Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of communications, and provides a communication method and apparatus. In the method, a terminal device can send uplink information to a second network device on the basis of a received first reference signal sent by a first network device and a corresponding relationship, and does not need to scan a plurality of beams of the second network device in order to access the second network device, effectively reducing the overheads of the terminal device accessing the second network device.

Description

Communication methods and devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411945271.4, filed on December 24, 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 a communication method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] In 5G communication systems, uplink capacity can be increased through dense uplink (UL) deployment. Specifically, transmission reception points (TRPs) with only uplink reception can be deployed at different sites to increase the density of uplink reception points, thereby expanding the network's uplink capacity and enhancing the system's uplink transmission performance.

[0004] Currently, terminal devices can scan on multiple beams to determine the beam used to send uplink information to a TRP that only receives uplink data. This results in a significant overhead for beam scanning when the terminal device accesses the TRP.

[0005] How to enable terminal devices to access TRPs that only receive uplink data and reduce overhead is an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a communication method and apparatus to reduce the overhead required for terminal devices to access TRPs that only receive uplink data and to reduce power consumption.

[0007] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a terminal device, or by a module applied to the terminal device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system), or by a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the terminal device.

[0008] For example, the method includes: receiving a first reference signal from a first network device, and sending uplink information to a second network device according to the signal strength and correspondence of the first reference signal. The correspondence is the correspondence between the index of the reference signal, the signal strength of the reference signal, and spatial indication information.

[0009] As can be seen, the terminal device can send uplink information to the second network device based on the signal strength of the first reference signal from the first network device and the known correspondence, thereby enabling access to the second network device. The terminal device does not need to scan multiple beams of the second network device to access it, effectively reducing the overhead of the terminal device accessing the second network device.

[0010] The first reference signal can be the reference signal with the strongest signal strength among multiple reference signals sent by the first network device and received by the terminal device.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the correspondence includes the index of the first reference signal, the range of the signal strength of the first reference signal, and the corresponding first spatial indication information.

[0012] As can be seen, based on this correspondence, the terminal device can determine the first spatial indication information corresponding to the signal strength of the first reference signal within this correspondence, and then send uplink information to the second network device according to the first spatial indication information to achieve access to the second network device. The terminal device does not need to scan on multiple beams of the second network device to access it, effectively reducing the overhead of the terminal device accessing the second network device.

[0013] Based on the relationship between the index of the first reference signal, the range of the signal strength of the first reference signal, and the corresponding first spatial indication information in the correspondence, it can be known that the correspondence may include the index of other reference signals, at least one signal strength range corresponding to the index of each reference signal, and spatial indication information corresponding to each signal strength range.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the second network device corresponds to the first spatial location. That is, the first spatial location is the spatial location where the second network device is located, and the first spatial location can be determined based on first spatial indication information. The terminal device can quickly access the second network device based on this first spatial location, effectively reducing the overhead of the terminal device accessing the second network device.

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first spatial indication information can be used to indicate the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal.

[0016] For example, the spatial information of the first reference signal can be used to indicate the transmission direction of the first reference signal. The terminal device can use this transmission direction as a reference to offset by a corresponding angle to determine the direction for sending uplink information to the second network device. This direction can point to a first spatial location, and the angle between this direction and the transmission direction of the first reference signal is the angle indicated in the first spatial indication information. Compared to the terminal device searching for the second network device by scanning multiple beams of the second network device, the terminal device can quickly access the second network device based on the angle indicated in the first spatial indication information, effectively reducing the overhead of the terminal device accessing the second network device.

[0017] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first spatial indication information can be used to indicate a directional offset toward an increase in the index value of the first reference signal, or an offset toward a decrease in the index value of the first reference signal.

[0018] Specifically, the terminal device receives multiple reference signals sent by the first network device, including a first reference signal. Since the multiple reference signals are transmitted in different beam directions (i.e., their transmission directions are different), the indices of the multiple reference signals transmitted in the multiple beam directions can be consecutive index values. The terminal device can shift in the direction where the index value of the first reference signal increases (i.e., the direction where the index value of the multiple reference signals is greater than the index value of the first reference signal), or in the direction where the index value of the first reference signal decreases (i.e., the direction where the index value of the multiple reference signals is less than the index value of the first reference signal).

[0019] In one possible implementation, the first spatial indication information, in addition to indicating the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal, can also indicate an offset in the direction of increasing index value of the reference signal, or an offset in the direction of decreasing index value of the reference signal, so that the terminal device can accurately and quickly access the second network device based on the angle and the indicated direction.

[0020] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method may further include receiving configuration information that can be used to indicate a correspondence. For example, the configuration information may be sent by a first network device.

[0021] The terminal device can store this configuration information, enabling it to send uplink information to the corresponding network device based on the received reference signal and the corresponding relationship when it is in different locations.

[0022] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the second network device may be a device that does not transmit downlink signals. For example, the second network device may be a network device that only receives uplink signals. Alternatively, the second network device may be a device capable of both receiving uplink signals and transmitting downlink signals, but the downlink signal transmission function of this device is disabled.

[0023] Secondly, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a terminal device, or by a module applied to the terminal device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system), or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the terminal device.

[0024] For example, the method includes:

[0025] Receive configuration information, which indicates a correspondence between the index of the reference signal, the signal strength of the reference signal, and the spatial indication information. The spatial indication information indicates at least one of the following:

[0026] Offset in the direction of increasing index value of the reference signal, or offset in the direction of decreasing index value of the reference signal;

[0027] The angle of offset is determined with reference to the spatial information of the reference signal.

[0028] The reference signal in the spatial indication information can be a reference signal received by the terminal device from the first network device.

[0029] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: sending uplink information to the second network device according to the configuration information.

[0030] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, uplink information is sent to the second network device according to the configuration information, including:

[0031] Receive a first reference signal from the first network device;

[0032] Based on the signal strength and configuration information of the first reference signal, uplink information is sent to the second network device.

[0033] As can be seen, the terminal device can send uplink information to the second network device based on the signal strength of the first reference signal from the first network device and the known configuration information, thereby enabling access to the second network device. The terminal device does not need to scan multiple beams of the second network device to access it, effectively reducing the overhead of terminal device access to the second network device.

[0034] The communication method provided in the second aspect of this embodiment has similar beneficial effects to those achieved by the first aspect of this application and its corresponding feasible implementation, and will not be described again.

[0035] Thirdly, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a network device, or by a module applied to the network device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system), or by a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the network device.

[0036] For example, the method includes: determining configuration information, the configuration information being used to indicate a correspondence, the correspondence being the correspondence between the index of the reference signal, the signal strength of the reference signal and the spatial indication information; and sending the configuration information to the terminal device.

