Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of communications, and provides a communication method and apparatus. In the method, a plurality of cells use the same first DCI when scheduling a paging message, and use the same first resource to carry the first DCI, so as to ensure that no matter which cell among the plurality of cells a first communication apparatus (such as a terminal device) moves into, the first communication apparatus can receive the paging message in a current cell on the basis of paging-related configuration information acquired by a previous cell, without having to receive an SSB of the current cell, thereby preventing missed paging detection.

Description

A communication method and apparatus

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411550808.7, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on October 31, 2024, entitled “A Communication Method and Apparatus”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

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

[0003] In New Radio (NR) technology, when a user equipment (UE) receives the synchronization signal block (SSB) of a cell, it obtains the physical cell identifier (PCI) of that cell from the SSB. The PCI is then used to receive and decode paging messages from that cell. Each cell has a different PCI. If a UE moves from one cell to another, it needs to re-receive the SSB and System Information Block 1 (SIB1) of the new cell and obtain the PCI of that new cell before it can receive paging messages in that new cell.

[0004] Currently, the period for base stations to send synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) is 20ms, resulting in high power consumption. To reduce base station power consumption, we are considering increasing the SSB period, such as to 320ms, 640ms, or 1280ms, which can effectively reduce the power consumption of the base station.

[0005] However, when the base station chooses to use long-cycle SSB transmission, if the UE moves too fast, it may move to another cell within the time range of two SSB transmissions. In this case, if the UE does not receive the SSB and SIB1 of the other cell, and the other cell pages the UE, the UE will not be able to receive the page, resulting in a missed paging detection. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a communication method and apparatus that enables a UE to receive paging messages even when it does not receive SSB, thereby avoiding paging missed detection.

[0007] Firstly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a first communication device, for example, by the first communication device itself, or by a module applied to the first communication device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or by a logic node, logic module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the first communication device. For ease of description, the following description uses the execution of the method by the first communication device as an example. The method includes: receiving a first downlink control information (DCI) from a first cell on a first resource, wherein the DCI received on the first resource from multiple cells is the first DCI, the first DCI is used to schedule paging messages, and the multiple cells include the first cell. Based on the first DCI, receiving a paging message from the first cell.

[0008] Based on the method in the first aspect, it is known that when multiple cells schedule paging messages, they use the same first DCI and the same first resource bearer for the first DCI. This ensures that no matter which cell the first communication device (such as a terminal device) moves to, it can receive paging messages in the current cell based on the paging-related configuration information obtained from the previous cell, without needing to receive the SSB of the current cell, thus avoiding paging missed detection.

[0009] Optionally, the first DCI is information scrambled after being identified by a region identifier, and the region includes multiple cells.

[0010] The area can include one or more physical cells, meaning the first DCI scrambles at the area level. This can also be understood as the second communication device uniformly scheduling paging messages at the area level. This ensures the first communication device can still receive paging messages even without receiving SSBs, preventing missed paging detections.

[0011] Optionally, the area identifier is also used to scramble at least one of the following within the area: the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) sequence carrying the DCI used for scheduling paging messages, the demodulation reference signal (DMRS) of the PDCCH sequence, the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) sequence carrying paging messages, and the DMRS of the PDSCH sequence. Thus, by scrambling all paging-related messages within the area using the area identifier, the first communication device can use the area identifier to receive and descramble paging-related messages within the area, avoiding paging misses caused by excessively fast UE movement when the second communication device uses long-period SSB transmission.

[0012] Optionally, receiving the paging message from the first cell according to the first DCI may include: receiving the paging message from the first cell using an area identifier according to the first DCI. The first communication device is able to receive and descramble the paging message from the first cell using the area identifier, and the first communication device is able to receive and descramble the paging messages from all cells within the area using the area identifier. This avoids paging missed detections caused by the UE's excessively fast movement speed when the network equipment serving the first cell (such as the second communication device) uses long-period SSB transmission.

[0013] Optionally, the value range of the area identifier may differ from that of the physical cell identifier (PCI). Area identifiers and PCIs can be distinguished at the granularity of area versus cell, and also at the value range. The value range can be used to differentiate between area identifiers and PCIs, avoiding confusion between them.

[0014] Secondly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a second communication device, for example, by the second communication device itself, or by a module applied to the second communication device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or by a logic node, logic module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the second communication device. For ease of description, the following description uses the execution of the method by a second communication device as an example. The method includes: transmitting a first downlink control information (DCI) of a first cell on a first resource, wherein the first DCI is the DCI of multiple cells, the first DCI is used to schedule paging messages, and the multiple cells include the first cell; and transmitting paging messages.

[0015] Optionally, the first DCI is information scrambled after being identified by a region identifier, and the region includes multiple cells.

[0016] Optionally, the area identifier is also used to scramble at least one of the following in the area: the PDCCH sequence carrying the DCI used for scheduling paging messages, the demodulation reference signal DMRS of the PDCCH sequence, the PDSCH sequence carrying the paging messages, and the DMRS of the PDSCH sequence.

[0017] Optionally, the range of values ​​for the region identifier may differ from the range of values ​​for the PCI.

[0018] The technical effects of the method described in the second aspect above can also be found in the description of the first aspect above, and will not be repeated here.

[0019] Thirdly, a communication device is provided. The communication device includes a processor configured to perform the method according to any one of the embodiments of the first to second aspects.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the communication device of the third aspect may further include a transceiver. This transceiver can be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used by the communication device of the third aspect to communicate with other communication devices.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the communication device of the third aspect may further include a memory. This memory may be integrated with the processor or disposed separately. The memory may be used to store computer programs and / or data involved in the methods of any of the embodiments of the first to second aspects.

[0022] In the embodiments of this application, the communication device of the third aspect can be a terminal device or network device of either the first aspect or the second aspect, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly disposed in the terminal device or network device, or a device containing the terminal device or network device.

[0023] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device in the third aspect can be referred to the technical effects of any of the embodiments in the first to second aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0024] Fourthly, a communication device is provided. The communication device includes a processor coupled to a memory, the processor being configured to execute a computer program or instructions stored in the memory, such that the communication device performs the method of any one of the embodiments of the first to second aspects.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the communication device may further include a transceiver. The transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used for communication between the communication device described in the fourth aspect and other communication devices.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the communication device further includes the memory for storing the aforementioned computer program or instructions. Optionally, the memory and processor are integrated together.

