Communication method and communication apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides a communication method and relates to the technical field of communications. The method comprises: a terminal sends a first sequence, the first sequence comprising a random access preamble and further being used for indicating that a terminal supports multi-stream transmission; and the terminal receives or sends first information, the first information being transmitted by means of multiple transmission streams. The solution can improve the resource utilization rate and transmission efficiency.

Description

Communication methods and communication devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411633167.1, filed on November 14, 2024, entitled "Communication Method and Communication Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communications, and more particularly to a communication method and a communication device. Background Technology

[0003] In mobile communication systems, terminals can access the network through a random access procedure. For example, in fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks... th In 5G mobile communication systems, during the random access process, the terminal feeds back the synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block (SSB) information with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal to the access network equipment. Based on the SSB information fed back by the terminal, the access network equipment determines that the terminal is within the coverage area of ​​the SSB and implements the subsequent procedures of the random access process through the transmission beam corresponding to the SSB.

[0004] However, as communication systems have higher requirements for transmission efficiency, the random access process needs to be improved accordingly. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and a communication device that can improve resource utilization and transmission efficiency.

[0006] Firstly, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a terminal or by a unit / module / component (such as a chip, chip system, logic circuit, or software) configurable in (or usable in) the terminal. The following description uses a terminal executing the method as an example. Exemplarily, the method includes: the terminal sending a first sequence including a random access preamble, the first sequence further indicating that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission; and the terminal receiving or sending first information transmitted through multiple transport streams.

[0007] According to the above scheme, when the terminal requests network access from the access network device, it can report that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission, so that the access network device can schedule the terminal's multi-stream transmission as early as possible, which can improve resource utilization and transmission rate, and thus improve system transmission efficiency.

[0008] In one alternative implementation, the first sequence is a preamble corresponding to a first synchronization signal and a Physical Broadcast Channel Block (SSB), where the first SSB is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The set of preambles corresponding to the first SSB includes a first preamble set and a second preamble set. The first preamble set includes at least one preamble, which indicates that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. The first sequence belongs to the first preamble set. The second preamble set includes at least one preamble, which indicates that the terminal does not support multi-stream transmission.

[0009] According to the above scheme, SSB corresponds to at least two preamble sets, where the preambles in the two preamble sets are used to indicate whether multi-stream transmission is supported or not. This allows the terminal to select the appropriate preamble according to the actual situation, enabling the terminal to notify the access network device whether multi-stream transmission is supported by sending a preamble.

[0010] For example, the signal strength can be at least one of the following: reference signal receiving power (RSRP), signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), reference signal receiving quality (RSRQ), or received signal strength indication (RSSI).

[0011] In another alternative implementation, the first sequence is a preamble corresponding to multiple SSBs, including a first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The difference between the signal strength of the SSBs other than the first SSB and the signal strength of the first SSB is less than a signal strength difference threshold.

[0012] For example, the signal strength difference threshold may be predefined by the protocol or preconfigured by the access network device via signaling (such as via system information).

[0013] In this implementation, one or more SSBs can correspond to a preamble set, or multiple SSB sets correspond to multiple preamble sets. An SSB set may include one SSB or multiple SSBs, and each SSB set includes at least one preamble set. If the SSB set corresponding to the preamble set to which the preamble set (i.e., the first sequence) sent by the terminal belongs contains multiple SSBs, it indicates that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. These multiple SSBs are the SSBs detected by the terminal, including the first SSB with the strongest detected signal strength. The difference between the signal strength of the other SSBs (excluding the first SSB) and the signal strength of the first SSB is less than a signal strength difference threshold. Accordingly, the access network device can determine that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission based on the fact that the SSB set corresponding to the preamble set to which the received first sequence belongs contains multiple SSBs.

[0014] According to the above scheme, by sending a preamble, the terminal enables the access network device to not only determine that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission, but also to identify which specific SSBs (Special Signal Blocks) with strong signal strength detected by the terminal. This allows the access network device to schedule the terminal's multi-stream transmission based on this information. For example, the access network device can determine whether to send a random access response message using multi-stream transmission mode, and the transmission parameters for multi-stream transmission, based on the transmission power of these multiple SSBs and historical terminal data within the coverage area. This enables rapid scheduling of the terminal's multi-stream transmission, improving resource utilization and transmission efficiency.

[0015] Optionally, the SSBs in each SSB set are sorted in order of signal strength. The terminal can determine the SSB set that matches the order of signal strength of the multiple SSBs detected by the terminal based on the signal strength of the multiple SSBs detected, and then send a preamble from the preamble set corresponding to the SSB set to the access network device.

[0016] According to the above scheme, the access network equipment can further determine the signal strength order of the SSB detected by the terminal based on the preamble, so as to improve the accuracy of the determined transmission parameters of multi-stream transmission and thus improve the reliability of multi-stream transmission of the scheduling terminal.

[0017] In another alternative implementation, the first sequence includes a first preamble and second information. The first preamble is the preamble corresponding to the first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The second information is used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission.

[0018] For example, the second information includes at least one bit, which is used to indicate whether the terminal supports or does not support multi-stream transmission. When the at least one bit is a first preset value, it indicates that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission; when the at least one bit is a second preset value, it indicates that the terminal does not support multi-stream transmission. For example, the at least one bit can be 1 bit.

[0019] According to this scheme, the terminal determines the preamble corresponding to the SSB with the strongest signal strength using a preamble-based method. When sending this preamble, it carries second information, allowing the access network device to determine whether the terminal supports multi-stream transmission based on this second information. This approach enables the terminal to notify the access network device of its support or lack thereof with minimal complexity, allowing the access network device to schedule multi-stream transmission as early as possible if the terminal supports it.

[0020] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: the terminal receiving third information, which is used to indicate the correspondence between the SSB and the preamble.

[0021] According to the above scheme, the access network device can send third information to the terminal so that the terminal can determine the correspondence between the SSB and the preamble based on the third information, so that the terminal and the access network device can reach a consensus on the correspondence.

[0022] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: the terminal sending fourth information, the fourth information being used to indicate the signal strength of a plurality of SSBs. Wherein, the plurality of SSBs are a plurality of SSBs detected by the terminal; or, the plurality of SSBs are SSBs whose signal strength detected by the terminal is greater than a signal strength threshold; or, the plurality of SSBs includes a first SSB, the first SSB being the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal, and the difference between the signal strength of the SSBs other than the first SSB and the signal strength of the first SSB is less than a signal strength difference threshold.

[0023] According to the above scheme, the terminal not only notifies the access network device of multi-stream transmission support via the first sequence, but also reports the specific signal strengths of multiple SSBs measured by the terminal to the access network device via the fourth information. The signal strengths of the multiple SSBs reported by the terminal can reflect the terminal's channel state and geographical location to some extent, allowing the access network device to use them as a reference for scheduling multi-stream transmission. The access network device can schedule the terminal's multi-stream transmission based on the signal strengths of these multiple SSBs reported by the terminal, improving the reliability of multi-stream transmission.

[0024] For example, the fourth information is included in message 3 during the random access procedure; or, the fourth information is carried on a first resource, which is the resource corresponding to the first sequence for carrying the signal strength of the SSB.

[0025] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first information is carried on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH); or, the first information is carried on the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH).

[0026] According to the above scheme, the access network equipment can schedule the uplink / downlink data of the terminal and / or the uplink / downlink control information to be transmitted in a multi-stream transmission mode based on the prior information that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission obtained during the random access process, so as to improve resource utilization and transmission efficiency.

[0027] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the terminal receiving or sending first information includes: the terminal receiving a first message, the first message being a message in a random access process, the first message including the first information.

[0028] In one example, the first message is used to respond to random access. The first message can be called a random access response message, such as message 2 in a four-step random access process, or message B in a two-step random access process.

[0029] In another example, the first message is used for contention resolution in random access. This first message can be a contention resolution message. For example, the first message could be message 4 in a four-step random access process, or message B in a two-step random access process.

[0030] According to the above scheme, if the access network device determines that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission in the first step of the random access process, the access network device can use multi-stream transmission to send other messages in the random access process to the terminal, which can improve the efficiency of the terminal accessing the network.

[0031] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the terminal receiving or sending the first information includes: the terminal sending a second message, the second message being message 3 in the random access process, the second message including the first information.

[0032] If the terminal performs a four-step random access process, the access network device can schedule the terminal to send message 3 during the random access process using a multi-stream transmission method, which can improve the efficiency of the terminal accessing the network.

[0033] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: a terminal receiving fifth information, the fifth information being used to indicate transmission parameters of the first information, the transmission parameters being at least one of the following:

[0034] The number of transport streams, the number of ports, the location of time-frequency resources for placing pilots, the density of pilot placement, precoding, modulation order, modulation coding level, channel coding rate, or the aggregation method of control channel units.

[0035] Secondly, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by an access network device or by a unit / module / component (such as a chip, chip system, logic circuit, or software) configurable in (or usable in) the access network device. The following explanation uses the execution of this method by an access network device as an example.

[0036] For example, the method includes: an access network device receiving a first sequence, the first sequence including a random access preamble, the first sequence further used to indicate that a terminal supports multi-stream transmission; and the access network device receiving or sending first information, the first information being transmitted through multiple transport streams.

