Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

A communication method and apparatus, which are capable of improving the mobility performance of a terminal device. In the method, when a terminal measures / predicts a non-configured frequency point, the terminal can send information to indicate the non-configured frequency point to a base station. That is, the terminal can be enabled to report a frequency point other than that configured by the base station, such that the base station can update a neighbor cell relationship in real time, and can further perform more rational mobility management on the basis of the updated neighbor cell relationship, thereby improving the mobility performance of the terminal device. Further, the terminal device can also report a measurement result of a non-configured frequency point, such that the base station can switch or redirect the terminal device in a timely manner to a cell on the non-configured frequency point having a relatively good signal quality, thereby ensuring normal service transmission and improving the user experience.

Description

Communication methods and devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411833731.4, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on December 12, 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 communications, and more particularly to communication methods and apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] In mobile communication systems, base stations make mobility decisions based on measurement reports from terminals. Specifically, the base station sends measurement configurations to the terminal, such as measurement identifiers, measurement object configurations, and reporting configurations; the terminal performs measurements on the objects configured by the base station and reports the measurement results to the base station according to the reporting configurations.

[0004] In the current measurement reporting process, the terminal only reports the measurement results of the measurement objects configured in the measurement configuration. The reported content is limited, which may affect the terminal's mobility performance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and apparatus that can improve the mobility performance of terminal devices.

[0006] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a terminal device, or by a component of the terminal device, such as a processor, chip, or chip system, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal device's functions. The method includes: receiving first measurement configuration information, which indicates at least one measurement object, and the at least one measurement object indicates at least one first frequency point; and sending first information, which indicates at least one second frequency point, wherein the at least one second frequency point is a frequency point other than the at least one first frequency point.

[0007] Based on this scheme, in addition to the measurement frequencies configured by the network device, if the terminal device measures or acquires other frequencies (i.e., a second frequency), it can send information to the network device to indicate the second frequency. In other words, it enables the terminal device to report frequencies other than those configured by the network device, allowing the network device to obtain information about the second frequency. This facilitates the network device in updating neighbor cell relationships, and subsequently, based on the updated neighbor cell relationships, it can improve mobility policies, perform more reasonable mobility management, and enhance the mobility performance of the terminal device.

[0008] In one possible design, the method further includes receiving second information, which instructs the terminal device to send the first information. Based on this possible design, the network device can flexibly control the terminal device to report a second frequency point. For example, when the network device expects the terminal device to report a frequency point other than the frequency point configured by the network device, the network device can enable the terminal device to report the unconfigured frequency point through the second information, thereby enabling the network device to update neighbor cell relationships in a timely manner.

[0009] In one possible design, the method further includes receiving third information, which indicates a first list and / or a second list. The first list indicates a second frequency point that is allowed to be reported by the terminal device, and the second list indicates a third frequency point that is not allowed to be reported by the terminal device, wherein the third frequency point is at least one frequency point other than the first frequency point.

[0010] Based on this possible design, network devices can flexibly control the frequency points reported by terminal devices through a first list and / or a second list. This prevents terminal devices from omitting frequency points that should be reported or from reporting unnecessary frequency points, thus avoiding resource waste. For example, if congestion occurs on frequency point A, the network device may not configure frequency point A for the terminal device. In this case, the network device can add frequency point A to the second list, thereby preventing the terminal device from reporting frequency point A. If the network device does not configure the second list or does not add frequency point A to the second list, the terminal device will report frequency point A. However, due to congestion on frequency point A, the network device cannot switch the terminal device to frequency point A or perform other corresponding processing, resulting in no response from the terminal device's report and wasting reporting resources.

[0011] In one possible design, the first information is also used to indicate the identifier of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point. Based on this possible design, network devices can learn about one or more cells on the second frequency point, thereby further updating neighbor cell relationships.

[0012] In one possible design, the method further includes measuring at least one second frequency point.

[0013] In one possible design, the method further includes: receiving second measurement configuration information, the second measurement configuration information being used to indicate at least one of the following: measurement target configuration of a second frequency point; or, measurement reporting configuration of a second frequency point; or, measurement interval configuration of a second frequency point; or, measurement priority information, the measurement priority information being used to indicate the priority of measuring at least one first frequency point and / or a second frequency point.

[0014] In one possible design, measuring at least one second frequency point includes: measuring at least one second frequency point according to second measurement configuration information.

[0015] Based on the two possible designs mentioned above, the network device configures the measurement of non-configurable frequency points, enabling the terminal device to perform measurements and report on non-configurable frequency points based on the network device's configuration. This improves the network device's control over the terminal device's measurement of non-configurable frequency points. The network device can also provide appropriate measurement configurations for the terminal device, avoiding unnecessary measurements or reports by the terminal device, which could lead to a waste of terminal power consumption or time and frequency resources.

[0016] In one possible design, the measurement reporting configuration of the second frequency point is used to indicate a reporting trigger event corresponding to the second frequency point. The reporting trigger event includes at least one of the following: the top X cells with the strongest signal quality among at least one cell measured by the terminal device, including the cell on the second frequency point, where X is an integer greater than or equal to 1; or, the signal quality of the cell on the second frequency point is greater than or equal to a first threshold; or, the difference between the signal quality of the cell on the second frequency point and the signal quality of the serving cell is greater than or equal to a second threshold; or, the difference between the signal quality of the cell on the second frequency point and the signal quality of the cell on any of the at least one first frequency point is greater than or equal to a third threshold.

[0017] Based on this possible design, terminal devices can report non-configured frequency points and signal quality based on the reporting trigger events configured by the network devices. This allows terminal devices to report measurement results related to non-configured frequency points when necessary, avoiding the reporting of useless information when conditions are not met, thereby preventing resource waste.

[0018] In one possible design, the first information is also used to indicate the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point. For example, the first information is used to indicate at least one second frequency point, the identification of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point, and the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point.

[0019] Based on this possible design, the terminal device can report the signal quality of the cell on the non-configured frequency point to the network device in real time, so that the network device can perform mobility management in a timely manner according to the signal quality, such as switching or redirecting the terminal device to the cell on the non-configured frequency point, thereby improving the mobility performance of the terminal device.

[0020] In one possible design, the method further includes sending a fourth message indicating that the terminal device will leave the current serving cell and access a cell on at least one second frequency point.

[0021] In one possible design, the method further includes: starting a first timer; and if the first timer times out and the user is not switched or redirected to a cell on at least one second frequency, accessing a cell on at least one second frequency.

[0022] Based on the two possible designs described above, the terminal device indicates to the network device that it is about to leave the current serving cell, preventing the network device from continuing to send data or schedule resources to the terminal device after it leaves, thereby avoiding waste of radio and network resources. Furthermore, based on the first timer, the terminal device and the network device can synchronize the time when the terminal device leaves the current serving cell, thereby synchronizing the time when the network device stops scheduling or sending data, again avoiding waste of radio and network resources.

[0023] Secondly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a network device, or by a component of the network device, such as a processor, chip, or chip system, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the network device. The method includes: sending first measurement configuration information, which indicates at least one measurement object, and the at least one measurement object indicates at least one first frequency point; and receiving first information, which indicates at least one second frequency point, where the at least one second frequency point is a frequency point other than the at least one first frequency point. The technical effects of this second aspect are analogous to those of the first aspect described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0024] In one possible design, the method further includes sending a second message that indicates permission for the terminal device to send the first message.

[0025] In one possible design, the method further includes: sending third information, which indicates a first list and / or a second list. The first list indicates a second frequency point that is allowed to be reported by the terminal device, and the second list indicates a third frequency point that is not allowed to be reported by the terminal device, wherein the third frequency point is at least one frequency point other than the first frequency point.

[0026] In one possible design, the first information is also used to indicate the identification of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point.

[0027] In one possible design, the method further includes updating the neighbor relationships based on the first information.

[0028] In one possible design, the method further includes: sending second measurement configuration information, the second measurement configuration information being used to indicate at least one of the following: measurement target configuration for a second frequency point; or, measurement reporting configuration for a second frequency point; or, measurement interval configuration for a second frequency point; or, measurement priority information, the measurement priority information being used to indicate the priority of measuring at least one first frequency point and / or a second frequency point.

[0029] In one possible design, the measurement reporting configuration of the at least one second frequency point is used to indicate a reporting trigger event corresponding to the at least one second frequency point. The reporting trigger event includes at least one of the following: the top X cells with the strongest signal quality among at least one cell measured by the terminal device, including cells on at least one second frequency point, where X is an integer greater than or equal to 1; or, the signal quality of the cells on at least one second frequency point is greater than or equal to a first threshold; or, the difference between the signal quality of the cells on at least one second frequency point and the signal quality of the serving cell is greater than or equal to a second threshold; or, the difference between the signal quality of the cells on at least one second frequency point and the signal quality of cells on any of the at least one first frequency point is greater than or equal to a third threshold.

[0030] In one possible design, the first information is also used to indicate the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point. For example, the first information is used to indicate at least one second frequency point, the identification of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point, and the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point.

[0031] In one possible design, the method further includes: switching or redirecting the terminal to a cell on at least one second frequency point based on the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point.

[0032] Based on this possible design, network devices can switch or redirect terminal devices to cells on non-configured frequency points through handover or redirection, enabling terminal devices to access cells on non-configured frequency points, thereby ensuring the continuity of terminal device services and improving user experience.

[0033] In one possible design, the method further includes receiving fourth information, which indicates that the terminal device will leave the current serving cell and access a cell on at least one second frequency point.

[0034] In one possible design, the method further includes: starting a second timer; and stopping the scheduling of the terminal device after the second timer expires.

[0035] Based on this possible design, after the second timer expires, the network device can assume that the terminal device has already accessed the cell on the second frequency point, and thus stop scheduling the terminal device, which can avoid wasting scheduling resources.