[0027] In the embodiments of this application, the communication device described in the fourth aspect may be a terminal device or network device described in either the first aspect or the second aspect, or may be a chip (system) or other component or assembly disposed in the terminal device or network device, or may be a device containing the terminal device or network device.

[0028] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device described in the fourth aspect can be referred to the technical effects of any of the embodiments in the first to second aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0029] Fifthly, a communication system is provided. The communication system includes: a first communication device for performing the method described in any embodiment of the first aspect, and a second communication device for performing the method described in any embodiment of the second aspect.

[0030] A sixth aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium comprising: a computer program or instructions; wherein, when the computer program or instructions are executed, the method as described in any of the embodiments of the first to second aspects is implemented.

[0031] A seventh aspect is to provide a computer program product, including a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method as described in any of the embodiments of the first to second aspects above to be implemented.

[0032] Eighthly, a chip is provided, including a processor connected to a memory for storing a computer program, the processor for executing the computer program stored in the memory, such that the method as described in any of the first to second aspects above is implemented. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system to which the method provided in the embodiments of this application is applicable;

[0034] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system to which the method provided in the embodiments of this application is applicable;

[0035] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an access network device;

[0036] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a RAN chip architecture provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0038] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the PO resource location provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 7 is a schematic flowchart of the chip architecture provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in the embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can be applied to various communication systems, such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, device-to-device (D2D) communication systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, fourth-generation (4G) mobile communication systems, such as long-term evolution (LTE) systems, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) communication systems, fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication systems, such as new radio (NR) systems, and future communication systems.

[0043] For ease of understanding, the technical terms involved in the embodiments of this application will be introduced below.

[0044] 1. Paging-related resource configuration:

[0045] In NR technology, if a user equipment (UE) receives complete system information for a cell, the UE can receive paging messages from that cell and also actively initiate random access within that cell, meaning the UE has successfully camped on that cell. The complete system information primarily refers to System Information Block 1 (SIB1). The UE camping process can be divided into the following two steps:

[0046] (1) UE receives synchronization signal block (SSB): The base station or cell sends SSB at a period of 20ms. The UE receives SSB to obtain downlink synchronization and at the same time obtains the time and frequency resources for receiving SIB1.

[0047] (2) UE receives SIB1: The base station or cell sends SIB1 at a period of 160ms. After receiving SIB1, the UE can obtain the necessary information for accessing or camping on the cell from SIB1. The necessary information includes paging-related configuration information.

[0048] Paging-related resource configurations mainly include the paging physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) configuration and the paging physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) configuration. The PDCCH configuration primarily indicates the time-frequency location at which the UE receives paging messages, while the PDSCH configuration is mainly used to carry the paging messages. After the UE completes cell camping, it obtains the paging-related configuration information, enabling it to monitor paging messages at the corresponding time-frequency location, i.e., to receive paging messages within that cell.

[0049] Furthermore, paging-related resources are configured at the cell level, meaning that the paging-related configuration information differs between cells. If a UE moves from one cell to another, it needs to re-receive the SSB and SIB1 of the new cell and obtain the latest paging-related configuration information—that is, the paging-related configuration information of the new cell—before the UE can receive paging messages in the new cell.

[0050] 2. Physical Cell Identifier (PCI):

[0051] Each cell corresponds to a PCI, which is used by the terminal (UE, user equipment) to distinguish the radio signals of different cells.

[0052] Since each cell corresponds to a different PCI, the common signals / channels transmitted by the cell can be scrambled using the PCI to ensure that the UE can identify the common signals / channels transmitted by the currently camped cell, such as SIB1 and paging messages. Specifically, the signals / channels scrambled using PCI can include: uplink physical signals, such as the demodulation reference signal for the physical uplink shared channel (DMRS for PUSCH) and the demodulation reference signal for the physical uplink control channel (DMRS for PUCCH); downlink physical signals, such as the demodulation reference signal for the physical downlink shared channel (DMRS for PDSCH), the demodulation reference signal for the physical downlink control channel (DMRS for PDCCH), and the demodulation reference signal for the physical broadcast channel (DMRS for PBCH); uplink physical channels, such as PUSCH and PUCCH; and downlink physical channels, such as PDSCH and PDCCH.

[0053] When a UE receives a cell's Service Block (SSB), it obtains the cell's PCI from the SSB. The UE then uses the cell's PCI to decode all common signals transmitted by that cell. If the UE moves to another cell, it needs to reacquire the PCI of that cell and then use the PCI to receive common signals.

[0054] Currently, the SSB transmission period is 20ms, resulting in high base station energy consumption. To reduce base station energy consumption, the SSB period could be lengthened, for example to 320ms, 640ms, or 1280ms, which would effectively reduce base station power consumption. However, when the base station chooses to use a longer SSB transmission period, if the UE moves too quickly, it may move to another cell within the time frame of two SSB transmissions. In this case, if the UE does not receive the SSB and SIB1 from the other cell, and the other cell attempts to page the UE, the UE will not receive the page, leading to a missed paging detection. For example, Table 1 lists the SSB transmission period and the number of base stations within a cell range with different inter-site distances (ISD).

[0055] Table 1

[0056] It can be seen that within the cell range of ISD300, if the UE moves at a speed of 60km / h, when the period of the base station sending SSB is extended to 80ms, the probability of the UE moving out of the current cell is 1%. At this time, the probability of the UE moving out of the cell can be equivalent to the paging missed detection probability of the UE. When the paging missed detection probability is higher than 1%, it indicates that there is a problem with mobility management.

[0057] Furthermore, when a base station transmits a common signal, it needs to use PCI scramble the common signal so that the UE can distinguish which base station's signal it is receiving. However, when the period for the base station to transmit the SSB becomes longer, if the UE moves very quickly, it may not have received the SSB of another cell by the time it moves to that cell, thus failing to obtain the PCI of that cell and consequently failing to demodulate the common signal transmitted by that cell.