[0037] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first sequence is a preamble corresponding to a first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The set of preambles corresponding to the first SSB includes a first preamble set and a second preamble set. The first preamble set includes at least one preamble, which is used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. The first sequence belongs to the first preamble set. The second preamble set includes at least one preamble, which is used to indicate that the terminal does not support multi-stream transmission.

[0038] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first sequence is a preamble corresponding to multiple SSBs, the multiple SSBs including a first SSB, the first SSB being the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal, and the difference between the signal strength of the SSBs other than the first SSB and the signal strength of the first SSB being less than a signal strength difference threshold.

[0039] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first sequence includes a first preamble and second information. The first preamble is the preamble corresponding to the first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The second information is used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission.

[0040] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: the access network device sending third information, which is used to indicate the correspondence between the SSB and the preamble.

[0041] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: the access network device determining a transmission strategy for SSBs in the cell based on a first data set. The access network device then transmits the SSBs of the cell according to the transmission strategy, wherein the first data set includes terminal distribution density information in the cell and / or channel characteristic information for each of the multiple regions contained in the cell. The transmission strategy for the SSBs includes one or more of the following: the number of SSB beams, the transmit power of the SSBs, the beam direction of the SSBs, or the beamwidth of the SSBs.

[0042] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: the access network device receiving fourth information, the fourth information being used to indicate the signal strength of a plurality of SSBs. Wherein, the plurality of SSBs are a plurality of SSBs detected by the terminal; or, the plurality of SSBs are SSBs whose signal strength detected by the terminal is greater than a signal strength threshold; or, the plurality of SSBs includes a first SSB, the first SSB being the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal, and the difference between the signal strength of the SSBs other than the first SSB and the signal strength of the first SSB is less than a signal strength difference threshold.

[0043] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the fourth information is message 3 in the random access process; or, the fourth information is carried on a first resource, which is the resource corresponding to the first sequence for carrying the signal strength of the SSB.

[0044] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: the access network device determining transmission parameters of the first information based on the signal strength of the plurality of SSBs, wherein the transmission parameters include at least one of the following:

[0045] The number of transport streams, the number of ports, the location of time-frequency resources for placing pilots, the density of pilot placement, precoding, modulation order, modulation coding level, channel coding rate, or the aggregation method of control channel units.

[0046] In conjunction with the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, the access network device determines the transmission parameters of the first information based on the signal strength of the plurality of SSBs, including: the access network device determining that the terminal is located in a first area based on the signal strength of the plurality of SSBs; and the access network device determining the transmission parameters of the first information based on the signal strength of the plurality of SSBs and a second data set, wherein the second data set includes channel characteristic information within the first area and historical data related to information transmission of the terminal within the first area.

[0047] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: the access network device sending fifth information, which is used to indicate the transmission parameters of the first information.

[0048] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first information is carried on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH); or, the first information is carried on the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH).

[0049] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the access network device receiving or sending first information includes: the access network device sending a first message, the first message being a message during the random access process, the first message including the first information.

[0050] The first message is used to respond to random access, or the first message is used to resolve contention for random access.

[0051] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the access network device receiving or sending the first information includes: the access network device receiving a second message, the second message being message 3 in the random access process, the second message including the first information.

[0052] Thirdly, a communication device is provided. In one design, the device may include modules corresponding to the methods / operations / steps / actions described in the first aspect or any embodiment of the first aspect. These modules may be hardware circuits, software, or a combination of hardware circuits and software. In one design, the device includes a transceiver unit for transmitting a first sequence, the first sequence including a random access preamble, and the first sequence further indicating that a terminal supports multi-stream transmission. The transceiver unit is also used to receive or transmit first information, the first information being transmitted through multiple transport streams. Optionally, the device further includes a processing unit for determining the first sequence.

[0053] Fourthly, a communication device is provided. In one design, the device may include modules corresponding to the methods / operations / steps / actions described in the second aspect or any of the embodiments of the second aspect. These modules may be hardware circuits, software, or a combination of hardware circuits and software. In one design, the device includes a transceiver unit for receiving a first sequence, the first sequence including a random access preamble, and the first sequence further indicating that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. The transceiver unit is also used to receive or send first information, the first information being transmitted through multiple transport streams. Optionally, the device further includes a processing unit for determining, based on the first sequence, that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission.

[0054] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, including a processor. The processor can implement the methods of the first to second aspects and any possible implementations thereof. Optionally, the communication device further includes a memory, and the processor is coupled to the memory and can be used to execute instructions in the memory to implement the methods of the first to second aspects and any possible implementations thereof. Optionally, the communication device further includes a communication interface, and the processor is coupled to the communication interface. In the embodiments of this application, the communication interface may be a transceiver, a pin, a circuit, a bus, a module, or other types of communication interface, and is not limited thereto.

[0055] In one implementation, the communication device is a communication equipment (such as a terminal device or access network equipment). When the communication device is a communication equipment, the communication interface can be a transceiver, or an input / output interface.

[0056] In another implementation, the communication device is a chip configured within a communication device. When the communication device is a chip configured within a communication device, the communication interface can be an input / output interface.

[0057] Optionally, the transceiver can be a transceiver circuit. Optionally, the input / output interface can be an input / output circuit.

[0058] A sixth aspect provides a processor, comprising: an input circuit, an output circuit, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive signals through the input circuit and transmit signals through the output circuit, causing the processor to execute the methods described in the first to second aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0059] In specific implementation, the processor can be one or more chips, the input circuit can be input pins, the output circuit can be output pins, and the processing circuit can be transistors, gate circuits, flip-flops, and various logic circuits. The input signal received by the input circuit can be received and input by, for example, but not limited to, a receiver, and the signal output by the output circuit can be, for example, but not limited to, output to and transmitted by a transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as both the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the processor and various circuits.

[0060] In a seventh aspect, a computer program product is provided, comprising: a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when run, causes a computer to perform the methods described in the first to second aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0061] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods described in the first to second aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0062] A ninth aspect provides a chip system applied to an electronic device, the chip system including one or more processors, the one or more processors being configured to invoke computer instructions to cause the electronic device to perform the methods of the first to second aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0063] In a tenth aspect, a communication system is provided, comprising at least one network device and at least one terminal as described above.

[0064] It should be understood that the beneficial effects of the features corresponding to the first aspect in the second to tenth aspects can be referred to the relevant description of the first aspect above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0065] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the four-step random access process provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the two-step random access process provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 4 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 5 is another schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0070] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the SSB transmission strategy provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0071] Figure 7 is a schematic block diagram of an example of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0072] Figure 8 is a schematic structural diagram of another example of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0073] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the following description is provided first:

[0074] In this application, "instruction" can include direct instruction, indirect instruction, explicit instruction, and implicit instruction. When describing a certain instruction information for the purpose of instructing A, it can be understood that the instruction information carries A, directly instructs A, or indirectly instructs A.

[0075] In this application, " / " can indicate that the objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can mean A or B. "And / or" can be used to describe three relationships between the related objects. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. A and B can be singular or plural.

[0076] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more, such as three, four, or more. Similar expressions (such as at least one, at least one, etc.) are used in the same way. "At least one of the following," "one or more of the following," or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, which may include only a single item or a combination of multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, or b, or c; a and b; or a and c; or b and c; or a, b, and c. Where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0077] In this application, for the convenience of describing the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" may be used to distinguish them. The terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the terms "first" and "second" are not necessarily different.

[0078] In this application, the words "exemplary," "example," or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary," "example," or "for example" should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. The use of the words "exemplary," "example," or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner to facilitate understanding.

[0079] In this application, "sending information / data" only indicates the direction of information / data transmission, including direct transmission via the device's communication interface (such as an air interface, or simply air interface). "Sending" can also be understood as the "output" of a module interface. "Sending" can include indirect transmission by the processing unit through the communication interface, meaning that after the processing unit outputs information / data through the module interface, it is transmitted to the device's communication interface and then sent out. "Receiving information / data" only indicates the direction of information / data transmission, including direct reception via the communication interface. "Receiving" can also be understood as the "input" of a module interface. "Receiving information / data" can include indirect reception by the processing unit through the communication interface, meaning that after the communication interface receives information / data, it is transmitted to the processing unit's module interface and then input to the processing unit. "Sending information / data to… (such as a terminal)" can be understood as the destination of the information being the terminal. It can include sending information / data directly or indirectly to the terminal. "Receiving information / data from… (such as a terminal)" can be understood as the source of the information being the terminal, and can include receiving information / data directly or indirectly from the terminal. Information / data may undergo necessary processing, such as format changes, between the source and destination, but the destination can understand the valid information / data from the source. Similar statements in this application can be understood in a similar way, and will not be repeated here.

[0080] The tables in the embodiments of this application are merely examples. The values ​​of the information in each table are only examples and can be configured to other values; this application is not limited thereto. The tables do not limit the scope of protection of this application. For example, appropriate modifications and adjustments can be made based on the tables described above, such as splitting, merging, etc. Furthermore, the parameter names shown in the headings of each table can also use other names understandable to the communication device, and the values ​​or representations of the parameters can also be other values ​​or representations understandable to the communication device. Moreover, in the implementation of the above tables, other data structures can also be used, such as arrays, queues, containers, stacks, linear lists, pointers, linked lists, trees, graphs, structures, classes, heaps, hash tables, or hash tables, etc.

[0081] The technical solutions of this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, 5th Generation (5G) communication systems, satellite communication systems, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) systems, and the solutions provided in this application can also be applied to future communication systems or other communication systems. This application does not limit these applications.

