Beam tracking method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of communications, and in particular to a beam tracking method and apparatus, which aim to implement beam tracking without beam training by means of a terminal reporting orientation information and an access network device feeding back beam information to be used by the terminal, thereby reducing signaling overheads and delay overheads and improving user experience. The method may be performed by an access network device, and comprises: receiving orientation information from a terminal; and sending first information to the terminal on the basis of position information of the terminal and the orientation information, the first information being used to determine a first beam, and the first beam being used for the terminal to communicate with the access network device.

Description

A beam tracking method and apparatus

[0001] Cross-reference of related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411962345.5, filed on December 26, 2024, entitled "A Beam Tracking Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a beam tracking method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0004] Beam tracking is a technique for directional transmission and reception of signals in wireless communication systems. It achieves continuous tracking of a signal source by adjusting the radiation direction of an antenna array. Beam tracking technology is mainly used to solve problems such as signal attenuation, interference, and noise in wireless communication systems, ensuring stable signal transmission in complex dynamic environments. It has important applications, especially in mobile communications, radar systems, satellite communications, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communications.

[0005] Current beam tracking schemes require beam training to determine the beam used for communication between the terminal and access network equipment. However, beam training incurs significant signaling and latency overhead, impacting user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a beam tracking method and apparatus, which aims to achieve beam tracking without beam training by having the terminal report attitude information and the access network device provide feedback on the beam information used by the terminal, thereby reducing signaling overhead and latency overhead and improving user experience.

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a beam tracking method, which can be executed by an access network device or by a module of the access network device (e.g., a communication module, processor, circuit, chip, or chip system). The following description uses the execution of the method by an access network device as an example. The method includes: receiving attitude information from a terminal; and sending first information to the terminal based on the terminal's location information and attitude information. The first information is used to determine a first beam, which is used for communication between the terminal and the access network device.

[0008] Using the above method, the access network device can accurately feed back the beam information (i.e., the first information) used by the terminal to the terminal based on the attitude information and the terminal's location information reported by the terminal, thereby achieving beam tracking without beam training, reducing signaling overhead and latency overhead, and improving user experience.

[0009] In one possible design, first information is sent to the terminal based on the terminal's position information and attitude information, including: sending first information to the terminal based on the position information, attitude information, and the directional angles corresponding to the multiple beams of the terminal in the first attitude.

[0010] Through the above design, the access network device can determine the beam used by the terminal based on the location information, attitude information, and the directional angles corresponding to the multiple beams of the terminal in the first attitude. By directly indicating the beam used by the terminal through the first information, the terminal can quickly determine the beam used based on the first information, thereby reducing the processing resource overhead on the terminal side.

[0011] In one possible design, the method further includes receiving the directional angles corresponding to multiple beams of the terminal in a first attitude from the terminal.

[0012] The above design enables access network devices to obtain the azimuth angles corresponding to multiple beams of the terminal in the first attitude through terminal reporting.

[0013] In one possible design, attitude information may include one or more of the following: the terminal's pitch angle, roll angle, yaw angle, quaternion, or rotation matrix, which can characterize the terminal's state.

[0014] The above design helps access network devices to accurately determine the terminal's posture.

[0015] In one possible design, the first information is carried in radio resource control (RRC) messages, media access control (MAC) control element (CE), broadcast messages, or multicast messages.

[0016] The above design allows access network devices to indicate the beam used by a terminal through RRC messages or MAC CE, and also allows access network devices to indicate the beam used by one or more terminals simultaneously through broadcast messages or multicast messages.

[0017] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a beam tracking method, which can be executed by a terminal. The terminal can refer to the terminal itself, or to a processor, module, or chip (such as a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core, or a system-in-package (SIP) chip) within the terminal that implements the method. It can also be a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. Taking the application of this method to a terminal as an example, the method includes: sending attitude information to an access network device; receiving first information from the access network device, the first information being used to determine a first beam, the first beam being used for communication between the terminal and the access network device.

[0018] In one possible design, the method further includes sending the directional angles corresponding to the multiple beams of the terminal in the first attitude to the access network device.

[0019] In one possible design, the first information includes the azimuth angle corresponding to the first beam and / or the identifier of the first beam.

[0020] In one possible design, attitude information may include one or more of the following: the terminal's pitch angle, roll angle, yaw angle, quaternion, or rotation matrix, which can characterize the terminal's state.

[0021] In one possible design, the first message is carried in an RRC message, MAC CE, broadcast message, or multicast message, etc.

[0022] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device that has the function of implementing the methods described in the first or second aspect above. This function can be implemented in hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions, such as an interface unit and a processing unit.

[0023] In one possible design, the device can be a chip or an integrated circuit.

[0024] In one possible design, the device includes a memory and a processor, the memory for storing instructions executed by the processor, and when the instructions are executed by the processor, the device can perform the method of the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0025] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, which includes an interface circuit and a processor, with the processor and the interface circuit coupled to each other. The interface circuit is used for inputting and / or outputting signals, and the processor uses logic circuits or executing instructions to implement the methods of the first or second aspect described above. It is understood that the interface circuit can be a transceiver, a transceiver device, or an input / output interface.