[0058] To address the aforementioned technical issues, this application proposes a first DCI (Distributed Citation Information) for scheduling paging messages, received from a first cell on a first resource. The first DCI is the DCI of multiple cells, including the first cell, thereby receiving paging messages from the first cell based on the first DCI. This allows the UE to receive paging messages even when it does not receive an SSB (Service Subsystem for Pages), avoiding missed paging detections. A detailed description follows.

[0059] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0060] In the embodiments of this application, "instruction" can include direct and indirect instructions, as well as explicit and implicit instructions. The information indicated by a certain piece of information is called the information to be instructed. In the specific implementation process, there are many ways to instruct the information to be instructed, such as, but not limited to, directly instructing the information to be instructed, such as the information to be instructed itself or its index. It can also indirectly instruct the information to be instructed by instructing other information, where there is a correlation between the other information and the information to be instructed. It can also instruct 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. At the same time, common parts of various pieces of information can be identified and uniformly indicated to reduce the instruction overhead caused by individually indicating the same information.

[0061] Furthermore, the specific instruction method can also be any existing instruction method, such as, but not limited to, the above-mentioned instruction methods and their various combinations. As described above, for example, when multiple pieces of information of the same type need to be indicated, the instruction methods for different pieces of information may differ. In the specific implementation process, the required instruction method can be selected according to specific needs. This application embodiment does not limit the selected instruction method. Therefore, the instruction methods involved in this application embodiment should be understood to cover various methods that enable the party to be instructed to obtain the information to be indicated.

[0062] The information to be instructed can be sent as a whole or divided into multiple sub-information messages, and the sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be the same or different. The specific sending method is not limited in this application embodiment. The sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be predefined, for example, according to a protocol, or configured by the sending node device by sending configuration information to the receiving node device.

[0063] In this application, "sending information" can be understood as one device sending information to another device, or it can also be understood as one logical module within a device sending information to another logical module. For example, "network device sending information" can be understood as a network device sending information to another device (such as a terminal device or other network devices), or it can be understood as logical module 1 in the network device sending information to logical module 2 in the network device.

[0064] In this application, "receiving information" can be understood as one device receiving information from another device, or it can also be understood as a logical module within a device receiving information from another logical module. For example, "network device receiving information" can be understood as a network device receiving information from another device (such as a terminal device or other network devices), or it can be understood as logical module 1 in the network device receiving information from logical module 2 in the network device.

[0065] In this application, the phrase "sending information to... (e.g., a terminal device)" or the related illustrations in the accompanying drawings can be understood as the destination of the information being the terminal device. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to the terminal device. Similarly, "receiving information from... (e.g., a terminal device)," "receiving information from... (e.g., a terminal device)," or "receiving information sent (e.g., by a terminal device)," or the related illustrations in the accompanying drawings, can be understood as the source of the information being the terminal device. This can include receiving information directly or indirectly from the terminal device. Information may undergo necessary processing between the source and destination, such as format changes, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be interpreted similarly, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0066] "Predefined" or "pre-configured" can be achieved by pre-saving corresponding codes, tables, or other means that can be used to indicate relevant information in the device. This application does not limit the specific implementation method. "Saving" can refer to saving in one or more memories. These memories can be separate installations or integrated into the encoder, decoder, processor, or communication device. Alternatively, some memories can be separately installed, while others are integrated into the decoder, processor, or communication device. The type of memory can be any form of storage medium, and this application does not limit this.

[0067] The “protocol” mentioned in the embodiments of this application may refer to a protocol family in the field of communication, a standard protocol with a similar protocol family frame structure, or a related protocol applied to future communication systems. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit this.

[0068] In the embodiments of this application, descriptions such as "when," "under the circumstances," "if," and "if" all refer to the device making corresponding processing under certain objective circumstances, and are not limited to a specific time. They do not require the device to make a judgment action during implementation, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0069] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " indicates that the objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can represent A or B. "And / or" in the embodiments of this application is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" refers to two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple. Additionally, to facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish identical or similar items with essentially the same function and effect. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first," "second," etc., do not limit the quantity or order of execution, and that "first," "second," etc., are not necessarily different. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is being used as an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or implementation described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or implementations. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner for ease of understanding.

[0070] The network architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0071] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application will be described in detail first using the communication system shown in FIG1 as an example. For example, FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system to which the method provided in the embodiments of this application is applicable.

[0072] As shown in Figure 1, the communication system mainly includes a first communication device and a second communication device. The first communication device can be a terminal device, and the second communication device can be a network device.

[0073] It is understood that, in the embodiments of this application, the communication system based on FIG1 may include two or more network devices (such as a first network device and a second network device) and multiple terminal devices, without limitation. It is understood that FIG1 is a simplified schematic diagram for ease of understanding, and the communication system may also include other devices, which are not shown in FIG1.

[0074] In one possible scenario, this communication system can be applied to 5G or future communication systems. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the communication system 10 includes a RAN 100, a core network (CN) 200, and an Internet 300. RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (as shown in Figure 2, 110a and 110b, collectively referred to as 110) and at least one terminal device (as shown in Figure 2, 120a-120j, collectively referred to as 120). RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay devices and / or wireless backhaul devices (not shown in Figure 2). Terminal device 120 is wirelessly connected to RAN node 110. RAN node 110 is wirelessly or wiredly connected to core network 200. The core network devices in core network 200 and RAN node 110 in RAN 100 can be different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating core network logical functions and wireless access network logical functions.

[0075] RAN 100 can be a 3GPP-related cellular system, such as a 4G or 5G mobile communication system, or a future-oriented evolution system (such as a future mobile communication system). RAN 100 can also be an open access network (open RAN, O-RAN, or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a Wi-Fi system. RAN 100 can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems.

[0076] RAN node 110, sometimes also referred to as access network equipment, RAN entity, or access node, constitutes part of the communication system and is used to help terminal devices achieve wireless access. Multiple RAN nodes 110 in communication system 10 can be of the same type or different types. In some scenarios, the roles of RAN node 110 and terminal device 120 are relative. For example, network element 120i in Figure 2 can be a helicopter or drone, which can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminal devices 120j accessing RAN 100 through network element 120i, network element 120i is a base station; but for base station 110a, network element 120i is a terminal device. RAN node 110 and terminal device 120 are sometimes both referred to as communication devices. For example, network elements 110a and 110b in Figure 2 can be understood as communication devices with base station functions, and network elements 120a-120j can be understood as communication devices with terminal device functions.

