Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of communications, and provides a communication method and apparatus. In the method, a communication apparatus (such as an access network node or a terminal) may acquire a first signal and a chirp signal, map K signals comprised in the first signal to K frequency domain units, respectively, to obtain a second signal, perform inverse Fourier transform on the second signal to obtain a third signal, cause the third signal and the chirp signal to interact to obtain a signal to be sent, and send the signal to be sent. The first signal is obtained on the basis of a reference signal sequence or a data signal sequence, and K is an integer greater than 1. By means of the above-described method, a communication apparatus can perform OFDM modulation and chirp modulation on a first signal to obtain a chirp signal (i.e., the above-described signal to be sent).

Description

Communication methods and devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411837652.0, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on December 11, 2024, entitled "Communication Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

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

[0003] Chirp signals, whose frequency changes over time, are commonly used in radar ranging. For example, a radar can transmit a chirp signal, receive the reflected signal from a target, mix the transmitted chirp signal and the received reflected signal, obtain the frequency difference between the two, and determine the distance between the radar and the object based on this frequency difference. This mixing operation can convert a wideband chirp signal into a narrowband signal. Narrowband signals can be sampled at a lower sampling rate, and the Fourier transform size of narrowband signals is smaller, resulting in lower implementation complexity and power consumption for chirp signals.

[0004] Based on the characteristics of chirp signals mentioned above, a proposal has been made to apply chirp signals to communication systems to achieve sensing or inter-device communication. However, how to generate chirp signals carrying data or reference signals remains an unsolved problem. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and apparatus that can generate a chirp signal carrying a data signal or a reference signal.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] Firstly, a communication method is provided, which can be applied to a first communication device. In one scenario, the first communication device is a terminal-side device, such as a terminal or a communication / processing module within a terminal, or a circuit or chip in the terminal responsible for communication functions (e.g., a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-a-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core, or a system-in-package (SIP) chip), or a circuit or chip in the terminal responsible for processing functions (e.g., a graphics processing unit (GPU), an artificial intelligence (AI) processor, or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)). In another scenario, the first communication device is a network-side device, such as a network-side access network node, a module within the access network node (e.g., a processor, circuit, chip, or chip system), or a logic node, logic module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the access network node's functions.

[0008] The method includes: acquiring a first signal and a linear frequency modulated signal, wherein the first signal is obtained based on a reference signal sequence or a data signal sequence, and the first signal includes K signals, where K is an integer greater than 1; mapping the K signals included in the first signal to K frequency domain units respectively to obtain a second signal; performing an inverse Fourier transform on the second signal to obtain a third signal; interacting the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain a signal to be transmitted; and transmitting the signal to be transmitted.

[0009] Based on the method provided in the first aspect above, the first communication device can perform orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation and linear frequency modulation on the first signal carrying the data signal / reference signal to obtain a linear frequency modulated signal. This method reduces the implementation complexity and power consumption of the signal receiver and enables spread spectrum transmission, thus improving sensing performance when the signal to be transmitted is used for sensing.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the interaction between the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted includes: multiplying the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

[0011] Based on the above possible implementation methods, the first communication device can multiply the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the interaction between the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted includes: interacting the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain a fourth signal; and adding a cyclic prefix or guard interval to the fourth signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

[0013] Based on the above possible implementation methods, the first communication device can first perform Chirp modulation, and then add a cyclic prefix or guard interval to the modulated signal so that the signal to be transmitted is aligned at the symbol level with the OFDM symbols in conventional technology.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the second signal is subjected to an inverse Fourier transform to obtain a third signal, including: performing an inverse Fourier transform on the second signal to obtain a fifth signal; and adding a cyclic prefix to the fifth signal to obtain the third signal.

[0015] Based on the above possible implementation methods, the first communication device can first add a cyclic prefix or guard interval, and then perform Chirp modulation, so that the signal to be transmitted is aligned at the symbol level with the OFDM symbols in conventional technology.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the linear frequency modulated signal is a discrete signal; transmitting the signal to be transmitted includes: performing digital-to-analog conversion on the signal to be transmitted and then transmitting it.

[0017] Based on the above possible implementation methods, Chirp modulation at the digital end can be achieved.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the linear frequency modulated signal is an analog signal; the interaction between the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted includes: performing digital-to-analog conversion on the third signal to obtain a sixth signal; and interacting the sixth signal with the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

[0019] Based on the above possible implementation methods, analog Chirp modulation can be achieved. Compared with digital Chirp modulation, analog Chirp modulation has lower requirements, thus reducing the implementation complexity of the first communication device.

[0020] In one possible implementation, performing digital-to-analog conversion on the third signal to obtain the sixth signal includes: adding a cyclic prefix or guard interval to the third signal and then performing digital-to-analog conversion to obtain the sixth signal.

[0021] Based on the above possible implementation methods, the first communication device can first add a cyclic prefix or guard interval, and then perform Chirp modulation, so that the signal to be transmitted is aligned at the symbol level with the OFDM symbols in conventional technology.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the length of the time domain resources occupied by the signal to be transmitted is a first duration, which is equal to the length of one time slot, the length of 14 time domain symbols, 1 millisecond, 0.5 milliseconds, 2 milliseconds, 0.25 milliseconds, or 0.125 milliseconds.

[0023] Based on the above possible implementation methods, the signal to be transmitted can be aligned with the OFDM symbol in conventional technology at the time slot level.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the time-domain resources occupied by the signal to be transmitted include 15 time-domain symbols.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the 15 time-domain symbols do not contain a cyclic prefix or guard interval.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: sending or receiving first information, the first information indicating one or more of the following: a first frequency domain resource, the modulation frequency of a linear frequency modulated signal, or the modulation bandwidth of a linear frequency modulated signal; the first frequency domain resource is used to transmit the linearly frequency modulated signal.

[0027] Based on the above possible implementations, the first communication device can be configured with the aforementioned information, such that the device receiving the first information receives the signal according to the first frequency domain resources and processes the received signal according to the modulation frequency or modulation bandwidth of the linear frequency modulated signal. Alternatively, the first communication device can receive the aforementioned information, transmit the signal according to the first frequency domain resources, and perform chirp modulation according to the modulation frequency or modulation bandwidth of the linear frequency modulated signal.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the bandwidth corresponding to the first frequency domain resource is the same as the modulation bandwidth described above.

[0029] Based on the above possible implementation methods, the method of indicating the modulation bandwidth of the first information is simplified.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving capability information of the terminal, the capability information of the terminal indicating one or more of the following: the bandwidth of the carrier frequency signal proposed by the terminal, the modulation frequency of the linear frequency modulation signal proposed by the terminal, the period of the linear frequency modulation signal proposed by the terminal, or the guard bandwidth proposed by the terminal; the guard bandwidth is related to the filtering capability of the terminal.

[0031] Based on the above possible implementation methods, the first communication device can send first information according to the above capability information.

[0032] Secondly, a communication device is provided for implementing the method provided in the first aspect. This communication device can be the first communication device described in the first aspect. The communication device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the method described above. These modules, units, or means can be implemented in hardware, software, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the functions described above.

[0033] In one possible implementation, the communication device may include a processing module and a communication module. The processing module can be used to implement the processing functions described in the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof. The processing module may be, for example, a processor. The communication module may also be referred to as an interface unit, used to implement the sending and / or receiving functions described in the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof. The communication module may include interface circuitry, a transceiver, a transceiver unit, or a communication interface.

[0034] In one possible implementation, a processing module is used to acquire a first signal and a linear frequency modulated signal, the first signal being obtained based on a reference signal sequence or a data signal sequence, the first signal comprising K signals, where K is an integer greater than 1; the processing module is further used to map the K signals comprising the first signal to K frequency domain units respectively to obtain a second signal; the processing module is further used to perform an inverse Fourier transform on the second signal to obtain a third signal; the processing module is further used to interact the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain a signal to be transmitted; and a communication module is used to transmit the signal to be transmitted.

[0035] In one possible implementation, the processing module is specifically used to multiply the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

[0036] In one possible implementation, the processing module is specifically configured to interact the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain a fourth signal; the processing module is also specifically configured to add a cyclic prefix or guard interval to the fourth signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

[0037] In one possible implementation, the processing module is specifically used to perform an inverse Fourier transform on the second signal to obtain a fifth signal; the processing module is also specifically used to add a cyclic prefix to the fifth signal to obtain the third signal.