[0036] In one possible design, the method further includes: after the second timer expires, sending the context and / or data of the terminal device to at least one cell on a second frequency point accessed by the terminal device.

[0037] Based on this possible design, network devices can send the context and / or data of the terminal device to the newly accessed cell, which can ensure that the terminal device can communicate normally after accessing the new cell, avoid data loss of the terminal device, and improve user experience.

[0038] The technical effects of any possible design in the second aspect can be referred to the technical effects of the same or corresponding designs in the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0039] Thirdly, a communication device is provided for implementing various methods. The communication device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the implementation of the methods, wherein the 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.

[0040] In some possible designs, the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module can be used to implement the processing functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations thereof. The transceiver module may include a receiving module and a transmitting module, respectively used to implement the receiving function and the transmitting function in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations thereof.

[0041] In some possible designs, the transceiver module can consist of transceiver circuits, transceivers, transceivers, or communication interfaces.

[0042] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory being used to store computer instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to perform the method described in any of the above aspects and any possible design thereof.

[0043] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a communication interface; the communication interface being used to communicate with a module outside the communication device; the processor being used to execute computer programs or instructions to cause the communication device to perform the methods described in any of the above aspects and any possible designs thereof.

[0044] A sixth aspect provides a communication device comprising: at least one processor; said processor being configured to execute a computer program or instructions stored in a memory to cause the communication device to perform the methods described in any of the foregoing aspects and any possible designs thereof. The memory may be coupled to the processor, or may be independent of the processor.

[0045] In a seventh aspect, a communication device (e.g., a chip or chip system) is provided, the communication device including a processor for implementing the functions involved in any of the above aspects and any possible designs thereof.

[0046] In some possible designs, the communication device includes a memory for storing necessary program instructions and data.

[0047] In some possible designs, when the device is a chip system, it can be composed of chips or contain chips and other discrete components.

[0048] The communication device described in the third to seventh aspects may be the terminal device in the first aspect, or a device contained in the terminal device, such as a chip or chip system; or the communication device may be the network device in the second aspect, or a device contained in the network device, such as a chip or chip system.

[0049] Eighthly, a communication device is provided, which may be a terminal device, or a module or unit (e.g., a chip, chip system, or circuit) in the terminal device that performs the methods / operations / steps / actions described in the first aspect, or a module or unit that can be used in conjunction with the terminal device; or, the communication device may be a network device, or a module or unit (e.g., a chip, chip system, or circuit) in the network device that performs the methods / operations / steps / actions described in the second aspect, or a module or unit that can be used in conjunction with the network device.

[0050] It is understandable that when the communication device provided by any of the third to eighth aspects is a chip, the sending action / function of the communication device can be understood as outputting information, and the receiving action / function of the communication device can be understood as inputting information.

[0051] A ninth aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a communication device, enable the communication device to perform the methods described in any of the foregoing aspects and any possible design thereof.

[0052] In a tenth aspect, a computer program product containing instructions is provided, which, when run on a communication device, enables the communication device to perform the methods described in any of the foregoing aspects and any possible design thereof.

[0053] Eleventhly, a communication system is provided, comprising a terminal device and a network device. The terminal device is used to implement the method described in the first aspect and any possible design thereof, and the network device is used to implement the method described in the second aspect and any possible design thereof.

[0054] The technical effects of any of the design methods in aspects three through eleven can be found in the technical effects of different design methods in aspects one or two, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0055] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a measurement reporting process provided in this application;

[0056] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the association between measurement identifiers, measurement objects, and reporting configurations provided in this application.

[0057] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a scenario where the mobility performance of a terminal device is impaired, as provided in this application;

[0058] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication system provided in this application;

[0059] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an O-RAN system provided in this application;

[0060] Figures 6-8 are schematic flowcharts of the communication method provided in this application;

[0061] Figures 9-11 are schematic diagrams of the communication device provided in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0062] In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " indicates that the objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can mean A or B. "And / or" in this application is merely a description of the relationship between the related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. A and B can be singular or plural.

[0063] In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of a single item or a plurality of items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0064] Furthermore, to facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish identical or similar items with substantially the same function and effect. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the terms "first" and "second" are not necessarily different.

[0065] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner to facilitate understanding.

[0066] 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 the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0067] It is understood that in this application, "...when" and "if" both refer to the corresponding processing that will be carried out under certain objective circumstances, and are not limited to a specific time, nor do they require a judgment action to be performed during implementation, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0068] It is understood that some optional features in the embodiments of this application can be implemented independently in certain scenarios without relying on other features, such as the current solution on 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 given in the embodiments of this application can also implement these features or functions, which will not be elaborated here.

[0069] In this application, unless otherwise specified, the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. In the various embodiments of this application, and in the various implementation methods / methods / implementations within each embodiment, unless otherwise specified or logically conflicting, the terminology and / or descriptions between different embodiments and between the various implementation methods / methods / implementations within each embodiment are consistent and can be mutually referenced. The technical features in different embodiments and the various implementation methods / methods / implementations within each embodiment can be combined according to their inherent logical relationships to form new embodiments, implementation methods, methods, or implementation approaches. The embodiments described below do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application.

[0070] In a mobile communication system, as shown in Figure 1, the network can send measurement configurations to terminal devices. The terminal devices then perform measurements based on these configurations and report the results. Subsequently, the network can perform mobility management based on the measurement reports reported by the terminal devices.

[0071] For example, the measurement configuration mainly includes the following: measurement object (MO) configuration, reporting configuration, measurement identities, measurement quantity configuration, measurement gap configuration, etc.

[0072] As one possible implementation, the measurement objects mainly include those of new radio (NR), universal terrestrial radio access (UTRA), and evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA).

[0073] Taking NR as an example, the measurement objects can include the measured frequency, subcarrier spacing (SCS), reference signal configuration, etc. The network may configure three types of lists for an MO: one is a cell-related list, which includes the cell identifier and cell-specific offsets used for event-triggered reporting; another is a list of allowed cells; and the third is a list of excluded cells. Cells in the allowed cell list are those available for event assessment or measurement reporting, while cells in the excluded cell list cannot be used for event assessment or measurement reporting.

[0074] As one possible implementation, only one measurement frequency is indicated within a single measurement object. The frequency indicated by the measurement object can be determined by the frequency of a reference signal.

[0075] As one possible implementation, each MO can be associated with one or more reporting configurations. Reporting configurations can primarily include the following: reporting criteria, reference signal type, and reporting format.

[0076] The reporting criteria refer to the criteria that trigger the terminal device to send a measurement report. These criteria can be to send measurement reports periodically or to send measurement reports based on events.

[0077] Reference signal type refers to the type of reference signal (RS) that the terminal equipment can use for beam and cell measurements, such as synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel (PBCH) block (SSB) or channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS).

[0078] The reporting format indicates the type of cell and beam measurements included in the measurement report by the terminal device, such as reference signal receiving power (RSRP) or reference signal receiving quality (RSRQ). It may also indicate other reporting-related information, such as the maximum number of cells that can be reported and the maximum number of beams per cell.

[0079] As one possible implementation, a measurement identifier is used to identify an MO and a reporting configuration, or in other words, a measurement identifier is associated with an MO with a reporting configuration. For example, the configuration information element of the measurement identifier might look like this:

[0080] By configuring multiple measurement identifiers, multiple reporting operations (MOs) can be associated with the same reporting configuration, or multiple reporting configurations can be associated with the same MO. That is, an MO can be associated with different reporting configurations, and a reporting configuration can be associated with different MOs, but the measurement identifier is unique, and different combinations of MOs and reporting configurations use different measurement identifiers.

[0081] For example, as shown in Figure 2, the combination of MO 1 and reporting configuration 1 is identified by measurement identifier 0, the combination of MO 1 and reporting configuration 2 is identified by measurement identifier 1, the combination of MO 2 and reporting configuration 2 is identified by measurement identifier 2, the combination of MO 3 and reporting configuration 2 is identified by measurement identifier 3, the combination of MO 3 and reporting configuration 3 is identified by measurement identifier 4, and the combination of MO 3 and reporting configuration 4 is identified by measurement identifier 5.

[0082] As one possible implementation, the measurement report mainly includes the following: measurement identifier, service area results, and neighbor cell results. The measurement identifier is the measurement identifier corresponding to this measurement report; the service area results include the measurement results of one or more serving MOs; the neighbor cell results include the measurement results of one or more NR or E-UTRA neighbor cells.

[0083] In the current measurement reporting process, terminal devices can only report the measurement results of the measurement objects configured in the measurement configuration, and can only indicate the measurement objects (such as frequency points) associated with the reported measurement results by carrying measurement identifiers in the measurement report.

[0084] However, as shown in Figure 3, in practical applications, the following situation may occur: the terminal device measures / predicts a frequency point other than the frequency point indicated by the measurement object configured by the base station (referred to as the configured frequency point). For ease of description, the frequency points other than the configured frequency points will be referred to as non-configured frequency points below. In some scenarios, the signal quality of non-configured frequency points is better than that of configured frequency points, but based on the current measurement reporting mechanism, the terminal device cannot report non-configured frequency points and their signal quality. This is because the base station has not configured a measurement identifier associated with the non-configured frequency point, and the current mechanism can only indicate the frequency point associated with the reported measurement result by carrying the measurement identifier in the measurement report.

[0085] The occurrence of a non-configured frequency point may be due to the base station's neighbor cell relationships not being updated in a timely manner. During this period of unupdated neighbor cell relationships, the mobility performance of the terminal device will be affected. For example, if the terminal device's current serving cell cannot support its communication, or if the terminal device wants to switch to a better cell (such as a cell on a non-configured frequency point), as shown in Figure 3, the terminal device needs to release its radio resource control (RRC) connection and re-establish RRC to maintain communication with the network device or access a better cell. However, during the period from when the terminal device releases the RRC connection to when it re-accesses a better cell, a link interruption will occur, affecting the user experience of the terminal device. Furthermore, data scheduling failures will occur on the network device side, wasting scheduled radio resources. When the base station detects that the terminal device is unreachable, it will release the terminal device's context.

