Method for transmitting synchronization signal block and related apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides a method for transmitting a synchronization signal block and a related apparatus, which are beneficial to reducing power consumption caused by transmission of an on-demand SSB. The method comprises: a second communication apparatus sends, to a first communication apparatus, an RRC message, the RRC message indicating transmission of an on-demand SSB and / or a parameter configuration of the on-demand SSB; at a first moment, the first communication apparatus sends, to the second communication apparatus, a HARQ-ACK message for the RRC message; and the first communication apparatus monitors the on-demand SSB from a second moment, the second moment being a moment after a first time interval is offset from the first moment.

Description

Transmission method and related devices for synchronization signal blocks

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411600121.X, filed on November 8, 2024, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Transmission of Synchronization Signal Blocks”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communications, and in particular to a method and apparatus for transmitting a synchronization signal block. Background Technology

[0003] In carrier aggregation (CA) scenarios, after a terminal device accesses the primary cell (PCell), the access network equipment initiates the secondary cell (SCell) configuration process to configure at least one secondary cell for the terminal device to provide additional radio resources. During the secondary cell configuration process, the terminal device can perform operations such as cell search, measurement, synchronization, and activation based on the synchronization signal block (SSB) sent by the access network equipment.

[0004] To reduce network overhead and power consumption, new radio (NR) currently supports various energy-saving technologies related to SSB (Secondary Segment Bus). Taking on-demand SSB as an example, when there is no demand (e.g., for cell measurement, time-frequency synchronization, secondary cell activation), the access network device does not transmit SSB on the secondary cell of the terminal device; when there is demand, the access network device transmits SSB on the secondary cell of the terminal device. Existing solutions already support the access network device instructing the terminal device to transmit on-demand SSB via radio resource control (RRC) messages. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a method and related apparatus for transmitting synchronization signal blocks, which helps to reduce the power consumption caused by transmitting SSBs on demand.

[0006] In a first aspect, a method for transmitting a synchronization signal block is provided. This method can be executed by a first communication device, which can be a terminal device, a component configured in the terminal device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the terminal functions. This application does not limit the scope of the method.

[0007] The method includes: receiving an RRC message indicating the transmission of an on-demand SSB, and / or the parameter configuration of the on-demand SSB; sending a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) message for the RRC message at a first time; and monitoring the on-demand SSB starting at a second time, the second time being a time offset from the first time by a first time interval.

[0008] In this application, the start time for the first communication device to monitor the on-demand transmission of SSBs is: the time after the first communication device starts sending the HARQ-ACK message for the RRC message offset by a first time interval. This helps to avoid the situation where the first communication device performs a blind search due to the unknown monitoring time of the on-demand transmission of SSBs, thereby helping to reduce the power consumption of the first communication device.

[0009] Furthermore, by using the time of the HARQ-ACK message as the reference time to start offsetting the first time interval, the first communication device can start monitoring the on-demand SSB as early as possible when it is determined that an on-demand SSB will be transmitted, which is beneficial to improving the transmission efficiency of the SSB.

[0010] Secondly, a method for transmitting a synchronization signal block is provided. This method can be executed by a second communication device, which can be an access network device, a component configured in the access network device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the access network device. This application does not limit the scope of the method.

[0011] The method includes: sending an RRC message indicating the transmission of an on-demand SSB, and / or, parameter configuration of the on-demand SSB; receiving a HARQ-ACK message for the RRC message at a first time; and sending the on-demand SSB starting at a second time, the second time being a time offset from the first time by a first time interval.

[0012] In this application, the starting time for the second communication device to send the on-demand SSB is the time after the first time interval following the receipt of the HARQ-ACK message for the RRC message. This helps to avoid the power consumption waste caused by the second communication device sending the on-demand SSB before the first time interval, which would prevent the first communication device from monitoring it properly.

[0013] Furthermore, by using the time of the HARQ-ACK message as the reference time to start offsetting the first time interval, the second communication device can start sending the SSB as early as possible, provided that the first communication device knows that the on-demand SSB will be transmitted. This is beneficial to improving the transmission efficiency of the SSB.

[0014] In conjunction with the first or second aspect, in some implementations, the first time interval is configured, or the first time interval is predefined.

[0015] In conjunction with the first or second aspect, in some implementations, the RRC message is also used to indicate a first time interval.

[0016] In conjunction with the first or second aspect, in some implementations, the value of the first time interval is related to the capability of the first communication device.

[0017] The capabilities of the first communication device include its processing capacity for the RRC message and / or the speed at which it configures on-demand SSB transmission. A stronger capability means a stronger processing capacity for the RRC message and a faster speed at which it configures on-demand SSB transmission. Therefore, the first time interval can be smaller to facilitate rapid transmission of on-demand SSBs. Conversely, a weaker capability means a weaker processing capacity for the RRC message and a slower speed at which it configures on-demand SSB transmission. Therefore, the first time interval can be larger to ensure that the first communication device can properly receive on-demand SSBs.

[0018] In conjunction with the first or second aspect, in some implementations, the first time interval is the time interval between the first moment and the moment when the first candidate SSB in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is located, or the first time interval is the moment when the first moment is the moment when the first SSB actually sent in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is located.

[0019] In combination with the first or second aspect, in some implementations, the time of the first candidate SSB in the first round of SSB burst is measured in units of symbols, time slots, or subframes.

[0020] In combination with the first or second aspect, in some implementations, the time of the first SSB actually sent in the first round of SSB burst is measured in units of symbols, time slots, or subframes.

[0021] In combination with the first or second aspect, in some implementations, the subframe in which the second moment occurs is the first subframe of a half-frame.

[0022] In conjunction with the first or second aspect, in some implementations, the RRC message includes a first element and / or a second element, wherein the first element is used to indicate the transmission of the on-demand SSB, and the second element is used to indicate the parameter configuration of the on-demand SSB.

[0023] Thirdly, a communication apparatus is provided for executing the method in any possible implementation of any of the above aspects. Specifically, the apparatus includes a module for executing the method in any possible implementation of any of the above aspects.

[0024] In one design, the device may include modules that perform the methods / operations / steps / actions described in any of the above aspects. These modules may be hardware circuits, software, or a combination of hardware circuits and software.

[0025] In another design, the device is a communication chip, which may include input circuitry or interface for transmitting information or data, and output circuitry or interface for receiving information or data.

[0026] In another design, the device is an access network device or terminal, which may include a transmitter for sending information or data and a receiver for receiving information or data.

[0027] In another design, the device is used to perform any possible implementation of the methods described above, and the device can be configured in an access network device or a terminal device.

[0028] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, comprising at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to call and run a computer program from a memory, such that the device performs the method in any possible implementation of any of the preceding aspects.

[0029] Optionally, the device further includes a memory for storing instructions and data. The memory is coupled to the processor, which, when executing the instructions stored in the memory, can implement the methods described in the foregoing aspects.

[0030] Optionally, the device may also include a transmitter and a receiver, which may be separate or integrated together and referred to as a transceiver.

[0031] Fifthly, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product comprising: a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions), which, when run, causes a computer to perform a method in any possible implementation of any of the above aspects.

