Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of communications, and provides a communication method and apparatus. The communication method comprises: a terminal receiving at least one signal, wherein the at least one signal comprises a first signal and / or a second signal, the first signal carries a synchronization information block, and the second signal carries a system information block; and receiving a reference signal, wherein the at least one signal and the reference signal have the same transmission configuration, and the reference signal and the at least one signal are used for sensing measurement. In other words, the at least one signal is also used for sensing measurement, so that the number of transmissions of a conventional sensing signal such as the reference signal is reduced, thereby reducing the overhead of the sensing signal.

Description

Communication methods and devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411938174.2, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on December 25, 2024, entitled "Communication Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communications, and more particularly to communication methods and apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] In the continuous evolution of communication technology, integrated communication and sensing technology has been established as a core technology for enhancing the service scope of mobile communication networks. The essence of integrated communication and sensing technology is to integrate sensing functions into the mobile communication network, achieving a comprehensive capability system that combines detection, tracking, and imaging functions, thereby realizing the fusion of communication and sensing technologies. The basic principles of sensing technology and communication technology differ: communication technology focuses on the transmission and reception of information, while sensing technology uses radio waves to illuminate a target and obtains relevant information about the target by analyzing the radio waves reflected back from the target.

[0004] In communication sensing systems, in order to ensure sensing accuracy, sensing signals need to be sent multiple times to achieve the sensing purpose, resulting in a large overhead for sending sensing signals. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and apparatus for reducing the overhead of transmitting sensing signals.

[0006] Firstly, a communication method is provided, which is applied to a terminal. The execution subject of the method can be the terminal, a component or device applied to the terminal (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. The communication method includes: receiving at least one signal, the at least one signal including a first signal carrying a synchronization information block and / or a second signal carrying a system information block; receiving a reference signal, the at least one signal having the same transmission configuration as the reference signal, the reference signal and the at least one signal being used for sensing and measurement.

[0007] In the first aspect, the reference signal is transmitted in the same configuration as at least one signal (including a first signal carrying a synchronization information block and / or a second signal carrying a system information block), and based on this, the reference signal and at least one signal are used for sensing measurements. In other words, by also using the aforementioned at least one signal for sensing measurements, the number of times conventional sensing signals, such as the aforementioned reference signal, are required is reduced, thereby reducing the overhead of the sensing signals.

[0008] In one possible design, the method may further include: receiving first information indicating that the transmission configuration of the reference signal is the same as that of at least one signal.

[0009] In this design, the network device instructs the terminal that the reference signal and at least one signal have the same transmission configuration. At this time, the terminal can understand that the network device sends the reference signal and the at least one signal based on the fact that the reference signal and at least one signal have the same transmission configuration. Since the reference signal and at least one signal have the same transmission configuration, the reference signal and at least one signal can perform sensing measurements on the same sensing object, providing richer sensing signals for sensing measurements.

[0010] In one possible design, the synchronization information block includes the first information.

[0011] In this design, by carrying the first information through a synchronization information block, the terminal can determine the transmission configuration of the reference signal and at least one of the above signals, without the need to design a new information block to carry the first information, thereby simplifying the signal processing flow.

[0012] In one possible design, the method may further include: receiving second information indicating the time-domain position of a reference signal relative to at least one signal; in this case, receiving the reference signal includes: receiving the reference signal according to the second information.

[0013] In this design, the network device indicates to the terminal the time-domain position of the reference signal relative to at least one signal through a second piece of information. In this way, by clearly indicating the time-domain position of the reference signal and the at least one signal, the terminal can quickly and accurately find and receive these signals, thereby reducing the signal search and waiting time and improving the overall efficiency of communication.

[0014] In one possible design, the first time-domain interval is the same as the second time-domain interval, where the first time-domain interval is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and the first signal, and the second time-domain interval is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and the second signal.

[0015] In this design, the first time domain interval is the same as the second time domain interval, which simplifies the timing logic and signal processing flow of the communication system.

[0016] In one possible design, the duration of the reference signal is the same as that of at least one signal transmission configuration for a first time.

[0017] In this design, a first time is defined as the duration during which the reference signal and at least one other signal maintain the same transmission configuration. The system can ensure that the reference signal and the aforementioned at least one signal maintain the same transmission configuration for a period of time, thereby achieving the sensing objective. Furthermore, based on the indication of the first time, the terminal can stop using the same transmission configuration at an appropriate time, thereby avoiding unnecessary resource occupation and waste, which helps to improve the overall resource utilization and performance of the system.

[0018] In one possible design, the method may further include receiving third information to indicate the first moment.

[0019] In this design, the network device instructs the terminal on the aforementioned third information, and the network device can adjust the first time by adjusting the third information, which provides high flexibility.

[0020] Secondly, a communication method is provided, which is applied to a network device. The execution subject of the method can be the network device, a component or device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system) applied to the network device, or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the network device. The communication method includes: transmitting at least one signal, which includes a first signal and / or a second signal, wherein the first signal carries a synchronization information block and the second signal carries a system information block; transmitting a reference signal, wherein the at least one signal has the same transmission configuration as the reference signal, and the reference signal and the at least one signal are used for sensing and measurement.

[0021] In the second aspect, the reference signal is transmitted in the same configuration as at least one signal (including a first signal carrying a synchronization information block and / or a second signal carrying a system information block). Based on this, the reference signal and at least one signal are used for sensing measurements. In other words, by also using the aforementioned at least one signal for sensing measurements, the number of times conventional sensing signals, such as the aforementioned reference signal, need to be transmitted is reduced, thereby reducing the overhead of the sensing signals.

[0022] In one possible design, the method may further include: sending first information indicating that the transmission configuration of the reference signal is the same as that of at least one signal.

[0023] In this design, the network device instructs the terminal that the reference signal and at least one signal have the same transmission configuration. At this time, the terminal can understand that the network device sends the reference signal and the at least one signal based on the fact that the reference signal and at least one signal have the same transmission configuration. Since the reference signal and at least one signal have the same transmission configuration, the reference signal and at least one signal can perform sensing measurements on the same sensing object, providing richer sensing signals for sensing measurements.

[0024] In one possible design, the synchronization information block includes the first information.

[0025] In this design, by carrying the first information through a synchronization information block, the terminal can determine the transmission configuration of the reference signal and at least one of the above signals, without the need to design a new information block to carry the first information, thereby simplifying the signal processing flow.

[0026] In one possible design, the method may further include: sending second information indicating the time-domain position of the reference signal relative to at least one signal.

[0027] In this design, the network device indicates to the terminal the time-domain position of the reference signal relative to at least one signal through a second piece of information. In this way, by clearly indicating the time-domain position of the reference signal and the at least one signal, the terminal can quickly and accurately find and receive these signals, thereby reducing the signal search and waiting time and improving the overall efficiency of communication.

[0028] In one possible design, the first time-domain interval is the same as the second time-domain interval, where the first time-domain interval is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and the first signal, and the second time-domain interval is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and the second signal.

[0029] In this design, the first time domain interval is the same as the second time domain interval, which simplifies the timing logic and signal processing flow of the communication system.

[0030] In one possible design, the duration of the reference signal is the same as that of at least one signal transmission configuration for a first time.

[0031] In this design, a first time is defined as the duration during which the reference signal and at least one other signal maintain the same transmission configuration. The system can ensure that the reference signal and the aforementioned at least one signal maintain the same transmission configuration for a period of time, thereby achieving the sensing objective. Furthermore, based on the indication of the first time, the terminal can stop using the same transmission configuration at an appropriate time, thereby avoiding unnecessary resource occupation and waste, which helps to improve the overall resource utilization and performance of the system.

[0032] In one possible design, the method may also include sending third information to indicate the first moment.

[0033] In this design, the network device instructs the terminal on the aforementioned third information, and the network device can adjust the first time by adjusting the third information, which provides high flexibility.

[0034] In one possible design, the method may further include: receiving a first echo signal of at least one signal passing through the sensing object and a second echo signal of a reference signal passing through the sensing object; and performing sensing measurements based on the first echo signal and the second echo signal.

[0035] In this design, the sensing measurement is performed by network equipment. Since the echo signals for sensing measurement are relatively abundant, including the first echo signal and the second echo signal mentioned above, high sensing accuracy can be guaranteed.

[0036] Thirdly, a communication apparatus is provided for implementing the method described in any one of the first or second aspects. For example, the communication apparatus may be a terminal as described in the first aspect or a network device as described in the second aspect.

[0037] The communication device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the implementation method. These modules, units, or means can be implemented in hardware, software, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the functions.

