Communication methods, communication device, communication system, storage medium and program product

Abstract

Disclosed in the present disclosure are communication methods, a communication device, a communication system, a storage medium and a program product. A method comprises: receiving first information sent by a second device, the first information being used for a first device to establish association with the second device, wherein after the first device establishes the association with the second device, the second device is used for executing at least part of communication functions of communication between the first device and a network device; and when a measurement result of the first information is less than or equal to a first threshold, sending second information to the second device, the second information being used for disassociate the first device from the second device. In the method of the present disclosure, on the basis of measurement of first information, the first device can initiate disassociation at appropriate time, so as to disassociate from the second device having deteriorated communication quality in a timely manner, thus improving the communication efficiency of the first device.

Description

Communication methods, communication equipment, communication systems, storage media and software products Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, communication device, communication system, storage medium, and program product. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of communication networks, the number of devices connected to these networks is increasing. Based on the development of various new applications and intelligent technologies, the number of IoT devices requiring network connectivity in IoT application scenarios will experience explosive growth. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In scenarios where the number of connected devices in the aforementioned network surges, energy saving can be achieved by associating devices. In such scenarios, it is necessary to provide a way to unassociate devices.

[0004] This disclosure provides a communication method, communication device, communication system, storage medium, and program product.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication method, executed by a first device, the method comprising:

[0006] The device receives first information sent by a second device, the first information being used to establish an association between the first device and the second device; wherein, after the first device and the second device establish an association, the second device is used to perform at least some of the communication functions for communication between the first device and the network device;

[0007] When the measurement result of the first information is less than or equal to the first threshold, the second information is sent to the second device. The second information is used to disconnect the first device from the second device.

[0008] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication method executed by a second device, the method comprising:

[0009] Send first information to a first device, the first information being used to establish an association between the first device and the second device; wherein, after the first device and the second device establish an association, the second device is used to perform at least some of the communication functions for communication between the first device and the network device;

[0010] The system receives a second message sent by the first device. The second message is sent by the first device when the measurement result of the first message is less than or equal to a first threshold. The second message is used to disconnect the first device from the second device.

[0011] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication device, wherein the communication device is used to perform the method described in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0012] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication system, including a first device and a second device, wherein,

[0013] The first device is configured to implement the method as described in the first aspect;

[0014] The second device is configured to implement the method as described in the second aspect.

[0015] Fifthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a storage medium storing instructions, wherein...

[0016] When the instructions are executed on the communication device, the communication device causes the communication device to perform the method as described in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0017] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a program product, including at least one of a program and instructions, wherein when the program and instructions are executed by a communication device, they implement the method described in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0018] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the first device can initiate the unassociation at an appropriate time based on the measurement of the first information, and promptly unassociate with the second device whose communication quality has deteriorated, which is beneficial to improving the communication efficiency of the first device. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings required for the description of the embodiments are introduced below. The following drawings are only some embodiments of this disclosure and do not impose specific limitations on the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 1 is an exemplary schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figures 2A and 2B are exemplary interactive schematic diagrams of the method provided according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figures 3A and 3B are exemplary interactive schematic diagrams of the method provided according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 5B is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0027] This disclosure provides a communication method, communication device, communication system, storage medium, and program product.

[0028] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication method, executed by a first device, the method comprising:

[0029] The device receives first information sent by a second device, the first information being used to establish an association between the first device and the second device; wherein, after the first device and the second device establish an association, the second device is used to perform at least some of the communication functions for communication between the first device and the network device;

[0030] When the measurement result of the first information is less than or equal to the first threshold, the second information is sent to the second device. The second information is used to disconnect the first device from the second device.

[0031] In the above embodiments, the first device can initiate the unassociation at an appropriate time based on the measurement of the first information, and promptly disconnect from the second device whose communication quality has deteriorated, which is beneficial to improving the communication efficiency of the first device.

[0032] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, sending second information to the second device includes:

[0033] The second information is sent to the second device via a direct link between the first device and the second device; or...

[0034] Send the second information to the second device through the network device.

[0035] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the second information is sent by the first device in Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state.

[0036] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the second information is used to indicate that the association between the first device and the second device has been terminated.

[0037] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the first device is in an RRC idle state before establishing an association with the second device.

[0038] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the second information is used to indicate or request the unassociation of the first device and the second device, and the method further includes:

[0039] The third information sent by the second device is received via a direct link between the first device and the second device, or...

[0040] The network device receives third information sent by the second device; wherein the third information is used to indicate that the association between the first device and the second device has been terminated.

[0041] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the first device is in an RRC connected state before establishing an association with the second device.

[0042] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, before receiving the third information sent by the second device, the method further includes:

[0043] The device receives a fourth message sent by the second device, the fourth message being information about the second device performing at least some of the communication functions.

[0044] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0045] After disconnecting from the second device, connect to the network device.

[0046] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0047] The cell identifier in the first information is the same as the cell identifier of the cell where the first device was stationed before the association was established. After the association is broken, the device will be stationed in the cell corresponding to the cell identifier.

[0048] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0049] The cell identifier in the first information is different from the cell identifier of the cell where the first device camped before the association was established. Cell search is performed based on the frequency information of the synchronization signal carried in the first information or based on the frequency information of the stored synchronization signal.

[0050] After the association is severed, it will remain in the cell corresponding to the frequency point information.

[0051] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the second information includes: communication functions that need to be unlinked.

[0052] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the first thresholds corresponding to different communication functions are the same, and the second information is used to indicate the removal of the association of the second device based on the different communication functions.

[0053] In conjunction with the embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the first thresholds corresponding to different communication functions are different, and the second information is used to indicate the removal of the association between the second device and the communication functions corresponding to some of the first thresholds in different communication functions. Some of the communication functions are: the communication functions corresponding to the first thresholds that the measurement result is less than or equal to.

[0054] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication method executed by a second device, the method comprising:

[0055] Send first information to a first device, the first information being used to establish an association between the first device and the second device; wherein, after the first device and the second device establish an association, the second device is used to perform at least some of the communication functions for communication between the first device and the network device;

[0056] The system receives a second message sent by the first device. The second message is sent by the first device when the measurement result of the first message is less than or equal to a first threshold. The second message is used to disconnect the first device from the second device.

[0057] In the above embodiments, the second device can send first information, and the first device can initiate the unassociation at an appropriate time based on the measurement of the first information, so as to promptly disconnect from the second device whose communication quality has deteriorated, which is beneficial to improving the communication efficiency of the first device.

[0058] In conjunction with the embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, receiving the second information sent by the first device includes:

[0059] Receive the second information sent by the first device via a direct link; or...

[0060] Receive the second information sent by the first device through the network device.

[0061] In conjunction with embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the second information is used to indicate that the association between the first device and the second device has been severed.

[0062] In conjunction with embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the first device is in an RRC idle state before establishing an association with the second device.

[0063] In conjunction with embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the second information is used to indicate or request the unassociation of the first device and the second device, and the method further includes:

[0064] The third information is sent to the first device via a direct link between the first device and the second device, or...

[0065] The third information is sent to the first device via a network device; wherein the third information is used to indicate that the association between the first device and the second device has been terminated.

[0066] In conjunction with the embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the first device is in an RRC connected state before establishing an association with the second device.

[0067] In conjunction with the embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, after receiving the second information, the method further includes:

[0068] Before sending the third information, a fourth information is sent to the first device, which is information that was not transmitted in the communication function performed by the first device through the associated second device.

[0069] In conjunction with embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the second information includes: communication functions that need to be unlinked.

[0070] In conjunction with the embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the first thresholds corresponding to different communication functions are the same, and the second information is used to indicate the removal of the association of the second device based on the different communication functions.

[0071] In conjunction with the embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the first thresholds corresponding to different communication functions are different, and the second information is used to indicate the removal of the association of the second device based on some communication functions among the different communication functions. The some communication functions are: the communication functions corresponding to the first thresholds that the measurement results are less than or equal to.

[0072] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication device, wherein the communication device is used to perform the method described in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0073] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication system, including a first device and a second device, wherein,

[0074] The first device is configured to implement the method as described in the first aspect;

[0075] The second device is configured to implement the method as described in the second aspect.