[0037] For a reference signal from a first network device, the terminal device detects different signal strengths of the reference signal at different locations. The first network device can determine the spatial indication information corresponding to the different signal strength ranges of each reference signal, configured to transmit the reference signal in multiple beam directions. This spatial indication information is used to indicate that, with reference to the spatial information of the reference signal, the spatial location of the second network device can be determined, that is, the location corresponding to the different signal strength ranges of each reference signal. Within the area where this location is located, there exists a second network device that has a spatial relationship with the reference signal.

[0038] Configuration information is sent to the terminal device, enabling it to send uplink information to the second network device based on this configuration information and the received reference signal, thereby achieving access to the second network device. Based on this configuration information, the terminal device does not need to scan multiple beams of the second network device to access it, effectively reducing the overhead of the terminal device accessing the second network device.

[0039] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the correspondence includes the index of the first reference signal, the range of the signal strength of the first reference signal, and the corresponding first spatial indication information. The method further includes: sending the first reference signal to the terminal device. The first reference signal may be the reference signal with the strongest signal strength received by the terminal device among multiple reference signals sent by the first network device.

[0040] As can be seen, based on this correspondence, the terminal device can determine the first spatial indication information corresponding to the first reference signal within this correspondence. This allows the terminal device to send uplink information to the second network device based on the first spatial indication information, thereby enabling access to the second network device. The terminal device does not need to scan multiple beams of the second network device to access it, effectively reducing the overhead of accessing the second network device.

[0041] Based on the relationship between the index of the first reference signal, the range of the signal strength of the first reference signal, and the corresponding first spatial indication information in the correspondence, it can be known that the correspondence may include the index of other reference signals, at least one signal strength range corresponding to the index of each reference signal, and spatial indication information corresponding to each signal strength range.

[0042] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the first spatial indication information is used to indicate the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal.

[0043] For example, the spatial information of the first reference signal can be used to indicate the transmission direction of the first reference signal, so that the terminal device can offset by a corresponding angle with the transmission direction as a reference to determine the direction of sending uplink information to the second network device. The direction can point to the first spatial position, and the angle between the direction and the transmission direction of the first reference signal is the angle indicated in the first spatial indication information.

[0044] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the first spatial indication information is used to indicate an offset in the direction of increasing the index value of the first reference signal, or an offset in the direction of decreasing the index value of the first reference signal.

[0045] The reference signal can be multiple reference signals sent by the first network device, including the first reference signal. Since the multiple reference signals are transmitted in different beam directions, i.e., the transmission directions of the multiple reference signals are different, the indices of the multiple reference signals transmitted in the multiple beam directions can be consecutive index values, allowing the terminal device to shift in the direction in which the index value of the first reference signal increases (i.e., the direction in which the index values ​​of the multiple reference signals are greater than the index value of the first reference signal), or in the direction in which the index value of the reference signals decreases (i.e., the direction in which the index values ​​of the multiple reference signals are less than the index value of the first reference signal).

[0046] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the first spatial indication information, in addition to indicating the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal, can also indicate the offset direction, so that the terminal device can accurately and quickly access the second network device based on the angle and the indicated direction.

[0047] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, which may be a terminal device, a module applied to the terminal device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic node, logic module, or software that can realize all or part of the functions of the terminal device.

[0048] In one design, the communication device includes a transceiver unit. The transceiver unit is configured to: receive a first reference signal from a first network device; and send uplink information to a second network device based on the signal strength and correspondence of the first reference signal. The correspondence refers to the correspondence between the index of the reference signal, the signal strength of the reference signal, and spatial indication information.

[0049] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the correspondence includes the index of the first reference signal, the range of the signal strength of the first reference signal, and the corresponding first spatial indication information.

[0050] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the second network device corresponds to the first spatial location, which is determined based on the first spatial indication information.

[0051] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the first spatial indication information is used to indicate the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal.

[0052] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the first spatial indication information is used to indicate a directional offset toward an increase in the index value of the first reference signal, or an offset toward a decrease in the index value of the first reference signal.

[0053] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the transceiver unit is also used to: receive configuration information, which is used to indicate the corresponding relationship.

[0054] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the second network device is a device that does not transmit downlink signals.

[0055] The communication device provided in this embodiment can execute the technical solutions in the above method embodiments. Its beneficial effects are similar to those obtained by the first aspect of this application and the corresponding feasible implementation methods, and will not be described again.

[0056] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, which may be a network device, a module applied to a network device (such as a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of realizing all or part of the functions of a network device.

[0057] In one design, the communication device includes a processing unit and a transceiver unit. The processing unit is used to: determine configuration information, which indicates a correspondence between a reference signal index, the signal strength of the reference signal, and spatial indication information; the transceiver unit's transmitting module is used to: send the configuration information to a terminal device.

[0058] In conjunction with the fifth aspect, in some implementations of the fifth aspect, the correspondence includes the index of the first reference signal, the range of the signal strength of the first reference signal, and the corresponding first spatial indication information. The transceiver unit is also configured to: send the first reference signal to the terminal device.

[0059] In conjunction with the fifth aspect, in some implementations of the fifth aspect, the first spatial indication information is used to indicate the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal.

[0060] In conjunction with the fifth aspect, in some implementations of the fifth aspect, the first spatial indication information is used to indicate an offset in the direction of increasing the index value of the first reference signal, or an offset in the direction of decreasing the index value of the first reference signal.

[0061] The communication device provided in the fifth aspect of this embodiment can execute the technical solutions in the above method embodiments. Its beneficial effects are similar to those obtained by the second aspect of this application and the corresponding feasible implementation methods, and will not be described again.

[0062] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and an interface circuit, the interface circuit being configured to receive signals from other communication devices and transmit them to the processor or to send signals from the processor to other communication devices, the processor being configured to execute the method described in any aspect and any possible implementation thereof via logic circuits or executable code instructions.

[0063] In a seventh aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods in any possible implementation of any of the above aspects.

[0064] Eighthly, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product comprising: a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions), which, when run, causes a computer to perform a method in any possible implementation of any of the above aspects.

[0065] Ninthly, a chip system is provided, the chip system including one or more processors, the one or more processors being configured to invoke computer instructions to cause the electronic device to perform a method in any possible implementation of any of the above aspects, for example, processing information involved in the above method.

[0066] In one possible design, the chip system also includes a memory for storing computer programs and data, which may be located inside or outside the processor.

[0067] The chip system can consist of chips or include chips and other discrete components.

[0068] One possible design is that the chip system also includes a power supply circuit for supplying power to the chip system.

[0069] A tenth aspect provides a processor, comprising: an input circuit, an output circuit, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive signals through the input circuit and transmit signals through the output circuit, causing the processor to execute a method in any possible implementation of any of the preceding aspects.