[0038] In one possible implementation, the linear frequency modulated signal is a discrete signal; the communication module is specifically used to perform digital-to-analog conversion on the signal to be transmitted before transmission.

[0039] In one possible implementation, the linear frequency modulated signal is an analog signal; the processing module is specifically used to perform digital-to-analog conversion on the third signal to obtain a sixth signal; the processing module is also specifically used to interact the sixth signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the processing module is specifically used to add a cyclic prefix or guard interval to the third signal and then perform digital-to-analog conversion to obtain the sixth signal.

[0041] In one possible implementation, the length of the time domain resources occupied by the signal to be transmitted is a first duration, which is equal to the length of one time slot, the length of 14 time domain symbols, 1 millisecond, 0.5 milliseconds, 2 milliseconds, 0.25 milliseconds, or 0.125 milliseconds.

[0042] In one possible implementation, the time-domain resources occupied by the signal to be transmitted include 15 time-domain symbols.

[0043] In one possible implementation, the 15 time-domain symbols do not contain a cyclic prefix or guard interval.

[0044] In one possible implementation, the communication module is further configured to send or receive first information indicating one or more of the following: a first frequency domain resource, the modulation frequency of a linear frequency modulated signal, or the modulation bandwidth of the linear frequency modulated signal; the first frequency domain resource is used to transmit a signal after linear frequency modulation.

[0045] In one possible implementation, the bandwidth corresponding to the first frequency domain resource is the same as the modulation bandwidth.

[0046] In one possible implementation, the communication module is further configured to receive capability information of the terminal, which indicates one or more of the following: the bandwidth of the carrier frequency signal proposed by the terminal, the modulation frequency of the linear frequency modulation signal proposed by the terminal, the period of the linear frequency modulation signal proposed by the terminal, or the protection bandwidth proposed by the terminal; the protection bandwidth is related to the filtering capability of the terminal.

[0047] Thirdly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor; the processor being configured to cause the communication device to perform the method described in the first aspect by executing a computer program (or computer-executable instructions) stored in a memory, and / or by means of logic circuitry. The communication device may be the first communication device described in the first aspect.

[0048] In one possible implementation, the number of the aforementioned processors can be one or more.

[0049] In one possible implementation, the communication device also includes a memory. The processor and memory are integrated together; alternatively, the memory is independent of the processor.

[0050] In one possible implementation, the communication device further includes a communication interface for communicating with other devices, such as transmitting or receiving data and / or signals. Exemplarily, the communication interface may be a transceiver, circuit, bus, module, or other type of communication interface.

[0051] In one possible implementation, the processor and / or memory also include an artificial intelligence (AI) module for implementing AI-related functions. The AI ​​module can implement AI functions through software, hardware, or a combination of both. For example, the AI ​​module may include a radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC) module. The AI ​​module could be a near real-time RIC or a non-real-time RIC.

[0052] In one possible implementation, the communication device is a chip or a chip system. Optionally, when the communication device is a chip system, it can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete components.

[0053] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and an interface circuit; the interface circuit is configured to receive a computer program or instructions and transmit them to the processor; the processor is configured to execute the computer program or instructions to cause the communication device to perform the method described in the first aspect above. The communication device may be the first communication device described in the first aspect above.

[0054] In one possible implementation, the number of the aforementioned processors can be one or more.

[0055] In one possible implementation, the processor also includes an AI module for implementing AI-related functions. The AI ​​module can implement AI functions through software, hardware, or a combination of both. For example, the AI ​​module may include a RIC module. The AI ​​module could be a near real-time RIC or a non-real-time RIC.

[0056] In one possible implementation, the communication device is a chip or a chip system. Optionally, when the communication device is a chip system, it can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete components.

[0057] Fifthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores instructions which, when executed on a computer, enable the computer to perform the method described in the first aspect.

[0058] In a sixth aspect, a computer program product containing instructions is provided that, when run on a computer, enables the computer to perform the method described in the first aspect.

[0059] In a seventh aspect, a communication system is provided, comprising: a first communication device for performing the method described in the first aspect, and a second communication device for receiving signals transmitted by the first communication device.

[0060] The technical effects of any possible implementation of aspects two through seven can be found in the first aspect or the technical effects of different possible implementations of aspect one, and will not be repeated here.

[0061] Understandably, provided that the solutions do not contradict each other, the solutions in the above aspects can be combined. Attached Figure Description

[0062] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the radar ranging principle provided in this application;

[0063] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram of the communication system architecture provided in this application;

[0064] Figure 2B is a schematic diagram of the communication scenario provided in this application;

[0065] Figure 2C is a schematic diagram of the communication scenario provided in this application;

[0066] Figure 2D is a schematic diagram of the communication scenario provided in this application;

[0067] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in this application.

[0068] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the bandwidth of the OFDM signal provided in this application and the bandwidth of the signal to be transmitted;

[0069] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the signal processing procedure provided in this application;

[0070] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the terminal provided in this application receiving / transmitting signals via frequency hopping;

[0071] Figure 7A is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in this application (II).

[0072] Figure 7B is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in this application.

[0073] Figure 7C is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in this application.

[0074] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the spread spectrum bandwidth corresponding to the signal to be transmitted provided in this application;

[0075] Figure 9A is a schematic diagram of the signal to be transmitted in one time slot provided in this application;

[0076] Figure 9B is a schematic diagram of the third signal within one time slot provided in this application;

[0077] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the frequency domain resources provided in this application;

[0078] Figure 11 is a block diagram of the communication device provided in this application;

[0079] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the communication device provided in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0080] Before introducing the technical solution of this application, the relevant technical terms involved in this application are explained. It is understood that these explanations are intended to make this application easier to understand and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0081] 1. Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT)

[0082] The essence of DFT is to transform a time-domain sequence {x(n), n = 0, ..., N-1} into a frequency-domain sequence {X(k), k = 0, ..., N-1}. For example, {x(n)} and {X(k)} can satisfy the following relationship:

[0083] Where γ is a constant. For example, γ = 1, or, or, For ease of description, this application uses γ equal to 1 as an example.

[0084] In addition, the DFT in this application can be replaced with the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). The FFT is a fast method for calculating the DFT.

[0085] 2. Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT)

[0086] The essence of IDFT is to transform the frequency domain sequence {X(k), k = 0, ..., N-1} into the time domain sequence {x(n), n = 0, ..., N-1}. For example, {x(n)} and {X(k)} can satisfy the following relationship:

[0087] Where β is a constant. For example, β = 1, or, or, For ease of description, this application uses β equal to 1 as an example.

[0088] In addition, the IDFT in this application can be replaced by the inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT). IFFT is a fast calculation method for IDFT.

[0089] 3. General Discrete Fourier Transform (GDFT)

[0090] GDFT can transform a time-domain sequence {x(n), n = 0, ..., N-1} into a frequency-domain sequence {X(k), k = 0, ..., N-1}. For example, {x(n)} and {X(k)} can satisfy the following relationship:

[0091] GDFT is related to DFT / FFT. For example, the above relationship can be derived into the following relationship:

[0092] Where a and b are real numbers, and the introduction of γ can be found in the corresponding description above. It is the sequence {x(n)} multiplied by the phase What was obtained For sequences X(k) is obtained by performing DFT / FFT on the sequence. Multiply by phase This is obtained. That is, GDFT can be calculated using DFT / FFT. Furthermore, when a = b = 0, GDFT reverts to DFT / FFT.

[0093] Furthermore, GDFT is also equivalent to transforming an N-point time-domain sequence {x(n), n = a, ..., a + N - 1} into a frequency-domain sequence {X(k), k = b, ..., b + N - 1}. For example, {x(n)} and {X(k)} can satisfy the following relationship:

[0094] 4. Generalized Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (GIDFT)

[0095] GIDFT can transform a frequency domain sequence {X(k), k = 0, ..., N-1} into a time domain sequence {x(n), n = 0, ..., N-1}. For example, {x(n)} and {X(k)} can satisfy the following relationship:

[0096] GIDFT is related to IDFT / IFFT. For example, the above relationship can be derived into the following relationship:

[0097] Where a and b are real numbers, and the introduction of β can be found in the corresponding description above. Multiply the sequence {X(k)} by a phase shift What was obtained For sequences x(n) is obtained by performing IDFT / IFFT on the sequence. Multiply by phase This is obtained. In other words, GIDFT can be calculated using IDFT / IFFT. Furthermore, when a = b = 0, GIDFT reverts to IDFT / IFFT.