[0026] Optionally, the communication device may also include a memory for storing instructions executed by the processor, or storing input data required by the processor to execute instructions, or storing data generated after the processor executes instructions. The memory may be a physically independent unit, or it may be coupled to the processor, or the processor may include the memory (i.e., the processor and the memory are integrated together).

[0027] In one possible implementation, the communication device is a chip.

[0028] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication system, which includes a terminal and an access network device. The access network device is used to implement the method described in the first aspect; the terminal is used to implement the method described in the second aspect.

[0029] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program or instructions, which, when executed by a processor, can implement the methods described in the first or second aspect.

[0030] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product, including a computer program or instructions, which, when executed by a processor, can implement the methods described in the first or second aspect.

[0031] Eighthly, embodiments of this application also provide a chip system including a processor, the processor being coupled to a memory, the memory being used to store programs or instructions, and when the program or instructions are executed by the processor, the methods of the first or second aspect described above can be implemented.

[0032] The technical effects achievable by aspects two through eight above are similar to those achievable by aspect one above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication network provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the beam tracking method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of beam tracking provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figures 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system 1000 includes a radio access network (RAN) 100, wherein the RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (110a and 110b in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 110), and may also include at least one terminal (120a-120j in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 120). The RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay devices and / or wireless backhaul devices (not shown in Figure 1). The terminal 120 is wirelessly connected to the RAN node 110. Terminals and RAN nodes can be interconnected via wired or wireless means. The communication system 1000 may also include a core network 200. The RAN node 110 is connected to the core network 200 via wireless or wired means. The core network equipment in core network 200 and the RAN node 110 in RAN 100 can be independent and different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device that integrates the logical functions of the core network equipment and the logical functions of the RAN node. Communication system 1000 may also include Internet 300.

[0038] RAN100 can be an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) system, a new radio (NR) system, or a future radio access system (such as a 6th generation (6G) radio access system) as defined in the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), or it can be a WiFi system. RAN100 can also include two or more of the above-mentioned different radio access systems. RAN100 can also be an open RAN (O-RAN).

[0039] RAN nodes, also known as radio access network devices, RAN entities, or access nodes, are used to help terminals access communication systems wirelessly. In one application scenario, an RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in a 5G mobile communication system, a next-generation base station in a 6G mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. RAN nodes can be macro base stations (as shown in Figure 1, 110a), micro base stations or indoor stations (as shown in Figure 1, 110b), relay nodes, or donor nodes.

[0040] In another application scenario, multiple RAN nodes can collaborate to help terminals achieve wireless access, with different RAN nodes implementing different functions of the base station. For example, a RAN node can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). Here, the CU performs the functions of the base station's Radio Resource Control (RRC) and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), and can also perform the functions of the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP). The DU performs the functions of the base station's Radio Link Control (RANC) and Medium Access Control (MAC) layers, and can also perform some or all of the physical layer functions. For specific descriptions of these protocol layers, refer to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications. The RU can be used to implement radio frequency signal transmission and reception. The CU and DU can be two independent RAN nodes or integrated into the same RAN node, such as within a baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in radio frequency equipment, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU) or an active antenna unit (AAU). The CU can be further divided into two types of RAN nodes: CU-control plane and CU-user plane.

[0041] In different systems, RAN nodes may have different names. For example, in an O-RAN system, a CU can be called an open CU (O-CU), a DU can be called an open DU (O-DU), and an RU can be called an open RU (O-RU). The RAN nodes in the embodiments of this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. For example, a RAN node can be a server loaded with the corresponding software modules. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the RAN nodes. For ease of description, a base station is used as an example of a RAN node in the following description.

[0042] A terminal is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, capable of sending signals to or receiving signals from a base station. Terminals can also be called terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals 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. Terminals can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the terminal.

[0043] Base stations and terminals can be fixed or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can be deployed on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the base stations and terminals.

[0044] The roles of base stations and terminals can be relative. For example, the helicopter or drone 120i in Figure 1 can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminals 120j that access the wireless access network 100 through 120i, terminal 120i is a base station; however, for base station 110a, 120i is a terminal, meaning that 110a and 120i communicate via a wireless air interface protocol. Of course, 110a and 120i can also communicate via a base station-to-base station interface protocol. In this case, relative to 110a, 120i is also a base station. Therefore, both base stations and terminals can be collectively referred to as communication devices. 110a and 110b in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with base station functions, and 120a-120j in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with terminal functions.

[0045] Communication between base stations and terminals, between base stations, and between terminals can be conducted using 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.

[0046] In the embodiments of this application, the functions of the base station can be executed by modules (such as chips) within the base station, or by a control subsystem that includes base station functions. This control subsystem, including base station functions, can be a control center in the aforementioned application scenarios such as smart grids, industrial control, intelligent transportation, and smart cities. Similarly, the functions of the terminal can be executed by modules (such as chips or modems) within the terminal, or by a device that includes terminal functions.

[0047] In this application, the base station sends downlink signals or downlink information to the terminal, with the downlink information carried on the downlink channel; the terminal sends uplink signals or uplink information to the base station, with the uplink information carried on the uplink channel. To communicate with the base station, the terminal needs to establish a radio connection on a cell controlled by the base station. The cell with which the terminal has established a radio connection is called the terminal's serving cell. When the terminal communicates with this serving cell, it is also susceptible to interference from signals from neighboring cells.

