Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present application are a communication method and apparatus, which are used for reducing the probability of random access failure of a terminal device, and improving the accuracy of triggering a corresponding event. In the method, a terminal device performs prediction on the future signal quality, and reports a prediction result to a network device upon predicting an impending entry into weak coverage, i.e., signal degradation, such that the network device can communicate with the terminal device on the basis of the prediction result, thereby improving the service experience under weak coverage.

Description

Communication method and apparatus

[0001] Cross-reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese Patent Application No. 202411392685.9, filed on September 30, 2024, and entitled “A Communication Method and Apparatus”, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

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

[0004] Currently, data transmission of a terminal device is based on channel measurement, that is, the terminal device reports channel quality, and a network device performs scheduling based on the channel quality. When the channel of the terminal device is poor, the scheduled rate is also low, so some services cannot meet the rate requirement, and the quality of service is degraded. Therefore, how to improve the service experience of the terminal device is a problem to be solved. SUMMARY

[0005] The communication method and apparatus provided by the embodiments of the present application are used to reduce the probability of random access failure of the terminal device and improve the accuracy of triggering the corresponding event.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a communication method, and the execution subject of the method can be a terminal device, a chip or a circuit on the terminal device side. Taking the terminal device as an example, the method comprises: determining that the predicted signal quality is less than or equal to a first threshold value; and sending first information, the first information indicating that the signal will soon become weak.

[0007] The present application predicts the future signal quality of the terminal device, and reports the prediction to the network device when it is predicted that the terminal device will soon enter weak coverage, that is, when it is predicted that the signal will become weak, so that the network device can schedule the terminal device according to the prediction, thereby improving the service experience in weak coverage.

[0008] In a possible design, the first information comprises at least one of the following: a time at which the signal quality of the signal starts to be less than or equal to the first threshold value, a duration for which the signal quality of the signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value, or the predicted signal quality. Through the above design, the network device can evaluate the weak coverage condition, which is beneficial to improving the service experience of the user in weak coverage.

[0009] In a possible design, the first information further indicates that the predicted signal has a signal quality greater than or equal to a second threshold in the first cell. With the design, the network device can obtain the signal recovery condition, and the user experience in weak coverage can be improved.

[0010] In a possible design, the method further includes: receiving second information, where the second information is used to configure conditional handover. With the design, the terminal device can quickly access to a cell through conditional handover, the duration of signal interruption of the terminal device can be reduced, and the user experience in weak coverage can be improved.

[0011] In a possible design, the second information is further used to configure a candidate cell of conditional handover, where the candidate cell of conditional handover includes the first cell. With the design, the terminal device can quickly access to a cell through conditional handover, the duration of signal interruption of the terminal device can be reduced, and the user experience in weak coverage can be improved.

[0012] In a possible design, the method further includes: receiving third information, where the third information indicates the first threshold and / or the second threshold.

[0013] In a possible design, the method further includes: receiving fourth information, where the fourth information is used to indicate a signal quality of the predicted signal that is allowed to be reported. With the design, the communication behavior of the network device and the terminal device can be aligned.

[0014] In a possible design, the method further includes: sending fifth information, where the fifth information is used to indicate a signal quality of the predicted signal that is supported to be reported.

[0015] In a possible design, the first information is carried in user equipment assistance information or a measurement report.

[0016] In a second aspect, the present application provides a communication method, and an execution subject of the method can be a network device, a chip or circuit on the network device side. Taking the network device as an example, the method includes: receiving first information, where the first information indicates that a signal of a terminal device is about to become weak; and scheduling the terminal device according to the first information.

[0017] The present application predicts the future signal quality of the terminal device, and reports the prediction to the network device when it is predicted that the terminal device will enter weak coverage, that is, when it is predicted that the signal of the terminal device will become weak, so that the network device can communicate with the terminal device according to the prediction, and the user experience in weak coverage can be improved.

[0018] In a possible design, the first information includes at least one of the following: a time at which the signal quality of the signal starts to be less than or equal to the first threshold, a duration for which the signal quality of the signal is less than or equal to the first threshold, or the predicted signal quality. With the above design, the network device can evaluate the weak coverage condition, and the user experience in the weak coverage can be improved.

[0019] In a possible design, the method further includes: sending third information, where the third information indicates the first threshold.

[0020] In a possible design, the method further includes: sending fourth information, where the fourth information is used to indicate that the predicted signal quality is allowed to be reported. With the above design, the communication behavior of the network device and the terminal device can be aligned.

[0021] In a possible design, the method further includes: receiving fifth information, where the fifth information is used to indicate that the terminal device supports reporting of the predicted signal quality.

[0022] In a possible design, the first information is carried in user equipment assistance information or a measurement report.

[0023] In a possible design, the scheduling of the terminal device according to the first information includes: improving the scheduling priority of the terminal device according to the first information. With the above design, the terminal device can cache the scheduled data, and the experience in the weak coverage area can be improved.

[0024] In a third aspect, the present application provides a communication method, and an execution subject of the method can be a network device, or a chip or circuit on the network device side. Taking the network device as an example, the method includes: receiving first information, where the first information indicates that the signal of the terminal device is about to become weak; and sending second information, where the second information is used to configure conditional handover.

[0025] The present application predicts the future signal quality of the terminal device, and reports the prediction to the network device when it is predicted that the terminal device is about to enter weak coverage, that is, when it is predicted that the signal of the terminal device is about to become weak, so that the network device can communicate with the terminal device according to the prediction, and the user experience in the weak coverage can be improved. Compared with the current way in which the terminal device re-accesses the access network after the signal is recovered, the terminal device in the present application quickly accesses the cell through conditional handover, and the duration of signal interruption of the terminal device can be reduced.

[0026] In a possible design, the first information further indicates a first cell, and the predicted signal quality in the first cell is greater than or equal to a second threshold. With the above design, the network device can obtain the signal recovery condition, and the user experience in the weak coverage can be improved.

[0027] In a possible design, the second information is further used for configuring a candidate cell of conditional handover, where the candidate cell of conditional handover includes the first cell. With the above design, the terminal device can quickly access to the cell through conditional handover, and the duration of signal interruption of the terminal device can be reduced, which facilitates improving the service experience of a user in weak coverage.