[0077] In one possible scenario, the RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a next-generation base station in a future mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access point (AP) in a Wi-Fi system. The RAN node can be a macro base station (as shown in Figure 2, 110a), a micro base station or indoor station (as shown in Figure 2, 110b), a relay node or donor node, or a radio controller in a CRAN scenario. Optionally, the RAN node can also be a server, wearable device, vehicle, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, the access network equipment in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be a roadside unit (RSU). All or part of the functions of the RAN node in this application can also be implemented through software functions running on hardware, or through virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform). The RAN node in this application can also be a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the RAN node functions.

[0078] In another possible scenario, 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, CUs (control plane, CP), CUs (user plane, UP), or radio units (RUs). CUs and DUs can be configured separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as RRUs, active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radio heads (RRHs).

[0079] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an access network device. As shown in Figure 3, the access network device includes one or more functional modules for signal processing. Taking physical layer functions as an example, the access network device may include one or more of the following functions: coding, rate matching, scrambling, modulation, layer mapping, precoding, resource element (RE) mapping, digital beamforming (BF), inverse fast fourier transformation (IFFT) / adding cyclic prefix (CP), decoding, rate matching dematching, descrambling, demodulation, inverse discrete fourier transformation (IDFT), channel equalization (or channel estimation), RE demapper (or RE demapping), digital BF, fast Fourier transform (FFT) / CP removal, digital to analog (DA) conversion, analog BF, analog to digital (AD) conversion, or analog BF, etc.

[0080] One or more of the above functional modules can be implemented through software, hardware, or a combination of both. Physically, they can be discrete or integrated. It is understood that the above functional modules are merely examples; the access network device may include more modules (e.g., scheduling module, power control module, hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) module, flow control module, mobility management module, or artificial intelligence (AI) module, etc.) depending on the design, or may not include a certain functional module shown in Figure 3 (e.g., excluding the digital BF module). The access network device also includes a fronthaul (FH) interface between the DU and RU for communication between them. This fronthaul interface includes, but is not limited to, CPRI or eCPRI. In one possible implementation, the DU is located in the BBU, and the RU is located in the RRU / AAU / RRH; the interface between the BBU and the RRU / AAU / RRH can also be called the fronthaul interface. To implement the fronthaul interface, the BBU and RRU / AAU / RRH can be connected via a fronthaul network, or the DU and RU can be connected via a fronthaul network. For example, fronthaul networks include, but are not limited to: direct fiber optic connections and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks.

[0081] Access network equipment can support one or more types of fronthaul interfaces. Different fronthaul interfaces correspond to DUs and RUs with different functions. As shown in Figure 3, if the fronthaul interface between the DU and RU is a CPRI, the DU is configured to implement one or more baseband functions, and the RU is configured to implement one or more radio frequency functions. If the fronthaul interface between the DU and RU is an eCPRI, compared to the CPRI, some downlink and / or uplink baseband functions are moved from the DU to the RU. Different splitting methods between the DU and RU correspond to different types (category, abbreviated as Cat) of eCPRI. Figure 3 shows eight examples of eCPRI. For downlink transmission, Cat A (corresponding to segmentation mode a), Cat B (corresponding to segmentation mode b), Cat C (corresponding to segmentation mode c), and Cat D (corresponding to segmentation mode d) are used as examples; for uplink transmission, Cat E (corresponding to segmentation mode e), Cat F (corresponding to segmentation mode f), Cat G (corresponding to segmentation mode g), and Cat H (corresponding to segmentation mode h) are used as examples (it can also be represented as option A to H, or option 1 to 8, or other methods, without limitation). It can be understood that there may be other segmentation methods between DU and RU, that is, there may be other types of eCPRI.

[0082] For downlink transmission, for eCPRI Cat A, scrambling is the dividing line, and the DU is configured to implement one or more functions before and after scrambling (e.g., coding, rate matching, or one or more of scrambling), while other functions after scrambling (e.g., modulation, layer mapping, precoding, RE mapping, digital BF, or IFFT / CP addition) are implemented in the RU; for eCPRI Cat B, layer mapping is the dividing line, and the DU is configured to implement one or more functions before and after layer mapping (e.g., precoding, RE mapping, rate matching, scrambling, modulation, or one or more of layer mapping), while other functions after layer mapping (e.g., precoding, RE mapping, digital BF, or IFFT / CP addition) are implemented in the RU; for eCPRI Cat For C, with precoding as the dividing point, DU is configured to implement one or more functions preceding layer mapping (e.g., encoding, RE mapping, rate matching, scrambling, modulation, layer mapping, or precoding), while other functions following precoding (e.g., RE mapping, digital BF, or IFFT / addition CP) are implemented in RU; for eCPRI Cat D, with RE mapping as the dividing point, DU is configured to implement one or more functions preceding layer mapping (e.g., encoding, RE mapping, rate matching, scrambling, modulation, layer mapping, precoding, or RE mapping), while other functions following precoding (e.g., digital BF, or IFFT / addition CP) are implemented in RU.

[0083] For uplink transmission, for eCPRI Cat E, the de-RE mapping is used as the partitioning method. The DU is configured to implement one or more functions before and after de-mapping (e.g., decoding, de-rate matching, descrambling, demodulation, IDFT, channel equalization, or one or more of de-RE mapping), while other functions after de-mapping (e.g., digital BF, or one or more of FFT / CP removal) are implemented in the RU. For eCPRI Cat F, the channel equalization is used as the partitioning method. The DU is configured to implement one or more functions before and after de-mapping (e.g., decoding, de-rate matching, descrambling, demodulation, IDFT, or one or more of channel equalization), while other functions after de-mapping (e.g., de-RE mapping, digital BF, or one or more of FFT / CP removal) are implemented in the RU. For eCPRI Cat... For G, with IDFT as the dividing line, DU is configured to implement one or more functions before and after demapping (e.g., decoding, derate matching, descrambling, demodulation, or IDFT), while other functions after demapping (e.g., channel equalization, deRE mapping, digital BF, or FFT / CP removal) are moved to RU for implementation; for eCPRI Cat H, with demodulation as the dividing line, DU is configured to implement one or more functions before and after demapping (e.g., decoding, derate matching, descrambling, or demodulation), while other functions after demapping (e.g., IDFT, channel equalization, deRE mapping, digital BF, or FFT / CP removal) are moved to RU for implementation.