[0048] To facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art, some terms used in this application are explained below.

[0049] 1), low-altitude communication.

[0050] Low-altitude communication refers to data exchange and communication between low-altitude flight platforms (such as drones, air taxis, and balloon platforms) and ground-based communication infrastructure. With the rapid development of drones, air mobility devices, and other low-altitude aircraft technologies, low-altitude communication is becoming an important component of modern communication networks. It holds enormous potential and demand, particularly in applications such as drone delivery, emergency rescue, agricultural monitoring, environmental monitoring, urban management, and low-altitude transportation.

[0051] Low-altitude flight platforms typically operate at altitudes between 100 meters and several kilometers, placing them in "blind spots" where traditional communication systems cannot provide sufficient coverage. Because low-altitude equipment is usually far from traditional ground base stations, and its flight speed and path change rapidly, low-altitude communication requires maintaining efficient and reliable connections in dynamic environments. To address these challenges, low-altitude communication technology has continuously evolved and integrated various emerging technologies, such as low-Earth orbit satellites, edge computing, dynamic spectrum management, and collaborative communication.

[0052] Low-altitude communication will be a crucial component of future 5G and 6G technologies. With the development of drones, air taxis, low-orbit satellites, and other low-altitude aircraft, low-altitude communication will continuously drive technological innovation, particularly in areas such as spectrum management, network optimization, intelligent communication, and collaborative communication. Ultimately, this will achieve global low-altitude communication coverage and provide strong support for fields such as intelligent transportation, intelligent logistics, and environmental protection.

[0053] In future technological advancements, the integration of low-altitude communication with emerging network technologies such as 5G and 6G will not be limited to current traditional communication protocols. It will also explore the use of new communication methods such as millimeter waves and optical communication to build more efficient, intelligent, and low-latency communication networks. This not only provides a broad prospect for the development of the drone industry but also provides technological support for the widespread application of other low-altitude aircraft.

[0054] 2) Beam tracking.

[0055] Beam tracking is a technique for directional transmission and reception of signals in wireless communication systems. It achieves continuous tracking of a signal source by adjusting the radiation direction of an antenna array. Beam tracking technology is mainly used to solve problems such as signal attenuation, interference, and noise in wireless communication systems, ensuring stable signal transmission in complex dynamic environments. It has important applications, especially in mobile communications, radar systems, satellite communications, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communications.

[0056] The core principle of beam tracking technology is to control the beam direction of an antenna array to always point towards the location of a signal source, thereby achieving signal tracking. First, the antenna array needs to receive and analyze the signal to obtain its direction of arrival information. The key to beam tracking lies in real-time adaptation to dynamic environments. Since the signal source may change position, a feedback mechanism is needed to monitor these changes in real time and adjust the antenna array's beam direction based on the new signal arrival angle. This feedback mechanism typically relies on channel state information and position tracking algorithms.

[0057] In existing Long Term Evolution (LTE), New Radio (NR), and 5G-Advanced (5G-A) communication systems, beam tracking procedures frequently occur in high-frequency communication. Due to the limitations of high-frequency communication, base stations use more analog beamforming (ABF) beams compared to low-frequency systems, and terminals also use a certain number of ABF beams to communicate with the base station. Therefore, beam alignment between the terminal and the base station is necessary to ensure communication quality. Due to the mobility of terminals, such as the rapid movement of ground vehicles, base stations require beam tracking capabilities to ensure that the ABF beams between them remain aligned. Beam tracking also inevitably incurs significant beam training overhead. In low-frequency communication systems, terminals often use omnidirectional antennas, so beam alignment and tracking are not considered. However, with the development of low-altitude communication, in order to suppress interference from airborne users (such as drones) to the ground and improve the performance of airborne users, airborne users can use larger-scale hybrid beamforming (HBF) arrays to achieve narrow beam transmission and reception, which also introduces beam alignment and tracking problems to low-frequency systems.

[0058] 3) Reporting of user information over the air.

[0059] In some scenarios, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and urban air mobility (UAM) typically follow pre-planned flight paths when performing tasks, such as power grid inspections. These pre-planned flight paths at the application level help optimize network resource management, for example, improving cell handover performance.

[0060] Therefore, UAV and UAM users need to report location information such as flight paths. Existing standards support UAV-reported flight path information including waypoint coordinates and optional timestamps. By using flight path information reported and updated by UAVs, base stations can better improve network performance.

[0061] 4) Beam.

[0062] A beam can be a wide beam, a narrow beam, or other types of beam. The technology used to form the beam can be beamforming technology or other technologies. Beamforming technologies include digital beamforming, analog beamforming (ABF) technology, or hybrid digital / analog beamforming technology (also known as hybrid beamforming), etc. Depending on the beamforming technology used, the beam may also be called a digitally shaped beam, an ABF beam, etc.

[0063] Alternatively, the beam can be replaced with a spatial domain filter, spatial filter, spatial domain parameter, spatial parameter, spatial domain setting, spatial setting, quasi-colocation (QCL) information, QCL assumption, QCL indication, or sector, etc.

[0064] 5) Beam training.