[0098] Furthermore, GIDFT is equivalent to transforming an N-point frequency domain sequence {X(k), k = b, ..., b + N - 1} into a time domain sequence {x(n), n = a, ..., a + N - 1}. For example, {x(n)} and {X(k)} can satisfy the following relationship:

[0099] 5. Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC)

[0100] ISAC technology is considered one of the key technologies for expanding the service capabilities of mobile communication networks. The core idea of ​​this technology is to add sensing capabilities to mobile communication networks, building the ability to detect or image targets, thereby integrating communication and sensing capabilities into a single network, achieving harmonious coexistence and even mutual benefit. This integration of communication and sensing can also be called Joint Communications and Sensing (JCAS).

[0101] The technical principles of sensing differ somewhat from those of communication. In communication, the transmitting end modulates information onto radio waves and sends it to the receiving end, which then demodulates the signal to obtain the information. In sensing, however, the transmitting end sends radio waves in a specific direction. When these radio waves strike the surface of a target, they are reflected, and the receiving end receives and processes these reflected waves to obtain sensing information about the target, such as its location, speed, or type.

[0102] 6. Chirp signal

[0103] Chirp signals can be called linear frequency modulated signals, chirp signals, or chirp signals, etc. The frequency of a chirp signal can change over time (e.g., increase or decrease).

[0104] Chirp signals are typically used in radar ranging. For example, radar can transmit chirp signals, such as frequency-modulated continuous waves (FMCWs), which are continuous signals whose frequency increases linearly with time. When an FMCW encounters an object, it is reflected, forming a reflected signal that is received by the radar. The propagation delay of the FMCW results in a frequency difference between the reflected and transmitted signals, which is positively correlated with the propagation delay. The radar can perform de-chirp mixing (De-Chirp) on the received reflected signal and the transmitted signal to obtain the frequency difference, and then determine the distance between the radar and the object based on this frequency difference. For example, the frequency difference Δf and the propagation delay τ of the FMCW satisfy the following relationship:

[0105] Δf=R·τ

[0106] Where R is the rate of change of the FMCW frequency, and R can be equal to the ratio of the FMCW bandwidth to its period. τ can be equal to the ratio of the FMCW propagation distance to the speed of electromagnetic wave propagation. Therefore, the above relationship can be transformed as follows:

[0107] Where BW is the bandwidth of the FMCW, T is the period of the FMCW, d is the distance between the object and the radar, and c is the speed of electromagnetic wave propagation, i.e., the speed of light. For example, the relationship between Δf, τ, BW, and T can be shown in Figure 1.

[0108] The aforementioned mixing operation can convert wideband chirp signals into narrowband signals. Narrowband signals can be sampled at lower sampling rates, and their Fourier transform size (e.g., DFT / FFT size) is smaller, resulting in lower complexity and power consumption for radar processing of chirp signals. Therefore, the idea of ​​applying chirp signals to communication systems to achieve sensing or inter-device communication has been proposed. However, how to generate chirp signals carrying data or reference signals remains an unsolved problem.

[0109] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides a communication method. In this method, a communication device (such as an access network node or terminal) acquires a first signal and a linear frequency modulated (LFM) signal, maps K signals comprising the first signal to K frequency domain units respectively to obtain a second signal, performs an inverse Fourier transform on the second signal to obtain a third signal, interacts the third signal with the LFM signal to obtain a signal to be transmitted, and transmits the signal to be transmitted. The first signal is obtained based on a reference signal sequence or a data signal sequence, and K is an integer greater than 1.

[0110] Using the above method, the communication device can perform OFDM modulation and Chirp modulation on the first signal to obtain a Chirp signal (i.e., the signal to be transmitted mentioned above).

[0111] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0112] The method provided in this application can be used in various communication systems. For example, the communication system can be a long-term evolution (LTE) system, a 5th generation (5G) communication system, a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system, a 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) related communication system, a communication system evolving after 5G, or a system integrating multiple systems, etc., without limitation. 5G can also be referred to as new radio (NR). The method provided in this application is described below using the communication system 20 shown in Figure 2A as an example. Figure 2A is only a schematic diagram and does not constitute a limitation on the applicable scenarios of the technical solution provided in this application.

[0113] Figure 2A shows a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system 20 provided in this application. In Figure 2A, the communication system 20 may include a communication device 201 and a communication device 202 communicatively connected to the communication device 201.

[0114] In Figure 2A, the communication device 201 can acquire a first signal, perform OFDM modulation and Chirp modulation on the first signal to obtain a signal to be transmitted, and then transmit the signal to be transmitted. The signal to be transmitted can be used for sensing and / or communication.

[0115] When the signal to be transmitted is used for sensing, the echo signal generated when the signal encounters a target can be received by communication device 201 / communication device 202. Subsequently, communication device 201 / communication device 202 senses the target based on the received echo signal, such as determining the target's location information, speed, or type. Here, "target" refers to a perceptible object, such as a terminal, vehicle, building, tree, or animal.

[0116] When the signal to be transmitted is used for communication, it can be received by the communication device 202. Subsequently, the communication device 202 can parse the signal to be transmitted to obtain the data signal it carries, or the communication device 202 can perform operations such as channel estimation based on the reference signal it carries.

[0117] One possible design is that the communication device 201 / communication device 202 can be an access network node or a terminal.

[0118] For example, communication device 201 and communication device 202 are both access network nodes; or, communication device 201 and communication device 202 are both terminals; or, communication device 201 is an access network node and communication device 202 is a terminal; or, communication device 201 is a terminal and communication device 202 is an access network node.

[0119] The access network node in this application can be a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, enabling terminals to achieve wireless access. An access network node can be, for example, a node in a RAN (Radio Ranging Area Network) or a node in an open RAN (Open RAN, O-RAN, or ORAN). Access network nodes can also be referred to as access network equipment, RAN nodes, RAN entities, access nodes, or network devices, etc. Access network nodes include, but are not limited to: base transceiver stations (BTS) in Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks; base stations (NodeB, NB) in Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) networks; evolved base stations (NodeB, eNB, or e-NodeB) in LTE; evolved base stations (next-generation eNB, ng-eNB) in next-generation LTE; base stations (gNodeB or gNB) in NR; transmitting points (TP) or transmission receiving points / transmission reception points (TRP); base stations in subsequent 3GPP evolutions; base stations in future mobile communication systems; satellites; access points (APs) in WiFi systems; wireless relay nodes; wireless backhaul nodes; integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes; and non-terrestrial mobile switching center communication networks. Network devices in a network (NTN) communication system can be deployed on low-altitude platforms, high-altitude platforms, or satellites. Base stations can be macro base stations, micro base stations, pico base stations, small stations, relay stations, or balloon stations, etc. Multiple base stations can support networks using the same technology mentioned above, or networks using different technologies. A base station can contain one or more co-located or non-co-located TRPs. Access network nodes can also be devices that function as base stations in device-to-device (D2D) communication, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, drone communication, and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication. Access network nodes can also be radio controllers in cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenarios.Access network nodes can also be centralized units (CUs), distributed units (DUs), CU-control plane (CPs), CU-user plane (UPs), radio units (RUs), roadside units (RSUs) with base station functionality, wired access gateways, or core network elements. Access network nodes can also be servers, wearable devices, machine-to-everything (M2X) devices, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, the access network equipment in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be an RSU. The following explanation uses a base station as an example of an access network node. Multiple access network nodes can be base stations of the same type or different types. A base station can communicate with a terminal or with a terminal through a relay station. A terminal can communicate with multiple base stations using different technologies; for example, a terminal can communicate with a base station supporting LTE networks or a base station supporting 5G networks, and can also support dual connections with both LTE and 5G base stations.