[0086] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a communication method. In this method, when a terminal measures / predicts a non-configured frequency point, it can send information to the network device indicating the non-configured frequency point. That is, it enables the terminal to report frequency points other than those configured by the network device, allowing the network device to update neighbor cell relationships in a timely manner. This, in turn, enables more reasonable mobility management based on the updated neighbor cell relationships, improving the mobility performance of the terminal device. Furthermore, the terminal device can also report the measurement results of the non-configured frequency point, allowing the network device to promptly switch or redirect the terminal device to a cell on a non-configured frequency point with better signal quality, thereby ensuring normal service transmission and improving user experience.

[0087] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can be used in various communication systems, including third-generation partnership project (3GPP) communication systems, such as fourth-generation (4G) systems like Long Term Evolution (LTE), fifth-generation (5G) systems like NR, LTE and 5G hybrid networking systems, sensing systems, integrated communication and sensing systems, non-terrestrial networks (NTN), device-to-device (D2D) communication systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, machine-type communication (MTC) systems, Internet of Things (IoT) systems, or other future communication systems. The communication system can also be a non-3GPP communication system; there is no limitation on this.

[0088] The communication systems described above are merely illustrative examples, and are not limited to those described herein. The communication systems provided in this application do not impose any limitations on the solutions described herein. This will be explained uniformly here and will not be repeated below.

[0089] Figure 4 illustrates a possible, non-limiting system diagram. As shown in Figure 4, the communication system 40 includes a radio access network (RAN) 400. Optionally, it may also include a core network (CN) 500 and / or the Internet (not shown in Figure 4). The RAN 400 includes at least one network device (410a and 410b in Figure 4, collectively referred to as 410) and at least one terminal device (420a-420j in Figure 4, collectively referred to as 420). The core network 500 includes at least one core network device.

[0090] Optionally, RAN 400 may also include other network devices, such as wireless relay devices and / or wireless backhaul devices (not shown in Figure 4). Terminal device 420 is connected to network device 410 wirelessly (e.g., via air interface communication). Network device 410 is connected to core network 500 wirelessly or via wired connection. The core network device in core network 500 and network device 410 in RAN 400 can be different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating core network logical functions and wireless access network logical functions.

[0091] In one possible implementation, RAN 400 can be a 3GPP-related cellular system, such as a 4G or 5G mobile communication system, an NTN system (e.g., an NTN supporting pass-through mode and / or regenerative mode, or an NTN supporting eye-viewing mode (earth fixed cell) and / or non-eye-viewing mode (earth moving cell), or a future-oriented evolution system. RAN 400 can also be an open RAN (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. RAN 400 can also be a communication system integrating two or more of the above systems.

[0092] In some scenarios, the roles of network device 410 and terminal device 420 are relative. For example, in Figure 4, network element 420i can be a helicopter or drone, which can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminal device 420j accessing RAN 400 through network element 420i, network element 420i is a base station; but for base station 410a, network element 420i is a terminal device. Network device 410 and terminal device 420 are sometimes referred to as communication devices. For example, in Figure 4, network elements 410a and 410b can be understood as communication devices with base station functions, and network elements 420a-420j can be understood as communication devices with terminal device functions.

[0093] In one possible implementation, network device 410 is a network-side device with wireless transceiver capabilities. Network devices, sometimes also referred to as RAN entities or access nodes, constitute part of the communication system and assist terminal devices in achieving wireless access. Multiple network devices 410 in the communication system 40 can be nodes of the same type or different types.

[0094] In one possible implementation scenario, network device 410 can be an access network device, such as a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in a 5G mobile communication system, a base station evolved by 3GPP, a base station in a future mobile communication system, an access node in a WiFi system, a wireless relay node, a wireless backhaul node, etc.

[0095] For example, network devices can be macro base stations (as shown in Figure 4, 410a), micro base stations or indoor stations (as shown in Figure 4, 410b), relay nodes or donor nodes, or wireless controllers in CRAN scenarios. Optionally, network devices can also be servers, wearable devices, vehicles or in-vehicle equipment, etc. For example, network devices in V2X technology can be roadside units (RSUs).

[0096] In another possible implementation scenario, the network device can be a node in an O-RAN system. For example, the network device can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), a radio unit (RU), etc.

[0097] For example, the CU and DU can be configured separately or included in the same network element, such as in the baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH).

[0098] 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.

[0099] As exemplified, Figure 5 illustrates a possible, non-limiting O-RAN system. In this system, the CU, DU, and RU collaborate to assist the terminal equipment in achieving wireless access. The CU, DU, and RU can be included in the access network equipment, and the CU and DU can be included in the BBU of the access network equipment.

[0100] Referring to Figure 5, access network devices communicate with core network devices via backhaul links and with terminal devices via air interfaces. Specifically, the CU communicates with core network devices via backhaul links, and the RU communicates with at least one terminal device via air interfaces. The DU communicates with at least one RU via fronthaul links, and the CU communicates with at least one DU via midhaul links. BBUs and RUs may or may not be co-located.

[0101] As one possible implementation, the CU and DU respectively implement some of the protocol layer functions of the access network device. For example, some protocol layer functions are implemented in the CU, and the remaining or all protocol layer functions are implemented in the DU. The CU can control one or more DUs.

[0102] For example, a CU can deploy the RRC layer, SDAP layer, and PDCP layer; or, in other words, a CU can be understood as a logical node carrying the RRC, SDAP, and PDCP layers of access network equipment. Therefore, the CU has the processing capabilities of the RRC, PDCP, and SDAP layers. Of course, the CU can also implement or carry other control functions. Similarly, a DU can deploy the RLC layer, MAC layer, and PHY layer; or, in other words, a DU can be understood as a logical node carrying the RLC, MAC, and PHY layers. Therefore, the DU has the processing capabilities of the RLC, MAC, and PHY layers. Of course, the DU can also implement or carry other functions.

[0103] Optionally, the CU connects to network nodes such as the core network through interfaces, which may be interfaces such as the N2 interface. Furthermore, the CU can also implement some core network functions. The CU (e.g., the PDCP layer and higher layers) connects to the DU (e.g., the RLC layer and lower layers) through interfaces, which may be interfaces such as the F1 interface. In some examples, these interfaces (e.g., the F1 interface) can provide control plane (C-Plane) and user plane (U-Plane) functions (e.g., interface management, system information management, UE context management, RRC message transmission, etc.). For example, F1 supports control plane functions through F1-C and user plane functions through F1-U.

[0104] In one example, the CU may include CU-CP and CU-UP. CU-CP can be understood as a logical node carrying the RRC layer and the PDCP control plane (PDCP control plane part of PDCP, PDCP-C), used to implement the CU's control plane functions. CU-CP can communicate with the DU via F1-C. CU-UP can be understood as a logical node carrying the SDAP layer and the PDCP user plane (PDCP user plane part of PDCP, PDCP-U), used to implement the CU's user plane functions. CU-UP can communicate with the DU via F1-U.

[0105] CU-CP can interact with network elements in the core network used to implement control plane functions. These network elements can be access and mobility function (AMF) network elements, such as the AMF network elements in a 5G system. CU-UP can interact with network elements in the core network used to implement user plane functions. These network elements can be, for example, UPF network elements.

[0106] The functional division of CU and DU described above is merely an example and does not constitute a limitation on CU and DU. Furthermore, the functions of CU and DU can be configured as needed. For example, CU or DU can be configured as a node with more protocol layer functions, or as a node with partial protocol layer processing functions. For instance, some functions of the RLC layer and the protocol layer functions above the RLC layer can be placed in the CU, while the remaining functions of the RLC layer and the protocol layer functions below the RLC layer can be placed in the DU. As another example, the functions of CU or DU can be divided according to service type or other system requirements, such as by latency, placing functions that need to meet low latency requirements in the DU and functions that do not need to meet such latency requirements in the CU.

[0107] As one possible implementation, the DU and RU can cooperate to implement the functions of the PHY layer. For example, the DU can deploy the RLC layer, MAC layer, and higher physical layer (Higher PHY). The RU can deploy the lower physical layer (Lower PHY) and radio frequency (RF) processing functions. The DU can control at least one RU, and the DU and RU can communicate via a fronthaul interface. The DU and RU can be co-located or not.

[0108] The higher physical layer is closer to the MAC layer, and its functions may include at least one of the following: forward error correction (FEC) encoding / decoding, scrambling / descrambling, modulation / demodulation, etc. The lower physical layer is closer to the mid-RF side, and its functions may include at least one of the following: fast Fourier transform (FFT), inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT), digital beamforming, and filtering, etc.

[0109] In another possible implementation scenario, the network device can also be a non-real time ran intelligent controller (Non-RT RIC or NRT RIC) and / or a near-real time ran intelligent controller (Near-RT RIC or nRT RIC).

[0110] Non-RT RIC is used to implement non-real-time intelligent management of the RAN, enabling artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) for model training and updates, and guiding applications / functions within the Near-RT RIC based on policies. Near-RT RIC is used to implement near real-time intelligent management of the RAN, achieving near real-time control and optimization of O-RAN modules and resources through data collection and related operations on the E2 interface. The E2 interface can be understood as an open interface between two nodes (or endpoints).

[0111] All or part of the functions of the network device in this application can also be implemented through software functions running on hardware, or through virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform), or through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. The network device in this application can also be a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of an access network device, or a device with some access network device functions, such as a chip system, which can be installed in the access network device.