[0076] Fifthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a storage medium storing instructions, wherein...

[0077] When the instructions are executed on the communication device, the communication device causes the communication device to perform the method as described in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0078] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a program product, including at least one of a program and instructions, wherein when the program and instructions are executed by a communication device, they implement the method described in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0079] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods described in alternative implementations of the first and second aspects.

[0080] Eighthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a chip or chip system. The chip or chip system includes processing circuitry configured to perform the methods described according to optional implementations of the first and second aspects above.

[0081] It is understood that the aforementioned communication devices, communication systems, storage media, program products, computer programs, chips, or chip systems are all used to execute the methods proposed in the embodiments of this disclosure. Therefore, the beneficial effects they can achieve can be referred to the beneficial effects in the corresponding methods, and will not be repeated here.

[0082] This disclosure provides a communication method, a communication device, a communication system, a storage medium, and a program product. In some embodiments, the terms "communication method" and "information processing method," "information sending and receiving method," etc., can be used interchangeably.

[0083] This disclosure is not exhaustive, but merely illustrative of some embodiments, and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, each step in a particular embodiment can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the steps can be arbitrarily combined. For example, a solution after removing some steps in a particular embodiment can also be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the order of the steps in a particular embodiment can be arbitrarily interchanged. Furthermore, the optional implementation methods in a particular embodiment can be arbitrarily combined; moreover, the embodiments can be arbitrarily combined, for example, some or all steps of different embodiments can be arbitrarily combined, and a particular embodiment can be arbitrarily combined with the optional implementation methods of other embodiments. In all embodiments of this disclosure, unless otherwise specified or logically conflicting, the terminology and / or descriptions between the embodiments are consistent and can be mutually referenced. Technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships.

[0084] The terminology used in the embodiments of this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0085] In this embodiment of the disclosure, unless otherwise stated, elements expressed in the singular form, such as "a," "an," "the," "the," "the," "the," "the," "the," "this," etc., can mean "one and only one," or "one or more," "at least one," etc. For example, when using articles such as "a," "an," "the," etc. in translation, the noun following the article can be understood as either a singular expression or a plural expression.

[0086] In the embodiments disclosed herein, "multiple" refers to two or more.

[0087] In some embodiments, the terms “at least one of A or B, at least one of A and B”, “one or more”, “a plurality of”, “multiple”, etc., may be used interchangeably.

[0088] In some embodiments, the notation "at least one of A and B", "A and / or B", "A in one case, B in another", "in response to one case A, in response to another case B", etc., may include the following technical solutions depending on the situation: in some embodiments, A (execute A regardless of whether there is a branch B); in some embodiments, B (execute B regardless of whether there is a branch A); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed); in some embodiments, both A and B are executed. The same applies when there are more branches such as A, B, C, etc.

[0089] In some embodiments, the notation "A or B" may include the following technical solutions, depending on the situation: in some embodiments, A (execute A regardless of whether a branch B exists); in some embodiments, B (execute B regardless of whether a branch A exists); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed). The same applies when there are more branches such as A, B, and C.

[0090] The prefixes "first," "second," etc., used in the embodiments of this disclosure are merely for distinguishing different descriptive objects and do not impose restrictions on the position, order, priority, quantity, or content of the descriptive objects. The description of the descriptive objects is found in the claims or the context of the embodiments, and the use of prefixes should not constitute unnecessary restrictions. For example, if the descriptive object is a "field," the ordinal numbers preceding "field" in "first field" and "second field" do not restrict the position or order of the "fields." "First" and "second" do not restrict whether the "fields" they modify are in the same message, nor do they restrict the order of "first field" and "second field." Similarly, if the descriptive object is a "level," the ordinal numbers preceding "level" in "first level" and "second level" do not restrict the priority between "levels." Furthermore, the number of descriptive objects is not limited by ordinal numbers and can be one or more. For example, in "first device," the number of "devices" can be one or more. Furthermore, the objects modified by different prefixes can be the same or different. For example, if the object being described is "device", then "first device" and "second device" can be the same device or different devices, and their types can be the same or different. Similarly, if the object being described is "information", then "first information" and "second information" can be the same information or different information, and their content can be the same or different.

[0091] In some embodiments, “including A,” “containing A,” “for indicating A,” and “carrying A” can be interpreted as directly carrying A or indirectly indicating A.

[0092] In some embodiments, terms such as "time / frequency" and "time-frequency domain" refer to the time domain and / or frequency domain.

[0093] In some embodiments, terms such as “in response to…”, “in response to determining…”, “in the case of…”, “when…”, “when…”, “if…”, etc. can be used interchangeably. These descriptions all refer to the device making a corresponding action under certain objective circumstances. They do not necessarily limit the time, nor do they require the device to make a judgment action when implementing it, nor do they mean that there must be other limitations.

[0094] In some embodiments, the terms “greater than,” “greater than or equal to,” “not less than,” “more than,” “more than or equal to,” “not less than,” “higher than,” “higher than or equal to,” “not lower than,” and “above” can be used interchangeably, as can the terms “less than,” “less than or equal to,” “not greater than,” “less than,” “less than or equal to,” “not more than,” “lower than,” “lower than or equal to,” “not higher than,” and “below”.

[0095] In some embodiments, devices, etc., may be interpreted as physical or virtual, and their names are not limited to those described in the embodiments. Terms such as “device,” “equipment,” “circuit,” “network element,” “network function,” “network device,” “function,” “node,” “unit,” “section,” “system,” “network,” “chip,” “chip system,” “entity,” and “subject” are interchangeable.

[0096] In some embodiments, "network" can be interpreted as devices included in a network (e.g., access network devices, core network devices, etc.).

[0097] In some embodiments, the terms "access network device (AN device)," "radio access network device (RAN device)," "base station (BS)," "radio base station," "fixed station," "node," "access point," "transmission point (TP)," "reception point (RP)," "transmission / reception point (TRP)," "panel," "antenna panel," "antenna array," "cell," "macro cell," "small cell," "femto cell," "pico cell," "sector," "cell group," "serving cell," "carrier," "component carrier," and "bandwidth part (BWP)" can be used interchangeably.

[0098] In some embodiments, the terms "terminal", "terminal device", "user equipment (UE)", "user terminal", "mobile station (MS)", "mobile terminal (MT)", "subscriber station", "mobile unit", "subscriber unit", "wireless unit", "remote unit", "mobile device", "wireless device", "wireless communication device", "remote device", "mobile subscriber station", "access terminal", "mobile terminal", "wireless terminal", "remote terminal", "handset", "user agent", "mobile client", and "client" can be used interchangeably.

[0099] In some embodiments, access network devices, core network devices, or network devices can be replaced by terminals. For example, embodiments of this disclosure can also be applied to structures where communication between access network devices, core network devices, or network devices and terminals is replaced by communication between multiple terminals (e.g., device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X), etc.). In this case, the structure can also be configured such that the terminal has all or part of the functions of the access network device. Furthermore, terms such as "uplink" and "downlink" can be replaced with terms corresponding to communication between terminals (e.g., "sidelink"). For example, uplink channel, downlink channel, etc., can be replaced with sidelink channel, and uplink link, downlink, etc., can be replaced with sidelink link.

[0100] In some embodiments, the terminal may be replaced by an access network device, a core network device, or a network device. In this case, the access network device, core network device, or network device may also be configured to have all or some of the functions of the terminal.

[0101] In some embodiments, the acquisition of data, information, etc., may comply with the laws and regulations of the country where the location is situated.

[0102] In some embodiments, data, information, etc., may be obtained with the user's consent.

[0103] Furthermore, each element, each row, or each column in the table of this disclosure can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and any combination of any element, any row, or any column can also be implemented as an independent embodiment.

[0104] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0105] As shown in Figure 1, the communication system 100 includes a first device 101 and a second device 102.

[0106] In some embodiments, the first device 101 may be a terminal or an Internet of Things (IoT) device. For example, the first device 101 is a cellular-based narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) device. In this embodiment of the disclosure, the first device 101 is taken as an IoT device.

[0107] In some embodiments, the second device 102 may be a terminal. For example, the first device 101 may be a 5G or 6G terminal.

