Communication method and communication apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides a communication method and a communication apparatus. The method may comprise: receiving first information, the first information being used for configuring an on-demand tracking reference signal (TRS); and receiving the on-demand TRS on the basis of the first information. A terminal side can perform synchronization on the basis of the on-demand TRS. In addition, given that a periodic TRS may cause certain problems, such as the periodic TRS potentially causing higher energy consumption when synchronization requirements are low, or the periodic TRS potentially having a longer periodicity when synchronization requirements are high, resulting in lower synchronization accuracy, an on-demand TRS thus allows for selection of whether to send or receive the on-demand TRS according to actual requirements, thereby reducing energy consumption and increasing synchronization accuracy.

Description

A communication method and communication device

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411960192.0, filed on December 25, 2024, entitled "A Communication Method and Communication Device", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of wireless communication, and more specifically, to a communication method and a communication device. Background Technology

[0003] With the gradual evolution of communication systems, "low carbon" has received increasing attention in communication networks. To enable terminal devices to identify network devices, network devices periodically send reference signals. For example, to ensure good synchronization accuracy between terminal devices and network devices, network devices can periodically send tracking reference signals (TRS). However, periodically sending reference signals leads to significant overhead for network devices. For instance, even when terminal devices do not require access, network devices still need to frequently and periodically send TRS, impacting energy efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Firstly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a communication device. The communication device can be a terminal device, or a component for the terminal device (such as a chip or circuit, which can be a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-chip (SoC) or system-in-package (SIP) chip containing a modem core, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing some or all of the functions of the terminal device, etc., and this application does not limit this.

[0005] The method may include: receiving first information, the first information being used to configure on-demand tracking reference signal (TRS); and receiving on-demand TRS based on the first information.

[0006] Based on the above technical solution, on-demand TRS is introduced. The network side can receive on-demand TRS based on the first information, and the terminal side can perform synchronization based on on-demand TRS. Furthermore, considering that periodic TRS may cause some problems, such as high energy consumption under low synchronization demand, on-demand TRS can be used, allowing for selection of whether to send or receive the on-demand TRS based on actual needs, to reduce energy consumption. Similarly, under high synchronization demand, periodic TRS may have a long cycle, resulting in lower synchronization accuracy. Therefore, on-demand TRS can be used, allowing for selection of whether to send or receive the on-demand TRS based on actual needs, to improve synchronization accuracy and enhance communication performance.

[0007] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: receiving a always-on tracking reference signal (RTS).

[0008] Based on the above technical solution, the network side can send always-on TRS, and the terminal device can receive always-on TRS. Always-on TRS may have a long cycle and low synchronization accuracy, while on-demand TRS can be sent intensively. Therefore, on-demand TRS can achieve accurate synchronization through intensive sending during high demand, while always-on TRS can be used for auxiliary synchronization during low demand. This achieves reduced power consumption while ensuring communication performance.

[0009] Secondly, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a communication device. This communication device can be a network device, or a component for a network device (such as a chip, chip system, or circuit), or a logic module or software capable of implementing some or all of the functions of a network device, etc., and this application does not limit it in this regard.

[0010] The method may include: sending first information, the first information being used to configure on-demand tracking reference signal (TRS); and sending on-demand TRS based on the first information.

[0011] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: sending a always-on tracking reference signal (RTS).

[0012] Thirdly, a communication method is provided that can be applied to the network side. That is, the method can be executed by a network device or by a component of the network device (such as a chip, chip system, circuit, or communication module). This application does not limit the scope of the method. The following description mainly uses a network device as an example.

[0013] The method may include: sending first information, the first information being used to configure on-demand tracking reference signal (TRS).

[0014] Based on the above technical solution, it is convenient for terminal devices to perform synchronization. For example, the Distributed Unit (DU) determines the first information and sends the first information to the Transmitting Unit (RU). For example, the first information can be transmitted to the RU through the Enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI); the RU sends the first information and on-demand TRS to the terminal device to facilitate synchronization by the terminal device.

[0015] In combination with any of the first to third aspects, in some implementations, the on-demand TRS has a quasi-co-located QCL relationship with the first signal, wherein the first signal is used for channel measurement.

[0016] Based on the above scheme, a QCL relationship between the on-demand TRS and the first signal can be established. This allows the on-demand TRS to reuse parameters with the first signal, thus reducing measurement complexity and improving measurement accuracy when the on-demand TRS is used for measurement. Alternatively, when the first signal is measured, relevant parameters of the on-demand TRS can be reused, further reducing measurement complexity and improving measurement accuracy.

[0017] In conjunction with any of the first to third aspects, in some implementations, the on-demand TRS has a QCL relationship with the first signal, including: the on-demand TRS and the first signal share at least one of the following parameters: time delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler frequency shift, average time delay, or spatial reception parameters. As an example, the parameters that the on-demand TRS and the first signal may share are time delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler frequency shift, average time delay, and spatial reception parameters.

[0018] Based on the above scheme, the on-demand TRS can multiplex at least one of the following parameters with the signal having channel measurement capabilities: delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler shift, average delay, or spatial reception parameters. Therefore, when performing measurements, the on-demand TRS can multiplex at least one of the delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler shift, average delay, or spatial reception parameters of the first signal, reducing measurement complexity and improving measurement accuracy. Alternatively, when measuring the first signal, the on-demand TRS can multiplex at least one of the delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler shift, average delay, or spatial reception parameters, further reducing measurement complexity and improving measurement accuracy.

[0019] In conjunction with any of the first to third aspects, in some implementations, the first signal is the demodulation reference signal DMRS and / or the synchronization signal block SSB.

[0020] In conjunction with any one of the first to third aspects, in certain implementations, when the first signal is DMRS, the on-demand TRS and the first signal have a QCL relationship, including any one of the following: the on-demand TRS and DMRS have the same parameters: average delay, delay spread; the on-demand TRS and DMRS have the same parameters: Doppler offset, Doppler spread, average delay, delay spread. As an example, the parameters that on-demand TRS and DMRS can share are average delay and delay spread. As yet another example, the parameters that on-demand TRS and DMRS can share are Doppler offset, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread.

[0021] Based on the above scheme, on-demand TRS can reuse parameters with DMRS, meaning that the average time delay and time delay spread are the same for both DMRS and on-demand TRS, or the Doppler offset, Doppler spread, average time delay, and time delay spread are the same for both. On-demand TRS and DMRS can reuse average time delay and time delay spread parameters, or they can reuse Doppler offset, Doppler spread, average time delay, and time delay spread parameters, reducing measurement complexity when performing measurements with either DMRS or on-demand TRS. Furthermore, the density of the reference signal can be reduced, thereby improving measurement accuracy.

[0022] In conjunction with any one of the first to third aspects, in some implementations, when the first signal is an SSB, the on-demand TRS has a QCL relationship with the first signal, including any of the following: the on-demand TRS and the SSB have the same average time delay; the on-demand TRS and the SSB have the same following parameters: Doppler offset, average time delay. As an example, the on-demand TRS and the SSB can share the average time delay. As another example, the on-demand TRS and the SSB can share the Doppler offset and the average time delay.

[0023] Based on the above scheme, on-demand TRS can reuse parameters with SSB, that is, the average time delay of on-demand TRS and SSB, or the Doppler offset and average time delay of on-demand TRS and SSB are the same. On-demand TRS and SSB can reuse average time delay parameters, or they can reuse Doppler offset and average time delay parameters, reducing the complexity of measurement when performing measurements with SSB or on-demand TRS. Furthermore, it can reduce the density of the reference signal, improving measurement accuracy.

[0024] In combination with any of the first to third aspects, in some implementations, when the first signal is always-on TRS, the on-demand TRS and the first signal have a QCL relationship, including that the on-demand TRS and always-on TRS have the same Doppler offset, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread, that is, the parameters that on-demand TRS and always-on TRS can share are Doppler offset, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread.

[0025] Based on the above scheme, on-demand TRS can reuse parameters with always-on TRS, meaning that the Doppler offset, Doppler spread, average time delay, and time delay spread are the same for both. This reuse of Doppler offset, Doppler spread, average time delay, and time delay spread parameters reduces measurement complexity when performing measurements using either always-on TRS or on-demand TRS. Furthermore, it can reduce the density of the reference signal, thereby improving measurement accuracy.