[0070] In specific implementation, the processor can be one or more chips, the input circuit can be input pins, the output circuit can be output pins, and the processing circuit can be transistors, gate circuits, flip-flops, and various logic circuits. The input signal received by the input circuit can be received and input by, for example, but not limited to, a receiver, and the signal output by the output circuit can be, for example, but not limited to, output to and transmitted by a transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as both the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the processor and various circuits.

[0071] Eleventhly, a communication system is provided, comprising the communication device of the third aspect and the communication device of the fourth aspect described above. The communication device of the third aspect is used to execute the method in any possible implementation of the third aspect, and the communication device of the fourth aspect is used to execute the method in any possible implementation of the fourth aspect.

[0072] It should be understood that the beneficial effects of the features corresponding to the first aspect in the sixth to eleventh aspects can be referred to the relevant description of the first aspect above. Attached Figure Description

[0073] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a scenario of dense UL deployment corresponding to a co-location example in this application;

[0074] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a scenario of dense UL deployment corresponding to different sites, as illustrated in this application.

[0075] Figure 3 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0076] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the terminal device of this application receiving reference signals at different locations;

[0077] Figure 5 is a schematic flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0078] Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 600 provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0079] Figure 7 is a schematic block diagram of another communication device 700 provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0080] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0081] To better understand the embodiments of this application, the technical terms involved in the embodiments of this application will be introduced first.

[0082] 1. Supplementary Uplink (SUL)

[0083] Supplemental uplink SUL is a technique used to extend uplink capacity. In supplemental uplink SUL, the frequency domain resources of a cell consist of normal downlink (NDL) carriers in band B1, normal uplink (NUL) carriers in band B1, and SUL carriers in band B0. The NUL and NDL are in the same frequency band, while the SUL can be in a lower frequency band than the NUL.

[0084] 2. Dense deployment of UL

[0085] In 5G communication systems, dense deployment of uplink capacity can be achieved by supplementing uplink SUL. There are two ways to expand uplink capacity: co-site and cross-site.

[0086] Co-location refers to a macro base station where the uplink frequency bands deployed on the macro base station include both the NUL and SUL bands. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a scenario of dense UL deployment corresponding to a co-location, as illustrated in this application. As shown in Figure 1, for a macro base station, when uplink capacity expansion is required, the SUL carrier and the NUL carrier are configured as a single cell within the macro base station. For example, if a terminal device is configured with multiple carriers in a single cell, one of which is an NUL and the others are supplementary uplink carriers (SUL1 and SUL2 in Figure 1), SUL2 can be a carrier on a new high-frequency bandwidth. The supplementary uplink carriers (SUL1 and SUL2) use the same timing advancement (TA), downlink offset, and path loss value as the ordinary uplink carrier NUL.

[0087] In 5G mobile communication systems, off-site deployment refers to deploying a site independent of a macro base station (e.g., a TRP site with only uplink reception) within the coverage area of ​​that macro base station. This site is not located in the same location as the base station. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a scenario of dense UL deployment corresponding to off-site deployment in this application. As shown in Figure 2, dense UL deployment can deploy a site (e.g., a TRP) for uplink reception within the coverage area of ​​a macro base station. The macro base station is configured with an additional uplink carrier SUL1 and a normal uplink carrier NUL, and the TRP is configured with an additional uplink carrier SUL2. SUL2 can be a new carrier on a high-frequency bandwidth or a low-frequency bandwidth, thereby forming more and denser uplink transmissions and expanding uplink capacity.

[0088] This also creates a supplementary uplink transmission for the uplink transmission at the macro base station. For example, this scenario could be used in a factory area coverage scenario. The TRP in Figure 2 could be the TRP of a small cell.

[0089] In dense UL deployment scenarios at different sites, TRPs that cannot perform downlink transmission lack downlink reference signals. Terminal devices cannot measure downlink reference signals within the TRP's coverage area based on the TRP's transmitted reference signals. Terminal devices cannot directly determine the path loss of the link with the TRP, nor can they obtain the TA (Transmission Aspect). In this scenario, how terminal devices obtain the UL transmission path loss and TA when performing uplink transmission with the TRP is an unresolved issue.

[0090] 3. Beam

[0091] A beam is the shape formed on the Earth's surface by electromagnetic waves emitted by an antenna; it is a type of communication resource.

[0092] When using high-frequency bands, thanks to the smaller carrier wavelength of high-frequency communication systems, antenna arrays consisting of numerous antenna elements can be deployed at both the transmitting end (e.g., network equipment) and the receiving end (e.g., terminal equipment). The transmitting end transmits signals with a certain beamforming weight, forming a spatially directional beam. Simultaneously, at the receiving end, the antenna array receives signals with a certain beamforming weight, which can improve the received signal power and counteract path loss.

[0093] When the relative positions of network devices and terminal devices change, for example, when the relative positions of terminal devices change, the beam between network devices and terminal devices will also change accordingly.

[0094] Generally, one beam corresponds to one reference signal, meaning that one reference signal can be transmitted on one beam, and different beams can also be represented by different reference signals.

[0095] 4. Reference signal (RS)

[0096] RS is a known signal provided by the transmitter to the receiver, mainly used for channel estimation or channel sounding. RS includes uplink reference signal and downlink reference signal.

[0097] Downlink reference signals include: synchronization signal / physical broadcast channel (PBCH) block (SSB), channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS), etc. SSB can also be simply referred to as the synchronization signal block. CSI-RS is a type of reference signal used in NR systems for downlink channel state information (CSI) measurement.

[0098] During beamforming, SSB or CSI-RS are typically transmitted in different beam directions to cover the entire cell.

[0099] Currently, in dense UL deployment scenarios with co-located sites, since there is a mapping relationship between the SSB index and the physical random access channel (PRACH) occasion (a time-frequency domain resource that can be used to send a random access preamble), the terminal device can send an uplink signal on the PRACH occasion corresponding to the SSB based on the direction of the received SSB, so that the network device can accurately receive the uplink signal.

[0100] However, the above method is applicable to the dense UL deployment scenario corresponding to the common site as shown in Figure 1. In the dense UL deployment scenario corresponding to different sites as shown in Figure 2, for TRPs that only receive uplinks, the TRPs do not have downlink transmission functions and cannot send reference signals. When the terminal device is within the coverage area of ​​the TRP, the terminal device can only discover the TRP by scanning in multiple directions in order to access the TRP. This makes the overhead of the terminal device to access the TRP relatively large.

[0101] Specifically, the terminal device can scan multiple frequency bands to detect any potential uplink information receiving frequency bands, and then send uplink information to the TRP corresponding to that receiving frequency band that only receives uplink information. And / or, the terminal device can scan multiple beams to detect any potential uplink information beams, and then send uplink information to the TRP corresponding to that beam that only receives uplink information. Since multiple beams are beams without direction reference, this results in significant overhead for the terminal device when accessing the TRP.

