Data transmission method and communication apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides a data transmission method and a communication apparatus. The method may comprise: a terminal device receiving, on a secondary link, a wake-up signal from a network device, the wake-up signal comprising data or scheduling information of the data, the wake-up signal further comprising first indicating information, and the first indicating information indicating a first resource configured for feeding back a reception status of the data; and on the basis of the first resource, feeding back, on the secondary link or on a primary link, the reception status of the data to the network device. Because the wake-up signal is a signal received by a terminal device on a secondary link, that is, a signal received by the terminal device by using a small, low-power circuit, carrying data or scheduling information of the data in the wake-up signal enables low-power data transmission by the terminal device, thereby making the technical solution applicable to more scenarios, such as scenarios in which small data volumes are transmitted.

Description

Data transmission methods and communication devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411454243.2, filed on October 17, 2024, entitled "Method and Communication Apparatus for Data Transmission", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of wireless communication, and more specifically, to a method and communication apparatus for data transmission. Background Technology

[0003] Currently, before transmitting data, terminal devices must perform a series of operations. Specifically, the terminal device first obtains system messages, then performs random access and establishes a radio resource control (RRC) connection (i.e., enters the connected state). Next, the terminal device establishes an initial context with the core network, a process that includes, but is not limited to: activating security, acquiring terminal device capabilities, and instructing the terminal device to establish a signaling radio bearer (SRB) and a data radio bearer (DRB) via RRC reconfiguration. Afterward, the terminal device performs uplink and downlink data transmission (referred to as data transmission). As can be seen, the terminal device needs to exchange multiple signaling messages over the air interface before data transmission, resulting in significant overhead. However, with technological advancements, such as in IoT terminals, data transmission is often small-volume and requires specific power consumption control. Therefore, the above process may no longer be suitable for IoT terminals. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a data transmission method and a communication device that can realize low-power data transmission for terminal devices.

[0005] Firstly, a data transmission method is provided. This method can be applied to the terminal side; that is, it can be executed by the terminal device or by components of the terminal device (such as a chip, chip system, circuit, or communication module). This application does not limit the scope of the method. The following description mainly uses a terminal device as an example.

[0006] The method may include: receiving a wake-up signal from a network device on a secondary link, the wake-up signal including data or data scheduling information, the wake-up signal further including first indication information, the first indication information indicating a first resource; and sending second indication information to the network device on the secondary link or the primary link based on the first resource, the second indication information indicating the data reception status.

[0007] One possible implementation involves receiving a wake-up signal from a network device on a secondary link. The wake-up signal includes data and first indication information, where the first indication information indicates a first resource. On the secondary link or the primary link, a second indication information is sent to the network device based on the first resource. The second indication information indicates the reception status of the data.

[0008] Based on the above technical solution, the terminal device receives data on the secondary link. For example, the terminal device receives a wake-up signal, which carries data. Since the wake-up signal is a signal received by the terminal device on the secondary link, that is, a signal received by the terminal device through a low-power small circuit, carrying data in the wake-up signal can realize low-power data transmission of the terminal device, thus making it suitable for more scenarios, such as scenarios with small data volume transmission.

[0009] Another possible implementation involves receiving a wake-up signal from a network device on the secondary link. This wake-up signal includes data scheduling information and first indication information, where the first indication information indicates a first resource. On the secondary link or primary link, a second indication information is sent to the network device based on the first resource. This second indication information indicates the data reception status. Further optionally, the data from the network device is received on the secondary link based on the data scheduling information.

[0010] Based on the above technical solution, the terminal device receives data on the secondary link. For example, the terminal device receives a wake-up signal, which carries data scheduling information. The terminal device then receives data based on this data scheduling information. Since the wake-up signal is received by the terminal device on the secondary link, that is, the signal received by the terminal device through a low-power small circuit, carrying data scheduling information in the wake-up signal and receiving data on the secondary link can realize low-power data transmission of the terminal device, thus making it suitable for more scenarios, such as scenarios with small data volume transmission.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, before receiving a wake-up signal on the secondary link, the method further includes: sending capability information, the capability information indicating whether signal transmission on the secondary link is supported; the step of sending second indication information on the secondary link or the primary link based on the first resource includes: if the capability information indicates support for signal transmission on the secondary link, sending second indication information on the secondary link based on the first resource.

[0012] Based on the above technical solution, the terminal device can report its own capability information, which facilitates the alignment of the link for transmitting the second indication information between the network device and the terminal device. For example, if the capability information indicates that the terminal device supports transmitting signals on the secondary link (such as low-power uplink signals), then the terminal device can report the data reception status (i.e., the second indication information) on the secondary link. Correspondingly, the network device can also determine the data reception status reported by the terminal device on the secondary link based on the terminal device's support for transmitting signals on the secondary link.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first resource includes physical random access channel (PRACH) resources and / or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the sending of the second indication information based on the first resource on the secondary link or the primary link includes sending the second indication information based on the PRACH resource on the primary link when the first resource includes a PRACH resource.

[0015] Based on the above technical solution, the terminal device can report the data reception status to the network device based on PRACH resources, thus requiring minimal protocol modifications. Specifically, according to existing protocols, after receiving a wake-up signal, the terminal device may perform random access, i.e., random access based on PRACH resources. In the above technical solution, since the wake-up signal carries data, the terminal device can report the data reception status. Since the terminal device may perform random access based on the wake-up signal, the data reception status can be reported to the network device during the random access process, thus eliminating the need for the network device to separately configure uplink resources.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, where the first resource includes a PUCCH resource, a second indication information is transmitted on the main link or the secondary link based on the PUCCH resource.

[0017] Based on the above technical solution, the terminal device can report the data reception status to the network device based on the PUCCH resource. In this way, the data reception status can be reported on the secondary link, that is, the terminal device does not need to wake up the main circuit to report the data reception status.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, where the first resource includes PRACH resources and PUCCH resources, the main link sends second indication information based on the PUCCH resources, and the PRACH resources are used for random access on the main link.

[0019] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the step of sending the second indication information based on the PRACH resource on the main link includes: sending a random access procedure message 3Msg3 based on the PRACH resource on the main link, wherein the Msg3 includes the second indication information.

[0020] Based on the above technical solution, the terminal device can report the data reception status to the network device through Msg3 during the random access process, thus eliminating the need for separate signaling reporting and saving signaling overhead.

[0021] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the first indication information indicates a first resource, including: the first indication information indicates an offset, the offset being an offset between the first resource and a reference resource.

[0022] Based on the above technical solution, considering that the wake-up signal is transmitted through a low-power circuit and can carry fewer fields, the offset of the first resource relative to the reference resource can be indicated. This not only enables resource indication but also reduces the signaling overhead caused by resource indication.

[0023] Optionally, the reference resource may be any of the following: a preset resource, the resource occupied by the wake-up signal, or the resource occupied by the data.

[0024] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the network device is a network device that serves the terminal device when the terminal device switches from the primary link to the secondary link.

[0025] Based on the above technical solution, before the terminal device receives data on the secondary link, it has not yet responded to the network devices. Therefore, if all network devices send data to the terminal device, the terminal device will not receive the data sent by these network devices that are not within the network coverage area (e.g., service range), resulting in a waste of resources for these network devices. Since the terminal device is within the network coverage area of ​​a particular network device, after switching from the primary link to the wake-up link, it is highly likely that the terminal device can still receive the signal from that network device. Therefore, having that network device send data to the terminal device can reduce resource waste.

[0026] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, receiving a wake-up signal from a network device on a secondary link, wherein the wake-up signal includes data or scheduling information of the data, includes: receiving a wake-up signal from a network device on a secondary link under at least one of the following conditions, wherein the wake-up signal includes data or scheduling information of the data: the cell quality of the serving cell of the terminal device is greater than or equal to a first threshold; and / or, the change in the cell quality of the serving cell of the terminal device within a preset time period is less than or equal to a second threshold.

[0027] Based on the above technical solution, unnecessary data transmission can be reduced. For example, when a terminal device switches cells, if the network device before the switch sends data to the terminal device, it will result in a waste of resources. Therefore, the terminal device can determine the likelihood of cell reselection based on the above criteria. If the terminal device determines that the likelihood of cell reselection is high based on the above criteria (e.g., the cell quality of the terminal device's serving cell is less than a first threshold; and / or, the change in the cell quality of the terminal device's serving cell within a preset time period is less than or equal to a second threshold), it can determine in advance that it does not need to receive data on the secondary link. The terminal device can then notify the network device that it does not need to send data, thereby avoiding the waste of resources in advance.

[0028] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: stopping data reception on the secondary link after the first timer expires, wherein the start time of the first timer is the time when the data is first received on the secondary link.

[0029] Based on the above technical solution, terminal devices and network devices can transmit data on the secondary link for a period of time, which can be achieved through a timer. Directly controlling the data transmission time (i.e., data transmission on the secondary link) between network devices and terminal devices through a timer can avoid the signaling overhead caused by frequently indicating whether data transmission (i.e., data transmission on the secondary link) should be performed.

[0030] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: during the operation of the second timer, receiving retransmission data of the data on the secondary link, wherein the start time of the second timer is the moment when the data is first received on the secondary link.

[0031] Based on the above technical solution, terminal devices and network devices can transmit initial data and retransmit data on the secondary link, which can improve data transmission performance.

[0032] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the sending of the second indication information includes: sending the i-th second indication information at a first transmission power and sending the j-th second indication information at a second transmission power, wherein the second transmission power is greater than the first transmission power, wherein the i-th second indication information indicates the reception status of the i-th data received on the secondary link, and the j-th second indication information indicates the reception status of the j-th data received on the secondary link, where i and j are integers greater than 0, and i is less than j.

[0033] Based on the above technical solution, when the terminal device receives retransmitted data from the network device and reports the data reception status to the network device again, it can increase the transmission power to increase the probability that the network device receives the second indication information.

[0034] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, sending the second indication information includes: after sending X instances of the second indication information, stopping the sending of the second indication information, where X is the maximum number of retransmissions and X is an integer greater than 1.

[0035] Based on the above technical solution, after reaching the maximum number of retransmissions, the terminal device can stop reporting the data reception status, that is, the terminal device can assume that the data transmission has failed.

[0036] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, sending the second indication information to the network device based on the first resource on the secondary link or the primary link includes: during the operation of a third timer, sending the second indication information to the network device based on the first resource on the secondary link or the primary link, wherein the start time of the third timer is the moment when the data is first received on the secondary link, or the start time of the third timer is the moment when the wake-up signal is received on the secondary link.

[0037] Based on the above technical solution, the terminal device can send a signal (i.e., feedback data reception status) to the network device over a period of time based on a resource (i.e., the first resource) indicated by the network device in a certain instance. This reduces signaling overhead compared to the network device instructing the terminal device to send feedback resources every time. Furthermore, to improve resource utilization, the network device can release the first resource after a certain period.

[0038] Secondly, a data transmission method is provided. This method can be applied to the network device side; that is, it can be executed by the network device itself, or by components of the network device (such as chips, chip systems, circuits, or communication modules). This application does not limit the scope of this method. The following description primarily uses a network device as an example.

[0039] The method may include: sending a wake-up signal, the wake-up signal including data or scheduling information of the data, the wake-up signal further including first indication information, the first indication information indicating a first resource; and receiving second indication information based on the first resource, the second indication information indicating the reception status of the data. Optionally, sending the wake-up signal includes: sending a wake-up signal on a secondary link, that is, sending a wake-up signal received by the terminal device on the secondary link.

[0040] One possible implementation involves sending a wake-up signal, which includes data and first indication information, the first indication information indicating a first resource; and receiving second indication information based on the first resource, the second indication information indicating the reception status of the data.

[0041] Another possible implementation involves sending a wake-up signal, which includes data scheduling information and first indication information, the first indication information indicating a first resource; and receiving second indication information based on the first resource, the second indication information indicating the data reception status. Further optionally, the data is sent based on the data scheduling information.

[0042] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, before sending the wake-up signal, the method further includes: receiving capability information, the capability information indicating whether signal transmission on the secondary link of the terminal device is supported; the step of receiving second indication information based on the first resource includes: if the capability information indicates support for signal transmission on the secondary link of the terminal device, receiving second indication information on the secondary link of the terminal device based on the first resource.

[0043] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first resource includes physical random access channel (PRACH) resources and / or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources.

[0044] In conjunction with the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, receiving the second indication information based on the first resource includes any one of the following: if the first resource includes PRACH resources, receiving the second indication information from the main link of the terminal device based on the PRACH resources; or, if the first resource includes PUCCH resources, receiving the second indication information from the main link or auxiliary link of the terminal device based on the PUCCH resources; or, if the first resource includes both PRACH resources and PUCCH resources, receiving the second indication information from the main link of the terminal device based on the PUCCH resources, wherein the PRACH resources are used for random access on the main link.