[0120] In this application, the CU can implement the functions of the radio resource control (RRC) layer and the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer in the 3GPP standard. The CU can also implement the functions of the service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer. The DU can implement the functions of the radio link control (RLC) layer and the medium access control (MAC) layer in the 3GPP standard. The DU can also implement some or all physical layer functions, such as forward error correction (FEC) encoding / decoding, scrambling / descrambling, or modulation / demodulation. The RU can be used to implement radio frequency signal transmission and reception functions. The CU and DU can be set up separately, or they can be included in the same network element, such as in the baseband unit (BBU). It is understood that the CU can be classified as a network device in the access network or a network device in the core network; no limitation is made here. Furthermore, the CU can be further divided into CU-CP and CU-UP. CU-CP can implement the functions of the RRC layer and the control plane functions of the PDCP layer. CU-UP can implement the functions of the SDAP layer and the user plane functions of the PDCP layer.

[0121] In this application, the RU can be included in a radio frequency (RF) device or RF unit, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH). The RU can implement some physical layer functions and RF functions in the 3GPP standard. The physical layer functions that the RU can implement include one or more of the following: FFT, IFFT, digital beamforming, or extraction and filtering of the physical random access channel (PRACH).

[0122] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules.

[0123] The terminal in this application can be a device or module that accesses the aforementioned access network node and has corresponding communication functions. The terminal can be deployed on land, including indoors, outdoors, handheld, or vehicle-mounted; it can also be deployed on water (such as on ships); and it can also be deployed in the air (such as on airplanes, balloons, and satellites). The terminal can also be referred to as a terminal device, which can be user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), or any device used to provide voice or data connectivity to the user. The UE includes handheld devices with wireless communication functions, vehicle-mounted devices (e.g., cars, bicycles, electric vehicles, airplanes, ships, trains, high-speed trains), wearable devices (e.g., smartwatches, smart bracelets, pedometers), or computing devices. For example, the UE can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, PDA, mobile internet device (MID), satellite terminal, or computer with wireless transceiver capabilities. UE can also be a virtual reality (VR) terminal device, an augmented reality (AR) terminal device, a wireless modem, a point-of-sale (POS) machine, customer-premises equipment (CPE), a smart robot, a robotic arm, workshop equipment, smart home devices (e.g., refrigerators, televisions, air conditioners, electricity meters, etc.), a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in autonomous driving, a wireless terminal in telemedicine, a wireless terminal in a smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation safety, a wireless terminal in intelligent transportation, a wireless terminal in a smart city, a wireless terminal in a smart home, an in-vehicle terminal, an RSU with terminal functionality, or flying equipment (e.g., a smart robot, a hot air balloon, a drone, an airplane), etc. A terminal can also be other devices with terminal functionality; for example, a terminal can also be a device that performs terminal functionality in D2D communication.

[0124] By way of example and not limitation, in this application, the terminal can be a wearable device. Wearable devices, also known as wearable smart devices, are a general term for devices that utilize wearable technology to intelligently design and develop everyday wearables, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothing, and shoes. Wearable devices are portable devices that are worn directly on the body or integrated into a user's clothing or accessories. For example, wearable devices are not merely hardware devices, but also devices that achieve powerful functions through software support, data interaction, and cloud interaction. Broadly speaking, wearable smart devices include devices that are feature-rich, large in size, and can achieve complete or partial functions without relying on a smartphone, such as smartwatches or smart glasses, as well as devices that focus on only one type of application function and need to be used in conjunction with other devices such as smartphones, such as various smart bracelets and smart jewelry for vital sign monitoring.

[0125] In this application, the terminal can be a terminal in an Internet of Things (IoT) system. IoT is an important component of future information technology development, and its main technical feature is connecting objects to networks through communication technologies, thereby realizing an intelligent network of human-machine interconnection and machine-to-machine interconnection. The terminal in this application can be a terminal in machine-type communication (MTC).

[0126] The terminal in this application can be an on-board module, on-board component, on-board chip, on-board unit (OBU), or telematics box (T-BOX) built into a vehicle as one or more components or units. The vehicle can implement the methods of this application through the built-in on-board module, on-board component, on-board chip, on-board unit, or T-BOX. The terminal can also be a complete vehicle device. Therefore, this application can be applied to vehicle networking, such as V2X, long-term evolution vehicle (LTE-V) communication technology, and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication.

[0127] Understandably, in some scenarios, the roles of access network nodes and terminals are relative. For example, a helicopter or drone, which is usually configured as a terminal, can also be configured as a mobile base station, and devices accessing the RAN via a helicopter or drone are configured as terminals.

[0128] Understandably, the communication system 20 shown in Figure 2A can be applied to a variety of communication scenarios.

[0129] For example, communication system 20 can be applied to the satellite-terminal communication scenario shown in Figure 2B. In Figure 2B, the satellite may have all or part of the functions of a base station and can provide communication services to the terminal. For example, the satellite can send downlink data to the terminal or receive uplink data sent by the terminal. It should be understood that the device or entity corresponding to communication device 201 in communication system 20 is the satellite shown in Figure 2B, and the device or entity corresponding to communication device 202 in communication system 20 is the terminal shown in Figure 2B; or, the device or entity corresponding to communication device 201 in communication system 20 is the terminal shown in Figure 2B, and the device or entity corresponding to communication device 202 in communication system 20 is the satellite shown in Figure 2B.

[0130] For example, communication system 20 can be applied to the inter-satellite communication scenario shown in Figure 2C. In Figure 2C, satellite 1 or satellite 2 can have all or part of the functions of a base station. For example, satellite 1 or satellite 2 can include a communication module and an acquisition, pointing, and tracking (APT) module. The communication module is connected to the transceiver antenna and is responsible for transmitting inter-satellite information, forming the main body of the inter-satellite communication system. The APT module is connected to the APT transmit / receive module and is responsible for acquisition, pointing, and tracking between satellites. Specifically, acquisition refers to determining the direction of arrival of the incident signal, pointing refers to adjusting the transmitted wave to aim at the receiving direction, and tracking refers to continuously adjusting the pointing and acquisition throughout the communication process. It should be understood that the device or entity corresponding to the communication device 201 in the communication system 20 is satellite 1 as shown in Figure 2C, and the device or entity corresponding to the communication device 202 in the communication system 20 is satellite 2 as shown in Figure 2C; or, the device or entity corresponding to the communication device 201 in the communication system 20 is satellite 2 as shown in Figure 2C, and the device or entity corresponding to the communication device 202 in the communication system 20 is satellite 1 as shown in Figure 2C.

[0131] For example, the communication system 20 can be applied to the communication scenario shown in Figure 2D.

[0132] One scenario, illustrated in Figure 2D, is a cellular communication scenario. In Figure 2D, the base station can provide services to one or more terminals (two terminals are shown in Figure 2D). It should be understood that the device or entity corresponding to communication device 201 in communication system 20 is the base station shown in Figure 2D, and the device or entity corresponding to communication device 202 in communication system 20 is the terminal shown in Figure 2D; or, the device or entity corresponding to communication device 201 in communication system 20 is the terminal shown in Figure 2D, and the device or entity corresponding to communication device 202 in communication system 20 is the base station shown in Figure 2D.

[0133] Another scenario, illustrated in Figure 2D, is a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication scenario. In Figure 2D, the access point can provide services to one or more terminals (two terminals are shown in Figure 2D). It should be understood that the device or entity corresponding to the communication device 201 in the communication system 20 is the access point shown in Figure 2D, and the device or entity corresponding to the communication device 202 in the communication system 20 is the terminal shown in Figure 2D; or, the device or entity corresponding to the communication device 201 in the communication system 20 is the terminal shown in Figure 2D, and the device or entity corresponding to the communication device 202 in the communication system 20 is the access point shown in Figure 2D.

[0134] It is understood that the communication system 20 shown in Figure 2A is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the technical solutions of this application. Those skilled in the art should understand that in specific implementations, the communication system 20 may also include other devices, and the number of communication devices can be determined according to specific needs without limitation. Furthermore, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new service scenarios, the technical solutions provided in this application are equally applicable to similar technical problems.

[0135] Optionally, the related functions of the communication device in Figure 2A of this application can be implemented by one device, multiple devices working together, or one or more functional modules within a single device. This application does not impose specific limitations on these functions. It is understood that the aforementioned functions can be network elements in hardware devices, software functions running on dedicated hardware, a combination of hardware and software, or virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform).

[0136] The method provided in this application will now be described in conjunction with the communication system 20 shown in Figure 2A above.