[0026] For the effects not described in detail in the second and third aspects above, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the first aspect, which will not be repeated here.

[0027] Fourthly, a communication apparatus is provided for performing the methods of any one of the first to third aspects and any possible implementation thereof. Specifically, the apparatus may include units and / or modules for performing the methods of any one of the first to third aspects and any possible implementation thereof, such as processing units and / or communication units.

[0028] In one implementation, the device is a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device). When the device is a communication device, the communication unit can be a transceiver or an input / output interface; the processing unit can be at least one processor. Optionally, the transceiver can be a transceiver circuit. Optionally, the input / output interface can be an input / output circuit.

[0029] In another implementation, the device is a chip, chip system, circuit, or communication module for communication equipment (such as terminal equipment or network equipment). When the device is a chip, chip system, or circuit for communication equipment, the communication unit may be an input / output interface, interface circuit, output circuit, input circuit, pin, or related circuit on the chip, chip system, or circuit; the processing unit may be at least one processor, processing circuit, or logic circuit.

[0030] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, the device comprising: at least one processor configured to cause the device to perform any of the first to third aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0031] Optionally, the at least one processor is configured to execute computer programs or instructions to perform the methods of any one of the first to third aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0032] Optionally, the device further includes a memory for storing the computer program or instructions.

[0033] Optionally, the at least one processor is coupled to a memory for storing the computer program or instructions. The memory may be located externally to the device.

[0034] Optionally, the device also includes a communication interface through which the processor reads instructions from memory. This can be understood as the communication interface being coupled to the processor and used to input computer programs or instructions to the processor, or to output information from the processor.

[0035] Unless otherwise specified, or if the transmission and acquisition / reception operations involved do not contradict their actual function or internal logic in the relevant description, they can be understood as output, input, or other operations, or as transmission and reception operations performed by radio frequency circuits and antennas. This application does not limit them in this regard.

[0036] In one implementation, the device is a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device).

[0037] In another implementation, the device is a chip, chip system, circuit, or communication module for communication equipment (such as terminal equipment or network equipment). Optionally, the chip is a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a SoC chip or SIP chip containing a modem core.

[0038] In a sixth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program (e.g., program code) or instructions are stored, which, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform the methods of any one of the first to third aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0039] In a seventh aspect, a computer program product comprising instructions is provided, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform any of the first to third aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0040] Eighthly, a communication system is provided, comprising at least one of the following: a communication device for performing a method provided in any implementation of the first aspect, a communication device for performing a method provided in any implementation of the second aspect, and a communication device for performing a method provided in any implementation of the third aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system applicable to an embodiment of this application.

[0042] Figure 2 is another schematic diagram of a wireless communication system applicable to an embodiment of this application.

[0043] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an access network device applicable to an embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the QCL relationship of different signals applicable to embodiments of this application.

[0045] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of SSB-based synchronization applicable to embodiments of this application.

[0046] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of TRS-based synchronization applicable to embodiments of this application.

[0047] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a communication method 700 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0048] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a QCL relationship provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0049] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of another communication method 900 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0050] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0051] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of another communication device 1110 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0052] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a chip system 1200 provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0053] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0054] Before introducing the scheme of this application, the following points should be noted.

[0055] (1) In this application, "instruction" can include direct instruction, indirect instruction, explicit instruction, implicit instruction, etc. When describing an instruction information as indicating A, it can be understood that the instruction information carries A, carries the identifier of A, carries B which is associated with A, carries the identifier of B which is associated with A, etc. In other words, if the receiving side of an instruction information can determine A based on the instruction information, it can be described as the instruction information indicating A, and the specific method of determination is not limited. When it is understood that the instruction information carries A, "instruction" can be replaced with "includes". In this case, a statement such as "send / receive instruction information, the instruction information indicates A" can be replaced with "send / receive A".

[0056] In this application, the information indicated by the instruction information is called the information to be instructed. In specific implementations, there are many ways to indicate the information to be instructed, such as, but not limited to, directly indicating the information to be instructed, such as the information to be instructed itself or its index. It can also indirectly indicate the information to be instructed by indicating other information, where there is a relationship between the other information and the information to be instructed. It can also indicate only a part of the information to be instructed, while the other parts are known or pre-agreed upon. For example, the instruction of specific information can be achieved by using a pre-agreed (e.g., protocol-defined) arrangement of various pieces of information, thereby reducing instruction overhead to some extent. Furthermore, the information to be instructed can be sent as a whole or divided into multiple sub-information pieces, and the sending period and / or timing of these sub-information pieces can be the same or different.

[0057] (2) In this application, the expression " / " is used to indicate that the objects before and after are in an "or" relationship; for example, A / B can mean: A or B. The expression "and / or" is used to indicate that the objects before and after are in a relationship of either "and" or "or"; for example, A and / or B can mean the following: A exists alone, B exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be single or multiple. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions are used to indicate any combination of the listed items; for example, at least one of A, B and / or C can mean the following: A exists alone, B exists alone, C exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, B and C exist simultaneously, A and C exist simultaneously, A, B and C exist simultaneously, where A, B, and C can be single or multiple.

[0058] (3) In this application, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "send information to XX" can be understood as the destination of the information being XX, which may include direct transmission via the air interface or indirect transmission by other units or modules via the air interface. "Receive information from YY" can be understood as the source of the information being YY, which may include direct reception from YY via the air interface or indirect reception from YY by other units or modules via the air interface. "Send" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receive" can also be understood as the "input" of the chip interface. In other words, sending and receiving can occur between devices, such as between network devices and terminal devices, or within a device, such as between components, modules, chips, software modules, or hardware modules within the device via a bus, wiring, or interface.

[0059] (4) In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions of different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features of different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0060] (5) In this application, "first" and "second" are used for descriptive convenience only to distinguish objects and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. They are not used to describe the order or sequence of features. It should be understood that the objects described in this way can be interchanged where appropriate so as to describe solutions other than those in the embodiments of this application.

[0061] (6) In this application, "predefined" can mean a standard protocol predefined, or it can mean a pre-agreed or pre-negotiated agreement between devices. Here, "protocol" can refer to a standard protocol in the field of communications, for example, it may include fourth-generation (4G) protocols. thGeneration 4G network, fifth generation (5G) network th This application does not limit the scope to network protocols such as 5G (generation, 5G), New Radio (NR), 5.5G, and related protocols used in future communication networks.

[0062] (7) In this application, the words “exemplary,” “for example,” etc., are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as an “example” in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the word “example” is intended to present the concept in a concrete manner. In the embodiments of this application, “of,” “corresponding, relevant,” and “corresponding” may sometimes be used interchangeably, and it should be noted that their intended meanings are consistent unless their distinction is emphasized.

[0063] First, let me introduce the communication system to which this application applies.

[0064] The technical solutions provided in this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as 5th generation (5G) or new radio (NR) systems, long term evolution (LTE) systems, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) systems, and LTE time division duplex (TDD) systems. The technical solutions provided in this application can also be applied to future communication network systems. Furthermore, the technical solutions provided in this application can be applied to device-to-device (D2D) communication, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), and Internet of Things (IoT) communication systems. The technical solutions provided in this application can also be applied to non-terrestrial network (NTN) systems such as inter-satellite communication and satellite communication.

[0065] As an example, a satellite communication system includes a satellite base station and terminal equipment. The satellite base station provides communication services to the terminal equipment. Satellite base stations can also communicate with each other. A satellite can act as a base station or as a terminal device. Here, "satellite" can refer to drones, hot air balloons, low-Earth orbit satellites, medium-Earth orbit satellites, high-Earth orbit satellites, etc. "Satellite" can also refer to non-terrestrial base stations or non-terrestrial equipment.

[0066] As an example, V2X communication can include: vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication, vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication, and vehicle-to-network (V2N) communication.

[0067] In a communication system, a device can send signals to or receive signals from another device. These signals can include information, signaling, or data. The device can also be replaced by an entity, network entity, communication equipment, communication module, node, communication node, etc. This application uses a device as an example for description.