[0045] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, receiving the second indication information from the main link of the terminal device based on the PRACH resource includes: receiving a message 3Msg3 from the random access procedure on the main link of the terminal device based on the PRACH resource, wherein the Msg3 includes the second indication information.

[0046] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first indication information indicates the first resource, including: the first indication information indicates an offset, the offset being the offset between the first resource and a reference resource.

[0047] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the network device is a network device that serves the terminal device when the terminal device switches from the primary link to the secondary link.

[0048] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: stopping the transmission of the data after the first timer times out, wherein the start time of the first timer is the time when the data is first transmitted.

[0049] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: during the operation of the second timer, sending retransmission data of the data, wherein the start time of the second timer is the time when the data is first sent.

[0050] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, receiving the second indication information from the network device based on the first resource includes: receiving the second indication information based on the first resource during the operation of a third timer, wherein the start time of the third timer is the time when the data is first sent, or the start time of the third timer is the time when the wake-up signal is sent.

[0051] The beneficial effects and possible implementation methods of the second aspect can be found in the relevant descriptions in the first aspect above, and will not be repeated here.

[0052] Thirdly, a data transmission method is provided. This method can be applied to the terminal side; that is, it can be executed by the terminal device or by components of the terminal device (such as a chip, chip system, circuit, or communication module). This application does not limit the scope of the method. The following description mainly uses a terminal device as an example.

[0053] The method may include receiving data from a network device on a secondary link.

[0054] Optionally, the data is carried in the wake-up signal. For details, please refer to the relevant description in the first aspect.

[0055] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the method further includes: receiving first indication information from a network device on a secondary link, the first indication information indicating a first resource; and sending second indication information to the network device on the secondary link or the primary link, the second indication information indicating the reception status of the data.

[0056] Optionally, the first indication information and data are carried in a signaling message, such as in a wake-up signal. Refer to the relevant description in the first aspect for details.

[0057] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the method further includes: receiving scheduling information for data from a network device on the secondary link; receiving data from a network device on the secondary link includes: receiving data from a network device on the secondary link based on the data scheduling information. Optionally, the data scheduling information is carried in a wake-up signal. For this, please refer to the relevant description in the first aspect.

[0058] Fourthly, a method for data transmission is provided. This method can be applied to the network device side; that is, it can be executed by the network device itself, or by components of the network device (such as chips, chip systems, circuits, or communication modules). This application does not limit this. The following description mainly uses a network device as an example.

[0059] This method may include: sending data on the secondary link.

[0060] Optionally, the data is carried in the wake-up signal. For details, please refer to the relevant description in the first aspect.

[0061] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the method further includes: sending first indication information on the secondary link, the first indication information indicating a first resource; and receiving second indication information on the secondary link or the primary link, the second indication information indicating the reception status of the data.

[0062] Optionally, the first indication information and data are carried in a signaling message, such as in a wake-up signal. Refer to the relevant description in the first aspect for details.

[0063] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the method further includes: scheduling information for transmitting data on the secondary link. Optionally, the data scheduling information is carried in a wake-up signal. For this, please refer to the relevant description in the first aspect.

[0064] The third and fourth aspects can be discussed in conjunction with the possible implementation methods and beneficial effects of the first and second aspects mentioned above, and will not be elaborated here.

[0065] Fifthly, a communication apparatus is provided for performing the methods of any one of the first to fourth aspects and any possible implementation thereof. Specifically, the apparatus may include units and / or modules for performing the methods of any one of the first to fourth aspects and any possible implementation thereof, such as processing units and / or communication units.

[0066] In one implementation, the device is a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device). When the device is a communication device, the communication unit can be a transceiver or an input / output interface; the processing unit can be at least one processor. Optionally, the transceiver can be a transceiver circuit. Optionally, the input / output interface can be an input / output circuit.

[0067] In another implementation, the device is a chip, chip system, circuit, or communication module for communication equipment (such as terminal equipment or network equipment). When the device is a chip, chip system, or circuit for communication equipment, the communication unit can be an input / output interface, interface circuit, output circuit, input circuit, pin, or related circuit on the chip, chip system, or circuit; the processing unit can be at least one processor, processing circuit, or logic circuit.

[0068] A sixth aspect provides a communication device comprising: at least one processor configured to cause the device to perform any one of the first to fourth aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0069] Optionally, the at least one processor is configured to execute computer programs or instructions to perform any of the first to fourth aspects described above and any possible implementation thereof.

[0070] Optionally, the device further includes a memory for storing the computer program or instructions.

[0071] Optionally, the at least one processor is coupled to a memory for storing the computer program or instructions. The memory may be located externally to the device.

[0072] Optionally, the device also includes a communication interface through which the processor reads instructions from memory. This can be understood as the communication interface being coupled to the processor and used to input computer programs or instructions to the processor, or to output information from the processor.

[0073] Unless otherwise specified, or if the transmission and acquisition / reception operations involved do not contradict their actual function or internal logic in the relevant description, they can be understood as output, input, or other operations, or as transmission and reception operations performed by radio frequency circuits and antennas. This application does not limit them in this regard.

[0074] In one implementation, the device is a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device).

[0075] In another implementation, the device is a chip, chip system, circuit, or communication module for communication equipment (such as terminal equipment or network equipment). Optionally, the chip is a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core or a system-in-package (SIP) chip.

[0076] A seventh aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program (e.g., program code) or instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform any of the first to fourth aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0077] Eighthly, a computer program product containing instructions is provided, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform any one of the first to fourth aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0078] A ninth aspect provides a communication system, including a first communication device and a second communication device. The first communication device is configured to execute a method provided in any implementation of the first aspect, and the second communication device is configured to execute a method provided in any implementation of the second aspect; or, the first communication device is configured to execute a method provided in any implementation of the third aspect, and the second communication device is configured to execute a method provided in any implementation of the fourth aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0079] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system applicable to an embodiment of this application.

[0080] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an ORAN system applicable to an embodiment of this application.

[0081] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an access network device applicable to an embodiment of this application.

[0082] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the main circuit and the wake-up circuit.

[0083] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a data transmission method 500 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0084] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a data transmission method 600 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0085] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a data transmission method 700 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0086] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 800 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0087] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of another communication device 900 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0088] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a chip system 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0089] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0090] Before introducing the scheme of this application, the following points should be noted.

[0091] (1) In this application, "instruction" can include direct instruction, indirect instruction, explicit instruction, implicit instruction, etc. When describing an instruction information as indicating A, it can be understood that the instruction information carries A, carries the identifier of A, carries B which is associated with A, carries the identifier of B which is associated with A, etc. In other words, if the receiving side of an instruction information can determine A based on the instruction information, it can be described as the instruction information indicating A, and the specific method of determination is not limited. When it is understood that the instruction information carries A, "instruction" can be replaced with "includes". In this case, a statement such as "send / receive instruction information, the instruction information indicates A" can be replaced with "send / receive A".

[0092] In this application, the information indicated by the instruction information is called the information to be instructed. In specific implementations, there are many ways to indicate the information to be instructed, such as, but not limited to, directly indicating the information to be instructed, such as the information to be instructed itself or its index. It can also indirectly indicate the information to be instructed by indicating other information, where there is a relationship between the other information and the information to be instructed. It can also indicate only a part of the information to be instructed, while the other parts are known or pre-agreed upon. For example, the instruction of specific information can be achieved by using a pre-agreed (e.g., protocol-defined) arrangement of various pieces of information, thereby reducing instruction overhead to some extent. Furthermore, the information to be instructed can be sent as a whole or divided into multiple sub-information pieces, and the sending period and / or timing of these sub-information pieces can be the same or different.

[0093] (2) In this application, the expression " / " is used to indicate that the objects before and after are in an "or" relationship; for example, A / B can mean: A or B. The expression "and / or" is used to indicate that the objects before and after are in a relationship of either "and" or "or"; for example, A and / or B can mean the following: A exists alone, B exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be single or multiple. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions are used to indicate any combination of the listed items; for example, at least one of A, B and / or C can mean the following: A exists alone, B exists alone, C exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, B and C exist simultaneously, A and C exist simultaneously, A, B and C exist simultaneously, where A, B, and C can be single or multiple.

[0094] (3) In this application, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "send information to XX" can be understood as the destination of the information being XX, which may include direct transmission via the air interface or indirect transmission by other units or modules via the air interface. "Receive information from YY" can be understood as the source of the information being YY, which may include direct reception from YY via the air interface or indirect reception from YY by other units or modules via the air interface. "Send" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receive" can also be understood as the "input" of the chip interface. In other words, sending and receiving can occur between devices, such as between network devices and terminal devices, or within a device, such as between components, modules, chips, software modules, or hardware modules within the device via a bus, wiring, or interface.

[0095] (4) In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions of different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features of different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0096] (5) In this application, "first," "second," and "#1," "#2," and "#A" are merely for descriptive convenience and are used to distinguish objects, and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. They are not used to describe the order or sequence of features. It should be understood that such described objects can be interchanged where appropriate in order to describe solutions other than those in the embodiments of this application.

[0097] (6) In this application, "predefined" or "defined" may refer to a predefined standard protocol, or it may refer to a pre-agreed or pre-negotiated agreement between devices. Here, "protocol" may refer to a standard protocol in the field of communications, such as fourth-generation (4G) protocols. th Generation 4G network, fifth generation (5G) network th This application does not limit the scope to network protocols such as 5G (generation, 5G), New Radio (NR), 5.5G, and related protocols applied in future communication networks.

[0098] (7) In this application, the configuration can be signaling configuration, such as radio resource control (RRC) messages, downlink control information (DCI), or medium access control (MAC) signaling (e.g., MAC control element (MAC CE / MAC-CE)). As an example, the signaling configuration can be configured to the terminal device by signaling, for example, the network device configures an offset value (or the network device configures an offset value for the terminal device), which can be understood as the network device instructing the terminal device to use signaling.

[0099] (8) In this application, the words “exemplary,” “for example,” etc., are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as an “example” in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the word “example” is intended to present the concept in a concrete manner. In the embodiments of this application, “of,” “corresponding, relevant,” and “corresponding” may sometimes be used interchangeably, and it should be noted that their intended meanings are consistent unless their distinction is emphasized.

[0100] (9) In this application, “when…”, “if” and “if” all refer to the device making a corresponding processing under certain objective circumstances, and are not limited to a time, nor do they require the device to make a judgment when it is implemented, nor do they mean that there are other limitations.

[0101] (10) In this application, “send”, “report” and “feedback” can sometimes be used interchangeably. It should be noted that when the distinction is not emphasized, they have the same meaning.

[0102] First, let me introduce the communication system to which this application applies.

[0103] The technical solutions provided in this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as 5th generation (5G) or new radio (NR) systems, long term evolution (LTE) systems, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) systems, and LTE time division duplex (TDD) systems. The technical solutions provided in this application can also be applied to future communication network systems. Furthermore, the technical solutions provided in this application can be applied to device-to-device (D2D) communication, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), and Internet of Things (IoT) communication systems. The technical solutions provided in this application can also be applied to non-terrestrial network (NTN) systems such as inter-satellite communication and satellite communication.

[0104] As an example, a satellite communication system includes a satellite base station and terminal equipment. The satellite base station provides communication services to the terminal equipment. Satellite base stations can also communicate with each other. A satellite can act as a base station or as a terminal device. Here, "satellite" can refer to drones, hot air balloons, low-Earth orbit satellites, medium-Earth orbit satellites, high-Earth orbit satellites, etc. "Satellite" can also refer to non-terrestrial base stations or non-terrestrial equipment.

[0105] As an example, V2X communication can include: vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication, vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication, and vehicle-to-network (V2N) communication.

[0106] In a communication system, a device can send signals to or receive signals from another device. These signals can include information, signaling, or data. The device can also be replaced by an entity, network entity, communication equipment, communication module, node, communication node, etc. This application uses a device as an example for description.

