if the candidate mode indicated by the RU to the DU is the second mode, the DU may combine other information (e.g., insufficient margin in the fronthaul interface) and therefore indicate the second mode to the RU.

[0223] In another possible implementation, the target mode determined by the DU based on the aforementioned candidate modes may be different from the candidate modes. For example, the RU may indicate the second candidate mode to the DU, but the DU may indicate the first mode to the RU by combining other information (e.g., sufficient margin in the fronthaul interface).

[0224] Optionally, the DU receiving the sixth information includes: the DU receiving sixth information from multiple RUs. Accordingly, the DU determining the target pattern based on the sixth information includes: the DU determining the target pattern based on the sixth information from multiple RUs.

[0225] Understandably, when the DU receives sixth information from multiple RUs, the candidate modes indicated by these multiple RUs may be different. The DU determines the target mode based on the sixth information from the multiple RUs. The target modes corresponding to these multiple RUs may be the same (e.g., all of the multiple RUs correspond to the first mode, or all of them correspond to the second mode, or all of them correspond to the third mode), or they may be different (e.g., some RUs correspond to the second mode, and other RUs correspond to the third mode). This scheme does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0226] The examples above illustrate how DU obtains the target pattern based on the third parameter. It is understood that the items in the third parameter can be combined arbitrarily. For example, DU can obtain the target pattern based on the remaining fronthaul interface traffic and computing resources, etc., which will not be elaborated upon in this solution.

[0227] 602. The DU sends a fifth message to the RU, which indicates the aforementioned target mode. Accordingly, the RU receives the fifth message.

[0228] In one possible implementation, the fifth information indicates a second mode or a third mode, and the fifth information also indicates the number of beams corresponding to the output result of the uplink beamforming process performed by the RU based on the second mode or the third mode.

[0229] For details on this part, please refer to the description of step 401 in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, which will not be repeated here.

[0230] Optionally, the first reference signal is a sounding reference signal (SRS), and when the fifth information indicates the second mode, the fifth information also indicates the weights obtained by channel estimation based on the SRS.

[0231] In one possible implementation, the DU sends the fifth message to multiple RUs.

[0232] For details on this part, please refer to the description of step 401 in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, which will not be repeated here.

[0233] In this embodiment, the DU determines and indicates the target mode based on the fronthaul interface traffic margin, computing resource margin, SINR or correct decoding rate, and candidate modes between the RU and DU. This allows for the selection of an appropriate mode for uplink beamforming processing based on actual conditions, thereby improving the performance of uplink beamforming processing in cooperative scenarios.

[0234] It should be noted that, in the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between the various embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0235] The methods of the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above, and the apparatus of the embodiments of this application is provided below. It is understood that the division of multiple units or modules in the various apparatus embodiments of this application is only a logical division based on function and is not intended to limit the specific structure of the apparatus. In specific implementations, some functional modules may be subdivided into more smaller functional modules, and some functional modules may be combined into a single functional module. However, regardless of whether these functional modules are subdivided or combined, the general flow executed by the apparatus is the same. For example, some apparatuses include a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. In some designs, the transmitting unit and the receiving unit can also be integrated into a communication unit, which can implement the functions implemented by the receiving unit and the transmitting unit. Typically, each unit corresponds to its own program code (or program instructions). When the program code corresponding to each unit runs on the processor, it causes the unit to be controlled by the processing unit to execute the corresponding flow and thus achieve the corresponding function.

[0236] This application also provides an apparatus for implementing any of the above methods. For example, a communication apparatus is provided that includes a module (or means) for implementing the steps performed by the DU in any of the above methods.

[0237] For example, referring to FIG7, which is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application, the communication device is used to implement the aforementioned communication method, such as the steps or means performed by DU in the communication method shown in FIG4, or the steps or means performed by DU in the communication method shown in FIG6.

[0238] As shown in Figure 7, the device may include a processing module 701 and a communication module 702, as detailed below:

[0239] Processing module 701 is used to generate first information indicating an uplink beamforming processing mode, which is any one of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing; a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by a first reference signal channel; or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by a second reference signal channel.

[0240] The communication module 702 is used to send the first information.