[0065] Beamforming training (BFT) is also known as beam training. For data transmission and reception to be successful, the transmitting beam direction of the initiator must cover the receiving beam direction of the responder; that is, the transmitting and receiving beams must be aligned. The process of aligning the initiator's and responder's beams is called the beamforming training process.

[0066] As an example: the initiator can transmit signals on its various beams separately, and the responder can receive these signals in a quasi-omnidirectional mode. The responder can then send back feedback to the initiator the beam with the best signal quality, which can serve as the beam used by the initiator (or the transmitting beam) when communicating with the responder. Similarly, the responder can also transmit signals on its various beams separately, and the initiator can receive these signals in a quasi-omnidirectional mode. The responder can then send back feedback to the responder the beam with the best signal quality, which can serve as the beam used by the responder (or the transmitting beam) when communicating with the initiator.

[0067] 6) Sending messages.

[0068] In this application, "sending information" can be understood as one device sending information to another device, or as one logic module within a device sending information to another logic module. For example, "device A sending information" can be understood as device A sending information to another device (device B), or as logic module 1 in device A sending information to logic module 2 in device A. In this application, "receiving information" can be understood as one device receiving information from another device, or as one logic module within a device receiving information from another logic module. For example, "device A receiving information" can be understood as device A receiving information from another device (such as device B), or as logic module 1 in device A receiving information from logic module 2 in device A. In this application, "sending information to… (e.g., device B)" or the related illustrations in the accompanying drawings can be understood as the destination of the information being device B. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to device B. The phrases "receiving information from... (e.g., device A)," "receiving information from... (e.g., device A)," or "receiving information sent by (e.g., device A)," or the relevant illustrations in the accompanying drawings, can be understood as indicating that the source of the information is device A, which may include receiving information directly or indirectly from device A. The information may undergo necessary processing between the source and destination, such as format changes, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be interpreted similarly and will not be repeated here.

[0069] As described above, to avoid interference with ground communications and improve communication performance, low-altitude communication terminals such as UAVs, UAMs, and balloon platforms need to perform beam alignment and tracking with access network equipment (such as base stations). This means the beams between the low-altitude communication terminal and the access network equipment need to be aligned, and the beams used on both sides need to change according to the terminal's position for tracking. However, for low-altitude communication terminals such as UAVs, UAMs, and balloon platforms, the antenna arrays are usually arranged in multiple locations on the terminal (e.g., the front surface, upper surface, lower surface, etc.). Although the terminal can report its position information to the access network equipment through an air interface connection, the access network equipment cannot determine the beam used by the terminal based on the terminal's position information. Beam training is still required. Furthermore, because the position and attitude of low-altitude communication terminals change rapidly, continuous beam training between the terminal and the access network equipment is necessary to determine the beam used by the terminal. Extensive beam training leads to significant signaling and latency overhead, impacting user experience.

[0070] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a beam tracking method and apparatus, aiming to achieve beam tracking without beam training by having the terminal report attitude information and the access network device provide feedback on the beam information used by the terminal, thereby reducing signaling overhead and latency overhead and improving user experience. The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0071] Furthermore, in the description of this application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish multiple objects and are not used to limit the size, content, order, timing, priority, or importance of the multiple objects. For example, the first direction angle and the second direction angle do not indicate a difference in priority or importance between the two direction angles.

[0072] In this application embodiment, the number of nouns, unless otherwise specified, refers to "singular nouns or plural nouns," that is, "one or more." "At least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: 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, or c means: a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0073] The beam tracking method provided in this application can be executed by a terminal and an access network device. Here, "terminal" can refer to the terminal itself, a component of the terminal (e.g., a processor, module, chip, or chip system), or a device compatible with the terminal. Similarly, "access network device" can refer to the access network device itself, a component of the access network device (e.g., a processor, module, chip, or chip system), or a device compatible with the access network device. The beam tracking method provided in this application will be described below using an example of execution by a terminal and an access network device.

[0074] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a beam tracking method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method includes:

[0075] S201: The terminal sends attitude information to the access network device, and the access network device receives the attitude information accordingly.

[0076] For example, attitude information may include one or more of the following: the terminal's pitch angle (also known as elevation angle), the terminal's roll angle (also known as roll angle), the terminal's heading angle (also known as heading angle), the terminal's corresponding quaternion, or the terminal's corresponding rotation matrix, etc., which can characterize the terminal's attitude.

[0077] Taking an aircraft as an example (such as a drone, air taxi, or balloon platform), the pitch angle refers to the angle between the aircraft's lateral axis (usually the minor axis) and the horizontal plane. It is defined as the angle of tilt between the aircraft's nose and the horizontal plane. A positive pitch angle indicates that the aircraft's nose is tilted downwards, while a negative pitch angle indicates that the aircraft's nose is tilted upwards. The roll angle refers to the angle between the aircraft's longitudinal axis (usually the major axis) and the horizontal plane. It is defined as the angle at which the aircraft rotates around its longitudinal axis. The heading angle refers to the angle between the aircraft's longitudinal axis (usually the major axis) and true north (the north end of the meridian). It is defined as the direction in which the aircraft's nose points.