[0068] The terminal device in this application embodiment can be a device or module that accesses the aforementioned communication system and has corresponding communication functions. The terminal device can include various devices with wireless communication capabilities, which can be used to connect people, objects, machines, etc. The terminal device can be widely applied in various scenarios, such as: cellular communication, D2D, V2X, peer-to-peer, M2M, MTC, IoT, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, drones, robots, remote sensing, passive sensing, positioning, navigation and tracking, autonomous delivery, etc. The terminal device can be a terminal in any of the above scenarios, such as an MTC terminal, an IoT terminal, etc. Terminal equipment can be user equipment (UE), terminal, fixed equipment, mobile station equipment or mobile equipment, subscriber unit, handheld device, vehicle-mounted equipment, wearable device, cellular phone, smartphone, session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, wireless data card, personal digital assistant (PDA), computer, tablet computer, laptop computer, wireless modem, handset, laptop computer, computer with wireless transceiver capability, smart book, vehicle, satellite, global positioning system (GPS) device, target tracking device, aircraft (e.g., drone, helicopter, multiple helicopters, four helicopters, or airplanes), ship, remote control device, smart home device, industrial equipment, transportation vehicle with wireless communication capability, communication module, or roadside unit with terminal function, all conforming to the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) standard. The device may be a wireless communication unit (RSU), or a device built into the aforementioned device (e.g., a communication module, modem, or chip in the aforementioned device), or other processing devices connected to the wireless modem.

[0069] It should be understood that in certain scenarios, a UE can also be used as a base station. For example, a UE can act as a scheduling entity, providing sidelink signaling between UEs in scenarios such as V2X, D2D, or end-to-end.

[0070] In this embodiment, the device for implementing the functions of a terminal device, i.e., the terminal device, can be the terminal device itself, or it can be any device capable of supporting the terminal device in implementing the functions, such as a chip system, chip, circuit, or communication module (i.e., a communication module that performs communication functions). This device can be installed in the terminal device. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips, or it can include chips and other discrete devices. Furthermore, the device can also be configured with program instructions for performing corresponding communication functions.

[0071] The network device in this application embodiment can be a device or module with corresponding communication functions. The network device can be a device used to communicate with terminal devices; it can also be called an access network device or a wireless access network device, such as a base station. In this application embodiment, the network device can refer to a radio access network (RAN) node (or device) that connects the terminal device to the wireless network. A base station can broadly encompass, or be replaced by, various names including: NodeB, evolved NodeB (eNB), next-generation NodeB (gNB), relay station, access point, transmitting and receiving point (TRP), transmitter, master station, auxiliary station, multiple standard radio (MSR) node, home base station, network controller, access node, wireless node, access point (AP), transmission node, transceiver node, baseband unit (BBU), remote radio unit (RRU), active antenna unit (AAU), remote radio head (RRH), central unit (CU), distributed unit (DU), positioning node, etc. A base station can be a macro base station, micro base station, relay node, donor node, or similar, or a combination thereof. A base station can also refer to a communication module, modem, or chip installed within the aforementioned equipment or apparatus. A base station can also be a mobile switching center, a device that performs base station functions in D2D, V2X, and M2M communications, a network-side device in future communication networks, or a device that performs base station functions in future communication systems. A base station can support networks using the same or different access technologies. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technologies or device forms used in the network equipment.

[0072] Base stations can be fixed or mobile. For example, a helicopter or drone can be configured to act as a mobile base station, and one or more cells can move depending on the location of the mobile base station. In other examples, a helicopter or drone can be configured as a device to communicate with another base station.

[0073] In some deployments, the network devices mentioned in the embodiments of this application may be devices including CU, or DU, or devices including CU and DU, or devices with control plane CU nodes (central unit-control plane (CU-CP)) and user plane CU nodes (central unit-user plane (CU-UP)) and DU nodes.

[0074] In some deployments, multiple RAN nodes collaborate to assist terminal devices in achieving wireless access, with different RAN nodes each implementing some of the base station's functions. For example, RAN nodes can be CUs, DUs, CU-CPs, CU-UPs, or radio units (RUs). CUs and DUs can be configured separately or included in the same network element, such as a BBU. RUs can be included in radio equipment or radio units, such as RRUs, AAUs, or RRHs.

[0075] 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, a radio access network can also be an open radio access network (O-RAN) architecture. In an O-RAN system, CU can also be called an open CU (open CU, O-CU), DU can also be called an open DU (open DU, O-DU), CU-CP can also be called an open CU-CP (O-CU-CP), CU-UP can also be called an open CU-UP (O-CU-UP), and RU can also be called an open RU (open RU, O-RU). 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 modules and hardware modules.

[0076] In this embodiment, the device for implementing the functions of a network device can be a network device itself, or a device capable of supporting the network device in implementing those functions, such as a chip system, chip, circuit, or communication module (i.e., a communication module that performs communication functions). This device can be installed within the network device. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips, or it can include chips and other discrete devices. Furthermore, the device can be configured with program instructions for performing corresponding communication functions. This embodiment only uses a network device as an example to illustrate the device for implementing the functions of a network device, and does not limit the solution of this embodiment.

[0077] Network devices and terminal devices can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can also be deployed in the air on airplanes, balloons, and satellites. This application does not limit the scenario in which the network devices and terminal devices are located.

[0078] The communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application is briefly described below with reference to Figure 1.

[0079] Referring to Figure 1, as an example, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system applicable to an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the wireless communication system includes a wireless access network 100. The wireless access network 100 may be a next-generation (e.g., future or higher version) wireless access network or a traditional (e.g., 5G, 4G, 3G, or 2G) wireless access network. One or more terminal devices (120a-120j, collectively referred to as 120) may be interconnected or connected to one or more network devices (110a, 110b, collectively referred to as 110) in the wireless access network 100. Network elements in the wireless communication system are connected through interfaces (e.g., NG, Xn) or air interfaces.

[0080] When network devices and terminal devices communicate, the network device can manage one or more cells, and a cell can include at least one terminal device. A cell can be understood as an area within the wireless signal coverage range of the network device.

[0081] Figure 1 is just a schematic diagram. The wireless communication system may also include other devices, such as core network devices, wireless relay devices and / or wireless backhaul devices, which are not shown in Figure 1.

[0082] Referring to Figure 2, as an example, Figure 2 is another schematic diagram of a wireless communication system applicable to embodiments of this application. This wireless communication system may also be referred to as an ORAN system, for example. The wireless communication system may include a core network, access network equipment, and a UE. As an example, the wireless communication system may also include other components besides those shown in Figure 2; specific details are not limited in this application.

[0083] Access network equipment can communicate with the core network (CN) via a backhaul link. Access network equipment can also communicate with the UE via an air interface. Specifically, the BBU in the access network equipment communicates with the core network via a backhaul link. The RU in the access network equipment communicates with at least one UE via an air interface. The BBU communicates with at least one RU via a fronthaul link; the BBU and RU may or may not be co-located. A BBU includes at least one CU and at least one DU, and the CU and DU can communicate via at least one midhaul link.

[0084] Referring to Figure 3, as an example, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an access network device applicable to an embodiment of this application.

[0085] Optionally, the access network equipment includes a CU. The CU is a logical node that carries the radio resource control (RRC), service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer, packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, and other control functions of the access network equipment. The CU can connect to network nodes such as the core network through interfaces, such as the E2 interface. The CU may have some core network functions. The CU (e.g., the PDCP layer and / or higher) connects to the DU (e.g., the radio link control (RLC) layer and lower layers of the DU) through interfaces, such as the F1 interface. Optionally, the F1 interface can provide control plane (C-Plane) and user plane (U-Plane) functions (e.g., interface management, system information management, UE context management, RRC message transmission, etc.). F1AP is the application protocol of the F1 interface, defining the signaling procedures of F1 in some examples. The F1 interface supports control plane F1-C and user plane F1-U.