[0107] The terminal device in this application embodiment can be a device or module that accesses the aforementioned communication system and has corresponding communication functions. The terminal device can include various devices with wireless communication capabilities, which can be used to connect people, objects, machines, etc. The terminal device can be widely applied in various scenarios, such as: cellular communication, D2D, V2X, peer-to-peer, M2M, MTC, IoT, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, drones, robots, remote sensing, passive sensing, positioning, navigation and tracking, autonomous delivery, etc. The terminal device can be a terminal in any of the above scenarios, such as an MTC terminal, an IoT terminal, etc. Terminal equipment can be user equipment (UE), terminal, fixed equipment, mobile station equipment or mobile equipment, subscriber unit, handheld device, vehicle-mounted equipment, wearable device, cellular phone, smartphone, session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, wireless data card, personal digital assistant (PDA), computer, tablet computer, laptop computer, wireless modem, handset, laptop computer, computer with wireless transceiver capability, smart book, vehicle, satellite, global positioning system (GPS) device, target tracking device, aircraft (e.g., drone, helicopter, multiple helicopters, four helicopters, or airplanes), ship, remote control device, smart home device, industrial equipment, transportation vehicle with wireless communication capability, communication module, or roadside unit with terminal function, all conforming to the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) standard. The device may be a wireless communication unit (RSU), or a device built into the aforementioned device (e.g., a communication module, modem, or chip in the aforementioned device), or other processing devices connected to the wireless modem.

[0108] It should be understood that in certain scenarios, a UE can also be used as a base station. For example, a UE can act as a scheduling entity, providing sidelink signaling between UEs in scenarios such as V2X, D2D, or end-to-end.

[0109] In this embodiment, the device for implementing the functions of a terminal device, i.e., the terminal device, can be the terminal device itself, or it can be any device capable of supporting the terminal device in implementing the functions, such as a chip system, chip, circuit, or communication module (i.e., a communication module that performs communication functions). This device can be installed in the terminal device. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips, or it can include chips and other discrete devices. Furthermore, the device can also be configured with program instructions for performing corresponding communication functions.

[0110] The network device in this application embodiment can be a device or module with corresponding communication functions. The network device can be a device used to communicate with terminal devices; it can also be called an access network device or a wireless access network device, such as a base station. In this application embodiment, the network device can refer to a radio access network (RAN) node (or device) that connects the terminal device to the wireless network. A base station can broadly encompass, or be replaced by, various names including: NodeB, evolved NodeB (eNB), next-generation NodeB (gNB), relay station, access point, transmitting and receiving point (TRP), transmitter, master station, auxiliary station, multiple standard radio (MSR) node, home base station, network controller, access node, wireless node, access point (AP), transmission node, transceiver node, baseband unit (BBU), remote radio unit (RRU), active antenna unit (AAU), remote radio head (RRH), central unit (CU), distributed unit (DU), positioning node, etc. A base station can be a macro base station, micro base station, relay node, donor node, or similar, or a combination thereof. A base station can also refer to a communication module, modem, or chip installed within the aforementioned equipment or apparatus. Base stations can also be mobile switching centers, devices that perform base station functions in D2D, V2X, and M2M communications, network-side devices in future communication networks, and devices that perform base station functions in future communication systems. Base stations 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] Base stations can be fixed or mobile. For example, a helicopter or drone 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. In other examples, a helicopter or drone can be configured as a device to communicate with another base station.

[0112] In some deployments, the network devices mentioned in the embodiments of this application may be devices including CU, or DU, or devices including CU and DU, or devices with control plane CU nodes (central unit-control plane (CU-CP)) and user plane CU nodes (central unit-user plane (CU-UP)) and DU nodes.

[0113] In some deployments, multiple RAN nodes collaborate to assist terminal devices in achieving wireless access, with different RAN nodes each implementing some of the base station's functions. For example, RAN nodes can be CUs, DUs, CU-CPs, CU-UPs, or radio units (RUs). CUs and DUs can be configured separately or included in the same network element, such as a BBU. RUs can be included in radio equipment or radio units, such as RRUs, AAUs, or RRHs.

[0114] 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, a radio access network can also be an open radio access network (O-RAN) architecture. In an O-RAN system, CU can also be called an open CU (open CU, O-CU), DU can also be called an open DU (open DU, O-DU), CU-CP can also be called an open CU-CP (O-CU-CP), CU-UP can also be called an open CU-UP (O-CU-UP), and RU can also be called an open RU (open RU, O-RU). Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software modules and hardware modules.

[0115] In this embodiment, the device for implementing the functions of a network device can be a network device itself, or a device capable of supporting the network device in implementing those functions, such as a chip system, chip, circuit, or communication module (i.e., a communication module that performs communication functions). This device can be installed within the network device. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips, or it can include chips and other discrete devices. Furthermore, the device can be configured with program instructions for performing corresponding communication functions. This embodiment only uses a network device as an example to illustrate the device for implementing the functions of a network device, and does not limit the solution of this embodiment.

[0116] Network devices and terminal devices can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can also be deployed in the air on airplanes, balloons, and satellites. This application does not limit the scenario in which the network devices and terminal devices are located.

[0117] The communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application is briefly described below with reference to Figure 1.

[0118] Referring to Figure 1, as an example, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system applicable to an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the wireless communication system includes a wireless access network 100. The wireless access network 100 may be a next-generation (e.g., future or higher version) wireless access network or a traditional (e.g., 5G, 4G, 3G, or 2G) wireless access network. One or more terminal devices (120a-120j, collectively referred to as 120) may be interconnected or connected to one or more network devices (110a, 110b, collectively referred to as 110) in the wireless access network 100. Network elements in the wireless communication system are connected through interfaces (e.g., NG, Xn) or air interfaces.

[0119] When network devices and terminal devices communicate, the network device can manage one or more cells, and a cell can include at least one terminal device. A cell can be understood as an area within the wireless signal coverage range of the network device.

[0120] Figure 1 is only a schematic diagram. The embodiments of this application can be used in various scenarios, such as cellular network scenarios and short-range scenarios. In addition, 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.

[0121] Referring to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of an ORAN system applicable to an embodiment of this application, the ORAN system includes a core network, access network equipment, and a UE. As an example, the ORAN system may also include other components besides those shown in Figure 2; specific details are not limited in this application.

[0122] Access network equipment can communicate with the core network (CN) via a backhaul link. Access network equipment can also communicate with the UE via an air interface. Specifically, the BBU in the access network equipment communicates with the core network via a backhaul link. The RU in the access network equipment communicates with at least one UE via an air interface. The BBU communicates with at least one RU via a fronthaul link; the BBU and RU may or may not be co-located. A BBU includes at least one CU and at least one DU, and the CU and DU can communicate via at least one midhaul link.

[0123] Referring to Figure 3, as an example, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an access network device applicable to an embodiment of this application.

[0124] Optionally, the access network equipment includes a CU. The CU is a logical node that carries the radio resource control (RRC), service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer, packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, and other control functions of the access network equipment. The CU can connect to network nodes such as the core network through interfaces, such as the E2 interface. The CU may have some core network functions. The CU (e.g., the PDCP layer and / or higher layers of the CU) connects to the DU (e.g., the radio link control (RLC) layer and lower layers of the DU) through interfaces, such as the F1 interface. Optionally, the F1 interface can provide control plane (C-Plane) and user plane (U-Plane) functions (e.g., interface management, system information management, UE context management, RRC message transmission, etc.). F1AP is the application protocol of the F1 interface, defining the signaling procedures of F1 in some examples. The F1 interface supports control plane F1-C and user plane F1-U.

[0125] As an example, a CU includes CU-CP and CU-UP. CU-CP is a logical node carrying the control plane (PDCP-C) layer, which carries the RRC layer and the Packet Data Convergence Protocol layer, and is used to implement the CU's control plane functions. CU-CP can interact with network elements in the core network used to implement control plane functions. These network elements in the core network can be access and mobility function (AMF) network elements, such as the access and mobility management function (AMF) in a 5G system. The AMF network element is responsible for mobility management in the mobile network, such as terminal device location updates, terminal device registration with the network, and terminal device handover. CU-UP is a logical node carrying the user plane (PDCP-U) layer, which carries the SDAP layer and the Packet Data Convergence Protocol layer, and is used to implement the CU's user plane functions. CU-UP can interact with network elements in the core network used to implement user plane functions. These network elements in the core network, such as the user plane function (UPF) in a 5G system, are responsible for data forwarding and receiving in terminal devices. The above CU and DU configurations are merely examples. In practical applications, the functions of the CU and DU can be configured as needed. For instance, the CU or DU can be configured to have more protocol layer functions, or to have only some protocol layer processing functions. For example, some RLC layer functions and protocol layer functions above the RLC layer can be placed in the CU, while the remaining RLC layer functions and protocol layer functions below the RLC layer can be placed in the DU. Furthermore, the functions of the CU or DU can be divided according to service type or other system requirements. For example, based on latency, functions that require low latency can be placed in the DU, while functions that do not require low latency can be placed in the CU.

[0126] Optionally, the access network equipment includes a DU. As shown in Figure 3, the DU is a logical node carrying the RLC layer, medium access control (MAC) layer, higher physical layer (Higher PHY) layer, and other functions. In some examples, the DU can control at least one RU. The DU connects to the RU through interfaces, which can be fronthaul interfaces. In some examples, the Higher PHY layer includes the PHY layer processing, such as forward error correction (FEC) encoding and decoding, scrambling, modulation, and demodulation.

[0127] Optionally, the access network equipment includes an RU. As shown in Figure 3, the RU is a logical node that carries lower physical layer (PHY) and radio frequency (RF) processing. In some examples, the RU may be a 3GPP transmission reception point (TRP), a remote radio head (RRH), or other similar entities. In some examples, the Low-PHY includes PHY processing functions such as fast fourier transform (FFT), inverse fast fourier transform (IFFT), digital beamforming, and filtering. The RU communicates with one or more UEs via a radio link.

[0128] The DU and RU may or may not be co-located. The DU and RU exchange control plane and user plane information via a fronthaul link through a lower-layer split CUS-plane (LLS-CUS) interface. The LLS-CUS may include a lower-layer split control (LLS-C) interface providing the control plane (C-Plane) and a lower-layer split user (LLS-U) interface, respectively. In some examples, the control plane (C-Plane) refers to real-time control between the DU and RU. The DU and RU exchange management information via an LLS-M interface on the fronthaul link; the management plane (M-Plane) refers to non-real-time management operations between the DU and RU.

[0129] DU and RU can cooperate to implement the functions of the PHY layer. A DU can be connected to one or more RUs. The functions of DU and RU can be configured in various ways depending on the design. For example, a DU can be configured to implement baseband functions, and an RU can be configured to implement mid-RF functions. Another example is that a DU can be configured to implement higher-level functions in the PHY layer, and an RU can be configured to implement lower-level functions in the PHY layer, or to implement both lower-level and RF functions. Higher-level functions in the physical layer can include a portion of the physical layer's functions that are closer to the MAC layer, while lower-level functions in the physical layer can include another portion of the physical layer's functions that are closer to the mid-RF side.

[0130] Figures 1 to 3 above are illustrative examples, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto.

[0131] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, a brief explanation of the terms and background involved in this application will be provided.

[0132] 1. Beam: A communication resource. Different beams can be considered different resources. The same information or different information can be transmitted through different beams.

[0133] In the NR protocol, beams can be represented as spatial domain filters, or spatial filters or spatial parameters. The beam used to transmit signals can be called the transmission beam (Tx beam), and the beam used to receive signals can be called the reception beam (Rx beam).

[0134] The transmit beam can refer to the distribution of signal strength in different directions in space after a signal is transmitted through an antenna, while the receive beam can refer to the distribution of signal strength in different directions in space of a wireless signal received from an antenna.

[0135] Furthermore, the beam can be a wide beam, a narrow beam, or other types of beam. The beamforming technology can be beamforming technology or other technologies. Specifically, beamforming technology can be digital beamforming technology, analog beamforming technology, or hybrid digital / analog beamforming technology, etc.

[0136] As an example, multiple beams with the same or similar communication characteristics can be considered as a single beam.

[0137] A beam can correspond to one or more antenna ports, used for transmitting data channels, control channels, and detection signals. The one or more antenna ports corresponding to a beam can also be regarded as a set of antenna ports.

[0138] 2. Wake-up Circuit: Also known as a wake-up receiver / radio (WUR), low-power receiver (LR), low-power wake-up receiver (LP-WUR), or wake-up module, it can be understood as a single, low-power circuit, such as the circuit used by a terminal device in the idle state. This low-power circuit can be implemented using a simple, single circuit or chip with low power consumption. As an example, the wake-up circuit may include an RF processing module and a baseband processing module. It is understood that the term "wake-up circuit" is used for differentiation only, and its specific naming does not limit the scope of protection of this application. For example, without loss of generality, the wake-up circuit may also be described as a first circuit (or first module) or an auxiliary circuit (or auxiliary module), which will not be elaborated further below.