[0032] In a sixth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods in any possible implementation of any of the above aspects.

[0033] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a chip system including at least one processor for supporting the implementation of the functions involved in any possible implementation of any of the above aspects, such as receiving or processing data involved in the above methods.

[0034] In one possible design, the chip system also includes a memory for storing program instructions and data, which may be located within or outside the processor.

[0035] Optionally, the chip system may consist of chips or may include chips and other discrete components. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system used in the embodiments of this application;

[0037] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a carrier aggregation scenario;

[0038] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a secondary cell configuration;

[0039] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a 5G NR frame structure;

[0040] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the time-frequency structure of an SSB;

[0041] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of beam scanning for an SSB;

[0042] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the transmission cycle of an SSB burst;

[0043] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of an SSB pattern;

[0044] Figures 9A and 9B are schematic diagrams of the processing delay of RRC messages;

[0045] Figure 10 is a schematic flowchart of a method for transmitting a synchronization signal block according to an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a time interval between a first time moment and a second time moment provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figures 12 and 13 are schematic block diagrams of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] Before introducing the method and related apparatus for transmitting synchronization signal blocks provided in the embodiments of this application, the following points should be made first.

[0050] First, in the embodiments shown below, the terms and English abbreviations, such as Synchronization Signal Block (SSB), On-Demand SSB, Candidate SSB, etc., are merely exemplary examples given for ease of description and should not constitute any limitation on this application. This application does not preclude the possibility of defining other terms that can achieve the same or similar functions in existing or future protocols.

[0051] Second, in the embodiments shown below, the terms "first," "second," and various numerical designations are merely for descriptive convenience to distinguish identical or similar items with substantially the same function and effect. For example, "first moment" and "second moment" are only used to distinguish different moments and do not limit their order, nor are they used to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first," "second," etc., do not limit the quantity or execution order, and that "first," "second," etc., are not necessarily different.

[0052] Third, "at least one" means one or more, while "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, and c can mean: a, or b, or c, or a and b, or a and c, or b and c, or a, b, and c, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0053] Fourth, in this application, "instruction" can include direct and indirect instructions, explicit and implicit instructions, and instructions used for determination. The information indicated by a certain piece of information (such as first information) is called the information to be instructed. For example, the first information in the embodiments of this application indicates one or more contents. In specific implementation, there are many ways to indicate the information to be instructed, such as, but not limited to, directly indicating the information to be instructed, such as the information to be instructed itself or its index. It can also indirectly indicate the information to be instructed by indicating other information, where there is a correlation between the other information and the information to be instructed; or it can only indicate a part of the information to be instructed, while the other parts are known or pre-agreed upon. For example, the instruction can be implemented by using a pre-agreed (e.g., protocol predefined) arrangement of various information, thereby reducing the instruction overhead to a certain extent. This application does not limit the specific method of instruction. It is understood that for the sender of the instruction information, the instruction information can be used to indicate the information to be instructed; for the receiver of the instruction information, the instruction information can be used to determine the information to be instructed.

[0054] The information in this application is used to indicate one or more contents, or it may be replaced with the information indicating one or more contents, or the information including one or more contents.

[0055] Fifth, in this application, "time unit" refers to any unit of time. A time unit can be a radio frame, subframe, slot, mini-slot, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDM) symbol, millisecond (ms), or fractional milliseconds (e.g., 1 / 32ms). Alternatively, a time unit can be multiple slots, multiple subframes, multiple mini-slots, multiple OFDM symbols, several milliseconds, or several fractional milliseconds. A radio frame may include multiple subframes, a subframe may include one or more slots, and a slot may include at least one symbol. Alternatively, a radio frame may include multiple slots, and a slot may include at least one symbol.

[0056] Sixth, in this application, "when," "if," and "if" all refer to the device taking corresponding actions under certain objective circumstances, not to a time limit, nor to requiring the device to perform a judgment action, nor implying any other limitations. Unless otherwise specified, "if" and "if" are interchangeable, and "when" and "under the circumstances" are interchangeable. "When" and "if" / "if" are interchangeable.

[0057] Seventh, in this application, the words "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the words "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0058] Eighth, in this application, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "send first information to the second communication device" can be understood as the destination of the first information being the second communication device, which may include direct transmission via the air interface or indirect transmission via the air interface by other units or modules. "Receive first information from the first communication device" can be understood as the source of the first information being the first communication device, which may include direct reception from the first communication device via the air interface or indirect reception from the first communication device via the air interface by other units or modules. "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.

[0059] In other words, sending and receiving can occur between devices, such as between terminal devices and network devices; or they can occur within a device, such as between components, modules, chips, software modules, or hardware modules within a device via a bus, wiring, or interface.

[0060] Ninth, in the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or logically conflicting, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other, and the technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships.

[0061] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system applied in an embodiment of this application. The communication system 10 shown in Figure 1 includes a radio access network (RAN) 100 and a core network 200. Optionally, the communication system 10 also includes an Internet 300. The RAN 100 may include at least one access network device (110a and 110b in Figure 1) and at least one terminal (120a-120j in Figure 1). The terminal is wirelessly connected to the access network device, and the access network device is wirelessly or wiredly connected to the core network 200. The core network device and the access network device may be independent and different physical devices, or the functions of the core network device and the logical functions of the access network device may be integrated on the same physical device, or a single physical device may integrate some of the functions of the core network device and some of the functions of the access network device. Terminals and access network devices can be interconnected via wired or wireless means. Figure 1 is only a schematic diagram; the communication system may also include other access network devices, such as wireless relay devices and wireless backhaul devices, which are not shown in Figure 1.

[0062] The radio access network 100 can be a cellular system related to the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), such as a 4th generation mobile communication technology (4G) system (also known as a long term evolution (LTE) system), a 5th generation mobile communication technology (5G) system (also known as a new radio (NR) system), or it can be applied to next-generation mobile communication systems or other similar communication systems (such as a 6th generation mobile communication technology (6G) system), etc., without specific limitations. The radio access network 100 can also be an open radio access network (open RAN, O-RAN or ORAN) or a cloud radio access network (CRAN). The wireless access network 100 can also be a non-terrestrial network (NTN), a satellite communication network, a high altitude platform station (HAPS) communication network, an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) communication network, a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) communication network, etc. The wireless access network 100 can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems.

[0063] Access network devices are nodes in a radio access network, also known as RAN nodes or RAN equipment. Access network devices assist terminals in achieving wireless access. Multiple access network devices in communication system 10 can be nodes of the same type or different types.

[0064] In one possible scenario, access network equipment can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmitting and receiving point (TRP), a transmitting point (TP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a next-generation base station in a 6G mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, an access point (AP) in a satellite, an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, or access network equipment in a mobile switching center non-terrestrial network (NTN) communication system. This means it can be deployed on high-altitude platforms or satellites. Access network equipment can be a macro base station (as shown in Figure 1, 110a), a micro base station or indoor station (as shown in Figure 1, 110b), a relay node or donor node, or a radio controller in a CRAN scenario. Access network equipment can also function as a base station in device-to-device (D2D) communication, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, drone communication, and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication. Optionally, access network equipment 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).