[0078] Quaternions are extended complex numbers consisting of a real part and an imaginary part. A quaternion can be represented as q = w + xi + yj + zk, where w is the real part and (x, y, z) are the components of the imaginary part along the rotation axis. For example, a common quaternion is represented as q = 1 + 2i + 3j + 4k, which represents a quaternion about an axis with an angle of 2cosθ around (2, 3, 4). - A rotation of 1 (1 / √30) can also be represented by a quaternion to indicate the attitude of the terminal.

[0079] A rotation matrix is ​​a matrix used in linear algebra to describe the rotation of an object in two-dimensional or three-dimensional space. Quaternions can also be used to characterize the attitude of a terminal.

[0080] In one possible implementation, the terminal can report attitude information to the access network device periodically. The period can be determined by the terminal, indicated to the terminal by the access network device, or pre-configured in the terminal. This application does not limit this.

[0081] In another possible implementation, the terminal can report attitude information to the access network device when the change in attitude information exceeds a set threshold.

[0082] As an example, a terminal may report attitude information to the access network device if any of its pitch angle, roll angle, and heading angle changes by more than a set threshold compared to the pitch angle, roll angle, and heading angle it last reported to the access network device.

[0083] In another possible implementation, the terminal can report attitude information to the access network device when the signal quality of communication with the access network device is lower than a set signal quality threshold.

[0084] As an example: a terminal may report attitude information to an access network device when the received power of the signal received from the access network device is lower than a set power threshold; and / or a terminal may report attitude information to an access network device when the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal received from the access network device is lower than a set signal-to-noise ratio threshold.

[0085] The attitude information can be carried in RRC messages or MAC CE, etc. The terminal can report the attitude information to the access network device through RRC messages or MAC CE.

[0086] It is understood that this application does not limit the timing and method of the terminal sending attitude information to the access network device. For example, the terminal may also send attitude information to the access network device after receiving an attitude information reporting request from the access network device.

[0087] S202: The access network device sends first information to the terminal based on the terminal's location and attitude information, and the terminal receives the first information accordingly. The first information is used to determine a first beam, which is used for communication between the terminal and the access network device.

[0088] In one possible implementation, the terminal's location information can be reported by the terminal to the access network device. The terminal's location information can be the three-dimensional coordinates of the terminal in a set coordinate system (such as the world coordinate system, the geodetic coordinate system, or a three-dimensional coordinate system with the location of the access network device as the origin), or it can be the terminal's latitude and longitude and its height above the horizontal plane.

[0089] As an example: When a terminal reports attitude information to an access network device, it can also report its current location information to the access network device; or, the terminal can report path information to the access network device. The path information can include the location information (such as three-dimensional coordinates) of multiple waypoints and the time corresponding to each waypoint. When the access network device receives the attitude information from the terminal, it can determine the waypoint whose time is the same as or close to the time of receiving the attitude information from among the multiple waypoints, and determine the location information of the waypoint as the terminal's location information.

[0090] In another possible implementation, the location information of the terminal can also be determined by the access network device. As an example, the access network device can determine the location information of the terminal based on information such as the horizontal angle of arrival (AOA), the vertical angle of arrival (ZOA), and the round trip time (RTT) or one-way time between the terminal and the access network device.

[0091] After receiving attitude information from the terminal, the access network device can generate first information to determine the first beam used for communication between the terminal and the access network device, based on the terminal's location information and attitude information. The first information may include at least one of the following: azimuth angle, beam identifier, and beam azimuth angle codebook. This application embodiment does not limit the form of the first information.

[0092] The direction angle refers to the angle between a vector (or directed line) and the positive directions of the three coordinate axes of a given coordinate system (taking the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis as an example). For example, the direction angle is (α, β, γ), where α represents the angle between the vector (or directed line) and the x-axis of the given coordinate system, β represents the angle between the vector (or directed line) and the y-axis of the given coordinate system, and γ represents the angle between the vector (or directed line) and the z-axis of the given coordinate system. The cosine of the direction angle of a vector is called the direction cosine of the vector. The direction of a vector can be determined by its direction angle or direction cosine.

[0093] As an example: Suppose we have a vector *a*, whose starting point is the origin and whose ending point is point P(x,y,z). Then vector *a* can be represented as *a* = (x,y,z). According to the definition of direction angle, the cosine value can be calculated using the following formulas: cosα = x / |a|, cosβ = y / |a|, cosγ = z / |a|, where |a| is the magnitude of vector *a*, i.e., |a| = √(x / y / z). 2 +y²+z²). The magnitude of the direction angle can be obtained using the inverse cosine function: α=arccos(x / |a|), β=arccos(y / |a|), γ=arccos(z / |a|). It should be noted that since the domain of the inverse cosine function is [-1,1], when calculating the direction angle, the vector components x, y, z should be in their respective quadrants to conform to the actual situation.

[0094] Taking the first information, including the azimuth angle (such as the azimuth angle of the first beam), as an example, the access network device can determine the first azimuth angle (α1, β1, γ1) of the access network device relative to the terminal based on the terminal's location information and the access network device's location information. Here, α1, β1, and γ1 can be the angles between a vector (or a directed line) originating from the terminal's location and passing through the access network device's location, and the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis of a set coordinate system (such as the world coordinate system), respectively. After determining the first azimuth angle of the access network device relative to the terminal, the access network device can correct the first azimuth angle based on the terminal's attitude information to obtain the second azimuth angle (α2, β2, γ2) of the corresponding terminal in the current attitude.