[0102] Therefore, how terminal devices can access network devices that do not have downlink transmission capabilities (such as TRPs that only receive uplink data) and reduce the overhead of accessing such network devices and lower power consumption is an urgent problem to be solved.

[0103] Therefore, this application provides a communication method in which a terminal device, when needing to perform uplink transmission with a network device that does not have downlink transmission capabilities, can send uplink information to the network device based on reference signals sent by other network devices and the corresponding relationships configured by those network devices. In other words, by utilizing the reference signals and corresponding relationships sent by other network devices, uplink information can be sent to the network device, thereby achieving uplink transmission with that network device, reducing the overhead of the terminal device accessing the network device, and lowering power consumption.

[0104] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the following points will be explained first:

[0105] First, in the embodiments of this application, "used for indicating" can include direct indication, indirect indication, explicit indication, and implicit indication. When describing a certain indication information as being used to indicate A, it can be understood that the indication information carries A, directly indicates A, or indirectly indicates A.

[0106] Second, in the embodiments of this application, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "more than one" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can represent A or B. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, and c can represent: a, or b, or c, or a and b, or a and c, or b and c, or a, b, and c, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0107] Third, in the embodiments of this application, descriptions such as "when," "under the circumstances," "if," and "if" all refer to the fact that the device (e.g., the terminal device or access network device described below) will make corresponding processing under certain objective circumstances. They are not time limits, nor do they require the device (e.g., the terminal device or access network device described below) to have a judgment action when implementing it, nor do they mean that there are other limitations.

[0108] Fourth, in the embodiments of this application, "predefined" can be a protocol definition. "Predefined" can be implemented by pre-storing corresponding codes, tables, or other means of indicating relevant information in the device (e.g., including terminal devices and network devices). This application does not limit the specific implementation method.

[0109] Fifth, the “protocol” involved in the embodiments of this application may refer to standard protocols in the field of communication, such as the Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol, the NR protocol, and related protocols applied to future communication systems. This application does not limit this.

[0110] Sixth, in the embodiments of this application, in order to facilitate the description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" may be used for distinction. The terms "first" and "second" do not limit the number or execution order, and the terms "first" and "second" are not necessarily different. Words such as "exemplary," "example," or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary," "example," or "for example" should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. The use of words such as "exemplary," "example," or "for example" is intended to present related concepts in a concrete manner for ease of understanding.

[0111] A schematic diagram of a communication system 200 applicable to this application embodiment can be referred to Figure 2. The communication system 200 includes a first network device 210, a second network device 220, and a terminal device 230. The communication system 200 may include at least one terminal device and multiple network devices. The terminal device and network device shown in Figure 2 are merely examples, and this application embodiment does not limit them.

[0112] Terminal device 230 can communicate with the first network device 210, including uplink and downlink. Terminal device 230 can perform uplink transmission with the second network device 220, meaning the second network device 220 cannot perform downlink transmission.

[0113] The communication system 200 can be an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) system, a new radio (NR) system, a 6th generation (6G) radio access system, or a future radio access system as defined in the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), or it can be a WiFi system. The communication system to which the technical solutions of this application are applicable can also include two or more of the above-mentioned different radio access systems. The communication system can also be an open radio access network (RAN) (O-RAN).

[0114] The first network device 210 or the second network device 220, also known as a radio access network device, RAN entity, or access node, is used to help terminals access the communication system wirelessly. In one application scenario, the first network device 210 or the second network device 220 can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a TRP, a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in a 2nd generation (2G) mobile communication system, a next-generation base station in a 6th generation (6G) mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. For example, in the communication system 200, the first network device 210 can be a macro base station capable of both uplink signal reception and downlink signal transmission, and the second network device 220 can be a micro base station or indoor station without downlink transmission capability (as shown in Figure 3, a TRP), or a relay node or donor node, etc.

[0115] The terminal device 230 in the embodiments of this application is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, capable of sending signals to or receiving signals from the first network device 210, and capable of sending signals to the second network device 220. The terminal device 230 can also be referred to as a terminal, user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), etc. The terminal device 230 can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, etc. The terminal can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable device, vehicle, airplane, ship, robot, robotic arm, smart home device, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the terminal.

[0116] The first network device 210, the second network device 220, and the terminal device 230 can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can also be deployed on aircraft, balloons, and artificial satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the first network device 210, the second network device 220, and the terminal device 230. The first network device 210 and the second network device 220 are located in different geographical locations.

[0117] The embodiments of this application can be applied to both downlink and uplink signal transmission. For downlink signal transmission, the transmitting device is the first network device 210, and the corresponding receiving device is the terminal device 230. For uplink signal transmission, the transmitting device is the terminal device 230, and the corresponding receiving device can be either the first network device 210 or the second network device 220.

[0118] Network devices (e.g., first network device 210 or second network device 220) and terminal device 230, network devices (e.g., first network device 210) and network devices (e.g., second network device 220), and terminal device 230 and other terminal devices not shown in Figure 2 can communicate via licensed spectrum, unlicensed spectrum, or both simultaneously. Communication can be conducted using spectrum below 6 GHz, spectrum above 6 GHz, or both simultaneously. The embodiments of this application do not limit the spectrum resources used for wireless communication.

[0119] In the embodiments of this application, the functions of the first network device 210 and the second network device 220 can also be executed by modules (such as chips) in the base station, or by a control subsystem containing base station functions. This control subsystem containing base station functions can be a control center in the aforementioned application scenarios such as smart grids, industrial control, intelligent transportation, and smart cities. The functions of the terminal device 230 can also be executed by modules (such as chips or modems) in the terminal, or by a device containing terminal functions.

[0120] The methods provided in the embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0121] Figure 3 shows a schematic flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. This method can be applied to the communication system shown in Figure 2 above, but this application embodiment does not limit it. As shown in Figure 3, the method may include the following steps:

[0122] S301. The first network device determines the configuration information, which is used to indicate the correspondence. The correspondence is the correspondence between the index of the reference signal, the signal strength of the reference signal and the spatial indication information.

[0123] In one possible implementation, the correspondence may include an index of at least one reference signal, at least one signal strength range corresponding to each reference signal index, and corresponding spatial indication information. Specifically, the correspondence may include an index of at least one reference signal, at least one signal strength range corresponding to each reference signal index, and spatial indication information corresponding to each signal strength range.