[0065] In another possible scenario, multiple access network devices collaborate to assist terminals in achieving wireless access, with each access network device implementing a portion of the base station's functions. For example, access network devices can be central units (CUs), distributed units (DUs), CU-control plane (CPs), CU-user plane (UPs), or radio units (RUs), etc. CUs and DUs can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio equipment or radio units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radio heads (RRHs). It is understood that access network devices can be CU nodes, DU nodes, or devices including both CU and DU nodes. Furthermore, CUs can be classified as access network devices within the RAN (RAN) or as access network devices within the core network; no restrictions are placed here.

[0066] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an O-RAN system, CU 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.

[0067] A terminal is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, capable of sending signals to or receiving signals from access network equipment. Terminals can also be referred to as terminal devices, terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), mobile stations, mobile terminals, etc.

[0068] For example, terminal devices include handheld devices and in-vehicle devices with wireless connectivity. Currently, terminal devices can include: mobile phones, tablets, laptops, PDAs, mobile internet devices (MIDs), wearable devices (such as smartwatches, smart bracelets, pedometers, smart glasses, etc.), in-vehicle devices (such as cars, bicycles, electric vehicles, airplanes, ships, trains, high-speed trains, etc.), satellite terminals, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, point-of-sale (POS) machines, customer-premises equipment (CPE), light user equipment (UE), reduced capability user equipment (REDCAP UE), wireless terminals in industrial control, smart home devices (such as refrigerators, televisions, air conditioners, electricity meters, etc.), intelligent robots, robotic arms, workshop equipment, wireless terminals in autonomous driving, wireless terminals in telemedicine, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, or wireless terminals in smart homes, and flying equipment (such as intelligent robots, hot air balloons, drones, airplanes), etc. Terminal devices can also be vehicle devices, such as vehicle devices, vehicle modules, vehicle chips, on-board units (OBUs) or telematics boxes (T-BOXs). Terminal devices can also be other devices with terminal functions. For example, a terminal device can also be a device that performs terminal functions in D2D communication.

[0069] The embodiments of this application do not limit the form of the terminal device. The device used to implement the functions of the terminal device can be the terminal device itself, or it can be a device that supports the terminal device in implementing the functions, such as a chip system. The device can be installed in the terminal device or used in conjunction with the terminal device. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system can be composed of chips, or it can include chips and other discrete devices. All or part of the functions of the terminal device in this application can also be implemented by software functions running on hardware, or by virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (such as a cloud platform).

[0070] Terminal devices can be widely used in various scenarios, such as D2D, V2X communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, etc.

[0071] Access network devices and terminals can be fixed in location or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can be deployed on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the access network devices and terminals.

[0072] The roles of access network devices and terminals can be relative. For example, the helicopter or drone 120i in Figure 1 can be configured as a mobile access network device. For terminals 120j that access the wireless access network 100 via 120i, terminal 120i is an access network device; however, for access network device 110a, 120i is a terminal, meaning that 110a and 120i communicate via a wireless air interface protocol. Of course, 110a and 120i can also communicate via an interface protocol between access network devices. In this case, relative to 110a, 120i is also an access network device. Therefore, access network devices and terminals can both be collectively referred to as communication devices. 110a and 110b in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with access network device functions, and 120a-120j in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with terminal functions.

[0073] Communication between access network devices and terminals, between access network devices, and between terminals can be conducted using licensed spectrum, unlicensed spectrum, or both simultaneously. Communication can be conducted using spectrum below 6 GHz, spectrum above 6 GHz, or both simultaneously. The embodiments of this application do not limit the spectrum resources used for wireless communication.

[0074] In the embodiments of this application, the functions of the access network device can be executed by modules (such as chips) within the access network device, or by a control subsystem that includes access network device functions. This control subsystem, including access network device functions, can be a control center in the aforementioned application scenarios such as smart grids, industrial control, intelligent transportation, and smart cities. Similarly, the functions of the terminal can be executed by modules (such as chips or modems) within the terminal, or by a device that includes terminal functions.

[0075] In this application, the access network device sends downlink (DL) signals or downlink information to the terminal, which are carried on the downlink channel; the terminal sends uplink (UL) signals or uplink information to the access network device, which are carried on the uplink channel. To communicate with the access network device, the terminal can establish a radio connection on a cell controlled by the access network device. The cell with which the terminal has established a radio connection is called the terminal's serving cell. When the terminal communicates with the serving cell, it may also be subject to interference from signals from neighboring cells.

[0076] In this application, the time-domain symbol can be an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol or a discrete fourier transform-spread-OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM) symbol. Unless otherwise specified, the symbols used in the embodiments of this application refer to time-domain symbols.

[0077] It is understood that in the embodiments of this application, the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) and physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) are only examples of downlink data channels and downlink control channels, respectively. In different systems and different scenarios, data channels and control channels may have different names, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0078] For ease of understanding, the relevant technologies and concepts involved in this application are introduced below.

[0079] 1. Carrier aggregation

[0080] Carrier aggregation technology in NR systems can integrate multi-frequency resources, aggregating spectrum resources of the same or different frequency bands for use by terminals, thereby improving the overall network resource utilization, increasing the transmission bandwidth of individual users, and improving user experience.

[0081] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a carrier aggregation scenario. Carrier aggregation technology can combine multiple component carriers (CCs) together to support greater transmission bandwidth. Multiple carrier carriers can include a primary component carrier (PCC) corresponding to a primary cell and a secondary component carrier (SCC) corresponding to a secondary cell. For example, in Figure 2, the PCC corresponds to cell 1, which is the primary cell, with a frequency of F1, SCC 1 corresponds to cell 2, which is the secondary cell, with a frequency of F2, and SCC 2 corresponds to cell 3, which is the secondary cell, with a frequency of F3.

[0082] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a secondary cell configuration. Referring to time 1 in Figure 3, the terminal establishes an RRC connection with cell 1. Cell 1 is the terminal's primary cell. The primary cell is the cell where the terminal initially establishes the connection, or the cell where the terminal rebuilds the RRC connection, or the primary cell designated by the terminal during handover. The primary cell is responsible for RRC communication with the terminal.

[0083] A secondary cell is a cell added during RRC reconfiguration to provide additional radio resources. Referring to time 2 in Figure 3, the terminal configures cell 2 as a secondary cell. There is no RRC communication between the secondary cell and the terminal; control information is forwarded between the secondary cell and the terminal through the primary cell. The successfully configured secondary cell is in a deactivated state, and the terminal cannot yet transmit data through it.

[0084] Referring to time 3 in Figure 3, when certain conditions are met, the terminal activates the secondary cell, which switches from a deactivated state to an active state, allowing the terminal to transmit data with the secondary cell. These specific conditions include, for example, the terminal's pending data transmission exceeding a certain threshold, such as 50%. At specific moments in the above process, the terminal can utilize the SSB sent by the access network equipment in the secondary cell to perform operations such as cell search, measurement, and synchronization.