[0095] As an example: The attitude information of a terminal includes pitch angle, roll angle, and heading angle. The access network device stores multiple azimuth correction values ​​and multiple ranges of pitch angle, roll angle, and heading angle values. For example, the mapping relationship between azimuth correction values ​​(oA1, oA2, oA3) and pitch angle range A1, roll angle A2, and heading angle A3, and the mapping relationship between azimuth correction values ​​(oB1, oB2, oB3) and pitch angle range B1, roll angle B2, and heading angle B3, etc. The access network device can determine the azimuth correction value associated with the attitude information (such as pitch angle, roll angle, and heading angle) reported by the terminal. Taking the direction angle correction value as (OA1, OA2, OA3) as an example, the second direction angle obtained after the first direction angle (α1, β1, γ1) is processed by the direction angle correction value (oA1, oA2, oA3) is (α1+oA1, β1+oA2, γ1+oA3), that is, α2=α1+oA1, β2=β1+oA2, γ2=γ1+oA3.

[0096] As another example: Given the first direction angle (α1, β1, γ1), this angle represents the angle between the access network device's three-dimensional (3D) spatial vector relative to the terminal and the x / y / z coordinate axes. It should be noted that this coordinate system takes the terminal as its origin.

[0097] First, based on the terminal's location, the angles (α1`, β1`, γ1`) with the access network device as the origin can be obtained. This angle represents the angle between the terminal and the access network device, that is, the angle from which the access network device points to the terminal device;

[0098] Then, based on the attitude information (A1, A2, A3) reported by the terminal, the reported heading angle, pitch angle and roll angle are respectively represented;

[0099] Next, we can calculate:

[0100] The first step is to obtain the unit vector V from the access network device. A=[cos(α1), cos(β1), cos(γ1)];

[0101] The second step is to obtain three rotation matrices based on the attitude information, where A1 is represented by A1, A2 by A2, and A3 by A3.

[0102] Therefore, the composite rotation matrix is ​​obtained: R = R z (A1)·R y (A2)·R x (A3);

[0103] Then, we obtain the rotated vector: V A ′=R·V A ;

[0104] The new vector V obtained A The second direction angle (α2, β2, γ2) can be obtained using the method described above. Specifically, it can be found by assuming there is a vector a and using the inverse cosine function to calculate the magnitude of the direction angle: α = arccos(x / |a|), β = arccos(y / |a|), γ = arccos(z / |a|). This will not be elaborated further.

[0105] Once the second azimuth angle of the corresponding terminal in the current attitude is obtained, the access network device can send first information including the second azimuth angle to the terminal. After receiving the first information, the terminal can determine the first beam used by itself and the access network device based on the azimuth angles corresponding to multiple beams in its first attitude (where the first attitude can also be understood as the terminal's set attitude or reference attitude, such as an attitude where the pitch angle, roll angle and heading angle are all 0) and the second azimuth angle.

[0106] As an example: As shown in Table 1, in the first posture, the azimuth angles corresponding to beam 1 are αA, βA, γA; the azimuth angles corresponding to beam 2 are αB, βB, γB; the azimuth angles corresponding to beam 3 are αC, βC, γC; ...; and the azimuth angles corresponding to beam 6 are αF, βF, γF. The first information received by the terminal includes the second azimuth angles (α2, β2, γ2), where the azimuth angles corresponding to beam 3 are αC, βC, γC, which are the same as or closest to the second azimuth angles (α2, β2, γ2). The terminal can determine that the first beam for communication with the access network device is beam 3, that is, the terminal uses beam 3 to communicate with the access network device.

[0107] Table 1

[0108] It is understandable that the azimuth angles corresponding to the multiple beams in the first posture of the terminal can also be replaced by the range of azimuth angles corresponding to the multiple beams in the first posture of the terminal. The terminal can also determine the first beam used by itself and the access network device based on the range of azimuth angles corresponding to the multiple beams in the first posture and the second azimuth angle. For example, if the second azimuth angle is within the range of azimuth angles corresponding to a certain beam, the terminal can determine that beam as the first beam for communication with the access network device.

[0109] In some embodiments, the access network device may store the azimuth angles (or azimuth angle ranges) corresponding to the multiple beams of the terminal in the first attitude. These azimuth angles (or azimuth angle ranges) may be pre-configured in the access network device by a protocol or the terminal manufacturer, or may be reported by the terminal to the access network device; this application does not limit this. The access network device may also send first information to the terminal based on the terminal's location information, attitude information, and the azimuth angles (or azimuth angle ranges) corresponding to the multiple beams of the terminal in the first attitude.

[0110] As an example: After obtaining the second azimuth angle of the terminal in its current attitude based on the terminal's location and attitude information, the access network device can further determine the first beam used by the terminal to communicate with the access network device based on the azimuth angles (or azimuth angle ranges) corresponding to multiple beams of the terminal in the first attitude, as well as the second azimuth angle. The device then sends first information, including the identifier (such as an index) of this first beam, to the terminal. Upon receiving the first information, the terminal can use this first beam to communicate with the access network device.