[0082] Figure 1 illustrates another possible, non-limiting system diagram. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system 10 includes a radio access network (RAN) 100, a core network (CN) 200, and a data network (DN) 300. RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (110a and 110b in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 110) and at least one terminal (120a-120j in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 120). RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay devices and / or wireless backhaul devices (not shown in Figure 1). Terminal 120 is wirelessly connected to RAN node 110. Access network node (or RAN node) 110 is wirelessly or wired connected to core network 200. The core network equipment in core network 200 and access network node 110 in RAN 100 can be different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating core network logical functions and radio access network logical functions.

[0083] RAN 100 can be a cellular system related to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 4G, 5G mobile communication systems, or future evolution communication systems. RAN 100 can also be an open RAN (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. RAN 100 can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems.

[0084] Access network node 110, sometimes also referred to as access network equipment, RAN entity, or access node, constitutes part of the communication system and is used to help terminals achieve wireless access. Multiple access network nodes 110 in communication system 10 can be of the same type or different types. In some scenarios, the roles of access network node 110 and terminal 120 are relative. For example, network element 120i in Figure 1 can be a helicopter or drone, which can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminals 120j accessing RAN 100 through network element 120i, network element 120i is a base station; but for base station 110a, network element 120i is a terminal. Access network node 110 and terminal 120 are sometimes both referred to as communication devices. For example, network elements 110a and 110b in Figure 1 can be understood as communication devices with base station functions, and network elements 120a-120j can be understood as communication devices with terminal functions.

[0085] In one possible scenario, the access network node can be a base station, such as an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), or a base station in a future mobile communication system. The access network node can be a macro base station (as shown in Figure 1, 110a), a micro base station or indoor station (as shown in Figure 1, 110b), a relay node or donor node, or a radio controller in a CRAN scenario. Alternatively, the access network node can be an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), or an access node in a WiFi system. Optionally, the access network node can also be a server, wearable device, vehicle or in-vehicle equipment, modem, chip, system-on-a-chip (SoC), etc. For example, the access network device in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be a roadside unit (RSU). All or part of the functions of the access network node in this application can also be implemented through software functions running on hardware, or through virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform). The access network node in this application may also be a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the access network node.

[0086] In another possible scenario, multiple access network nodes collaborate to assist the terminal in achieving wireless access, with each access network node performing a portion of the base station's functions. For example, access network nodes can be central units (CUs), distributed units (DUs), CU-control plane (CPs), CU-user plane (UPs), or radio units (RUs), etc. CUs and DUs can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radio heads (RRHs).

[0087] A terminal can also be called a terminal device, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used for communication in various scenarios. These scenarios include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), massive machine-type communications (mMTC), D2D, V2X, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearables, intelligent transportation, sensing terminals, terminals integrating communication and sensing, or smart cities, etc. Terminals can be mobile phones (as shown in Figure 1, 120a, 120j, and 120e), tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities (as shown in Figure 1, 120g), customer-premises equipment (CPE), point-of-sale (POS) machines, wearable devices, vehicles (as shown in Figure 1, 120b), drones, helicopters, airplanes (as shown in Figure 1, 120i), ships, robots, robotic arms, sensors, perceptrons, or smart home devices (as shown in Figure 1, 120h), modems, chips, systems on a chip (SoC), etc.

[0088] In this application embodiment, the communication method provided by this application is shown from the perspective of interaction between the terminal and the access network device, but this application does not limit the executing subject of the method. The terminal can be replaced by a module (such as a chip, chip system, processor, logic circuit, or software) configured in (or used for) the terminal, and the access network device can be replaced by a module (such as a chip, chip system, processor, logic circuit, or software) configured in (or used for) the access network device. When the executing subject is a module in the terminal or access network device, receiving / transmitting can be understood as input / output, that is, the module communicates with other modules or components of the terminal or access network device. In addition, the operation performed by a single executing subject can also be divided into multiple executing subjects, which can be logically and / or physically separated. For example, the operation performed by the access network device can be divided into execution by at least one of CU, DU, RU, etc.

[0089] To better understand the solutions provided in the embodiments of this application, the relevant technologies and terms involved in the embodiments of this application will be explained below.

[0090] I. Neighborhood Search

[0091] Network devices broadcast synchronization signals and physical broadcast channel blocks (SSBs). Terminals detect the SSBs broadcast by network devices through cell search and can establish a communication connection with the network device through the detected SSBs. Specifically, by detecting the SSBs, the terminal reads the master information block (MIB) carried on the physical broadcast channel (PBCH) within the SSB. Based on the MIB, the terminal can obtain the system information block (SIB)1. SIB1 includes the configuration information of the physical random access channel (PRACH). The PRACH configuration information in SIB1 configures the PRACH occasion (RO) and preamble configuration information. RO is the time-frequency resource used to carry the preamble. The terminal can initiate a random access procedure based on this configuration information.

[0092] II. Four-step random access process

[0093] Figure 2 is a schematic flowchart of a contention-based 4-step random access process. As shown in Figure 2, based on the PRACH configuration information in SIB 1, the terminal can select a RO (Redirection of Access) and a preamble for random access, and send a random access message (Msg.)1 to the network device. Specifically, SIB 1 configures PRACH resources associated with the SSB, which include RO and a preamble. The terminal can select an RO and then select a preamble to send Msg.1 to the network device. This Msg.1 can also be called a random access request message. This Msg.1 includes a preamble carried on the RO, which can also be called a random access preamble. The preamble is used by the network device to detect Msg.1, and the RO is used by the network device to calculate the random access radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI) based on the time and frequency of the RO. If the network device correctly receives Msg.1 from the terminal, it sends Random Access Message 2 (Msg.2) to the terminal. Msg.2 can also be called a Random Access Response Message, and it is scrambled with RA-RNTI. The network device can send Msg.2 to the terminal based on the RO and preamble of Msg.1. Msg.2 may include time advance (TA) information for uplink time synchronization adjustment, temporary cell-RNTI (TC-RNTI), and uplink grant information for the terminal to send Random Access Message 3 (Msg.3). The terminal can also calculate the RA-RNTI based on the time and frequency of the RO. After sending Msg.1, the terminal uses the RA-RNTI to detect the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and receives Msg.2 from the network device based on the detected PDCCH. After receiving Msg.2, the terminal can send Msg.3 to the network device based on the uplink grant information in Msg.2. Msg.3 includes the terminal's identity information and Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection establishment information. Upon successfully receiving Msg.3 from the terminal, the network device can send Msg.4 to the terminal. Msg.4 is used for contention resolution, and the network device can use Msg.4 to notify the terminal that the random access procedure is complete. Otherwise, if the terminal does not detect Msg.4, it considers the random access procedure to have failed.

[0094] The above, together with Figure 2, describes the contention-based random access procedure. This contention-based random access procedure can be used for the initial access procedure of a terminal, as well as for the RRC re-establishment procedure, handover procedure, etc.

[0095] III. Two-step random access process

[0096] With the increasing application scenarios, such as non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) like satellite communication, there are high round-trip times (RTTs) (e.g., up to 600 ms for geostationary satellites) and propagation delay differences (e.g., up to 16 ms for geostationary satellites). To reduce the number of interactions between the terminal and network devices during connection establishment and connection restoration, and to reduce the latency of the terminal accessing the network, a two-step random access procedure is proposed in mobile communication systems.

[0097] Figure 3 is a schematic flowchart of a two-step random access procedure. The two-step random access procedure includes the terminal sending a random access message A (Msg.A) to the network device and the terminal receiving a random access message B (Msg.B) from the network device. Msg.A can be referred to as the random access request message in the two-step random access procedure. Msg.A includes at least a preamble carried on the RO (Resource Access Request) and may also include a PUSCH transmission, which is equivalent to Msg.3 in the four-step random access procedure, including the terminal's identity information, RRC connection establishment information, etc. Similar to the four-step random access procedure, the terminal can determine the RO resource and preamble based on SIB1. For the PUSCH transmission in Msg.A, the protocol specifies that the network device configures the transmission opportunity for the PUSCH transmission through system information. Msg.B can be referred to as the random access response message in the two-step random access procedure. Msg.B includes a medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) and contention resolution information used for the random access response. The two-step random access procedure involves two steps: the terminal sending a random access message A (Msg.A) to the network device, and the network device sending a random access message B (Msg.B) to the terminal. After successfully receiving Msg.A, the network device can send Msg.B to the terminal to notify it that the random access procedure is complete. Alternatively, if the network device detects the random access preamble in Msg.A but fails to obtain the information in Msg.3, it can send Msg.B to the terminal to instruct it to revert to the four-step random access procedure.

[0098] IV. Beamforming Techniques and Spatial Filtering Parameters

[0099] Beamforming technology refers to adjusting the amplitude and / or phase of a signal to give the radiated signal through an antenna array a certain directionality, thereby achieving higher antenna array gain. The main lobe of the antenna array's radiation pattern can be called the beam.

[0100] The amplitude and / or phase of a signal are adjusted after being filtered by a spatial domain transmission filter. Different spatial domain transmission filters using different spatial filtering parameters can achieve signal beams in different directions. In the embodiments of this application, the spatial filtering parameters and the beam can be interchanged, or the spatial filtering parameters can be replaced by a spatial domain transmission filter. The spatial domain transmission filter can also be called a spatial filter.