[0085] Primary and secondary cells are user-level concepts. The primary cell of one terminal can be the primary or secondary cell of another terminal, and vice versa.

[0086] 2. 5G NR Time Domain Resources

[0087] As shown in Figure 4, in the time domain, the frame structure of 5G NR is as follows: Frame: fixed length 10ms, frame number range 0-1023; Subframe: fixed length 1ms, subframe number range 0-9; Slot: when using normal cyclic prefix (normal CP), the length is 14 symbols; Symbol: length is not fixed, related to subcarrier spacing (SCS).

[0088] 3. SSB

[0089] The Support Block (SSB) comprises the primary synchronization signal (PSS), the secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and the physical broadcast channel (PBCH). The SSB can also be referred to as the synchronization signal / physical broadcast channel block (SS / PBCH block). When a terminal moves within the system, it continuously performs cell search and measurement based on the SSB, selecting the appropriate SSB beam to achieve initial access and mobility management.

[0090] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the time-frequency resources occupied by an SSB. As shown in Figure 5, each SSB occupies 4 consecutive symbols in the time domain and 20 resource blocks (RBs) in the frequency domain, which is 240 subcarriers. Among them, the PSS and SSS occupy the 1st and 3rd symbols of the SSB, respectively, occupying a total of 127 subcarriers in the frequency domain. The PBCH (which includes the demodulation reference signal (DMRS)) occupies the 2nd and 4th symbols of the entire SSB, and also occupies 48 subcarriers at each end of the 3rd symbol.

[0091] The terminal obtains the master information block (MIB) information from the PBCH, thereby acquiring basic cell information (e.g., whether access to the cell is prohibited) and the location information of system information block 1 (SIB1). Based on the MIB information, the terminal receives SIB1 at the corresponding location to obtain basic cell selection information required for initial network access, as well as scheduling information from other SIBs. SIB1 can also be referred to as the remaining minimum system information (RMSI).

[0092] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of SSB beam scanning. As shown in Figure 6, in NR, SSBs are transmitted in the form of beam scanning. That is, the access network device can transmit one beam direction at a certain moment, and transmit different beams at multiple moments to cover the required directions of the entire cell. Assuming that N SSBs are transmitted in different directions in a certain round of beam scanning, then all the SSBs transmitted in this round are called an SSB burst. It can also be described as the set of all SS / PBCH blocks in a round of beam scanning is called an SSB burst. Here, the maximum value of N is, for example, 64.

[0093] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the transmission period of an SSB burst. As shown in Figure 7, when the terminal initially accesses the network, the default transmission period of the SSB burst is 20ms, and the transmission window of the SSB burst is in half-frame (5ms in length) units. That is, within this 20ms period, the SSB burst is always limited to a 5ms (half-frame) time interval, and no SSB is transmitted for the remaining 15ms.

[0094] In one example, the access network device can indicate the SSB burst period through the field named "ssb-PeriodicityServingCell" in the information element named "ServingCellConfigCommon" in the RRC configuration. This field has eight possible values: {ms5, ms10, ms20, ms40, ms80, ms160, spare2, spare1}, corresponding to SSB burst periods of 5ms, 10ms, 20ms, 40ms, 80ms, or 160ms. When the access network device adjusts the SSB burst period of the secondary cell, the access network device can instruct the terminal to obtain the adjusted SSB burst period through an RRC reconfiguration message.

[0095] Frequency band differences and variations in SSB subcarrier spacing can lead to different SSB positions within each SSB burst (currently, SSBs with uncertain positions are referred to as candidate SSBs in the protocol), resulting in different SSB patterns. The current protocol specifies several SSB patterns, including but not limited to: Patterns A to G.

[0096] Taking pattern D as an example: Assuming the carrier frequency band is within the frequency range (FR) 2 and the subcarrier spacing is 120kHz, under this constraint, the index of the first symbol of the candidate SSB in its half-frame is {4, 8, 16, 20} + 28 × n, n = 0, 1, ..., 18. The resulting SSB pattern is shown in Figure 8, which is pattern D.

[0097] 4. Network energy saving (NES)

[0098] To reduce network overhead and power consumption, achieving energy savings, NR supports various NES technologies that alter signal transmission methods. In the following text, cells that support NES technology configuration will be referred to as NES cells. The following section introduces NES technologies related to SSB.

[0099] (1) On-demand SSB

[0100] Access network equipment can determine whether to send SSBs on the secondary cell of terminal devices based on demand. If there is no demand, SSBs are not sent on the secondary cell; if there is demand, SSBs are sent on the secondary cell, and the terminal devices are instructed to receive the SSBs sent on demand. This demand could be for cell measurement, video synchronization, secondary cell activation, etc. This dynamic SSB sending method is more energy-efficient than the method of always sending SSBs.

[0101] (2) Changed SSB time-domain characteristics

[0102] Access network equipment can support changing the time-domain characteristics of SSBs in primary or secondary cells. For example, the access network equipment sends signaling to the terminal equipment, indicating the changed time-domain characteristics of the SSB, and sends an SSB with different time-domain characteristics than the currently transmitted SSB. The terminal equipment can receive the changed SSB according to the instructions of the access network equipment.

[0103] For example, the time-domain characteristics that the SSB can change include:

[0104] Changes in units of SSB bursts include changes to the period of the SSB burst. For example, the access network device sends an SSB burst with a period of 20ms on the primary cell. At a certain moment, the access network device indicates to the terminal device that it will send an SSB burst with a period of 160ms.

[0105] Alternatively, changes can be made at the SSB (or SS / PBCH block) level, including altering the location and number of SSBs within an SSB burst. For example, an access network device might transmit one pattern of SSBs on a secondary cell, and later instruct the terminal device to transmit a different pattern of SSBs on the secondary cell, where the location and / or number of SSBs within each SSB burst has changed. In this approach, the access network device can dynamically adjust the SSB burst period, the number of SSBs within the burst, and / or their locations as needed, which is more energy-efficient than instructing transmission at a fixed period with a fixed number and / or location of SSBs.

[0106] For example, since users use terminal devices less frequently late at night, it is possible to switch to an SSB transmission method with a longer cycle and fewer SSBs.

[0107] 5. RRC message processing delay (RRC procedure delay)

[0108] Referring to Figure 9A, which illustrates the processing latency of RRC messages, in the downlink direction, the access network device sends a downlink RRC DL command. The RRC message processing latency refers to the time interval between the terminal device receiving the downlink RRC command and the terminal device receiving the uplink grant (UL grant) for uplink RRC response. The uplink grant indicates that the access network device has allocated a specific uplink resource to the terminal device and notifies the terminal device to perform uplink transmission and transmit uplink RRC response based on that uplink resource.

[0109] More specifically, refer to Figure 9B, which illustrates the processing delay of an RRC message. Figure 9B shows the signaling transmission in the downlink and uplink directions, respectively. Assume that the last time slot occupied by the RRC message sent by the access network device to the terminal device is time slot n, and this RRC message is, for example, an RRC reconfiguration message. After receiving the RRC message, the terminal device decodes it. If the data packet carrying the RRC message was error-free during transmission, or if there was an error but it could be corrected using a forward error correction (FEC) algorithm, then the data packet is considered successfully received. The terminal device then sends a hybrid HARQ-ACK message to the access network device. Within a certain time, if the access network device does not receive a HARQ-ACK, or receives a hybrid automatic repeat request negative acknowledgement (HARQ-NACK) message, the access network device retransmits the RRC message.