[0086] As an example, a CU includes CU-CP and CU-UP. CU-CP is a logical node carrying the control plane (PDCP-C) layer, which carries the RRC layer and the Packet Data Convergence Protocol layer, and is used to implement the CU's control plane functions. CU-CP can interact with network elements in the core network used to implement control plane functions. These network elements in the core network can be access and mobility function (AMF) network elements, such as the access and mobility management function (AMF) in a 5G system. The AMF network element is responsible for mobility management in the mobile network, such as terminal device location updates, terminal device registration with the network, and terminal device handover. CU-UP is a logical node carrying the user plane (PDCP-U) layer, which carries the SDAP layer and the Packet Data Convergence Protocol layer, and is used to implement the CU's user plane functions. CU-UP can interact with network elements in the core network used to implement user plane functions. These network elements in the core network, such as the user plane function (UPF) in a 5G system, are responsible for data forwarding and receiving in terminal devices. The above CU and DU configurations are merely examples. In practical applications, the functions of the CU and DU can be configured as needed. For instance, the CU or DU can be configured to have more protocol layer functions, or to have only some protocol layer processing functions. For example, some RLC layer functions and protocol layer functions above the RLC layer can be placed in the CU, while the remaining RLC layer functions and protocol layer functions below the RLC layer can be placed in the DU. Furthermore, the functions of the CU or DU can be divided according to service type or other system requirements. For example, based on latency, functions that require low latency can be placed in the DU, while functions that do not require low latency can be placed in the CU.

[0087] Optionally, the access network equipment includes a DU. As shown in Figure 3, the DU is a logical node carrying the RLC layer, medium access control (MAC) layer, higher physical layer (Higher PHY) layer, and other functions. In some examples, the DU can control at least one RU. The DU connects to the RU through interfaces, which can be fronthaul interfaces. In some examples, the Higher PHY layer includes the PHY layer processing, such as forward error correction (FEC) encoding and decoding, scrambling, modulation, and demodulation.

[0088] Optionally, the access network equipment includes an RU. As shown in Figure 3, the RU is a logical node that carries lower physical layer (PHY) and radio frequency (RF) processing. In some examples, the RU may be a 3GPP transmission reception point (TRP), a remote radio head (RRH), or other similar entities. In some examples, the Low-PHY includes PHY processing functions such as fast fourier transform (FFT), inverse fast fourier transform (IFFT), digital beamforming, and filtering. The RU communicates with one or more UEs via a radio link.

[0089] The DU and RU may or may not be co-located. The DU and RU exchange control plane and user plane information via a fronthaul link through a lower-layer split CUS-plane (LLS-CUS) interface. The LLS-CUS may include a lower-layer split control (LLS-C) interface providing the control plane (C-Plane) and a lower-layer split user (LLS-U) interface, respectively. In some examples, the control plane (C-Plane) refers to real-time control between the DU and RU. The DU and RU exchange management information via an LLS-M interface on the fronthaul link; the management plane (M-Plane) refers to non-real-time management operations between the DU and RU.

[0090] DU and RU can cooperate to implement the functions of the PHY layer. A DU can be connected to one or more RUs. The functions of DU and RU can be configured in various ways depending on the design. For example, a DU can be configured to implement baseband functions, and an RU can be configured to implement mid-RF functions. Another example is that a DU can be configured to implement higher-level functions in the PHY layer, and an RU can be configured to implement lower-level functions in the PHY layer, or to implement both lower-level and RF functions. Higher-level functions in the physical layer can include a portion of the physical layer's functions that are closer to the MAC layer, while lower-level functions in the physical layer can include another portion of the physical layer's functions that are closer to the mid-RF side.

[0091] Figures 1 to 3 above are illustrative examples, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto.

[0092] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, a brief explanation of the background and terminology involved in this application is provided.

[0093] 1. Quasi-co-location (QCL): Also known as quasi-co-location, it can be used to define the relationship between antenna ports. Specifically, if the channel characteristics (or parameters) of one antenna port can be obtained (or derived) from another antenna port, then the two antenna ports are said to be quasi-co-located. In other words, the channel estimation results obtained from one antenna port can be directly or indirectly used for another antenna port.

[0094] Since the antenna port is defined by the reference signal (RS), the QCL essentially refers to the relationship between the reference signals. One reason for introducing QCL is that the reference signals cannot be too dense, so some characteristics may not be measurable. Therefore, in such cases, the QCL relationship can be used to obtain the corresponding features from other reference signals, reducing the density of the reference signals.

[0095] Signals with a QCL relationship have the same parameters, or the signals corresponding to antenna ports with a QCL relationship have the same parameters, or the parameters of one antenna port can be used to determine the parameters of another antenna port with a QCL relationship with that antenna port, or the two antenna ports have the same parameters, or the parameter difference between the two antenna ports is less than a certain threshold. The parameters may include one or more of the following: delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler shift, average delay, and spatial Rx parameters.

[0096] As an example, QCL relations can be classified into four types based on different parameters: type A, type B, type C, and type D.

[0097] Type A: Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread. As an example, the QCL relationship of type A can be used to obtain channel estimation information, such as Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread, enabling terminal equipment to obtain a comprehensive description of the characteristics of the reference signal (such as the demodulation reference signal, DMRS) for channel demodulation.

[0098] Type B: Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread. As an example, the QCL relationship of type B can be used to obtain channel estimation information, such as Doppler frequency shift and Doppler spread.

[0099] Type C: Doppler frequency shift, average time delay. As an example, the QCL relationship of type C can be used to obtain measurement information such as reference signal receiving power (RSRP), and integrate Doppler frequency shift and time delay characteristics from the reference signal for further precise time-frequency domain synchronization.

[0100] Type D: Spatial Receiver Parameters. As an example, the QCL relationship of type D can be used to assist terminal equipment beamforming. For instance, the terminal equipment can use spatial parameter information obtained from the channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) that satisfies the QCL relationship to assist in terminal equipment beamforming for receiving and demodulating the PDCCH and physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

[0101] As an example, spatial reception parameters may include one or more of the following: angle of arrival (AOA), average AOA, AOA spread, angle of departure (AOD), average departure angle AOD, AOD spread, receive antenna spatial correlation parameters, transmit antenna spatial correlation parameters, transmit beam, receive beam, and resource identifier.

[0102] 2. The QCL relationship between different signals varies in different communication scenarios.

[0103] Referring to Figure 4, as an example, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the QCL relationship of different signals applicable to embodiments of this application. The QCL relationship between the synchronization signal block (SSB) and the tracking reference signal (TRS) includes type C, meaning that the parameters that can be multiplexed between the SSB and TRS include {Doppler offset, average delay}; the QCL relationship between the TRS and the DMRS includes type A, meaning that the parameters that can be multiplexed between the TRS and the DMRS include {Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, delay spread}; the QCL relationship between the TRS and CSI-RS for CSI includes type A / B, meaning that the parameters that can be multiplexed between the TRS and the CSI-RS for CSI include {Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, delay spread} or {Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread}; and the QCL between the CSI-RS for CSI and the DMRS includes type A, meaning that the parameters that can be multiplexed between the CSI-RS for CSI and the DMRS include {Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, delay spread}. It should be understood that the QCL relationships between the different signals described above are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting.

[0104] 3. SSB, also known as synchronization signal. An SSB can comprise two parts: a synchronization signal (SS) and a physical broadcast channel block (PBCH). The SS can include a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS). Therefore, an SSB can also be considered to comprise three parts: PSS, SSS, and PBCH, without limitation. For example, an SSB can also include the DMRS (or PBCH-DMRS) required for demodulating the PBCH. As an example, an SSB is sometimes referred to as a "synchronization / physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH) block" (SS / PSBCH block), which is not limited in this application.

[0105] Referring to Figure 5, as an example, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of SSB-based synchronization applicable to embodiments of this application.

[0106] As an example, the SSB (Service Subsequent Signal) is used to provide synchronization and channel estimation functions, assisting terminal devices in network access, synchronization, and channel assessment. Specifically, the SSB is a reference signal that can be used for time / frequency synchronization. In one implementation, the SSB is a periodically transmitted common signal, with a current network configuration period of 20ms. The network device sends the SSB to the terminal device, which then receives it and performs initial time / frequency offset correction independently. It should be noted that the terminal device performs the time / frequency offset correction independently without reporting any information to the network device. In addition to synchronization, it also functions as an initial access point and a cell search.