[0137] It is understood that in this application, communication device 201 and / or communication device 202 may perform some or all of the steps in this application. These steps are merely examples, and this application may also perform other steps or variations thereof. Furthermore, the steps may be performed in different orders as presented in this application, and it is not necessary to perform all the steps in this application.

[0138] It is understood that the method described below in this application uses communication devices 201 and 202 as examples of the execution subjects of the interaction illustration to illustrate the method, but this application does not limit the execution subjects of the interaction illustration. For example, the method executed by communication device 201 (or communication device 202) in this application can also be implemented by modules (e.g., circuits, chips, or chip systems) in communication device 201 (or communication device 202), or by logic nodes, logic modules, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of communication device 201 (or communication device 202).

[0139] As shown in Figure 3, a communication method provided in this application may include the following steps:

[0140] S301: Communication device 201 acquires the first signal and the linear frequency modulation signal.

[0141] In this application, the first signal is obtained based on a reference signal sequence or a data signal sequence. The first signal includes K signals, where K is an integer greater than 1.

[0142] One possible implementation is that the communication device 201 modulates a reference signal sequence or a data signal sequence to obtain a first signal.

[0143] Another possible implementation is that the communication device 201 modulates the reference signal sequence or the data signal sequence, performs a Fourier transform on the modulated signal, and obtains the first signal.

[0144] This application does not limit the modulation method of the reference signal sequence / data signal sequence. For example, the modulation method includes pulse amplitude modulation (PAM), frequency shift keying (FSK), phase shift keying (PSK), and binary phase shift keying (BPSK). Quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), amplitude phase shift keying (APSK), OQAM, etc.

[0145] The Fourier transform used in this application may refer to DFT, FFT, or GDFT, etc., without limitation. A unified explanation is provided here, and it will not be repeated hereafter. For an introduction to DFT, FFT, or GDFT, please refer to the description of the technical terms involved in this application above.

[0146] The linear frequency modulated signal in this application can be a discrete signal or an analog signal, which can be set as needed. For example, if the linear frequency modulated signal is a discrete signal, then the linear frequency modulated signal can be represented as follows: A can be set to any value, n is an integer, and c1 is an arbitrary value, for example, c1 = -1 / N. For ease of description, this application uses A equal to 1 as an example. If the linear frequency modulated signal is an analog signal, the linear frequency modulated signal can be expressed as cos(2πf0t + 2πat). 2f0 represents the starting frequency of the linear frequency modulated signal, and a represents the modulation frequency, which is the rate at which the frequency of the Chirp signal changes with time.

[0147] S302: The communication device 201 maps the K signals included in the first signal to K frequency domain units respectively to obtain the second signal.

[0148] In this application, a frequency domain unit includes a continuous segment of resources in the frequency domain. For example, a frequency domain unit includes at least one subcarrier, or at least one resource element (RE), etc.

[0149] S303: The communication device 201 performs an inverse Fourier transform on the second signal to obtain the third signal.

[0150] The inverse Fourier transform used in this application may refer to IDFT, IFFT, or GIDFT, etc., without limitation. A unified explanation is provided here, and it will not be repeated hereafter. For an introduction to IDFT, IFFT, or GIDFT, please refer to the description of the technical terms involved in this application above.

[0151] S304: The communication device 201 interacts with the third signal and the linear frequency modulation signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

[0152] One possible implementation is that the communication device 201 multiplies the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted. Multiplying the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal can also be understood as dividing the third signal by the reciprocal of the linear frequency modulated signal.

[0153] The S304 can spread a narrowband frequency domain signal (such as the second signal) that occupies K frequency domain units into a wideband signal.

[0154] For example, let the second signal be d k k = 0, 1, ..., K-1, communication device 201 performs IFFT on the second signal, and the linear frequency modulated signal is... Taking the signal to be transmitted as s(n), n=n0,…,n0+N-1, where N is an integer greater than or equal to K, the second signal, the third signal, and the signal to be transmitted satisfy the following relationship:

[0155] In the above relationship This can represent the OFDM signal generation process in conventional techniques, such as multiplying a reference signal sequence / data signal sequence with a frequency starting position of k0 by a phase e. j2πφ(k) Perform an IFFT to obtain the third signal. Subsequently, communication device 201 can multiply the third signal by a linear frequency modulated signal. The signal to be transmitted, s(n), is obtained. Wherein, the phase e... j2πφ(k)It can be

[0156] Understandably, by differentiating the phase, we can obtain the frequency occupied by the signal to be transmitted, such as... It can be seen that the above frequency changes linearly with the time-domain sampling index n (i.e., linear frequency modulation). Therefore, within the transmission period of the OFDM signal, the frequency of the signal to be transmitted can be expressed as MΔf + 2c1T, thus realizing the spread spectrum of a narrowband signal onto a wideband signal. Here, T is the transmission period of the OFDM signal, M represents the number of REs occupied by the OFDM signal, Δf represents the subcarrier spacing of the OFDM signal, so MΔf can represent the transmission bandwidth of the OFDM signal, and 2c1T represents the spread spectrum of each subcarrier to 2c1T.

[0157] For example, Figure 4(a) shows the bandwidth of the OFDM signal, and Figure 4(b) shows the bandwidth of the signal to be transmitted. Within the range of 0 to T, the bandwidth of the OFDM signal is MΔf, and the bandwidth of the signal to be transmitted can be extended to MΔf+2c1T.

[0158] S305: Communication device 201 sends a signal to be sent.

[0159] Optionally, the signal to be transmitted is a digital signal, and the communication device 201 converts the signal to be transmitted into an analog signal and transmits the analog signal.

[0160] In one possible design, if the signal to be transmitted is used for communication, then the signal can be received by the communication device 202. Subsequently, the communication device 202 can parse the received signal to obtain the data signal it carries, or the communication device 202 can perform operations such as channel estimation based on the reference signal it carries.

[0161] Another possible design is that the signal to be transmitted is used for sensing. After the signal reaches the target, it will form an echo signal. The echo signal can be received by the communication device 201 to sense the target, or the echo signal can be received by a communication device other than the communication device 201 (such as the communication device 202) to sense the target.

[0162] For example, taking the echo signal being received by the communication device 201 as an example, the communication device 201 can perform analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) on the echo signal and perform baseband (BB) detection on the signal after ADC conversion, such as performing Fourier transform or amplitude detection on the signal after ADC conversion, to realize the perception of the target.

[0163] Optionally, the communication device 201 may perform one or more operations such as mixing or filtering before performing analog-to-digital conversion.

[0164] For example, as shown in Figure 5, the communication device 201 can mix the signal to be transmitted and the echo signal of the signal to be transmitted (e.g., De-Chirp), input the mixed signal into a low-pass filter module, input the low-pass filtered signal into an analog-to-digital converter module, and input the analog-to-digital converter signal into a BB detection module to obtain the sensing result, such as the distance of the target from the communication device 201 or the position of the target.

[0165] Understandably, if the communication device 201 performs a mixing operation, the implementation complexity and power consumption of the communication device 201 can be reduced.

[0166] Based on the method shown in Figure 3, the communication device 201 performs OFDM modulation and linear frequency modulation on the first signal carrying the data signal / reference signal to obtain a linear frequency modulated signal. This method reduces the implementation complexity and power consumption of the signal receiver; it also enables spread spectrum transmission, thus improving sensing performance when the signal to be transmitted is used for sensing.

[0167] In conventional technologies, communication systems typically widen narrowband signals using frequency hopping. For example, in the uplink scenario shown in Figure 6, the terminal can transmit an uplink reference signal via frequency hopping to achieve broadband measurement. In the downlink scenario shown in Figure 6, the terminal can receive a downlink reference signal via frequency hopping to achieve broadband measurement. Both the uplink and downlink scenarios require transmitting reference signals with different bandwidths across different time-domain resources to piece together a large-bandwidth reference signal. This results in significant time-domain resource overhead for the reference signal. Compared to frequency hopping, the method shown in Figure 3 is easier to implement and has lower time-domain resource overhead.

[0168] Optionally, in one possible implementation of the method shown in Figure 3, the linear frequency modulated signal is a discrete signal, and the communication device 201 can first perform chirp modulation and then perform digital-to-analog conversion. Furthermore, to ensure compatibility with OFDM symbols in conventional technologies, alignment at the symbol level or slot level can be considered.