[0241] For a description of each of the above modules, please refer to the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 4 above, and it will not be repeated here.

[0242] For example, referring to Figure 7, the processing module 701 is used to obtain a target mode based on a third parameter. The third parameter includes one or more of the following: fronthaul interface traffic margin between RU and DU, computing resource margin, signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, and correct decoding rate. The target mode is any one of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing, a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by the first reference signal channel, or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by the second reference signal channel.

[0243] The communication module 702 is used to send a fifth message that indicates the target mode.

[0244] For a description of each of the above modules, please refer to the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 7 above, and it will not be repeated here.

[0245] For example, a communication device is also provided that includes a module (or means) for implementing the steps performed by the RU in any of the above methods.

[0246] For example, referring to FIG8, which is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application, the communication device is used to implement the aforementioned communication method, such as the steps or means performed by RU in the communication method shown in FIG4, or the steps or means performed by RU in the communication method shown in FIG6.

[0247] As shown in Figure 8, the device may include a communication module 801, as detailed below:

[0248] The communication module 801 is used to receive first information, which indicates an uplink beamforming processing mode, wherein the uplink beamforming processing mode is any one of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing; a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by a first reference signal channel; or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by a second reference signal channel.

[0249] For a description of each of the above modules, please refer to the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 4 above, and it will not be repeated here.

[0250] For example, referring to Figure 8, the communication module 801 is used to receive fifth information, which indicates a target mode. The target mode is any one of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming; a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming using weights estimated by the first reference signal channel; or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming using weights estimated by the second reference signal channel. The target mode is determined based on a third parameter, which includes one or more of the following: fronthaul interface traffic margin between RU and DU, computing resource margin, signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, and correct decoding rate.

[0251] For a description of each of the above modules, please refer to the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 7 above, and it will not be repeated here.

[0252] It should be understood that the division of modules in the above devices is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, they can be fully or partially integrated into a single physical entity, or they can be physically separated. Furthermore, modules in a communication device can be implemented by a processor calling software; for example, a communication device includes a processor connected to a memory containing instructions. The processor calls the instructions stored in the memory to implement any of the above methods or to implement the functions of each module in the device. The processor can be, for example, a general-purpose processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a microprocessor, and the memory can be internal or external to the device. Alternatively, the modules in the device can be implemented as hardware circuits. The functionality of some or all units can be achieved through the design of these hardware circuits, which can be understood as one or more processors. For example, in one implementation, the hardware circuit is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and the functionality of some or all of the above units is achieved through the design of the logical relationships between the components within the circuit. In another implementation, the hardware circuit can be implemented using a programmable logic device (PLD), such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), which can include a large number of logic gates. The connection relationships between the logic gates are configured through configuration files, thereby achieving the functionality of some or all of the above units. All modules of the above device can be implemented entirely through processor-called software, entirely through hardware circuits, or partially through processor-called software with the remaining parts implemented through hardware circuits.

[0253] Referring to FIG9, a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application is shown. The communication device 900 shown in FIG9 includes one or more processors 901 (a processor is illustrated in the figure).

[0254] Processor 901 is a circuit with signal processing capabilities. In one implementation, processor 901 can be a circuit with instruction read and execute capabilities, such as a central processing unit (CPU), microprocessor, graphics processing unit (GPU) (which can be understood as a type of microprocessor), or digital signal processor (DSP). In another implementation, processor 901 can achieve certain functions through the logical relationships of hardware circuits. These logical relationships of hardware circuits are fixed or reconfigurable. For example, processor 901 can be a hardware circuit implemented as an ASIC or a programmable logic device (PLD), such as an FPGA. In reconfigurable hardware circuits, the process of the processor loading a configuration document and configuring the hardware circuit can be understood as the processor loading instructions to achieve the functions of some or all of the above modules. Furthermore, it can also be a hardware circuit designed for artificial intelligence, which can be understood as a type of ASIC, such as a neural network processing unit (NPU), tensor processing unit (TPU), or deep learning processing unit (DPU). The processor 901 is used to execute related programs to implement the functions required by the units in the communication device of the present application embodiment, or to execute the communication method of the method embodiment of the present application.