[0107] 4. DMRS (Digital Modulation Reference Signal) is used for channel demodulation and channel estimation, thereby improving the demodulation accuracy of downlink or uplink data. Depending on the different needs of the communication system, there are several types of DMRS. For example, Physical Downlink Shared Channel DMRS (PDSCH DMRS): used in the downlink to help terminal equipment demodulate data on the PDSCH. The configuration of PDSCH DMRS is closely related to data blocks and is usually transmitted along with the data. Another example is Physical Downlink Shared Channel DMRS (PUSCH DMRS): used in the uplink to help terminal equipment demodulate data on the PUSCH. Yet another example is Channel State Information-Reference Signal DMRS (CSI-RSDMRS): used to help the terminal demodulate CSI-RS signals and is usually related to channel quality feedback.

[0108] 5. TRS (Time Reset) can be used by terminal devices to perform various operations. For example, TRS can be used for at least one of the following: synchronization, location tracking, mobility management, signal quality assessment, etc. For instance, TRS is used for synchronization. For example, a terminal device receives a TRS and synchronizes its time with network devices based on the TRS, ensuring that the terminal device receives signals at the correct time, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of the communication process.

[0109] The time-domain resource configuration of TRS can be adjusted according to the specific implementation and configuration. For example, on-demand TRS is a non-zero power reference signal. For a frequency range (FR) of 1, the TRS includes two slots, and each slot includes two symbols. For instance, a terminal device may configure one or more sets of non-zero power channel state information (NZP CSI-RS) resources. Each resource set includes four cycles of NZP CSI-RS resources, which are located in two consecutive slots, with each slot containing two NZP CSI-RS resources (i.e., two slots, each containing two symbols). Alternatively, the two slots can be non-consecutive; if there are no two consecutive slots, then two cycles of NZP CSI-RS resources are configured in one slot.

[0110] Referring to Figure 6, as an example, Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of TRS-based synchronization applicable to embodiments of this application.

[0111] As an example, network devices periodically send TRS, terminal devices receive TRS, measure TRS, and complete fine time / frequency synchronization.

[0112] As examples, the time-domain behavior of TRS includes periodic, semi-static, and aperiodic. For ease of description, a periodic TRS can be called a periodic tracking reference signal (P-TRS), a semi-static TRS can be called a semi-periodic tracking reference signal (SP-TRS), and an aperiodic TRS can be called an aperiodic tracking reference signal (A-TRS).

[0113] Currently, during synchronization, network devices are configured with P-TRS, meaning that the network device periodically sends TRS (i.e., P-TRS) so that the terminal device can periodically receive the TRS, thereby achieving the synchronization function. However, if the TRS period is too long, the synchronization accuracy between the terminal device and the network device may be low, affecting communication performance; or, if the TRS period is too short, it may result in wasted TRS and increased power consumption.

[0114] In view of this, this application proposes an on-demand TRS transmission method. The network device sends an on-demand TRS to the terminal device, and synchronization is achieved based on the on-demand TRS. Furthermore, a QCL relationship is established between the on-demand TRS and the first signal to improve communication quality. Therefore, the solution of this application can reduce power consumption while ensuring synchronization effectiveness.

[0115] The methods provided by the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments provided by this application can be applied to the applicable communication system scenarios described above, and are not limited thereto. Furthermore, the terms used below are explained in the preceding text and will not be repeated hereafter. In addition, for ease of description, terminal devices and network devices are used as examples for illustrative purposes. The terminal device can be replaced by a terminal device or a component of a terminal device (e.g., a chip, chip system, circuit, or communication module), and the network device can be replaced by a component of a network device (e.g., a chip, chip system, circuit, or communication module). Furthermore, the steps described below, performed by a single execution entity, can also be divided into multiple execution entities, which can be logically and / or physically separated.

[0116] Referring to Figure 7, as an example, Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a communication method 700 provided in an embodiment of this application. The method 700 shown in Figure 7 includes the following steps.

[0117] Method 700 includes S710, and optionally, method 700 includes S701.

[0118] S701, the network device sends the first information, and the terminal device receives the first information accordingly.

[0119] The terminal device can receive the first information directly from the network device or through other devices. For example, when the network device is an RU, the terminal device can directly receive the first information. As another example, when the network device is a DU, the terminal device can receive the first information through other devices (such as an RU).

[0120] The first information is used to configure on-demand TRS; in other words, the first information includes on-demand TRS configuration information, and the terminal device receives on-demand TRS based on this first information. The first information can also be referred to as configuration information or on-demand TRS configuration information.

[0121] As an example, the first information is carried in one or more of the following signaling: system information block (SIB), downlink control information (DCI), and radio resource control (RRC).

[0122] As an example, the first piece of information includes at least one of the following: the time domain location of the on-demand TRS, the frequency domain location of the on-demand TRS (such as frequency resource allocation), the identifier (ID) of the network device sending the on-demand TRS, and the measurement report configuration. The measurement report configuration is used by the terminal device to perform measurements and report them based on the on-demand TRS.

[0123] It should be understood that the first information is used to configure the on-demand TRS, where the on-demand TRS is used to achieve synchronization. The name "on-demand TRS" is not limited to this application; in other words, on-demand TRS can be called by other names, such as an aperiodic reference signal. Therefore, the use of the first information to configure the on-demand TRS is also not limited. In other words, the first information is not limited to configuring the on-demand TRS; it can be understood that the first signal is used to configure a signal with this synchronization function.

[0124] The on-demand TRS and always-on TRS are mentioned multiple times in the embodiments of this application, and will be explained uniformly here.

[0125] TRS (such as on-demand TRS or always-on TRS) can be used by terminal devices to perform various operations. For example, TRS can be used for at least one of the following: synchronization, location tracking, mobility management, signal quality assessment, etc. For instance, TRS is used for synchronization. For example, a terminal device receives a TRS and synchronizes its time with network devices based on the TRS, ensuring that the terminal device receives signals at the correct time, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of the communication process.

[0126] One possible scenario is that on-demand TRS is non-periodic or semi-static, while always-on TRS is periodic.

[0127] On-demand TRS is aperiodic or semi-static; in other words, under certain conditions, a network device can proactively send an on-demand TRS to a terminal device, or it can send an on-demand TRS to a terminal device based on a request from the terminal device. For example, a terminal device can send a request to the network device to send a TRS (i.e., on-demand TRS) when communication quality deteriorates or synchronization performance with the network device deteriorates. Another example is when a terminal device first connects to the network device; the network device can send a TRS (i.e., on-demand TRS) to the terminal device. Yet another example is when synchronization demand is high; the network device can send a TRS (i.e., on-demand TRS) to the terminal device.

[0128] Always-on TRS is periodic; in other words, network devices can periodically send always-on TRS messages based on the always-on TRS cycle. For example, when an end device is under low load or not transmitting data, the network device can continuously broadcast this signal, enabling the end device to maintain synchronization with the network device based on the received TRS (i.e., always-on TRS). For instance, when synchronization needs are low, the network device can send a TRS (i.e., always-on TRS) to the end device.

[0129] In addition, for information on on-demand TRS and always-on TRS, such as the time-domain resource allocation schemes, please refer to the TRS description in the terminology section.

[0130] It should be understood that the on-demand TRS proposed in this application can be a reference signal used for synchronization, and can be transmitted on demand (or aperiodic). Therefore, the names on-demand TRS and always-on TRS do not limit the scope of protection of the embodiments of this application. For example, on-demand TRS can be called an aperiodic reference signal; for another example, both on-demand TRS and always-on TRS can be called TRS; and for yet another example, on-demand TRS can be called an on-demand reference signal.

[0131] S710, the terminal device receives the on-demand TRS. Correspondingly, the network device sends the on-demand TRS. Specifically, the terminal device receives the on-demand TRS based on the first information.

[0132] Optionally, the on-demand TRS has a QCL relationship with the first signal.

[0133] The first signal can be used for channel measurement, meaning it has (or supports, or is capable of) channel measurement functionality. It is understood that the embodiments of this application do not limit the first signal to be used exclusively for channel measurement or solely for channel measurement.