[0169] One possible implementation, as shown in Figure 7A, involves the communication device 201 interacting with the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain a fourth signal in S304. A cyclic prefix (CP) or a guard interval (GI) is then added to the fourth signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted. Subsequently, the communication device 201 can perform digital-to-analog conversion on the signal to be transmitted before transmitting it.

[0170] Example 1: Taking the fourth signal as s(n), n = n0, ..., n0 + N - 1, the signal to be transmitted as s′(l), l = n0, ..., n0 + L + N - 1, and the length of CP as L, the fourth signal and the signal to be transmitted can satisfy the following relationship: s′(l) = [s(n0 + NL: n0 + N - 1), s(n)], that is, the last L sampling points of s(n) can be copied and appended to the beginning of s(n) to obtain s′(l).

[0171] Example 2, taking the fourth signal as s(n), n=n0,…,n0+N-1, and the signal to be transmitted as s′(l), l=n0,…,n0+L+N-1, where GI includes L zeros, the fourth signal and the signal to be transmitted can satisfy the following relationship: s′(l)=[0 L*1 [,s(n)], that is, add L zeros at the beginning of s(n). This method can reduce interference during perception.

[0172] Another possible implementation, as shown in Figure 7B, involves the communication device 201 performing an inverse Fourier transform on the second signal to obtain a fifth signal in step S303. Then, a CP is added to the fifth signal to obtain a third signal. Subsequently, the communication device 201 can interact the third signal with a linear frequency modulated signal to obtain a signal to be transmitted. This signal is then converted from digital to analog before being transmitted.

[0173] Example 3, with the second signal as d k k = 0, 1, ..., K-1, communication device 201 performs IFFT on the second signal, and the linear frequency modulated signal is... Taking the length of CP as L, and the signal to be transmitted as s(n), where n = n0, ..., n0+L, ..., n0+L+N-1, and N is an integer greater than or equal to K, the second signal, the third signal, and the signal to be transmitted satisfy the following relationship:

[0174] In Example 3, the communication device 201 applies CP first and then performs Chirp modulation, so the spreading bandwidth corresponding to the signal to be transmitted is wider than that in Examples 1 and 2. For example, Figure 8 shows the spreading bandwidth corresponding to the signal to be transmitted in Example 3.

[0175] Understandably, the above method allows for symbol-level alignment between the signal to be transmitted and OFDM symbols in conventional technologies. The following describes the method for slot-level alignment between the signal to be transmitted and OFDM symbols in conventional technologies.

[0176] One possible implementation is that the communication device 201 does not perform the CP / GI addition operation, but directly places the signals after OFDM modulation and Chirp modulation (such as the signals to be transmitted obtained through S301-S304) consecutively to obtain 15 signals. Since the length of 14 CPs is the same as the length of one OFDM symbol, the length of these 15 signals is the same as the length of 14 OFDM symbols with added CPs, thereby achieving time slot-level alignment. Specifically, this can be shown in Figure 9A. In other words, the signals to be transmitted repeat periodically with the OFDM symbol duration, which can achieve time slot-level alignment with the frame structure of the communication system.

[0177] In summary, the length of the time-domain resources occupied by the signal to be transmitted can be a first duration. This first duration can be equal to the length of one time slot, the length of 14 time-domain symbols, 1 millisecond, 0.5 milliseconds, 2 milliseconds, 0.25 milliseconds, or 0.125 milliseconds, etc. Alternatively, the time-domain resources occupied by the signal to be transmitted can include 15 time-domain symbols. These 15 time-domain symbols do not include CP or GI.

[0178] Understandably, in the above possible implementations, Chirp modulation is implemented on the digital end, so the communication device 201 has more processing space for time-domain signals. For example, the communication device 201 can flexibly choose whether to add CP and the way to add CP to adapt to the needs of different scenarios.

[0179] Optionally, in one possible implementation of the method shown in Figure 3, the linear frequency modulated signal is an analog signal. The communication device 201 can first perform digital-to-analog conversion and then perform Chirp modulation to achieve analog-side Chirp modulation. Compared with digital-side Chirp modulation, analog-side Chirp modulation has lower requirements, thus reducing the implementation complexity of the communication device 201. Therefore, analog-side Chirp modulation is suitable for low-cost devices or scenarios requiring low power consumption. Furthermore, to ensure compatibility with OFDM symbols in conventional technologies, alignment at the symbol level or time slot level can be considered.

[0180] One possible implementation, as shown in Figure 7C, is that for S304, the communication device 201 can perform digital-to-analog conversion on the third signal to obtain the sixth signal, and then interact the sixth signal with the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

[0181] One possible design is that the communication device 201 does not perform the CP / GI addition operation, but directly places the OFDM modulated digital terminal signal (such as the third signal in the previous section) continuously to obtain 15 signals. Since the length of 14 CPs is the same as the length of 1 OFDM symbol, the length of these 15 signals is the same as the length of 14 OFDM symbols with added CPs, thereby achieving time slot-level alignment. Specifically, this can be shown in Figure 9B.

[0182] In another possible design, communication device 201 can apply CP / GI to the third signal and then perform digital-to-analog conversion to obtain the sixth signal. The way communication device 201 applies CP / GI to the third signal is similar to the way communication device 201 applies CP / GI to the fourth signal, as described above, and can be referred to the corresponding description above, so it will not be repeated here.

[0183] Optionally, after performing digital-to-analog conversion, the communication device 201 can also filter the obtained analog signal (such as the sixth signal mentioned above), and interact the filtered signal with the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

[0184] For example, let the filtered signal be s″(t), the signal to be transmitted be s″′(t), and the linear frequency modulated signal be cos(2πf0t+2πat). 2 For example, the filtered signal, the signal to be transmitted, and the linear frequency modulated signal can satisfy the following relationship: s″′(t)=s″(t)cos(2πf0t+2πat) 2 ).

[0185] Optionally, in one possible implementation of the method shown in Figure 3, the network can configure the frequency domain resources occupied by the signal to be transmitted, and / or the modulation bandwidth of the linear frequency modulated signal, and / or the modulation frequency of the linear frequency modulated signal.

[0186] In one possible implementation, communication device 201 is an access network node, and communication device 202 is a terminal. In this case, communication device 201 sends first information to communication device 202. The first information may indicate one or more of the following: a first frequency domain resource, the modulation frequency of a linear frequency modulated (LFM) signal, or the modulation bandwidth of a LFM signal. The first frequency domain resource is used to transmit a signal after LFM modulation, such as the signal to be transmitted described above. After receiving the first information, communication device 202 can receive the signal to be transmitted on the first frequency domain resource. Communication device 202 can also process the received signal according to the modulation bandwidth of the LFM signal and / or the modulation frequency of the LFM signal.

[0187] In another possible implementation, communication device 201 is a terminal and communication device 202 is an access network node. In this case, communication device 202 sends first information to communication device 201. The first information may indicate one or more of the following: a first frequency domain resource, the modulation frequency of the linear frequency modulated (LFM) signal, or the modulation bandwidth of the LFM signal. After receiving the first information, communication device 201 can transmit the aforementioned signal to be transmitted on the first frequency domain resource. Communication device 201 can also perform chirp modulation based on the modulation bandwidth of the LFM signal and / or the modulation frequency of the LFM signal.

[0188] One possible design is that the first frequency domain resource includes a bandwidth part (BWP) to facilitate network resource scheduling. In this case, the first information can carry an identifier of the BWP to indicate the first frequency domain resource.

[0189] Another possible design is that the first frequency domain resource includes a bandwidth segment within a certain BWP, allowing the network to flexibly allocate resources. In this case, the first information can carry the identifier of the BWP, the identifier of the starting subcarrier of the first frequency domain resource within that BWP, and the bandwidth of the first frequency domain resource to indicate the first frequency domain resource.

[0190] For example, the first frequency domain resource includes one or more of BWP 1001 to BWP 1003 shown in FIG. 10, or the first frequency domain resource includes bandwidth 1004 in BWP 1001 shown in FIG. 10. It is understood that if the first frequency domain resource includes BWP 1001, then BWP 1002 to BWP 1003 can be used for OFDM signals in conventional techniques.