[0028] In a possible design, the method further includes: sending third information, where the third information indicates the first threshold and / or the second threshold.

[0029] In a possible design, the method further includes: sending fourth information, where the fourth information is used to indicate a signal quality of the predicted signal that is allowed to be reported. With the above design, the communication behaviors of the network device and the terminal device can be aligned.

[0030] In a possible design, the method further includes: receiving fifth information, where the fifth information is used to indicate a signal quality of the predicted signal that is supported by the terminal device to report.

[0031] In a possible design, the first information is carried in user equipment assistance information or a measurement report.

[0032] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which has the method provided in the first aspect. The communication apparatus can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units or modules corresponding to the above functions.

[0033] In a possible implementation, the communication apparatus includes a processor configured to support the communication apparatus to perform the corresponding functions of the terminal device in the above method. The communication apparatus can further include a memory coupled to the processor, which stores necessary program instructions and data of the communication apparatus. Optionally, the communication apparatus further includes an interface circuit configured to support the communication apparatus to communicate with other devices such as network devices.

[0034] In a possible implementation, the communication apparatus includes corresponding functional modules respectively used to implement the steps in the above method. The functions can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions.

[0035] In a possible implementation, the structure of the communication apparatus includes processing units and communication units, which can perform the corresponding functions in the above method examples, and specific descriptions can be referred to the method provided in the first aspect, which will not be repeated here.

[0036] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which implements the method provided in the second aspect or the third aspect. The communication apparatus can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units or modules corresponding to the above functions.

[0037] In a possible implementation, the communication apparatus includes a processor configured to support the communication apparatus to perform the corresponding functions of the network device in the above method. The communication apparatus can further include a memory coupled to the processor, which stores the necessary program instructions and data of the communication apparatus. Optionally, the communication apparatus further includes an interface circuit for supporting the communication between the communication apparatus and other devices such as terminal devices.

[0038] In a possible implementation, the communication apparatus includes corresponding functional modules for implementing the steps in the above method. The functions can be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions.

[0039] In a possible implementation, the structure of the communication apparatus includes processing units and communication units, which can perform the corresponding functions in the above method examples, and the details are described in the method provided in the second aspect or the third aspect, which will not be repeated here.

[0040] In a sixth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, which includes a processor and an interface circuit. The interface circuit is configured to receive signals from other communication apparatuses outside the communication apparatus and transmit the signals to the processor, or transmit signals from the processor to other communication apparatuses outside the communication apparatus. The processor is configured to implement the method in the first aspect and any possible design of the first aspect by logic circuit or executing code instructions.

[0041] In a seventh aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, which includes a processor and an interface circuit. The interface circuit is configured to receive signals from other communication apparatuses outside the communication apparatus and transmit the signals to the processor, or transmit signals from the processor to other communication apparatuses outside the communication apparatus. The processor is configured to implement the method in the second aspect or the third aspect and any possible design of the second aspect or the third aspect by logic circuit or executing code instructions.

[0042] In an eighth aspect, a computer readable storage medium is provided, which stores a computer program or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are executed by a processor, the method in the first aspect and any possible design of the first aspect is implemented.

[0043] In a ninth aspect, a computer readable storage medium is provided, which stores a computer program or instructions, when the computer program or instructions are executed by a processor, the method in the foregoing second aspect or third aspect and any possible design of any aspect is implemented.

[0044] In a tenth aspect, a chip system is provided, which includes a processor, and can further include a memory, for implementing the method in the foregoing first aspect and any possible design of the first aspect. The chip system can be composed of a chip, or can include a chip and other discrete devices.

[0045] In an eleventh aspect, a chip system is provided, which includes a processor, and can further include a memory, for implementing the method in the foregoing second aspect or third aspect and any possible design of any aspect. The chip system can be composed of a chip, or can include a chip and other discrete devices.

[0046] In a twelfth aspect, a communication system is provided, which includes the apparatus in the first aspect, and the apparatus in the second aspect.

[0047] In a thirteenth aspect, a communication system is provided, which includes the apparatus in the first aspect, and the apparatus in the third aspect.

[0048] The technical effects that can be achieved by the technical solutions in any of the foregoing fourth aspect to thirteenth aspect can be described with reference to the technical effects that can be achieved by the technical solutions in the first aspect, and repeated descriptions are not provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0049] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an architecture of a communication system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a network device provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an architecture of an O-RAN system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] FIG. 4 is a diagram of a network element function division and a protocol layer structure of an O-RAN device provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a flow of a communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a structure of a communication apparatus provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a structure of a communication apparatus provided by an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] Hereinafter, first, some terms in the embodiments of the present application are explained to facilitate the understanding of those skilled in the art.

[0057] Conditional handover (CHO): the terminal device reports that it supports CHO, and the network device can configure measurement configuration triggering CHO in the reconfiguration message, and configure the handover command of each candidate cell. When the terminal device receives the CHO configuration, it does not immediately perform the handover action, but continues to measure and evaluate the candidate cells. When the handover condition is met, the corresponding cell is selected for random access. The source serving cell can send a handover command to the terminal device in advance to avoid handover failure caused by failure to send the handover command, thereby improving handover reliability.

[0058] In the embodiments of the present application, "at least one" means one or more, and "multiple" means two or more. The association relationship between the associated objects is described, which means that there can be three kinds of relationships, for example, A and / or B, which can represent the following three cases: A exists alone, A and B exist together, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally represents an "or" relationship between the associated objects before and after it. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions means any combination of these items, including any combination of single item or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, or a-b-c, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0059] In addition, unless otherwise stated, the ordinal numbers "first", "second", etc. mentioned in the embodiments of the present application are used to distinguish a plurality of objects, and are not used to limit the size, content, order, timing, priority or importance of the plurality of objects.

[0060] The foregoing introduces some concepts related to the embodiments of the present application, and the following introduces the technical background related to the embodiments of the present application.

[0061] Currently, the data transmission of the terminal device is based on channel measurement, that is, the terminal device reports the channel quality, and the network device schedules based on the channel quality. If there are multiple terminal devices, the channel quality, traffic volume, etc. of each terminal device are usually considered for comprehensive scheduling. When the channel quality of the terminal device is poor, the scheduling rate will also be relatively low, so some services cannot meet the rate requirement and face the risk of quality degradation. For example, the channel quality of the terminal device is poor in the scene of passing through a tunnel or in a high-speed mobile vehicle such as a high-speed train, resulting in a relatively low scheduling rate of the terminal device in these scenes and poor service experience.