[0084] The eCPRI segmentation method can be symmetrical for uplink and downlink, or it can be asymmetrical for uplink and downlink, without restriction. Optionally, different segmentation methods can be configured for different channels or different channel groups for uplink and / or downlink, i.e., different types of eCPRI can be configured. A channel group can include one or more channels.

[0085] In one possible design, the DU is located in the BBU, and the RU is located in the RRU / AAU / RRH. The processing unit in the BBU that implements baseband functions is called the baseband high (BBH) unit, and the processing unit in the RRU / AAU / remote radio head (RRH) that implements baseband functions is called the baseband low (BBL) unit.

[0086] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples. 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 and hardware modules.

[0087] It is understood that the RAN node mentioned above can be a newly defined name, and RAN nodes can also be described in different ways, such as access node, network device, wireless access node, etc., without limitation. Unless otherwise specified in this application, network device will be used as the term.

[0088] Terminal devices can also be called terminals, user equipment (UE), mobile stations, mobile terminal devices, etc. Terminal devices can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), V2X communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), point-of-sale (POS) machines, customer-premises equipment (CPE), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables (e.g., smartwatches, smart bracelets, pedometers, smart glasses), smart transportation, smart cities, etc. Terminal devices can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicle devices (e.g., vehicle units, in-vehicle modules, in-vehicle chips, on-board units (OBUs) or telematics boxes (T-BOXs)), drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, satellite terminal devices, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal device.

[0089] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a RAN chip architecture provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 4, it is divided into CU, DU, and RU. The CU is a platform that performs upper-layer functions, such as layer 2 and L3 functions. The midhaul and backhaul interfaces are used to carry traffic between the CU and DU, and between the CU and CN. The DU performs L1 and some L2 functions, and the RU performs L1 computing and radio frequency (RF) digital functions; the fronthaul and midhaul interfaces are used to carry traffic between the RU and DU, and between the CU and DU. An integrated DU includes the functions of the DU and RU mentioned above. The RU can be connected to an antenna (ANT).

[0090] CU and DU can include: central processing unit (CPU) and field programmable gate array (FPGA) / graphics processing unit (GPU) / other accelerators. The CPU and FPGA / GPU / other accelerators are connected via the peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) standard.

[0091] The CU / DU hardware includes a chassis platform, motherboard, peripherals, and cooling system. The motherboard contains processing units, memory, internal I / O interfaces, and external connection ports. Its hardware accelerator is designed with interfaces, and hardware functional components include: storage for software, hardware, and system debugging interfaces, and a single-board management controller.

[0092] DU systems are typically implemented using multi-core processors and one or more hardware accelerators. Parts of the DU protocol stack can be implemented in software running on the multi-core processor, while computationally intensive L1 and L2 functions can be offloaded to FPGA / GPU-based hardware accelerators; alternatively, all L1 functions can be offloaded to FPGA / GPU-based hardware accelerators, while other protocol stack components are implemented in software running on the processor; or the entire protocol stack can be implemented in software running on the processor. Hardware accelerators support interconnection with both x86 and non-x86 processors. Similarly, accelerators have multi-channel PCIe interfaces pointing to the CPU and external connections via gigabit Ethernet (GbE) connectivity.

[0093] The RU comprises three parts: the O-RAN processing unit (OPU), the O-RU's digital processing unit (DPU), and the RF processing unit. The O-RAN processing unit receives Enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI) frames from the O-RAN fronthaul and performs fronthaul interface operations, the lowest level L1 (coding, scrambling, modulation, layer mapping, precoding), synchronization, beamforming, and resource unit mapping. The OPU can be implemented as a CPU, FPGA, or application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The O-RU's digital processing unit (DPU) performs synchronous digital downconversion (DDC), digital upconversion (DUC), crest factor reduction (CFR), and digital pre-distortion (DPD). It improves power amplifier efficiency by reducing the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) / adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) of the RF front-end. The DPU can be implemented as an FPGA or ASIC. The O-RU's RF processing unit includes a transceiver module, up / down converters, power amplifiers (PA), low-noise amplifiers (LNA), and transmit (Tx) / receive (Rx) filters. All conversions between the analog and digital domains (such as digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), for example, RF sampling, the use of RF in up-conversion and down-conversion, and frequency conversion by mixing intermediate frequency (IF) and local oscillator (LO) frequencies) are performed within the transceiver module. It should be understood that physical and logical partitioning within the RF processing unit does not require specific boundaries.

[0094] In this communication system, multiple cells use the same first DCI when scheduling paging messages, and use the same first resource bearer for the first DCI. This ensures that no matter which cell the first communication device (such as a terminal device) moves to, it can receive paging messages in the current cell based on the paging-related configuration information obtained from the previous cell, without needing to receive the current cell's SSB, thus avoiding paging missed detection.

[0095] The interaction process between various network elements / devices in the above-described communication system will be specifically described below with reference to Figures 5-9 through method embodiments. The communication method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to the above-described communication system and specifically applied to various scenarios / processes mentioned in the above-described communication system, which will be described in detail below.

[0096] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication method is applicable to the aforementioned communication system and mainly involves the interaction between a first communication device and a second communication device.

[0097] As shown in Figure 5, the flow of this communication method is as follows:

[0098] S501, the second communication device transmits the first DCI of the first cell on the first resource, and correspondingly, the first communication device receives the first DCI from the first cell on the first resource.

[0099] The DCI received from multiple cells on the first resource is the first DCI. The first DCI is used to schedule paging messages. The multiple cells include the first cell.

[0100] The first resource can be used to carry the first DCI. The first resource may include one or more time-frequency resources, and the time-frequency resources included in the first resource may be PO resources. For example, the first resource includes PO1, PO2, ..., PO5, where PO1 is used to carry the first DCI, or in other words, PO1 is used to transmit the first DCI. As another example, the first resource is PO1, and PO1 is used to carry the first DCI.