[0139] The signal received by the terminal device through the wake-up circuit can be referred to as being transmitted on the secondary link. The secondary link represents a connection between the terminal device and the network device; it is a logical concept, not a physical entity. It is understood that the term "secondary link" is merely a designation for differentiation, and its specific naming does not limit the scope of protection of this application. For example, without loss of generality, the secondary link can also be described as the first link or the wake-up link, which will not be elaborated further below.

[0140] 3. Main Circuit: Also known as the main receiver (MR) or main module, it can be understood as the circuit used by the terminal device during normal data transmission. For example, the circuit or module used by the terminal device when performing the paging process in idle or inactive state, or the circuit or module used by the terminal device when transmitting and receiving data in connected state, can all be considered main circuits or main modules. Terminal devices consume significant power when transmitting data through the main circuit. The main circuit may include a radio frequency processing module and a baseband processing module. It is understood that the term "main circuit" is merely a designation for differentiation, and its specific naming does not limit the scope of protection of this application. For example, without loss of generality, the main circuit can also be described as a second circuit (or second module).

[0141] Signals received by a terminal device through the main circuit can be referred to as being transmitted on the main link. The main link represents a connection between the terminal device and the network device; it is a logical concept, not a physical entity. It is understood that the term "main link" is merely a designation for differentiation, and its specific naming does not limit the scope of protection of this application. For example, without loss of generality, the main link can also be described as a second link, which will not be elaborated further below.

[0142] The main circuit can be in the following states, including but not limited to: on, off, and different levels of sleep states (such as deep sleep and ultra-deep sleep). When the terminal device operates via the wake-up circuit, the main circuit is either off or in a different level of sleep state. The energy and time required for the main circuit to transition from different levels of sleep states to the on state vary.

[0143] Terminal devices can use a wake-up circuit to receive a wake-up signal (WUS), also known as a low-power wake-up signal (LP-WUS). The wake-up signal can be used to wake up the main circuit, as explained below with reference to Figure 4.

[0144] See Figure 4, which, as an example, is a schematic diagram of the main circuit and the wake-up circuit.

[0145] As shown in Figure 4, the terminal device receives (or detects, or monitors) a wake-up signal through a wake-up circuit, and receives signals (such as data signals, scheduling signaling, etc.) through the main circuit. Assume the terminal device receives the wake-up signal through the wake-up circuit. If the terminal device does not detect the wake-up signal, it continues to receive wake-up signals through the wake-up circuit, and the main circuit can be in a closed state (or a sleep state, such as ultra-deep sleep). If the terminal device detects the wake-up signal, it triggers the main circuit to wake up, that is, it puts the main circuit into / switches to an open state (or a working state, or an active state). After the main circuit is turned on, the terminal device can transmit signals through the main circuit.

[0146] It is understandable that terminal devices can also use wake-up circuits to receive other signals, such as synchronization signals and / or reference signals. The synchronization signal received by the terminal device using the wake-up circuit can be called a low-power synchronization signal (LP-SS), and the reference signal received by the terminal device using the wake-up circuit can be called a low-power reference signal (LP-RS).

[0147] Currently, before transmitting data, terminal devices must perform a series of operations. Specifically, the terminal device first obtains system messages, then performs random access and establishes an RRC connection (i.e., enters the connected state); subsequently, the terminal device establishes an initial context with the core network, a process that includes, but is not limited to: activating security, acquiring terminal device capabilities, and instructing the terminal device to establish a signaling radio bearer (SRB) and a data radio bearer (DRB) through RRC reconfiguration (RRC Reconfig); after which, the terminal device performs uplink and downlink data transmission (referred to as data transmission). As can be seen, the terminal device needs to exchange multiple signaling messages over the air interface before transmitting data, resulting in significant overhead. However, with technological advancements, such as in IoT terminals, data transmission is mostly small-volume data transmission with certain power consumption requirements. Therefore, the above process may no longer be suitable for IoT terminals.

[0148] In view of this, this application proposes that the terminal device receives data through a wake-up circuit. For example, the wake-up signal can be used in the data transmission process, thereby enabling the terminal device to transmit data with low power.

[0149] The methods provided by the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments provided by this application can be applied to the scenarios shown in the above figures and are not limited thereto. Furthermore, the terms used below are explained in the preceding text and will not be repeated hereafter. For ease of description, terminal devices and network devices are used as examples for illustrative purposes. The terminal device can be replaced by a terminal device or a component of a terminal device (e.g., a chip, chip system, circuit, or communication module), and the network device can be replaced by a component of a network device (e.g., a chip, chip system, circuit, or communication module). Furthermore, the steps described below as being performed by a single execution entity can also be divided into steps performed by multiple execution entities, which can be logically and / or physically separated.

[0150] Referring to Figure 5, as an example, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a data transmission method 500 provided in an embodiment of this application. The method 500 shown in Figure 5 may include the following steps.

[0151] In S510, the terminal device receives data on the secondary link. Correspondingly, the network device sends data; in other words, the network device sends the data on the secondary link, which is the data received by the terminal device on the secondary link.

[0152] Specifically, the terminal device can operate on a secondary link (i.e., the terminal device can transmit signals on the secondary link) or on the primary link (i.e., the terminal device can transmit signals on the primary link). In other words, the terminal device and the network device can communicate via either the secondary link or the primary link. For example, as mentioned earlier, the secondary link can refer to the link used by the terminal device when transmitting signals through the wake-up circuit shown in Figure 4, and the primary link can refer to the link used by the terminal device when transmitting signals through the primary circuit shown in Figure 4. In this embodiment, the terminal device can receive data (i.e., data signals) on the secondary link. Thus, due to the lower power consumption of the secondary link, low-power data transmission by the terminal device can be achieved. Furthermore, when the terminal device receives data on the secondary link, the primary link of the terminal device can be in a closed state, such as a sleep state.

[0153] In this embodiment, receiving data on the secondary link can be replaced by any of the following: receiving data via a wake-up circuit, receiving data while in a first state, or receiving data while in a first mode. Several possible scenarios are described below.

[0154] In the first possible scenario, the terminal device includes a wake-up circuit and a main circuit. The power consumption of the wake-up circuit is less than that of the main circuit. The wake-up circuit can be, for example, the wake-up circuit shown in Figure 4, or it can be the receiving circuit of the wake-up circuit; the main circuit can be, for example, the main circuit shown in Figure 4, or it can be the receiving circuit of the main circuit.

[0155] In a second possible scenario, the terminal device can be in a first state (e.g., a WUR state) and a second state. The first and second states describe different states of the terminal device (e.g., different RRC states). For example, the power consumption of the terminal device in the first state is less than the power consumption of the terminal device in the second state. The first state can be, for example, an idle or inactive state, or a WUR state; the second state can be, for example, a connected state, or an idle or inactive state. The first state (e.g., the WUR state) may correspond to the terminal device operating on the first link or to the terminal device using the first module to transmit signals.

[0156] In a third possible scenario, the terminal device can be in a first mode (e.g., WUR mode) and a second mode. The first and second modes describe different ways the terminal device transmits signals. For example, the power consumption of the terminal device transmitting signals in the first mode is less than the power consumption of the terminal device transmitting signals in the second mode. The first mode (e.g., WUR mode) may correspond to the terminal device operating on the first link or to the terminal device using the first module to transmit signals.

[0157] As shown above, receiving data on the secondary link can be replaced by any of the following: receiving data via a wake-up circuit, receiving data while in the first state, or receiving data while in the first mode. For ease of description and consistency, the secondary link and the primary link will be used as examples below.

[0158] Optionally, step S510 may include at least the following implementation methods.

[0159] In one possible implementation, the terminal device receives a wake-up signal on the secondary link, the wake-up signal including data. In this case, step S510, where the terminal device receives data on the secondary link, can be replaced by: the terminal device receiving a wake-up signal including data; or, the terminal device receiving a wake-up signal carrying data. Similarly, the network device sending data can be replaced by: the network device sending a wake-up signal including data; or, the network device receiving a wake-up signal carrying data.

[0160] Another possible implementation is that the terminal device receives data and a wake-up signal on the secondary link. In this case, step S510, where the terminal device receives data on the secondary link, can be replaced by the terminal device receiving a wake-up signal and data. Similarly, the network device sending data can be replaced by the network device sending a wake-up signal and data.

[0161] The wake-up signal refers to the low-power downlink signal received by the terminal device on the secondary link. For example, this wake-up signal can be used to wake up the terminal device; alternatively, it can be a synchronization signal, such as LP-SS; or it can be a reference signal, such as LP-RS.

[0162] The resources occupied by the wake-up signal are not limited. For example, before the terminal device switches from the primary link to the secondary link, the network device sends indication information to the terminal device, indicating the possible resource location of the wake-up signal; when the terminal device receives the wake-up signal on the secondary link, it can monitor the wake-up signal based on the possible resource location of the wake-up signal. For example, the network device sends at least one of the following signaling to the terminal device, which includes the resource information of the wake-up signal: system message, RRC.

[0163] Alternatively, during the execution of timer #1 (i.e., an example of the first timer), the terminal device receives data on the secondary link; after timer #1 expires, the terminal device stops receiving data on the secondary link. Based on this method, the terminal device and the network device can synchronize the time of data transmission on the secondary link using timer #1.

[0164] The start time of timer #1 can be either the moment the terminal device first receives data on the secondary link, or the moment the network device first sends data from the secondary link to the terminal device. Specifically, for the terminal device, after receiving data on the secondary link, it starts timer #1. During the execution of timer #1, it can continuously receive data on the secondary link. After timer #1 expires, it stops receiving data on the secondary link. For the network device, after sending data from the secondary link to the terminal device, it starts timer #1. During the execution of timer #1, it can continuously send data from the secondary link to the terminal device. After timer #1 expires, it stops sending the received data from the secondary link to the terminal device.

[0165] Optionally, before step S510, method 500 further includes: the terminal device receiving scheduling information (i.e., data scheduling information) on the secondary link. Accordingly, the network device sends the scheduling information. Further, in step S510, the terminal device receives data on the secondary link based on the scheduling information.

[0166] The scheduling information is used to schedule data resources. For example, the scheduling information may be a DCI, such as DCI format 1_0 and / or DCI format 1_1. The scheduling information includes a data resource indication (or resource configuration, or downlink grant, DL grant) which the terminal device can use to receive data from the network device. The resource indication may include time-domain and frequency-domain resource allocation information used to send the data.

[0167] In this embodiment, receiving scheduling information on the secondary link can be replaced by any of the following: receiving scheduling information via a wake-up circuit, receiving scheduling information while in a first state, or receiving scheduling information while in a first mode. Refer to the preceding descriptions for further details; they will not be repeated here.

[0168] One possible implementation is that the terminal device receives a wake-up signal, which includes scheduling information. Another possible implementation is that the terminal device receives both scheduling information and the wake-up signal on the secondary link. For details on this, please refer to the preceding description of step S510; it will not be repeated here.

[0169] Optionally, method 500 further includes step S520.

[0170] S520, the terminal device sends indication information #1 (i.e., an example of the second indication information) on the secondary link or the main link. Indication information #1 indicates the data reception status.

[0171] The indication information #1 indicates the data reception status and can be replaced with any of the following: indication information #1 indicates whether the data was successfully received, indication information #1 indicates the data transmission status, or indication information #1 indicates whether the data reception failed. Specifically, the data reception status (or transmission status) generally includes two types: successful data reception and failed data reception. Successful data reception means that the network device sends data to the terminal device, and the data is successfully received by the terminal device. Failed data reception means that the network device sends data to the terminal device, but the data is not successfully received by the terminal device. For example, if the terminal device successfully receives data on the secondary link, indication information #1 indicates successful data reception, such as indicating an acknowledgment (ACK). For another example, if the terminal device fails to receive data on the secondary link, indication information #1 indicates failed data reception, such as indicating a negative acknowledgment (NACK).

[0172] Optionally, method 500 further includes: the terminal device reporting capability information. Accordingly, the network device receives the capability information.

[0173] The capability information indicates whether the terminal device supports (or is able to) transmit signals on the secondary link. For example, the capability information may indicate whether the terminal device supports receiving data on the secondary link. Based on this, the network device can determine whether the terminal device will subsequently transmit indication information #1 on the secondary link or the primary link. For instance, if the capability information indicates that the terminal device can transmit indication information #1 on the secondary link, then the terminal device can transmit indication information #1 on the secondary link, and the network device determines that the terminal device will transmit indication information #1 on the secondary link based on this capability information; if the capability information indicates that the terminal device cannot transmit indication information #1 on the secondary link, then the terminal device will transmit indication information #1 on the primary link, and the network device determines that the terminal device will transmit indication information #1 on the primary link based on this capability information.