[0191] Optionally, the first frequency domain resource includes the transmission bandwidth of the signal to be transmitted and a guard bandwidth. The guard bandwidth is continuous with the transmission bandwidth of the signal to be transmitted in the frequency domain, and the guard bandwidth can be used by the communication device 202 to directly filter the signal using a filter related to the aforementioned transmission bandwidth in the time domain.

[0192] Optionally, the first frequency domain resource is a dedicated resource, such as a resource specifically used for transmitting Chirp-modulated signals. In this case, after receiving the first information, communication device 201 can determine that it should transmit the signal using Chirp modulation (i.e., the method provided in this application). After receiving the first information, communication device 202 can determine that it should process the received signal using Chirp modulation (i.e., the method provided in this application).

[0193] Optionally, the first information carries corresponding indication information to indicate whether the first frequency domain resource is dedicated to transmitting Chirp-modulated signals.

[0194] In this application, the first information may indicate a single carrier bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz) as the modulation bandwidth of the linear frequency modulated (LFM) signal, or the first information may indicate multiple carrier bandwidths (e.g., five 20 MHz bands) as the modulation bandwidth of the LFM signal. Furthermore, the network can configure the modulation bandwidth of the LFM signal according to sensing requirements. It should be understood that a larger modulation bandwidth results in better sensing performance.

[0195] Optionally, the modulation bandwidth of the linear frequency modulated signal is the same as the bandwidth corresponding to the first frequency domain resource to facilitate network resource configuration. In this case, the first information can indicate the first frequency domain resource and indicate that the modulation bandwidth of the linear frequency modulated signal is the same as the bandwidth corresponding to the first frequency domain resource.

[0196] Optionally, in one possible implementation of the method shown in Figure 3, the terminal can report its own capabilities so that the network can configure the terminal with the corresponding information, such as sending the aforementioned first information to the terminal.

[0197] In one possible implementation, communication device 201 is an access network node, and communication device 202 is a terminal. Communication device 202 can send capability information of communication device 202 to communication device 201. This capability information indicates one or more of the following: the bandwidth of the carrier frequency signal suggested by communication device 202, the modulation frequency of the linear frequency modulation signal suggested by communication device 202, the period of the linear frequency modulation signal suggested by communication device 202, or the guard bandwidth suggested by communication device 202. After receiving the above capability information, communication device 201 can send first information according to the capability information.

[0198] Understandably, if the communication device 202 wants to perform chirp signal processing on a certain frequency band, the aforementioned capability information can carry the bandwidth of the carrier frequency signal suggested by the communication device 202 to indicate the bandwidth that the communication device 202 expects to receive the chirp signal. For example, the aforementioned capability information includes the start frequency and / or end frequency of the bandwidth.

[0199] Understandably, different chirp signals correspond to different low-pass filters, so communication device 202 may want to receive one or more chirp signals, rather than just any chirp signal. In this case, the capability information may include the modulation frequency of the linear frequency modulated signal suggested by communication device 202, and / or the period of the linear frequency modulated signal suggested by communication device 202.

[0200] Optionally, the modulation frequency of the linear frequency modulated (LFM) signal is related to c1. The period of the LFM signal is related to the subcarrier spacing, or to the length of an OFDM symbol, or to the sum of the length of a CP and the length of an OFDM symbol, or to the length of a time slot.

[0201] Understandably, the protection bandwidth is related to the filtering capability of the communication device 202. If the filtering capability of the communication device 202 is low and a simpler filter is used, then the communication device 202 can recommend a larger protection bandwidth. If the filtering capability of the communication device 202 is high and a more complex filter is used, then the communication device 202 can recommend a smaller protection bandwidth.

[0202] The various embodiments mentioned above in this application can be combined without contradiction, and no limitation is imposed.

[0203] The above mainly describes the solution provided in this application from the perspective of interaction between various network elements. Correspondingly, this application also provides a communication device, which can be the communication device 201 in the above method embodiments, or a device including the communication device 201, or a component that can be used in the communication device 201. It is understood that, in order to achieve the above functions, the communication device 201, etc., includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function.

[0204] Figure 11 shows a possible exemplary block diagram of the communication device involved in the embodiments of this application. As shown in Figure 11, the communication device 110 may include modules or units for implementing the method embodiments described above. In one possible design, the communication device 110 includes a processing module 1101 and a communication module 1102. The processing module 1101, also referred to as a processing unit, is used to perform operations other than transmission and reception operations, and may be, for example, a processing circuit or a processor. The communication module 1102, also referred to as an interface unit, is used to perform transmission and reception operations, and may be, for example, an interface circuit, a transceiver, a transceiver unit, or a communication interface.

[0205] In some embodiments, the communication device 110 may further include a storage module (not shown in FIG11) for storing one or more of program instructions, program code or data.

[0206] In some embodiments, the communication device 110 may further include an AI module (not shown in FIG11) for implementing AI-related functions. The AI ​​module can implement AI functions through software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. For example, the AI ​​module includes an RIC module. Optionally, the AI ​​module and the storage module are integrated into one module, or the AI ​​module and the processing module 1101 are integrated into one module.

[0207] For example, the communication device 110 may be the communication device 201 in the above embodiments or a module (e.g., circuit, chip or chip system, etc.) in the communication device 201.

[0208] For example, in one embodiment, processing module 1101 is used to acquire a first signal and a linear frequency modulated signal. For example, processing module 1101 may be used to execute S301.

[0209] The processing module 1101 is further configured to map the K signals included in the first signal to K frequency domain units respectively to obtain the second signal. For example, the processing module 1101 can be used to execute S302.

[0210] The processing module 1101 is also used to perform an inverse Fourier transform on the second signal to obtain a third signal. For example, the processing module 1101 can be used to execute S303.

[0211] Processing module 1101 is also used to interact the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted. For example, processing module 1101 can be used to execute S304.

[0212] Communication module 1102 is used to transmit the signal to be transmitted. For example, communication module 1102 can be used to execute S305.

[0213] It is understood that the division of units in the above-described device is merely a logical functional division. One function can correspond to one functional unit, or two or more functions can be integrated into one functional unit. In actual implementation, all or some units can be integrated onto a single physical entity, or distributed across different physical entities. Furthermore, the aforementioned functional units can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both. Whether a function is executed 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 specific applications, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0214] It is understood that one or more of the above modules or units can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of both. When any of the above modules or units are implemented by software, the software exists as computer program instructions and is stored in memory. The processor can be used to execute the program instructions and implement the above method flow. The processor can be built into a SoC or ASIC, or it can be a separate semiconductor chip. In addition to the core that executes the software instructions for computation or processing, the processor may further include necessary hardware accelerators, such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), or logic circuits that implement dedicated logic operations.

[0215] When the above modules or units are implemented in hardware, the hardware can be any one or any combination of a central processing unit (CPU), microprocessor, digital signal processing (DSP) chip, microcontroller unit (MCU), artificial intelligence processor, ASIC, SoC, FPGA, PLD, application-specific digital circuit, hardware accelerator, or non-integrated discrete device, which can run the necessary software or perform the above method flow independently of software.

[0216] In specific implementations, the communication device 201 in the above embodiments may adopt the composition structure shown in FIG12, or include the components shown in FIG12. FIG12 shows a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a communication device applicable to this application. It is understood that the communication device 120 includes means of necessary forms such as modules, units, elements, circuits, or interfaces, which are appropriately configured together to execute the solution provided in this application. For example, the communication device 120 includes one or more processors 1201 for implementing the method provided in this application.

[0217] Processor 1201 can be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor. For example, processor 1201 can be a baseband processor or a CPU. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the central processing unit can be used to control the communication device 120 (such as an access network node, terminal, or chip), execute software programs, and process data from the software programs. Optionally, in one design, processor 1201 may include program 1205 (sometimes also referred to as code or instructions), which can be run on processor 1201 to cause communication device 120 to perform the methods described in the above embodiments. In yet another possible design, communication device 120 includes circuitry (not shown in FIG12) for implementing the functions of communication device 201 in the above embodiments.