[0101] Specifically, beamforming technology includes analog beamforming, digital beamforming, and hybrid digital-analog beamforming. Analog beamforming uses an antenna array composed of multiple antenna elements to transmit signals simultaneously. Each antenna element corresponds to a phase shifter. By adjusting the phase of the phase shifter corresponding to each antenna element, the radiated signal through the antenna array is made directional. Therefore, for analog beamforming, the function of the aforementioned spatial transmission filter can be achieved through multiple phase shifters corresponding to multiple antenna elements. Digital beamforming has multiple digital processing channels. Each digital processing channel adjusts the phase (or amplitude and phase) of the signal in the digital domain, making the radiated signal through the antenna directional. Therefore, for digital beamforming, the function of the aforementioned spatial transmission filter can be achieved through multiple digital processing channels. Hybrid beamforming combines analog and digital beamforming technologies, incorporating both multiple digital processing channels and multiple analog phase shifters. Therefore, for hybrid beamforming technology, the function of the aforementioned spatial transmission filter can be achieved through multiple phase shifters corresponding to multiple array elements in the antenna array and multiple digital processing channels. However, this application is not limited to this; the aforementioned spatial transmission filter can also be implemented through other technologies.

[0102] Currently, in both four-step and two-step random access processes, information exchange is conducted with the goal of terminal access to the network. The interaction between the terminal and network devices uses single-stream transmission. After the terminal accesses the network, the access network device needs to instruct the terminal to measure and report channel state information to determine whether multi-stream transmission can be scheduled. It can be seen that the current method has limited transmission efficiency and cannot fully realize the potential of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems.

[0103] To address the aforementioned issues, embodiments of this application propose that the terminal can report more information to the access network device during the random access process, so that the access network device can schedule the terminal's multi-stream transmission as soon as possible, thereby improving system transmission efficiency.

[0104] The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0105] Figure 4 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 400 provided in an embodiment of this application. The method 400 includes, but is not limited to, the following steps S401 and S402.

[0106] S401, the terminal sends a first sequence to the access network device. The first sequence includes a random access preamble and is also used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission.

[0107] The random access preamble is used to request network access. The terminal can use a first sequence to both request network access from the access network device and notify the access network device that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. Accordingly, the access network device receives the first sequence from the terminal, determines that the terminal is requesting network access based on the first sequence, and can also determine that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission based on the first sequence.

[0108] The terminal can determine the first sequence by detecting SSBs from the access network device. Specifically, the terminal can detect one or more SSBs from the access network device, obtain the signal strength of the one or more SSBs, and determine the first sequence based on the signal strength of the one or more SSBs.

[0109] For example, the signal strength can be at least one of the following: reference signal receiving power (RSRP), signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), reference signal receiving quality (RSRQ), or received signal strength indication (RSSI).

[0110] The terminal determines that the specific implementation of the first sequence may include, but is not limited to, the following implementations one to three. These will be described below.

[0111] In implementation method one, the first sequence is the preamble corresponding to the first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The set of preambles corresponding to the first SSB includes a first preamble set and a second preamble set. The first preamble set includes at least one preamble, which is used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. The first sequence belongs to the first preamble set. The second preamble set includes at least one preamble, which is used to indicate that the terminal does not support multi-stream transmission.

[0112] In this first implementation, the correspondence between SSB and preamble can be a first correspondence, in which one SSB corresponds to at least two preamble sets. One of the preamble sets contains a preamble used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission, and the other preamble set contains a preamble used to indicate that the terminal does not support multi-stream transmission.

[0113] Optionally, the access network device sends third information indicating the first correspondence. This first correspondence includes the correspondence between multiple SSBs and preambles within the cell, where the multiple SSBs include the first SSB. For example, this third information may be carried in a master information block (MIB) or a system information block (SIB).

[0114] The terminal detects the SSB with the strongest signal strength and identifies it as the first SSB. Based on received third information, the terminal can determine that at least one preamble set corresponding to the first SSB in the first correspondence includes a first preamble set and a second preamble set. The preamble in the first preamble set indicates that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission, while the preamble in the second preamble set indicates that the terminal does not support multi-stream transmission. Since the terminal supports multi-stream transmission, it can select a preamble (i.e., a first sequence) from the first preamble set and send it to the access network device. Upon receiving the first sequence, the access network device can determine that the terminal is requesting network access and that it supports multi-stream transmission. If the terminal does not support multi-stream transmission, it can select a preamble from the second preamble set corresponding to the first SSB and send it to the access network device. Upon receiving the preamble, the access network device can determine that the terminal is requesting network access and that it does not support multi-stream transmission.

[0115] In the second implementation, the first sequence includes a first preamble and second information. The first preamble is the preamble corresponding to the first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The second information is used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission.

[0116] In this second implementation, the correspondence between SSB and preamble can be a second correspondence, in which each SSB corresponds to a set of preambles, and each set of preambles includes at least one preamble.

[0117] After detecting a Signal-Side Buffer (SSB) from the access network device and identifying the strongest SSB, the terminal can send a preamble from the preamble set corresponding to that SSB to the access network device. The access network device, based on the received preamble belonging to the preamble set corresponding to the first SSB, determines that the strongest SSB detected by the terminal is the first SSB. Specifically, when sending the preamble corresponding to the first SSB, the terminal also carries information indicating whether it supports or does not support multi-stream transmission. The access network device can determine whether the terminal supports multi-stream transmission based on this information. Alternatively, the terminal sends a sequence that includes the preamble corresponding to the first SSB and the information indicating whether the terminal supports or does not support multi-stream transmission.

[0118] For example, the terminal sends a first sequence, which includes a first preamble and second information corresponding to a first SSB. The second information is used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. Based on the first preamble in the first sequence, the access network device can determine that the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal is the first SSB, and based on the second information, determine that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission.

[0119] For example, the information used to indicate whether a terminal supports or does not support multi-stream transmission may include at least one bit, wherein the at least one bit being a first preset value indicates that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission, and the at least one bit being a second preset value indicates that the terminal does not support multi-stream transmission. For example, the at least one bit may be 1 bit, where 1 bit indicates that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission, and 0 bit indicates that the terminal does not support multi-stream transmission. However, this application is not limited to this, and the at least one bit may also include multiple bits.

[0120] Optionally, the access network device sends third information indicating the second correspondence. The terminal determines the second correspondence based on the third information. For example, the third information may be carried in the MIB or SIB.

[0121] In the third implementation method, the first sequence is a preamble corresponding to multiple SSBs, including a first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The difference between the signal strength of the SSBs other than the first SSB and the signal strength of the first SSB is less than the signal strength difference threshold.

[0122] For example, the signal strength difference threshold may be predefined by the protocol or preconfigured by the access network device via signaling (such as via system information).

[0123] In this third embodiment, the correspondence between SSB and preamble can be a third correspondence, in which one or more SSBs correspond to one preamble set, or in other words, the third correspondence includes a correspondence between multiple SSB sets and multiple preamble sets. An SSB set may include one SSB or multiple SSBs, and an SSB set corresponds to one preamble set. Each preamble set includes at least one preamble.

[0124] If the SSB set corresponding to the preamble set to which the preamble sent by the terminal belongs contains multiple SSBs, it indicates that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. These multiple SSBs are the SSBs detected by the terminal, including the first SSB with the strongest detected signal strength. The difference between the signal strength of the other SSBs (excluding the first SSB) and the signal strength of the first SSB is less than a signal strength difference threshold. In this third embodiment, the first sequence sent by the terminal is a preamble from a preamble set. This preamble set corresponds to an SSB set containing multiple SSBs, such as N SSBs, where N is an integer greater than 1. Upon receiving this first sequence, the access network device can determine that among these N SSBs are the first SSB with the strongest signal strength and SSBs whose signal strength difference with the first SSB is less than a signal strength difference threshold.

[0125] Optionally, in this third correspondence, the SSBs in the SSB set are sorted according to their signal strength. The terminal can determine the SSB set that matches the signal strength order of the multiple SSBs detected by the terminal based on their signal strength, and then send a preamble from the preamble set corresponding to that SSB set to the access network device. After receiving the preamble, the access network device can determine not only the multiple SSBs with stronger signal strength detected by the terminal, but also the signal strength order of those multiple SSBs, based on the third correspondence.

[0126] In this third implementation, if the SSB set corresponding to the preamble set to which the preamble sent by the terminal belongs includes an SSB, it indicates that the terminal does not support multi-stream transmission, and the SSB corresponding to the preamble is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal.

[0127] For example, the third correspondence can be as shown in Table 1. Each SSB set in this third correspondence corresponds to a preamble set containing 8 preambles. An SSB set can include one SSB. For example, the preamble set corresponding to SSB0 includes preambles with indices 0 to 7, and the preamble set corresponding to SSB1 includes preambles with indices 8 to 15. Similarly, the third correspondence can also include preamble sets corresponding to other SSBs. An SSB set can also include multiple SSBs. For example, an SSB set can include two SSBs, such as SSB0 and SSB1. The preamble set corresponding to this SSB set includes preambles with indices n to n+7, where n can be an integer greater than 23. Another SSB set can include three SSBs, such as SSB1, SSB2, and SSB4. The preamble set corresponding to this SSB set includes preambles with indices m+16 to m+23, where m can be an integer greater than n+23. A set of SSBs in the third correspondence shown in Table 1 may also include other numbers of SSBs, such as 4, 5 or more SSBs.