[0174] The capability information indicates whether the terminal device supports (or is able to) transmit signals on the secondary link, which can be a low-power uplink signal. That is, when the terminal device transmits indication information #1 on the secondary link, the indication information #1 can be a low-power signal, such as a low-power signal similar to LP-WUS.

[0175] Optionally, the network device is the last network device that provides services to the terminal device. Specifically, the network device is the network device where the terminal device is located when it switches from the primary link to the secondary link; in other words, the network device is the network device where the terminal device is located when it switches from the second state to the first state, such as when the terminal device switches from a connected state to an inactive state; in other words, the network device is the network device where the terminal device is located when it switches from the primary link to the secondary link, such as the network device where the terminal device was located before its primary link was closed; in other words, the network device is the network device where the terminal device is located when it switches from the second mode to the first mode. Here, the network device where the terminal device is located can be understood as the network device that provides services to the terminal device, such as the cell where the terminal device is located or the base station corresponding to the cell where the terminal device is located. This cell can also be called the last serving cell. Therefore, if all network devices send data to the terminal device, it will result in a waste of resources for other network devices that are not serving the terminal device. Since when a terminal device is within the network coverage area of ​​a certain network device, after the terminal device switches from the primary link to the secondary link, it is highly likely that the terminal device can still receive the signal from that network device. Therefore, having that network device send data to the terminal device can reduce the waste of resources.

[0176] Optionally, before step S510, method 500 further includes: the terminal device determining (or judging) whether to receive data on the secondary link. This can reduce unnecessary data transmission. For example, when the terminal device switches cells, if the network device before the switch sends data to the terminal device, it will cause a waste of resources. Therefore, when the terminal device determines that it does not need to receive data on the secondary link, the terminal device or the network device after the switch can notify the network device before the switch that it does not need to send data.

[0177] One possible implementation is that the terminal device determines to receive data on the secondary link when at least one of the following conditions is met: the cell quality of the serving cell of the terminal device is greater than or equal to a first threshold; the change in the cell quality of the serving cell of the terminal device within a preset time period is less than or equal to a second threshold. In other words, the terminal device determines not to receive data on the secondary link when at least one of the following conditions is met: the cell quality of the serving cell of the terminal device is less than the first threshold; the change in the cell quality of the serving cell of the terminal device within a preset time period is greater than the second threshold. These conditions define the conditions for the terminal device to receive data on the secondary link (which can also be called LP-WUS data transmission conditions), reducing the probability of the network device sending invalid data, such as when the terminal device switches cells and the data sent by the network device is not received by the terminal device.

[0178] For example, taking a wake-up signal carrying data as an example, based on the above implementation, when at least one of the above conditions is met, the terminal device determines that it will receive a wake-up signal on the secondary link, and that the wake-up signal carries data. It can be understood that the above conditions can be used by the terminal device to determine whether to receive a wake-up signal carrying data, but are not used to limit the terminal device's decision on whether to receive a wake-up signal. For example, whether the terminal device receives a wake-up signal (i.e., a wake-up signal without data) depends on whether the network device sends a wake-up signal to wake up the terminal device.

[0179] Another example, taking the wake-up signal carrying data scheduling information as an example, based on the above implementation method, when at least one of the above conditions is met, the terminal device determines to receive the wake-up signal on the secondary link, and the wake-up signal carries data scheduling information. It can be understood that the above conditions can be used by the terminal device to determine whether to receive the wake-up signal carrying data scheduling information, rather than to limit the terminal device's decision on whether to receive the wake-up signal. For example, whether the terminal device receives the wake-up signal (i.e., the wake-up signal without data) depends on whether the network device sends a wake-up signal to wake up the terminal device.

[0180] The preset time period can be predefined or indicated by the network device; there is no limitation on this. The first threshold and the second threshold can also be predefined or indicated by the network device; there is no limitation on this.

[0181] As an example, cell quality can be measured by at least one of the following parameters: reference signal receiving power (RSRP), reference signal receiving quality (RSRQ), signal-noise ratio (SNR), and signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (SINR) (or simply signal-to-noise ratio). Below are two examples using RSRP as an example.

[0182] For example, if the RSRP of the serving cell measured by the terminal device is less than a first threshold, the terminal device may be located at the cell edge with poor signal quality. This may trigger the terminal device to perform neighbor cell measurements, making it easier to reselect to another cell. Therefore, if the RSRP of the serving cell measured by the terminal device is less than the first threshold, the terminal device can determine not to receive data on the secondary link. Conversely, if the RSRP of the serving cell measured by the terminal device is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the terminal device may be located at the cell center with good signal quality. This means the terminal device is less likely to reselect to another cell, and therefore, the terminal device can determine to receive data on the secondary link.

[0183] For another example, if the change in the RSRP of the serving cell measured by the terminal device within a preset time period is greater than a second threshold, the terminal device is likely to move faster and is more likely to perform cell reselection to switch to another cell. Therefore, the terminal device can determine in advance to stop receiving data on the secondary link. Conversely, if the change in the RSRP of the serving cell measured by the terminal device within a preset time period is less than or equal to the second threshold, the terminal device is likely to move slower and is less likely to switch cells. Therefore, the terminal device can determine to receive data on the secondary link.

[0184] For another example, if the RSRP of the serving cell measured by the terminal device is less than a first threshold, and the change in the RSRP of the serving cell measured by the terminal device within a preset time period is greater than a second threshold, then the terminal device may be moving faster and the signal quality may be deteriorating. This indicates a higher probability that cell reselection will occur, resulting in a handover to another cell. Therefore, the terminal device can determine in advance not to receive data on the secondary link. Conversely, if the RSRP of the serving cell measured by the terminal device is greater than or equal to the first threshold, and the change in the RSRP of the serving cell measured by the terminal device within a preset time period is less than or equal to the second threshold, then the terminal device may be moving slower and the signal quality may be better. Therefore, the probability of the terminal device handover to another cell is lower, and the terminal device can determine to receive data on the secondary link.

[0185] The above are some examples, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto. Any scheme that can determine whether a terminal device is receiving data on a secondary link based on the cell quality measured by the terminal device is applicable to the embodiments of this application. Furthermore, the above description mainly focuses on the cell quality of the serving cell. It can be understood that the cell quality of the serving cell can also be replaced by beam quality. That is, the terminal device determines to receive data on the secondary link when at least one of the following conditions is met: the beam quality measured by the terminal device is greater than or equal to a first threshold; the change in the beam quality measured by the terminal device within a preset time period is less than or equal to a second threshold. In other words, the terminal device determines not to receive data on the secondary link when at least one of the following conditions is met: the beam quality measured by the terminal device is less than the first threshold; the change in the beam quality measured by the terminal device within a preset time period is greater than the second threshold. As an example, the parameters used to measure beam quality include at least one of the following: RSRP, RSRQ, SNR, SINR. Specific examples can be found in the case of determining based on the cell quality of the serving cell, which will not be elaborated here.

[0186] In one possible scenario, the terminal device determines that it will receive data on the secondary link. In this case, method 500 includes S510. Specifically, if the network device does not receive an instruction from the terminal device that it will not upload data on the secondary link, the network device may assume that the terminal device allows (or agrees to, or is able to) receive data on the secondary link. Therefore, the network device can send data to the terminal device, and the terminal device can receive data on the secondary link. For example, the network device sends data to the terminal device when service data is triggered.

[0187] Another possible scenario is that the terminal device determines it will not receive data on the secondary link. In this case, the terminal device can send indication information #2 to the network device, where indication information #2 indicates that the terminal device will not receive data on the secondary link. Specifically, if the terminal device determines it will not receive data on the secondary link, it can initiate random access, establish an RRC connection with the network device, and send indication information #2 to the network device to indicate that it will not receive data on the secondary link. Based on indication information #2, the network device can know that the terminal device is not receiving data on the secondary link, and therefore will not send data on the secondary link to the terminal device. The specific content of indication information #2 is not limited. For example, indication information #2 indicating that the terminal device will not receive data on the secondary link can also be replaced with: indication information #2 indicating that the network device should not send data on the secondary link to the terminal device. Subsequently, the terminal device may perform cell reselection operations and then receive data transmission on other network devices; the subsequent behavior of the terminal device is not limited here.

[0188] The two implementation methods described above are illustrative examples, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto. For example, the terminal device may also determine to receive data on the secondary link for a period of time; and then stop receiving data on the secondary link after that period of time. This period of time can be implemented using a timer, and is not limited thereto.

[0189] The following describes the solution regarding the resources occupied by instruction information #1.

[0190] Optionally, method 500 further includes: the terminal device receiving indication information #3 (i.e., an example of the first indication information) on the secondary link, the indication information #3 indicating the first resource. Accordingly, the network device sends the indication information #3.

[0191] The first resource can be used to monitor the reception of data by the terminal device. When the terminal device sends indication information #1 in step S520, it can use some or all of the resources in the first resource to send the indication information #1.

[0192] In this embodiment, receiving indication information #3 on the secondary link can be replaced by any of the following: receiving indication information #3 through a wake-up circuit, receiving indication information #3 when in a first state, or receiving indication information #3 when in a first mode. Refer to the preceding description for details, which will not be repeated here.

[0193] One possible implementation is that the terminal device receives a wake-up signal, which includes indication information #3. Another possible implementation is that the terminal device receives indication information #3 and the wake-up signal on the secondary link. For details on this, please refer to the preceding description of step S510; it will not be repeated here.

[0194] Furthermore, the instruction information #3 and the data in step S510 can be carried in one signaling message or in different signaling messages, without limitation. The instruction information #3 and the preceding scheduling information (i.e., the data scheduling information) can be carried in one signaling message or in different signaling messages, without limitation.

[0195] As an example, the indication information #3 and the data in step S510 can be carried in a single signaling message. For instance, in step S510, the terminal device receives a wake-up signal on the secondary link, which includes data and the indication information #3.

[0196] In another example, the indication information #3 and the data scheduling information can be carried in a single signaling message. For instance, prior to step S510, method 500 includes: the terminal device receiving a wake-up signal on the secondary link, the wake-up signal including the data scheduling information and the indication information #3.

[0197] Optionally, indication information #3 indicates an offset, which is the offset between the first resource and the reference resource. The reference resource can be understood as a resource already determined by the terminal device. By indicating the offset between the first resource and a resource known to the terminal device, the signaling overhead of indicating the first resource can be reduced. As an example, the reference resource can be any of the following: a preset resource, the resource indicated in indication information #3, a data resource, a resource for scheduling information (i.e., the data scheduling information mentioned above), or a wake-up signal resource. The preset resource, for example, is a preset resource dedicated to the wake-up signal, or a preset resource used by the terminal device when transmitting signals on the secondary link.

[0198] For example, instruction information #3 indicates the offset between the first resource and the data resource. Thus, the terminal device determines the location of the first resource based on the resource receiving the data and this offset.

[0199] For example, instruction information #3 indicates the offset between the first resource and the resource in the scheduling information. Thus, the terminal device determines the location of the first resource based on the resource in the received scheduling information and this offset.

[0200] For example, instruction information #3 indicates the offset between the first resource and the resource of the wake-up signal. Thus, the terminal device determines the location of the first resource based on the resource of the received wake-up signal and this offset. The wake-up signal can be a wake-up signal carrying data, a wake-up signal carrying scheduling information, or a wake-up signal carrying the first resource, etc., and is not limited thereto.

[0201] Optionally, the first resource is the physical random access channel (PRACH) resource and / or the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource. Several possible scenarios are described below.

[0202] In the first possible scenario, the first resource is the PUCCH resource.

[0203] In this case, in step S520, the terminal device sends indication information #1 based on PUCCH resources on the main link, or the terminal device sends indication information based on PUCCH resources on the secondary link.

[0204] The second possible scenario is that the first resource is the PRACH resource.

[0205] In this case, in step S520, the terminal device sends indication information #1 based on PRACH resources on the main link.

[0206] In this scenario, optionally, the terminal device reports capability information indicating that it does not support sending signals on the secondary link. Specifically, if the terminal device reports capability information indicating that it does not support sending signals on the secondary link (such as data reception status), the network device configures PRACH resources for the terminal device to send indication information #1 on the primary link.

[0207] The PRACH resource can also be used for random access, specifically for random access on the main link. Specifically, the terminal device can use this PRACH resource for random access and send indication information #1 during the random access process. For example, indication information #1 is message 3 (Msg3).