[0101] Multiple cells can be located in the same area, meaning that the DCI of multiple cells in the same area is the first DCI, which is used to schedule paging messages. If the first DCI carries information for scheduling paging messages, it indicates whether to schedule paging messages through bit 0 or 1.

[0102] Optionally, multiple cells in the same area may schedule paging messages with identical content. That is, when scheduling paging messages, multiple cells in the same area will use the same first DCI for scheduling, and will use the same first resource to send the first DCI, and will send identical paging messages. Therefore, when the first communication device receives the first DCI from the first cell on the first resource, it will also receive first DCIs from multiple cells in the same area as the first cell.

[0103] A cell's DCI can be understood as the DCI sent by a network device serving the cell. Multiple cell DCIs can be understood as DCIs sent by multiple network devices serving multiple cells. A single network device can serve one or more cells, without limitation. In this embodiment, the network device serving the first cell can be a second communication device.

[0104] The area here can be used to represent a group of physically close or geographically adjacent cells that together cover a large geographical area. Terminal devices may move randomly within this large geographical area, possibly moving from one cell to another.

[0105] In some examples, the area mentioned above can be a tracking area (TA) or a radio access network notification area (RNA), or any other possible area, such as a predefined physical area, without limitation.

[0106] A Location Area (TA) is a geographical area in a mobile communication network, consisting of one or more cells, used to manage the mobility and location updates of terminal devices. Within a TA, terminal devices may not need to perform area updates. Random access configuration information can be identical across different cells within a TA.

[0107] An RNA (Radio Area) is a specific geographic region used for mobility management of terminal devices. Generally, an RNA can be a smaller area than a TA (Traffic Availability) region, but its function is similar. Paging-related configuration information can be identical across different cells within an RNA.

[0108] For example, as shown in Figure 6, the area includes cell #1, cell #2, and cell #3. Base station #1 serves cell #1, base station #2 serves cell #2, and base station #3 serves cell #3. This is only an example; a base station can also serve multiple physical cells, and this is not a limitation. Base stations #1, #2, and #3 (as described in the second communication device above) use the same DCI (as described in the first DCI above) to schedule paging messages, and the paging messages sent on the same resource are identical. In this way, it can be ensured that the UE can still receive paging messages under each base station in the area even if it does not receive an SSB.

[0109] In this embodiment of the application, the term "cell" can also be replaced with other possible terms such as "physical cell," without limitation.

[0110] In the embodiments of this application, the first resource can be replaced with other possible expressions, such as first time-frequency resource, first resource location, first time-frequency resource location, etc., without limitation.

[0111] It is understood that in future communication scenarios, the first DCI in the embodiments of this application can be replaced with any other possible expression, such as first control information, without limitation.

[0112] Optionally, the first DCI is information scrambled with a regional identifier, and the region includes the aforementioned multiple cells.

[0113] When the first communication device receives the first DCI, it receives and descrambles the first DCI using the area identifier. In other words, the first DCI is scrambled at the area level. This can also be understood as the second communication device uniformly scheduling paging messages at the area level.

[0114] Among them, the area identifier can uniquely identify an area, such as the single frequency network (SFN) identifier, or other possible identifiers, without restriction.

[0115] Optionally, the area identifier is also used to scramble at least one of the following in the area: the physical downlink control channel PDCCH sequence carrying the DCI used for scheduling paging messages, the demodulation reference signal DMRS of the PDCCH sequence, the physical downlink shared channel PDSCH sequence carrying the paging messages, and the DMRS of the PDSCH sequence.

[0116] It is understood that when a network device serving a cell in an area sends a paging message, it first sends a paging DCI (as described in the first DCI above), and then sends the paging message. To correctly detect the paging DCI, it is also necessary to additionally detect the DMRS for PDCCH, which is carried on the PDCCH. Optionally, in this embodiment, the scrambling sequences of both the DMRS for PDCCH and the PDCCH are scrambled using area identifiers. To correctly receive the paging message, it is also necessary to additionally detect the DMRS for PDSCH and the paging PDSCH. Similarly, optionally, in this embodiment, the scrambling sequences of both the DMRS for PDSCH and the PDSCH are scrambled using area identifiers. That is, all the paging-related messages mentioned above are scrambled using area identifiers.

[0117] In this way, the paging-related messages in different cells within the same area are identical. Furthermore, by scrambling the paging-related messages in the aforementioned area using the area identifier, it can be ensured that no matter which cell the terminal device moves to, it can obtain the paging-related configuration information obtained from the previous cell, i.e., obtain the area identifier, and receive the paging message in the current cell without needing to receive the SSB of the current cell, thus avoiding paging missed detection.

[0118] For example, as shown in Figure 6, base stations #1, #2, and #3 (as described in the second communication device above) all use an SFN identifier (as described in the area identifier above) to scramble the paging-related messages when sending them. For instance, base stations #1, #2, and #3 send DCI#1, used for scheduling paging messages, to the UE (as described in the first communication device above). When the UE detects DCI#1, it can receive and descramble DCI#1 using the SFN identifier, ensuring that the UE can still receive DCI#1 and paging messages under each base station in the area, even without receiving SSB.

[0119] Optionally, the range of values ​​for the region identifier may differ from the range of values ​​for the PCI.

[0120] The area identifier and the PCI can be distinguished in terms of granularity (area or cell) and value range. For example, the PCI value range is 0 to 1007, while the area identifier value range can be 1008 to 65535 without restriction.

[0121] In one possible implementation, S501 may include: a first communication device receiving a first identifier from a second cell, wherein a region identifier is generated based on the first identifier, and the first cell and the second cell belong to the same region. On a first resource, a first DCI from the first cell is received using the region identifier.

[0122] The first cell and the second cell can be the same cell or different cells. The first identifier can be a parameter used to calculate the area identifier, such as a random number / random number sequence, also known as the initial identifier. The first identifier can reuse existing protocol-defined information elements or can be newly added information elements. The first identifier is used to initialize the DMRS sequence and the scrambling sequence of the channel related to paging in a paging scenario. That is, the first communication device can receive the first identifier from the second cell, and when moving to the first cell, it can use the area identifier generated based on the first identifier to receive the first DCI from the first cell, and then receive the paging message.