[0111] In some implementations, the access network device can also determine the third directional angle (α3, β3, γ3) of the terminal relative to the access network based on the terminal's location information and the access network device's location information. Here, α3, β3, and γ3 can be the angles between a vector (or directed line) originating from the access network's location and passing through the terminal's location, and the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis of a set coordinate system (such as the world coordinate system). After determining the third directional angle, the access network device can also determine the beam corresponding to that third directional angle. If the load of the beam corresponding to the third directional angle is greater than or equal to a load threshold (e.g., the number of terminals served by the beam is greater than or equal to a set threshold, or the amount of data transmitted by the beam is greater than or equal to a set data volume threshold), the access network device can adjust the first directional angle or the second directional angle to prevent the first beam used by the terminal from aligning with the excessively loaded beam of the access network device, thus affecting communication quality.

[0112] For example: If the load of the third-direction beam corresponding to the access network device is greater than or equal to the load threshold, the access network device can adjust the second direction angle (α2, β2, γ2) according to the set offset values ​​such as o1, o2 and o3. The adjusted second direction angle is (α2+o1, β2+o2, γ2+o3). The access network device can send the terminal first information including the adjusted second direction angle and / or the identifier of the first beam determined based on the second direction angle.

[0113] The above description uses the example of the first information including the azimuth angle corresponding to the first beam (such as the second azimuth angle mentioned above) and / or the identifier of the first beam, used by the terminal to determine the first beam for communication with the access network device. It can be understood that the azimuth angle corresponding to the first beam can also be replaced by a codebook of the azimuth angle corresponding to the first beam. For example, the access network device and the terminal can be configured with codebooks corresponding to each azimuth angle. The access network device, after determining the azimuth angle corresponding to the first beam (such as the second azimuth angle mentioned above), can send first information including the codebook of the azimuth angle corresponding to the first beam to the terminal. After receiving this first information, the terminal can determine the azimuth angle corresponding to the codebook, thereby determining the beam used for communication with the access network device.

[0114] The first information is carried in RRC messages, MAC CE, broadcast messages, or multicast messages, etc. The access network device can send the first information to the terminal through RRC, MAC CE, broadcast messages, or multicast messages.

[0115] As an example: an access network device can simultaneously send first information corresponding to multiple terminals through broadcast messages or multicast messages. The first information of multiple terminals can be associated with the identifiers of multiple terminals one by one. After receiving the broadcast or multicast message, the terminal can obtain its own corresponding first information based on its own identifier, thereby determining the first beam to use for communication with the access network device.

[0116] Referring to Figure 3, taking a drone as an example, the drone can report its position and attitude information to the access network device at positions A, B, and C, respectively. The access network device can then send first information to the terminal based on the reported position and attitude information from the drone at these positions. This first information helps the drone determine the beam to use for communication with the access network device. For instance, after reporting its position and attitude information at position A, the drone can determine to use beam 1 to communicate with the access network device based on the first information from the access network device; after reporting its position and attitude information at position B, it can determine to use beam 2; and after reporting its position and attitude information at position C, it can determine to use beam 3. This enables the terminal to track the access network device's beam, which can also be referred to as beam alignment or beam alignment tracking.

[0117] The communication device provided in the embodiments of this application is described below. Please refer to FIG4, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device according to an embodiment of this application. The communication device may include units or modules corresponding to all or part of the steps in the above method embodiments, and can be used to execute the steps executed by the terminal or access network device in the above embodiments. For details, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above method embodiments.

[0118] As shown in Figure 4, the communication device 400 includes a processing unit 410 and an interface unit 420. The processing unit 410 can be a processor or a processing circuit, and the interface unit 420 can be a transceiver unit or an input / output interface. The communication device 400 can be used to implement the steps performed by the terminal or access network device in the above embodiments.

[0119] When the communication device 400 is used to implement the steps performed by the access network device in the above embodiments:

[0120] The interface unit is used to receive attitude information from the terminal;

[0121] The processing unit is used to determine first information based on the terminal's location information and attitude information. The first information is used to determine the first beam, and the first beam is used for communication between the terminal and the access network equipment.

[0122] The interface unit is also used to send the first information to the terminal.

[0123] In one possible design, when the processing unit determines the first information based on the terminal's position information and attitude information, it is specifically used to determine the first information based on the position information, attitude information, and the directional angles corresponding to the multiple beams of the terminal under the first attitude.

[0124] In one possible design, the interface unit is also used to receive the directional angles corresponding to the multiple beams of the terminal in the first posture from the terminal.

[0125] In one possible design, the first information includes the azimuth angle corresponding to the first beam and / or the identifier of the first beam.

[0126] In one possible design, attitude information includes at least one of the following: the terminal's pitch angle, the terminal's roll angle, the terminal's yaw angle, the terminal's corresponding quaternion, or the terminal's corresponding rotation matrix.

[0127] In one possible design, the first message is carried in an RRC message, MAC CE, broadcast message, or multicast message.

[0128] When the communication device 400 is used to implement the steps performed by the terminal in the above embodiments:

[0129] An interface unit is used to send attitude information to an access network device; and to receive first information from the access network device, the first information being used to determine a first beam, the first beam being used for communication between the terminal and the access network device;

[0130] The processing unit is also used to determine the first beam based on the first information.