[0112] In one possible implementation, terminal device 420 is a user-side device with wireless transceiver capabilities. It can be a fixed device, mobile device, handheld device (e.g., mobile phone), wearable device, in-vehicle device, or a wireless device (e.g., communication module, modem, or chip system, etc.) built into the aforementioned devices. Terminal devices are used to connect people, objects, and machines, and can be widely used in various scenarios, such as: cellular communication, D2D communication, V2X communication, MTC communication, IoT, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), industrial control, self-driving, remote medical care, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart city, drones, robots, etc. For example, the terminal device can be a handheld terminal in cellular communication, a communication device in D2D, an IoT device in MTC, a surveillance camera in intelligent transportation and smart cities, or a communication device on a drone, etc.; or, the terminal device can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver function, wearable device, vehicle, drone, helicopter, airplane, ship, robot, robotic arm, smart home device, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal device. The terminal device may sometimes be referred to as UE, user terminal, user device, user unit, user station, terminal, access terminal, access station, UE station, remote station, mobile device, or wireless communication device, etc.

[0113] It should be noted that the system described in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0114] The following description, using the communication system shown in Figure 4 as an example, illustrates the communication method provided in this application. It should be noted that the message names, parameter names, or information names between the network device and the terminal device in the following embodiments are merely examples; other names may exist in other embodiments, and the method provided in this application does not specifically limit these.

[0115] It is understood that in the embodiments of this application, the network device or terminal device may execute some or all of the steps in the embodiments of this application. These steps or operations are merely examples, and the embodiments of this application may also perform other operations or variations thereof. Furthermore, the various steps may be executed in different orders as presented in the embodiments of this application, and it is not necessarily necessary to execute all the operations in the embodiments of this application.

[0116] It is understood that this application uses network devices and terminal devices as examples to illustrate the execution of the interaction, but this application does not limit the execution subject of the interaction. For example, the method executed by the network device in this application can also be executed by a module applied to the network device (e.g., a chip, chip system, or processor), or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the network device; similarly, the method executed by the terminal device in this application can also be executed by a module applied to the terminal device (e.g., a chip, chip system, or processor), or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the terminal device.

[0117] The communication method provided in the embodiments of this application will be described below. As shown in FIG6, the communication method may include the following steps:

[0118] S601. The network device sends the first measurement configuration information to the terminal device. Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the first measurement configuration information from the network device.

[0119] Specifically, the first measurement configuration information is used to indicate at least one measurement object, which in turn indicates at least one first frequency point. That is, the first frequency point can be understood as the frequency point configured for the network device. Alternatively, the first measurement configuration information can also be considered as indicating the at least one first frequency point.

[0120] Optionally, the measurement object indicated in the first measurement configuration can be understood as the frequency point that the network device instructs the terminal device to measure. At least one first frequency point may be included in the measurement target configuration.

[0121] Optionally, the network device may indicate the first frequency point by means of a reference signal or an absolute radio frequency channel number (ARFCN).

[0122] It is understood that the first frequency point in the embodiments of this application can represent a class of frequency points, that is, any frequency point configured by the network device in the measurement configuration can be called the first frequency point.

[0123] As one possible implementation, in addition to indicating at least one measurement object, the first measurement configuration information may also indicate at least one of the following: reporting configuration, measurement identifier, S measurement configuration, measurement quantity configuration, or measurement interval, etc., which can be referred to the descriptions in existing relevant protocols and will not be repeated here.

[0124] Based on this first measurement configuration information, the network device configures the terminal device to measure at least one first frequency point, enabling the terminal device to perform the measurement of the first frequency point based on the network device's configuration. This first frequency point can be a frequency point that the network device deems necessary to measure or a frequency point that the terminal device is allowed to access. For example, the network device may determine the first frequency point based on its maintained neighbor cell relationships or actual conditions (such as service and load conditions). Therefore, configuring the terminal device to measure the first frequency point can provide auxiliary reference information for the terminal device's mobility policy, which is beneficial for configuring a reasonable mobility policy for the terminal device.

[0125] S602, The terminal device sends the first information to the network device. Correspondingly, the network device receives the first information from the terminal device.

[0126] The first information is used to indicate at least one second frequency point, which is a frequency point other than the at least one first frequency point indicated by the first measurement configuration information. That is, the second frequency point can be understood as a frequency point not configured by the network device. In other words, the terminal device can report frequency points not configured by the network device to the network device. It is understood that the second frequency point in this embodiment can represent a class of frequency points, that is, frequency points not configured by the network device in the measurement configuration can be called second frequency points.

[0127] As one possible implementation, in this embodiment, the second frequency point can also be referred to as a "non-configured frequency point." The second frequency point and the non-configured frequency point can be interchanged, which will be explained uniformly here and will not be repeated later. For example, the reasons for the occurrence of a non-configured frequency point may include, but are not limited to: other network devices have been newly deployed around the network device, and the frequency point / cell of the newly deployed network device has not been added to the neighbor cell relationship of the network device in a timely manner; or, the network device periodically releases neighbor cells that have been maintained for a long time in the neighbor cell relationship, and the frequency point of the released neighbor cell may become a non-configured frequency point again.

[0128] As one possible implementation, as shown in Figure 7, after step S601, the terminal device can perform measurements based on the first measurement configuration information, measuring at least one first frequency point. In addition to the first frequency point configured by the network device, the terminal device can measure / predict non-configured frequency points to obtain information about them. For example, if the first frequency points indicated by the first measurement configuration information include frequency points A, B, and C, then the terminal device can measure frequency points A, B, and C. Furthermore, the terminal device can also measure / predict frequency points other than the first frequency points, such as frequency points D and E.

[0129] The non-configured frequency points measured by the terminal device include frequency points from at least one second frequency point indicated by the first information; that is, the terminal device measures all or some of the frequency points from the at least one second frequency point. For example, if the at least one second frequency point indicated by the first information includes frequency points D, E, and F, then the terminal device can measure all or some of the frequency points from frequency points D, E, and F, such as measuring frequency points D and E. In this case, frequency point F can be predicted by the terminal device.

[0130] Optionally, the terminal device may indicate all or part of the non-configured frequency points in the first information. For example, if the terminal device measures / predicts frequency points D, E, and G, and the measurement / prediction results of frequency points D and / or E are better than the measurement / prediction results of frequency point G, then the first information indicates frequency points D and / or E.

[0131] After performing measurements according to the first measurement configuration information, the terminal device obtains a first measurement report and sends the first measurement report to the network device. After measuring or predicting a non-configured frequency point, it measures / predicts at least one second frequency point, thereby executing step S602 to send first information to the network device, indicating the at least one second frequency point. Optionally, before receiving the first measurement configuration information (S601), the terminal device measures / predicts at least one frequency point. After receiving the first measurement configuration information (S601), the terminal device determines at least one second frequency point among the at least one measured / predicted frequency points. The at least one second frequency point is a frequency point other than the at least one first frequency point indicated by the first measurement configuration information. Then, the terminal device executes step S602 to send first information to the network device, indicating the at least one second frequency point.

[0132] For example, measuring a non-configured frequency point by a terminal device may include: the terminal device measuring the non-configured frequency point according to its terminal capabilities. For instance, if the terminal device supports the measurement of frequency point D (frequency point D is a non-configured frequency point), then the terminal device measures frequency point D. As another example, if the first measurement configuration information indicates N first frequency points, and the maximum number M of frequency points that the terminal device can measure is greater than N, then the terminal device can measure the non-configured frequency point; or, if a certain first frequency point indicated by the first measurement configuration information and a certain non-configured frequency point can be measured using the same hardware configuration, then the terminal device can measure that non-configured frequency point.

[0133] For example, predicting unconfigured frequency points by a terminal device can include: the terminal device using artificial intelligence (e.g., communication maps or big data) to predict and determine at least one second frequency point. Communication maps or big data can be understood as information obtained through learning (e.g., machine learning). For example, communication maps or big data can indicate the optimal frequency points (or recommended frequency points) that terminal devices in different geographical areas can access at different times. The terminal device can select the optimal frequency point that can be accessed now or in the future as at least one second frequency point based on its own location, historical measurement results, and communication map information. When the terminal device predicts unconfigured frequency points, the unconfigured frequency points can be omitted from measurement, thereby saving measurement power consumption for the terminal device.

[0134] For example, the terminal device may first perform measurement according to the first measurement configuration information, and then measure / predict the non-configured frequency point; or it may first measure / predict the non-configured frequency point, and then perform measurement according to the first measurement configuration information; or it may measure / predict the non-configured frequency point while performing measurement according to the first measurement configuration information. This application does not specifically limit this.

[0135] As one possible implementation, the first information may include an ARFCN corresponding to at least one second frequency point to indicate at least one second frequency point.

[0136] Optionally, the first information may also indicate the identifier of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point, for example, indicating the identifier of at least one cell on each of the at least one second frequency point. There may be a correspondence between the second frequency point and the cell identifier, indicating that the cell identified by the cell identifier is the cell on its corresponding second frequency point. The cell can be indicated by its identifier, which may be a physical cell identifier (PCI) and / or a cell global identifier (CGI).

[0137] For example, with at least one second frequency point including frequency point D and frequency point E, if the terminal device measures cell 1 and cell 2 on frequency point D and cell 3 on frequency point E, then the first information can indicate the following relationship: {frequency point D, cell 1, cell 2}, {frequency point E, cell 3}.

[0138] Optionally, after step S602, the network device may also perform the following optional step S603:

[0139] S603, the network device updates the neighbor cell relationship based on the first information.

[0140] For example, the network device may designate at least one cell on a second frequency point as a neighboring cell of the frequency point where the terminal device's current serving cell is located, or the network device may add at least one cell on a second frequency point to the neighboring cell relationship. Further, if the first information indicates the identifier of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point, the network device may designate that at least one cell as a neighboring cell of the terminal device's current serving cell.