[0110] It should be noted that the HARQ-ACK message only indicates that the data packet carrying the RRC message has been successfully received, and does not indicate that the terminal device has completed resource configuration based on the RRC message carried in the data packet. To indicate to the access network device that resource configuration is complete, the terminal device can send a scheduling request (SR) to the access network device to request uplink resources for new data transmission. After receiving the SR, the access network device sends an uplink grant to the terminal device, indicating the uplink resources available for new data transmission. After receiving the uplink grant, the terminal device sends uplink RRC feedback to the access network device, such as an RRC reconfiguration complete message.

[0111] Let T1 be the time interval between time slot n and the access network device sending the uplink grant, and T2 be the time interval between the access network device sending the uplink grant and the terminal device sending the RRC reconfiguration completion message. The value of T1+T2 needs to be less than a threshold to improve the efficiency of the communication system. For example, when the access network device sends an RRC configuration message to indicate the addition or release of a secondary cell, T1+T2 should be less than or equal to 16 milliseconds.

[0112] Existing solutions already support access network devices instructing terminal devices to send SSBs on demand via RRC messages. However, how to indicate the transmission time of on-demand SSBs is a problem that urgently needs to be solved. On the one hand, if the terminal device is unsure of the transmission time of the on-demand SSBs, it will perform a blind search after receiving the RRC message, which will lead to higher power consumption for the terminal device. On the other hand, if the access network device instructs the terminal device to send the on-demand SSB too early—for example, before the terminal device has finished parsing the RRC message or has sent a HARQ-ACK message back to the access network device—but the access network device has already sent the on-demand SSB before receiving the HARQ-ACK message (i.e., the access network device sends the on-demand SSB earlier than the terminal device sends the HARQ-ACK message), then some of the SSBs sent by the access network device will not be received normally by the terminal device, resulting in wasted power consumption for the access network device. Conversely, if the access network device instructs the terminal device to send the on-demand SSB too late—for example, if the access network device sends the on-demand SSB a long time after sending the RRC message, the transmission time of the on-demand SSB may be later than the time the terminal device sends the uplink RRC feedback to the access network device—the terminal device will need to wait a long time after receiving the RRC message before receiving the SSB, resulting in low SSB transmission efficiency.

[0113] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a method for transmitting synchronization signal blocks. In a scenario where the access network device indicates the transmission of on-demand SSBs via an RRC message, the terminal device can begin monitoring the on-demand SSBs from a second time point after a first time point. The first time point is the moment when the terminal device sends a HARQ-ACK message to the access network device in response to the RRC message. This allows the terminal device to begin receiving on-demand SSBs at a defined time, which helps avoid blind searching after receiving the RRC message, thereby reducing the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0114] The technical solution of this application and how it solves the above-mentioned technical problems will be described in detail below through specific embodiments. These specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be repeated in some embodiments. The embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0115] Figure 10 is a schematic flowchart of a synchronization signal block transmission method 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application. This method can be applied to a communication system as shown in Figure 1 above. The method can be executed interactively by a first communication device and a second communication device, with the first communication device executing the synchronization signal block reception method and the second communication device executing the synchronization signal block transmission method.

[0116] In the method 1000, the communication device (such as the first communication device and the second communication device) may be a communication equipment or a component configured in the communication equipment. For example, the communication device may be a processor, chip, or chip system configured in the communication equipment, and there is no limitation thereto.

[0117] For example, the first communication device is a terminal device and the second communication device is an access network device. The terminal device may be, for example, 120a-120j shown in FIG1, and the access network device may be, for example, 110a and 110b shown in FIG1.

[0118] Method 1000 includes, but is not limited to, steps S1001 to S1003, which are described in detail below.

[0119] S1001, the second communication device sends an RRC message to the first communication device. This RRC message indicates the transmission of an on-demand SSB and / or the parameter configuration of the on-demand SSB. Accordingly, the first communication device receives the RRC message.

[0120] The RRC message is a unicast RRC message, such as an RRC reconfiguration message. The second communication device can send the RRC message on the primary or secondary cell of the first communication device.

[0121] In one possible scenario, if the first communication device does not require the use of an SSB on its secondary cell before sending the RRC message to the first communication device, the second communication device does not send an SSB on the first communication device's secondary cell. When the first communication device requires the use of an SSB on its secondary cell, the second communication device can send the RRC message to the first communication device, indicating the transmission of an on-demand SSB, or in other words, indicating that an on-demand SSB is about to be sent. The RRC message can also indicate the parameter configuration of the on-demand SSB, such as the period of the SSB burst, the number of SSBs included in the SSB burst, and the time-domain position of the candidate SSBs in the SSB burst.

[0122] The following is an example of a first communication device having a need to use SSB in its secondary cell:

[0123] For example, when the uplink data transmission volume of the first communication device increases or the downlink data transmission volume of the second communication device increases, the second communication device needs to activate a secondary cell to support the transmission of a larger amount of data. During the activation of the secondary cell, the second communication device can transmit at least one SSB on the secondary cell of the first communication device. The first communication device can obtain synchronization information and determine cell information and reference signal received power measurement results by detecting the content of the at least one SSB. Therefore, if the first communication device needs to activate a secondary cell, it means that the first communication device has a need to use an SSB in its secondary cell.

[0124] For example, when the first communication device needs to perform initial access or handover in a cell, it can perform a cell search to select a suitable cell for initial access or handover. During the cell search, the first communication device can receive SSBs transmitted by the second communication device in each of at least one cell. The first communication device selects a suitable cell from these at least one cell for initial access or handover based on the signal strength of the received SSBs in each cell. Therefore, if the first communication device needs to perform a cell search, it means that the first communication device has a need to use SSBs in its primary cell.

[0125] In another possible scenario, before the second communication device sends the RRC message to the first communication device, the second communication device is sending an SSB on the secondary cell of the first communication device. When the second communication device needs to adjust the parameter configuration of the SSB, the second communication device can adjust the parameter configuration of the on-demand SSB through the RRC message, for example, adjusting the period of the SSB burst.

[0126] In this application, the SSB that is sent on demand is sent in units of one period, one SSB burst, one SSB set, or one SSB sample. The second communication device sends an integer number of periods, or an integer number of SSB bursts, or an integer number of SSB sets or SSB samples. This application does not limit this.

[0127] In this application, each SSB burst can also be described as a round of SSB bursts.

[0128] Optionally, the first RRC message includes a first information element and / or a second information element, wherein the first information element is used to indicate the transmission of an SSB sent on demand, and the second information element is used to indicate the parameter configuration of the SSB sent on demand.