[0128] Table 1

[0129] It should be understood that Table 1 is only an example of the third correspondence. This application does not limit the specific number of SSBs contained in each SSB set, the specific number of preambles contained in each preamble set, or whether the number of preambles contained in different preamble sets is the same. It can be implemented according to the specific circumstances.

[0130] Optionally, in the third correspondence shown in Table 1, the SSBs in the SSB set are sorted in order of signal strength from strongest to weakest. For example, in the SSB set corresponding to preambles with preamble indices m to m+7 in Table 1, SSB0 is the strongest SSB (i.e., an example of the first SSB), and the signal strengths of SSB1 and SSB2 decrease sequentially. This third correspondence may also include an SSB set containing these three SSBs. For example, if the order of the SSBs in this SSB set is SSB2, SSB0, and SSB1, then SSB2 is the strongest SSB (i.e., another example of the first SSB), and the signal strengths of SSB0 and SSB1 decrease sequentially.

[0131] It should be noted that since a cell has a certain number of SSBs, there may be multiple permutations and combinations based on their signal strength order. The access network device can determine the SSB set in the third correspondence based on specific implementation requirements and adjacent and / or similar SSBs within the coverage area, and then notify the terminal. If the terminal detects multiple SSBs that satisfy the signal strength difference, and if there exists an SSB set in the third correspondence that includes these multiple SSBs in a signal strength order, the terminal sends a preamble from the preamble set corresponding to this SSB set to the access network device. If there is no SSB set in the third correspondence that includes these multiple SSBs in a signal strength order, the terminal can determine the SSB set in the third correspondence that is closest in signal strength order to the multiple SSBs detected by the terminal. For example, if the terminal detects SSB 3 as the first SSB, and the SSBs detected by the terminal whose signal strength difference from the first SSB is less than a signal strength difference threshold are ordered as SSB 0, SSB 2, and SSB 4 in descending order of signal strength, but the third correspondence does not include the SSB set ordered as SSB 3, SSB 0, SSB 2, and SSB 4, then if the third correspondence does include the SSB set ordered as SSB 3, SSB 0, and SSB 2, the terminal can access the network device to send the preamble corresponding to that SSB set. Alternatively, the terminal can send the preamble corresponding to the SSB set ordered as SSB 3 and SSB 0. Based on the preamble from the terminal, the access network device can at least determine the SSB with the strongest signal strength and whether the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. However, this application does not limit the specific implementation method. In this case, the terminal can determine the preamble according to specific implementation requirements to get as close as possible to the detection result.

[0132] Optionally, the access network device sends third information indicating the third correspondence. The terminal determines the third correspondence based on the third information. For example, the third information may be carried in the MIB or SIB.

[0133] In one example, a complete set of correspondences between SSB sets and preamble sets can be predefined by the protocol. This complete set includes multiple indices, each index corresponding to an SSB set and the preamble set corresponding to that SSB set. The third information sent by the access network device may include some or all of these indices. The terminal determines the third correspondence based on the indices contained in the third information within the complete set of correspondences predefined by the protocol.

[0134] In another example, the third information could specifically indicate the SSBs contained in each SSB set in the third correspondence and the preambles contained in the preamble set corresponding to each SSB set.

[0135] It should be noted that the above implementation methods are illustrated using the example of the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal as the first SSB. However, this application is not limited to this. The first SSB can also be the second strongest signal strength, a network-configured SSB, or a pre-set SSB.

[0136] S402, the terminal and the access network equipment transmit first information, which is transmitted through multiple transport streams.

[0137] Based on the first sequence from the terminal, the access network device can determine during the random access process that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. The access network device can then schedule the terminal's multi-stream transmission in subsequent processes to improve transmission efficiency. For example, the access network device can send the random access response message to the terminal using a multi-stream transmission method, such as employing the most robust multi-stream transmission (e.g., two transmission streams). Alternatively, it can schedule the terminal's multi-stream transmission in subsequent processes.

[0138] In one example, the first information can be downlink information, such as information carried on the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), which can specifically be downlink control information (DCI). Alternatively, the first information can be carried on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and can be downlink data from the terminal.

[0139] In another example, the first information can be uplink information, such as information carried on the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), which can specifically be uplink control information (UCI). Alternatively, the first information can be carried on the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), where it can be uplink data from the terminal or UCI carried on the PUSCH.

[0140] According to the above scheme, when the terminal requests network access from the access network device, it can report that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission, so that the access network device can schedule the terminal's multi-stream transmission as early as possible, which can improve resource utilization and transmission rate, and thus improve system transmission efficiency.

[0141] Optionally, the access network device sends a fifth piece of information to the terminal, which indicates the transmission parameters of the first information. These transmission parameters include at least one of the following:

[0142] The number of transport streams, the number of ports, the location of time-frequency resources for placing pilots, the density of pilot placement, precoding, modulation order, modulation coding level, channel coding rate, or the aggregation method of control channel elements (CCEs).

[0143] Accordingly, the terminal receives the fifth information, performs received signal processing according to the transmission parameters indicated by the fifth information, and obtains the first information.

[0144] For example, the first information is carried on PDSCH or PUSCH, and the fifth information can be DCI. The transmission parameters indicated by the fifth information may include one or more of the following: number of transport streams, precoding, modulation and coding level, or channel coding rate. If the first information is carried on PDSCH, the terminal receives the signal on the PDSCH according to the DCI and performs received signal processing to obtain the first information. If the first information is carried on PUSCH, the terminal performs signal processing on the first information according to the DCI and sends the processed first information to the access network equipment on the PUSCH.

[0145] For example, the first information is carried on the PDCCH, while the fifth information can be carried in an RRC message or a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE). The fifth information indicates the transmission parameters of the DCI, which may include one or more of the following: number of transport streams, precoding, modulation order, modulation and coding level, channel coding rate, or CCE aggregation method. The terminal receives the first information on the PDCCH based on the fifth information.

[0146] Optionally, the terminal sends a sixth message to the access network device, which is used to indicate the transmission parameters of the multi-stream transmission.

[0147] For example, based on the detected multiple SSBs, the terminal can determine that multi-stream transmission is supported, and the terminal sends a first sequence to the access network device. The terminal can also determine its suggested (or desired) multi-stream transmission parameters based on the detection results of these multiple SSBs, and send these parameters to the access network device via a sixth message. Correspondingly, the access network device receives the sixth message from the terminal, determines the terminal-suggested multi-stream transmission parameters, and can refer to these parameters to determine the actual transmission parameters for sending the first message. For example, the access network device can use some or all of the terminal-suggested transmission parameters, or it can choose not to use the terminal-suggested transmission parameters.

[0148] In one implementation, the sixth piece of information may be included in message 3 during the random access process.

[0149] The terminal executes a four-step random access procedure. After requesting network access via the first sequence and notifying the access network device that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission, the terminal receives a random access response message from the access network device, i.e., message 2. Message 2 includes uplink grant (UL grant) information for scheduling message 3. The terminal sends message 3 based on this uplink grant information, and message 3 includes the sixth information. Correspondingly, the access network device can obtain the sixth information after receiving message 3. The access network device can refer to the sixth information to schedule the terminal's multi-stream transmission, such as sending the first information to the terminal using multi-stream transmission.

[0150] In another implementation, the sixth information is carried on the first resource, which is the uplink resource corresponding to the first sequence.

[0151] If a terminal notifies the access network device that it supports multi-stream transmission when requesting network access, the terminal can determine the uplink resource corresponding to the preamble sent by the terminal according to preset rules or the pre-configuration of the access network device, and then send the sixth information to the access network device on that resource. Alternatively, the terminal can determine the first resource based on the random access preamble in the first sequence and send the fourth information on that first resource. In other words, during random access, the terminal can send the sixth information to the access network device on the first resource after sending the first sequence but before receiving the random access response message. Correspondingly, the access network device can determine the first resource in the same way as the terminal, and receive the sixth information on the first resource after receiving the first sequence.

[0152] The first resource can be the resource between message 1 and message 2 in a four-step random access procedure, that is, after the terminal sends the first sequence and before receiving message 2 from the access network device, it sends the sixth information on the first resource corresponding to the first sequence. Alternatively, the first resource can be the resource (i.e., PUSCH) used to carry the PUSCH transmission in message A during a two-step random access procedure. In other words, when the terminal performs a two-step random access procedure, message A sent by the terminal includes the first sequence carried on the RO and the PUSCH transmission containing the sixth information. After receiving the sixth information, the access network device can refer to the sixth information to schedule the terminal's multi-stream transmission, such as using multi-stream transmission to send the first information to the terminal.

[0153] Optionally, the terminal sends a fourth piece of information to the access network device. This fourth piece of information indicates the signal strength of multiple SSBs, wherein the multiple SSBs can be one of the following:

[0154] Multiple SSBs detected by the terminal; or,

[0155] The signal strength detected by the terminal is greater than the signal strength threshold SSB; or,

[0156] The plurality of SSBs includes a first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The difference between the signal strength of the SSBs other than the first SSB and the signal strength of the first SSB is less than the signal strength difference threshold.

[0157] In this optional implementation, the terminal not only notifies the access network device of multi-stream transmission support via a first sequence, but also reports the signal strengths of multiple SSBs measured by the terminal to the access network device via a fourth sequence. This allows the access network device to schedule the terminal's multi-stream transmission based on the signal strengths of these multiple SSBs reported by the terminal, thereby improving the reliability of multi-stream transmission. The signal strengths of the multiple SSBs reported by the terminal can reflect, to some extent, the terminal's channel state, geographical location, and position on the radio map. This allows the access network device to use this information as a reference for scheduling multi-stream transmission. The radio map includes a mapping relationship between geographical location and channel characteristics. The radio map is determined by the access network device based on historical data from the access network (such as the location information of terminals previously served and the reported channel states). It should be noted that the specific name of the radio map is not limited, and other names can also be used.