[0062] Based on this, the embodiment of the present application provides a communication method and device for improving the service experience of a terminal device. The method and device are based on the same technical concept. Since the principles of the method and device for solving problems are similar, the implementation of the device and the method can be mutually referred to, and the repeated parts will not be described again.

[0063] The communication method provided by the present application can be applied to a communication system, which can be a third generation partnership project (3GPP) related communication system. For example, the communication system can be a long term evolution (LTE) system, a 5th generation (5G) mobile communication system (such as a new radio (NR) communication system), or can also be applied to a future communication system, or other similar communication system. Other similar communication systems can include wireless fidelity (WIFI), vehicle to everything (V2X), internet of things (IoT) system, narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) system, etc.

[0064] Please refer to FIG. 1, which shows a communication system to which the embodiment of the present application is applicable. The communication system includes a radio access network 100 and a core network 200. Optionally, the communication system can also include the Internet.

[0065] The radio access network 100 can include at least one network device and at least one terminal device. For example, the radio access network 100 includes two network devices 110a and 110b and terminal devices 120a to 120j. The network architecture shown in FIG. 1 is only illustrative, and the number of terminal devices and / or network devices can be fewer or more. The communication system described in the embodiment of the present application is to make the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application more clear, and does not constitute a limitation on the communication system to which the embodiment of the present application is applicable. For example, the communication system can also include other devices, such as wireless relay devices and wireless backhaul devices, etc., which are not shown in FIG. 1. Those skilled in the art can know that, as the network architecture evolves, the technical solution provided by the embodiment of the present application is also applicable to similar technical problems. When applying the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application to other communication systems, the devices, components, modules, etc. in the embodiment can be replaced by corresponding devices, components, modules in other communication systems, without limitation.

[0066] In embodiments of the present application, the network device refers to a radio access network (RAN) device. The RAN can be a 3GPP related cellular system, for example, a 5G / new radio (NR) mobile communication system, or a future-oriented evolved system (for example, a 6G mobile communication system). The RAN can also be an open RAN (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a virtualized RAN (vRAN), etc. The RAN can also be a communication system that combines two or more of the above systems. The RAN device can also be referred to as a RAN node, a RAN entity, or an access node, etc.

[0067] In a possible scenario, the RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next generation NodeB (gNB), a network device in a future mobile communication system, etc. The RAN node can be a macro network device, a micro network device, an indoor station, a relay node, a donor node / host, or a radio controller, etc. The RAN node can also be a server, a wearable device, a vehicle or a vehicle-mounted device, etc. For example, the RAN node in the V2X technology can be a road side unit (RSU).

[0068] In another possible scenario, a RAN node can be a module or unit that completes part of the functions of a network device; or multiple RAN nodes cooperate to assist a terminal device to implement wireless access, and different RAN nodes respectively implement part of the functions of a network device. For example, a RAN node can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU), etc. The functions of the CU can be implemented by one entity, or can also be implemented by different entities. For example, the functions of the CU can be further divided, that is, the control plane and the user plane are separated and implemented by different entities, respectively, as a control plane CU entity (that is, a CU-control plane (CP) entity) and a user plane CU entity (that is, a CU-user plane (UP) entity). The CU-CP entity and the CU-UP entity can be coupled with the DU to jointly complete the functions of the RAN node. The CU and the DU can be separately arranged, or can also be included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). Any one of the CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), the DU, and the RU in this application can be implemented by a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0069] In different systems, the CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), the DU, or the RU can also have different names, but those skilled in the art can understand their meanings. For example, in an ORAN system, the CU can also be referred to as an O-CU (open CU), the DU can also be referred to as an O-DU, the CU-CP can also be referred to as an O-CU-CP, the CU-UP can also be referred to as an O-CU-UP, and the RU can also be referred to as an O-RU. For the convenience of description, the CU, the CU-CP, the CU-UP, the DU, and the RU are taken as examples for description in this application.

[0070] The CU and the DU can be configured according to protocol layer functions of the wireless network they implement: for example, the CU is configured to implement functions of a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer and protocol layers above the PDCP layer (such as a radio resource control (RRC) layer and / or a service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer, etc.); the DU is configured to implement functions of protocol layers below the PDCP layer (such as a radio link control (RLC), a media access control (MAC) layer, and / or a physical (PHY) layer, etc.). For specific descriptions of the above protocol layers, reference can be made to relevant technical specifications of the 3GPP or technical specifications of other applicable communication protocols.

[0071] For example, referring to FIG. 2, two typical protocol stack diagrams of a network device provided in embodiments of the present application are shown. In network device (1), the network device is divided into a CU and a DU, the CU is configured to implement functions of a PDCP layer and protocol layers above the PDCP layer (such as an RRC layer and / or an SDAP layer, etc.); the DU is configured to implement functions of protocol layers below the PDCP layer (such as an RLC layer, a MAC layer, and / or a PHY layer, etc.). The CU and the DU communicate based on an F1 interface. In network device (2), the network device is divided into a CU and a DU, wherein the CU includes a CU-CP and a CU-UP, the CU-CP is used to implement control plane functions of the CU, and the CU-UP is used to implement user plane functions of the CU. The CU-CP and the CU-UP can communicate based on an E1 interface, the CU-CP and the DU communicate based on an F1 interface supporting a control plane (also referred to as F1-C), and the CU-UP and the DU communicate based on an F1 interface for a user plane (also referred to as F1-U). The CU-CP is configured to implement control plane functions of a PDCP layer and RRC layer functions, and the CU-UP is configured to implement user plane functions of the PDCP layer and functions of an SDAP layer. The DU is configured to implement functions of protocol layers below the PDCP layer (such as an RLC layer, a MAC layer, and / or a PHY layer, etc.).

[0072] The above-mentioned processing functions of the CU and the DU are merely examples according to the protocol layer division, and the division can be performed in other manners, which is not limited in the present application. For example, in one design, the CU or the DU can also be divided into partial processing functions with protocol layers. In one design, partial functions of the RLC layer and functions of the protocol layers above the RLC layer are arranged in the CU, and the remaining functions of the RLC layer and functions of the protocol layers below the RLC layer are arranged in the DU.