[0208] Specifically, uplink time-frequency resources within a cell are generally orthogonal, meaning that uplink transmissions received from different terminal devices within the same cell will not interfere with each other. To maintain this uplink orthogonality, given a set of parameters, it is generally required that the boundaries of uplink subframes be aligned or approximately aligned on the network device side. To achieve alignment, the standard introduces a timing advance (TA) mechanism. TA is used for uplink transmission by the terminal device, meaning that the subframes from which the terminal device sends uplink data are sent a certain amount of time ahead of the corresponding downlink subframes. The specific advance amount can be calculated by the network device based on the random access (RA) preamble sent by the terminal device, and then notified to the terminal device via a TA command. The terminal device can adjust the transmission time of the uplink signal based on the received TA to achieve uplink synchronization between the terminal device and the network device. In addition, the network device can configure a timer (called a time alignment timer at the MAC layer) for the terminal device via RRC signaling. The terminal device can use this timer to determine whether uplink synchronization is successful at the MAC layer. When the terminal device receives a TA command (such as from a random access response (RAR) or a Timing Advance Command MAC control element), it can start or restart the timer. If the timer times out, uplink synchronization is considered lost. When the timer is running, the terminal device considers the uplink to be synchronized; however, when the timer is not running, i.e., uplink synchronization is lost, the terminal device generally sends a preamble in the uplink. Based on this, if the timeAlignmentTimer maintained by the terminal device times out, the terminal device can first use the received PRACH resources for random access. For example, the terminal device can send a preamble via message 1 (Msg1) to recalibrate the TA, and then send uplink feedback via Msg3. The above-mentioned method for the terminal device to calibrate the TA can refer to existing methods and is not limited thereto.

[0209] The third possible scenario is that the first resource includes PRACH resources and PUCCH resources.

[0210] In this scenario, in step S520, the terminal device sends indication information #1 on the main link based on PUCCH resources. PUCCH resources can be used for random access on the main link.

[0211] In this scenario, optionally, the terminal device reports capability information indicating that it does not support sending signals on the secondary link. Specifically, if the terminal device reports capability information indicating that it does not support sending signals (such as data reception) on the secondary link, the network device configures PRACH and PUCCH resources for the terminal device. The PRACH resources are used by the terminal device for random access, and the PUCCH resources are used by the terminal device to send indication information #1 on the primary link.

[0212] In one example, the terminal device directly sends indication information #1 based on PUCCH resources on the main link. Specifically, if the timeAlignmentTimer maintained by the terminal device has not expired, the terminal device does not need to perform random access and can use the received PUCCH resources for uplink feedback.

[0213] Another possible scenario is that the terminal device first performs random access, and then sends indication information #1 on the main link. Specifically, if the timeAlignmentTimer maintained by the terminal device times out, the terminal device can first use the received PRACH resources for random access, and then use the received PUCCH resources on the main link for uplink feedback.

[0214] Furthermore, in a third possible scenario, if the first resource includes both PRACH and PUCCH resources, the indications for the PRACH and PUCCH resources can be carried in one signaling message or in different signaling messages, without limitation.

[0215] Optionally, method 500 further includes: during the operation of timer #2 (i.e., an example of the third timer), the terminal device sends indication information #1 through the first resource. Further optionally, after timer #2 expires, the terminal device no longer uses the first resource to send indication information #1. In other words, after receiving indication information #3, the terminal device can use the first resource indicated by indication information #3 to feedback the data reception status within a certain period (e.g., time period #A). Outside of this time period, if the terminal device still needs to feedback the data reception status, it will not use the first resource to feedback the data reception status unless it receives an instruction from the network device. The time period #A can be implemented using a timer (i.e., timer #2). This not only reduces the signaling overhead caused by the network device repeatedly indicating the first resource to the terminal device, but also allows for timely release of the first resource, improving resource utilization.

[0216] As an example, the start time of timer #2 is any of the following: the moment when the terminal device first receives data on the secondary link, the moment when the terminal device receives indication information #3, or the moment when the terminal device first reports the data reception status through the first resource (e.g., reporting data reception failure). For example, after receiving data on the secondary link, the terminal device starts timer #2. During the execution of timer #2, if it needs to report the data reception status, the terminal device can do so through the first resource.

[0217] Alternatively, the network device may release the first resource indicated by instruction message #3.

[0218] In one possible scenario, if the network device receives instruction message #1, and instruction message #1 indicates that the data was successfully received, then the network device releases the first resource.

[0219] Another possible scenario is that the network device releases the first resource after timer #2 expires. As an example, timer #2 can start at any of the following times: the moment the network device first sends data on the secondary link to the terminal device, the moment the network device sends indication information #3, or the moment the network device first receives indication information #1 through the first resource (e.g., indication information #1 indicates data reception failure). For instance, after sending data on the secondary link to the terminal device, the network device starts timer #2. During the execution of timer #2, it can continuously receive data reception status feedback from the terminal device on the first resource. After timer #2 expires, the first resource can be released.

[0220] The solution in this application embodiment can also be used in retransmission scenarios.

[0221] Optionally, method 500 further includes: the terminal device receiving retransmitted data on the secondary link. Specifically, if the initial data transmission fails, the network device can retransmit the data, and correspondingly, the terminal device can receive the retransmitted data on the secondary link.

[0222] In one possible scenario, if the network device receives instruction message #1, and instruction message #1 indicates that data reception failed, the network device will retransmit the data.

[0223] Another possible scenario is that the network device did not receive instruction message #1, that is, the network device did not receive feedback from the terminal device on the data reception status. In this case, the network device defaults to data reception failure and therefore retransmits the data.

[0224] The following describes several possible ways to implement retransmission.

[0225] In one possible implementation, the network device sends retransmitted data during the execution of a timer (e.g., timer #3, which is an example of a second timer). In other words, the network device stops sending retransmitted data after timer #3 expires.

[0226] As an example, Timer #3 is the moment when the network device first sends data on the secondary link to the terminal device. Specifically, after the network device sends data on the secondary link to the terminal device, Timer #3 is started. During the operation of Timer #3, if the network device does not receive a successful reception indication from the terminal device, or if the network device receives a data reception failure indication from the terminal device, the network device sends retransmitted data to the terminal device (in short, the network device retransmits the data). If, after Timer #3 expires, the network device still does not receive a successful reception indication from the terminal device, or if the network device receives a data reception failure indication from the terminal device, the data transmission fails by default, and retransmission stops. One possible scenario is that Timer #3 differs from Timer #1. For example, the duration of Timer #3 is shorter than the duration of Timer #1. That is, Timer #1 controls the time for the terminal device to receive data (including initial transmission and / or retransmission) on the secondary link, while Timer #3 controls the time for the terminal device to receive retransmitted data on the secondary link. Another possible scenario is that timer #3 is the same as timer #1. In this case, the duration of timer #3 is equal to the duration of timer #1. That is, timer #1 and timer #3 are a single timer, which is used to control the time for the terminal device to receive retransmitted data on the secondary link.

[0227] In this implementation, for the terminal device, assuming it successfully receives data and sends indication information #1 to the network device, this indication information #1 indicates successful data reception. If the terminal device receives retransmitted data from the network device, it can determine that the network device has not successfully received indication information #1 based on the received retransmitted data. Therefore, the terminal device can continue to send indication information #1 to the network device to indicate successful data reception. Further optionally, the terminal device sends the i-th indication information #1 with a first transmission power and the j-th indication information #1 with a second transmission power greater than the first transmission power. The i-th indication information #1 indicates the reception status of the i-th data received by the terminal device on the secondary link, and the j-th indication information #1 indicates the reception status of the j-th data received by the terminal device on the secondary link. i and j are integers greater than 0, and i is less than j. As an example, the i-th indication information #1 indicates the reception status of the initial data transmission, and the j-th indication information #1 indicates the reception status of the retransmitted data. Based on this, when the terminal device receives retransmitted data from the network device and reports the data reception status back to the network device, it can increase its transmission power to increase the probability that the network device receives indication information #1. Further optionally, the terminal device stops sending indication information #1 after sending X instances, where X is an integer greater than 1. As an example, X is the maximum number of retransmissions, or X can be a newly defined value, less than or equal to the maximum number of retransmissions.

[0228] The second possible implementation is that the terminal device receives retransmitted data while timer #3 is running. In other words, after timer #3 expires, the terminal device stops receiving retransmitted data.

[0229] As an example, timer #3 is the moment when the terminal device first receives data on the secondary link. Specifically, after receiving data on the secondary link, the terminal device starts timer #3. During the execution of timer #3, it can receive retransmitted data on the secondary link. After timer #3 expires, it stops receiving retransmitted data on the secondary link.

[0230] In this implementation, if the network device receives indication information #1 and indication information #1 indicates that the data was successfully received, then the network device can stop sending retransmitted data to the terminal device.

[0231] The two methods described above are illustrative examples, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto. For example, the network device may also send data on the secondary link to the terminal device based on the maximum number of retransmissions. That is, if the network device determines that the terminal device has not successfully received the data, it may continue to send data to the terminal device until the maximum number of retransmissions is reached or until feedback that the data has been successfully received is received.

[0232] For ease of understanding, the specific process applicable to the embodiments of this application is described below. The examples below primarily illustrate the secondary link and the primary link, as well as the wake-up signal carrying data or data scheduling information. It is understood that the processes described below are merely illustrative, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto. Content not described in detail below can be referred to the description in the preceding methods, and will not be repeated hereafter.

[0233] Referring to Figure 6, as an example, Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a data transmission method 600 provided in an embodiment of this application. Method 600 can be used in scenarios where a wake-up signal carries data. The method 600 shown in Figure 6 may include the following steps.

[0234] Optionally, method 600 includes step S610.

[0235] S610, the core network (CN) (such as core network elements) instructs network devices to perform LP-WUS data transmission.

[0236] Specifically, the CN sends instruction information #4 to the network device, and the network device receives instruction information #4 accordingly. Instruction information #4 instructs the network device and the terminal device to perform LP-WUS data transmission. The specific content of instruction information #4 is not limited. For example, instruction information #4 instructing the network device and the terminal device to perform LP-WUS data transmission can also be replaced with: instruction information #4 instructing the network device to send data on the secondary link to the terminal device, or instruction information #4 instructing the network device to perform LP-WUS data transmission.

[0237] It is understandable that method 600 may not include S610, meaning the network device can determine itself whether to perform LP-WUS data transmission with the terminal device. For example, if the terminal device is in an inactive state, the network device can determine whether to perform LP-WUS data transmission itself; or the network device can determine whether to perform LP-WUS data transmission based on other indications (such as indications from the terminal device). Taking the network device as a DU as an example, the CU can send indication information to the DU, such as sending indication information to the DU through the F1 interface, which indicates that LP-WUS data transmission should be performed.

[0238] S620, network devices determine the primary resource.

[0239] Optionally, the first resource is a PRACH resource and / or a PUCCH resource.

[0240] Taking the network device DU as an example, two possible implementations of step S620 are introduced.

[0241] One possible implementation is that DU determines (or allocates) the first resource.

[0242] Another possible implementation is that the DU receives the first resource. As an example, the CU determines (or allocates) the first resource and sends an indication message to the DU, such as through the F1 interface, which indicates the first resource.

[0243] Alternatively, the two implementation methods described above can be used in combination. For example, DU determines the PRACH resource and receives the PUCCH resource; another example is DU determining the PUCCH resource and receiving the PRACH resource.

[0244] Alternatively, prior to S620, method 600 may also include: the terminal device reporting capability information, and the network device determining the first resource based on the capability information of the terminal device.

[0245] For example, if a terminal device reports capability information indicating that the terminal device does not support sending signals (such as data reception) on the secondary link, the network device configures PRACH resources for the terminal device to send indication information #1 on the primary link.

[0246] For example, a terminal device reports capability information indicating that it does not support sending signals on the secondary link. Specifically, if a terminal device reports capability information indicating that it does not support sending signals on the secondary link (such as data reception), the network device configures PRACH and PUCCH resources for the terminal device. The PRACH resources are used by the terminal device for random access, and the PUCCH resources are used by the terminal device to send indication information #1 on the primary link.

[0247] For example, a terminal device reports capability information indicating that it supports sending signals on a secondary link. Specifically, if a terminal device reports capability information indicating that it supports sending signals (such as data reception status) on a secondary link, the network device configures PUCCH resources for the terminal device. These PUCCH resources are used by the terminal device to send indication information #1 on the secondary link.

[0248] S630, the network device sends an LP-WUS (i.e., wake-up signal) to the terminal device, which includes data.

[0249] Optionally, the LP-WUS includes a first resource. Specifically, if the network device determines the first resource in S620, then the LP-WUS in S630 includes data and the first resource.

[0250] Optionally, before the network device sends the LP-WUS carrying the data to the terminal device, method 600 further includes: the terminal device determining (or judging) that it will receive data on the secondary link. Refer to the relevant description of method 500 above for details.