[0218] Optionally, the communication device 120 may include one or more memories 1203. The memory 1203 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM), cache, or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions. It may also be an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media, or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory provided in this application may generally be non-volatile. Optionally, the memory 1203 stores a program 1207 (sometimes referred to as code or instructions), which can be run on the processor 1201 to cause the communication device 120 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0219] Optionally, the processor 1201 may include an AI module 1206, and / or the memory 1203 may include an AI module 1208. The aforementioned AI modules are used to implement AI-related functions. The AI ​​modules can be implemented through software, hardware, or a combination of both. For example, the AI ​​module may include a RIC module. For example, the AI ​​module can be a near real-time RIC or a non-real-time RIC.

[0220] Optionally, data may also be stored in the processor 1201 and / or the memory 1203. The processor 1201 and the memory 1203 may be configured separately or integrated together.

[0221] Optionally, the communication device 120 may also include a transceiver 1202 and / or an antenna 1204. The processor 1201, sometimes referred to as a processing unit, controls the communication device 120. The transceiver 1202, sometimes referred to as a transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiver circuit, or transceiver, is used to realize the transmission and reception functions of the communication device 120 through the antenna 1204.

[0222] It is understood that the composition shown in Figure 12 does not constitute a limitation on the communication device. In addition to the components shown in Figure 12, the communication device may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0223] In one example, the functional units in the communication device 110 may be one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the methods described above, such as: one or more ASICs, or one or more CPUs, one or more MCUs, one or more DSPs, or one or more FPGAs, or a combination of at least two of these integrated circuit forms. For example, the processing module 1101 is configured as a processor 1201, the communication module 1102 is configured as a transceiver 1202, and the storage module of the communication device 110 is configured as a memory 1203.

[0224] Optionally, this application also provides a chip system, including: at least one processor and an interface, wherein the at least one processor is coupled to a memory via the interface, and when the at least one processor executes a computer program or instructions in the memory, the method in any of the above method embodiments is executed. In one possible implementation, the chip system further includes a memory. Optionally, the chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices; this application does not specifically limit this.

[0225] Optionally, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium. All or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. This program can be stored in the aforementioned computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the program can include the processes described in the above method embodiments. The computer-readable storage medium can be an internal storage unit of the communication device in any of the foregoing embodiments, such as the hard disk or memory of the communication device. The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium can also be an external storage device of the communication device, such as a plug-in hard disk, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc., equipped on the communication device. Further, the aforementioned computer-readable storage medium can include both internal storage units and external storage devices of the communication device. The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium is used to store the aforementioned computer program and other programs and data required by the communication device. The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0226] Optionally, this application also provides a computer program product. All or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be executed by a computer program instructing related hardware. This program can be stored in the above computer program product, and when executed, it can include the processes described in the above method embodiments.

[0227] Optionally, this application also provides computer instructions. All or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be executed by computer instructions instructing related hardware (such as a computer, processor, terminal, or access network node). The program can be stored in the aforementioned computer-readable storage medium or the aforementioned computer program product.

[0228] Optionally, this application also provides a communication system, including: the communication device 201 and the communication device 202 in the above embodiments.

[0229] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, only the division of the above functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0230] It is understood that the term "connection" in this application can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection; furthermore, it can refer to an electrical connection or a communication connection. For example, the connection of two electrical components A and B can refer to a direct connection between A and B, or an indirect connection between A and B through other electrical components or connection media, enabling the transmission of electrical signals between A and B; similarly, the connection of two devices A and B can refer to a direct connection between A and B, or an indirect connection between A and B through other communication devices or communication media, enabling communication between A and B.

[0231] It is understood that the message names or parameter names between network elements in the above embodiments of this application are merely examples, and other names may be used in specific implementations. This application does not impose any specific limitations on these names. Furthermore, the terms "system" and "network" in this application can be used interchangeably.

[0232] It is understood that in this application, " / " can indicate that the objects before and after it 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. Here, A and B can be singular or plural. Furthermore, expressions like "at least one of A, B, and C" or "at least one of A, B, or C" are generally used to indicate any of the following: A exists alone; B exists alone; C exists alone; A and B exist simultaneously; A and C exist simultaneously; B and C exist simultaneously; A, B, and C exist simultaneously. The above examples using three elements (A, B, and C) illustrate the optional entries for this item. When the expression contains more elements, its meaning can be obtained according to the aforementioned rules.

[0233] To facilitate the description of the technical solutions of this application, the terms "first" and "second" may be used to distinguish technical features with the same or similar functions. The terms "first" and "second" do not limit the number or execution order, nor do they imply that they are necessarily different. In this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design scheme described as "exemplary" or "for example" should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. The use of "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner for ease of understanding.

[0234] It is understood that the term "embodiment" used throughout the specification means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic related to an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, various embodiments throughout the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, these specific features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. It is understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the sequence number of each process does not imply a sequential order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of this application.

[0235] It is understood that in this application, "when," "under the circumstances," "if," and "if" all refer to the corresponding processing that will be carried out under certain objective circumstances, and are not time-limited, nor do they require that there must be a judgment action when implemented, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0236] It is understood that some optional features in this application can be implemented independently in certain scenarios without relying on other features, such as the current solution upon which they are based, to solve the corresponding technical problems and achieve the corresponding effects. Alternatively, they can be combined with other features as needed in certain scenarios. Correspondingly, the apparatus provided in this application can also implement these features or functions, which will not be elaborated here.

[0237] It is understood that the same step or step with the same function or technical feature in this application can be referenced and learned from each other in different embodiments.

[0238] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules or 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 device, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0239] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. A component shown as a unit can be one or more physical units; that is, it can be located in one place or distributed in multiple different locations. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0240] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0241] 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 within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: Acquire a first signal and a linear frequency modulated signal. The first signal is obtained based on a reference signal sequence or a data signal sequence. The first signal includes K signals, where K is an integer greater than 1. The first signal is obtained by mapping the K signals to K frequency domain units respectively. Perform an inverse Fourier transform on the second signal to obtain the third signal; The third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal interact to obtain the signal to be transmitted; Send the signal to be sent.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of interacting the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted includes: The third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal are multiplied together to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The step of interacting the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted includes: The third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal interact to obtain a fourth signal; Add a cyclic prefix or guard interval to the fourth signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The step of performing an inverse Fourier transform on the second signal to obtain the third signal includes: Perform an inverse Fourier transform on the second signal to obtain the fifth signal; The third signal is obtained by adding a cyclic prefix to the fifth signal.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The linear frequency modulated signal is a discrete signal; Sending the signal to be sent includes: The signal to be transmitted is converted from digital to analog before being transmitted.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The linear frequency modulated signal is an analog signal; The step of interacting the third signal and the linear frequency modulated signal to obtain the signal to be transmitted includes: Perform digital-to-analog conversion on the third signal to obtain the sixth signal; The sixth signal and the linear frequency modulated signal interact to obtain the signal to be transmitted.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The step of performing digital-to-analog conversion on the third signal to obtain the sixth signal includes: After adding a cyclic prefix or guard interval to the third signal, perform digital-to-analog conversion to obtain the sixth signal.

8. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The length of the time domain resources occupied by the signal to be transmitted is a first duration, which is equal to the length of one time slot, the length of 14 time domain symbols, 1 millisecond, 0.5 milliseconds, 2 milliseconds, 0.25 milliseconds, or 0.125 milliseconds.

9. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 8, characterized in that, The time-domain resources occupied by the signal to be transmitted include 15 time-domain symbols.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The 15 time-domain symbols do not contain cyclic prefixes or guard intervals.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: Sending or receiving first information, the first information indicating one or more of the following: a first frequency domain resource, the modulation frequency of a linear frequency modulated signal, or the modulation bandwidth of the linear frequency modulated signal; The first frequency domain resource is used to transmit the signal after linear frequency modulation.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The bandwidth corresponding to the first frequency domain resource is the same as the modulation bandwidth.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal receives capability information, which indicates one or more of the following: the bandwidth of the carrier frequency signal suggested by the terminal, the modulation frequency of the linear frequency modulation signal suggested by the terminal, the period of the linear frequency modulation signal suggested by the terminal, or the guard bandwidth suggested by the terminal. The protection bandwidth is related to the filtering capability of the terminal.

14. A communication device, characterized in that, Includes units or modules for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A processor coupled to a memory for storing programs or instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

16. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, It includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

17. A computer program product, characterized in that, It includes computer program code that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 13.

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