[0134] As an example, the first signal is a reference signal. In one example, the first signal is DMRS; in another example, the first signal is a synchronization signal, such as SSB; in yet another example, the first signal is TRS, such as always-on TRS.

[0135] One possible implementation is that the on-demand TRS has a QCL relationship with the first signal, including (or alternatively): the on-demand TRS and the first signal share at least one of the following parameters: time delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler frequency shift, average time delay, or spatial reception parameters; in other words, the on-demand TRS and the first signal can reuse at least one of the following parameters: time delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler frequency shift, average time delay, or spatial reception parameters. As an example, the parameters that the on-demand TRS and the first signal can share are time delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler frequency shift, average time delay, and spatial reception parameters.

[0136] As mentioned earlier, the QCL relationship can be categorized into four types based on different parameters: type A {Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, delay spread}, type B {Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread}, type C {Doppler frequency shift, average delay}, and type D {spatial reception parameters}. The QCL relationship between the on-demand TRS and the first signal can be one or more of these four types, or it can be other types. The following section will explain two possible scenarios in detail.

[0137] In the first possible scenario, the QCL relationship between the on-demand TRS and the first signal can be of a type other than the four types mentioned above.

[0138] As examples, other types include at least one of the following: {average latency, latency spread}, and {average latency}. For ease of description, the {average latency, latency spread} type is referred to as type E or QCL-type E, and the {average latency} type is referred to as type F or QCL-type F. It is understood that these names do not limit the scope of protection of the embodiments of this application.

[0139] One possible implementation is that the QCL relationship between the on-demand TRS and the first signal is of type E. The parameters that can be multiplexed between the two signals (i.e., the on-demand TRS and the first signal) with a QCL-type E relationship include: {average delay, delay spread}. As an example, the parameters that can be multiplexed between the on-demand TRS and the first signal are average delay and delay spread.

[0140] For example, the first signal is DMRS. Taking DMRS as an example, the type of QCL relationship between on-demand TRS and DMRS is type E. The type E QCL relationship between on-demand TRS and DMRS indicates that the parameters that can be reused between on-demand TRS and DMRS are: average delay and delay spread, or the average delay and delay spread parameters of on-demand TRS and DMRS are the same. That is, the terminal device can directly obtain or estimate the average delay and delay spread parameters of DMRS from the reception of on-demand TRS, or vice versa. Therefore, when performing measurements with on-demand TRS, the average delay and delay spread parameters of DMRS can be reused, reducing the complexity of the measurement. Furthermore, the density of the reference signal can be reduced, thereby improving measurement accuracy. Alternatively, when performing measurements, DMRS can reuse the average delay and delay spread parameters of on-demand TRS to reduce measurement complexity. In addition, it can reduce the density of the reference signal, thereby improving measurement accuracy.

[0141] Another possible implementation is that the QCL relationship between the on-demand TRS and the first signal is of type F. The parameters that can be multiplexed between the two signals (i.e., the on-demand TRS and the first signal) with a QCL-type F relationship include: {average delay}. As an example, the parameter that can be multiplexed between the on-demand TRS and the first signal is the average delay.

[0142] For example, the first signal is a synchronization signal (such as SSB). Taking SSB as an example, the type of QCL relationship between on-demand TRS and SSB is type F. Type F indicates that on-demand TRS and SSB can reuse the average delay parameter, or the average delay parameters of on-demand TRS and SSB are the same. That is, the terminal device can directly obtain or estimate the average delay parameter of on-demand TRS from the reception of SSB, or vice versa. Therefore, when on-demand TRS is used for measurement, the average delay parameter of SSB can be reused, reducing measurement complexity. Furthermore, the density of the reference signal can be reduced, thereby improving measurement accuracy. Alternatively, when SSB is used for measurement, the average delay parameter of on-demand TRS can be reused, reducing measurement complexity and the density of the reference signal, thereby improving measurement accuracy.

[0143] In the second possible scenario, the QCL relationship between the on-demand TRS and the first signal can be one or more of the four types mentioned above.

[0144] One possible implementation is that the QCL relationship between the on-demand TRS and the first signal is of type C. The parameters that can be multiplexed between the two signals (i.e., the on-demand TRS and the first signal) with a QCL-type C relationship include: {Doppler offset, average time delay}. As an example, the parameters that can be multiplexed between the on-demand TRS and the first signal are Doppler offset and average time delay.

[0145] For example, the first signal is a synchronization signal (such as SSB). Taking SSB as an example, the type of QCL relationship between on-demand TRS and SSB is type C. Type C indicates that the parameters that can be reused between on-demand TRS and SSB are: Doppler offset and average delay, or the Doppler offset and average delay parameters of on-demand TRS and SSB are the same. That is, the terminal device can directly obtain or estimate the Doppler offset and average delay parameters of on-demand TRS from the reception of SSB, or vice versa. Therefore, when performing measurements with on-demand TRS, the Doppler offset and average delay parameters of SSB can be reused, reducing the complexity of the measurement. Furthermore, the density of the reference signal can be reduced, thereby improving measurement accuracy. Alternatively, when performing measurements, the SSB can reuse the Doppler offset and average time delay parameters of the on-demand TRS, which can reduce the complexity of the measurement and also reduce the density of the reference signal, thereby improving the measurement accuracy.

[0146] Another possible implementation is that the QCL relationship between the on-demand TRS and the first signal is of type A. The parameters that can be multiplexed between the two signals (i.e., the on-demand TRS and the first signal) with a QCL-type A relationship include: {Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average time delay, and time delay spread}. As an example, the parameters that can be multiplexed between the on-demand TRS and the first signal are Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average time delay, and time delay spread.

[0147] For example, the first signal is DMRS. Taking DMRS as an example, the type of QCL relationship between on-demand TRS and DMRS is type A. The type of QCL relationship between on-demand TRS and DMRS being type A indicates that the parameters that can be multiplexed between on-demand TRS and DMRS are: Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread, or the parameters of Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread of on-demand TRS and DMRS are the same. That is, the terminal device can directly obtain or estimate the parameters of Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread of DMRS from the reception of on-demand TRS, or the terminal device can directly obtain or estimate the parameters of Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread of on-demand TRS from the reception of DMRS. Furthermore, when performing measurements using on-demand TRS, the Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average time delay, and time delay spread parameters of DMRS can be reused, reducing measurement complexity. Additionally, the density of the reference signal can be reduced, thereby improving measurement accuracy. Alternatively, when performing measurements using DMRS, the Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average time delay, and time delay spread parameters of on-demand TRS can be reused, reducing measurement complexity and further reducing the density of the reference signal, thus improving measurement accuracy.

[0148] For example, the first signal is always-on TRS, and the type of QCL relationship between on-demand TRS and always-on TRS is type A. The type of QCL relationship between on-demand TRS and always-on TRS being type A indicates that the parameters that can be multiplexed between on-demand TRS and always-on TRS are: Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread, or that the Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread parameters of on-demand TRS and always-on TRS are the same. That is, the terminal device can directly derive or estimate the Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread parameters of always-on TRS from the reception of on-demand TRS, or the terminal device can directly derive or estimate the Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread parameters of on-demand TRS from the reception of always-on TRS. Furthermore, when performing measurements using on-demand TRS, the Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average time delay, and time delay spread parameters of always-on TRS can be reused, reducing measurement complexity. Additionally, the density of the reference signal can be reduced, thereby improving measurement accuracy. Alternatively, when performing measurements using always-on TRS, the Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average time delay, and time delay spread parameters of on-demand TRS can be reused, reducing measurement complexity and further reducing the density of the reference signal, thus improving measurement accuracy.

[0149] In both of the above possible scenarios, the on-demand TRS has a QCL relationship with the first signal, and the on-demand TRS can reuse the parameters of the first signal. The above implementations can coexist; for example, the on-demand TRS can have a QCL relationship with both the SSB and the DMRS.

[0150] Referring to Figure 8, as an example, Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a QCL relationship provided by an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 8, the QCL relationship between on-demand TRS and SSB (i.e., an example of the first signal) is type C or type F, and the QCL relationship between on-demand TRS and DMRS (i.e., an example of the first signal) is type E or type A.