[0073] In another possible design, the functions of the PHY layer are jointly implemented by the DU and the RU, or described as moving part of the PHY layer functions of the DU to the RU. One DU can be connected with one or more RUs. The functions of the DU and the RU can be configured in multiple manners according to the design. For example, the DU is configured to implement baseband functions, and the RU is configured to implement intermediate frequency functions. For another example, the DU is configured to implement high-layer functions in the PHY layer, and the RU is configured to implement low-layer functions in the PHY layer or implement the low-layer functions and the intermediate frequency functions. The high-layer functions in the PHY layer can include part of the functions of the PHY layer, which are closer to the MAC layer, and the low-layer functions in the PHY layer can include another part of the functions of the PHY layer, which are closer to the intermediate frequency side. The present application does not limit the specific functions of the DU and the RU. The interface between the DU and the RU can be referred to as a front-haul interface. In one design, the CU can have no PDCP layer, for example, the CU only includes the RRC layer. The CU-CP has no PDCP-C. The CU-UP can have no PDCP-U, or have no CU-UP. In one design, the DU can have no RLC layer, for example, the DU only has the MAC and the higher PHY layer.

[0074] When the RAN is an O-RAN, it can also have an artificial intelligence (AI) function, for example, the O-RAN includes an intelligent controller. The intelligent controller can be a non-real time RAN intelligent controller (non-real time RIC / non-RT RIC / NRT RIC), or a near-real time RAN intelligent controller (near-real time RIC / near-RT RIC / nRT RIC). The non-real time RIC can be used to implement non-real time intelligent management of the RAN function, can implement a workflow including model training and model updating, and guide applications / functions in the nRT RIC based on a policy. The near-real time RIC can be used to implement near-real time intelligent management of the RAN. Through data collection and related operations on the E2 interface, near-real time control and optimization of modules and resources of the O-RAN are implemented.

[0075] In the embodiments of the present application, the device for implementing the function of the network device can be the network device itself, or a device capable of supporting the network device to implement the function, such as a chip system or a combination device or component that can implement the function of the network device, which can be installed in the network device. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific technology and specific device form adopted by the network device.

[0076] In the embodiments of the present application, all devices capable of communicating data with the network device can be regarded as terminal devices. The terminal device is also called a terminal, a terminal device, a user equipment (UE), a user device, a mobile station, or a mobile terminal, etc. The terminal device can be widely applied to various scenes, for example, the terminal device can be a mobile phone, a computer, a mobile internet device (MID), a wearable device, a virtual reality (VR) device, an augmented reality (AR) device, a station (STA), a mechanical arm, a camera, a robot, a vehicle, a drone, a helicopter, an airplane, a ship, or a smart home device (such as a television, an air conditioner, a sweeping machine, a sound box, a set-top box), a relay, a customer premise equipment (CPE), etc.

[0077] In addition, in the embodiments of the present application, the terminal device can also be a terminal device in an IoT system, for example, a water meter, an electricity meter, etc. IoT is an important part of future information technology development, and its main technical feature is to connect objects through communication technology and network, so as to realize the intelligent network of man-machine interconnection and object-object interconnection.

[0078] Among them, when the terminal device is applied to V2X, it can also be called V2X device, for example, smart car or intelligent car, digital car, unmanned car or driverless car or pilotless car or automobile, self-driving car or autonomous car, pure EV or Battery EV, hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), range extended EV (REEV), plug-in HEV (PHEV), new energy vehicle, RSU.

[0079] As introduced above, various terminal devices can be considered as vehicle-mounted terminal devices if they are located on a vehicle (for example, placed / installed in the vehicle). The vehicle-mounted terminal device can be built-in as one or more components or units in a vehicle-mounted module, a vehicle-mounted module group, a vehicle-mounted component, a vehicle-mounted chip or a vehicle-mounted unit of the vehicle, and the vehicle can implement the method of the present application through the built-in vehicle-mounted module, vehicle-mounted module group, vehicle-mounted component, vehicle-mounted chip or vehicle-mounted unit. The vehicle-mounted terminal device can be a whole vehicle device, a vehicle-mounted module, a vehicle, an on board unit (OBU), an RSU, a telematics box (T-box), a chip or a system on chip (SOC), etc. The above chip or SOC can be installed in the vehicle, OBU, RSU or T-box.

[0080] FIG. 3 shows an example diagram of an O-RAN system. It should be understood that the O-RAN system can also include other components than those shown in FIG. 3, which are not specifically limited herein. As shown in FIG. 3, the access network device can communicate with the core network (CN) through a backhaul link, and can communicate with the terminal device through an air interface. For example, the access network device can include a baseband unit (BBU) and a radio unit (RU). The BBU includes at least one CU and at least one DU, and the CU and the DU can communicate through at least one midhaul link. The RU can implement the functions of the lower physical layer (Lower PHY) and the radio frequency (RF). In some examples, the RU can be a 3GPP transmission reception point (TRP) or a remote radio head (RRH) or other similar functional entity. In some examples, the Low-PHY can include part of the PHY processing, such as fast Fourier transform (FFT), inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT), digital beamforming and filtering, and other processing functions. The BBU can communicate with the CN through a backhaul link, and the RU can communicate with at least one terminal device through an air interface. The BBU can communicate with at least one RU through a front-haul link, and the BBU and the RU can be co-located or not co-located.

[0081] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a network element function split and protocol layer structure of an O-RAN device. It should be noted that the configuration of the CU and the DU shown in FIG. 4 is merely an example, and the CU and the DU can be configured to have functions as needed. For example, the CU or the DU can be configured to have more protocol layer functions, or the CU or the DU can be configured to have partial processing functions of the protocol layer. The DU and the RU can be co-located or not co-located. The DU and the RU can exchange control plane information and user plane information via a lower-layer split-CUS-plane (LLS-CUS) interface through a fronthaul link. The LLS-CUS can include an LLS-C interface and an LLS-U interface that provide a control plane (C-Plane) and a user plane (U-Plane), respectively. In some examples, the control plane (C-Plane) refers to real-time control between the DU and the RU. The DU and the RU have an LLS-M interface of the fronthaul link to exchange management information, and the management plane (M-Plane) refers to non-real-time management operations between the DU and the RU.