[0038] In some possible designs, the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module can be used to implement the processing functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations. The transceiver module, also called a transceiver unit, is used to implement the sending and / or receiving functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations. The transceiver module may consist of transceiver circuits, transceivers, transceivers, or communication interfaces.

[0039] In some possible designs, the transceiver module includes a sending module and / or a receiving module, which are used to implement the sending or receiving functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations.

[0040] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a communication interface; the communication interface being used to communicate with a module outside the communication device; the processor being used to execute computer programs or instructions to cause the communication device to perform the methods described in any of the aspects. For example, the communication device may be a terminal as described in the first aspect or a network device as described in the second aspect.

[0041] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: at least one processor; the processor being configured to execute a computer program or instructions stored in a memory to cause the communication device to perform the method described in any of the aspects. The memory may be coupled to the processor, or the memory may exist independently of the processor; for example, the memory and the processor are two separate modules. The memory may be located outside or within the communication device.

[0042] The communication device is used to implement the method described in either the first or second aspect. For example, the communication device can be a terminal as described in the first aspect or a network device as described in the second aspect.

[0043] In a sixth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a communication device, enable the communication device to perform the methods described in either aspect.

[0044] In a seventh aspect, a computer program product containing instructions is provided, which, when run on a communication device, enables the communication device to perform the method described in either aspect.

[0045] Eighthly, a communication device is provided, configured to cause the communication device to perform the method described in any one of the aspects.

[0046] Ninthly, a communication system is provided, which includes the terminal and network equipment described in the preceding aspects.

[0047] It is understandable that when the communication device provided by any of the third to fifth aspects is a chip, the sending action / function of the communication device can be understood as outputting information, and the receiving action / function of the communication device can be understood as inputting information.

[0048] The technical effects of any of the design methods in aspects three through nine can be found in the technical effects of different design methods in aspects one through two, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0049] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication scenario provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figures 2-4 are schematic diagrams of the communication system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0051] Figures 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams of the integrated communication and sensing scenario provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0052] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a signal time-domain interval provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figures 9 and 10 are schematic flowcharts of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0055] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the terminal structure provided in the embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0057] The network architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0058] Before introducing the embodiments of this application, some terms involved in the embodiments of this application will be explained.

[0059] 1. Reference Signal: A reference signal (RS), also known as a pilot signal, is a known signal sent from the transmitter to the receiver for channel estimation or channel sounding. Reference signals are divided into uplink reference signals and downlink reference signals.

[0060] An uplink reference signal is a signal sent from a terminal to a network device; that is, the sender is the terminal, and the receiver is the network device. Uplink reference signals serve two purposes: uplink channel estimation and uplink channel quality measurement. Uplink channel estimation can be used for coherent demodulation and detection by the network device, or for the network device to calculate precoding. Uplink reference signals can include a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) and a sounding reference signal (SRS).

[0061] Downlink reference signals are signals sent from network devices to terminals; the sender is the network device, and the receiver is the terminal. Uplink reference signals serve two purposes: downlink channel estimation and downlink channel quality measurement. Downlink channel estimation can be used for coherent demodulation and detection at the terminal, or for the terminal to calculate precoding. Downlink reference signals can include demodulation reference signals (DMRS) and channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS).

[0062] 2. Synchronization Signal and PBCH Block (SSB): Composed of the primary synchronization signal (PSS), secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and physical broadcast channel (PBCH). The PSS and SSS each occupy 1 symbol and 127 subcarriers, while the PBCH occupies 3 orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols and 240 subcarriers. The middle portion of one symbol is reserved for the SSS, used to provide synchronization and the required master information block (MIB) information to the user equipment (UE) during initial access.

[0063] 3. System Information Block 1 (SIB1): Provides the UE with the basic information required for cell selection and scheduling information of other SIBs when initially accessing the network. The UE obtains the relevant parameters of SIB1 through the MIB information in the SSB, and then receives SIB1 and starts random access.

[0064] In common configurations, SIB1 and SSB typically appear in pairs and use the same beam. For example, if the SSB has eight beams, the corresponding SIB1 is also transmitted through the same eight beams. This is because the SSB, as the starting point for network synchronization and access, usually uses multiple beams to cover different directions to ensure that the UE can receive the synchronization signal from any location. Since SIB1 is information that the UE needs to obtain after decoding the SSB, it is also transmitted through the same beam. This ensures that after receiving the SSB, the UE can successfully find and decode SIB1 on the same beam.

[0065] 4. Sensing Mode: In a communication sensing system, the sensing mode can be divided into two main categories based on the deployment of the transmitting end that sends the sensing signal and the receiving end that receives the sensing signal: single-site sensing and dual-site sensing.

[0066] In this context, single-station sensing (self-transmitting and self-receiving mode, STSR) refers to a system where the transmitting and receiving ends of the sensing signal are the same device. In terms of signal flow, this device is responsible for both transmitting and receiving the signals reflected back from the target surface. Therefore, single-station sensing is also known as a self-transmitting and self-receiving mode.

[0067] Dual-station sensing (A-transmitting and B-receiving mode, ATBR) refers to a system where the transmitting and receiving ends of the sensing signal are two different devices. For example, if the transmitting end is sensing station A and the receiving end is sensing station B, in terms of signal flow, sensing station A is responsible for transmitting the sensing signal, and after the signal is reflected from the target surface, sensing station B is responsible for receiving it. Therefore, dual-station sensing is also known as the self-transmitting and self-receiving mode, or the A-transmitting and B-receiving mode, etc.

[0068] 5. Time Slot: A time slot is a fundamental unit of time division, widely used for organizing and transmitting data. Especially in communication systems, the slot constitutes one of the basic units of the frame structure. A time slot typically contains multiple OFDM symbols. For example, in 5G NR technology, a time slot can include 14 OFDM symbols. A time slot length corresponding to a 15kHz subcarrier spacing is 1 millisecond (ms), and a time slot length corresponding to a 30kHz subcarrier spacing is 0.5 ms. This design allows data to be transmitted and received in an orderly manner within specific time intervals, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of the communication system. By rationally dividing and using time slots, communication systems can utilize time resources more effectively, ensuring smooth data transmission.

[0069] 6. OFDM Symbol (hereinafter referred to as "symbol"): An OFDM symbol is the basic unit for transmitting information on a subcarrier. An OFDM symbol consists of a set of orthogonal subcarriers, each carrying independent information. Because the subcarriers are orthogonal, they can transmit information simultaneously on the same frequency band, thereby achieving efficient spectrum utilization.

[0070] As introduced in the background section, integrated communication and sensing technology has been established as a core technology for enhancing the scope of mobile communication network services. When implementing sensing on the network side, network equipment can use downlink reference signals as sensing signals to perform sensing measurements on the sensing object (also known as the sensing target). However, in current sensing systems, the sensing signal and communication signal (e.g., signals carrying the aforementioned SSB or SIB1) are time-division multiplexed. The sensing signal independently occupies a portion of the symbols for transmission; in other words, symbols used for communication cannot be used for sensing. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the sensing signal occupies the last four symbols in the first downlink time slot D, while the communication signal occupies the remaining symbols in the same downlink time slot D. The communication signal and sensing signal are time-division multiplexed, and the symbols they occupy do not overlap. That is, the sensing signal cannot be transmitted within the symbols used for communication.

[0071] Currently, transmitting sensing signals incurs significant overhead. This overhead includes the resources required for transmitting and receiving signals (such as time, energy, and bandwidth), as well as the computational resources needed to process these signals. The main reasons for this high overhead are:

[0072] Considering that the sensing process may be affected by various factors, such as noise and interference, multiple transmissions can improve the reliability and accuracy of the sensing results. In order to achieve high-precision sensing, it is usually necessary to transmit the sensing signal multiple times.

[0073] It is evident that, due to the aforementioned reasons, the overhead of transmitting sensing signals is currently quite high.

[0074] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a communication method. The method provided in this application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0075] The communication method provided in this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, 5G mobile communication systems, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) systems, future communication systems, or systems integrating multiple communication systems. This application does not limit the application to these systems. 5G can also be referred to as NR.

[0076] The communication method provided in this application can be applied to various communication scenarios, such as one or more of the following communication scenarios: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC), machine type communication (MTC), massive machine type communications (mMTC), device to device (D2D), vehicle to everything (V2X), vehicle to vehicle (V2V), and Internet of Things (IoT).

[0077] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the application scenario used in this application is described using the communication system architecture shown in Figure 2 as an example. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a possible, non-limiting system. As shown in Figure 2, the communication system 10 includes a radio access network (RAN) 100 and a core network (CN) 200. RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (110a and 110b in Figure 2, collectively referred to as 110) and at least one terminal (120a-120j in Figure 2, collectively referred to as 120). RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay devices and / or wireless backhaul devices (not shown in Figure 2). Terminal 120 is wirelessly connected to RAN node 110. RAN node 110 is wirelessly or wired connected to core network 200. The core network devices in core network 200 and RAN node 110 in RAN 100 can be different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating core network logical functions and radio access network logical functions.