[0123] The value range of the first identifier can be the same as that of the area identifier, such as the value range of the first identifier being 1008 to 65535. The value range of the first identifier can also be similar to that of the PCI. For example, both the PCI and the first identifier have a value range of 1008 numbers, but the first identifier and the PCI are not in the same range. For example, the first identifier is in the range of 1008-2015, and the PCI is in the range of 2016-3023.

[0124] The first identifier may be carried in SIB1. For example, the first communication device camps in the second cell and receives SSB and SIB1 sent by the second cell, wherein the first identifier is included in SIB1.

[0125] The first communication device generates a region identifier based on the first identifier. The specific generation method can be calculated using a preset formula; two generation methods are described below.

[0126] Method 1: When the value range of the first identifier can be the same as that of the area identifier, the preset formula can be: m = A mod (65535-1007) + 1007, where A is the first identifier included in SIB1 and m is the area identifier obtained after calculation.

[0127] Method 2: If the value range of the first identifier can be similar to that of PCI, the preset formula can be: m = A mod 1007 + 1007 * n, where n is the identifier of the value range and n is greater than or equal to 1.

[0128] Thus, these two methods allow the calculated region identifier to range from 1008 to 65535, thereby achieving the effect of distinguishing it from PCI.

[0129] Optionally, the first communication device periodically and continuously detects the first DCI on the first resource.

[0130] Optionally, prior to S501, the communication method may further include: a second communication device sending configuration information, and correspondingly, a first communication device receiving the configuration information.

[0131] The configuration information may be predefined by the second communication device and sent to the first communication device, or it may be predefined by the protocol for the first and second communication devices. This application does not limit this.

[0132] The configuration information can be used to configure the primary resource.

[0133] The first communication device can determine that the DCI detected on the first resource is the first DCI used for scheduling paging messages, such as the first DCI carried by the first resource used for scheduling paging messages in the configuration information sent by the first communication device through the second communication device.

[0134] S502, the second communication device sends a paging message, and correspondingly, the first communication device receives the paging message from the first cell according to the first DCI.

[0135] The second communication device can send paging messages on the second resource. The first and second resources may include different time-frequency resources, such as the first resource including PO1 and PO3, and the second resource including PO3 and PO4. That is, the paging message and the first DCI can be carried at different locations in the time domain, and there can be some symbols or time slots between the paging message and the first DCI.

[0136] Optionally, the first communication device receiving the paging message from the first cell according to the first DCI may include: the first communication device receiving the paging message from the first cell using an area identifier according to the first DCI.

[0137] The first communication device can receive a first identifier from a second cell, and when moving to a first cell, it uses a region identifier generated based on the first identifier to receive a first DCI from the first cell, and then uses the region identifier based on the first DCI to receive a paging message from the first cell. This allows the first communication device to still receive paging messages sent by the first cell even when it moves to the first cell without receiving the SSB of the first cell.

[0138] In addition, when the first communication device receives a paging message from the first cell using the area identifier, it first uses the area identifier to demodulate the DMRS sequence of the paging PDSCH and performs channel estimation, and then demodulates the paging PDSCH sequence.

[0139] In summary, when multiple cells (such as cells in the same area) use the same first DCI and the same first resource bearer for the first DCI when scheduling paging messages, it can be guaranteed that no matter which cell the first communication device (such as a terminal device) moves to, it can receive paging messages in the current cell based on the paging-related configuration information obtained from the previous cell, without needing to receive the SSB of the current cell, thus avoiding paging missed detection.

[0140] The following describes the flow of the method in the chip architecture of this application embodiment with reference to Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7, the flow specifically includes S701-S705.

[0141] S701, RU sends PUSCH / PDSCH / PDCCH / PUCCH channel processing capabilities and conversion rules to DU.

[0142] During system startup or reconfiguration, the RU reports the PUSCH / PDSCH / PDCCH / PUCCH channel processing capabilities and conversion rules to the DU via the eCPRI interface.

[0143] S702, DU assigns the appropriate PDSCH / PDCCH channel processing task for the next cycle.

[0144] The DU side calculates the RU processing capacity margin based on the scheduling results of the PUSCH / PDSCH / PDCCH / PUCCH channels in the current processing cycle, and allocates appropriate PDSCH / PDCCH channel processing tasks for the next cycle based on the processing capacity margin, such as DCI and paging messages to be sent.

[0145] S703, DU sends PDSCH / PDCCH channel processing tasks to RU.

[0146] The DU notifies the RU of the PDSCH and / or PDCCH channel processing tasks assigned by the S702 through the eCPRI interface. The eCPRI interface signaling involved is newly added signaling, and the signaling definition contains information required for PDCCH / PDSCH channel processing, such as: PDCCH / PDSCH channel slot number, symbol position, DCI comb distribution information, frequency domain position, etc.

[0147] After receiving the dynamic PDCCH / PDSCH channel processing signaling, the S704 RU updates the channel configuration according to the signaling requirements.

[0148] S705, RU sends PDCCH / PDSCH channel processing results to DU.

[0149] When a DCI or paging signal arrives, the RU completes the PDCCH / PDSCH channel processing according to the channel configuration received in S704, and sends the DCI or paging information processing results required by the DU under the current configuration to the DU through the eCPRI interface. The content of the processing results can vary depending on the current segmentation options and may include channel information or weighting information, etc.

[0150] This application embodiment features a flexible RAN architecture design, suitable for O-RAN fronthaul interfaces. By splitting the RAN architecture, this application embodiment achieves flexible signal processing.

[0151] The method provided by the embodiments of this application has been described in detail above with reference to Figures 5-7. The communication apparatus used to perform the communication method provided by the embodiments of this application is described in detail below with reference to Figures 8-9.

[0152] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. As exemplarily shown in Figure 8, the communication device 800 includes a transceiver module 801 and a processing module 802. For ease of explanation, Figure 8 only shows the main components of the communication device.

[0153] The transceiver module 801 is used to perform the transceiver function of the method shown in Figure 5 above, and the processing module 802 is used to perform other functions of the method shown in Figure 5 above besides the transceiver function.