[0255] Optionally, the communication device 900 may also include a memory (e.g., memory 903, memory 904, memory 905) (shown as dashed lines in the figure). This memory is used to store instructions executed by the processor 901, or to store input data required for the processor 901 to execute instructions, or to store data generated after the processor 901 executes instructions.

[0256] Optionally, the memory may be located in one or more processors (such as memory 903), or outside the one or more processors (such as memory 904, memory 905), or may include a storage portion located in the one or more processors and a storage portion located outside the one or more processors.

[0257] In this embodiment, the memory (e.g., memory 903, memory 904, memory 905) may include, but is not limited to, cache, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), etc. Memory is any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code having an instruction or data structure form and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory in this embodiment may also be a circuit or any other device capable of implementing storage functions for storing computer programs or instructions, and / or data.

[0258] Optionally, the communication device 900 may also include a communication interface 902 (shown as a dashed line in the figure). The processor 901 and the communication interface 902 are coupled together. The communication interface 902 may be a transceiver or interface circuit, a bus, a module, or other type of communication interface.

[0259] The memory can store programs. When the program stored in the memory is executed by the processor 901, the processor 901 and the communication interface 902 are used to execute the various steps of the communication method of the embodiments of this application.

[0260] As can be seen, each module in the above device can be one or more processors (or processing circuits) configured to implement the above methods, such as: CPU, GPU, NPU, TPU, DPU, microprocessor, DSP, ASIC, FPGA, or a combination of at least two of these processor forms or a portion of the processing circuits in these processors.

[0261] Furthermore, the modules in the above devices can be integrated in whole or in part, or they can be implemented independently. In one implementation, these modules are integrated together as a system-on-a-chip (SOC). The SOC may include at least one processor for implementing any of the above methods or for implementing the functions of the modules of the device. The at least one processor may be of different types, such as CPU and FPGA, CPU and artificial intelligence processor, CPU and GPU, etc.

[0262] It should be noted that although the device 900 shown in Figure 9 only illustrates the memory, processor, and communication interface, those skilled in the art should understand that in specific implementations, device 900 may also include other devices necessary for normal operation. Furthermore, depending on specific needs, those skilled in the art should understand that device 900 may also include hardware devices for implementing other additional functions. Moreover, those skilled in the art should understand that device 900 may only include the devices necessary for implementing the embodiments of this application, and not necessarily all the devices shown in Figure 9.

[0263] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a computer or processor, cause the computer or processor to perform one or more steps of any of the above methods.

[0264] This application also provides a computer program product containing instructions. When the computer program product is run on a computer or processor, it causes the computer or processor to perform one or more steps of any of the methods described above.

[0265] It is understood that in this application, "instruction" can include direct instruction, indirect instruction, explicit instruction, and implicit instruction. When describing a certain instruction information to indicate A, it can be understood that the instruction information carries A, directly indicates A, or indirectly indicates A. In this application, the information indicated by the instruction information is called the information to be instructed. In specific implementation, there are many ways to indicate the information to be instructed, such as, but not limited to, directly indicating the information to be instructed, such as the information to be instructed itself or its index, or indirectly indicating the information to be instructed by indicating other information, wherein there is an association between the other information and the information to be instructed. It is also possible to indicate only a part of the information to be instructed, while the other parts of the information to be instructed are known or agreed upon in advance. For example, the instruction of specific information can also be achieved by using the arrangement order of various information in advance (e.g., as specified by a protocol), thereby reducing the instruction overhead to a certain extent. The information to be instructed can be sent as a whole or divided into multiple sub-information to be sent separately, and the sending period and / or sending time of these sub-information can be the same or different. This application does not limit the specific sending method. The sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be predefined, for example, according to a protocol, or configured by the transmitting device by sending configuration information to the receiving device.

[0266] The term "at least one" as used in this application refers to one or more items. "More than one item" means two or more items. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. Furthermore, it should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe objects in this application, these objects should not be limited to these terms. Those skilled in the art will understand that the words "first," "second," etc., do not limit the quantity or order of execution, and that "first," "second," etc., do not necessarily imply difference.