[0078] RAN 100 can be a cellular system related to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 4G, 5G mobile communication systems, or future-oriented evolution systems. RAN 100 can also be an open RAN (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. RAN 100 can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems.

[0079] RAN node 110, sometimes also referred to as access network equipment, network equipment, RAN entity, or access node, constitutes part of the communication system and is used to help terminals achieve wireless access. Multiple RAN nodes 110 in communication system 10 can be of the same type or different types. In some scenarios, the roles of RAN node 110 and terminal 120 are relative. For example, network element 120i in Figure 2 can be a helicopter or drone, which can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminals 120j accessing RAN 100 through network element 120i, network element 120i is a base station; but for base station 110a, network element 120i is a terminal. RAN node 110 and terminal 120 are sometimes both referred to as communication devices. For example, network elements 110a and 110b in Figure 2 can be understood as communication devices with base station functions, and network elements 120a-120j can be understood as communication devices with terminal functions.

[0080] In one possible scenario, the RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. The RAN node can be a macro base station (as shown in Figure 2, 110a), a micro base station or indoor station (as shown in Figure 2, 110b), a relay node or donor node, or a radio controller in a CRAN scenario. Optionally, the RAN node can also be a server, wearable device, vehicle, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, the access network equipment in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be a roadside unit (RSU). All or part of the functions of the RAN node in this application can also be implemented through software functions running on hardware, or through virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform). The RAN node can also be equipped with communication modules, circuits, or chips that perform corresponding communication functions. The RAN node can also be configured with program instructions for performing corresponding communication functions, as well as corresponding program instructions. The RAN node in this application can also be a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the RAN node's functions.

[0081] In another possible scenario, multiple RAN nodes collaborate to assist the terminal in achieving wireless access, with each RAN node performing a portion of the base station's functions. For example, RAN nodes can be central units (CUs), distributed units (DUs), CU-control plane (CPs), CU-user plane (UPs), or radio units (RUs), etc. CUs and DUs can be separate entities or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radio heads (RRHs).

[0082] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules.

[0083] In this embodiment, the form of the RAN node is not limited. The device used to implement the function of the RAN node can be the RAN node itself; or it can be a device that supports the RAN node in implementing this function, such as a chip system. The device can be installed in the RAN node or used in conjunction with the RAN node.

[0084] A terminal can be a device or module that accesses the aforementioned communication system and has corresponding communication functions. A terminal can also be called a terminal device, 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, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, transportation vehicles with wireless communication capabilities, communication modules, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal. A terminal typically contains a communication module, circuit, or chip that performs the corresponding communication function. The terminal can also be configured with program instructions for performing the corresponding communication function.

[0085] The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal. The device used to implement the functions of the terminal can be the terminal itself; it can also be a device that supports the terminal in implementing the functions, such as a chip system. The device can be installed in the terminal or used in conjunction with the terminal. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system can be composed of chips or can include chips and other discrete devices. All or part of the functions of the terminal in this application can also be implemented by software functions running on hardware, or by virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform).

[0086] In one embodiment, AI nodes may also be introduced into the wireless network to support artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

[0087] AI nodes can be deployed in one or more of the following locations within the communication system: access network nodes (RAN nodes), terminals, or core network equipment, etc. Alternatively, AI nodes can be deployed independently, for example, in a location other than any of the above-mentioned devices, such as in the host or cloud server of an over-the-top (OTT) system. AI nodes can communicate with other devices in the communication system, which can be one or more of the following: network equipment, terminals, or core network elements, etc.

[0088] It is understood that this application does not limit the number of AI nodes. For example, when there are multiple AI nodes, these nodes can be divided based on function, such as different AI nodes being responsible for different functions.

[0089] It can also be understood that AI nodes can be independent devices, or they can be integrated into the same device to achieve different functions. Alternatively, they can be network elements in hardware devices, software functions running on dedicated hardware, or virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform). This application does not limit the specific form of the aforementioned AI nodes.

[0090] AI nodes can be AI network elements or AI modules.

[0091] The preceding text has introduced the communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application from a macro-architectural perspective. To help deepen the understanding of this system in a practical application environment, the following will provide a more specific explanation of the communication system through several examples. It should be noted that the communication system examples listed below are for illustrative purposes and are intended to provide an intuitive understanding. The actual application scope of this application is far greater than this, and it is also compatible and adaptable to other types of communication systems, and is not limited thereto.

[0092] For example, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a possible application framework in a communication system. As shown in Figure 3, network elements in the communication system are connected through interfaces (e.g., NG, Xn) or air interfaces. These network element nodes, such as core network equipment, access network nodes (RAN nodes), terminals, or one or more devices in operations administration and maintenance (OAM), are equipped with one or more AI modules (only one is shown in Figure 3 for clarity). The access network node can be a single RAN node or can include multiple RAN nodes, for example, including CU and DU. The CU and / or DU can also be equipped with one or more AI modules. The CU can also be split into CU-CP and CU-UP, and one or more AI modules are installed in the CU-CP and / or CU-UP.

[0093] AI modules are used to implement corresponding AI functions. AI modules deployed in different network elements can be the same or different. The models of AI modules can achieve different functions depending on the parameter configurations. The models of AI modules can be configured based on one or more of the following parameters: structural parameters (e.g., at least one of the following: number of neural network layers, neural network width, inter-layer connections, neuron weights, neuron activation function, or biases in the activation function), input parameters (e.g., the type and / or dimension of the input parameters), or output parameters (e.g., the type and / or dimension of the output parameters). The biases in the activation function can also be referred to as the biases of the neural network.

[0094] In one example, the neural network mentioned above can be a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), or a generative adversarial network (GAN).

[0095] Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) are artificial neural network architectures with multiple layers of nonlinear transformation units stacked in a hierarchical structure to form deep computational models. Compared to shallow neural networks, deep neural networks have more hidden layers, allowing the network model to capture more complex data structures and higher-level abstract features.

[0096] A CNN is a deep neural network with a convolutional structure. A CNN contains a feature extractor consisting of convolutional layers and subsampling layers. This feature extractor can be viewed as a filter, and the convolution process can be seen as performing convolution between a trainable filter and an input image or a convolutional feature map.

[0097] RNN is a type of recursive neural network that takes sequence data as input, recursively moves along the direction of sequence evolution, and connects all nodes (recurrent units) in a chain-like manner.

[0098] GAN is a deep learning model. It consists of a generator and a discriminator, and is trained through adversarial learning. Its purpose is to estimate the potential distribution of data samples and generate new data samples.

[0099] An AI module can have one or more models. A model can infer an output, which includes one or more parameters. The learning, training, or inference processes of different models can be deployed on different nodes or devices, or they can be deployed on the same node or device.

[0100] In another example, Figure 4 illustrates a different possible application framework in a communication system. As shown in Figure 4, the communication system includes a RAN intelligent controller (RIC). For example, the RIC can be the aforementioned AI module, used to implement AI-related functions. RICs include near-real-time RICs (near-RT RICs) and non-real-time RICs (non-RT RICs). Non-real-time RICs primarily process non-real-time information, such as data that is not sensitive to latency, with latency in the order of seconds. Real-time RICs primarily process near-real-time information, such as data that is relatively sensitive to latency, with latency in the order of tens of milliseconds.

[0101] Near real-time (NRT) RICs are used for model training and inference. For example, they are used to train AI models and then use those models for inference. NRT RICs can obtain network-side and / or terminal-side information from RAN nodes (e.g., CUs, CU-CPs, CU-UPs, DUs, and / or RUs) and / or terminals. This information can be used as training data or inference data. NRT RICs can deliver inference results to RAN nodes and / or terminals. Inference results can be exchanged between CUs and DUs, and / or between DUs and RUs. For example, a NRT RIC delivers an inference result to a DU, which then forwards it to an RU.

[0102] Non-real-time RICs are also used for model training and inference. For example, they are used to train AI models and then use those models for inference. Non-real-time RICs can obtain network-side and / or terminal-side information from RAN nodes (e.g., CUs, CU-CPs, CU-UPs, DUs, and / or RUs) and / or terminals. This information can be used as training data or inference data, and the inference results can be delivered to RAN nodes and / or terminals. Inference results can be exchanged between CUs and DUs, and / or between DUs and RUs; for example, a non-real-time RIC delivers inference results to a DU, which then forwards them to an RU.