[0251] S640, the terminal device sends indication information #1 to the network device on the secondary link or the primary link. Indication information #1 indicates the data reception status.

[0252] In the first possible implementation, the terminal device sends indication information #1 on the secondary link, which means that the terminal device reports the data reception status on the secondary link.

[0253] For example, in step S620, the first resource determined by the network device is the PUCCH resource, and the terminal device sends indication information #1 on the secondary link based on the PUCCH resource.

[0254] The second possible implementation is that the terminal device sends indication information #1 on the main link, that is, the terminal device reports the data reception status on the main link.

[0255] For example, in step S620, the first resources determined by the network device are PRACH resources and PUCCH resources, and the terminal device sends indication information #1 on the main link based on the PUCCH resources. The PRACH resources are used by the terminal device for random access on the main link.

[0256] For example, in step S620, the first resource determined by the network device is a PRACH resource, and the terminal device sends indication information #1 on the main link based on this PRACH resource. If, before S640, method 600 also includes steps S641 and S642, and in S640, indication information #1 can be carried in Msg3.

[0257] For example, in step S620, the first resource determined by the network device is a PRACH resource, and the terminal device sends indication information #1 on the main link based on this PRACH resource. If, before S640, method 600 also includes steps S641 and S642, and in S640, indication information #1 can be carried in Msg3.

[0258] In S641, the terminal device sends a random access request to the network device. For example, the terminal device can send a random access request on the main link based on the PRACH resource indicated by LP-WUS in S630.

[0259] S642, the network device sends a random access response to the terminal device.

[0260] Optionally, method 600 further includes: the terminal device reporting capability information. Correspondingly, the network device receives the capability information. The capability information may indicate whether the terminal device can send indication information #1 on the secondary link. This can be referred to the relevant description in method 500 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0261] Optionally, the network device and / or terminal device may send or receive retransmitted data during the operation of timer #3. Specifically, the network device may send retransmitted data during the operation of timer #3, and the terminal device may receive retransmitted data during the operation of timer #3. As an example, the start time of timer #3 is the moment when the network device sends LP-WUS or the moment when the terminal device receives LP-WUS in S630. Refer to the relevant description in method 500 above; it will not be repeated here.

[0262] Optionally, the network device and / or the terminal device may receive or send indication information #1 during the operation of timer #2. Specifically, the network device may receive indication information #1 during the operation of timer #2, and the terminal device may send indication information #1 during the operation of timer #2. As an example, the start time of timer #2 is the moment when the network device sends LP-WUS or the moment when the terminal device receives LP-WUS in S630. Refer to the relevant description in method 500 above; it will not be repeated here.

[0263] Optionally, method 600 includes step S650.

[0264] S650, network devices release primary resources.

[0265] In one possible scenario, if the network device receives indication message #1, and indication message #1 indicates successful data reception, then the network device releases the first resource. In another possible scenario, the network device releases the first resource after timer #2 expires. For details, please refer to the relevant description in method 500 above; it will not be repeated here.

[0266] Based on the embodiments of this application, the terminal device can receive data on a secondary link, such as receiving LP-WUS, which carries the data, thus achieving low-power data transmission. Furthermore, the terminal device can utilize specific resources for uplink feedback, thereby facilitating network devices to obtain information about data reception status.

[0267] Referring to Figure 7, as an example, Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a data transmission method 700 provided in an embodiment of this application. Method 700 can be used in scenarios involving scheduling information carrying data in LP-WUS. The method 700 shown in Figure 7 may include the following steps.

[0268] Optionally, method 700 includes steps S710 and S720.

[0269] S710, the core network (such as core network elements) instructs network devices to perform LP-WUS data transmission.

[0270] S720, network devices determine the primary resource.

[0271] Steps S710-S720 can be referred to as steps S610-S620, and will not be repeated here.

[0272] S730, the network device sends LP-WUS to the terminal device, which includes data scheduling information.

[0273] The data scheduling information (i.e., scheduling information) is used to schedule data resources. As an example, the data scheduling information may be DCI, such as DCI format 1_0 and / or DCI format 1_1.

[0274] Optionally, the LP-WUS includes a first resource.

[0275] Step S730 is similar to S630, except that in step S630, LP-WUS carries data, while in step S730, LP-WUS carries scheduling information for the data.

[0276] S740: The network device sends data to the terminal device. In other words, the network device sends data from the secondary link to the terminal device.

[0277] Terminal devices receive data based on data scheduling information on the secondary link.

[0278] S750: The terminal device sends indication information #1 to the network device on the secondary link or the primary link. Indication information #1 indicates the data reception status.

[0279] Optionally, prior to S750, method 700 may include S751 and S752.

[0280] S751, the terminal device sends a random access request to the network device.

[0281] S752, the network device sends a random access response to the terminal device.

[0282] Optionally, method 700 may include S760.

[0283] S760, network devices release primary resources.

[0284] Steps S750-S760 can be referred to steps S640-S650, and will not be repeated here.

[0285] Based on the embodiments of this application, the terminal device can receive data on the secondary link. For example, the terminal device receives a wake-up signal, which carries data scheduling information. Subsequently, the terminal device can receive data at the appropriate location, thus achieving low-power data transmission. Furthermore, the terminal device can utilize specific resources for uplink feedback, thereby facilitating network devices to be aware of the data reception status.

[0286] It is understood that the embodiments of this application repeatedly mention that the terminal device receives a wake-up signal on the secondary link. Since the wake-up signal is received by the terminal device on the secondary link, the phrase "the terminal device receives the wake-up signal on the secondary link" can also be replaced with: "the terminal device receives the wake-up signal".

[0287] It is also understood that in some embodiments of this application, the phrase "network device sends data on a secondary link" indicates that the data sent by the network device to the terminal device is the data received by the terminal device on the secondary link; similarly, "network device sends data on the primary link" indicates that the data sent by the network device to the terminal device is the data received by the terminal device on the primary link. Furthermore, when the network device sends data on the secondary link to the terminal device, and when the network device sends data on the primary link to the terminal device, different links or the same link can be used; there is no limitation in this regard.

[0288] It is also understood that the embodiments of this application mainly use secondary links and primary links as examples for illustration, and are not intended to limit the scope of the application. Taking "the terminal device receives a signal on the secondary link" as an example, "the terminal device receives a signal on the secondary link" can be replaced with any of the following: the terminal device receives a signal through a wake-up circuit, the terminal device receives a signal when it is in a first state, or the terminal device receives a signal when it is in a first mode.

[0289] It is also understood that, in various embodiments of this application, "the terminal device initiates random access" may include: "the terminal device sends a random access preamble sequence," that is, "the terminal device initiates random access" can be replaced by "the terminal device sends a random access preamble sequence" in the following text. It is understood that any method that enables the terminal device to initiate random access is applicable to this application.

[0290] It is also understood that in the various embodiments of this application, "monitoring" can be used interchangeably with "receiving," "detecting," or "reading." For example, "receiving wake-up signal" can also be replaced with "monitoring wake-up signal," "detecting wake-up signal," or "reading wake-up signal."

[0291] It is also understood that, in the various embodiments of this application, the interaction between a terminal device and a network device is mainly used as an example for illustrative purposes. This application is not limited thereto. The terminal device can be replaced by a receiving device, which can be either a terminal device or a network device; the network device can be replaced by a sending device, which can be either a terminal device or a network device. For example, "terminal device" can be replaced by "first terminal device," and "network device" can be replaced by "second terminal device."

[0292] The methods provided by the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to Figures 5-7. The apparatus provided by the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 9 and 10. It should be understood that the descriptions of the apparatus embodiments correspond to the descriptions of the method embodiments; therefore, any content not described in detail can be referred to the method embodiments above, and for the sake of brevity, will not be repeated here.

[0293] Referring to Figure 8, which is a schematic diagram of a communication device 800 provided in an embodiment of this application, the communication device 800 includes a transceiver unit 810. The transceiver unit 810 can be used to implement corresponding communication functions. The transceiver unit 810 can also be referred to as a communication interface or a communication unit. Optionally, the communication device 800 further includes a processing unit 820. The processing unit 820 can be used to perform processing, such as demodulating data.

[0294] Optionally, the device 800 may further include a storage unit for storing instructions and / or data, and the processing unit 820 may read the instructions and / or data from the storage unit to enable the device to implement the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0295] In a first possible design, the device 800 can be the terminal device in the foregoing embodiments, which can implement the steps or processes corresponding to those executed by the terminal device in the above method embodiments. Specifically, the transceiver unit 810 can be used to perform transceiver-related operations (such as sending and / or receiving data or messages) of the terminal device in the above method embodiments, and the processing unit 820 can be used to perform processing-related operations of the terminal device in the above method embodiments, or operations other than transceiver (such as operations other than sending and / or receiving data or messages).

[0296] In one possible implementation, the transceiver unit 810 is used to receive a wake-up signal from a network device on a secondary link. The wake-up signal includes data or data scheduling information and also includes first indication information indicating a first resource. The transceiver unit 810 is also used to send second indication information to the network device on the secondary link or the main link based on the first resource. The second indication information indicates the data reception status.

[0297] Optionally, the wake-up signal includes data scheduling information, and the transceiver unit 810 is also used to receive data from network devices based on the data scheduling information on the secondary link.

[0298] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is used to send capability information, which indicates whether signal transmission on the secondary link is supported; the transceiver unit 810 is also used to send second indication information to the network device based on the first resource on the secondary link or the primary link, including: the transceiver unit 810 is also used to send the second indication information on the secondary link based on the first resource when the capability information indicates that signal transmission on the secondary link is supported.

[0299] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to send second indication information based on the first resource on the secondary link or the primary link, including any one of the following: the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to send the second indication information based on the PRACH resource on the primary link when the first resource includes the PRACH resource; or, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to send the second indication information based on the PUCCH resource on the primary link when the first resource includes both the PRACH resource and the PUCCH resource, and the PRACH resource is used for random access on the primary link.

[0300] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to send a second indication information based on PRACH resources on the main link, including: the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to send a message 3Msg3 of the random access procedure based on PRACH resources on the main link, wherein Msg3 includes the second indication information.

[0301] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive a wake-up signal from the network device on the secondary link, including: if at least one of the following conditions is met, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive a wake-up signal from the network device on the secondary link: the cell quality of the serving cell of the terminal device is greater than or equal to a first threshold; and / or, the change value of the cell quality of the serving cell of the terminal device within a preset time period is less than or equal to a second threshold.

[0302] Optionally, after the first timer expires, the transceiver unit 810 stops receiving data on the secondary link, and the start time of the first timer is the time when data is first received on the secondary link.

[0303] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is also used to receive retransmitted data on the secondary link during the operation of the second timer, wherein the start time of the second timer is the moment when data is first received on the secondary link.

[0304] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to transmit second indication information, including: the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to transmit the i-th second indication information at a first transmission power and transmit the j-th second indication information at a second transmission power, wherein the second transmission power is greater than the first transmission power, wherein the i-th second indication information indicates the reception status of the i-th data received on the secondary link, and the j-th second indication information indicates the reception status of the j-th data received on the secondary link, where i and j are integers greater than 0, and i is less than j.

[0305] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to send second indication information, including: the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to stop sending second indication information after sending X second indication information, where X is the maximum number of retransmissions and X is an integer greater than 1.

[0306] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to send second indication information to the network device based on the first resource on the secondary link or the primary link, including: the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to send the second indication information to the network device based on the first resource on the secondary link or the primary link during the operation of the third timer, wherein the start time of the third timer is the moment when data is first received on the secondary link, or the start time of the third timer is the moment when a wake-up signal is received on the secondary link.

[0307] In a second possible design, the device 800 can be a network device as described in the foregoing embodiments. This device 800 can implement the steps or processes performed by the network device corresponding to those described in the method embodiments above. Specifically, the transceiver unit 810 can be used to perform transceiver-related operations (such as sending and / or receiving data or messages) of the network device described in the method embodiments above, and the processing unit 820 can be used to perform processing-related operations of the network device described in the method embodiments above, or operations other than transceiver operations (such as operations other than sending and / or receiving data or messages).

[0308] In one possible implementation, the transceiver unit 810 is used to send a wake-up signal, which includes data or data scheduling information and also includes first indication information indicating a first resource; the transceiver unit 810 is also used to receive second indication information based on the first resource, which indicates the data reception status.

[0309] Optionally, the wake-up signal includes data scheduling information, and the transceiver unit 810 is also used to send data based on the data scheduling information.

[0310] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive capability information, which indicates whether signal transmission on the secondary link is supported; the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive second indication information based on the first resource, including: the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive second indication information on the secondary link based on the first resource when the capability information indicates that signal transmission on the secondary link is supported.