[0108] In some embodiments, the first device 101 may be a second type of terminal with weaker device capabilities and / or limited power supply, such as an IoT device.

[0109] In some embodiments, the second device 102 may be a first type of terminal with stronger device capabilities (such as stronger hardware capabilities) and / or sufficient power supply, or referred to as a high-capacity device (Header).

[0110] In some embodiments, in a device association scenario, one or more first devices 101 can be associated with a second device 102, and the second device 102 additionally has the function of managing the second device 102. In this scenario, the first device 101 can offload some communication functions to the second device 102, or associate some communication functions with the second device 102; the second device 102 can assist or replace the associated first device 101 in completing some communication functions, thereby helping the first device 101 save energy. The second device 102 can also act as a relay node, aggregating and splitting the transmit and receive information of multiple first devices 101, thereby reducing the mutual interference of transmit and receive signals from different second-type devices on air interface resources.

[0111] Optionally, the first device 101 may completely suspend the communication function and hand it over to the second device 102; alternatively, after the first device 101 transfers the communication function to the second device 102, it may need to perform this part of the communication function in a different way, such as by using a method with lower power consumption and lower complexity.

[0112] In some embodiments, the positions of the first device 101 and the second device 102 are close, for example, the distance between the first device 101 and the second device 102 is less than a predefined distance threshold.

[0113] In some embodiments, the terminal includes, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: mobile phone, wearable device, Internet of Things device, car with communication function, smart car, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver function, virtual reality (VR) terminal device, augmented reality (AR) terminal device, wireless terminal device in industrial control, wireless terminal device in self-driving, wireless terminal device in remote medical surgery, wireless terminal device in smart grid, wireless terminal device in transportation safety, wireless terminal device in smart city, and wireless terminal device in smart home.

[0114] In some embodiments, the first device 101 or the second device 102 may be connected to a network device, respectively.

[0115] In some embodiments, the network device may include at least one of an access network device and a core network device.

[0116] In some embodiments, the access network device is, for example, a node or device that connects a terminal to a wireless network. The access network device may include at least one of the following in a 5G communication system: evolved Node B (eNB), next-generation eNB (ng-eNB), next-generation Node B (gNB), node B (NB), home node B (HNB), home evolved node B (HeNB), radio backhaul device, radio network controller (RNC), base station controller (BSC), base transceiver station (BTS), base band unit (BBU), mobile switching center, base station in a 6G communication system, open RAN, cloud RAN, base station in other communication systems, and access node in a Wi-Fi system, but is not limited thereto.

[0117] In some embodiments, the technical solutions of this disclosure can be applied to the Open RAN architecture. In this case, the interfaces between or within access network devices involved in the embodiments of this disclosure can be transformed into internal interfaces of Open RAN. The processes and information interactions between these internal interfaces can be implemented by software or programs.

[0118] In some embodiments, the access network device may be composed of a central unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU). The CU may also be called a control unit. The CU-DU structure can separate the protocol layer of the access network device. Some of the protocol layer functions are centrally controlled by the CU, while the remaining part or all of the protocol layer functions are distributed in the DU and centrally controlled by the CU. However, this is not the only possibility.

[0119] In some embodiments, a core network device may be a single device comprising one or more network elements, or it may be multiple devices or a group of devices, each comprising all or part of one or more network elements. Network elements may be virtual or physical. The core network may include, for example, at least one of the following: Evolved Packet Core (EPC), 5G Core Network (5GCN), and Next Generation Core (NGC).

[0120] In some embodiments, core network equipment includes network elements with specific functions, such as Access Management Function (AMF) and Service Management Function (SMF).

[0121] It is understood that the communication system described in this disclosure is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of this disclosure, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions proposed in this disclosure. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of system architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions proposed in this disclosure are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0122] The following embodiments of this disclosure can be applied to the communication system 100 shown in FIG1, or to some of the main bodies, but are not limited thereto. The main bodies shown in FIG1 are illustrative. The communication system may include all or some of the main bodies in FIG1, or may include other main bodies outside of FIG1. ​​The number and form of each main body are arbitrary. Each main body may be physical or virtual. The connection relationship between the main bodies is illustrative. The main bodies may not be connected or may be connected. The connection can be in any way, it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection, it can be a wired connection or a wireless connection.

[0123] The embodiments disclosed herein can be applied to Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), LTE-Beyond (LTE-B), SUPER 3G, IMT-Advanced, 4th generation mobile communication system (4G), 5th generation mobile communication system (5G), 5G new radio (NR), Future Radio Access (FRA), New-Radio Access Technology (RAT), New Radio (NR), New radio access (NX), Future generation radio access (FX), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), CDMA2000, Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), and IEEE 802.20, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Bluetooth (a registered trademark), Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) networks, Device-to-Device (D2D) systems, Machine-to-Machine (M2M) systems, Internet of Things (IoT) systems, Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) systems, systems utilizing other communication methods, and next-generation systems built upon them, etc. Furthermore, multiple systems can be combined (e.g., a combination of LTE or LTE-A with 5G).

[0124] In some implementations, within IoT application scenarios, the telecommunications industry, in collaboration with traditional industries, is continuously launching various new applications, such as smart grids, smart parking, smart transportation / logistics, smart energy / mining management, and hydrological monitoring. These applications cover various vertical sectors including smart cities, smart homes, and smart transportation, rapidly driving the upgrading and transformation of traditional industries and bringing great convenience to people's daily lives. Large-scale applications will spawn new markets and technologies. In future networks, such as 6G networks, there will be a wider range of IoT usage, and the number of IoT devices needing to connect to the network will experience explosive growth.

[0125] In some implementations, in an NB-IoT network, the power consumption of NB-IoT devices can be reduced by lowering data transmission bandwidth, simplifying physical layer information transmission methods, relaxing radio resource management (RRM) measurements, or applying wake-up signals.

[0126] In some embodiments, one of the key requirements for IoT devices in future networks such as 6G is power saving. For example, to further reduce network maintenance and equipment manufacturing costs, some IoT applications have placed new demands on device power consumption, such as requiring microwatt (μW) level power consumption to achieve longer power cycles even with limited battery storage. Device energy consumption remains one of the major issues that need to be addressed. Another key requirement for IoT devices in future networks such as 6G is to avoid network resource congestion amidst the massive number of connected IoT devices. The increased number of devices can lead to interference between the transmitting and receiving signals of different devices on the air interface, affecting communication quality; excessive interaction between devices and network signaling can also cause network overload and network resource congestion.

[0127] In some embodiments, based on device association, some terminals with stronger capabilities and sufficient power supply can assist or replace terminals with weaker capabilities and limited power supply in completing certain communication operations. As the two devices move, or as the channel environment changes, the terminal with stronger capabilities may no longer be suitable to assist or replace the terminal with weaker capabilities in completing communication operations. For example, if the channel environment of the aforementioned terminal with stronger capabilities deteriorates, and the communication quality with network devices worsens, if the terminal with weaker capabilities continues to communicate based on the associated terminal, it will affect the communication quality and efficiency of the terminal with weaker capabilities. Therefore, a method for deassociation is needed.

[0128] Figure 2A is an interactive schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2A, the present disclosure relates to a communication method, which includes:

[0129] In step S2101, the second device 102 sends the first information to the first device 101.

[0130] In some embodiments, the first device 101 receives first information.

[0131] In some embodiments, the second device 102 may be a terminal. The second device 102 may have strong terminal capabilities, such as strong hardware processing capabilities. Alternatively, the second device 102 may have sufficient energy or a sufficient power supply.

[0132] Optionally, the second device 102 may be referred to as a high-capacity device or a Header device (or simply Header).

[0133] In some embodiments, the first device 101 may be a terminal requiring energy saving, a low-capacity terminal, or an IoT device. Specifically, the first device 101 may have weak terminal capabilities, or it may have issues with insufficient or limited power supply.

[0134] Optionally, the first device 101 may be referred to as a low-capability device or an IoT device.

[0135] In some embodiments, the first information may also be referred to as a first signal. For example, the first information includes a reference signal.

[0136] In some embodiments, the first information is used to establish an association or relationship between the second device 102 and the first device 101.