[0103] Near real-time RICs and non-real-time RICs can also be configured as separate network elements. Near real-time RICs and non-real-time RICs can also be part of other devices. For example, near real-time RICs can be set in RAN nodes (e.g., CU, DU), while non-real-time RICs can be set in OAM, cloud servers, core network devices, or other network devices.

[0104] In conjunction with the aforementioned communication system, embodiments of this application provide a communication method in which a reference signal is configured to transmit the same signal as at least one of the following: a first signal carrying a synchronization information block, or a second signal carrying a system information block. Based on this, the reference signal and at least one other signal are used for sensing measurements. In other words, by using at least one of the aforementioned signals for sensing measurements, the number of times traditional sensing signals, such as the aforementioned reference signal, need to be transmitted is reduced, thereby reducing the overhead of the sensing signals.

[0105] This application applies to integrated communication and sensing scenarios. As shown in Figure 5, network devices and terminals in a communication system can sense objects that do not have communication capabilities while communicating. For example, the sensed objects include moving targets such as vehicles, low-altitude drones, and pedestrians, as well as stationary objects in the environment, such as buildings and the ground.

[0106] In the integrated communication and sensing scenario, from the perspective of sensing mode, it can be divided into 6 sub-scenarios as shown in the figure, including: network device A transmitting and receiving as shown in Figure 6(a), terminal A transmitting and receiving as shown in Figure 6(b), network device A as the sender and network device B as the receiver as shown in Figure 6(c), terminal A as the sender and terminal B as the receiver as shown in Figure 6(d), network device A as the sender and terminal A as the receiver as shown in Figure 6(e), and terminal A as the sender and network device A as the receiver as shown in Figure 6(f).

[0107] It should be noted that "sending information" in this application can be understood as one device sending information to another device, or it can also be understood as one logical module within a device sending information to another logical module. For example, "network device sending information" can be understood as a network device sending information to another device (such as a terminal), or it can be understood as logical module 1 in the network device sending information to logical module 2 in the network device.

[0108] In this application, "receiving information" can be understood as one device receiving information from another device, or it can also be understood as a logical module within a device receiving information from another logical module. For example, "network device receiving information" can be understood as a network device receiving information from another device (such as a terminal), or it can be understood as logical module 1 in the network device receiving information from logical module 2 in the network device.

[0109] In this application, phrases such as "sending information to... (e.g., a terminal)" or related illustrations in the accompanying drawings can be understood as indicating that the destination of the information is a terminal. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to a terminal. Similarly, phrases such as "receiving information from... (e.g., a terminal)," "receiving information from... (e.g., a terminal)," or "receiving information sent by (e.g., a terminal)," or related illustrations in the accompanying drawings, can be understood as indicating that the source of the information is a terminal. This can include receiving information directly or indirectly from a terminal. 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 elaborated further here.

[0110] In the following embodiments of this application, the message names between network elements, the names of parameters, or the names of information are just examples. Other names may be used in other embodiments, and the communication method provided in this application does not specifically limit them.

[0111] It is understood that in the embodiments of this application, each network element may execute some or all of the steps in the embodiments of this application. These steps or operations are merely examples, and the embodiments of this application may also execute other operations or variations thereof. Furthermore, the steps may be executed in different orders as presented in the embodiments of this application, and it is not necessary to execute all the operations in the embodiments of this application.

[0112] It is understood that this application uses terminals and network devices as examples to illustrate the execution of the interaction, but this application does not limit the execution subject of the interaction. For example, the method executed by the terminal in this application can also be executed by a module applied to the terminal (e.g., a chip, chip system, or processor), or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the terminal's functions; the method executed by the terminal in this application can also be implemented by a communication / processing module in the terminal or a circuit or chip in the terminal responsible for communication / processing functions (such as a modem chip (also known as a baseband chip), or a SoC chip / SIP chip containing a modem core, or a GPU / AI processor / ASIC).

[0113] The methods executed by the network device in this application can also be executed by a module (e.g., a chip, chip system, or processor) applied to the network device, or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the network device. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit this.

[0114] Figure 7 shows a flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 7, the method may include the following steps:

[0115] S710, the network device sends at least one signal to the terminal, and correspondingly, the terminal receives at least one signal from the network device.

[0116] Wherein, at least one signal includes a first signal and / or a second signal, the first signal carrying a synchronization information block, and the second signal carrying a system information block. For example, in this application, the system information block is described as system information block 1. It can be understood that with the evolution of technology, other types of system blocks may be used to replace and implement the function of system information block 1, which is not limited.

[0117] In other words, at least one signal may include at least one of a first signal carrying a synchronization information block (also referred to as signal A in this application) and a second signal carrying a system information block (also referred to as signal B in this application). Referring to the previous introduction of the scenario of integrated communication and sensing, the above-mentioned signal A and signal B can be classified as communication signals.

[0118] In S720, the network device sends a reference signal to the terminal, and the terminal receives the reference signal from the network device accordingly.

[0119] Referring to the preceding description of the downlink reference signal scenario, the reference signal can, for example, be DMRS or CSI-RS. The reference signal has the same transmission configuration as at least one of the following signals: a first signal carrying a synchronization information block, or a second signal carrying a system information block. Specifically, the reference signal has the same transmission configuration as the first signal, or the reference signal has the same transmission configuration as the second signal, or the reference signal, the first signal, and the second signal all have the same transmission configuration.

[0120] In one interpretation, the aforementioned identical transmission configuration may refer to the identical antenna and its precoding configuration used for transmitting the signal. Considering the differences between different protocol versions, beams and / or ports are often used as standards to define identical antenna and precoding configurations. Therefore, the aforementioned transmission configuration may specifically include beam and / or port configurations. Based on the fact that the reference signal has the same transmission configuration as at least one of the following signals: a first signal carrying a synchronization information block, or a second signal carrying a system information block, the reference signal and at least one signal can be used for sensing measurements. For specific procedures regarding sensing measurements, please refer to relevant technical documents; this application will not elaborate further.

[0121] It should be understood that the same transmission configuration described in this application can also be described as consistent transmission configuration, bound transmission configuration, etc. This consistency in transmission configuration ensures that the reference signal and the first signal can follow the same physical and propagation rules, maintaining the stability and consistency of signal characteristics during transmission, thereby enabling the receiving end to jointly use the reference signal with at least one signal including the first signal and / or the second signal to achieve sensing measurement of the sensing object.

[0122] In this application, the reference signal can be understood as a cell-level reference signal. The fact that the reference signal's transmission configuration is consistent with that of at least one of the aforementioned signals can be understood as the cell-level reference signal being bound to the transmission configuration of at least one of the aforementioned signals. The cell-level reference signal can be a reference signal used by a terminal within a specific cell for functions such as channel estimation and sensing measurement. Taking at least one signal including signal A and the reference signal being CSI-RS as an example, in existing protocols, a cell can be configured with beams for eight synchronization information blocks. After adding a cell-level CSI-RS, each synchronization information block corresponds to a CSI-RS, and this CSI-RS uses the same transmission configuration as the synchronization information block.

[0123] As described above, network devices can send signal A carrying a synchronization information block, or signal B carrying a system information block, or both signal A carrying a synchronization information block and signal B carrying a system information block. Specifically, the reference signal can be configured to match the transmission configuration of signal A and / or signal B. When the reference signal matches the transmission configuration of signal A, it is used for sensing and measurement along with signal A. Similarly, when the reference signal matches the transmission configuration of signal B, it is used for sensing and measurement along with signal B. This reduces the number of times the reference signal needs to be sent.

[0124] Alternatively, the transmission configurations of the reference signal, signal A, and signal B can all be identical. In this case, the reference signal, signal A, and signal B are used for sensing and measurement, further reducing the number of times the reference signal needs to be transmitted.

[0125] In this application, the execution order of steps S710 and S720 is not limited. In other words, the transmission time of the reference signal can be earlier or later than the transmission time of at least one signal. For example, taking the network device sending signal A carrying a synchronization information block and signal B carrying a system information block as an example, the transmission order or sending order of the reference signal, signal A, and signal B from front to back in time can be: signal A, reference signal, and signal B.

[0126] In this embodiment, the reference signal is transmitted with the same configuration as at least one of the following signals: a first signal carrying a synchronization information block, or a second signal carrying a system information block. Based on this, the reference signal and at least one other signal are used for sensing measurements. In other words, by using communication signals for sensing measurements, the number of times traditional sensing signals, such as the aforementioned reference signal, need to be transmitted is reduced, thereby reducing the overhead of the sensing signals.

[0127] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG7, prior to step S720, the method may optionally include:

[0128] In S730, the network device sends the first information to the terminal, and the terminal receives the first information from the network device accordingly.