[0124] For example, the correspondence is shown in Table 1:

[0125] Table 1

[0126] For example, taking a reference signal with index 1 as an example, the signal strength range 11 of this reference signal can be from -60dBm (decibel-milliwatts) to -80dBm. The corresponding spatial indication information 1 can include, for example, three bits of value, such as 101. The first bit of value 1 can be used to indicate an offset in the direction of decreasing index value of the first reference signal. The combination of the second bit of value 0 and the third bit of value 1 is 01, which indicates that the offset angle is 45° to 90° with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal. That is, the spatial indication information corresponding to the signal strength range of the reference signal with index 1 (-60dBm to -80dBm) is used to indicate an offset of 45° to 90° in the direction of decreasing index value of the first reference signal.

[0127] In one possible implementation, the signal strength ranges corresponding to multiple reference signals can be the same or different.

[0128] For example, signal strength range 11 and signal strength range 21 can be the same, signal strength range 12 and signal strength range 22 can be the same, and signal strength range 13 and signal strength range 23 can be the same. That is, each signal strength range can be considered to be set for a set of reference signals, which may include at least one of the above-mentioned reference signals, and the indices of the reference signals can form an index group.

[0129] In one possible implementation, the first network device can determine the reference signals it transmits in multiple beam directions, and determine whether a second network device exists in the vicinity of the location corresponding to different signal strength ranges of the reference signals transmitted in each beam direction. For the signal strength range where a second network device exists, the first network device can obtain the spatial location of the second network device, and can determine spatial indication information based on the location corresponding to the signal strength range and the spatial location of the second network device.

[0130] In one possible implementation, for any signal strength range of any reference signal, the spatial indication information can be used to indicate the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the reference signal. The spatial information of the reference signal can be the beam direction of the reference signal, the transmission direction of the reference signal, or the direction corresponding to the beam of the reference signal detected by the terminal device. However, it should be understood that this application does not preclude the possibility of defining other terms to represent the same or similar meanings in future protocols. The following embodiment uses the spatial information of the reference signal as the transmission direction of the reference signal as an example for illustration.

[0131] In one possible implementation, the first reference signal can be either SSB or CSI-RS.

[0132] It should be understood that for any reference signal, the signal strength of the reference signal received by the terminal device at different locations is different. Taking SSB as an example, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the terminal device receiving the reference signal at different locations in this application. As shown in Figure 4, the signal strength of SSB2 received by the terminal device at location 1 is greater than the signal strength of SSB2 received at location 2.

[0133] Whether a second network device exists near a location corresponding to different signal strengths of any reference signal can be understood as whether the location corresponding to the different signal strengths is within the coverage area of ​​the second network device. Taking Figure 4 as an example, the existence of a second network device b1 near location 1 means that location 1 is within the coverage area of ​​the second network device b1; the existence of a second network device b2 near location 2 means that location 2 is within the coverage area of ​​the second network device b2.

[0134] Taking position 1 as an example, when the terminal device is located at position 1, that is, when the terminal device receives the signal strength of SSB2 within the signal strength range corresponding to position 1, the terminal device can send uplink information in the direction of the spatial location of the second network device b1 from position 1 according to the spatial indication information corresponding to the signal strength range.

[0135] S302, The first network device sends configuration information to the terminal device.

[0136] Accordingly, the terminal device receives configuration information from the first network device.

[0137] In one possible implementation, the first network device can carry the configuration information via higher-layer signaling (such as radio resource control signaling), that is, send the configuration information to the terminal device via higher-layer signaling.

[0138] In one possible implementation, the first network device can be a network device capable of both receiving uplink signals and transmitting downlink signals.

[0139] In one possible implementation, the first network device may be a device capable of transmitting downlink signals. For example, the first network device may be a device that only transmits downlink signals. Alternatively, the first network device may be a device capable of both receiving uplink signals and transmitting downlink signals, but its uplink signal reception function is disabled.

[0140] In one possible implementation, the second network device may be a device that does not transmit downlink signals. For example, the second network device may be a network device that only receives uplink signals. Alternatively, the second network device may be a device capable of both receiving uplink signals and transmitting downlink signals, but its downlink signal transmission function is disabled. "Disabled" can also be understood as not being activated or being deactivated.

[0141] In this embodiment, the first network device sends configuration information to the terminal device, enabling the terminal device to send uplink information to the second network device based on the configuration information and the received reference signal, thereby achieving access to the second network device. Based on this configuration information, the terminal device does not need to scan multiple beams of the second network device to access it, effectively reducing the overhead of the terminal device accessing the second network device.

[0142] The following explains how the terminal device performs uplink transmission with the second network device based on the corresponding relationship.

[0143] Figure 5 shows a schematic flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. This method can be applied to the communication system shown in Figure 2 above, but this application embodiment does not limit it. As shown in Figure 5, the method may include the following steps:

[0144] S501, The first network device sends a first reference signal to the terminal device.

[0145] Accordingly, the terminal device receives a first reference signal from the first network device.

[0146] The first reference signal can be the reference signal with the strongest signal strength among multiple reference signals sent by the first network device and received by the terminal device.

[0147] It should be understood that the multiple reference signals here are reference signals received by the terminal device, and these multiple reference signals are a portion of the reference signals sent by the first network device. In this application, reception can also be understood as detection.

[0148] Taking Figure 4 as an example, the SSB sent by the first network device may include SSB0, SSB1, SSB2, ..., SSB7. The terminal device can receive multiple reference signals at position 1, which may be SSB1, SSB2 and SSB3. Among them, the strongest signal is SSB2, that is, SSB2 is the first reference signal.

[0149] S502. The terminal device sends uplink information to the second network device based on the first reference signal and the corresponding relationship.

[0150] Correspondingly, the second network device receives uplink information from the terminal device.

[0151] In one possible implementation, if the first reference signal is SSB, when the terminal device initiates random access (RA) with the second network device based on the first reference signal and the corresponding relationship, the reference power used by the terminal device is the pre-configured initial transmit power (tx power) for the second network device, rather than the transmit power calculated when communicating with the first network device.

[0152] In one possible implementation, the uplink information may include data information and control information, etc. In the embodiments of this application, the terms "message", "signal", "signaling" and "information" can be used interchangeably.

[0153] In one possible implementation, the correspondence includes the index of the first reference signal, the signal strength range of the first reference signal, and the corresponding first spatial indication information.

[0154] Here, the signal strength of the first reference signal refers to the signal strength received by the terminal device from the first reference signal. Taking Table 1 as an example, if the first reference signal is reference signal 1 and the signal strength range of the first reference signal is signal strength range 12, then the first spatial indication information is spatial indication information 2.

[0155] In one possible implementation, the second network device corresponds to the first spatial location, which can be determined based on first spatial indication information.

[0156] The second network device corresponds to the first spatial location. This can be understood as the spatial location where the second network device is located being the first spatial location. The terminal device can send uplink information to the second network device at the first spatial location to access the second network device.

[0157] Specifically, the first spatial position can be determined based on the spatial information of the first reference signal and the first spatial indication information.