[0137] For example, the first information is used by the first device 101 to discover the second device 102. The first device 101 can discover the second device 102 if it successfully receives the first information from the first device 101.

[0138] In some embodiments, the second device 102 may periodically transmit the first information via broadcast. The first device 101 may receive the first information and periodically measure the first information.

[0139] Optionally, the first device 101 may detect and receive the first information at the corresponding time-frequency location based on the time-frequency location information of the first information predefined in the protocol, or based on the time-frequency location information of the first information indicated by the network device.

[0140] Understandably, "association" can be replaced with "binding." When a first device is associated or bound to a second device, it means that the second device can perform at least some of the communication functions between the first device and the network device.

[0141] In step S2102, the first device 101 measures the first information and obtains the measurement result.

[0142] In some embodiments, the first information may include a reference signal, which the first device 101 may receive and measure to obtain a measurement result.

[0143] In some embodiments, the measurement result may be the Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), with the first threshold being the RSRP threshold; or, the measurement result may be the Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), with the first threshold being the RSRQ threshold; or, the measurement result may be the Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR), with the first threshold being the SINR threshold.

[0144] In some embodiments, the first device 101 may determine whether to establish or terminate an association with the second device 102 based on the measurement results.

[0145] For example, when the measurement result exceeds a first threshold, it indicates that the first device 101 and the second device 102 are relatively close, and the first device 101 can request to establish an association with the second device 102. For instance, the first information may carry the identifier of the second device 102 or information required for establishing the association, such as the cell it resides in. When the measurement result exceeds the first threshold, the first device 101 can send a request to the second device 102 based on the information carried in the first information. This request may carry the identifier of the first device 101 itself, thereby requesting to establish management with the second device 102. After receiving confirmation feedback from the second device 102, the first device 101 and the second device 102 can establish an association. The information exchange between the first device 101 and the second device 102 can be based on a direct link or through network devices.

[0146] Alternatively, if the first device 101 is already associated with the second device 102, and the measurement result is greater than the first threshold, it indicates that the first device 101 and the second device 102 are still relatively close, and the first device 101 can maintain the association or maintain the association relationship.

[0147] For example, if the measurement result is less than or equal to the first threshold, it indicates that the distance between the first device 101 and the second device 102 is too far, and the second device 102 is no longer suitable to perform the communication function on behalf of the first device 101. Therefore, the first device 101 can initiate the deassociation, such as by executing step S2103.

[0148] In some embodiments, the first device 101 may periodically measure the first information and, based on the measurement results of each period and a first threshold, determine whether to initiate the establishment of an association, maintain the association, or initiate the termination of the association.

[0149] In some embodiments, after the first device and the second device establish an association, the second device is used to perform at least some of the communication functions for communication between the first device and the network device. For example, the second device 102 can help or replace the first device 101 in performing at least some of the communication functions, thereby saving energy consumption of the first device 101.

[0150] Optionally, the first device 101 does not need to perform the communication functions of this part.

[0151] Alternatively, the communication function can also be referred to as communication behavior, communication operation, etc., which can refer to the communication interaction with network devices.

[0152] Optionally, the communication functions may include RRM measurement and paging monitoring in RRC idle state. For example, when one or more first devices 101 are associated with a second device 102, the one or more first devices 101 may be in RRC idle state before association. After association, the second device 102 can perform RRM measurement and paging monitoring in place of the one or more first devices 101, thereby effectively saving energy for the one or more first devices 101 and reducing the amount of network signaling interaction, thus reducing communication interference.

[0153] Optionally, the communication functions may include data relay in RRC connected state, mobility measurement, etc. For example, when one or more first devices 101 are associated with a second device 102, the one or more first devices 101 may be in RRC connected state before association. After association, the second device 102 can replace the one or more first devices 101 to perform data relay, mobility measurement, etc., thereby enabling the one or more first devices 101 to effectively save energy and reduce the amount of network interaction signaling, reducing communication interference.

[0154] In some embodiments, if the first device 101 is decoupled from the second device 102, the communication function performed by the second device 102 may be stopped at an appropriate time, such as after the decoupling, the second device 102 no longer performs that part of the communication function.

[0155] In step S2103, the first device 101 sends the second information to the second device.

[0156] In some embodiments, the first device 101 may perform step S2103 and send the second information when the measurement result of the first information is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0157] In some embodiments, the second information is used to unassociate with the second device.

[0158] In some embodiments, the second information may be a deassociation signaling message, such as an instruction message. Alternatively, the second information may be a deassociation request, such as a request message.

[0159] In some embodiments, the second information includes: communication functions that need to be unlinked.

[0160] Optionally, the second information may indicate one or more communication functions that need to be unassociated, such as an index or identifier indicating the communication function.

[0161] Optionally, the associated communication functions or the communication functions that need to be unassociated may differ depending on the RRC state in which the first device 101 was in before association. One or more different communication functions may also correspond to a single RRC state. For example, for the first device 101 in the RRC idle state, the communication functions that need to be unassociated are RRM measurement and paging monitoring.

[0162] Optionally, different communication functions can correspond to the same or different first thresholds, that is, different communication functions can correspond to the same or different deassociation thresholds.

[0163] In some embodiments, when the measurement result is less than or equal to a first threshold corresponding to at least one communication function, the first device 101 sends a second message indicating that it is to terminate the association with the second device based on some or all of the communication functions.

[0164] In one example, the first threshold is the same for different communication functions.

[0165] In this example, based on the measurement result of the first information, when the measurement result is greater than the first threshold, the first device 101 can maintain the association with the second device 102, and the corresponding associated communication function can still be performed by the second device 102.

[0166] In this example, when the measurement result is less than or equal to the first threshold, the first device 101 sends a second message, which is used to indicate the termination of the association with the second device based on different communication functions or all communication functions.

[0167] Here, "all communication functions" refers to all communication functions that the first device can perform with the help or assistance of the second device after the association is established. These all communication functions can be determined based on the information exchange between the first and second devices during the association establishment process. The associated communication functions can be unassociated through the second information. If the first device 101 initiates the unassociation, all previously associated communication functions will be unassociated.

[0168] In another example, the first thresholds for different communication functions are different; for example, the deassociation thresholds for different communication functions are set separately. The second information is used to indicate the deassociation with the second device based on some of the different communication functions, where the communication functions are those corresponding to the first thresholds where the measurement result is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0169] In this example, if the measurement result of the first information is greater than a first threshold, such as the measurement result being greater than the first threshold of the first communication function, the first device 101 can maintain its association with the second device 102 based on the first communication function. That is, the second device 102 can still perform the first communication function on behalf of the first device 101.

[0170] In this example, when the measurement result is less than or equal to a first threshold corresponding to one or more communication functions, the first device 101 sends second information. This second information is used to indicate the termination of the association with the second device based on the communication functions corresponding to the one or more first thresholds. The one or more first thresholds may be first thresholds corresponding to a portion of all communication functions, where the portion of the first thresholds is a first threshold greater than the measurement result.

[0171] For example, if the measurement result is greater than the first threshold corresponding to the first communication function, but less than or equal to the first threshold corresponding to the second communication function, the first device 101 can send second information, which can carry information about the second communication function (such as an index or identifier) ​​to indicate the termination of the association with the second device 102 based on the second communication function, that is, the second device 102 does not need to perform the second communication function on behalf of the first device 101; however, the first device 101 can still maintain the association with the second device 102 based on the second communication function, that is, the second device 102 can still perform the first communication function on behalf of the first device 101.

[0172] In this context, the first communication function is assumed to be RRM measurement and paging monitoring in the RRC idle state, and the second communication function is data relay in the RRC connected state. The first threshold corresponding to the first communication function is different from the first threshold corresponding to the second communication function. For example, the first threshold corresponding to the first communication function is smaller than the first threshold corresponding to the second communication function, meaning that the channel reception quality required by the first communication function is lower, while the channel reception quality required by the second communication function is higher. In the association based on the first communication function, the distance between the first device 101 and the second device 102 can be a first value (e.g., 10 meters); in the association based on the second communication function, if simple low-order modulation is used between the first device 101 and the second device 102, to ensure a higher data transmission rate, the distance between the first device 101 and the second device 102 can be a second value (e.g., 1 meter); the first value is greater than the second value.