[0129] The first information indicates that the reference signal has the same transmission configuration as at least one of the following signals: a first signal carrying a synchronization information block, or a second signal carrying a system information block. The first information can be carried in any downlink signal without limitation. For example, the first information can be carried in signal A; in other words, the synchronization information block includes the first information.

[0130] For example, the first information can indirectly indicate that the "transmission configuration of the reference signal is consistent with that of at least one signal" through a specific index. For instance, the index "ON" or "1" can both represent "the transmission configuration of the reference signal is consistent with that of at least one signal". The first information under this design can significantly reduce the amount of data transmission and save bandwidth and storage resources. In this application, the specific form of the content of the first information is not limited.

[0131] After receiving the first information, the terminal can clearly determine whether to perform sensing measurement based on at least one signal, including the first signal and the second signal, in conjunction with a reference signal.

[0132] In one possible interpretation, referring to the previous explanation of cell-level reference signals, the first information can also be interpreted as indicating the activation of cell-level reference signals.

[0133] In an alternative implementation, as an alternative to step S730, the reference signal is configured to transmit the same signal as at least one of the following: a first signal carrying a synchronization information block, or a second signal carrying a system information block, which can also be pre-agreed by the protocol, meaning that the network device does not need to send the aforementioned first information to the terminal.

[0134] In this embodiment of the application, the reference signal indicated to the terminal by the network device has the same transmission configuration as at least one of the following signals: a first signal carrying a synchronization information block, or a second signal carrying a system information block. At this time, the terminal can clearly send the reference signal and at least one signal based on the fact that the reference signal has the same transmission configuration as the above-mentioned at least one signal, so as to provide a sensing signal for sensing measurement.

[0135] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG7, prior to step S720, the method may optionally include:

[0136] S740: The network device sends second information to the terminal, and the terminal receives the second information from the network device accordingly.

[0137] The second information is used to indicate the time-domain position of the reference signal relative to at least one signal. Referring to the previous description, "the execution order of steps S710 and S720 is not restricted." In other words, the second information can specifically indicate that the time-domain position of the reference signal is before the time-domain position of at least one signal, or it can specifically indicate that the time-domain position of the reference signal is after the time-domain position of at least one signal.

[0138] For example, as shown in Figure 8, the second information can be used to indicate that the first time-domain interval and the second time-domain interval are the same, where the first time-domain interval T1 is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and signal A, and the second time-domain interval T2 is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and signal B. In other words, it can also be interpreted as the time-domain position of the reference signal being located at the midpoint between signals A and B. This ensures that after receiving synchronization information block 1, the terminal can quickly and accurately perform channel estimation using the reference signal.

[0139] In other words, the terminal can receive the reference signal based on the second information. That is, step S720 may include: the terminal receiving the reference signal based on the second information.

[0140] As an alternative to step S740, the time-domain position of the reference signal relative to at least one signal can also be agreed upon by the protocol, meaning that step S740 is no longer required.

[0141] In this embodiment of the application, the network device indicates to the terminal the time domain position of the reference signal relative to at least one signal through the second information. In this way, by clearly indicating the time domain position of the reference signal and at least one signal, the terminal can quickly and accurately find and receive these signals, thereby reducing the signal search and waiting time and improving the overall efficiency of communication.

[0142] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG7, prior to step S720, the method may optionally include:

[0143] In S750, the network device sends third information to the terminal, and the terminal receives the third information from the network device accordingly.

[0144] The third information indicates the first time, and the transmission configuration of the reference signal is the same as that of at least one of the following signals: the duration of a first signal carrying a synchronization information block, or a second signal carrying a system information block. In other words, the first time can also be interpreted as the duration of the cell-level reference signal activation state. The third information can be carried in any downlink signal without restriction. For example, the third information can be carried in signal A; in other words, the synchronization information block includes the third information. The first time can be flexibly set based on implementation requirements; for example, the first time can be 80ms or 160ms, etc. The first time can also be called the sensing frame duration.

[0145] The terminal considers the reference signal to have the same transmission configuration as at least one of the aforementioned signals within the first time period, and receives the reference signal based on this same configuration. In other words, the terminal can receive the reference signal based on the third information. That is, step S720 may include: the terminal receiving the reference signal based on the third information. Within the first time period, sensing measurements can be performed based on a combination of the at least one of the aforementioned signals and the reference signal.

[0146] As an alternative, it can also be agreed upon in the first instance that there are no restrictions.

[0147] In one embodiment, referring to the preceding description of the integrated communication and sensing scenario in Figure 6(a), the network device can spontaneously transmit and receive signals to achieve the sensing purpose. In the integrated communication and sensing scenario in Figure 6(a), as shown in Figure 9, the method may also optionally include:

[0148] S760, the network device receives at least one first echo signal of a signal passing through the sensing object and a second echo signal of a reference signal passing through the sensing object.

[0149] In this process, after the network device sends at least one signal, the at least one signal passes through the sensing object to form a first echo signal. Specifically, the first echo signal may include at least one of the following: the echo signal of signal A, or the echo signal of signal B. Similarly, after the network device sends a reference signal, the reference signal passes through the sensing object to form a second echo signal. After receiving the aforementioned first echo signal and second echo signal, the network device can perform sensing measurements.

[0150] The S770 network device performs sensing measurements based on the first echo signal and the second echo signal.

[0151] Once the network device clearly identifies which signals it is sensing and measuring, it can then perform the sensing and measurement. Regarding the specific process of this sensing and measurement, since the relevant technologies are relatively mature and there are multiple possible implementation methods, this application will not elaborate on it but will instead provide a brief explanation. For example, one implementation method will be used as an example for illustration:

[0152] First, the cyclic prefixes of the first and second echo signals are removed, and then a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is performed to obtain the frequency domain signal. Next, the frequency domain signal is multiplied point-by-point with the sequence used for the first and reference signals to obtain the estimated echo channel. This process is equivalent to using known transmitted signals (e.g., the first and reference signals) as a "key" to "unlock" and estimate the channel's impact on the signal, thus obtaining the estimated echo channel. Then, the network device merges the echo channels from multiple symbols (or time points). Next, a multidimensional Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is performed on these merged signals (time, frequency, space, etc.) to obtain the sensing spectrum. The sensing spectrum is like a signal's "fingerprint," reflecting the signal's characteristics and distribution across different dimensions. Finally, the network device performs target detection based on the obtained sensing spectrum. This typically involves thresholding the sensing spectrum, pattern matching, and other operations to ultimately achieve the sensing objective.

[0153] In this embodiment of the application, the sensing measurement is performed by a network device. Since the echo signals for sensing measurement are relatively abundant, including the aforementioned first echo signal and second echo signal, high sensing accuracy can be guaranteed.

[0154] In another embodiment, referring to the preceding description of the integrated communication and sensing scenario in Figure 6(e), the network device can act as the sender of the sensing signal, and the terminal as the receiver of the sensing signal. The terminal can perform sensing measurements to achieve the sensing purpose. In the integrated communication and sensing scenario in Figure 6(e), as shown in Figure 10, the method may also optionally include:

[0155] S780, the terminal receives at least one first echo signal of a signal passing through the sensing object and a second echo signal of a reference signal passing through the sensing object.

[0156] In this system, a sensing object exists between the network device and the terminal. After the network device sends at least one signal, the signal passes through the sensing object to form a first echo signal, which is reflected back to the terminal. Similarly, after the network device sends a reference signal, the reference signal passes through the sensing object to form a second echo signal, which is reflected back to the terminal. Once the terminal receives the first and second echo signals, it can perform sensing measurements.

[0157] S790, the terminal performs sensing measurements based on the first echo signal and the second echo signal.

[0158] The principle of terminal sensing measurement is the same as that of network device sensing measurement in step S770, and its explanation can be found in the explanation of step S770.

[0159] In this embodiment of the application, the terminal performs the sensing measurement. Since the echo signal for the sensing measurement is relatively rich, including the first echo signal and the second echo signal mentioned above, high sensing accuracy can be guaranteed.

[0160] In summary, this application, from the perspective of increasing the number of signals that can be used for sensing, designs a reference signal with the same transmission configuration as at least one of the following signals: a first signal carrying a synchronization information block, or a second signal carrying a system information block. Based on this, the reference signal and at least one other signal are used for sensing measurements. In other words, by also using at least one signal for sensing measurements, the number of times traditional sensing signals, such as the aforementioned reference signal, need to be transmitted is reduced, thereby reducing the overhead of the sensing signal.