[0311] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive second indication information based on the first resource, including any one of the following: if the first resource includes PRACH resources, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive second indication information from the main link of the terminal device based on the PRACH resources; or, if the first resource includes PUCCH resources, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive second indication information from the main link or auxiliary link of the terminal device based on the PUCCH resources; or, if the first resource includes both PRACH resources and PUCCH resources, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive second indication information from the main link of the terminal device based on the PUCCH resources, wherein the PRACH resources are used for random access on the main link.

[0312] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive second indication information from the main link of the terminal device based on PRACH resources, including: the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive message 3Msg3 from the random access procedure on the main link of the terminal device based on PRACH resources, wherein Msg3 includes the second indication information.

[0313] Optionally, after the first timer expires, the transceiver unit 810 stops sending data, and the start time of the first timer is the moment when the first data is sent.

[0314] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is also used to transmit retransmitted data during the operation of the second timer, the start time of the second timer being the time of the first data transmission.

[0315] Optionally, the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive second indication information from the network device based on the first resource, including: the transceiver unit 810 is further configured to receive the second indication information based on the first resource during the operation of the third timer, wherein the start time of the third timer is the time when the first data is sent, or the start time of the third timer is the time when a wake-up signal is sent.

[0316] It should be understood that the specific process of each unit performing the above-mentioned corresponding steps has been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0317] The above description mainly uses transceiver unit 810 as an example, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto. For example, transceiver unit 810 includes a first transceiver unit and a second transceiver unit, the first transceiver unit being used for communication on the secondary link, and the second transceiver unit being used for communication on the primary link.

[0318] It should also be understood that the device 800 here is embodied in the form of a functional unit. The term "unit" here can refer to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), electronic circuitry, a processor (e.g., a shared processor, a proprietary processor, or a group processor, etc.) and memory for executing one or more software or firmware programs, combined logic circuitry, and / or other suitable components supporting the described functions. In an alternative example, those skilled in the art will understand that the device 800 can specifically be the communication device in the above embodiments, and can be used to execute the various processes and / or steps corresponding to the communication device in the above method embodiments; to avoid repetition, these will not be described again here.

[0319] The apparatus 800 of each of the above-described schemes has the function of implementing the corresponding steps performed by the communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the above-described methods. The function can be implemented in hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions; for example, the transceiver unit can be replaced by a transceiver (e.g., the sending unit in the transceiver unit can be replaced by a transmitter, and the receiving unit in the transceiver unit can be replaced by a receiver), and other units, such as processing units, can be replaced by processors, each performing the transmission and reception operations and related processing operations in the respective method embodiments.

[0320] In addition, the transceiver unit 810 described above can also be a transceiver circuit (for example, it may include a receiving circuit and a transmitting circuit), and the processing unit can be a processing circuit.

[0321] It should be noted that the device in Figure 8 can be the communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the foregoing embodiments, or it can be a chip or a chip system, such as a system on a chip (SoC). The transceiver unit can be an input / output circuit or a communication interface; the processing unit is a processor, microprocessor, or integrated circuit integrated on the chip. No limitations are imposed here.

[0322] Referring to Figure 9, as an example, Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of another communication device 900 provided in an embodiment of this application. The device 900 includes a processor 910, which is coupled to a memory 920. The memory 920 is used to store computer programs or instructions and / or data. The processor 910 is used to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory 920, or to read the data stored in the memory 920, to perform the methods in the above method embodiments.

[0323] Optionally, there may be one or more processors 910.

[0324] Optionally, the memory 920 may be one or more.

[0325] Alternatively, the memory 920 can be integrated with the processor 910, or it can be set separately.

[0326] Optionally, as shown in FIG9, the device 900 further includes a transceiver 930 for receiving and / or transmitting signals. For example, the processor 910 is used to control the transceiver 930 to receive and / or transmit signals.

[0327] As an example, processor 910 may have the functions of processing unit 820 shown in FIG8, memory 920 may have the functions of storage unit, and transceiver 930 may have the functions of transceiver unit 810 shown in FIG8.

[0328] As one approach, the device 900 is used to implement the operations performed by a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the various method embodiments described above.

[0329] For example, processor 910 is used to execute computer programs or instructions stored in memory 920 to implement the relevant operations of the communication device in the various method embodiments described above.

[0330] It should be understood that the processor mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), ASICs, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0331] It should also be understood that the memory mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM). For example, RAM can be used as an external cache. By way of example and not limitation, RAM includes the following forms: static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous linked dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM).

[0332] It should be noted that when the processor is a general-purpose processor, DSP, ASIC, FPGA, or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, or discrete hardware component, the memory (storage module) can be integrated into the processor.

[0333] It should also be noted that the memory described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0334] Referring to Figure 10, as an example, Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a chip system 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application. The chip system 1000 (or may also be called a processing system) includes logic circuitry 1010 and an input / output interface 1020.

[0335] The logic circuit 1010 can be a processing circuit in the chip system 1000. The logic circuit 1010 can be coupled to a memory unit, calling instructions from the memory unit, enabling the chip system 1000 to implement the methods and functions of the embodiments of this application. The input / output interface 1020 can be an input / output circuit in the chip system 1000, outputting processed information from the chip system 1000, or inputting data or signaling information to be processed into the chip system 1000 for processing.

[0336] As one approach, the chip system 1000 is used to implement the operations performed by the communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the various method embodiments described above.

[0337] For example, logic circuit 1010 is used to implement processing-related operations performed by a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the above method embodiments; input / output interface 1020 is used to implement sending and / or receiving-related operations performed by a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the above method embodiments.

[0338] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program or instructions for implementing the methods executed by a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the above-described method embodiments. For example, when the computer program or instructions are run on the communication device, the communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) performs the above-described methods (such as method 500, method 600, or method 700).

[0339] This application also provides a computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, implement the methods described above as performed by a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device). For example, when the computer program or instructions are run on the communication device, the communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) performs the methods described above (such as method 500, method 600, or method 700).

[0340] This application also provides a communication system that includes the terminal device and / or network device described in the preceding embodiments. For example, the system includes the terminal device and network device shown in the embodiment of FIG5. As another example, the system includes the terminal device and network device shown in the embodiment of FIG6. Yet another example, the system includes the terminal device and network device shown in the embodiment of FIG7.

[0341] The explanations and beneficial effects of the relevant contents in any of the devices provided above can be found in the corresponding method embodiments provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0342] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection of apparatus or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0343] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. For example, the computer can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, 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 that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media can be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., DVDs), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state disks, SSDs). For example, the aforementioned available media include, but are not limited to, USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks, and other media capable of storing program code.

[0344] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of data transmission, characterized by, The method includes: On the secondary link, a wake-up signal is received from a network device. The wake-up signal includes data or scheduling information of the data. The wake-up signal also includes first indication information, which indicates a first resource. On the secondary link or the primary link, a second indication message is sent to the network device based on the first resource, the second indication message indicating the data reception status.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The wake-up signal includes the scheduling information of the data, and the method further includes: On the secondary link, the data is received from the network device based on the scheduling information of the data.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Before receiving the wake-up signal on the secondary link, the method further includes: Send capability information, which indicates whether signal transmission on the secondary link is supported; The step of sending the second indication information based on the first resource on the secondary link or the primary link includes: If the capability information indicates support for transmitting signals on the secondary link, a second indication information is transmitted on the secondary link based on the first resource.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The first resource includes Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) resources and / or Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resources.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, The step of sending the second indication information based on the first resource on the secondary link or the primary link includes any one of the following: If the first resource includes a PRACH resource, then a second indication message is sent on the main link based on the PRACH resource; or, If the first resource includes a PUCCH resource, then a second indication message is sent on the primary link or the secondary link based on the PUCCH resource; or, When the first resource includes PRACH resources and PUCCH resources, the main link sends second indication information based on the PUCCH resources, and the PRACH resources are used for random access on the main link.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The step of sending the second indication information based on the PRACH resource on the main link includes: On the main link, a message 3Msg3 for the random access procedure is sent based on the PRACH resource, and the Msg3 includes the second indication information.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The first indication information indicates a first resource, including: The first indication information indicates an offset, which is the offset between the first resource and the reference resource.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The network device is the network device that serves the terminal device when the terminal device switches from the primary link to the secondary link.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The step of receiving a wake-up signal from a network device on the secondary link, wherein the wake-up signal includes data or scheduling information of the data, includes: A wake-up signal from a network device is received on the secondary link if at least one of the following conditions is met, and the wake-up signal includes data or scheduling information of the data: The cell quality of the serving cell of the terminal device is greater than or equal to a first threshold; and / or, The change in the cell quality of the serving cell of the terminal device within a preset time period is less than or equal to a second threshold.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The method further includes: After the first timer expires, data reception on the secondary link is stopped. The start time of the first timer is the moment when the data is first received on the secondary link.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: During the operation of the second timer, retransmission data of the data is received on the secondary link, and the start time of the second timer is the moment when the data is first received on the secondary link.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, The sending of the second instruction information includes: The i-th second indication information is transmitted at a first transmission power, and the j-th second indication information is transmitted at a second transmission power, wherein the second transmission power is greater than the first transmission power. The i-th second indication information indicates the reception status of the i-th data received on the secondary link, and the j-th second indication information indicates the reception status of the j-th data received on the secondary link. i and j are integers greater than 0, and i is less than j.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that, The sending of the second instruction information includes: After sending X instances of the second indication information, the sending of the second indication information is stopped, where X is the maximum number of retransmissions and X is an integer greater than 1.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that, The step of sending second indication information to the network device based on the first resource on the secondary link or primary link includes: During the operation of the third timer, a second indication message is sent to the network device based on the first resource on the secondary link or the primary link. The start time of the third timer is the moment when the data is first received on the secondary link, or the start time of the third timer is the moment when the wake-up signal is received on the secondary link.

15. A method of data transmission, characterized by, The method includes: Send a wake-up signal, the wake-up signal including data or scheduling information of the data, the wake-up signal also including first indication information, the first indication information indicating a first resource; Based on the first resource, a second indication information is received, the second indication information indicating the data reception status.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, The wake-up signal includes the scheduling information of the data, and the method further includes: The data is sent based on the scheduling information provided by the data.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that, Before sending the wake-up signal, the method further includes: Receive capability information, which indicates whether signal transmission on the secondary link of the terminal device is supported; The step of receiving the second indication information based on the first resource includes: When the capability information indicates support for transmitting signals on the secondary link of the terminal device, the second indication information on the secondary link of the terminal device is received based on the first resource.

18. The method of any one of claims 15-17, wherein, The first resource includes Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) resources and / or Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resources.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, The receipt of the second indication information based on the first resource includes any one of the following: If the first resource includes a PRACH resource, then second indication information is received from the main link of the terminal device based on the PRACH resource; or, If the first resource includes a PUCCH resource, then second indication information is received from the primary or secondary link of the terminal device based on the PUCCH resource; or, When the first resource includes PRACH resources and PUCCH resources, second indication information is received from the main link of the terminal device based on the PUCCH resources, and the PRACH resources are used for random access on the main link.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein, The step of receiving second indication information from the main link of the terminal device based on the PRACH resource includes: Based on the PRACH resource, the terminal device receives message 3Msg3 from the random access procedure on the main link, wherein Msg3 includes the second indication information.

21. The method of any one of claims 15-20, wherein, The first indication information indicates a first resource, including: The first indication information indicates an offset, which is the offset between the first resource and the reference resource.

22. The method of any one of claims 15-21, wherein, The network device is the network device that serves the terminal device when the terminal device switches from the primary link to the secondary link.

23. The method of any one of claims 15-22, wherein, The method further includes: After the first timer expires, the transmission of the data stops. The start time of the first timer is the moment when the data is first transmitted.

24. The method of any one of claims 15-23, wherein, The method further includes: During the operation of the second timer, retransmission of the data is sent, and the start time of the second timer is the time when the data is first sent.

25. The method of any one of claims 15-24, wherein, Receiving second indication information from the network device based on the first resource includes: During the operation of the third timer, the second indication information is received based on the first resource. The start time of the third timer is the time when the data is first sent, or the start time of the third timer is the time when the wake-up signal is sent.

26. A communications device, characterized by Includes modules or units for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 25.

27. A communications device, characterized by Includes a processor, the processor being configured to cause the communication device to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 25.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein, The device also includes a memory and / or a communication interface. The memory, coupled to the processor, is used to store computer programs or instructions; The communication interface is coupled to the processor and is used for inputting and / or outputting information.

29. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 25.

30. A computer program product, characterised in that, The computer program product includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 25.

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