[0129] In one possible implementation, when the first cell is a first value, it indicates that the transmission of an on-demand SSB is about to begin; when the first cell is a second value, it does not indicate the transmission of an on-demand SSB, or in other words, the transmission of an on-demand SSB is not performed.

[0130] In another possible implementation, when the first RRC message includes the first information cell, it means that the transmission of SSBs on demand is about to begin; when the first RRC message does not include the first information cell, it means that the transmission of SSBs on demand will not take place.

[0131] It should be understood that the second information cell can indicate one of several parameter configurations for on-demand SSBs, which can be indicated by a first RRC message, a third RRC message, or predefined by the protocol. The third RRC message is an RRC message that precedes the first RRC message. After receiving the first RRC message, the first communication device can determine the parameter configuration of the on-demand SSB that the second communication device will send.

[0132] For example, the parameter configuration of the first type of on-demand SSB indicates that the period of the SSB burst is 20ms and the number of SSBs in each SSB burst is 8. The parameter configuration of the second type of on-demand SSB indicates that the period of the SSB burst is 160ms and the number of SSBs in each SSB burst is 32.

[0133] In one implementation, the first RRC message may include a second information element but not the first information element. The second information element can indicate the transmission of an on-demand SSB. This can be understood as follows: if the first RRC message indicates the parameter configuration for an on-demand SSB, it means that the transmission of an on-demand SSB is about to begin.

[0134] S1002, at the first moment, the first communication device sends a HARQ-ACK message for the RRC message to the second communication device. Correspondingly, at the first moment, the second communication device receives the HARQ-ACK message.

[0135] Referring to the description of the HARQ-ACK message above, if the first communication device successfully receives the RRC message, the first communication device can send a HARQ-ACK message for the RRC message to the second communication device.

[0136] The first moment is the moment when the first communication device sends a HARQ-ACK message to the second communication device. From the perspective of the time unit of the communication system, the first moment can be the first symbol, time slot, or subframe carrying the HARQ-ACK message. In other words, the first moment is the moment in which the HARQ-ACK message is located, measured in symbols, time slots, or subframes. Alternatively, the first moment can be the last symbol, time slot, or subframe carrying the HARQ-ACK message. In other words, the first moment is the moment in which the HARQ-ACK message is located, measured in symbols, time slots, or subframes.

[0137] S1003, the second communication device sends the on-demand SSB to the first communication device starting from the second time moment, and correspondingly, the first communication device monitors the on-demand SSB starting from the second time moment. The second time moment is the time offset from the first time moment by a first time interval. That is, the time interval between the first time moment and the second time moment is the first time interval.

[0138] The phrase "the second time point is the time point after the first time point offset from the first time point" described in this step can be replaced with "the second time point is after the first time point". Alternatively, the phrase "monitoring the on-demand SSB starting from the second time point" described in this step can be replaced with "monitoring the on-demand SSB starting from the second time point after the first time point".

[0139] The first time interval can be in units of time slots, symbols, or subframes, indicating a duration greater than or equal to 0.

[0140] Optionally, the first time interval is configured, or the first time interval is predefined, such as by a protocol predefined.

[0141] Optionally, the first time interval is configured, including: the first time interval is configured via an RRC message, that is, an RRC message sent by the second communication device to the first communication device can indicate the first time interval.

[0142] In one possible implementation, the second communication device may indicate the first time interval via the RRC message in S1001 described above. For ease of distinction, the RRC message described in S1001 above will be referred to as the first RRC message below.

[0143] In another possible implementation, the second communication device may indicate the first time interval via a second RRC message, which is an RRC message that precedes the first RRC message. That is, the second communication device may first send the second RRC message to the first communication device to indicate the first time interval, and then send the first RRC message to the first communication device to indicate the transmission of SSBs on demand and / or the parameter configuration of SSBs on demand.

[0144] Optionally, if the first time interval is configured by the second communication device, the configured first time interval may be a time interval selected from at least one predefined candidate time interval. For example, the predefined sequence of time intervals is: {1 time slot, 3 time slots, 5 time slots, 7 time slots}, and the second communication device indicates one of the time intervals to the first communication device via an RRC message (such as a first RRC message or a second RRC message). For example, "00" represents the first value in the sequence "1 time slot", that is, indicating that the first time interval is 1 time slot; "01" represents the second value in the sequence "3 time slots", that is, indicating that the first time interval is 3 time slots; "10" represents the third value in the sequence "5 time slots", that is, indicating that the first time interval is 5 time slots; and "11" represents the fourth value in the sequence "7 time slots", that is, indicating that the first time interval is 7 time slots.

[0145] In this embodiment of the application, the first communication device can start monitoring the SSBs sent on demand at a second time after the first time. That is, the starting time for the first communication device to monitor the SSBs sent on demand is defined as: the time after the first communication device starts sending the HARQ-ACK message for the first RRC message, offset by the first time interval.

[0146] In one possible implementation, the first communication device can shift from a first moment to the moment, measured in symbols, time slots, or subframes, where the first candidate SSB in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is located. That is, the second moment is the moment, measured in symbols, time slots, or subframes, where the first candidate SSB in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is located. The first time interval is the time interval between the first moment and the moment, measured in symbols, time slots, or subframes, where the first candidate SSB in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is located. Alternatively, the first communication device can shift from the first moment to the moment, measured in symbols, time slots, or subframes, where the first SSB in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is actually located. That is, the second moment is the moment, measured in symbols, time slots, or subframes, where the first time interval is the time interval between the first moment and the moment, measured in symbols, time slots, or subframes, where the first candidate SSB in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is located.

[0147] For the second communication device, when determining the first time interval, in order to ensure that the first communication device and the second communication device are strictly aligned in the time domain to transmit the SSBs sent on demand, the second communication device may determine the first time interval as the time interval between the first moment and the moment in which the first candidate SSB in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is located, in units of symbols, time slots or subframes. Alternatively, the second communication device may determine the first time interval as the time interval between the first moment and the moment in which the first SSB actually sent in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is located, in units of symbols, time slots or subframes.

[0148] In this implementation, the second communication device can indicate a first time interval to the first communication device via a first RRC message or a second RRC message. At the first moment, the second communication device receives a HARQ-ACK message in response to the first RRC message. Then, after offsetting from the first moment by the first time interval, the second communication device begins transmitting on-demand SSBs, effectively constraining the timing of the on-demand SSB transmission. Correspondingly, the first communication device begins monitoring the on-demand SSBs after offsetting from the first moment by the first time interval. The starting moment for the first communication device to monitor the on-demand SSBs is either the moment of the first candidate SSB in the first round of SSB bursts transmitted by the second communication device, or the moment of the first actually transmitted SSB in the first round of SSB bursts transmitted by the second communication device. This ensures that the first and second communication devices are strictly aligned in the time domain when transmitting on-demand SSBs, which improves SSB transmission efficiency.