[0158] For example, the multiple SSBs indicating signal strength in the fourth information can be multiple SSBs detected by the terminal. If the terminal detects M SSBs from the access network device, the terminal reports the signal strength of the M SSBs detected by the terminal to the access network device. That is, the terminal can report the signal strength of all SSBs detected by the terminal to the access network device, where M is a positive integer.

[0159] For example, the fourth information indicating the signal strength of multiple SSBs can be SSBs whose signal strength is greater than a signal strength threshold detected by the terminal. This signal strength threshold can be predefined by the protocol or pre-configured by the access network equipment via signaling. Based on the detected SSBs, the terminal determines multiple SSBs whose signal strength is greater than the signal strength threshold and indicates the signal strength of each of these multiple SSBs through the fourth information.

[0160] Optionally, if the terminal detects that there are no SSBs whose signal strength is greater than the signal strength threshold, the terminal may not report the signal strength of the SSBs (e.g., not send the fourth information), and / or, the terminal may notify the access network device that it does not support multi-stream transmission when requesting access to the network.

[0161] For example, the fourth information indicating multiple SSBs of signal strength includes the first SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal, and SSBs whose signal strength difference from the first SSB is less than a signal strength difference threshold. The signal strength difference threshold can be predefined by the protocol or pre-configured by the access network device via signaling. The terminal determines the signal strength of the multiple SSBs indicated by the fourth information based on the detected SSB signal strength and the signal strength difference threshold. Optionally, if the terminal detects no SSB whose signal strength difference from the first SSB is less than the signal strength difference threshold, the terminal may only report the signal strength of the first SSB, or not report the signal strength of any SSB (e.g., not send the fourth information). Optionally, if the terminal detects no SSB whose signal strength difference from the first SSB is less than the signal strength difference threshold, the terminal may notify the access network device that multi-stream transmission is not supported when requesting network access.

[0162] Optionally, the maximum number of SSBs for signal strength reported by the terminal can be predefined by the protocol or preconfigured by the access network device via signaling. The fourth information indicates that the number of SSBs for signal strength is less than or equal to the maximum number.

[0163] In one implementation, the fourth information may be included in message 3 during the random access process.

[0164] If the terminal employs a four-step random access procedure, the terminal sends a first sequence, requesting network access and notifying the access network device that it supports multi-stream transmission. The terminal then receives a random access response message (message 2) from the access network device. Message 2 includes uplink grant information for scheduling message 3. Based on this uplink grant information, the terminal sends message 3, which includes fourth information indicating the signal strength of multiple SSBs. Correspondingly, upon receiving message 3, the access network device can obtain the signal strength of the multiple SSBs reported by the terminal. The access network device can then schedule the terminal's multi-stream transmission based on the signal strength of these multiple SSBs.

[0165] After obtaining the signal strengths of multiple SSBs reported by the terminal in message 3, the access network device determines the transmission parameters of message 4 in the random access process based on the signal strengths of these multiple SSBs. The access network device then sends message 4 to the terminal. Message 4 is transmitted through multiple transport streams; that is, message 4 is an example of the first information. Before sending message 4, the terminal also sends a DCI (Distributed Control Interface) to schedule message 4, which indicates the transmission parameters of message 4. The terminal receives message 4 according to the transmission parameters indicated by the DCI. According to this scheme, by having the terminal provide more information during the random access process, the access network device can achieve multi-stream transmission during the random access process, improving transmission efficiency and resource utilization.

[0166] In another implementation, the fourth information is carried on the first resource, which is the uplink resource corresponding to the first sequence.

[0167] If a terminal notifies the access network device that it supports multi-stream transmission when requesting network access, the terminal can determine the uplink resource corresponding to the preamble sent by the terminal based on preset rules or the pre-configuration of the access network device, and then send the fourth information to the access network device on that resource. Alternatively, the terminal can determine the first resource based on the random access preamble in the first sequence and send the fourth information on that first resource. In other words, during random access, the terminal can send the fourth information to the access network device on the first resource after sending the first sequence but before receiving the random access response message. Correspondingly, the access network device can determine the first resource in the same way as the terminal, and receive the fourth information on the first resource after receiving the first sequence.

[0168] In one example, the terminal may employ a four-step random access procedure, and the first sequence and the fourth information carried on the first resource may belong to message 1 of the random access procedure. However, this application does not limit this; the first sequence can be referred to as message 1, and the fourth information can be referred to as supplementary information of message 1. After receiving the fourth information on the first resource, the access network device can determine the transmission parameters of the first message based on the signal strength of multiple SSBs reported by the terminal. The access network device then sends the first message to the terminal, which is transmitted through multiple transport streams; that is, the first message is an example of the first information. The first message may be a random access response message, i.e., message 2 in the four-step random access procedure, or it may be a contention resolution message, i.e., message 4 in the four-step random access procedure. According to this scheme, by having the terminal provide more information during the random access procedure, the access network device can achieve multi-stream transmission during the random access procedure, improving transmission efficiency and resource utilization.

[0169] In another example, the terminal can employ a two-step random access procedure. The first sequence and the fourth information can belong to message A in the two-step random access procedure. The first sequence is carried on the RO, and the fourth information is included in the PUSCH transmission in message A. The first resource is specifically the resource (i.e., the PUSCH) carrying the PUSCH transmission in message A. After receiving the fourth information on the first resource, the access network device can determine the transmission parameters of message B based on the signal strength of multiple SSBs reported by the terminal. The access network device then sends message B to the terminal. Message B is transmitted through multiple transport streams; that is, message B is an example of the first information. According to this scheme, by having the terminal provide more information during the random access procedure, the access network device can achieve multi-stream transmission during the random access procedure, improving transmission efficiency and resource utilization.

[0170] Figure 5 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 500 provided in an embodiment of this application. The method 500 may include the following steps:

[0171] S501, the access network equipment sends the SSB within the cell.

[0172] Access network equipment sends N within a cell cell Each SSB, through the N cell Each SSB covers the cell's coverage area, allowing terminals within the cell to access the network based on the detected SSB. N cell The value is a positive integer. The access network device can determine the transmission strategy of the SSB and transmit N values ​​within the cell according to that strategy. cell Each SSB has a transmission strategy that may include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following: the number of beams of each SSB within the cell, the transmit power of each SSB, the beam direction of each SSB, or the beamwidth of each SSB.

[0173] In one implementation, the N cell The beamwidth of each SSB in N is the same. cell Each of the N SSBs covers a different area but has the same coverage size; that is, the N cell Each SSB evenly covers the cell coverage area.

[0174] In another implementation, the access network device determines the transmission strategy for SSBs in the cell based on a first data set, which may include terminal distribution density information in the cell and / or channel characteristic information for each of the multiple regions contained in the cell. The access network device then transmits the SSBs within the cell according to the transmission strategy.

[0175] In this embodiment, the access network device can obtain relevant data of historical access terminals within the cell (i.e., a first data set), which can characterize the environmental features of the cell. The access network device can determine the transmission strategy of the SSB based on the first data set.

[0176] For example, the first dataset may include terminal distribution information within the cell, i.e., statistical analysis of the location distribution of historically accessed terminals within the cell, such as statistical analysis of the distribution density information of historically accessed terminals. This terminal distribution density information can be determined by the access network equipment based on the density of historically accessed terminals in each area of ​​the cell. When determining the subsequent SSB transmission strategy, the access network equipment can use this terminal distribution density information to determine the density of terminals in each area and thus determine the beam direction and beamwidth of the SSBs in different areas of the transmission strategy. For example, for densely distributed terminal areas, a narrower beamwidth can be used, with each beam covering a smaller area, as shown in Figure 6. The access network equipment can determine to use SSB i and SSB j with narrower beamwidths to cover densely distributed terminal areas, which can reduce terminal contention and increase the probability of terminal access. For sparsely distributed terminal areas, a wider beamwidth can be used, with each beam covering a larger area, as shown in Figure 6. The access network equipment can determine to use SSB k and SSB l with wider beamwidths to cover densely distributed terminal areas, which can reduce resource waste and improve SSB beam scanning efficiency. The specific beamwidth can be determined based on the density of terminal distribution or other information, which is not limited in this application. By determining the beamwidth of different areas, the access network equipment can also determine the number of SSBs (or the number of SSB beams) within the cell. It should be understood that Figure 6 only shows a portion of the SSB coverage area of ​​the cell; other SSB coverage areas are not shown. To ensure coverage within the cell, the access network equipment can determine the SSBs covering each area. The specific SSB coverage method is not limited to that shown in Figure 6; the access network equipment can also determine, as needed, to transmit an SSB through beams in multiple beam directions.

[0177] For example, the first data set may include channel characteristic information for each area within the cell. This channel characteristic information can be determined by the access network equipment based on channel state information reported by historical access terminals. For instance, this channel characteristic information may include channel multipath characteristics for each area (including one or more of the following: delay, path loss, or angle information for each path), transmission delay, and path loss intensity, among others. The access network equipment can determine the transmit power of the SSB covering each area based on the channel characteristic information of each area, so that the SSB can achieve the expected terminal received signal strength. The beamwidth of the SSB can also be determined based on the channel characteristic information.