[0131] In one possible design, the interface unit is also used to send the directional angles corresponding to the multiple beams of the terminal in the first attitude to the access network equipment.

[0132] In one possible design, the first information includes the azimuth angle corresponding to the first beam and / or the identifier of the first beam.

[0133] In one possible design, attitude information includes at least one of the following: the terminal's pitch angle, the terminal's roll angle, the terminal's yaw angle, the terminal's corresponding quaternion, or the terminal's corresponding rotation matrix.

[0134] In one possible design, the first message is carried in an RRC message, MAC CE, broadcast message, or multicast message.

[0135] As shown in Figure 5, this application also provides a communication device 500, including a processor 510 and potentially a communication interface 520. The processor 510 and the communication interface 520 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the communication interface 520 can be a transceiver, input / output interface, input interface, output interface, interface circuit, etc. Optionally, the communication device 500 may further include a memory 530 for storing instructions executed by the processor 510, or storing input data required by the processor 510 to execute instructions, or storing data generated after the processor 510 executes instructions. The memory 530 can be a physically independent unit, or it can be coupled to the processor 510, or the processor 510 may include the memory 530.

[0136] When the communication device 500 is used to implement the steps executed by the first terminal or access network device in the above embodiments, the processor 510 can be used to implement the function of the processing unit 410, and the communication interface 520 can be used to implement the function of the interface unit 420.

[0137] In this embodiment, the processor (e.g., processor 510) can be one or more central processing units (CPUs). If the processor is a CPU, it can be a single-core CPU or a multi-core CPU. The processor can also be one or a combination of several of the following: CPU, general-purpose processor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP), microprocessor unit (MPU), microcontroller unit (MCU), graphics processing unit (GPU), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, discrete hardware component, artificial intelligence processor (AI processor), or neural processing unit (NPU). The processor can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in this embodiment. The steps of the methods disclosed in this embodiment can be directly manifested as being executed by a hardware processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0138] In this embodiment, the memory (e.g., memory 530) may include, but is not limited to, cache, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), etc. Memory is any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code having an instruction or data structure form and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory in this embodiment may also be a circuit or any other device capable of implementing storage functions for storing computer programs or instructions, and / or data.

[0139] It is understood that the method steps in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or by a processor executing software instructions. The software instructions can consist of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, registers, hard disks, portable hard disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of storage medium 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. Of course, the storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. Additionally, the ASIC can reside in a network device or a terminal device. Alternatively, the processor and storage medium can exist as discrete components in the network device or terminal device.

[0140] 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 network device, terminal, computer, server, or data center to another network device, terminal, 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.

[0141] 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.

[0142] Additionally, it should be understood that in the embodiments of this application, the term "exemplary" is used to indicate that it is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design scheme described as "exemplary" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of the term "exemplary" is intended to present the concept in a concrete manner.

[0143] 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 beam tracking method, characterized in that, Applied to access network equipment, including: Receive attitude information from the terminal; Based on the terminal's location information and attitude information, first information is sent to the terminal. The first information is used to determine a first beam, which is used for the terminal to communicate with the access network device.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Sending first information to the terminal based on the terminal's location information and attitude information includes: Based on the location information, the attitude information, and the directional angles corresponding to the multiple beams of the terminal in the first attitude, first information is sent to the terminal.

3. The method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: The system receives the directional angles corresponding to the multiple beams of the terminal in the first posture from the terminal.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The first information includes the azimuth angle corresponding to the first beam and / or the identifier of the first beam.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The attitude information includes at least one of the following: The pitch angle of the terminal, the roll angle of the terminal, the heading angle of the terminal, the quaternion corresponding to the terminal, or the rotation matrix corresponding to the terminal.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The first information is carried in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, a Media Access Control (MAC) CE message, a broadcast message, or a multicast message.

7. A beam tracking method, characterized in that, Applied to terminals, including: Send attitude information to access network devices; The terminal receives first information from the access network device, the first information being used to determine a first beam, the first beam being used for communication between the terminal and the access network device.

8. The method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: The access network device sends the directional angles corresponding to the multiple beams of the terminal in the first attitude.

9. The method as described in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The first information includes the azimuth angle corresponding to the first beam and / or the identifier of the first beam.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7-9, characterized in that, The attitude information includes at least one of the following: The pitch angle of the terminal, the roll angle of the terminal, the heading angle of the terminal, the quaternion corresponding to the terminal, or the rotation matrix corresponding to the terminal.

11. The method according to any one of claims 7-10, characterized in that, The first information is carried in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, a Media Access Control (MAC) CE message, a broadcast message, or a multicast message.

12. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes a module or unit for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-6; or, it includes a module or unit for performing the method as described in any one of claims 7-11.

13. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes a processor and an interface circuit, the interface circuit being used to input and / or output signals, and the processor being used to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-6 through logic circuits or execution instructions; or, to implement the method as described in any one of claims 7-11.

14. A computer program product, characterized in that, It includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-6 to be implemented; or cause the method as described in any one of claims 7-11 to be implemented.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-6 to be implemented; or cause the method as described in any one of claims 7-11 to be implemented.

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