[0173] In one embodiment, when there is a direct link between the first device 101 and the second device 102, step S2103 may include the following steps S2103-11:

[0174] In step S2103-11, the first device 101 sends the second information to the second device 102 through a direct link.

[0175] In this step, the first device 101 can directly send the second information to the second device 102 via a direct link. The second device 102 receives the second information.

[0176] In another embodiment, step S2103 may include the following steps S2103-21 to S2103-22:

[0177] Step S2103-21: The first device 101 sends the second information to the network device.

[0178] Step S2103-22: Send the second information to the second device 102 through the network device.

[0179] In this embodiment, there may be no direct link between the first device 101 and the second device 102.

[0180] In this embodiment, the second information can be sent to the second device via a network device. The network device can either directly forward the second information or send signaling containing the second information.

[0181] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the first device is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle state before being associated with the second device. For example, the first device 101 may be an IoT device in an RRC idle state before establishing an association, in which case the second device 102 performs the communication functions corresponding to the RRC idle state for the first device 101 during the association process.

[0182] Optionally, if it is necessary to disassociate, the first device 101 sends the aforementioned second information after transitioning from the RRC idle state to the RRC connected state. That is, the second information is sent after the first device 101 transitions to the RRC connected state.

[0183] In step S2104, the first device 101 determines to disconnect from the second device 102.

[0184] In some embodiments, the first device 101 in the RRC idle state can be considered to have terminated its association after switching to the RRC connected state and sending the second information.

[0185] Optionally, the second information is used to indicate that the association between the first device and the second device has been terminated.

[0186] In some embodiments, the second information serves as a notification or instruction to terminate the association. Once sent, the association can be considered terminated without waiting for feedback from the second device 102.

[0187] In some embodiments, for the first device 101 in the RRC idle state, there is no information to interact with the second device 102 before the association is terminated.

[0188] Step S2105: The first device 101 determines the cell to be stationed in.

[0189] In some embodiments, after the first device 101 is de-associated with the second device 102, it can determine the cell where it will reside after the de-association is completed based on the cell identifier carried in the first information.

[0190] In one embodiment, step S2105 may include the following steps S2105-11:

[0191] Step S2105-11: When the cell identifier in the first information is the same as the cell identifier of the cell where the first device was stationed before the association was established, the first device 101 will stay in the cell corresponding to the cell identifier after the association is terminated.

[0192] In this embodiment, if the cell identifier in the first information is the same as the cell identifier of the cell where the first device 101 was camped before association, it indicates that the first device 101 did not perform cell reselection during the association process. After the association is terminated, the first device 101 can still camp on the original cell.

[0193] In another embodiment, step S2105 may include the following steps S2105-21 to S2105-22:

[0194] Step S2105-21: When the cell identifier in the first information is different from the cell identifier of the cell where the first device camped before the association was established, the first device 101 performs cell search according to the frequency information of the synchronization signal carried in the first information or according to the frequency information of the stored synchronization signal.

[0195] Step S2105-22: After the association is broken, the first device 101 camps on the cell corresponding to the frequency point information.

[0196] In this embodiment, if the cell identifier in the first information is different from the cell identifier of the cell where the first device 101 resides before association, it indicates that cell reselection has occurred during the association process.

[0197] In this embodiment, the first information may carry the frequency information of the synchronization signal of the cell after reselection. Then, the first device 101 can perform cell search on the corresponding frequency after deassociation based on the frequency information carried in the first information, listen to system information, and then camp on the cell.

[0198] Alternatively, if the first information does not carry the frequency information of the synchronization signal of the cell after reselection, the first device 101 can perform cell search or blind search based on the stored frequency information after deassociation, and then camp on the cell.

[0199] In some embodiments, the names of information, etc., are not limited to the names described in the embodiments. Terms such as "information", "message", "signal", "signaling", "report", "configuration", "indication", "instruction", "command", "channel", "parameter", "domain", and "field" can be used interchangeably.

[0200] In some embodiments, terms such as “send,” “transmit,” “report,” “distribute,” “transfer,” “bidirectional transmission,” “send and / or receive” can be used interchangeably.

[0201] In some embodiments, the terms “downlink control information (DCI),” “downlink (DL) assignment,” “DL DCI,” “uplink (UL) grant,” and “UL DCI” can be used interchangeably.

[0202] In some embodiments, "acquire," "get," "obtain," "receive," "transmit," "bidirectional transmission," and "send and / or receive" can be used interchangeably and can be interpreted as receiving from other entities, acquiring from protocols, acquiring from higher layers, obtaining through self-processing, or autonomous implementation. Protocols include, for example, at least one of the 3GPP protocol, Wi-Fi protocol, and audio and / or video protocols.

[0203] In some embodiments, terms such as "certain," "preset," "default," "set," "indicated," "a certain," "any," and "first" can be used interchangeably. "Certain A," "preset A," "default A," "set A," "indicated A," "a certain A," "any A," and "first A" can be interpreted as A pre-defined in a protocol or the like, or as A obtained through setting, configuration, or instruction, or as specific A, a certain A, any A, or first A, but are not limited thereto.

[0204] The communication method involved in the embodiments of this disclosure may include at least one of steps S2101 to S2105. For example, step S2103 may be implemented as a separate embodiment, and steps S2101 and S2103 may be implemented as separate embodiments, but are not limited thereto.

[0205] In some embodiments, at least one of steps S2102, S2104, and S2105 may be optionally performed, or one or more of these steps may be omitted or substituted in different embodiments.

[0206] In some embodiments, the steps and their optional implementations in other embodiments described before or after this embodiment, as well as other related parts in the specification, can be referred to, and will not be repeated here.

[0207] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when the first device 101 in the RRC idle state is associated with the second device 102, the second device 102 can perform the communication functions corresponding to the idle state on behalf of the first device 101, thereby achieving energy saving for the first device 101. Based on the measurement results of the first information, the first device 101 can promptly initiate the unassociation when the second device 102 is far away, so as to prevent the unsuitable second device 102 from affecting the communication performance of the first device 101, and thus improve the communication efficiency of the first device 102.

[0208] Figure 2B is an interactive schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2B, the present disclosure relates to a communication method, which includes:

[0209] In step S2201, the second device 102 sends the first information to the first device 101.

[0210] In some embodiments, the implementation of step S2201 can be referred to the implementation of step S2101 in FIG2A, and will not be repeated here.

[0211] In step S2202, the first device 101 measures the first information and obtains the measurement result.

[0212] In some embodiments, the implementation of step S2202 can be referred to the implementation of step S2102 in FIG2A, and will not be repeated here.

[0213] In step S2203, the first device 101 sends the second information.

[0214] In some embodiments, the implementation of step S2203 can be referred to the implementation of step S2103 in FIG2A, and will not be repeated here.

[0215] In some embodiments, the following difference exists between the embodiments of this disclosure and the embodiment of FIG2A: the first device 101 may be in an RRC connection state before being associated with the second device.

[0216] In step S2204, the second device 102 sends the fourth information to the first device 101.

[0217] In some embodiments, the second information is used to indicate or request the termination of the association between the first device and the second device. For example, the second information can be a termination request. After receiving the request, the second device 102 needs to complete the transmission of information related to the association that has not yet been completed before responding to or providing feedback on the second information.

[0218] In some embodiments, the fourth information is information about the second device performing at least part of the communication function, for example, the fourth information is information about an incomplete transmission in a communication function performed by the first device through the associated second device.

[0219] In some embodiments, different fourth information may exist for different communication functions.

[0220] For example, when the first device 101 is associated with the second device 102, the second device 102 can perform corresponding communication functions for the first device 101 in the RRC connection state. For example, as a relay, the second device 102 can send uplink data or information of the first device 101 to the network device 102, or the second device 102 can forward downlink data or control information sent by the network device 102 to the first device 101.

[0221] Optionally, for the first device 101 in the RRC connection state, after initiating the unassociation, such as after the first device 101 sends the second information, the first device 101 and the second device 102 may still have data or information that need to be exchanged.

[0222] For example, the fourth piece of information may include downlink data or control information that has not yet been fully transmitted. This information needs to be communicated by the second device 102 to the first device 101.