[0178] For example, the first data set may include relevant data from the radio map within the cell. Specifically, the radio map may include a mapping relationship between terminal locations and channel characteristics within the cell. This mapping relationship can be obtained by measuring and processing the channels of a large number of historically accessed terminals. Alternatively, this mapping relationship can be output using a neural network; that is, the first data set can be obtained from the output of the neural network.

[0179] The first data set may include environmental characteristics, terminal distribution information, cell channel characteristics, or relevant data from radio maps. Based on this first data set, the access network equipment can determine the SSB transmission strategy within the cell, enabling regional optimization of the SSBs to improve terminal access efficiency and resource utilization. Furthermore, the combination of multiple SSBs can guide subsequent multi-stream transmission (e.g., designing transmission strategies for multiple SSBs, receiving signal strength feedback from terminals for multiple SSBs, and deriving transmission parameters for multi-stream transmission), thereby improving system efficiency.

[0180] S502, the terminal detects SSBs and obtains the signal strength of multiple SSBs.

[0181] In S502, the terminal detects SSBs and records the signal strength of multiple SSBs so that in S505 it can report the signal strength of the required SSBs to the access network equipment.

[0182] S503, the terminal sends a first sequence to the access network device, the first sequence including a random access preamble, and the first sequence is also used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission.

[0183] S503 can be implemented with reference to S401 in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, and will not be described again here.

[0184] Optionally, the method may further include, in step S504, the access network device sending a random access response message to the terminal.

[0185] If the first sequence sent by the terminal belongs to the first step of the random access procedure, the access network device, after receiving the first sequence, can send a random access response message to the terminal. If the first sequence belongs to message 1 of a four-step random access procedure, then the random access response message is message 2. Or if the first sequence belongs to message A of a two-step random access procedure, then the random access response message is message B.

[0186] Optionally, after the access network device learns through the first sequence that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission, the access network device can determine to send the random access response message using multi-stream transmission.

[0187] For example, if the first sequence adopts either Implementation Method 1 or Implementation Method 2 described above, the access network device can only obtain the first SSB with the maximum signal strength detected by the terminal and the terminal's support for multi-stream transmission based on the first sequence. The access network device can determine whether to send the random access response message using multi-stream transmission based on the coverage area of ​​the first SSB and the channel state information provided by historical access terminals within that coverage area. If the access network device determines that the channel conditions in the area are good and multi-stream transmission can guarantee reliability, the access network device can determine to send the random access response message using multi-stream transmission. For example, a more robust multi-stream transmission method can be used, such as using two transport streams. This can improve the transmission efficiency of the random access response message and increase resource utilization.

[0188] For example, if the first sequence adopts the implementation method three described above, the access network device can obtain multiple SSBs that meet the conditions detected by the terminal based on the first sequence. The access network device can determine whether to send the random access response message using a multi-stream transmission mode, and the transmission parameters for the multi-stream transmission mode, based on the transmission power of the multiple SSBs and historical terminal data within the coverage area. Optionally, the access network device can also determine the order of the signal strength of the multiple SSBs based on the first sequence. Using the signal strength order of the multiple SSBs as a reference can further improve the reliability of the access network device in determining the transmission parameters of the random access response message.

[0189] Optionally, the access network device may indicate the transmission parameters of the random access response message through a DCI used for scheduling the random access response message. The terminal may receive the random access response message from the access network device according to the DCI.

[0190] It should be understood that this application is not limited to this, and the access network device may also use a single-stream transmission method to transmit the random access response message, and schedule the multi-stream transmission of the terminal in subsequent transmissions.

[0191] Optionally, the random access response message includes an uplink grant (UL grant), which may instruct the terminal to report the signal strength of multiple detected SSBs.

[0192] If the access network device determines that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission based on the first sequence, the access network device can instruct the terminal to report the signal strength of multiple detected SSBs through the uplink grant in the random access response message. If the uplink grant does not instruct the terminal to report the signal strength of multiple detected SSBs, the terminal may choose not to report the signal strength of the SSBs.

[0193] S505, the terminal sends fourth information to the access network equipment, which is used to indicate the signal strength of multiple SSBs.

[0194] In one implementation, the terminal may send the fourth information to the access network device after receiving the random access response message.

[0195] In another implementation, method 500 does not include S504, whereby the terminal sends fourth information on a first resource associated with the first sequence after sending the first sequence and before receiving a random access response message.

[0196] The specific implementation of S505 can be found in the previous description of the terminal sending the fourth information to the access network device in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, and will not be repeated here.

[0197] S506, the access network equipment determines the transmission parameters of the first information based on the signal strength of multiple SSBs.

[0198] For example, the access network device can determine that the terminal is located in a first area based on the signal strength of multiple SSBs reported by the terminal. The access network device then determines the transmission parameters of first information based on the signal strength of the multiple SSBs and a second data set, the second data set including channel characteristic information within the first area and historical data related to information transmission of the terminal within the first area.

[0199] Access network equipment can determine the coverage distribution of each SSB according to the SSB transmission strategy within the cell, such as the specific adjacency relationship of each SSB. Access network equipment can determine the first area where the terminal is located based on the signal strength of multiple SSBs reported by the terminal and the coverage distribution of the SSBs. This first area may be a portion of the coverage area of ​​the first SSB with the largest detected signal strength, or it may include the coverage area of ​​the first SSB; this application does not limit this.

[0200] After determining that the terminal is located in the first area, the access network device can determine the transmission parameters of the first information based on the historical data in that area, i.e., the second data set.

[0201] For example, the second data set may include channel characteristic information within the first area, such as channel characteristic information determined by the access network device based on channel state information reported by historical access terminals in the first area. The access network device can then determine the transmission parameters of the first information based on this channel state information.

[0202] For example, the second data set includes historical data related to the information transmission of historical access terminals in the first area, such as the information transmission parameters of historical access terminals. The access network device can determine the transmission parameters of the first information based on the correlation between the signal strength of multiple SSBs reported by the terminal and the signal strength of SSBs reported by historical access terminals, and by referring to the information transmission parameters of historical access terminals.

[0203] For example, the second data set may include a mapping relationship between SSB signal strength and transmission parameters determined based on historical data. The access network device may determine the transmission parameters of the first information based on the signal strength of multiple SSBs reported by the terminal and the mapping relationship.

[0204] The above are merely examples of how an access network device, based on the signal strength of multiple SSBs, determines the transmission parameters of first information according to embodiments of this application. These examples can be combined and implemented in various ways. It should be understood that this application is not limited to these methods; the access network device can also determine the transmission parameters of the first information in other ways. For example, the access network device can obtain an inference model of transmission parameters based on historical data, using the signal strength of multiple SSBs reported by the terminal as input, and the access network device can obtain the transmission parameters output by the inference model. Optionally, the input to the inference model may also include the SSB transmission strategy within the cell and / or the priority of the first information, etc.

[0205] S507, the terminal and the access network device transmit first information, which is transmitted through multiple transport streams.

[0206] After determining the transmission parameters of the first information, the access network device can schedule multi-stream transmission of the first information. Specific implementation methods for transmitting the first information can be found in the preceding description of the embodiment shown in Figure 4, and will not be repeated here.

[0207] According to the above scheme, the terminal can provide more information when requesting network access from the access network device, such as reporting that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. Furthermore, the terminal can report the signal strength of multiple detected SSBs, so that the access network device can schedule the terminal's multi-stream transmission as early as possible, which can improve transmission efficiency, resource utilization, and thus improve system efficiency.

[0208] It is understood that, in order to achieve the functions in the above embodiments, the access network device and terminal include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to perform each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and method steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed in this application, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed by hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0209] Figures 7 and 8 are schematic diagrams of possible communication devices provided in embodiments of this application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of the terminal or access network device in the above method embodiments, and thus can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments. In the embodiments of this application, the communication device can be one of the terminals 120a-120j shown in Figure 1, or it can be the access network device 110a or 110b shown in Figure 1, or it can be a module (such as a chip or chip system) applied to the terminal or access network device.

[0210] The communication device 700 includes a transceiver unit 720, which can be used to receive or send information. The communication device 700 may also include a processing unit 710, which can be used to process instructions or data to achieve corresponding operations.

[0211] It should be understood that when the communication device 700 is a chip configured in (or used in) a communication device, the transceiver unit 720 in the communication device 700 can be the input / output interface or circuit of the chip, and the processing unit 710 in the communication device 700 can be the processor in the chip.

[0212] Optionally, the communication device 700 may further include a storage unit 730, which can be used to store instructions or data. The processing unit 710 can execute the instructions or data stored in the storage unit to enable the communication device to perform corresponding operations.

[0213] The communication device 700 can be used to implement the functions of the terminal or access network device in the method embodiments shown in Figures 4 and 5 above.

[0214] When the communication device 700 is used to implement the functions of the terminal in the method embodiment shown in FIG4: the processing unit 710 is used to determine a first sequence. The transceiver unit 720 is used to send the first sequence, which includes a random access preamble and is also used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. The transceiver unit 720 is also used to receive or send first information, which is transmitted through multiple transport streams.

[0215] When the communication device 700 is used to implement the function of the second communication device in the method embodiment shown in FIG4: the transceiver unit 720 is used to receive a first sequence, the first sequence including a random access preamble, and the first sequence is also used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. The processing unit 710 is used to determine, based on the first sequence, that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission. The transceiver unit 720 is also used to receive or send first information, the first information being transmitted through multiple transport streams.