[0082] The DU and the RU can cooperate to jointly implement the functions of the PHY layer. One DU can be connected to one or more RUs. The functions of the DU and the RU can be configured in multiple ways according to design. For example, the DU is configured to implement baseband functions, and the RU is configured to implement intermediate radio frequency functions. For another example, the DU is configured to implement high-layer functions in the PHY layer, and the RU is configured to implement low-layer functions in the PHY layer or to implement the low-layer functions and radio frequency functions. The high-layer functions in the PHY layer can include a part of the functions of the PHY layer that are closer to the MAC layer, and the low-layer functions in the PHY layer can include another part of the functions of the PHY layer that are closer to the intermediate radio frequency side.

[0083] In the embodiments of the present application, the device for implementing the function of the terminal device can be the terminal device itself, or a device capable of supporting the terminal device to implement the function, such as a chip system or a combination device or component that can implement the function of the terminal device, which can be installed in the terminal device. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific technology and specific device form adopted by the terminal device.

[0084] Taking a network device as a network device and a terminal device as a UE as an example, the network device and the UE can be fixed in position or movable. The network device and the UE can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; can also be deployed on the water surface; and can also be deployed on an airplane, a balloon, and a man-made satellite. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the application scenarios of the network device and the UE.

[0085] The network architecture and service scenarios described in the embodiments of the present application are used to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application. Those skilled in the art can know that, with the evolution of network architecture and the appearance of new service scenarios, the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0086] It can be understood that the embodiments of the present application do not particularly limit the specific structure of the execution subject of the method provided by the embodiments of the present application. In the following various embodiments, the method executed by the terminal device can also be applied to a module or a chip in the terminal device, and the method executed by the network device can also be applied to a module or a chip in the network device, as long as the method according to the embodiments of the present application can be used to communicate by running a program in which the code of the method provided by the embodiments of the present application is recorded. Hereinafter, the interaction between the terminal device and the network device is taken as an example for description.

[0087] For example, in the present application, “signal weakening” can also be referred to as “signal deterioration”, “signal quality deterioration”, “signal quality weakening”, “weak coverage”, “entering weak coverage”, “entering weak coverage area”, and the like, as long as it can represent the weakening of the signal of the terminal device.

[0088] The technical features related to the embodiments of the present application are introduced below.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 5, it is a flowchart of a communication method provided by the embodiments of the present application. The embodiments of the present application predict the future signal quality of the terminal device, and report the prediction to the network device when it is predicted that the terminal device will enter weak coverage, that is, when it is predicted that the signal will weaken, so that the network device can communicate with the terminal device according to the prediction. For example, the network device can schedule the terminal device according to the prediction, such as preferentially scheduling the terminal device according to the prediction. The terminal device can cache the scheduled data to improve the experience in the weak coverage area. For example, the terminal device watches online videos, and the network device can preferentially schedule the terminal device before entering the weak coverage. The terminal device caches the scheduled data, and the cached data can be played in the weak coverage area. For another example, the network device can configure the terminal device to perform conditional switching. Compared with the current method in which the terminal device reenters the access network after the signal is recovered, the terminal device quickly accesses the cell through conditional switching in the present application, which can reduce the duration of signal interruption of the terminal device.

[0090] The method comprises:

[0091] S501, the terminal device determines that the predicted signal quality is less than or equal to a first threshold value.

[0092] For example, the predicted signal quality can include a set of signal qualities, which represent the signal quality of the terminal device in the weak coverage period. Further, each signal quality can be associated with a time information representing the time corresponding to the signal quality.

[0093] Alternatively, the predicted signal quality is the worst quality or the average quality of the signal quality of the terminal device in the weak coverage period.

[0094] The signal quality can be represented by reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), etc. Alternatively, a combination of multiple signal qualities can be used as the basis for the decision, for example, RSRP <= 100 and SINR <-4, as a joint decision to determine that the signal quality is less than or equal to the first threshold value.

[0095] It should be noted that S501 is only an optional way to trigger the reporting of the first information. As long as the terminal device predicts that it will enter weak coverage, the reporting of the first information can be triggered. For example, an alternative triggering method is that the terminal device determines to reach a preset geographical location, for example, in a high-speed rail scenario, the terminal device determines that it will enter a tunnel according to the location, and it can be predicted that the signal will become weak after entering the tunnel. Alternatively, another alternative triggering method is that the terminal device determines to reach a preset geographical location and the predicted signal quality is less than or equal to the first threshold value. Alternatively, another alternative triggering method is that the terminal device determines that the motion trajectory meets the preset trajectory. Alternatively, another alternative triggering method is that the terminal device determines that the motion trajectory meets the preset trajectory and reaches the preset geographical location, for example, the terminal device determines that it meets the daily operation trajectory of the terminal device according to the trajectory, and determines that the current location will enter a cell coverage edge after 2s according to the previously stored daily operation trajectory, and the signal will become weak. Alternatively, another alternative triggering method is that the terminal device determines that the motion trajectory meets the preset trajectory and the predicted signal quality is less than or equal to the first threshold value. Alternatively, another alternative triggering method is that the terminal device determines that the motion trajectory meets the preset trajectory and the predicted signal quality is less than or equal to the first threshold value. Alternatively, another alternative triggering method is that the terminal device determines that the motion trajectory meets the preset trajectory, reaches the preset geographical location, and the predicted signal quality is less than or equal to the first threshold value. Alternatively, another alternative triggering method is that the terminal device determines that the bit error rate is greater than or equal to the third threshold value. Alternatively, another alternative triggering method is that the terminal device determines that the radio link failure occurs.

[0096] For example, the first threshold value, the preset geographical position, the preset trajectory, the third threshold value, and the like can be determined by the terminal device or configured by the network device. For example, the first threshold value is taken as an example. The network device can send third information to the terminal device, and the third information can indicate that the RSRP is lower than -110 or the SINR is lower than -4, where -110 and -4 are the first threshold value.

[0097] Optionally, if the preset geographical position, the preset trajectory, and the like are configured by the network device, the network device can determine the conditions based on the historical channel measurement results reported by the terminal device, based on the channel measurement results reported by other terminal devices, or based on other information, which is not limited herein.

[0098] The above manners are only examples of some manners of triggering the reporting of the first information, and the specific manner of predicting that the terminal device will enter weak coverage is not limited herein.