[0151] It should be understood that the on-demand TRS has a QCL relationship with the first signal, where SSB and DMRS are only examples. Due to the evolution of standards, other signals used for measuring the channel may be introduced. Therefore, the QCL relationship between on-demand TRS and SSB / DMRS here is only an example. In future communication systems, if there are new synchronization signals, reference signals, etc., a QCL relationship can be established with them, which is not limited in this application.

[0152] Optionally, method 700 further includes S720, whereby the network device sends always-on TRS, and correspondingly, the terminal device receives always-on TRS.

[0153] One possible scenario is that the network device sends both always-on TRS and on-demand TRS.

[0154] Based on this, network devices may send both on-demand TRS and always-on TRS. In this case, on-demand TRS can achieve synchronization, while always-on TRS can assist in synchronization or not perform synchronization at all; this application does not limit this. For example, always-on TRS may have a longer cycle, and network devices can send (or send frequently) on-demand TRS according to actual needs. Therefore, terminal devices can perform synchronization based on frequently sent on-demand TRS. Specifically, always-on TRS may have a longer cycle and lower synchronization accuracy; therefore, when the synchronization requirement is high, network devices can send on-demand TRS to achieve fast and accurate synchronization; when the synchronization requirement is low, network devices can send always-on TRS to achieve auxiliary synchronization.

[0155] Another possible scenario is that the network device sends an on-demand TRS but not an always-on TRS. Specifically, if the terminal device does not perform synchronization based on always-on TRS, the network device can send an on-demand TRS, and the terminal device performs synchronization based on the on-demand TRS.

[0156] Optionally, always-on TRS has a QCL relationship with other signals.

[0157] As mentioned earlier, QCL relationships can be categorized into four types based on different parameters: type A {Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread, average delay, delay spread}, type B {Doppler frequency shift, Doppler spread}, type C {Doppler frequency shift, average delay}, and type D {spatial reception parameters}. The QCL relationship between always-on TRS and other signals can be one or more of these four types, or it can be other types. The following section will explain two possible scenarios in detail.

[0158] In the first possible scenario, the QCL relationship between always-on TRS and other signals can be of a type other than the four types mentioned above.

[0159] For example, other signals are synchronization signals (such as SSB). Taking SSB as an example, the type of QCL relationship between Always-on TRS and SSB is type F. As an example, Always-on TRS and SSB can reuse the average delay parameter, or the average delay parameters of Always-on TRS and SSB are the same. That is, the terminal device can directly obtain or estimate the average delay parameter of Always-on TRS from the reception of SSB, or the terminal device can directly obtain or estimate the average delay parameter of SSB from the reception of Always-on TRS. Therefore, when Always-on TRS is used for measurement, the average delay parameter of SSB can be reused, reducing the measurement complexity. Furthermore, the density of the reference signal can be reduced, thereby improving measurement accuracy. Alternatively, when SSB is used for measurement, the average delay parameter of Always-on TRS can be reused, which can reduce the measurement complexity and the density of the reference signal, thereby improving measurement accuracy.

[0160] For example, other signals include DMRS. Taking DMRS as an example, the type of always-on TRS and DMRS with a QCL relationship is type E. As an example, the parameters that can be reused between always-on TRS and DMRS are: average delay and delay spread, or the average delay and delay spread parameters of always-on TRS and DMRS are the same. That is, the terminal device can directly obtain or estimate the average delay and delay spread parameters of DMRS from the always-on TRS reception, or vice versa. Therefore, when performing measurements with always-on TRS, the average delay and delay spread parameters of DMRS can be reused, reducing the measurement complexity. Furthermore, the density of the reference signal can be reduced, thereby improving measurement accuracy. Alternatively, when performing measurements, DMRS can reuse the average delay and delay spread parameters of always-on TRS, which can reduce the complexity of the measurement and also reduce the density of the reference signal, thereby improving the measurement accuracy.

[0161] The second possible scenario is that the QCL relationship between the on-demand TRS and the first signal can be one or more of the four types mentioned above. For details on this scenario, please refer to the descriptions of QCL relationships between different signals in related technologies; they will not be elaborated upon here.

[0162] Furthermore, the time-domain resource allocation of TRS (such as on-demand TRS and always-on TRS) can be found above. For example, for FR1, on-demand TRS includes two slots, and the specific implementation can be found above. The two slots of a TRS can have a QCL relationship. The type of QCL relationship between the two slots of a TRS is type A, meaning that the parameters that can be reused between the two slots include {Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread}. As an example, the parameters that can be reused between the two slots are Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread. Always-on TRS also includes two slots, and the two slots have a QCL-type A relationship, meaning that the parameters that can be reused between the two slots include {Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread}. As an example, the parameters that can be reused between the two slots are Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread.

[0163] Please refer to Figure 8. The QCL relationship between always-on TRS and SSB is type C or type F, the QCL relationship between always-on TRS and DMRS is type A or type E, and the QCL relationship between always-on TRS and CSI-RS for CSI is type A or type B.

[0164] Further optionally, method 700 also includes S702, whereby the network device sends second information for configuring always-on TRS. Reference can be made to the first information regarding the second information, except that the second information may include the always-on TRS cycle.

[0165] The second information and the first information can be carried in one signaling message or in different signaling messages, without limitation.

[0166] Optionally, method 700 also includes S703, whereby the terminal device sends (or reports) capability information, which indicates whether the terminal device supports on-demand TRS.

[0167] One possible implementation is that the capability information is conveyed through at least one bit. If the value of this one bit is a first value, it indicates that the terminal device supports on-demand TRS; if the value of this one bit is a second value, it indicates that the terminal device does not support on-demand TRS. The first and second values ​​can be different; for example, the first value can be "0" and the second value can be "1"; or the first value can be "1" and the second value can be "0".

[0168] Optionally, the capability information is also used by the network device to determine the first information, namely, the configuration information for on-demand TRS.

[0169] As an example, capability information can be carried in the following signaling: RRC and DCI. For instance, a network device sends a UE capability enquiry request to a terminal device, asking whether the terminal device supports on-demand TRS and its specific capabilities; the terminal device responds to the UE capability enquiry request and reports the capability information; if the capabilities of the terminal device change, such as updating hardware or software, the terminal device can proactively report the updated capability information through RRC signaling.

[0170] Optionally, the terminal device can also send (or report) information about its always-on TRS capability. This information indicates whether the terminal device supports always-on TRS. See step S703 for details, which will not be elaborated further.

[0171] Referring to Figure 9, as an example, Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of another communication method 900 provided in an embodiment of this application. The method 900 shown in Figure 9 includes the following steps.

[0172] To facilitate understanding, we will take a network device, RU, as an example and provide a specific process.

[0173] In step S910, DU sends the first information and RU receives the first information.

[0174] In step S920, the RU sends the first information, and the terminal device receives the first information.

[0175] In step S930, the RU sends a TRS (such as an on-demand TRS), and the UE receives the TRS.

[0176] The implementation methods of steps S910, S920, and S930 can be found in the specific implementation method in method 700, and will not be repeated here.

[0177] The methods provided by the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to Figures 7 to 9. The apparatus provided by the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 10 to 12. It should be understood that the descriptions of the apparatus embodiments correspond to the descriptions of the method embodiments. Therefore, any content not described in detail can be referred to the method embodiments above, and for the sake of brevity, will not be repeated here.

[0178] Referring to Figure 10, which is a schematic diagram of a communication device 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application, the communication device 1000 includes a transceiver unit 1010. The transceiver unit 1010 can be used to implement corresponding communication functions. The transceiver unit 1010 can also be referred to as a communication interface or a communication unit. Optionally, the device 1000 further includes a processing unit 1020, which can be used to perform processing, such as synchronization.

[0179] Optionally, the device 1000 may further include a storage unit, which can be used to store instructions and / or data, and the processing unit 1020 can read the instructions and / or data in the storage unit to enable the device to implement the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0180] In a first possible design, the device 1000 can be the terminal device in the foregoing embodiments, which can implement the steps or processes corresponding to those executed by the terminal device in the above method embodiments. Specifically, the transceiver unit 1010 can be used to perform transceiver-related operations (such as sending and / or receiving data or messages) of the terminal device in the above method embodiments, and the processing unit 1020 can be used to perform processing-related operations of the terminal device in the above method embodiments, or operations other than transceiver (such as operations other than sending and / or receiving data or messages).