[0223] For example, the fourth piece of information also includes: information obtained by the second device 102 during the process of performing communication functions, such as the beam information currently being used by the network device. This information also needs to be communicated by the second device 102 to the first device 101.

[0224] In step S2205, the second device 102 sends third information to the first device 101.

[0225] In some embodiments, the second device 102 sends the third information after receiving the second information and after sending the fourth information.

[0226] In some embodiments, the third information may be the response or feedback information corresponding to the associated request, such as the second information.

[0227] In some embodiments, the third information is used to confirm the termination of the association between the first device and the second device.

[0228] Optionally, the third information is used to indicate that the association between the first device and the second device has been terminated.

[0229] In one embodiment, if there is a direct link between the first device 101 and the second device 102, the second device 102 can directly send third information to the first device 101.

[0230] In this embodiment, after the third information is transmitted between the first device 101 and the second device 102, that is, after the association is terminated, the first device 101 or the second device 102 can notify the network device that the association has been terminated.

[0231] In some embodiments, if there is no direct link between the first device 101 and the second device 102, the second device 102 can send third information to the first device 101 through a network device.

[0232] For example, the second device 102 sends a third message to the network device, and the network device sends the third message to the first device 101, confirming that the association has been terminated.

[0233] In some embodiments, the first device 101 receives third information directly or indirectly.

[0234] In step S2206, the first device 101 determines to disconnect from the second device 102.

[0235] In some embodiments, after receiving the third information, the first device 101 can determine that the association with the second device 102 has been terminated.

[0236] In some embodiments, after the association is terminated, the first device 101 can perform the relevant communication functions on its own.

[0237] Step S2207: The first device 101 connects to the network device.

[0238] In some embodiments, after being de-associated with the second device 102, the first device 101 can be directly connected to the network device and communicate directly with the network device based on the control of the network device.

[0239] The communication method involved in the embodiments of this disclosure may include at least one of steps S2201 to S2207. For example, step S2203 may be implemented as a standalone embodiment, and steps S2203, S2204 and S2205 may be implemented as standalone embodiments, but are not limited thereto.

[0240] In some embodiments, at least one of steps S2102, S2106, and S2107 may be optionally performed, or one or more of these steps may be omitted or substituted in different embodiments.

[0241] In some embodiments, the steps and their optional implementations in other embodiments described before or after this embodiment, as well as other related parts in the specification, can be referred to, and will not be repeated here.

[0242] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when the first device 101 in the RRC connected state is associated with the second device 102, the second device 102 can perform the communication functions corresponding to the connected state on behalf of the first device 101, thereby achieving energy saving for the first device 101. Based on the measurement results of the first information, the first device 101 can promptly initiate the unassociation when the second device 102 is far away, so as to prevent the unsuitable second device 102 from affecting the communication performance of the first device 101, thus facilitating the improvement of the communication efficiency of the first device 102.

[0243] Figure 3A is an interactive schematic diagram illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3A, this embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a communication method, which includes:

[0244] In step S3101, the second device 102 sends the first information to the first device 101.

[0245] In some embodiments, the implementation of step S3101 can be found in the implementation of step S2101 in FIG2A, and will not be repeated here.

[0246] In step S3102, when the measurement result of the first information is less than or equal to the first threshold, the first device 101 sends the second information to the second device 102.

[0247] In some embodiments, the implementation of step S3102 can be referred to the implementation of step S2103 in FIG2A, and will not be repeated here.

[0248] In some embodiments, the steps and their optional implementations in other embodiments described before or after this embodiment, as well as other related parts in the specification, can be referred to, and will not be repeated here.

[0249] Figure 3B is an interactive schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3A, this embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a communication method, which includes:

[0250] In step S3201, the second device 102 sends the first information to the first device 101.

[0251] In some embodiments, the implementation of step S3201 can be referred to the implementation of step S2101 in FIG2A, and will not be repeated here.

[0252] In step S3202, when the measurement result of the first information is less than or equal to the first threshold, the first device 101 sends the second information to the second device 102.

[0253] In some embodiments, the implementation of step S3202 can be referred to the implementation of step S2103 in FIG2A, and will not be repeated here.

[0254] In step S3203, the second device 102 sends the third information.

[0255] In some embodiments, the implementation of step S3203 can be found in the implementation of step S2205 in FIG2B, and will not be repeated here.

[0256] In some embodiments, the steps and their optional implementations in other embodiments described before or after this embodiment, as well as other related parts in the specification, can be referred to, and will not be repeated here.

[0257] This disclosure provides a method for timely unbinding of a header from an IoT device in a device-bound scenario. The high-capacity header device is bound to one or more low-capacity / or insufficiently powered IoT devices. The high-capacity header can be a communication device with stronger hardware capabilities and sufficient power supply, additionally possessing the function of managing the IoT devices. The IoT devices and the header are located close to each other. The header corresponds to the first type of device described above, and the IoT device corresponds to the second type of device described above. After the IoT device is bound to the header device, the IoT device can offload some of its operations to the header, or bind certain functions it needs to perform to the header.

[0258] In some embodiments, the second type of terminal or IoT device corresponds to the first device 101 described above.

[0259] In some embodiments, the first type of terminal or header device corresponds to the second device 102 described above.

[0260] To facilitate understanding of the unbinding method in the embodiments of this disclosure, some embodiments are listed below:

[0261] Example 1:

[0262] After an IoT device is bound to a header, the functions bound to the header can vary.

[0263] The IoT device listens for the first signal sent in this header. If the measurement result of the first signal (e.g., RSRP / RSRQ / SINR) meets the threshold, the IoT device considers the binding relationship to continue. If the IoT device detects that the measurement result of the first signal does not meet the set threshold, it considers the binding to need to be released.

[0264] Example 1-1: The threshold for unbinding is the same for different binding functions.

[0265] When the IoT device's measurement result of the first signal meets the threshold, the IoT device will maintain its binding with the header, and all existing binding functions will remain bound.

[0266] When the IoT device's measurement result of the first signal does not meet the threshold, the IoT device will unbind from the header, and all existing binding functions will be unbound.

[0267] In some embodiments, the binding function corresponds to the communication function in the above embodiments.

[0268] Example 1-2: The threshold for unbinding is set separately for different binding functions, and the unbinding threshold can be different for different binding functions.

[0269] If the IoT device's measurement result of the first signal meets the threshold of the first binding function, the IoT device will maintain its binding with the header in the first binding function.

[0270] If the IoT device's measurement result of the first signal does not meet the threshold of the first binding function, the IoT device will unbind itself from the header in the first binding function. However, for the second binding function, which meets the threshold, it can still maintain its binding with the header in the second binding function. For example, the threshold for unbinding the RRC idle-state RRM measurement and paging monitoring functions may be different from the threshold for unbinding the RRC connected-state data relay function. During RRC connected-state data relay, if the IoT device and the header use simple low-order modulation, such as OOK modulation, and in order to ensure a high data transmission rate, the distance between the IoT device and the header may be very close, such as within 1 meter. However, RRC idle-state RRM measurement and paging monitoring can require a slightly greater distance between the IoT device and the header, such as 10 meters. Therefore, the channel reception quality required for the IoT device to bind RRC idle-state RRM measurement and paging monitoring to the header is lower, while the channel reception quality required for binding the RRC connected-state data relay function to the header is higher.

[0271] Example 2:

[0272] If the measurement result of the first signal does not meet the set threshold, the IoT device sends an unbinding signal to the header.

[0273] Example 2-1: It can be a request to unbind all bound functions.

[0274] Example 2-2: This could be a request to unbind a partial binding function. The IoT device can include information about the specific binding function to be unbound in the unbinding request. For example, it could unbind only the RRC connected-state data relay function, but maintain the mobility measurement binding function. Another example is unbinding the RRC idle-state RRM measurement function, but maintaining the RRC idle-state paging monitoring function binding.

[0275] Example 2-3: For IoT devices in RRC idle state, they need to transition to RRC connected state before sending an unbinding signal. This unbinding signal is more like a notification than a request. After the IoT device sends this signal, no further response from the header is required for the binding to be considered unbound. Specifically, in RRC idle state, the IoT device does not need to interact with the header before unbinding. The IoT device can send an unbinding request to the network, and then the network will send an unbinding request to the header.