[0099] Optionally, before the terminal device predicts that the signal is weak, the network device can configure the terminal device with the signal quality of the predicted signal that is allowed to be reported. For example, the network device can send fourth information to the terminal device, and the fourth information is used to indicate the signal quality of the predicted signal that is allowed to be reported. For example, the fourth information can be sent by an RRC reconfiguration command, can be sent by a measurement configuration, or can be sent by other messages, which are not listed herein.

[0100] Optionally, the terminal device further receives a prediction time length configuration parameter sent by the network device, and the terminal device determines the shortest time length information that needs to be predicted according to the prediction time length configuration parameter. For example, the prediction time length configuration parameter is 2 s, and the terminal device predicts the weak coverage information at least after 2 s. The terminal device cannot predict the weak coverage within 2 s. Because the prediction time is too short, the network device cannot process in time. The above manner can reserve processing time for the network device, thereby improving the service experience in weak coverage.

[0101] In addition, the terminal device can further report the signal quality of the predicted signal that is supported to be reported to the network device. For example, the terminal device can send fifth information to the network device, where the fifth information is used to indicate the signal quality of the predicted signal that is supported to be reported by the terminal device.

[0102] In a possible implementation manner, the terminal device can perform weak coverage prediction by using an AI module. The AI model can obtain the relationship between the current UE information and the future signal quality based on the training of data, and the UE information can include one or more of the following information:

[0103] UE current channel measurement results, which can include current cell and neighbor cell measurement results, and the identities of the corresponding cells;

[0104] UE current speed;

[0105] UE current location information.

[0106] After the AI model is trained, the terminal device can input the current UE information into the AI model, and obtain the output signal quality through AI model inference. It should be noted that the training and / or inference of the AI model can also be performed on other devices (for example, a cloud server). Taking the cloud server as an example, the UE can send the current UE information to the cloud server, and obtain the inference result from the cloud server.

[0107] S502, the terminal device sends first information. Correspondingly, the network device receives the first information.

[0108] The first information indicates that the signal is about to weaken. Alternatively, the first information can also indicate that the weak coverage is about to be entered, or the first information indicates the weak coverage, or the first information indicates that the weak coverage is predicted, and the like.

[0109] The first information can indicate (or trigger or request) the network device to perform preferential scheduling. Alternatively, the first information can indicate (or trigger or request) the network device to configure conditional handover, and the like.

[0110] Optionally, the first information can include at least one of the following: a time when the signal quality of the signal starts to be less than or equal to a first threshold value, a duration when the signal quality of the signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value, or a predicted signal quality.

[0111] The time when the signal quality of the signal starts to be less than or equal to the first threshold value can be understood as the earliest time when the predicted signal quality is less than or equal to the first threshold value, or the starting time of the time period when the predicted signal quality is less than or equal to the first threshold value. The time when the signal quality of the signal starts to be less than or equal to the first threshold value can also be described as the time of entering the weak coverage, the starting time of entering the weak coverage, and the like. For example, the time can be a relative time, such as 5s later, 2 minutes later, and the like, and for example, 10 symbols later, 8 time slots later, 5 frames later, and the like. Alternatively, the time can also be an absolute time, for example, a coordinated universal time (UTC) time, or a time counted in a wireless system time such as a system frame number (SFN) / time slot.

[0112] The duration that the signal quality of the signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value can also be described as a duration of weak coverage, a coverage duration of a weak coverage area, and the like. The unit of the duration can be a time domain unit such as a symbol, a time slot, or the like, or a time unit such as a second, a minute, an hour, or the like.

[0113] The predicted signal quality can be understood as a signal quality less than or equal to the first threshold value. The predicted signal quality can also be described as a signal quality during weak coverage, a signal quality in a weak coverage area, and the like. The predicted signal quality can be a predicted value of RSRP, SINR, or RSRQ. In this application, the predicted signal quality can be a signal quality at a time point, a signal quality at multiple time points, an average of signal qualities at multiple time points, and the like.

[0114] The first information can also indicate at least one cell, wherein the terminal device is greater than or equal to the second threshold value in the at least one cell after a period of time after the terminal device predicts that the signal quality enters weak coverage.

[0115] For example, the second threshold value can be determined by the terminal device or configured by the network device. The first threshold value and the second threshold value can be indicated by one information (for example, the third information) or two information, which is not limited here.

[0116] In this application, the reporting of the first information can be in the user equipment assistance information (UE assistance information, UAI) or the measurement report. Alternatively, the first information can also be sent through other messages, which are not listed one by one here.

[0117] Optionally, when the first information is reported in the measurement report, a coverage prediction event can be defined, for example, a coverage prediction measurement event A7 (indicating that the predicted quality of the serving cell is lower than a certain threshold) or by enhancing the currently defined measurement event, for example, A2 is enhanced to A2e (A2 is defined in the current 3GPP protocol TS 38331, and A2 is triggered when the quality of the serving cell is lower than a certain threshold. The threshold of A2 is configured by the network device), and the logic of the service cell quality judgment of A2 is changed to trigger the A2e event report based on the predicted quality of the service cell. Correspondingly, the network device needs to specify the configuration information of the coverage prediction event when performing measurement configuration, such as A7 event configuration or A2e event configuration.

[0118] As a possible implementation, before S502, the network device can send the fourth information through measurement configuration. The terminal device sends the first information through the measurement report after predicting that it will enter weak coverage.

[0119] Optionally, the network device can communicate with the terminal device according to the first information. Two possible implementation manners are introduced below.

[0120] In implementation manner 1, the network device schedules the terminal device according to the first information. For example, the network device can increase the scheduling priority of the terminal device according to the first information.

[0121] The terminal device can cache the received data. The terminal device can run the cached data after entering the weak coverage, for example, assuming that the cached data is video data / text data / audio data, etc., the terminal device can continue to play the cached video data / display the cached text data / play the cached audio data, etc. after entering the weak coverage.

[0122] For example, in a normal scheduling case, the network device can prioritize a plurality of terminal devices according to the channel quality and historical rate of the terminal devices, to ensure fairness and take into account the channel quality of each terminal device. However, if it is determined according to the first information that one of the terminal devices will enter the weak coverage in a short time (for example, 2s later), the network device can increase the scheduling priority of this terminal device within the 2s, and preferentially schedule this terminal device. After 2s, the network device schedules other terminal devices after this terminal device enters the weak coverage. In this way, fairness can be ensured, and this terminal device can be given more cached data, so that the terminal device can maintain service continuity during the weak coverage.