[0149] It should be understood that the temporal positions of all candidate SSBs in a single SSB burst can be predefined by the protocol, or the second communication device can indicate an SSB pattern different from that specified in the existing protocol to the first communication device, and the first communication device can determine the temporal position of the first candidate SSB based on the indicated SSB pattern. For example, in scenarios with high latency requirements, such as secondary cell activation, the first communication device hopes to use SSBs more quickly to shorten the time required for the scenario. Therefore, for scenarios with high latency requirements, the second communication device can indicate a compact SSB pattern. The compact SSB pattern has the following characteristics: first, the time interval between adjacent SSBs within an SSB burst is compressed; second, the time interval between adjacent SSB bursts is compressed; and third, the number of candidate SSBs within an SSB burst is the same as the number of transmit beams used to carry the SSBs. Based on the characteristics of the compact SSB pattern, the time for the second communication device to perform one or more rounds of SSB scanning is significantly reduced.

[0150] In a round of SSB burst, the time domain position of the first SSB actually transmitted is indicated by the RRC cell “ssb-PositionsInBurst”, or by the second communication device through another new cell indicating the actual transmission status of SSBs within each round of on-demand SSB burst.

[0151] In another possible implementation, the value of the first time interval is related to the capabilities of the first communication device, including its ability to process the first RRC message and / or the speed at which it can configure on-demand SSB transmission. For example, when the first communication device establishes an initial connection with the second communication device, the first communication device may indicate its capability information to the second communication device, and the second communication device may determine the value of the first time interval based on this capability information.

[0152] For example, a first communication device sends first capability information to a second communication device. This first capability information indicates that the first communication device can parse the first RRC message within a short time after receiving it, and can complete the configuration of the on-demand SSB within a short time. This means that the first communication device has strong processing capabilities for the first RRC message and can configure the on-demand SSB quickly. The second communication device can then indicate a small first time interval to the first communication device, for example, one time slot. In this way, the first communication device can begin monitoring the on-demand SSB at a time offset from the first moment by a small first time interval.

[0153] For example, a first communication device sends second capability information to a second communication device. This second capability information instructs the first communication device to parse the first RRC message within a relatively long period after receiving it, and to complete the configuration of the on-demand SSB within that same period. This implies that the first communication device has limited processing capabilities for the first RRC message and is slow in configuring the on-demand SSB. In this case, the second communication device can instruct the first communication device to provide a longer first time interval, such as eight time slots. This allows the first communication device to begin monitoring the on-demand SSB at a time point significantly offset from the initial time point.

[0154] In another possible implementation, the second communication device may determine a relatively long first time interval to ensure that the first communication device completes its configuration before monitoring the SSBs sent on demand, thereby avoiding additional power consumption waste of the second communication device.

[0155] In another possible implementation, regardless of when the second communication device sends the on-demand SSB, and regardless of the capability of the first communication device, the first time interval is a fixed time interval, for example, the first time interval is fixed at 5 time slots. After the first communication device sends a HARQ-ACK message for the first RRC message at the first moment, it starts monitoring the on-demand SSB at a time 5 time slots after the first moment.

[0156] Since a single SSB burst is typically limited to 5ms (i.e., the length of a half-frame), the subframe in which the first communication device begins receiving on-demand SSBs is located is the first subframe of a half-frame. A half-frame comprises 5 subframes, or in other words, the length of a half-frame on the time axis is equal to the length of 5 subframes. Taking Figure 8 above as an example, the subframe containing the second moment is subframe 0, and the second moment can be the symbol marked with index 0 where the first candidate SSB in subframe 0 is located.

[0157] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the time interval between a first time and a second time provided in an embodiment of this application. The time interval between the first time and the second time is the first time interval. The second time can be the time after N half-frames after the first communication device sends back HARQ-ACK, which is in the first subframe of a half-frame. N is a positive integer.

[0158] In this embodiment, when the second communication device indicates the transmission of on-demand SSBs via a first RRC message, the first communication device can begin monitoring the on-demand SSBs at a second time point offset from a first time point by a first time interval. The first time point is the moment when the first communication device sends a HARQ-ACK message in response to the first RRC message. Since the first communication device is aware of the first time interval, it can determine when to begin monitoring the on-demand SSBs. This helps avoid blind searching by the first communication device due to an unknown monitoring time for the on-demand SSBs, thereby reducing the power consumption of the first communication device.

[0159] Furthermore, to avoid the problem of excessive power consumption waste of the second communication device due to sending SSBs too early and excessively low transmission efficiency due to sending SSBs too late, the embodiments of this application use the first moment when the first communication device sends back the HARQ-ACK message as the reference moment for transmitting SSBs on demand, rather than a later moment (e.g., the moment when the RRC reconfiguration completion message is sent back). The first communication device starts monitoring SSBs on demand after offsetting by a first time interval based on the reference moment. In this way, the first communication device can start monitoring SSBs on demand as early as possible after successfully receiving the first RRC message, which is beneficial to improving the transmission efficiency of SSBs and avoiding excessive power consumption waste of the second communication device.

[0160] It is understood that the various numerical designations used in the embodiments of this application are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the process numbers does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic.

[0161] It is understood that, in order to achieve the functions in the above embodiments, the first communication device and the second communication device include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and method steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed in this application, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed by hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0162] The communication method according to an embodiment of the present application has been described in detail above with reference to FIG10. The communication device according to an embodiment of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to FIG12 and FIG13.

[0163] Figures 12 and 13 are schematic block diagrams of communication devices provided in embodiments of this application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of the access network devices in the above method embodiments, and thus can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments.

[0164] As shown in Figure 12, the communication device 1200 includes a transceiver module 1210. Optionally, the communication device 1200 also includes a processing module 1220, which is used for data processing. The transceiver module 1210 can also be referred to as a communication interface or a communication module.

[0165] Device 1200 can be used to perform the actions performed by the first or second communication device in the above method embodiments. Alternatively, device 1200 can be a component (e.g., a chip) configured in a terminal device or access network device. Processing module 1220 is used to perform processing-related operations of the first or second communication device in the above method embodiments. Transceiver module 1210 is used to perform receiving and transmitting-related operations of the first or second communication device in the above method embodiments.

[0166] Optionally, the transceiver module 1210 may include a sending module and a receiving module. The sending module is used to perform the sending operation in the above method embodiments. The receiving module is used to perform the receiving operation in the above method embodiments.

[0167] It should be noted that device 1200 may include a transmitting module but not a receiving module. Alternatively, device 1200 may include a receiving module but not a transmitting module. Specifically, it depends on whether the above-described scheme executed by device 1200 includes both transmitting and receiving actions.

[0168] Optionally, the device 1200 is used to perform the actions performed by the first communication device or the second communication device in the embodiment shown in FIG10 above. For details, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the embodiment shown in FIG10 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0169] Optionally, the device 1200 may further include a storage module, which can be used to store data and / or to store computer programs or instructions. The processing module 1220 can read the computer programs / instructions and / or data in the storage module so that the device 1200 can implement the above-described method embodiments.

[0170] When the communication device 1200 is used to implement the function of the first communication device in the method embodiment shown in FIG10: the transceiver module 1210 is used to: receive an RRC message, which is used to indicate the transmission of an on-demand SSB, and / or the parameter configuration of the on-demand SSB; send a HARQ-ACK message for the RRC message at a first moment; and monitor the on-demand SSB starting from a second moment.