[0276] Optionally, the RRC idle-state IoT device determines whether cell reselection occurred during the binding process based on the cell ID in the first signal sent in the header. If the cell ID in the first signal sent in the header is the same as the original cell ID (i.e., the cell before binding was established), the IoT device determines that no cell reselection occurred, and the IoT device can directly camp on the original cell after unbinding.

[0277] Optionally, if the cell ID in the first signal sent by the header is different from the original cell ID (i.e., the cell before the binding was established), the IoT device determines that a cell reselection has occurred. If the first signal of the header device also carries the frequency information of the SSB of the cell, the IoT device will perform a cell search on the indicated frequency after unbinding, listen to system information, and camp on that cell. If the first signal of the header device does not carry the SSB frequency information of the cell, the IoT device will perform a cell search based on the stored frequency information or perform a blind search after unbinding.

[0278] Examples 2-4: For RRC-connected IoT devices, there may be information that needs to be exchanged before unbinding from the header. This includes data belonging to the IoT device that is waiting to be relayed within the header, and currently used beam information. Therefore, when the IoT device sends an unbinding signal, it can be understood as an unbinding request. The unbinding operation is only complete after the header sends the data and control information it needs to send to the IoT device, and then responds with a confirmation of unbinding. After unbinding, the IoT device directly connects to the BS.

[0279] Optionally, if there is a direct link between the IoT device and the header, the IoT device and the header can send / receive unbinding requests / unbinding responses, and then the header or the IoT device can notify the network that the binding relationship has been released.

[0280] Optionally, the IoT device can send an unbinding request to the network, and then the network can send an unbinding request to the header. The header sends the unbinding response information to the network, and then the network sends an unbinding response to the IoT device.

[0281] In some embodiments, the steps and their optional implementations in other embodiments described before or after this embodiment, as well as other related parts in the specification, can be referred to, and will not be repeated here.

[0282] This disclosure also proposes an apparatus (also referred to as a communication device, etc.) for implementing any of the above methods. For example, an apparatus is proposed that includes units or modules for implementing the steps performed by the terminal in any of the above methods. Furthermore, another apparatus is proposed that includes units or modules for implementing the steps performed by a network device (e.g., an access network device, a core network functional node, a core network device, etc.) in any of the above methods.

[0283] It should be understood that the division of units or modules in the above device is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, they can be fully or partially integrated into a single physical entity, or they can be physically separated. Furthermore, the units or modules in the device can be implemented by a processor calling software: for example, the device includes a processor connected to a memory containing instructions. The processor calls the instructions stored in the memory to implement any of the above methods or to implement the functions of the units or modules in the above device. The processor can be, for example, a general-purpose processor, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) or a microprocessor, and the memory can be internal or external to the device. Alternatively, the units or modules in the device can be implemented in the form of hardware circuits. The functionality of some or all of the units or modules can be achieved through the design of these hardware circuits, which can be understood as one or more processors. For example, in one implementation, the hardware circuit is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The functionality of some or all of the units or modules is achieved through the design of the logical relationships between the components within the circuit. In another implementation, the hardware circuit can be implemented using a programmable logic device (PLD). Taking a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) as an example, it can include a large number of logic gates. The connection relationships between the logic gates are configured through configuration files, thereby achieving the functionality of some or all of the units or modules. All units or modules of the above device can be implemented entirely through processor-called software, entirely through hardware circuits, or partially through processor-called software with the remaining parts implemented through hardware circuits.

[0284] In this embodiment, the processor is a circuit with signal processing capabilities. In one implementation, the processor can be a circuit with instruction read and execute capabilities, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a graphics processing unit (GPU) (which can be understood as a microprocessor), or a digital signal processor (DSP). In another implementation, the processor can implement certain functions through the logical relationships of hardware circuits. The logical relationships of the aforementioned hardware circuits are fixed or reconfigurable. For example, the processor is a hardware circuit implemented using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a programmable logic device (PLD), such as an FPGA. In a reconfigurable hardware circuit, the process of the processor loading a configuration document and configuring the hardware circuit can be understood as the process of the processor loading instructions to implement the functions of some or all of the above units or modules. Furthermore, it can also be a hardware circuit designed for artificial intelligence, which can be understood as an ASIC, such as a Neural Network Processing Unit (NPU), a Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), or a Deep Learning Processing Unit (DPU).

[0285] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of a first device according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The first device 4100 is used to perform any of the above methods. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 4A, the first device 4100 may include at least one of a transceiver module 4101, a processing module 4102, etc. In some embodiments, the transceiver module 4101 is used to receive first information sent by a second device, the first information being used to establish an association between the first device and the second device; the transceiver module 4101 is also used to send second information to the second device if the measurement result of the first information is less than or equal to a first threshold, the second information being used to release the association between the first device and the second device. Optionally, the transceiver module 4101 is used to perform at least one of the communication steps such as sending and / or receiving performed by the first device 101 in any of the above methods, which will not be described in detail here. Optionally, the processing module 4102 is used to perform at least one of the other steps performed by the first device 101 in any of the above methods, which will not be described in detail here.

[0286] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second device proposed in an embodiment of this disclosure. The second device 4200 is used to perform any of the above methods. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 4B, the second device 4200 may include at least one of a transceiver module 4201, a processing module 4202, etc. In some embodiments, the transceiver module 4201 is used to send first information to the first device, the first information being used to establish an association between the first device and the second device; the first device is used to send second information when the measurement result of the first information is less than or equal to a first threshold, the second information being used to disassociate the first device from the second device. Optionally, the transceiver module 4201 is used to perform at least one of the communication steps such as sending and / or receiving performed by the second device 102 in any of the above methods, which will not be elaborated here. Optionally, the processing module 4202 is used to perform at least one of the other steps performed by the second device 102 in any of the above methods, which will not be elaborated here.

[0287] In some embodiments, the transceiver module may include a transmitting module and / or a receiving module, which may be separate or integrated. Optionally, the transceiver module may be interchangeable with a transceiver.

[0288] In some embodiments, the processing module may be a single module or may include multiple sub-modules. Optionally, the multiple sub-modules may each perform all or part of the steps required by the processing module.

[0289] In some embodiments, the processing module can be replaced by the processor, and the transceiver module can be replaced by the transceiver.

[0290] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device 5100 proposed in an embodiment of this disclosure. The communication device 5100 can be a network device (e.g., access network device, core network device, etc.), a terminal (e.g., user equipment, etc.), a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the network device in implementing any of the above methods, or a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the terminal in implementing any of the above methods. The communication device 5100 can be used to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments; for details, please refer to the descriptions in the above method embodiments.

[0291] As shown in Figure 5A, the communication device 5100 is used to execute any of the above methods. In some embodiments, the communication device 5100 includes one or more processors 5101. The processor 5101 may be a general-purpose processor or a special-purpose processor, such as a baseband processor or a central processing unit. The baseband processor may be used to process communication protocols and communication data, and the central processing unit may be used to control communication devices (e.g., base stations, baseband chips, terminal devices, terminal device chips, DUs or CUs, etc.), execute programs, and process program data. Optionally, the communication device 5100 is used to execute any of the above methods. Optionally, one or more processors 5101 are used to invoke instructions to cause the communication device 5100 to execute any of the above methods.

[0292] In some embodiments, the communication device 5100 further includes one or more transceivers 5102. When the communication device 5100 includes one or more transceivers 5102, the transceiver 5102 performs at least one of the communication steps such as sending and / or receiving in the above-described method, and the processor 5101 performs at least one of the other steps. In optional embodiments, the transceiver may include a receiver and / or a transmitter, which may be separate or integrated. Optionally, the terms transceiver, transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiver circuit, interface circuit, interface, etc., can be used interchangeably; the terms transmitter, transmitting unit, transmitter, transmitting circuit, etc., can be used interchangeably; the terms receiver, receiving unit, receiver, receiving circuit, etc., can be used interchangeably.