[0161] In one embodiment, the synchronization information block in signal A includes the first information. When the at least one signal includes signal A and signal B, the at least one signal and the reference signal can also be used for communication demodulation. Specifically, the terminal first receives signal A carrying the synchronization information block and determines that the cell-level reference signal is enabled based on the first information in the synchronization information block carried by signal A. Then, based on step S740 or protocol configuration, the terminal determines the time-domain position of the reference signal based on second information indicating the time-domain position of the reference signal relative to at least one signal. The terminal then receives the reference signal from the network device based on the second information, and performs channel estimation based on the reference signal to obtain a channel estimation result. Afterward, the terminal receives signal B carrying system information block 1 and, based on the channel estimation result, assists in demodulating system information block 1 in signal B (demodulation includes demodulation of the control channel and data channel). Specifically, if the channel changes slowly, the channel estimation result can be used for demodulation, and the demodulation result is used to demodulate system information block 1. If the channel changes rapidly, the channel estimation result is used to estimate the channel statistical parameters, and then the channel statistical parameters are used to assist the demodulation reference signal in system information block 1 to perform channel estimation, thereby obtaining the channel estimation result of the demodulation reference signal. Finally, the channel estimation result of the demodulation reference signal is used to demodulate system information block 1.

[0162] In this embodiment, at least one of the aforementioned signals and a reference signal are used for communication demodulation, achieving multiplexing of the signals for sensing and communication. The reference signal, as a known signal, serves as a benchmark in the demodulation process, helping the system to more accurately identify and decode the received signal B. This technique reduces interference between signals and improves the reliability and efficiency of communication.

[0163] It is understood that the communication method provided in this application embodiment does not limit the applicable communication system. For example, the communication method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to an O-RAN communication system. Based on the functional design of O-DU / O-CU / O-RU in the O-RAN communication system, the steps executed by the network device in the communication method provided in this application embodiment can be flexibly implemented by one or more of O-DU / O-CU / O-RU, without limitation.

[0164] In another embodiment, the communication method proposed in this application is also applicable to a chip system. Specifically, the chip system on the network side and / or the terminal side is provided with a memory unit for storing the corresponding information (such as first information, second information, etc.) for implementing the communication method of this application embodiment. Based on the corresponding information, the processor, combined with a radio frequency / antenna module (hereinafter referred to as a transceiver) with transceiver function, interacts with the other side to implement the communication method of this application embodiment.

[0165] For example, in one embodiment, at least one signal includes signal A and signal B. In the terminal-side chip system, a transceiver receives signal A sent by a network device. Signal A carries first information indicating whether a cell-level reference signal is enabled. The processor demodulates and decodes signal A to obtain indication information indicating whether the cell-level reference signal is enabled. When the cell-level reference signal is enabled, the processor determines the time-frequency location of the reference signal and the time-frequency location of signal B based on an offset (e.g., indicated by second information). The transceiver receives the reference signal and signal B at the determined time-frequency location. Based on the received reference signal, the processor performs channel estimation and uses the estimation result to assist in demodulating signal B to obtain the cell system information carried by signal B. Finally, the processor performs subsequent cell access procedures based on the obtained cell system information. Optionally, the transceiver receives the echo signals reflected by signal A, the reference signal, and signal B after passing through a sensing object; then, sensing measurements are performed based on the aforementioned echo signals.

[0166] In the network-side chip system, the processor determines whether the sensing function needs to be enabled based on service requirements (which may come from the core network or configuration during site construction, etc.), and sends signal A to the terminal via the transceiver. Signal A carries the first information indicating whether the cell-level reference signal should be enabled. The transceiver also sends the reference signal and signal B. Optionally, the transceiver receives the echo signals reflected by signal A, the reference signal, and signal B after they pass through the sensing object; and then performs sensing measurements based on these echo signals.

[0167] The foregoing mainly describes the solution provided by the embodiments of this application from the perspective of the execution logic of each step. It is understood that each node, such as a network device, includes corresponding hardware structures and / or software modules to execute each function in order to achieve the above-mentioned functions. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, in conjunction with the algorithm steps of the examples described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the method of the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in a hardware or computer software-driven hardware manner depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0168] This application embodiment can divide the network device into functional modules according to the above method example. For example, each function can be divided into its own functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. It should be noted that the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0169] Figure 11 illustrates a possible exemplary block diagram of the communication device involved in the embodiments of this application. As shown in Figure 11, the communication device 900 may include modules or units for implementing the methods described above. In one possible design, the communication device 900 includes a processing unit 902 and a communication unit 903. Optionally, the communication device 900 may further include a storage unit 901 for storing device program code and / or data.

[0170] The communication device 900 can be a terminal-side device in the above embodiments, such as a terminal or a communication module in a terminal, or a circuit or chip in a terminal that is responsible for communication functions.

[0171] For example, in one embodiment, the communication unit 903 is configured to receive at least one signal, the at least one signal including a first signal carrying a synchronization information block and / or a second signal carrying a system information block; the communication unit 903 is configured to receive a reference signal, the at least one signal having the same transmission configuration as the reference signal, the transmission configuration including a beam and / or a port, the reference signal and the at least one signal being used for sensing measurements.

[0172] In this embodiment, the reference signal is transmitted in the same configuration as at least one signal (including a first signal carrying a synchronization information block and / or a second signal carrying a system information block). Based on this, the reference signal and at least one signal are used for sensing measurements. In other words, by using the aforementioned at least one signal for sensing measurements, the number of times traditional sensing signals, such as the reference signal, need to be transmitted is reduced, thereby reducing the overhead of the sensing signals.

[0173] In one possible design, the communication unit 903 can also be used to receive first information indicating that the transmission configuration of the reference signal is the same as that of at least one signal.

[0174] In this design, the reference signal instructed by the network device to the terminal has the same transmission configuration as at least one of the following signals: a first signal carrying a synchronization information block, or a second signal carrying a system information block. At this time, the terminal can clearly send the reference signal and the above at least one signal based on the same transmission configuration as the reference signal: a first signal carrying a synchronization information block, or a second signal carrying a system information block. Since the reference signal has the same transmission configuration as the first signal carrying a synchronization information block, or a second signal carrying a system information block, the reference signal and at least one signal can perform sensing measurements on the same sensing object, providing richer sensing signals for sensing measurements.

[0175] In one possible design, the synchronization information block includes the first information.

[0176] In this design, by carrying the first information through a synchronization information block, the terminal can determine the transmission configuration of the reference signal and at least one of the above signals, without the need to design a new information block to carry the first information, thereby simplifying the signal processing flow.

[0177] In one possible design, the communication unit 903 can also be used to receive second information indicating the time-domain position of the reference signal relative to at least one signal; the processing unit 902 is used to receive the reference signal according to the second information through the communication unit 903. Optionally, the first time-domain interval and the second time-domain interval are the same, where the first time-domain interval is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and the first signal, and the second time-domain interval is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and the second signal.

[0178] In this design, the network device indicates to the terminal the time-domain position of the reference signal relative to at least one signal through a second piece of information. In this way, by clearly indicating the time-domain position of the reference signal and the at least one signal, the terminal can quickly and accurately find and receive these signals, thereby reducing the signal search and waiting time and improving the overall efficiency of communication.

[0179] In one possible design, the duration of the reference signal is the same as that of at least one signal transmission configuration for a first time.

[0180] In this design, a first time is defined as the duration during which the reference signal and at least one other signal maintain the same transmission configuration. The system can ensure that the reference signal and the aforementioned at least one signal maintain the same transmission configuration for a period of time, thereby achieving the sensing objective. Furthermore, based on the indication of the first time, the terminal can stop using the same transmission configuration at an appropriate time, thereby avoiding unnecessary resource occupation and waste, which helps to improve the overall resource utilization and performance of the system.

[0181] In one possible design, the communication unit 903 can also be used to receive third information indicating the first time.

[0182] In this design, the network device instructs the terminal on the aforementioned third information, and the network device can adjust the first time by adjusting the third information, which provides high flexibility.

[0183] In one possible design, when the communication device 900 is a terminal or a communication module within a terminal, the function of the processing unit 902 can be implemented by one or more processors. Specifically, the processor may include a modem chip, or a system-on-a-chip (SoC) chip or a SIP chip containing a modem core. The function of the communication unit 903 can be implemented by transceiver circuitry.

[0184] In one possible design, when the communication device 900 is a circuit or chip in a terminal responsible for communication functions, such as a modem chip or a system-on-a-chip (SoC) or SIP chip containing a modem core, the function of the processing unit 902 can be implemented by a circuit system in the aforementioned chip that includes one or more processors or processor cores. The function of the communication unit 903 can be implemented by an interface circuit or data transceiver circuit on the aforementioned chip.