[0171] Optionally, the first time interval is configured, or the first time interval is predefined.

[0172] Optionally, the message may also be used to indicate the first time interval.

[0173] Optionally, the value of the first time interval is related to the capability of the first communication device.

[0174] Optionally, the first time interval is the time interval between the first moment and the moment when the first candidate SSB in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is located, or the first time interval is the moment when the first moment is the moment when the first SSB actually sent in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is located.

[0175] Optionally, the subframe in which the second moment occurs is the first subframe of a half-frame.

[0176] Optionally, the RRC message includes a first element and / or a second element, wherein the first element is used to indicate the transmission of an SSB sent on demand, and the second element is used to indicate the parameter configuration of the SSB sent on demand.

[0177] Optionally, the processing module 1220 is configured to: determine a first time interval; and, based on the first time interval and a first moment, determine a second moment.

[0178] When the communication device 1200 is used to implement the function of the second communication device in the method embodiment shown in FIG10: the transceiver module 1210 is used to: send an RRC message, which is used to indicate the transmission of an on-demand SSB, and / or the parameter configuration of the on-demand SSB; receive a HARQ-ACK message for the RRC message at a first moment; and send the on-demand SSB starting from a second moment.

[0179] Optionally, the first time interval is configured, or the first time interval is predefined.

[0180] Optionally, the message may also be used to indicate the first time interval.

[0181] Optionally, the value of the first time interval is related to the capability of the first communication device.

[0182] Optionally, the first time interval is the time interval between the first moment and the moment when the first candidate SSB in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is located, or the first time interval is the moment when the first moment is the moment when the first SSB actually sent in the first round of SSB bursts sent by the second communication device is located.

[0183] Optionally, the subframe in which the second moment occurs is the first subframe of a half-frame.

[0184] Optionally, the RRC message includes a first element and / or a second element, wherein the first element is used to indicate the transmission of an SSB sent on demand, and the second element is used to indicate the parameter configuration of the SSB sent on demand.

[0185] Optionally, the processing module 1220 is used to: determine a first time interval.

[0186] For a more detailed description of each step, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the method embodiments above, which will not be repeated here. The processing module 1220 can be implemented by a processor, and the transceiver module 1210 can be implemented by a transceiver.

[0187] Figure 13 is a schematic block diagram of another communication device 1300 provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 13, the device 1300 includes one or more processors 1310 and interface circuitry 1320. The one or more processors 1310 and interface circuitry 1320 are coupled to each other. It is understood that interface circuitry 1320 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. Optionally, device 1300 may also include a memory 1330 for storing instructions executed by processor 1310, or storing input data required by processor 1310 to execute instructions, or storing data generated after processor 1310 executes instructions. Sometimes, interface circuitry 1320 can also be understood as part of processor 1310, in which case device 1300 includes processor 1310.

[0188] The one or more processors 1310 and the memory 1330 can be configured separately or integrated, and there is no limitation on this.

[0189] When the communication device 1300 is used to implement the method shown in FIG12, the processor 1310 is used to implement the function of the above-mentioned transceiver module 1220, and the interface circuit 1320 is used to implement the function of the above-mentioned transceiver module 1210.

[0190] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip used in an access network device, the chip of the access network device implements the functions of the access network device in the above method embodiments. The chip of the access network device receives information from the terminal, which can be understood as the information being first received by other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the access network device, and then sent to the chip of the access network device by these modules. The chip of the access network device sends information to the terminal, which can be understood as the information being first sent to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the access network device, and then sent to the terminal by these modules.

[0191] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program that, when run on a computer, enables the execution of the aforementioned communication method. Alternatively, the computer program includes instructions for implementing the aforementioned communication method.

[0192] This application also provides a computer program product, including: a computer program or instructions, which, when the computer program or instructions are run on a computer, cause the above-described communication method to be executed.

[0193] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be a central processing unit, or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field-programmable gate arrays, or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0194] The method steps in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or in software instructions executable by a processor. The software instructions can consist of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, registers, hard disks, portable hard disks, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), or any other form of storage medium well known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. The storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. Alternatively, the ASIC can reside in a base station or terminal. The processor and storage medium can also exist as discrete components in a base station or terminal.

[0195] 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 programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are performed entirely or partially. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user equipment, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless 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 medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video optical disc; or it can be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or may include both types of storage media.

[0196] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and modules described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0197] 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 modules is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple modules 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 modules may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0198] The modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as modules may or may not be physical modules; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network modules. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0199] In addition, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing module, or each module can exist physically separately, or two or more modules can be integrated into one module.

[0200] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional modules 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 various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, external hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0201] 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 scope of the technology 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 for transmitting a synchronization signal block, characterized in that, Applied to a first communication device, the method includes: Receive a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, the RRC message being used to indicate the transmission of a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be transmitted on demand, and / or the parameter configuration of the SSB to be transmitted on demand; At the first moment, a HARQ-ACK message is sent to acknowledge the RRC message; Monitoring of the on-demand SSBs begins from a second time point, wherein the second time point is a time point after the first time point offset by a first time interval.

2. A method for transmitting a synchronization signal block, characterized in that, Applied to a second communication device, the method includes: Send a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, the RRC message being used to indicate that a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) to be transmitted on demand is about to begin transmission, and / or, the parameter configuration of the SSB to be transmitted on demand; At the first moment, receive a HARQ-ACK message for the RRC message; The on-demand SSB is transmitted starting from a second time point, wherein the second time point is a time point after the first time point offset by a first time interval.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first time interval is configured, or the first time interval is predefined.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The RRC message is also used to indicate the first time interval.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The value of the first time interval is related to the capability of the first communication device.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The first time interval is the time interval between the first moment and the moment when the first candidate SSB in the first round of SSB burst sent by the second communication device is located. The moment when the first candidate SSB in the first round of SSB burst is located is in units of symbols, time slots, or subframes. Alternatively, the first time interval is the time interval between the first moment and the moment when the first SSB is actually sent in the first round of SSB burst sent by the second communication device. The moment when the first SSB is actually sent in the first round of SSB burst is in units of symbols, time slots, or subframes.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The subframe in which the second moment occurs is the first subframe of a half-frame.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The RRC message includes a first information element and / or a second information element, wherein the first information element is used to indicate the transmission of the on-demand SSB, and the second information element is used to indicate the parameter configuration of the on-demand SSB.

9. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes modules for implementing the method as described in any one of claims 1, 3 to 8, or includes modules for implementing the method as described in any one of claims 2 to 8.

10. A communication device, characterized in that, The method includes at least one processor coupled to a memory for storing a program or instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the method as claimed in any one of claims 1, 3 to 8 to be performed, or cause the method as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 8 to be performed.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, Used to store a computer program that, when the computer program is run on a communication device, causes the method as described in any one of claims 1, 3 to 8 to be executed, or causes the method as described in any one of claims 2 to 8 to be executed.

12. A computer program product, characterized in that, include: A computer program or instruction that, when executed, causes the method as claimed in any one of claims 1, 3 to 8 to be performed, or causes the method as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 8 to be performed.

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