[0141] As one possible implementation, after step S603, the network device can improve the mobility policy based on the updated neighbor cell relationship, and perform mobility management on the terminal device side based on the improved mobility policy.

[0142] Based on the above scheme, in addition to the measurement frequencies configured by the network device, if the terminal device measures / predicts other frequencies (i.e., non-configured frequencies), it can send information to the network device to indicate the non-configured frequency. In other words, this enables the terminal device to report frequencies other than those configured by the network, allowing the network device to promptly obtain information about non-configured frequencies. This facilitates the network device in updating neighbor cell relationships, and subsequently, it can improve mobility policies based on the updated neighbor cell relationships, enabling more reasonable mobility management and improving the mobility performance of the terminal device. Furthermore, if the terminal device indicates the identifier of at least one cell on at least one second frequency to the network device, the network device can obtain information about one or more cells on that second frequency, thereby further updating the neighbor cell relationships.

[0143] In one possible implementation, as shown in FIG7, the network device may also send second information to the terminal device. Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the second information from the network device. FIG7 illustrates an example where the network device sends the second information to the terminal device before step S601. Furthermore, in an optional embodiment, the network device may send the second information to the terminal device before S602, for example, after S601 but before S602.

[0144] The second information is used to instruct the terminal device to send the first information, or to instruct the terminal device to send the first information. Alternatively, the second information can be used to instruct the terminal device to report non-configured frequency points, or to enable the function of quickly establishing neighboring cell relationships on new frequency points. Quickly establishing neighboring cell relationships on new frequency points can be understood as the terminal device assisting the network device in quickly establishing neighboring cell relationships on new frequency points.

[0145] Optionally, after receiving the second information, the terminal device may measure / predict the non-configured frequency point based on the second information; or, even if the non-configured frequency point is measured / predicted first, the first information may be sent only after receiving the second information.

[0146] Based on this possible implementation, the network device can control the terminal device to report a second frequency point. For example, when the network device expects the terminal device to report a frequency point other than the frequency point configured by the network device, the network device can enable the terminal device to report the unconfigured frequency point through the second information, thereby enabling the network device to update the neighbor cell relationship in a timely manner.

[0147] In one possible implementation, as shown in FIG7, the network device can also send third information to the terminal device. Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the third information from the network device. FIG7 illustrates an example where the network device sends the third information to the terminal device before step S601. Furthermore, in an optional embodiment, the network device can send the third information to the terminal device before S602, for example, after S601 but before S602. Additionally, regarding the second and third information, the network device can send the second information to the terminal device first, then the third information; or, the network device can send the third information to the terminal device first, then the second information; or, the network device can send both the second and third information to the terminal device simultaneously, for example, by including the second and third information in the same message.

[0148] The third information is used to indicate the first list and / or the second list. The first list indicates the second frequency points that the terminal device is allowed to report, or in other words, the first list indicates the frequency points indicated by the first information, or the frequency points included in the first information. The second list indicates the third frequency points that the terminal device is not allowed to report. The third frequency point is at least one frequency point other than the first frequency point; that is, the third frequency point can be understood as a non-configured frequency point that is not allowed to be reported. The second list indicates the frequency points that the first information is not allowed, or in other words, the second list indicates the frequency points that the first information is not allowed to be included.

[0149] Optionally, the first list may indicate one or more second frequency points, and the second list may indicate one or more third frequency points.

[0150] As one possible implementation, the second frequency point indicated by the first list that the terminal device is allowed to report can be determined by the network device based on prior information, such as neighbor cell relationships that were previously maintained but have been deleted or released.

[0151] For example, the at least one second frequency point indicated by the first information may be a subset of the frequency points in the first list, such as the first information indicating the measured second frequency points in the first list. For instance, if the first list includes frequency points 1, 2, 3, and 4, and the terminal device measures frequency points 1 and 2 but does not measure frequency points 3 and 4, then the at least one second frequency point indicated by the first information may be frequency points 1 and 2.

[0152] For example, after receiving the first list, if the measured second frequency point is in the first list, the terminal device indicates the second frequency point through the first information.

[0153] As one possible implementation, the third frequency point indicated in the second list that the terminal device is not allowed to report can be determined by the network device based on other strategies such as congestion control. For example, the network device may not send frequency point A to the terminal device through measurement configuration due to congestion considerations. In this case, the network device can add frequency point A to the second list to prevent the terminal device from reporting frequency point A again.

[0154] For example, after receiving the second list, the terminal device may choose not to measure the third frequency point in the second list, or even if it measures the third frequency point in the second list, it may not report it to the network device.

[0155] As one possible implementation, the first list can also be called the allowed frequency list, and the second list can also be called the excluded frequency list. Of course, the first and second lists can also have other names, and this application does not specifically limit them.

[0156] Based on this implementation, network devices can flexibly control the frequency points reported by terminal devices through a first list and / or a second list, avoiding the terminal device from omitting frequency points that should be reported or reporting unnecessary frequency points, thus preventing resource waste. For example, if congestion occurs on frequency point A, the network device may not allocate frequency point A to the terminal device. In this case, the network device can add frequency point A to the second list, thereby preventing the terminal device from reporting frequency point A. If the network device does not configure the second list or does not add frequency point A to the second list, the terminal device will report frequency point A. However, due to congestion on frequency point A, the network device cannot switch the terminal device to frequency point A or perform other corresponding processing, resulting in no response from the terminal device's reporting and thus wasting reporting resources.

[0157] In one possible implementation, as shown in FIG8, the network device may send second measurement configuration information to the terminal device. Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the second measurement configuration information from the network device. This second measurement configuration information is used to provide relevant configurations for measuring unconfigured frequency points. The terminal device can measure unconfigured frequency points according to the second measurement configuration information, and the unconfigured frequency points measured based on the second measurement configuration information include at least one second frequency point indicated by the aforementioned first information.

[0158] In Figure 8, the example given is that the network device sends the second measurement configuration information to the terminal device after step S601. Furthermore, in an optional embodiment, the network device can send the second measurement configuration information to the terminal device before the terminal device measures the non-configured frequency point, for example, before S601.

[0159] The second measurement configuration information is used to indicate at least one of the following: measurement target configuration for the second frequency point, measurement reporting configuration for the second frequency point, measurement interval configuration for the second frequency point, or measurement priority information. It should be noted that the second frequency point here does not refer to a specific frequency point, but rather to a general category of non-configured frequency points. That is, the second measurement configuration information can be considered to indicate the measurement target configuration, measurement reporting configuration, measurement interval configuration, or measurement priority information for non-configured frequency points.

[0160] As one possible implementation, the measurement target configuration for the second frequency point does not indicate the frequency point to be measured, i.e., it does not indicate a specific unconfigured frequency point. Instead, it can be used to indicate other measurement parameters in the MeasObject cell, such as the number / threshold of measurement beam selection, measurement offset, etc. The parameters in this measurement target configuration are used to indicate the parameters that the terminal device needs to use when measuring unconfigured frequency points. This can be understood as the measurement frequency point associated with the second measurement configuration information being a frequency point not configured by the network device, or a frequency point not included in the first measurement configuration information.

[0161] For example, the network device can issue multiple sets of measurement target configurations, and the terminal device can use different measurement target configurations to measure different second frequency points, or use the same measurement target configuration to measure different second frequency points; or the network device can issue one set of measurement target configurations, and the terminal device can use this set of measurement target configurations to measure different second frequency points.

[0162] As one possible implementation, the measurement reporting configuration for the second frequency point is used to indicate the reporting trigger event corresponding to the second frequency point. This reporting trigger event includes at least one of the following: a, b, c, and d.

[0163] a. The top X cells with the strongest signal quality among at least one cells measured by the terminal equipment, including cells on the second frequency point, where X is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0164] In other words, the signal quality of the cell on the second frequency point ranks in the Top X among all cells measured by the terminal device. X can be configured by the network device or predefined by the protocol, without restriction.

[0165] For example, the signal quality of a cell can be represented by RSRP or RSRQ. Of course, it can also be represented by other parameters, such as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), etc., and this application does not specifically limit it.

[0166] b. The signal quality of the cell on the second frequency point is greater than or equal to the first threshold.

[0167] For example, event b can be understood as: the signal quality of all cells on the second frequency point measured by the terminal device is greater than or equal to the first threshold, or the signal quality of some cells (e.g., Y% or 80%, one or more) on the second frequency point measured by the terminal device is greater than or equal to the first threshold, where Y is an integer.

[0168] c. The difference between the signal quality of the cell on the second frequency point and the signal quality of the serving cell is greater than or equal to the second threshold.

[0169] For example, event c can be understood as: the difference between the signal quality of all cells on the second frequency point measured by the terminal device and the signal quality of the serving cell is greater than or equal to the second threshold, or the signal quality of some cells on the second frequency point measured by the terminal device is greater than or equal to the second threshold.

[0170] d. The difference between the signal quality of the cell on the second frequency point and the signal quality of the cell on any arbitrary frequency point in at least one of the first frequency points is greater than or equal to the third threshold.

[0171] For example, event d can be understood as: the signal quality of the cell on the second frequency point is greater than or equal to the signal quality of all cells on the first frequency point.

[0172] Optionally, the first threshold, the second threshold, or the third threshold mentioned above may be configured by the network device or may be predefined by the protocol, and this application does not specifically limit them.

[0173] For example, the network device can issue multiple reporting trigger events, and the terminal device can match different reporting trigger events for different measured second frequency points. For instance, the reporting trigger event for second frequency points 1 and 2 is event a mentioned above, and the reporting trigger event for second frequency points 3 and 4 is event b mentioned above. Alternatively, the terminal device can match the same reporting trigger event for different second frequency points. Or, the network device can issue a single reporting trigger event, and all second frequency points measured by the terminal device will match this reporting trigger event.