[0158] In one possible implementation, the first spatial indication information can be used to indicate the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal. The spatial information of the first reference signal can be, for example, the transmission direction of the first reference signal.

[0159] Taking Figure 4 as an example, the terminal device receives the first reference signal at position 1. The terminal device can offset by the transmission direction of the first reference signal (the solid arrow pointing the terminal device to SSB2 in the figure) as a reference, as shown in Figure 4. The terminal device offsets by this angle with the transmission direction of the first reference signal as a reference, and can then point to the second network device b1 (the dashed arrow in Figure 4). The terminal device sends uplink information in this direction, so that the second network device b1 can receive the uplink information sent by the terminal device.

[0160] In one possible implementation, the offset angle using the spatial information of the first reference signal as a reference can include a first angle, which is less than or equal to 180°. During the offset process, the uplink direction of the terminal device can randomly shift sequentially towards the direction of increasing reference signal index value and towards the direction of decreasing reference signal index value (e.g., first shift towards the direction of increasing reference signal index value, then shift towards the direction of decreasing reference signal index value, or first shift towards the direction of decreasing reference signal index value, then shift towards the direction of increasing reference signal index value). When the uplink direction shifts to the first angle, the terminal device can send uplink information in the direction corresponding to that first angle. Compared to the terminal device scanning multiple beams of the second network device to search for the second network device, the terminal device can quickly access the second network device based on the angle indicated in the first spatial indication information, effectively reducing the overhead of the terminal device accessing the second network device and saving energy.

[0161] For example, taking Figure 4 as an example, if the first angle is angle 1, for example, angle 1 is 120°, it means that the spatial information of the first reference signal is offset by 120° in the direction corresponding to the existence of the second network device b1. The uplink direction of the terminal device can be randomly offset by 120° in the direction where the index value of the reference signal increases, and then uplink information is sent in the direction corresponding to this 120°. Afterwards, the uplink direction of the terminal device can be offset by 120° in the direction where the index value of the reference signal decreases, and uplink information is sent in the direction corresponding to this 120°. It can be understood that in the example corresponding to Figure 4, when the uplink direction of the terminal device is offset by 120° in the direction where the index value of the reference signal decreases, uplink transmission with the second network device b1 can be achieved. However, when the uplink direction of the terminal device is offset by 120° in the direction where the index value of the reference signal increases, there is no second network device in the direction corresponding to this 120°, so the uplink signal sent in this direction fails. However, since the terminal device cannot determine whether its uplink signal has been successfully sent, the terminal device needs to try sending uplink signals in the directions corresponding to the two angles to increase the probability of accessing the second network device.

[0162] In one possible implementation, the offset angle referenced to the spatial information of the first reference signal may include a first angle and the difference between 360° and the first angle. During the offset process, the uplink direction of the terminal device may shift in the direction where the index value of the reference signal increases or in the direction where the index value of the reference signal decreases. The terminal device can send uplink information in the directions corresponding to these two angles. Compared to searching for the second network device by scanning multiple beams of the second network device, the terminal device can search with the offset direction determined, and can find the second network device at a faster speed.

[0163] For example, taking Figure 4 as an example, if the first angle is angle 1, and angle 1 is 120°, the difference between 360° and the first angle is 240°. The angle of offset based on the spatial information of the first reference signal can include 120° and 240°. Taking the offset of the uplink direction of the terminal device towards the direction of increasing index value of the reference signal as an example, the angle of offset based on the transmission direction of the first reference signal first reaches the smaller angle value of 120°, and then reaches the larger angle value of 240°. When the uplink direction of the terminal device is offset to the direction corresponding to 120°, the terminal device can send uplink information in that direction. The uplink direction of the terminal device can continue to offset. When the uplink direction of the terminal device is offset to the direction corresponding to 240°, the terminal device can send uplink information in that direction again. As shown in Figure 4, the terminal device can only achieve uplink transmission with the second network device b1 by sending uplink information in the direction corresponding to 240°. Although in the example corresponding to Figure 4, the uplink information sent by the terminal device when the uplink direction is offset to the direction corresponding to 120° has no effect, it can prevent the terminal device from missing the opportunity to access the second network device in the direction corresponding to 120°, thus avoiding access failure.

[0164] The uplink direction of the aforementioned terminal device refers to the direction of uplink transmission between the terminal device and the second network device.

[0165] In one possible implementation, the first spatial indication information can be used to indicate an offset in the direction of increasing index value of the reference signal, or an offset in the direction of decreasing index value of the reference signal. In other words, the first spatial indication information indicates the offset direction of the terminal device, enabling the terminal device to quickly detect the second network device by offsetting in that direction.

[0166] In this context, the reference signals in the first spatial indication information refer to multiple reference signals received by the terminal device from the first network device. Since these multiple reference signals propagate in different beam directions (i.e., their transmission directions are different), the indices of these multiple reference signals propagating in multiple beam directions can be consecutive index values. The terminal device can shift its position in the direction of increasing or decreasing reference signal index values ​​to search for the second network device. Compared to scanning the second network device's multiple beams, this method allows the terminal device to search with a determined shift direction, enabling it to locate the second network device more quickly.

[0167] For example, taking Figure 4 as an example, the reference signals received by the terminal device at position 1 are SSB1, SSB2 and SSB3. The first reference signal is SSB2. If the first spatial indication information indicates an offset in the direction of increasing index value of the reference signal, the terminal device can offset in the transmission direction of SSB3. If the first spatial indication information indicates an offset in the direction of decreasing index value of the reference signal, the terminal device can offset in the transmission direction of SSB1.

[0168] In one possible implementation, the first spatial indication information can be used to indicate the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal. Furthermore, the first spatial indication information can also be used to indicate an offset in the direction of increasing index value of the reference signal, or an offset in the direction of decreasing index value of the reference signal.

[0169] For example, the angle of offset based on the spatial information of the first reference signal may include a first angle. Further, the first spatial indication information can also be used to indicate an offset in the direction of increasing index value of the reference signal. This indicates that an offset in the direction of increasing index value of the reference signal indicates the presence of a second network device in the direction corresponding to the first angle offset based on the spatial information of the first reference signal. The terminal device can send an uplink signal in this direction. The terminal device's uplink direction can be offset in the direction of increasing index value of the reference signal, and when offset to the first angle, uplink information is sent in the direction corresponding to that first angle. Compared to the terminal device scanning multiple beams of the second network device to search for it, this method allows the terminal device to accurately and quickly access the second network device based on the angle and the indicated direction.

[0170] In this application, the uplink direction refers to the uplink transmission direction. Specifically, it refers to the beam direction of the uplink transmission.