[0216] For a more detailed description of the processing unit 710 and the transceiver unit 720, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the method embodiments shown in Figures 4 and 8.

[0217] It should be understood that the transceiver unit 720 in the communication device 700 can be implemented through a communication interface (such as a transceiver, transceiver circuit, input / output interface, or pins, etc.). When the communication interface is a transceiver, the transceiver can consist of a receiver and / or a transmitter. The processing unit 710 in the communication device 700 can be implemented through at least one processor, or it can be implemented through at least one logic circuit. Optionally, the communication device 700 also includes a storage unit, which can be implemented using a memory.

[0218] As shown in Figure 8, the communication device 800 includes a processor 810 and an interface circuit 820. The processor 810 and the interface circuit 820 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 820 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. Optionally, the communication device 800 may also include a memory 830 for storing instructions executed by the processor 810, or storing input data required by the processor 810 to execute instructions, or storing data generated after the processor 810 executes instructions.

[0219] In one implementation, the memory 830 may be integrated into the processor 810 or independent of the processor 810.

[0220] When the communication device 800 is used to implement the method shown in Figures 4 and 5, the processor 810 is used to implement the function of the processing unit 710, and the interface circuit 820 is used to implement the function of the transceiver unit 720.

[0221] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip applied to a terminal device, the terminal device chip can implement the functions of the second communication device in the above method embodiments. The terminal device chip receives information from other modules (such as an RF module or antenna) in the terminal device, the information being sent to the terminal device by the network device; or, the terminal device chip sends information to other modules (such as an RF module or antenna) in the terminal device, the information being sent to the network device by the terminal device.

[0222] When the aforementioned communication device is a module applied to a network device, the network device module can implement the functions of the first communication device in the above method embodiments. The network device module receives information from other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the network device, which is information sent from the terminal device to the network device; or, the network device module sends information to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the network device, which is information sent from the network device to the terminal device. Here, the network device module can be the baseband chip of the network device, or it can be a DU or other modules. The DU here can be a DU under an open radio access network (O-RAN) architecture.

[0223] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), microprocessor units (MPUs), microcontroller units (MCUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), artificial intelligence processors (AI processors), neural processing units (NPUs), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0224] The method steps in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or in software instructions executable by a processor. The software instructions can consist of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, registers, hard disks, portable hard disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. The storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. Alternatively, the ASIC can reside in an access network device or a terminal device. The processor and storage medium can also exist as discrete components in the access network device or terminal device.

[0225] According to the method provided in the application embodiments, this application embodiment also provides a computer program product, which includes: computer program code, which, when executed by one or more processors, causes a device including the processor to perform the method shown in FIG4 and FIG5.

[0226] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. This computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are performed, in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, network equipment, user equipment, or other programmable device.

[0227] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium that stores the above-mentioned computer program or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are run by one or more processors, the apparatus including the processor performs the method shown in FIG4 and FIG5.

[0228] As described above, computer programs or instructions can be stored in or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer programs or instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video optical disc; or it can be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium can be a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or it can include both volatile and non-volatile types of storage media.

[0229] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application also provide a communication system, including one or more of the aforementioned terminals. The system may further include one or more of the aforementioned access network devices.

[0230] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0231] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0232] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0233] The unit described as a separate component may or may not be physically separate. The component shown as a unit may or may not be a physical unit; that is, it may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0234] In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terminology and / or descriptions of different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features of different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0235] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: include: Send a first sequence, the first sequence including a random access preamble, and the first sequence is also used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission; Receive or send first information, which is transmitted through multiple transport streams.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The first sequence is the preamble corresponding to the first synchronization signal and the Physical Broadcast Channel Block (SSB), where the first SSB is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The preamble set corresponding to the first SSB includes a first preamble set and a second preamble set. The first preamble set includes at least one preamble, and the preamble in the first preamble set is used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission, and the first sequence belongs to the first preamble set; The second preamble set includes at least one preamble, which is used to indicate that the terminal does not support multi-stream transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The first sequence is a preamble corresponding to multiple SSBs, the multiple SSBs including a first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal, and the difference between the signal strength of the SSBs other than the first SSB and the signal strength of the first SSB is less than a signal strength difference threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The first sequence includes a first preamble and second information. The first preamble is the preamble corresponding to the first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The second information is used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive third information, which is used to indicate the correspondence between SSB and preamble.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a fourth message, which indicates the signal strength of multiple SSBs. Wherein, the plurality of SSBs are the plurality of SSBs detected by the terminal; or, The plurality of SSBs are SSBs whose signal strength detected by the terminal is greater than a signal strength threshold; or... The plurality of SSBs includes a first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The difference between the signal strength of the SSBs other than the first SSB and the signal strength of the first SSB is less than a signal strength difference threshold.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The fourth piece of information is included in message 3 during the random access procedure; or... The fourth information is carried on the first resource, which is the resource corresponding to the first sequence for carrying the signal strength of the SSB.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The first information is carried on the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) or the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH); or, The first information is carried on the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) or the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH).

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The receiving or sending of the first information includes: Receive a first message, which is a message during the random access process, and the first message includes the first information. The first message is used to respond to random access, or the first message is used to resolve contention for random access.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The receiving or sending of the first information includes: Send a second message, which is message 3 in the random access process, and the second message includes the first information.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive fifth information, the fifth information being used to indicate the transmission parameters of the first information, the transmission parameters being at least one of the following: The number of transport streams, precoding, modulation order, modulation coding level, channel coding rate, or the aggregation method of control channel units.

12. A communication method, comprising: include: Receive a first sequence, the first sequence including a random access preamble, and the first sequence is also used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission; Receive or send first information, which is transmitted through multiple transport streams.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, The first sequence is the preamble corresponding to the first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The preamble set corresponding to the first SSB includes a first preamble set and a second preamble set. The first preamble set includes at least one preamble, and the preamble in the first preamble set is used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission, and the first sequence belongs to the first preamble set; The second preamble set includes at least one preamble, which is used to indicate that the terminal does not support multi-stream transmission.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein, The first sequence is a preamble corresponding to multiple SSBs, the multiple SSBs including a first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal, and the difference between the signal strength of the SSBs other than the first SSB and the signal strength of the first SSB is less than a signal strength difference threshold.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein, The first sequence includes a first preamble and second information. The first preamble is the preamble corresponding to the first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The second information is used to indicate that the terminal supports multi-stream transmission.

16. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a third message, which is used to indicate the correspondence between the SSB and the preamble.

17. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The method further includes: Based on the first data set, determine the transmission strategy of SSB in the cell; According to the transmission strategy, the SSB of the cell is sent. The first data set includes terminal distribution density information in the cell and / or channel characteristic information of each region in the multiple regions contained in the cell; The transmission strategy of the SSB includes one or more of the following: the number of SSB beams, the transmission power of the SSB, the beam direction of the SSB, or the beamwidth of the SSB.

18. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 17, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive fourth information, which indicates the signal strength of multiple SSBs. Wherein, the plurality of SSBs are the plurality of SSBs detected by the terminal; or, The plurality of SSBs are SSBs whose signal strength detected by the terminal is greater than a signal strength threshold; or... The plurality of SSBs includes a first SSB, which is the SSB with the strongest signal strength detected by the terminal. The difference between the signal strength of the SSBs other than the first SSB and the signal strength of the first SSB is less than a signal strength difference threshold.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that, The fourth piece of information is message 3 from the random access process; or... The fourth information is carried on the first resource, which is the resource corresponding to the first sequence for carrying the signal strength of the SSB.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein, The method further includes: Based on the signal strength of the plurality of SSBs, the transmission parameters of the first information are determined, wherein the transmission parameters are at least one of the following: The number of transport streams, precoding, modulation order, modulation coding level, channel coding rate, or the aggregation method of control channel units.

21. The method according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that, Determining the transmission parameters of the first information based on the signal strength of the plurality of SSBs includes: Based on the signal strength of the multiple SSBs, it is determined that the terminal is located in the first region; Based on the signal strength of the multiple SSBs and the second data set, the transmission parameters of the first information are determined. The second data set includes channel characteristic information within the first area and historical data related to information transmission of terminals within the first area.

22. The method of claim 19 or 20, wherein, The method further includes: Send a fifth message, which is used to indicate the transmission parameters of the first message.

23. The method of any one of claims 12-22, wherein, The first information is carried on the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) or the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH); or, The first information is carried on the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) or the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH).

24. The method of any one of claims 12-23, wherein, The receiving or sending of the first information includes: Send a first message, which is a message during the random access process, and the first message includes the first information. The first message is used to respond to random access, or the first message is used to resolve contention for random access.

25. The method of any one of claims 12-23, wherein, The receiving or sending of the first information includes: Receive a second message, which is message 3 in the random access process, and the second message includes the first information.

26. A communications device, characterized by The device includes a processor coupled to a memory for storing a computer program, the processor executing the computer program stored in the memory to cause the communication device to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11; or to cause the communication device to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 25.

27. A communications device, characterized by It includes a processor and a communication interface, the processor being configured to control the communication interface to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 11; or to implement the method as described in any one of claims 12 to 25.

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

29. A computer program product, characterised in that, The computer program product includes: a computer program that, when run, causes a computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 25.

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