[0174] Based on this possible implementation, the network device configures the reporting trigger event corresponding to the second frequency point to the terminal device, enabling the terminal device to report non-configured frequency points and signal quality based on the reporting trigger event configured by the network device. This allows the terminal device to report measurement results related to non-configured frequency points when necessary, avoiding the terminal device reporting useless information when the conditions are not met, thereby avoiding resource waste.

[0175] As one possible implementation, the measurement interval configuration for the second frequency point is used to configure the measurement interval (Meas Gap), which can be understood as the time during which the terminal device suspends communication with the serving cell to measure the second frequency point, i.e., the terminal device performs the measurement of the second frequency point within the measurement interval.

[0176] For example, measurement intervals can be divided into frequency range 1 (FR1) intervals (gap FR1), frequency range 2 (FR2) intervals (gap FR2), or UE intervals (gap UE). Gap FR1 is used to measure frequencies within FR1, gap FR2 is used to measure frequencies within FR2, and gap UE can be used to measure all frequencies. Gap FR1 and gap UE cannot be configured simultaneously, and similarly, gap FR2 and gap UE cannot be configured simultaneously.

[0177] For example, the measurement interval configuration may include the type of measurement interval (such as gap FR1, gap FR2, or gap UE) and parameters of the measurement interval, such as the interval offset value (gapOffset), the measurement gap length, the repetition period of the measurement interval, and the measurement interval timing advance. The interval offset value indicates the starting subframe within the measurement period; the measurement gap length indicates the duration of continuous measurement; if the measurement interval timing advance is configured, the terminal device needs to start the measurement before the measurement interval subframe appears.

[0178] For example, the network device can be configured with multiple measurement intervals, and the terminal device can measure different second frequency points in different measurement intervals, or measure at least one second frequency point in the same measurement interval; or the network device can be configured with a measurement interval, and the terminal device can measure at least one second frequency point in the measurement interval.

[0179] As one possible implementation, measurement priority information is used to indicate the priority of measuring at least one first frequency point and / or a second frequency point, or in other words, to indicate the priority of configured frequency points and / or unconfigured frequency points.

[0180] For example, measurement priority is used to indicate the priority between the first frequency point and the second frequency point. For instance, the terminal device will only measure the second frequency point if the number of first frequency points does not exceed the maximum number of frequency points that the terminal device can measure simultaneously. That is, the measurement priority of the first frequency point can be considered higher than that of the second frequency point. Based on this, priority measurement of the configured frequency points can be guaranteed.

[0181] As one possible implementation, when the network device sends second measurement configuration information, as shown in Figure 8, the terminal device measures at least one second frequency point according to the second measurement configuration information. For example, measurements are performed within a measurement interval according to the measurement object configuration, or measurements are performed according to measurement priority information.

[0182] It is understood that the measurement or prediction of frequency points in this invention can be understood as measuring or predicting the signal quality of the cell at that frequency point.

[0183] In addition, the terminal device also sends first information to the network device according to the measurement reporting configuration. For example, when a reporting trigger event corresponding to the second frequency point occurs, the terminal device sends first information indicating the second frequency point, and further, indicating the identifier of at least one cell on the second frequency point. Alternatively, the terminal device may periodically indicate the second frequency point, or indicate the second frequency point and the identifier of at least one cell on the second frequency point.

[0184] Based on this implementation, the network device configures the measurement of non-configurable frequency points, enabling the terminal device to perform measurements and report on non-configurable frequency points based on the network device's configuration. This improves the network device's control over the terminal device's measurement of non-configurable frequency points. The network device can also provide the terminal device with appropriate measurement configurations, avoiding unnecessary measurements or reports by the terminal device, which could lead to a waste of terminal power consumption or time and frequency resources.

[0185] In one possible implementation, the first information is also used to indicate the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point.

[0186] Optionally, when the terminal device performs measurements based on the second measurement configuration information, the first information is also used to indicate the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point. Of course, when the terminal device performs measurements without configuration information, the first information can also indicate the signal quality of the cell on the second frequency point.

[0187] As one possible implementation, the first information is used to indicate at least one second frequency point, the identifier of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point, and the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point.

[0188] For example, the first information may include the ARFCN corresponding to the second frequency point, the PCI of the cell on the second frequency point, and the signal quality of the cell. The ARFCN and PCI can replace the measurement identifier, or they can be carried in the measurement identifier field of the measurement report.

[0189] Taking at least one second frequency point including frequency point 1, frequency point 2 and frequency point 3, with cells on frequency point 1 including cell 11 and cell 12, cells on frequency point 2 including cell 21, and cells on frequency point 3 including cell 31 and cell 32 as an example, the first information can indicate / include the following: {ARFCN of frequency point 1, PCI of cell 11, signal quality of cell 11}, {ARFCN of frequency point 1, PCI of cell 12, signal quality of cell 12}, {ARFCN of frequency point 2, PCI of cell 21, signal quality of cell 21}, {ARFCN of frequency point 3, PCI of cell 31, signal quality of cell 31}, {ARFCN of frequency point 3, PCI of cell 32, signal quality of cell 32}.

[0190] Understandably, terminal devices do not need to report the signal quality of all cells on all second frequency points; terminal devices can report the signal quality of some cells on some second frequency points.

[0191] Based on this implementation method, the terminal device can report the signal quality of the cell on the non-configured frequency point to the network device in real time, so that the network device can perform mobility management in a timely manner according to the signal quality, such as switching or redirecting the terminal device to the cell on the non-configured frequency point, thereby improving the mobility performance of the terminal device.

[0192] In one possible implementation, if the first information indicates the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point, the network device can make a mobility decision based on the signal quality of the at least one cell.

[0193] As one possible implementation, the network device can hand over the terminal to the first cell based on the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point. The first cell is a cell among the at least one cells on the at least one second frequency point, for example, the cell with the best signal quality. For example, the network device can hand over the terminal device to the first cell via Xn handover or NG handover.

[0194] As another possible implementation, the network device can redirect the terminal device to the first cell. For example, the network device can send an RRC release message to the terminal device, carrying redirection indication information in the RRC release message, instructing the terminal device to redirect to the first cell.

[0195] Based on this implementation method, network devices can switch or redirect terminal devices to cells on non-configured frequency points through handover or redirection, enabling the terminal to access cells on non-configured frequency points. Since the network device can guarantee the continuity of terminal device services during handover or redirection, it can avoid resource waste caused by data scheduling failures, ensure service continuity, and improve user experience.

[0196] In one possible implementation, the network device may not respond after receiving the first information reported by the terminal device. This application does not limit the implementation of the network device.

[0197] In one possible implementation, the terminal device may also send a fourth message to the network device. Accordingly, the network device receives the fourth message from the terminal device. This fourth message indicates that the terminal device will leave its current serving cell and access at least one cell on a second frequency point.

[0198] As one possible implementation, the fourth information and the first information can be carried in the same message, such as both being carried in the measurement report; or, the fourth information and the first information can be carried in different messages, which is not specifically limited in this application.

[0199] Based on this possible implementation, the terminal device indicates to the network device that it is about to leave the current serving cell, thus avoiding the network device from continuing to send data or schedule resources to the terminal device after it leaves, thereby avoiding the waste of radio and network resources.

[0200] In one possible implementation, the terminal device may start a first timer. If the first timer expires and the device is not switched or redirected to a cell on the at least one second frequency point, the terminal device may access a cell on the at least one second frequency point. For example, the terminal device may re-establish itself to a first cell on the at least one second frequency point.

[0201] As one possible implementation, the terminal device can start a first timer when sending the first or fourth information. If the terminal device is not handed over or redirected to a cell on the second frequency point when the first timer expires, it can be understood that the terminal device did not receive handover-related signaling or an RRC release message carrying a redirection indication during the operation of the first timer.

[0202] For example, the reason why the terminal device is not switched or redirected to the cell on the second frequency point may be that the network device does not respond after receiving the first information.

[0203] In one possible implementation, the network device may start a second timer, and after the second timer expires, stop scheduling the terminal device.

[0204] As one possible implementation, the network device can start a second timer upon receiving the first or fourth message. The duration of the second timer can be the same as or different from that of the first timer; this application does not impose any specific limitations on this.

[0205] Based on this implementation, after the second timer expires, the network device can assume that the terminal device has been connected to the cell on the second frequency point, and thus stop scheduling the terminal device, which can avoid wasting scheduling resources.

[0206] As one possible implementation, after the second timer expires, the network device can also send the terminal device's context and / or data to at least one cell (such as the first cell) on a second frequency point accessed by the terminal device. Sending information to a cell can also be understood as sending information to the network device belonging to that cell; that is, the network device sends the terminal device's context and / or data to the network device belonging to the first cell.

[0207] Based on this possible implementation, network devices can send the context and / or data of the terminal device to the newly accessed cell, which can ensure that the terminal device can communicate normally after accessing the new cell, obtain the uplink messages and / or data to be sent in advance, avoid data loss of the terminal device, and improve user experience.

[0208] As one possible implementation, after the second timer expires, the network device can also release the terminal device's RRC connection or release the terminal device's context, etc.

[0209] In one possible implementation, for the above method embodiments, in a traditional network architecture, the network device can be an access network device, such as a base station. In a CU-DU architecture or ORAN system, the interaction function between the network device and the terminal device can be implemented by the DU or O-DU. The information sent by the network device to the terminal device can be generated by the DU or O-DU, or it can be generated by the CU or O-CU and sent to the DU or O-DU. For example, the first measurement configuration information, the second measurement configuration information, the second information, and the third information can be generated by the CU and sent to the DU, and then sent by the DU to the terminal device.

[0210] Information reported by the terminal (such as first and fourth information) can be sent by the terminal device to the DU for processing; or it can be sent by the terminal device to the DU, which then sends it to the CU for processing. For example, updating neighbor cell relationships and making mobility decisions can be implemented by the CU. In addition, other processing functions of the network device can be implemented by the CU, the DU, or jointly by the CU and the DU, without restriction.