[0171] Taking Figure 4 as an example, if the first angle is angle 1, for example, angle 1 is 120°, the first spatial indication information can also be used to indicate the direction offset towards the index value of the reference signal, indicating that the direction offset towards the index value of the reference signal is increased, and there is a second network device b1 in the direction corresponding to the 120° offset with the spatial information of the first reference signal as a reference. At this time, the terminal device sends uplink information in this direction, and can realize uplink transmission with the second network device b1.

[0172] In this embodiment, the terminal device can send uplink information to the second network device based on the first reference signal received from the first network device and the corresponding relationship, without having to scan multiple beams of the second network device in order to access the second network device, effectively reducing the overhead of the terminal device and the second network device.

[0173] In one possible implementation, the configuration information sent by the first network device may include information corresponding to at least one bit. The first bit is used to indicate the offset direction, and the remaining bits are used to indicate the offset angle. This offset angle is the angle of offset relative to the spatial information of the first reference signal. As an example, the configuration information includes information corresponding to three bits, and three corresponding numerical values, namely the first bit, the second bit, and the third bit. The first bit is used to indicate the offset direction, and the second and third bits are used to indicate the angle of offset relative to the spatial information of the first reference signal. Specifically, the first bit is used to indicate an offset in the direction of increasing index value of the reference signal, or an offset in the direction of decreasing index value of the reference signal.

[0174] For example, if the value of the first bit is 0, it indicates an offset in the direction of increasing the index value of the reference signal.

[0175] If the value of the first bit is 1, it indicates a shift in the direction of decreasing the index value of the reference signal.

[0176] In this application, the direction in which the index value of the reference signal increases or decreases can be understood as the direction in which the index value of the reference signal increases or decreases as detectable by the terminal device.

[0177] In one possible implementation, the offset angle, using the spatial information of the first reference signal as a reference, can be an integer multiple of a second angle, where the second angle can be the angle between the transmission directions of any two reference signals. It is understood that, among the reference signals transmitted by the first network device in multiple beam directions, since the beam directions are known, the angle between the transmission directions of any two reference signals can be determined; for example, this angle could be 15°.

[0178] In one possible implementation, the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal can be a numerical value or an angular range.

[0179] For example, if the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal can be a numerical value, the following is an example of the second and third bits indicating the size of the angle.

[0180] If both the second and third bits are 0, meaning the combination of the second and third bits is 00, then the angle of offset relative to the spatial information of the first reference signal is any one of 0° to 45°. In other words, the terminal device is expected to offset any number of degrees (0 to 3) relative to the spatial information of the first reference signal, corresponding to the second angle, for example, two second angles.

[0181] If the value of the second bit is 0 and the value of the third bit is 1, that is, when the combination of the values ​​of the second bit and the third bit is 01, it indicates that the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal is any one of 45° to 90°. In other words, it is expected that the terminal device will offset any number of 3 to 6 corresponding to the second angle with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal, for example, 5 second angles.

[0182] If the value of the second bit is 1 and the value of the third bit is 0, that is, when the combination of the values ​​of the second bit and the third bit is 10, it means that the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal is any one of 90° to 135°. In other words, it is expected that the terminal device will offset any number of 6 to 9 corresponding to the second angle with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal, for example, 7 second angles.

[0183] If both the second and third bits are 1, meaning the combined value of the second and third bits is 11, then the angle of offset relative to the spatial information of the first reference signal is any one between 135° and 180°. In other words, the terminal device is expected to offset by any number of offsets between 9 and 12 relative to the spatial information of the first reference signal, corresponding to the second angle, for example, 12 second angles.

[0184] The above example can be used when the angle of offset is based on the spatial information of the first reference signal, which may include a first angle, and the first angle is less than or equal to 180°.

[0185] In one possible implementation, if the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal can include the first angle and the difference between 360° and the first angle, that is, the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal includes an angle greater than 180°. In this case, the angle greater than 180° can be indicated in other ways.

[0186] In one possible implementation, the configuration information may also include the fourth and fifth bits.

[0187] For example, if both the fourth and fifth bits are 0, meaning the combination of the fourth and fifth bits is 00, then the angle greater than 180° when offset from the spatial information of the first reference signal is any one of 180° to 225°. In other words, the terminal device is expected to offset from the spatial information of the first reference signal by any number of offsets between 12 and 15, corresponding to the second angle.

[0188] If the value of the fourth bit is 0 and the value of the fifth bit is 1, that is, when the combination of the values ​​of the fourth and fifth bits is 01, it means that the angle greater than 180° when offset from the spatial information of the first reference signal is any one of 225° to 270°. In other words, it is expected that the terminal device will offset from the spatial information of the first reference signal by any number of offsets between 15 and 18, corresponding to the second angle.

[0189] If the value of the fourth bit is 1 and the value of the fifth bit is 0, that is, when the combined value of the fourth and fifth bits is 10, it means that the angle greater than 180° when offset from the spatial information of the first reference signal is any one of the angles between 270° and 315°. In other words, it is expected that the terminal device will offset from the spatial information of the first reference signal by any number of offsets between 18 and 21, corresponding to the second angle.

[0190] If both the fourth and fifth bits are 1, meaning the combined value of the fourth and fifth bits is 11, then the angle greater than 180° when offset from the spatial information of the first reference signal is any one of the angles between 315° and 360°. In other words, the terminal device is expected to offset from the spatial information of the first reference signal by any number of offsets between 21 and 24, corresponding to the second angle.

[0191] It should be noted that the above example also applies to the case where the angle of offset is within a range, with the spatial information of the first reference signal as the reference. The descriptions corresponding to "any one" and "any kind" in the above example can be deleted, and will not be elaborated here.

[0192] It is understood that, in order to achieve the functions in the above embodiments, the base station and terminal include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to perform each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and method steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed in this application, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0193] Figures 6 and 7 are schematic diagrams of possible communication devices provided in embodiments of this application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of the terminal device or the first network device in the above method embodiments, and thus can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments. In the embodiments of this application, the communication device can be the terminal device 230 shown in Figure 2, or the first network device 210 shown in Figure 2, or a module (such as a chip) applied to the terminal device or the first network device.

[0194] Figure 6 shows a schematic block diagram of a communication device 600 provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 6, the communication device 600 may include a transceiver module 610 and a processing module 620. The communication device 600 is used to implement the functions of the terminal device or the first network device in the method embodiments shown in Figure 3 or Figure 5 above.

[0195] When the communication device 600 is used to implement the function of the first network device in the method embodiment shown in FIG3, the processing module 620 determines the configuration information, which is used to indicate the correspondence relationship, which is the correspondence between the index of the reference signal, the signal strength of the reference signal and the spatial indication information; the transceiver module 610 is used to send the configuration information to the terminal device.