[0123] In a specific implementation manner, the network device can determine the amount of data scheduled to the terminal device according to one or more of the time when the signal quality of the signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value, the duration when the signal quality of the signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value, or the predicted signal quality. For example, if the duration is long, more data can be scheduled, and if the duration is short, less data can be scheduled. For another example, if the predicted signal quality is poor, more data can be scheduled, and if the predicted signal quality is good, less data can be scheduled. It can be understood that "less data" here means less data than the amount of data scheduled in the case of long duration / poor predicted signal quality.

[0124] In implementation manner 2, the network device can configure the terminal device to perform conditional handover according to the first information. For example, the network device sends second information to the terminal device. Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the second information. The second information is used to configure the conditional handover.

[0125] Optionally, the second information can also be used to configure a candidate cell for conditional handover, wherein the candidate cell for conditional handover includes at least one cell indicated by the first information.

[0126] For example, the first information indicates that the first cell, the network device can determine according to the first information that the terminal device will enter a weak coverage area soon, and determine the first cell in which the signal quality of the terminal device is recovered according to the first information. In order to avoid the terminal device from failing to issue a handover command in the weak coverage area, causing the link of the terminal device to fail, the network device can configure conditional handover for the terminal device, for example, the handover condition can be that the signal quality is higher than the signal quality of the current cell, so that the terminal device can determine that the handover condition is met when the signal is recovered, and automatically switch to the first cell.

[0127] The application predicts the future signal quality by the terminal device, and reports the prediction to the network device when it is predicted that the weak coverage will be entered, that is, when it is predicted that the signal will be weakened, so that the network device can communicate with the terminal device according to the prediction.

[0128] For example, the network device can schedule the terminal device according to the prediction, for example, preferentially schedule the terminal device according to the prediction. The terminal device can cache the scheduled data to improve the experience in the weak coverage area. For example, a user uses a terminal device to watch online videos on a high-speed train, the terminal device predicts that it will enter a weak coverage area, and sends first information to the network device. The network device can preferentially schedule the terminal device before entering the weak coverage area, and the terminal device caches the scheduled data. The cached data can be played in the weak coverage area, so that the user can continue to watch videos in the weak coverage area, and the user's experience is good.

[0129] For another example, the network device can configure the terminal device to perform conditional handover. Compared with the current way that the terminal device reenters the access network after the signal is recovered, the terminal device quickly accesses the cell through conditional handover in the application, which can reduce the duration of signal interruption of the terminal device.

[0130] Based on the same inventive concept as the method embodiment, the embodiment of the application provides a communication device. The structure of the communication device can be as shown in FIG. 6, which includes a communication unit 601 and a processing unit 602.

[0131] In an embodiment, the communication device can be specifically used to implement the method performed by the terminal device in the embodiment of FIG. 5. The device can be the terminal device itself, or a chip or chip set or part of the chip in the terminal device for executing the related method functions. The processing unit 602 is configured to determine that the predicted signal quality is less than or equal to a first threshold value; and the communication unit 601 is configured to send first information, the first information indicating that the signal will be weakened soon.

[0132] Optionally, the communication unit 601 is further configured to receive second information, the second information being used to configure conditional handover.

[0133] Optionally, the communication unit 601 is further configured to receive third information, the third information indicating the first threshold value and / or the second threshold value.

[0134] Optionally, the communication unit 601 is further configured to receive fourth information, the fourth information indicating that the predicted signal quality is allowed to be reported.

[0135] Optionally, the communication unit 601 is further configured to send fifth information, the fifth information indicating that the predicted signal quality is supported to be reported.

[0136] In an embodiment, the communication device can be specifically configured to implement the method performed by the network device in the embodiment of FIG. 5. The device can be the network device itself, or a chip or chip set or a part of a chip in the network device for performing the functions of the related method. The communication unit 601 is configured to receive first information, the first information indicating that the signal of the terminal device is about to weaken; and the processing unit 602 is configured to schedule the terminal device according to the first information.

[0137] Optionally, the communication unit 601 is further configured to send third information, the third information indicating the first threshold value.

[0138] Optionally, the communication unit 601 is further configured to send fourth information, the fourth information indicating that the predicted signal quality is allowed to be reported.

[0139] Optionally, the communication unit 601 is further configured to receive fifth information, the fifth information indicating that the terminal device supports the predicted signal quality to be reported.

[0140] Optionally, the processing unit 602 is specifically configured to: increase the scheduling priority of the terminal device according to the first information.

[0141] In an embodiment, the communication device can be specifically configured to implement the method performed by the network device in the embodiment of FIG. 5. The device can be the network device itself, or a chip or chip set or a part of a chip in the network device for performing the functions of the related method. The processing unit 602 is configured to receive first information through the communication unit 601, the first information indicating that the signal of the terminal device is about to weaken; and send second information through the communication unit 601, the second information being used for configuring conditional handover.

[0142] Optionally, the communication unit 601 is further configured to send third information, the third information indicating the first threshold value and / or the second threshold value.

[0143] Optionally, the communication unit 601 is further configured to send fourth information, the fourth information indicating that the predicted signal quality is allowed to be reported.

[0144] Optionally, the communication unit 601 is further configured to receive fifth information, where the fifth information is used to indicate that the terminal device supports reporting a signal quality of the predicted signal.

[0145] The division of the modules in the embodiments of the present application is illustrative, and is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, another division manner can be used. In addition, each function module in each embodiment of the present application can be integrated in one processor, or can be physically separated, or two or more modules can be integrated in one module. The integrated module can be implemented in the form of hardware, or in the form of a software function module. It can be understood that the functions or implementation of each module in the embodiments of the present application can be further referred to the related description of the method embodiments.

[0146] In one possible manner, the communication apparatus can be as shown in FIG. 7. The apparatus can be a communication device or a chip in a communication device. The communication device can be the terminal device or the network device in the above embodiments. The apparatus includes a processor 701 and a communication interface 702, and can further include a memory 703. The processing unit 602 can be the processor 701. The communication unit 601 can be the communication interface 702. Optionally, the processor 701 and the memory 703 can be integrated together.