[0267] The terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, used in this application as described below, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include other steps or units not listed, or optionally include other steps or units inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus. It should be noted that in this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate illustrative, exemplary, or descriptive purposes. Any method or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other methods or designs. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0268] In the 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 division of units is merely a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For instance, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. The coupling, direct coupling, or communication connection shown or discussed between each other may be indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, apparatuses, or units, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0269] 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.

[0270] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. This computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When these computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the flow or function according to the embodiments of this application is generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in or transmitted through a computer-readable storage medium. The computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media can be read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), or magnetic media, such as floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes, magnetic disks, or optical media, such as digital versatile discs (DVDs), or semiconductor media, such as solid-state disks (SSDs).

[0271] The above description is merely a specific implementation of the embodiments of this application, but the protection scope of the embodiments of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the embodiments of this application should be covered within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of the embodiments of this application should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

A communication method, characterized in that, include: Generate first information, the first information indicating an uplink beamforming processing mode, the uplink beamforming processing mode being any of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing, a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by the first reference signal channel, or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by the second reference signal channel. Send the first message. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first information indicates the second mode or the third mode, and the method further includes: Receive second information, the second information indicating first parameter and second parameter, the first parameter being the result of uplink beamforming based on the second mode, and the second parameter being the result of uplink beamforming based on the third mode; Send a third message, which instructs the radio frequency unit to perform uplink beamforming processing on the received antenna domain signal based on a target mode. The target mode is obtained based on the first parameter and the second parameter, and the target mode is either the second mode or the third mode. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first information also indicates the number of beams corresponding to the output result of the uplink beamforming processing performed by the radio frequency unit based on the second mode or the third mode. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The third piece of information also indicates the number of beams corresponding to the output result of uplink beamforming processing based on the target mode. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, The first information indicates the second mode. Before receiving the second information, the method further includes: sending fourth information, the fourth information instructing the radio frequency unit to perform uplink beamforming based on the third mode; or... The method further includes, prior to receiving the second information, sending a fourth information, which instructs the radio frequency unit to perform uplink beamforming based on the second mode. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first information indicates the third mode, the first reference signal is a sounding reference signal (SRS), and the fourth information further indicates the weights obtained by channel estimation based on the SRS. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, The evaluation parameters of the target mode are greater than those of the second mode and the other modes in the third mode besides the target mode, wherein the evaluation parameters are obtained based on the first parameter and the second parameter. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The evaluation parameters include one or more of the following: signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, and correct decoding rate. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, When the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit is less than or equal to a first threshold, the first information indicates the second mode or the third mode; or... When the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit is greater than the first threshold, the first information indicates the first mode. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The generation of the first information includes: The first information is generated based on the third parameter, which includes one or more of the following: the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit, the computing resource margin, the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, and the correct decoding rate. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, Sending the first information includes: The first information is sent to multiple radio frequency units. A communication method, characterized in that, include: Receive first information, the first information indicating an uplink beamforming processing mode, the uplink beamforming processing mode being any one of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing, a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by the first reference signal channel, or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using weights estimated by the second reference signal channel. Signal processing is performed based on the first information. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first information indicates the second mode or the third mode, and the method further includes: Send a second message, which indicates a first parameter and a second parameter. The first parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on the second mode, and the second parameter is the result of uplink beamforming based on the third mode. The third information is received, which instructs the radio frequency unit to perform uplink beamforming processing on the received antenna domain signal based on a target mode. The target mode is obtained based on the first parameter and the second parameter, and the target mode is either the second mode or the third mode. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The first information indicates the second mode, and before sending the second information, the method further includes: Receive fourth information, the fourth information instructing the radio frequency unit to perform uplink beamforming processing based on the third mode; or, The first information indicates the third mode, and before receiving the second information, the method further includes: The fourth information is received, which instructs the radio frequency unit to perform uplink beamforming based on the second mode. A communication method, characterized in that, include: The target mode is obtained based on the third parameter, which includes one or more of the following: the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit, the computing resource margin, the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, and the correct decoding rate. The target mode is any one of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming processing, a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using the weights estimated by the first reference signal channel, or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming processing using the weights estimated by the second reference signal channel. Send a fifth message, which indicates the target mode. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The third parameter includes the fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit. Obtaining the target mode based on the third parameter includes: When the remaining traffic capacity of the fronthaul interface is greater than a first threshold, the target mode is the first mode; or, When the remaining traffic capacity of the fronthaul interface is less than or equal to the first threshold, the target mode is the second mode or the third mode. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The third parameter includes the remaining computing resources, and obtaining the target mode based on the third parameter includes: Receive sixth information, the sixth information including candidate modes, the candidate modes being the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode, the candidate modes being determined based on the remaining computing resources; The target pattern is determined based on the sixth piece of information. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The receiving of the sixth information includes: receiving the sixth information from the plurality of radio frequency units; Determining the target mode based on the sixth information includes: determining the target mode based on the sixth information from the plurality of radio frequency units. The method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that, When the computational resource margin of the radio frequency unit is less than the second threshold, the candidate mode is the first mode; and / or, When the computational resource margin of the radio frequency unit is greater than the third threshold and less than the fourth threshold, the candidate mode is the second mode; and / or, When the computing resource margin of the radio frequency unit is greater than the fifth threshold, the candidate mode is the third mode, wherein the third threshold is less than the fourth threshold. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The target mode is either the second mode or the third mode, the third parameter includes the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio or the correct decoding rate, and the method further includes: Receive seventh information, the seventh information including a first parameter and a second parameter, the first parameter being the result of uplink beamforming based on the second mode, and the second parameter being the result of uplink beamforming based on the third mode; Based on the first parameter and the second parameter, the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio or correct decoding rate corresponding to the second mode and the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio or correct decoding rate corresponding to the third mode are obtained. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that, The signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio or correct decoding rate corresponding to the target mode is greater than the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio or correct decoding rate of the second mode and the third mode other than the target mode. A communication method, characterized in that, include: The system receives a fifth message indicating a target mode, which is any one of the following: a first mode in which the radio frequency unit does not perform uplink beamforming; a second mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming using weights estimated from a first reference signal channel; or a third mode in which the radio frequency unit performs uplink beamforming using weights estimated from a second reference signal channel. The target mode is determined based on a third parameter, which includes one or more of the following: fronthaul interface traffic margin between the radio frequency unit and the distributed unit, computing resource margin, signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, and correct decoding rate. Signal processing is performed based on the fifth piece of information. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that, The third parameter includes the remaining computing resources, and the method further includes: A sixth piece of information is generated based on the remaining computing resources. The sixth piece of information includes a candidate mode, which is the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode. Send the sixth message. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that, When the computational resource margin of the radio frequency unit is less than the second threshold, the candidate mode is the first mode; and / or When the computational resource margin of the radio frequency unit is greater than the third threshold and less than the fourth threshold, the candidate mode is the second mode; and / or When the computing resource margin of the radio frequency unit is greater than the fifth threshold, the candidate mode is the third mode, wherein the third threshold is less than the fourth threshold. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes modules or units for implementing the method as described in any one of claims 1-11, or modules or units for implementing the method as described in any one of claims 12-14, or modules or units for implementing the method as described in any one of claims 15-21, or modules or units for implementing the method as described in any one of claims 22-24. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-11, or the method as described in any one of claims 15-21, by executing a computer program or computer-executable instructions stored in a memory, and / or by logic circuitry. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 12-14, or the method as described in any one of claims 22-24, by executing a computer program or computer-executable instructions stored in a memory, and / or by logic circuitry. A communication system, characterized in that, The system includes the communication device as described in claim 26 and the communication device as described in claim 27. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The device contains a computer program that, when executed by a processor, causes the method described in any one of claims 1-11 to be implemented; or causes the method described in any one of claims 12-14 to be implemented; or causes the method described in any one of claims 15-21 to be implemented; or causes the method described in any one of claims 22-24 to be implemented. A computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed on a processor, causes the method of any one of claims 1-11 to be implemented; or causes the method of any one of claims 12-14 to be implemented; or causes the method of any one of claims 15-21 to be implemented; or causes the method of any one of claims 22-24 to be implemented.

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