[0196] When the communication device 600 is used to implement the functions of the terminal device in the method embodiment shown in FIG3, the transceiver module 610 is also used to: receive configuration information, the configuration information being used to indicate the corresponding relationship.

[0197] When the communication device 600 is used to implement the functions of the terminal device in the method embodiment shown in FIG5: the transceiver module 610 is used to: receive a first reference signal from the first network device; and send uplink information to the second network device according to the signal strength and correspondence of the first reference signal. The correspondence is the correspondence between the index of the reference signal, the signal strength of the reference signal, and the spatial indication information.

[0198] When the communication device 600 is used to implement the function of the first network device in the method embodiment shown in FIG5: the transceiver module 610 is also used to: send a first reference signal to the terminal device.

[0199] A more detailed description of the transceiver module 610 and the processing module 620 can be obtained directly from the relevant descriptions in the embodiments shown in Figures 3 and 5, and will not be repeated here.

[0200] As shown in Figure 7, the communication device 700 includes a processor 710 and an interface circuit 720. The processor 710 and the interface circuit 720 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 720 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. Optionally, the communication device 700 may also include a memory 730 for storing instructions executed by the processor 710, or storing input data required by the processor 710 to execute instructions, or storing data generated after the processor 710 executes instructions. Sometimes, the interface circuit 720 can also be understood as part of the processor 710, in which case the communication device 700 includes the processor 710.

[0201] When the communication device 700 is used to implement the method shown in FIG3, the processor 710 is used to implement the function of the processing unit 620, and the interface circuit 720 is used to implement the function of the transceiver unit 610.

[0202] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip applied to a terminal device (also referred to as a terminal chip), the terminal chip implements the functions of the terminal device in the above method embodiments. The terminal chip receives information from the first network device, which can be understood as the information being first received by other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the terminal device, and then sent to the chip by these modules. The terminal chip sends information to the first network device, which can be understood as the information being first sent to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the terminal device, and then sent to the first network device by these modules.

[0203] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip applied to the first network device (also referred to as a network device chip), the network device chip implements the functions of the first network device in the above method embodiments. The network device chip receives information from the terminal device, which can be understood as the information being first received by other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the first network device, and then sent to the network device chip by these modules. The network device chip sends information to the terminal device, which can be understood as the information being sent down to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the network device, and then sent to the terminal device by these modules.

[0204] In this application, entity A sends information to entity B, either directly or indirectly through other entities. Similarly, entity B receives information from entity A, either directly or indirectly through other entities. Entities A and B can be RAN nodes or terminal devices, or modules within RAN nodes or terminal devices. Information transmission and reception can be between RAN nodes and terminal devices, such as between a first network device and a terminal device; or between different modules within a single device, such as between a terminal chip and other modules of the terminal device, or between a network device chip and other modules of the first network device.

[0205] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be a central processing unit, or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field-programmable gate arrays, or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0206] In one possible implementation, the processor in the embodiments of this application may include an input circuit, an output circuit, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is used to receive signals through the input circuit and transmit signals through the output circuit, causing the processor to execute the method embodiments described above.

[0207] In specific implementation, the processor can be one or more chips, the input circuit can be input pins, the output circuit can be output pins, and the processing circuit can be transistors, gate circuits, flip-flops, and various logic circuits. The input signal received by the input circuit can be received and input by, for example, but not limited to, a receiver, and the signal output by the output circuit can be, for example, but not limited to, output to and transmitted by a transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as both the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the processor and various circuits.

[0208] The method steps in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or in software instructions executable by a processor. The software instructions can consist of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, registers, hard disks, portable hard disks, optical discs, or any other form of storage medium well known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. The storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and the storage medium can reside in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Alternatively, the ASIC can reside in a base station or terminal. The processor and the storage medium can also exist as discrete components in the base station or terminal.

[0209] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are performed entirely or partially. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user equipment, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video optical disc; or it can be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or may include both types of storage media.

[0210] This application also provides a communication system, which may include the communication device in the above embodiments. The communication device is used to implement the functions of the terminal device in the above method embodiments, or the communication device is used to implement the functions of the first network device in the above method embodiments.

[0211] This application provides a chip system including one or more processors for supporting the implementation of the functions of the terminal device or the first network device involved in any of the above method embodiments, such as receiving, sending, or processing information involved in the above methods.

[0212] In one possible design, the chip system also includes a memory for storing computer program instructions and data, which may be located inside or outside the processor.

[0213] The chip system can consist of chips or include chips and other discrete components.

[0214] In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terminology and / or descriptions of different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features of different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0215] It is understood that the various numerical designations used in the embodiments of this application are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the process numbers described above does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method, executed by a terminal device or a module applied to a terminal device, includes: Receive a first reference signal from the first network device; Based on the signal strength and correspondence of the first reference signal, uplink information is sent to the second network device; The correspondence refers to the correspondence between the index of the reference signal, the signal strength of the reference signal, and the spatial indication information.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The correspondence includes the index of the first reference signal, the range of the signal strength of the first reference signal, and the corresponding first spatial indication information.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second network device corresponds to the first spatial location, which is determined based on the first spatial indication information.

4. The method as described in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The first spatial indication information is used to indicate the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal.

5. The method according to any one of claims 2-4, characterized in that, The first spatial indication information indicates an offset in the direction of increasing the index value of the first reference signal, or an offset in the direction of decreasing the index value of the first reference signal.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive configuration information, which is used to indicate the correspondence.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The second network device is a device that does not transmit downlink signals.

8. A communication method, characterized in that, The method, performed by a first network device or a module applied to the first network device, includes: The configuration information is determined, which is used to indicate the correspondence relationship, namely the correspondence between the index of the reference signal, the signal strength of the reference signal and the spatial indication information; Send configuration information to the terminal device.

9. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The correspondence includes the index of the first reference signal, the range of the signal strength of the first reference signal, and the corresponding first spatial indication information; The method further includes: The first reference signal is sent to the terminal device.

10. The method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The first spatial indication information is used to indicate the angle of offset with reference to the spatial information of the first reference signal.

11. The method as described in claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The first spatial indication information is used to indicate a directional offset towards an increasing index value of the first reference signal, or a directional offset towards a decreasing index value of the first reference signal.

12. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes modules for implementing the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or modules for implementing the method as described in any one of claims 8 to 11.

13. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor and an interface circuit, wherein the interface circuit is used to receive signals from other communication devices and transmit them to the processor or to send signals from the processor to other communication devices, and the processor is used to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or the method as described in any one of claims 8 to 11, through logic circuits or executing code instructions.

14. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The device stores computer instructions that, when executed on the communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 8 to 11.

15. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes: a computer program that, when run in a communication device, causes the communication device to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 7, or causes the communication device to perform the method of any one of claims 8 to 11.

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