[0293] In some embodiments, the communication device 5100 further includes one or more memories 5103 for storing data and / or instructions. Optionally, one or more processors 5101 are used to invoke instructions stored in the memory 5103 to cause the communication device 5100 to perform any of the above methods. Optionally, all or part of the memory 5103 may also be located outside the communication device 5100. In an optional embodiment, the communication device 5100 may include one or more interface circuits 5104. Optionally, the interface circuit 5104 is connected to the memory 5103 and can be used to receive data and / or instructions from the memory 5103 or other devices, and can be used to send data and / or instructions to the memory 5103 or other devices. For example, the interface circuit 5104 can read data and / or instructions stored in the memory 5103 and can be used to send data and / or instructions to the memory 5103 or other devices. For example, the interface circuit 5104 can read data and / or instructions stored in the memory 5103 and send the data and / or instructions to the processor 5101.

[0294] The communication device 5100 described in the above embodiments may be a network device or a terminal, but the scope of the communication device 5100 described in this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the structure of the communication device 5100 may not be limited by FIG. 5A. The communication device may be a standalone device or a part of a larger device. For example, the communication device may be: (1) a standalone integrated circuit IC, or chip, or chip system or subsystem; (2) a collection of one or more ICs, optionally, the IC collection may also include storage components for storing data, programs and / or instructions; (3) an ASIC, such as a modem; (4) a module that can be embedded in other devices; (5) a receiver, terminal device, smart terminal device, cellular phone, wireless device, handheld device, mobile unit, vehicle device, network device, cloud device, artificial intelligence device, etc.; (6) others, etc.

[0295] Figure 5B is a schematic diagram of the structure of chip 5200 according to an embodiment of this disclosure. For cases where the communication device 5100 can be a chip or a chip system, please refer to the schematic diagram of chip 5200 shown in Figure 5B, but it is not limited thereto.

[0296] Chip 5200 includes one or more processors 5201. Chip 5200 is used to perform any of the methods described above.

[0297] In some embodiments, chip 5200 further includes one or more interface circuits 5202. Optionally, terms such as interface circuit, interface, and transceiver pin can be used interchangeably. In some embodiments, chip 5200 further includes one or more memories 5203 for storing data and / or instructions. Optionally, all or part of the memories 5203 may be located outside of chip 5200. Optionally, the interface circuit 5202 is connected to the memories 5203, and the interface circuit 5202 can be used to receive data and / or instructions from the memories 5203 or other devices, and the interface circuit 5202 can be used to send data and / or instructions to the memories 5203 or other devices. For example, the interface circuit 5202 can read data and / or instructions stored in the memories 5203 and send the data and / or instructions to the processor 5201.

[0298] In some embodiments, the interface circuit 5202 performs at least one of the communication steps, such as sending and / or receiving, in the above-described method. For example, the interface circuit 5202 performing the communication steps, such as sending and / or receiving, in the above-described method means that the interface circuit 5202 performs data and / or instruction interaction between the processor 5201, the chip 5200, the memory 5203, or the transceiver device. In some embodiments, the processor 5201 performs at least one of the other steps.

[0299] The modules and / or devices described in the various embodiments, such as virtual devices, physical devices, and chips, can be combined or separated arbitrarily as needed. Optionally, some or all steps can also be performed collaboratively by multiple modules and / or devices, which is not limited here.

[0300] This disclosure also proposes a storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on the communication device 5100, cause the communication device 5100 to perform any of the above methods. Optionally, the storage medium is an electronic storage medium. Optionally, the storage medium is a computer-readable storage medium, but not limited thereto; it may also be a storage medium readable by other devices. Optionally, the storage medium may be a non-transitory storage medium, but not limited thereto; it may also be a temporary storage medium.

[0301] This disclosure also proposes a program product, including a program and / or instructions, which, when executed by the communication device 6100, cause the communication device 6100 to perform any of the above methods. Optionally, the program product is a computer program product. Optionally, the program product is stored on the storage medium.

[0302] This disclosure also proposes a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform any of the above methods. Industrial applicability

[0303] The first device can initiate the disconnection at an appropriate time based on the measurement of the first information, and promptly disconnect from the second device whose communication quality has deteriorated, which is conducive to improving the communication efficiency of the first device.

Claims

1. A communication method, performed by a first device, the method comprising: The device receives first information sent by a second device, the first information being used to establish an association between the first device and the second device; wherein, after the first device and the second device establish an association, the second device is used to perform at least some of the communication functions for communication between the first device and the network device; When the measurement result of the first information is less than or equal to the first threshold, the second information is sent to the second device. The second information is used to disconnect the first device from the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, Sending the second information to the second device includes: The second information is sent to the second device via a direct link between the first device and the second device; or... The second information is sent to the second device via a network device.

3. The method as described in any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein, The second information is used to indicate that the association between the first device and the second device has been terminated.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The first device is in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle state before establishing an association with the second device.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The second information is used to instruct or request the unassociation of the first device and the second device, and the method further includes: The third information sent by the second device is received via a direct link between the first device and the second device, or... The network device receives third information sent by the second device; wherein the third information is used to indicate that the association between the first device and the second device has been terminated.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The first device is in an RRC connection state before it establishes an association with the second device.

7. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein, Before receiving the third information sent by the second device, the method further includes: The device receives a fourth message sent by the second device, the fourth message being information about the second device performing at least some of the communication functions.

8. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein, The method further includes: After being disconnected from the second device, it connects to the network device.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The method further includes: The cell identifier in the first information is the same as the cell identifier of the cell where the first device was stationed before the association was established, and after the association is broken, it is stationed in the cell corresponding to the cell identifier.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The method further includes: The cell identifier in the first information is different from the cell identifier of the cell where the first device camped before the association was established. Cell search is performed based on the frequency information of the synchronization signal carried in the first information or based on the frequency information of the stored synchronization signal. After the association is broken, it will reside in the cell corresponding to the frequency point information.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The second piece of information includes: communication functions that need to be unlinked.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, The first thresholds corresponding to different communication functions are the same, and the second information is used to indicate the removal of the association with the second device based on the different communication functions.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein, The first thresholds corresponding to different communication functions are different. The second information is used to indicate the removal of the association with the second device based on some of the different communication functions. The partial communication functions are: the communication functions corresponding to the first thresholds where the measurement result is less than or equal to the first threshold.

14. A communication method performed by a second device, the method comprising: Send first information to a first device, the first information being used to establish an association between the first device and the second device; wherein, after the first device and the second device establish an association, the second device is used to perform at least some of the communication functions for communication between the first device and the network device; The system receives a second message sent by the first device. The second message is sent by the first device when the measurement result of the first message is less than or equal to a first threshold. The second message is used to disconnect the first device from the second device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, The receipt of the second information sent by the first device includes: Receive the second information sent by the first device via a direct link; or, Receive the second information sent by the first device through the network device.

16. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein, The second information is used to indicate that the association between the first device and the second device has been terminated.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, The first device is in an RRC idle state before it establishes an association with the second device.

18. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein, The second information is used to instruct or request the unassociation of the first device and the second device, and the method further includes: The third information is sent to the first device via a direct link between the first device and the second device, or... The third information is sent to the first device via a network device; wherein the third information is used to indicate that the association between the first device and the second device has been terminated.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, The first device is in an RRC connection state before it establishes an association with the second device.

20. The method of claim 18 or 19, wherein, After receiving the second information, the method further includes: A fourth message sent to the first device, the fourth message being information regarding the execution of at least some of the communication functions on the second device.

21. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 20, wherein, The second piece of information includes: communication functions that need to be unlinked.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein, The first thresholds corresponding to different communication functions are the same, and the second information is used to indicate the removal of the association of the second device based on the different communication functions.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein, The first thresholds corresponding to different communication functions are different. The second information is used to indicate the removal of the association of the second device based on some of the different communication functions. The second communication function is the communication function corresponding to the first threshold that the measurement result is less than or equal to.

24. A communications device, comprising: The communication device is used to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 or any one of claims 14 to 23.

25. A communication system, comprising a first device and a second device, wherein, The first device is configured to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 13; The second device is configured to implement the method as described in any one of claims 14 to 23.

26. A storage medium storing instructions, wherein, When the instructions are executed on the communication device, the communication device performs the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 13 or any one of claims 14 to 23.

27. A program product comprising at least one of a program, instructions, wherein, When at least one of the programs or instructions is executed by a communication device, it implements the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 13 or any one of claims 14 to 23.

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