[0185] In one possible design, when the communication device 900 is a terminal or a processing module within a terminal, the functionality of the processing unit 902 can be implemented by one or more processors. Specifically, the processor may include a GPU, or a system-on-a-chip (SoC) or SIP chip containing a GPU. Alternatively, the processor may include an AI processor, or a SoC or SIP chip containing an AI processor. Or, the processor may include an ASIC, or a SoC or SIP chip containing an ASIC. The functionality of the communication unit 903 can be implemented by transceiver circuitry.

[0186] In one possible design, when the communication device 900 is a circuit or chip in a terminal responsible for processing functions, such as a GPU or a system-on-a-chip (SoC) or SIP chip containing a GPU, an AI processor or a SoC or SIP chip containing an AI processor, or an ASIC or a SoC or SIP chip containing an ASIC, the function of the processing unit 902 can be implemented by a circuit system in the aforementioned chip that includes one or more processors or processor cores. The function of the communication unit 903 can be implemented by interface circuitry or data transceiver circuitry on the aforementioned chip.

[0187] The communication device 900 can also be a network-side device as described in the above embodiments.

[0188] For example, in one embodiment, the communication unit 903 is configured to transmit at least one signal, the at least one signal including a first signal and / or a second signal, the first signal carrying a synchronization information block, the second signal carrying a system information block, and a transmission reference signal, the at least one signal having the same transmission configuration as the reference signal, the transmission configuration including a beam and / or a port, the reference signal and the at least one signal being used for sensing and measurement.

[0189] In this embodiment, the reference signal is transmitted in the same configuration as at least one signal (including a first signal carrying a synchronization information block and / or a second signal carrying a system information block). Based on this, the reference signal and at least one signal are used for sensing measurements. In other words, by using the aforementioned at least one signal for sensing measurements, the number of times traditional sensing signals, such as the reference signal, need to be transmitted is reduced, thereby reducing the overhead of the sensing signals.

[0190] In one possible design, the communication unit 903 can also be used to transmit first information indicating that the transmission configuration of the reference signal is the same as that of at least one signal.

[0191] In this design, the network device instructs the terminal that the reference signal and at least one signal have the same transmission configuration. At this time, the terminal can clearly send the reference signal and the at least one signal based on the fact that the reference signal and at least one signal have the same transmission configuration. Since the reference signal and at least one signal have the same transmission configuration, the reference signal and at least one signal can perform sensing measurements on the same sensing object, providing richer sensing signals for sensing measurements.

[0192] In one possible design, the synchronization information block includes the first information.

[0193] In this design, by carrying the first information through a synchronization information block, the terminal can determine the transmission configuration of the reference signal and at least one of the above signals, without the need to design a new information block to carry the first information, thereby simplifying the signal processing flow.

[0194] In one possible design, the communication unit 903 can also be used to transmit second information indicating the time-domain position of the reference signal relative to at least one signal. Optionally, the first time-domain interval and the second time-domain interval are the same, where the first time-domain interval is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and the first signal, and the second time-domain interval is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and the second signal.

[0195] In this design, the network device indicates to the terminal the time-domain position of the reference signal relative to at least one signal through a second piece of information. In this way, by clearly indicating the time-domain position of the reference signal and the at least one signal, the terminal can quickly and accurately find and receive these signals, thereby reducing the signal search and waiting time and improving the overall efficiency of communication.

[0196] In one possible design, the duration of the reference signal is the same as that of at least one signal transmission configuration for a first time.

[0197] In this design, a first time is defined as the duration during which the reference signal and at least one other signal maintain the same transmission configuration. The system can ensure that the reference signal and the aforementioned at least one signal maintain the same transmission configuration for a period of time, thereby achieving the sensing objective. Furthermore, based on the indication of the first time, the terminal can stop using the same transmission configuration at an appropriate time, thereby avoiding unnecessary resource occupation and waste, which helps to improve the overall resource utilization and performance of the system.

[0198] In one possible design, the communication unit 903 can also be used to send third information indicating the first moment.

[0199] In this design, the network device instructs the terminal on the aforementioned third information, and the network device can adjust the first time by adjusting the third information, which provides high flexibility.

[0200] In one possible design, the communication unit 903 can also be used to receive at least one first echo signal of a signal passing through the sensing object and a second echo signal of a reference signal passing through the sensing object; the processing unit 902 is used to perform sensing measurements based on the first echo signal and the second echo signal.

[0201] In this design, the sensing measurement is performed by network equipment. Since the echo signals for sensing measurement are relatively abundant, including the first echo signal and the second echo signal mentioned above, high sensing accuracy can be guaranteed.

[0202] It is understood that the division of units in the above-described device is merely a logical functional division. One function can correspond to one functional unit, or two or more functions can be integrated into one functional unit. In actual implementation, all or some units can be integrated onto a single physical entity, or distributed across different physical entities. Furthermore, the aforementioned functional units can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both. Whether a function is executed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for specific applications, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0203] In one example, the functional unit in any of the above devices may be one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the above methods, such as: one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or one or more central processing units (CPUs), one or more microcontroller units (MCUs), one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), or one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or a combination of at least two of these integrated circuit forms.

[0204] In one example, storage unit 901 may include random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory or electrically erasable programmable memory and / or registers, etc.

[0205] Referring to Figure 12, which is a structural schematic diagram of a terminal 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application, the terminal 1000 can correspond to the terminals shown in Figures 2-4 and is used to implement the operation of the terminals in the above embodiments. As shown in Figure 12, the terminal includes: one or more antennas 1010, a radio frequency processing system 1020, and a processor system 1030.

[0206] In the downlink or sidelink direction, the RF processing system 1020 receives RF signals through the antenna 1010 and sends the RF-processed signals to the processor system 1030 for further processing. In the uplink or sidelink direction, the processor system 1030 processes the terminal-side information and sends it to the RF processing system 1020, which then processes the signal and transmits it through the antenna 1010.

[0207] In one example, the RF processing system 1020 serves as the communication interface for external communication of the terminal and may include an RF front end (RFFE) 1021 and an RF transceiver 1022. The RFFE 1021 is primarily used for one or more processing operations, such as shaping, passband selection, or gain adjustment, on the RF signals received by the antenna or those to be transmitted through the antenna. It may include one or more components such as RF switches, duplexers, filters, power amplifiers, antenna tuners, and low-noise amplifiers. The RFFE 1021 can be a circuit system composed of multiple discrete devices or integrated into one or more chips. The RF transceiver 1022 processes the RF signals received by the RFFE into baseband / IF signals for further processing by the processor system 1030, and processes the baseband / IF signals provided by the processor system 1030 into RF signals for transmission to the RFFE 1021. The baseband / IF signals transmitted between the RF transceiver 1022 and the processor system 1030 can be digital or analog signals. The radio frequency transceiver 1022 can be implemented by one or more chips, which are commonly referred to as radio frequency chips (RFICs).

[0208] In one example, processor system 1030 may include one or more processors for processing signals and executing one or more communication protocols. Optionally, processor system 1030 may also include memory 1036. In one example, the one or more processors include at least one baseband processor 1031 (also known as a modem processor). Memory 1036 is used to store data and / or computer program instructions. Optionally, processor system 1030 may also include one or more application processors 1032 for implementing processing of the terminal operating system and application layer. Application processor 1032 may include, for example, a GPU, AI processor, or ASIC. Optionally, processor system 1030 may also include one or more of a voice subsystem 1033, a multimedia subsystem 1034, or an interface circuit 1035. The voice subsystem 1033 is used to process voice signals, the multimedia subsystem 1034 is used to handle multimedia-related operations, such as video encoding / decoding, image processing, etc., and the interface circuit 1035 is used to implement communication with other terminal components, such as a display 1040, an input device 1050, memory 1060, etc. The aforementioned components in the processor system 1030 can communicate with each other via a bus or communication interface circuit.

[0209] In one example, the processor system 1030 can be packaged as a single processor chip, such as a SoC chip or a SIP chip. In another example, the processor system 1030 can be a system composed of multiple chips, for example, the baseband processor 1031 can be packaged as a single chip, or packaged with part or all of the circuitry of the radio frequency processing system into a single chip.

[0210] In one example, memory 1036 can be on-chip memory, i.e., located on the processor system 1030 chip. In another example, memory 1060 can be off-chip memory, i.e. located outside the processor system 1030 chip.