[0211] It is understood that the embodiments described above in this application use terminal devices and network devices as examples to illustrate the execution subjects of the interaction, but this application does not limit the execution subjects of the interaction. For example, the method executed by the terminal device in this application can also be executed by a module applied to the terminal device (e.g., a chip, chip system, or processor), or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the terminal device; similarly, the method executed by the network device can also be executed by a module applied to the network device (e.g., a chip, chip system, or processor), or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the network device.

[0212] The method provided in this application has been described above. In addition, this application also provides a communication device for implementing the functions described in the above method embodiments.

[0213] It is understood that, in order to achieve the aforementioned functions, the communication device includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and algorithm steps of the examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0214] This application embodiment can divide the communication device into functional modules according to the above method embodiment. For example, each function can be divided into a separate functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. It should be noted that the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0215] Figure 9 shows a schematic diagram of a communication device 90. The communication device 90 includes a processing module 901 and a transceiver module 902. This communication device 90 can be used to implement the functions of a terminal device or a network device.

[0216] In some embodiments, the communication device 90 may further include a storage module (not shown in FIG. 9) for storing program instructions and data. Optionally, the storage module may be a non-volatile storage medium.

[0217] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 902, also referred to as a transceiver unit, is used to implement sending and / or receiving functions. The transceiver module 902 may consist of a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, a transceiver unit, or a communication interface.

[0218] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 902 may include a receiving module and a sending module, respectively configured to perform the receiving and sending steps performed by the terminal device or network device in the above method embodiments, and / or other processes to support the technology described herein; the processing module 901 may be configured to perform the processing steps performed by the terminal device or network device in the above method embodiments, and / or other processes to support the technology described herein.

[0219] When the communication device 90 is used to implement the functions of a terminal device:

[0220] The transceiver module 902 is used to receive first measurement configuration information, which indicates at least one measurement object and at least one measurement object indicates at least one first frequency point; the transceiver module 902 is also used to send first information, which indicates at least one second frequency point and at least one second frequency point is a frequency point other than at least one first frequency point.

[0221] Optionally, the transceiver module 902 is also used to receive second information, which is used to indicate that the terminal device is allowed to send the first information.

[0222] Optionally, the transceiver module 902 is further configured to receive third information, which indicates a first list and / or a second list. The first list indicates a second frequency point that the terminal device is allowed to report, and the second list indicates a third frequency point that the terminal device is not allowed to report, wherein the third frequency point is at least one frequency point other than the first frequency point.

[0223] Optionally, the processing module 901 is used to control the transceiver module 902 to measure at least one second frequency point.

[0224] Optionally, the transceiver module 902 is further configured to receive second measurement configuration information, which indicates at least one of the following: measurement target configuration for at least one second frequency point; or, measurement reporting configuration for at least one second frequency point; or, measurement interval configuration for at least one second frequency point; or, measurement priority information, which indicates the priority for measuring at least one first frequency point and / or second frequency point.

[0225] Optionally, the transceiver module 902 is also used to send a fourth message, which indicates that the terminal device will leave the current serving cell and access at least one cell on a second frequency point.

[0226] Optionally, the processing module 901 is further configured to start a first timer; the processing module 901 is further configured to control the terminal device to access a cell on at least one second frequency point if the first timer times out and is not switched or redirected to a cell on at least one second frequency point.

[0227] When the communication device 90 is used to implement the functions of a network device:

[0228] The transceiver module 902 is used to send first measurement configuration information, which indicates at least one measurement object and at least one measurement object indicates at least one first frequency point; the transceiver module 902 is also used to receive first information, which indicates at least one second frequency point and at least one second frequency point is a frequency point other than at least one first frequency point.

[0229] Optionally, the transceiver module 902 is also used to send a second message, which indicates that the terminal device is allowed to send the first message.

[0230] Optionally, the transceiver module 902 is further configured to send third information, which indicates a first list and / or a second list. The first list indicates a second frequency point that the terminal device is allowed to report, and the second list indicates a third frequency point that the terminal device is not allowed to report, wherein the third frequency point is at least one frequency point other than the first frequency point.

[0231] Optionally, the processing module 901 is used to update the neighbor cell relationship based on the first information.

[0232] Optionally, the transceiver module 902 is further configured to send second measurement configuration information, which indicates at least one of the following: measurement target configuration for at least one second frequency point; or, measurement reporting configuration for at least one second frequency point; or, measurement interval configuration for at least one second frequency point; or, measurement priority information, which indicates the priority for measuring at least one first frequency point and / or second frequency point.

[0233] Optionally, the first information is also used to indicate the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point. The processing module 901 is further configured to switch or redirect the terminal to at least one cell on at least one second frequency point based on the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point.

[0234] Optionally, the transceiver module 902 is also used to receive fourth information, which indicates that the terminal device will leave the current serving cell and access at least one cell on a second frequency point.

[0235] Optionally, the processing module 901 is also used to start a second timer; the processing module 901 is also used to stop scheduling the terminal device after the second timer expires.

[0236] Optionally, after the second timer expires, the transceiver module 902 is further configured to send the context and / or data of the terminal device to at least one cell on a second frequency point accessed by the terminal device.

[0237] All relevant content of each step involved in the above method embodiments can be referenced from the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and will not be repeated here.

[0238] In this application, the communication device 90 can be presented in an integrated manner by dividing it into various functional modules. Here, "module" can refer to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a circuit, a processor and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, integrated logic circuits, and / or other devices that can provide the above functions.

[0239] In some embodiments, when the communication device 90 in FIG9 is a chip or chip system, the function / implementation process of the transceiver module 902 can be implemented through the input / output interface (or communication interface) of the chip or chip system, and the function / implementation process of the processing module 901 can be implemented through the processor (or processing circuit) of the chip or chip system.

[0240] Since the communication device 90 provided in this embodiment can execute the above method, the technical effects it can achieve can be referred to the above method embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0241] As a possible product form, the terminal device or network device described in the embodiments of this application can be implemented using the following: one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), controllers, state machines, gate logic, discrete hardware components, any other suitable circuits, or any combination of circuits capable of performing the various functions described throughout this application.

[0242] As another possible product form, the terminal device or network device described in this application embodiment can be implemented using a general bus architecture. For ease of explanation, refer to FIG10, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 1000 includes a processor 1001 and a transceiver 1002. The communication device 1000 can be a terminal device, or a chip or chip system therein; or, the communication device 1000 can be a network device, or a chip or module therein. FIG10 only shows the main components of the communication device 1000. In addition to the processor 1001 and transceiver 1002, the communication device may further include a memory 1003 and input / output devices (not shown in FIG10).

[0243] Optionally, the processor 1001 is mainly used to process communication protocols and communication data, control the entire communication device, execute software programs, and process the data of the software programs, thereby implementing the methods provided in the above-described method embodiments. The memory 1003 is mainly used to store software programs and data. The transceiver 1002 may include a radio frequency (RF) circuit and an antenna. The RF circuit is mainly used for converting baseband signals to RF signals and processing RF signals. The antenna is mainly used for transmitting and receiving RF signals in the form of electromagnetic waves. Input / output devices, such as touch screens, displays, and keyboards, are mainly used to receive user input data and output data to the user.

[0244] Optionally, the processor 1001, transceiver 1002, and memory 1003 can be connected via a communication bus.

[0245] When the communication device is powered on, the processor 1001 can read the software program in the memory 1003, execute the instructions of the software program, and process the data of the software program. When data needs to be transmitted wirelessly, the processor 1001 performs baseband processing on the data to be transmitted and outputs the baseband signal to the radio frequency (RF) circuit. The RF circuit processes the baseband signal and transmits the RF signal outward in the form of electromagnetic waves through the antenna. When data is sent to the communication device, the RF circuit receives the RF signal through the antenna, converts the RF signal into a baseband signal, and outputs the baseband signal to the processor 1001. The processor 1001 converts the baseband signal into data and processes the data.

[0246] In another implementation, the radio frequency circuitry and antenna can be set up independently of the processor performing baseband processing. For example, in a distributed scenario, the radio frequency circuitry and antenna can be arranged remotely, independent of the communication device.

[0247] In some embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the above-described communication device 90 can take the form of the communication device 1000 shown in FIG10 in terms of hardware implementation.

[0248] As an example, the function / implementation process of the processing module 901 in Figure 9 can be implemented by the processor 1001 in the communication device 1000 shown in Figure 10 calling computer execution instructions stored in the memory 1003. The function / implementation process of the transceiver module 902 in Figure 9 can be implemented by the transceiver 1002 in the communication device 1000 shown in Figure 10.

[0249] As another possible product form, the terminal device or network device in this application may adopt the composition structure shown in FIG11, or include the components shown in FIG11. FIG11 is a schematic diagram of the composition of a communication device 1100 provided in this application. The communication device 1100 may be a terminal device or a chip or system-on-a-chip in a terminal device; or, it may be a network device or a chip or system-on-a-chip in a network device.

[0250] As shown in Figure 11, the communication device 1100 includes at least one processor 1101 and at least one communication interface (Figure 11 is merely an example illustrating the inclusion of a communication interface 1104 and a processor 1101). Optionally, the communication device 1100 may also include a communication bus 1102 and a memory 1103.

[0251] Processor 1101 can be a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a PLD, or any combination thereof. Processor 1101 can also be other devices with processing functions, such as circuits, devices, or software modules, without limitation.

[0252] Communication bus 1102 is used to connect different components in communication device 1100, enabling communication between them. Communication bus 1102 can be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus or an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus, etc. This bus can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is used in Figure 11, but this does not indicate that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0253] Communication interface 1104 is used for communicating with other devices or communication networks. For example, communication interface 1104 can be a module, circuit, transceiver, or any device capable of communication. Optionally, the communication interface 1104 can also be an input / output interface located within processor 1101, used to implement signal input and signal output for the processor.