[0147] The processor 701 can be a CPU, or a digital processing unit, etc. The communication interface 702 can be a transceiver, an interface circuit such as a transceiver circuit, a transceiver chip, etc. The apparatus further includes the memory 703 for storing programs executed by the processor 701. The memory 703 can be a non-volatile memory such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD), etc., and can also be a volatile memory such as a random-access memory (RAM). The memory 703 can be any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program codes in the form of instructions or data structures and capable of being accessed by a computer, but is not limited to this.

[0148] The processor 701 is configured to execute the program codes stored in the memory 703, and is specifically configured to execute the actions of the processing unit 602. Details are not described herein again. The communication interface 702 is specifically configured to execute the actions of the communication unit 601. Details are not described herein again.

[0149] The specific connection medium between the communication interface 702, the processor 701 and the memory 703 is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. In FIG. 7, the memory 703, the processor 701 and the communication interface 702 are connected through a bus 704, which is represented by a thick line in FIG. 7, and the connection mode between other components is only illustrative and is not limited. The bus can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus and the like. In FIG. 7, only one thick line is used for representation, but it does not mean that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

[0150] The embodiments of the present application also provide a computer readable storage medium for storing computer software instructions required for the processor to execute the above-mentioned processes, which contains programs required for the processor to execute.

[0151] The embodiments of the present application also provide a communication system, which comprises a communication device for realizing the function of the terminal device in the embodiment of FIG. 5 and a communication device for realizing the function of the network device in the embodiment of FIG. 5.

[0152] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of the present application can be provided as a method, a system or a computer program product. Therefore, the present application can take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Moreover, the present application can take the form of a computer program product implemented on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage and the like) containing computer-usable program code.

[0153] The present application is described with reference to flowcharts and / or block diagrams of the method, device (system) and computer program product according to the present application. It should be understood that each flow and / or block in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, and the combination of flows and / or blocks in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded processor or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus produce a device that implements the functions specified in one or more flows in the flowcharts and / or one or more blocks in the block diagrams.

[0154] These computer program instructions can also be stored in a computer readable memory that can guide the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to work in a specific way, so that the instructions stored in the computer readable memory produce a product including instruction devices, which implement the functions specified in one or more flows in the flowcharts and / or one or more blocks in the block diagrams.

[0155] These computer program instructions can also be loaded into a computer or other programmable data processing devices, so that a series of operational steps are performed on the computer or other programmable devices to generate computer-implemented processes, so that the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable devices provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more flows in the flowchart and / or one or more blocks in the block diagram.

[0156] Obviously, various modifications and changes can be made to the present application by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Accordingly, it is intended that the present application embrace all such modifications and changes as fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method comprises: determining that a predicted signal quality is less than or equal to a first threshold value; sending first information indicating that the signal is about to weaken.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The first information comprises at least one of: a time at which a signal quality of the signal starts to be less than or equal to the first threshold value, a duration for which the signal quality of the signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value, or the predicted signal quality.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving second information for configuring a conditional handover.

4. The method of claim 1 or 3, wherein, The first information further indicates a first cell in which a predicted signal quality is greater than or equal to a second threshold value.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, The second information is further for configuring a candidate cell for the conditional handover, wherein the candidate cell for the conditional handover comprises the first cell.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving third information indicating the first threshold value and / or the second threshold value.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein The method further comprises: receiving fourth information for indicating that reporting of a predicted signal quality is allowed.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The method further comprises: sending fifth information for indicating that reporting of a predicted signal quality is supported.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The first information is carried in user equipment assistance information (UAI) or a measurement report.

10. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method comprises: receiving first information indicating that a signal of a terminal device is about to weaken; scheduling the terminal device according to the first information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, The first information comprises at least one of: a time at which a signal quality of the signal starts to be less than or equal to a first threshold value, a duration for which the signal quality of the signal is less than or equal to the first threshold value, or the predicted signal quality.

12. The method of claim 10 or 11, wherein, The method further comprises: sending third information indicating the first threshold value.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein, The method further comprises: sending fourth information for indicating that reporting of a predicted signal quality is allowed.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving fifth information for indicating that the terminal device supports reporting of a predicted signal quality.

15. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein, The first information is carried in user equipment assistance information (UAI) or a measurement report.

16. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein, The scheduling of the terminal device according to the first information comprises: increasing a scheduling priority of the terminal device according to the first information.

17. A method of communication, comprising: The method comprises: receiving first information indicating that a signal of a terminal device is about to weaken; sending second information for configuring a conditional handover.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, The first information further indicates a first cell in which a predicted signal quality is greater than or equal to a second threshold value.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, The second information is further for configuring a candidate cell for the conditional handover, wherein the candidate cell for the conditional handover comprises the first cell.

20. The method of any one of claims 17-19, wherein, The method further comprises: sending third information indicating the first threshold value and / or the second threshold value.

21. The method of any one of claims 17-20, wherein, The method further comprises: sending fourth information for indicating that reporting of a predicted signal quality is allowed.

22. The method of any one of claims 17-21, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving fifth information for indicating that the terminal device supports reporting of a predicted signal quality.

23. The method of any one of claims 17-22, wherein, The first information is carried in user equipment assistance information (UAI) or a measurement report.

24. A communications device, characterized by comprising means or modules for performing the method of any of claims 1-9.

25. A communications device, characterized by comprising means or modules for performing the method of any of claims 1-9.

26. A communications device, characterized by comprising means or modules for performing the method of any of claims 10-16 or the method of any of claims 17-23.

27. A communications device, characterized by comprising a processor and a memory for storing program instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the method of any of claims 1-9 to be performed.

28. A communications device, characterized by comprising a processor and a memory for storing program instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the method of any of claims 10-16 or the method of any of claims 17-23 to be performed.

29. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer readable storage medium has stored therein computer readable instructions, which, when executed on a communication device, cause the method of any of claims 1-9, or the method of any of claims 10-16, or the method of any of claims 17-23 to be performed.

30. A computer program product, characterised in that, The computer program product, when executed on a device, causes the device to perform the method of any of claims 1-9, or the method of any of claims 10-16, or the method of any of claims 17-23.

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