[0154] Optionally, the transceiver module 801 may include a transmitting module (not shown in FIG8) and a receiving module (not shown in FIG8). The transmitting module is used to implement the transmitting function of the communication device 800, and the receiving module is used to implement the receiving function of the communication device 800.

[0155] Optionally, the communication device 800 may further include a storage module (not shown in FIG8) that stores programs or instructions. When the processing module 802 executes the program or instructions, the communication device 800 can perform the functions of the terminal device or network device in the method shown in FIG5 above.

[0156] It is understood that the communication device 800 may be a terminal device or a network device, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly that can be disposed in a terminal device or a network device, or a device that includes a terminal device or a network device. This application does not limit this.

[0157] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device 800 can be referred to the technical effects of the communication method shown in Figure 5, and will not be repeated here.

[0158] Figure 9 is a second schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Exemplarily, the communication device can be a terminal device, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly that can be disposed in the terminal device. As shown in Figure 9, the communication device 900 may include a processor 901. Optionally, the communication device 900 may also include a memory 902 and / or a transceiver 903. The processor 901 is coupled to the memory 902 and / or the transceiver 903, for example, by means of a communication bus, an internal chip interface, or other communication lines. Optionally, the memory 902 may be integrated with the processor 901.

[0159] The following section, with reference to Figure 9, provides a detailed description of each component of the communication device 900:

[0160] The processor 901 is the control center of the communication device 900. It can be a single processor or a collective term for multiple processing elements. For example, the processor 901 can be one or more central processing units (CPUs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the embodiments of this application, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), or one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

[0161] Optionally, the processor 901 can perform various functions of the communication device 900 by running or executing software programs stored in the memory 902 and calling data stored in the memory 902, such as performing the communication method shown in FIG5 above.

[0162] In a specific implementation, as one example, processor 901 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 shown in FIG9.

[0163] In a specific implementation, as one embodiment, the communication device 900 may also include multiple processors, such as processors 901 and 904 shown in FIG. 9. Each of these processors may be a single-core processor (single-CPU) or a multi-core processor (multi-CPU). Here, a processor may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores used to process data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0164] The memory 902 is used to store the software program that executes the solution of this application, and is controlled by the processor 901 to execute it. The specific implementation method can be referred to the above method embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0165] Optionally, the memory 902 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions, or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but not limited thereto. The memory 902 may be integrated with the processor 901 or may exist independently and be coupled to the processor 901 through the interface circuit of the communication device 900 (not shown in FIG. 9). This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0166] Transceiver 903 is used for communication with other communication devices. For example, if communication device 900 is a terminal device, transceiver 903 can be used to communicate with a network device or with another terminal device. As another example, if communication device 900 is a network device, transceiver 903 can be used to communicate with a terminal device or with another network device.

[0167] Optionally, transceiver 903 may include a receiver and a transmitter (not shown separately in Figure 9). The receiver is used to implement the receiving function, and the transmitter is used to implement the transmitting function.

[0168] Optionally, the transceiver 903 can be integrated with the processor 901 or exist independently and be coupled to the processor 901 through the interface circuit of the communication device 900 (not shown in FIG9). This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0169] It is understood that the structure of the communication device 900 shown in Figure 9 does not constitute a limitation on the communication device. The actual communication device may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0170] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device 900 can be referred to the technical effects of the method described in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0171] It should be understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be a central processing unit (CPU), or it can be other general-purpose processors, DSPs, ASICs, FPGAs, or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, etc.

[0172] It should also be understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can be ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), EEPROM, or flash memory. Volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static RAM (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).

[0173] The above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, by software, hardware (such as circuits), firmware, or any other combination thereof. When implemented using software, the above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions or computer programs. When the computer instructions or computer programs are loaded or 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. 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., 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 includes one or more sets of available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium. A semiconductor medium can be a solid-state drive.

[0174] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. A and B can be singular or plural. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following related objects, but it can also represent an "and / or" relationship. Please refer to the context for a more accurate understanding.

[0175] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0176] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0177] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0178] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0179] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0180] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0181] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0182] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes all the various possible memories described above.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, include: A first downlink control information (DCI) is received from a first cell on a first resource. The DCI received from multiple cells on the first resource is the first DCI. The first DCI is used to schedule paging messages. The multiple cells include the first cell. According to the first DCI, a paging message from the first cell is received.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first DCI is information scrambled with a regional identifier, and the region includes the plurality of cells.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The area identifier is also used to scramble at least one of the following in the area: a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) sequence carrying a DCI for scheduling paging messages, a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) of the PDCCH sequence, a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) sequence carrying paging messages, and the DMRS of the PDSCH sequence.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, Receiving a paging message from the first cell according to the first DCI includes: Based on the first DCI, a paging message from the first cell is received using the area identifier.

5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, The range of values ​​for the area identifier is different from the range of values ​​for the Physical Cell Identifier (PCI).

6. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, Receiving the first DCI from the first cell on the first resource includes: Receive a first identifier from a second cell, the area identifier being generated based on the first identifier, the first cell and the second cell belonging to the same area; On the first resource, the first DCI from the first cell is received using the area identifier.

7. A communication method, characterized in that, include: Send a first downlink control information (DCI) for a first cell on a first resource. The first DCI is the DCI of multiple cells. The first DCI is used to schedule paging messages. The multiple cells include the first cell. Send a paging message.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first DCI is information scrambled with a regional identifier, and the region includes the plurality of cells.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The region identifier is also used to scramble at least one of the following in the region: a PDCCH sequence carrying a DCI for scheduling paging messages, a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) of the PDCCH sequence, a PDSCH sequence carrying paging messages, and the DMRS of the PDSCH sequence.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The range of values ​​for the region identifier is different from the range of values ​​for PCI.

11. A communication device, characterized in that, The apparatus includes: a module for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-6, or a module for performing the method as described in any one of claims 7-10.

12. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a processing unit and a storage unit; the storage unit is used to store computer instructions, which, when executed by the processing unit, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-6 to be executed, or cause the method as described in any one of claims 7-10 to be executed.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 1-6, or cause the computer to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 7-10.

14. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-6 to be performed, or cause the method as described in any one of claims 7-10 to be performed.

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