[0254] The memory 1103 may be a device with storage function, used to store instructions and / or data. The instructions may be computer programs.

[0255] For example, memory 1103 may be a non-volatile storage medium, such as read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage devices that can store static information and / or instructions; it may also be random access memory (RAM) or other types of dynamic storage devices that can store information and / or instructions; it may also be electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, etc., without limitation.

[0256] It should be noted that the memory 1103 can exist independently of the processor 1101, or it can be integrated with the processor 1101. The memory 1103 can be located inside or outside the communication device 1100, without limitation. The processor 1101 can be used to execute the instructions stored in the memory 1103 to implement the methods provided in the following embodiments of this application.

[0257] Optionally, the processor 1101 and / or memory 1103 may include an artificial intelligence (AI) module, which is used to implement AI-related functions. The AI ​​module can be implemented through software, hardware, or a combination of both. For example, the AI ​​module may include a radio network intelligent controller (RIC) module. For example, the AI ​​module can be a near real-time RIC or a non-real-time RIC.

[0258] As an optional implementation, the communication device 1100 may further include an output device 1105 and an input device 1106. The output device 1105 communicates with the processor 1101 and can display information in various ways. For example, the output device 1105 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display device, a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device, or a projector, etc. The input device 1106 communicates with the processor 1101 and can receive user input in various ways. For example, the input device 1106 may be a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen device, or sensing device, etc.

[0259] In some embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the communication device 90 shown in FIG9 can take the form of the communication device 1100 shown in FIG11 in terms of hardware implementation.

[0260] As an example, the function / implementation process of the processing module 901 in Figure 9 can be implemented by the processor 1101 in the communication device 1100 shown in Figure 11 calling the computer execution instructions stored in the memory 1103. The function / implementation process of the transceiver module 902 in Figure 9 can be implemented by the communication interface 1104 in the communication device 1100 shown in Figure 11.

[0261] It should be noted that the structure shown in Figure 11 does not constitute a specific limitation on the terminal device or network device. For example, in other embodiments of this application, the terminal device or network device may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The components shown in the figure may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0262] In some embodiments, this application also provides a communication device, which includes a processor for implementing the methods in any of the above method embodiments.

[0263] As one possible implementation, the communication device also includes a memory. This memory stores necessary computer programs and data. The computer program may include instructions, which a processor can invoke to instruct the communication device to execute the methods described in any of the above method embodiments. Alternatively, the memory may not be present in the communication device.

[0264] As another possible implementation, the communication device also includes an interface circuit, which is a code / data read / write interface circuit, used to receive computer execution instructions (which are stored in memory and may be read directly from memory or may be transmitted through other devices) and transmit them to the processor.

[0265] As another possible implementation, the communication device also includes a communication interface for communicating with modules outside the communication device.

[0266] It is understood that the communication device can be a chip or a chip system. When the communication device is a chip system, it can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices. This application does not specifically limit this.

[0267] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program or instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a computer, implements the functions of any of the above-described method embodiments.

[0268] This application also provides a computer program product that, when executed by a computer, implements the functions of any of the above method embodiments.

[0269] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0270] It is understood that the systems, apparatuses, and methods described in this application can also be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the couplings or direct couplings or communication connections shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; indirect couplings or communication connections between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0271] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0272] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0273] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software programs, implementation can be, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product. This computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a computer or a data storage device containing one or more servers, data centers, etc., that can be integrated with the medium. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid-state drive (SSD)). In this embodiment, the computer may include the aforementioned apparatus.

[0274] Although this application has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, those skilled in the art, by reviewing the accompanying drawings, disclosure, and appended claims, will understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments in carrying out the claimed application. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions listed in the claims. While different dependent claims may recite certain measures, this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0275] Although this application has been described in conjunction with specific features and embodiments, it is obvious that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the scope of this application. Accordingly, this specification and drawings are merely illustrative descriptions of the application as defined by the appended claims, and are considered to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of this application. Clearly, those skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications to this application without departing from its scope. Thus, if such modifications and modifications fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, this application is also intended to include such modifications and modifications.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: Receive first measurement configuration information, the first measurement configuration information being used to indicate at least one measurement object, the at least one measurement object being used to indicate at least one first frequency point; Send a first message, the first message being used to indicate at least one second frequency point, the at least one second frequency point being a frequency point other than the at least one first frequency point.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: receiving second information, the second information being used to instruct the terminal device to send the first information.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: receiving third information, the third information being used to indicate a first list and / or a second list; The first list indicates a second frequency point that is allowed to be reported by the terminal device, and the second list indicates a third frequency point that is not allowed to be reported by the terminal device, wherein the third frequency point is a frequency point other than the at least one first frequency point.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The first information is also used to indicate the identifier of at least one cell on the at least one second frequency point.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The method further includes: measuring the at least one second frequency point.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The method further includes: receiving second measurement configuration information, the second measurement configuration information being used to indicate at least one of the following: The measurement target configuration for the second frequency point; or, Configuration for measurement and reporting at the second frequency point; or, The measurement interval configuration for the second frequency point; or, Measurement priority information, which indicates the priority of measuring the at least one first frequency point and / or the second frequency point.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The measurement reporting configuration for the second frequency point is used to indicate the reporting trigger event corresponding to the second frequency point, and the reporting trigger event includes at least one of the following: The top X cells with the strongest signal quality among at least one cell measured by the terminal device, including cells on the second frequency point, where X is an integer greater than or equal to 1; or, The signal quality of the cell on the second frequency point is greater than or equal to the first threshold; or, The difference between the signal quality of the cell on the second frequency point and the signal quality of the serving cell is greater than or equal to the second threshold; or, The difference between the signal quality of the cell on the second frequency point and the signal quality of the cell on any of the at least one first frequency point is greater than or equal to a third threshold.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The first information is also used to indicate the signal quality of at least one cell on the at least one second frequency point.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first information is also used to indicate the signal quality of at least one cell on the at least one second frequency point, including: The first information is used to indicate the at least one second frequency point, the identifier of at least one cell on the at least one second frequency point, and the signal quality of at least one cell on the at least one second frequency point.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The method further includes sending a fourth message, the fourth message instructing the terminal device to leave the current serving cell and access a cell on the at least one second frequency point.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, The method further includes: Start the first timer; If the first timer times out and the user is not switched or redirected to a cell on the at least one second frequency point, the user accesses a cell on the at least one second frequency point.

12. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: Send first measurement configuration information, the first measurement configuration information being used to indicate at least one measurement object, the at least one measurement object being used to indicate at least one first frequency point; Receive first information, the first information being used to indicate at least one second frequency point, the at least one second frequency point being a frequency point other than the at least one first frequency point.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The method further includes: sending a second message, the second message indicating permission for the terminal device to send the first message.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The method further includes: sending third information, the third information being used to indicate a first list and / or a second list; The first list indicates a second frequency point that is allowed to be reported by the terminal device, and the second list indicates a third frequency point that is not allowed to be reported by the terminal device, wherein the third frequency point is a frequency point other than the at least one first frequency point.

15. The method according to any one of claims 12-14, characterized in that, The first information is also used to indicate the identifier of at least one cell on the at least one second frequency point.

16. The method according to any one of claims 12-15, characterized in that, The method further includes updating the neighboring cell relationship based on the first information.

17. The method according to any one of claims 12-16, characterized in that, The method further includes: sending second measurement configuration information, the second measurement configuration information being used to indicate at least one of the following: The measurement target configuration for the second frequency point; or, Configuration for measurement and reporting at the second frequency point; or, The measurement interval configuration for the second frequency point; or, Measurement priority information, which indicates the priority of measuring the at least one first frequency point and / or the second frequency point.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The measurement reporting configuration for at least one second frequency point is used to indicate a reporting trigger event corresponding to the at least one second frequency point, and the reporting trigger event includes at least one of the following: The top X cells with the strongest signal quality among at least one cells measured by the terminal device, including cells on the at least one second frequency point, where X is an integer greater than or equal to 1; or, The signal quality of the cell at at least one second frequency point is greater than or equal to the first threshold; or, The difference between the signal quality of the cell at at least one second frequency point and the signal quality of the serving cell is greater than or equal to a second threshold; or... The difference between the signal quality of the cell at the at least one second frequency point and the signal quality of the cell at any of the at least one first frequency points is greater than or equal to a third threshold.

19. The method according to any one of claims 12-18, characterized in that, The first information is also used to indicate the signal quality of at least one cell on the at least one second frequency point.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The first information is also used to indicate the signal quality of at least one cell on the at least one second frequency point, including: The first information is used to indicate the at least one second frequency point, the identifier of at least one cell on the at least one second frequency point, and the signal quality of at least one cell on the at least one second frequency point.

21. The method according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that, The method further includes: Based on the signal quality of at least one cell on at least one second frequency point, the terminal is switched or redirected to a cell on at least one second frequency point.

22. The method according to any one of claims 12-21, characterized in that, The method further includes: receiving fourth information, the fourth information indicating that the terminal device will leave the current serving cell and access a cell on the at least one second frequency point.

23. The method according to any one of claims 12-22, characterized in that, The method further includes: Start the second timer; After the second timer expires, scheduling of the terminal device stops.

24. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that, The method further includes: After the second timer expires, the context and / or data of the terminal device are sent to the cell on the at least one second frequency point accessed by the terminal device.

25. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a processor; the processor is configured to run a computer program or instructions to cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-11, or to cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 12-24.

26. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions or programs that, when executed on a computer, cause the method described in any one of claims 1-11 to be performed, or cause the method described in any one of claims 12-24 to be performed.

27. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes computer instructions; when some or all of the computer instructions are run on a computer, they cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-11 to be performed, or cause the method as described in any one of claims 12-24 to be performed.

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