[0211] In one example, the baseband processor 1031 may include one or more processor cores 10311 and interface circuitry 10314. The one or more processor cores 10311 are used to process signals and execute one or more communication protocols. Optionally, the baseband processor 1031 may also include a memory 10312 for storing at least a portion of the corresponding computer program instructions and / or data. In one example, the one or more processor cores 10311 implement the relevant operations in the above method embodiments by executing the computer program instructions stored in the memory 10312. In this disclosure, memory 10312 is used to store corresponding computer program instructions and / or data. This can mean that memory 10312 stores all corresponding computer program instructions and / or data for execution by processor core 10311; or it can mean that memory 10312 stores a portion of corresponding computer program instructions and / or data, including the computer program instructions and / or data currently required to be executed by processor core 10311. Memory 10312 can store different portions of computer program instructions and / or data multiple times for execution by processor core 10311 to implement the relevant operations in the above method embodiments. Interface circuit 10314 serves as a communication interface for communication with other components, such as transmitting signals with radio frequency processing system 1020, communicating with other subsystems and related components of processor system 1030 via bus, such as transmitting data control signals with application processor 1032, and transmitting data or computer program instructions with memory 1036 or memory 1060. Optionally, in order to reduce the load on the processor core, a baseband signal processing circuit 10313 can be set to perform at least some baseband signal processing, including one or more of signal demodulation, modulation, encoding or decoding.

[0212] In one example, the communication device provided in this application may be a terminal 1000, a communication module including a processor system 1030 and a radio frequency system 1020, or a baseband processor 1031.

[0213] The processor, processor system, application processor, baseband processor, processor circuit, or processor core mentioned above can be collectively referred to as a processor. The processor may include one or more of the following: central processing unit (CPU), digital signal processor (DSP), microprocessor unit (MPU), microcontroller unit (MCU), graphics processing unit (GPU), field programmable gate array (FPGA), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), artificial intelligence processor (AI processor), or neural processing unit (NPU).

[0214] The aforementioned memory may include one or more of the following storage media: random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), phase-change memory (PCM), resistive random access memory (ReRAM), magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), cache, register, read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), hard disk, etc. In one example, computer program instructions for executing the above embodiments may be stored on non-volatile memory, such as at least a portion of the aforementioned memory 1060 (e.g., one or more of ROM, flash memory, EPROM, or hard disk). When the terminal is running, the corresponding computer program instructions may be partially or wholly loaded onto a memory with a faster transfer speed than the processor, such as at least a portion of memory 1036 and / or memory 10312 (e.g., one or more of RAM, SRAM, DRAM, PCM, RERAM, MRAM, FRAM, cache, or register), for the processor to execute in order to implement the steps in the above method embodiments.

[0215] In one example, the RF transceiver 1022 and the RF front-end 1021 can also be packaged in a single chip. In another example, the RF transceiver 1022, the RF front-end 1021, and the baseband processor 1031 can also be packaged in a single chip.

[0216] This application also provides a communication system, which is a communication and sensing integrated communication system. The communication system may include a terminal and a network device. The terminal and network device may have the functionality to implement the corresponding steps of the above-described communication method.

[0217] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium. All or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. This program can be stored in the computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the above method embodiments. The computer-readable storage medium can be a terminal device of any of the foregoing embodiments, such as an internal storage unit including a data sending end and / or a data receiving end, like a hard disk or memory of the terminal device. The computer-readable storage medium can also be an external storage device of the terminal device, such as a plug-in hard disk, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc., equipped on the terminal device. Further, the computer-readable storage medium can include both the internal storage unit and the external storage device of the terminal device. The computer-readable storage medium is used to store the computer program and other programs and data required by the terminal device. The computer-readable storage medium can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0218] This application also provides computer instructions. All or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be executed by computer instructions to instruct related hardware (such as computers, processors, network devices, and terminals). The program can be stored in the aforementioned computer-readable storage medium.

[0219] This application also provides a computer program product that, when run on a computer, causes the above-described method embodiments to be executed.

[0220] This application also provides a chip system. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices, without limitation. The chip system includes a processor and a transceiver. All or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be completed by this chip system, such as the chip system being used to implement the functions performed by the network devices or terminals in the above method embodiments.

[0221] In one possible design, the chip system further includes a memory for storing program instructions and / or data. When the chip system is running, the processor executes the program instructions stored in the memory to enable the chip system to perform the functions performed by the network device or terminal in the above method embodiments.

[0222] In the embodiments of this application, the processor may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components, capable of implementing or executing the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly manifested as being executed by a hardware processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0223] In the embodiments of this application, the memory can be non-volatile memory, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD), or it can be volatile memory, such as random-access memory (RAM). Memory is any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures, and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory in the embodiments of this application can also be a circuit or any other device capable of implementing storage functions, used to store instructions and / or data.

[0224] It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or apparatuses.

[0225] It should be understood that in the embodiments of this application, "at least one (item)" refers to one or more, "more than one" refers to two or more, "at least two (items)" refers to two or three or more, and "and / or" is used to describe the association relationship of related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, "A and / or B" can represent: only A exists, only B exists, and A and B exist simultaneously, 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. "At least one (item) 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 (item) of a, b, or c can represent: 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. It should be understood that in the embodiments of this application, "B corresponding to A" means that B is associated with A. For example, B can be determined based on A. It should also be understood that determining B based on A does not mean determining B solely based on A; B can also be determined based on A and / or other information. Furthermore, the term "connection" in the embodiments of this application refers to various connection methods, such as direct or indirect connections, to achieve communication between devices; the embodiments of this application do not impose any limitations on this.

[0226] Unless otherwise specified, the term "transmission" in the embodiments of this application refers to bidirectional transmission, encompassing the actions of sending and / or receiving. Specifically, "transmission" in the embodiments of this application includes sending data, receiving data, or both sending and receiving data. In other words, data transmission here includes uplink and / or downlink data transmission. Data may include channels and / or signals; uplink data transmission refers to uplink channel and / or uplink signal transmission, and downlink data transmission refers to downlink channel and / or downlink signal transmission. The terms "network" and "system" in the embodiments of this application refer to the same concept; a communication system is a communication network.

[0227] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0228] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. A component shown as a unit can be one or more physical units; that is, it can be located in one place or distributed in multiple different locations. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0229] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the embodiments of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a device, such as a microcontroller, chip, or processor, to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0230] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this application can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0231] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to this application. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart illustrations and / or one or more blocks of the block diagrams.

[0232] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the functions specified in one or more flowcharts and / or one or more block diagrams.

[0233] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions, which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus, provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowcharts and / or one or more block diagrams.

[0234] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the scope of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

[0235] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, include: Receive at least one signal, the at least one signal including a first signal and / or a second signal, the first signal carrying a synchronization information block and the second signal carrying a system information block; A reference signal is received, wherein the at least one signal has the same transmission configuration as the reference signal, and the reference signal and the at least one signal are used for sensing and measurement.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive first information, wherein the first information is used to indicate that the reference signal has the same transmission configuration as the at least one signal.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The synchronization information block includes the first information.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive second information, wherein the second information is used to indicate the time-domain position of the reference signal relative to the at least one signal; Receiving the reference signal includes: The reference signal is received based on the second information.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The first time-domain interval is the same as the second time-domain interval, wherein the first time-domain interval is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and the first signal, and the second time-domain interval is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and the second signal.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The duration for which the reference signal has the same transmission configuration as the at least one signal is a first time.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive third information, wherein the third information is used to indicate the first time.

8. A communication method, characterized in that, include: Send at least one signal, the at least one signal including a first signal and / or a second signal, the first signal carrying a synchronization information block and the second signal carrying a system information block; A reference signal is transmitted, wherein the at least one signal has the same transmission configuration as the reference signal, and the reference signal and the at least one signal are used for sensing and measurement.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a first message, wherein the first message is used to indicate that the reference signal has the same transmission configuration as the at least one signal.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The synchronization information block includes the first information.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8-10, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a second message, wherein the second message is used to indicate the time-domain position of the reference signal relative to the at least one signal.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8-11, characterized in that, The first time-domain interval is the same as the second time-domain interval, wherein the first time-domain interval is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and the first signal, and the second time-domain interval is the time-domain interval between the reference signal and the second signal.

13. The method according to any one of claims 8-12, characterized in that, The duration for which the reference signal has the same transmission configuration as the at least one signal is a first time.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a third message, wherein the third message is used to indicate the first time.

15. The method according to any one of claims 8-14, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive the first echo signal of the at least one signal passing through the sensing object and the second echo signal of the reference signal passing through the sensing object; Sensing measurements are performed based on the first echo signal and the second echo signal.

16. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes a module that performs the method as described in any one of claims 1-7; or, it includes a module that performs the method as described in any one of claims 8-15.

17. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a processor for supporting the communication device in performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-15.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions that, when executed, cause the method described in any one of claims 1-15 to be performed.

19. A computer program product, characterized in that, When it is run on a computer, it causes the method described in any one of claims 1-15 to be performed.

20. A chip, characterized in that, The chip includes a processor for supporting the chip in performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-15.

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