[0181] In one possible implementation, the transceiver unit 1010 is used to receive first information, which is used to configure the on-demand tracking reference signal (TRS); the transceiver unit 1010 is also used to receive the on-demand TRS based on the first information.

[0182] Optionally, the processing unit 1020 is used to perform synchronization.

[0183] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1010 is also used to receive always-on TRS tracking reference information.

[0184] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1010 is also used to receive configuration information for always-on TRS.

[0185] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1010 is also used to send capability information, which is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports on-demand TRS.

[0186] In a second possible design, the device 1000 can be a network device as described in the foregoing embodiments. This device 1000 can implement the steps or processes performed by the network device corresponding to those described in the above method embodiments. Specifically, the transceiver unit 1010 can be used to perform transceiver-related operations (such as sending and / or receiving data or messages) of the network device described in the above method embodiments, and the processing unit 1020 can be used to perform processing-related operations of the network device described in the above method embodiments, or operations other than transceiver operations (such as operations other than sending and / or receiving data or messages).

[0187] One possible implementation is that the transceiver unit 1010 is used to send first information, which is used to configure the on-demand tracking reference signal (TRS); the transceiver unit 1010 is also used to send the on-demand TRS based on the first information.

[0188] Optionally, the processing unit 1020 is used to generate the first information.

[0189] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1010 is also used to transmit always-on TRS tracking reference information.

[0190] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1010 is also used to send configuration information for always-on TRS.

[0191] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1010 is also used to receive capability information, which is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports on-demand TRS.

[0192] It should be understood that the specific process of each unit performing the above-mentioned corresponding steps has been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0193] It should also be understood that the device 1000 here is embodied in the form of a functional unit. The term "unit" here can refer to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), electronic circuitry, a processor (e.g., a shared processor, a proprietary processor, or a group processor, etc.) and memory for executing one or more software or firmware programs, integrated logic circuitry, and / or other suitable components supporting the described functions. In an alternative example, those skilled in the art will understand that the device 1000 can be specifically the communication device in the above embodiments, and can be used to execute the various processes and / or steps corresponding to the communication device in the above method embodiments; to avoid repetition, these will not be described again here.

[0194] The apparatus 1000 of each of the above-described schemes has the function of implementing the corresponding steps performed by the communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the above-described methods. The function can be implemented in hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions; for example, the transceiver unit can be replaced by a transceiver (e.g., the transmitting unit in the transceiver unit can be replaced by a transmitter, and the receiving unit in the transceiver unit can be replaced by a receiver), and other units, such as processing units, can be replaced by processors, each performing the transceiver operations and related processing operations in the respective method embodiments.

[0195] In addition, the transceiver unit 1010 may also be a transceiver circuit (for example, it may include a receiving circuit and a transmitting circuit), and the processing unit 1020 may be a processing circuit.

[0196] It should be noted that the device in Figure 10 can be the communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the aforementioned embodiments, or it can be a chip or a chip system, such as a system on a chip (SoC). The transceiver unit can be an input / output circuit or a communication interface; the processing unit is a processor, microprocessor, or integrated circuit integrated on the chip. No limitations are imposed here.

[0197] Referring to Figure 11, as an example, Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of another communication device 1110 provided in an embodiment of this application. The device 1110 includes a processor 1110 coupled to a memory 1120. The memory 1120 is used to store computer programs or instructions and / or data. The processor 1110 is used to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory 1120, or to read the data stored in the memory 1120, to execute the methods in the above method embodiments.

[0198] Optionally, there may be one or more processors 1110.

[0199] Optionally, the memory 1120 may be one or more.

[0200] Alternatively, the memory 1120 can be integrated with the processor 1110, or it can be set separately.

[0201] Optionally, as shown in FIG11, the device 1100 further includes a transceiver 1130 for receiving and / or transmitting signals. For example, the processor 1110 is used to control the transceiver 1130 to receive and / or transmit signals.

[0202] As an example, processor 1110 may have the functions of processing unit 1020 shown in FIG10, memory 1120 may have the functions of storage unit, and transceiver 1130 may have the functions of transceiver unit 1011 shown in FIG10.

[0203] As one option, the device 1100 is used to implement the operations performed by a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the various method embodiments described above.

[0204] For example, processor 1110 is used to execute computer programs or instructions stored in memory 1120 to implement the relevant operations of the communication device in the various method embodiments described above.

[0205] It should be understood that the processor mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0206] It should also be understood that the memory mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM). For example, RAM can be used as an external cache. By way of example and not limitation, RAM includes the following forms: static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM).

[0207] It should be noted that when the processor is a general-purpose processor, DSP, ASIC, FPGA, or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, or discrete hardware component, the memory (storage module) can be integrated into the processor.

[0208] It should also be noted that the memory described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0209] Referring to Figure 12, as an example, Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a chip system 1200 provided in an embodiment of this application. The chip system 1200 (or may also be referred to as a processing system) includes logic circuitry 1210 and an input / output interface 1220.

[0210] The logic circuit 1210 can be a processing circuit in the chip system 1200. The logic circuit 1210 can be coupled to a memory unit, calling instructions from the memory unit, enabling the chip system 1200 to implement the methods and functions of the embodiments of this application. The input / output interface 1220 can be an input / output circuit in the chip system 1200, outputting processed information from the chip system 1200, or inputting data or signaling information to be processed into the chip system 1200 for processing.

[0211] As one approach, the chip system 1200 is used to implement operations performed by communication devices (such as terminal devices or network devices) in the various method embodiments described above.

[0212] For example, logic circuit 1210 is used to implement processing-related operations performed by a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the above method embodiments; input / output interface 1220 is used to implement sending and / or receiving-related operations performed by a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the above method embodiments.

[0213] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program or instructions for implementing the methods executed by a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) in the above-described method embodiments. For example, when the computer program or instructions are run on the communication device, they cause the communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) to execute the above-described methods (such as method 700 or method 900).

[0214] This application also provides a computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, implement the methods described above as performed by a communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device). For example, when the computer program or instructions are run on the communication device, the communication device (such as a terminal device or a network device) performs the methods described above (such as method 700 or method 900).

[0215] This application also provides a communication system that includes the terminal device and / or network device described in the embodiments above. For example, the system includes the terminal device and network device described in the embodiment of FIG7, and further, the system includes the terminal device and network device described in the embodiment of FIG9.

[0216] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0217] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented 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 each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0218] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0219] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. For example, the computer can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media can be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., DVDs), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state disks, SSDs). For example, the aforementioned available media include, but are not limited to, USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks, and other media capable of storing program code.

[0220] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: Receive first information, which is used to configure on-demand tracking reference signal (TRS); Based on the first information, the on-demand TRS is received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further includes: Receives the always-on tracking reference signal (RTS).

3. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method includes: Send a first message, which is used to configure the on-demand tracking reference signal (TRS); Based on the first information, the on-demand TRS is sent.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The method further includes: Send the always-on tracking reference signal (TRS).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The on-demand TRS has a quasi-co-located QCL relationship with the first signal, which is used for channel measurement.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The on-demand TRS and the first signal have a quasi-co-address QCL relationship, including: The on-demand TRS is identical to at least one of the following parameters of the first signal: time delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler frequency shift, average time delay, or spatial reception parameters.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The first signal is the demodulation reference signal DMRS and / or the synchronization signal block SSB.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the first signal is DMRS, the on-demand TRS has a QCL relationship with the first signal, including: The on-demand TRS has the same parameters as the DMRS: average delay and delay spread, and / or, The on-demand TRS has the same parameters as the DMRS: Doppler offset, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, When the first signal is SSB, the on-demand TRS has a QCL relationship with the first signal, including: The on-demand TRS has the same average delay as the SSB, and / or, The on-demand TRS has the same parameters as the DMRS: Doppler offset and average time delay.

10. A communications device, characterized by Includes modules or units for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A communications device, characterized by Includes a processor, the processor being configured to cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein The device further includes a memory and / or an interface, the memory for storing computer programs or instructions, and the interface for reading instructions from the memory.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

14. A computer program product, characterised in that, The computer program product includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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