Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application belongs to the field of communications. Provided are a communication method and apparatus, such that a terminal can acquire, from a network, data required by a terminal device. The method comprises: receiving a first message from a network device, wherein the first message comprises information of first data sets and / or information of first data collection configurations, the first data collection configurations are used for collecting data; and then sending a second message to the network device on the basis of the first message, wherein the second message is used for requesting a second data set and / or a second data collection configuration from the network device, the second data set is at least one data set among the first data sets or at least one segment in the data sets, and the second data collection configuration is at least one data collection configuration among the first data collection configurations.

Description

Communication methods and devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411999641.2, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on December 31, 2024, entitled "Communication Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

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

[0003] Artificial intelligence (AI) enables machines to possess human-like intelligence, such as allowing machines to use computer hardware and software to simulate certain intelligent human behaviors. Machine learning (ML), as an implementation method of AI, focuses on enabling machines to automatically learn and predict through data. With the improvement of data storage and computing power, AI / ML technologies are being applied to communication networks to improve network performance and user experience. For example, the AI / ML application architecture in New Radio (NR) systems can store data collected from management entities such as base stations and terminal devices, and train corresponding AI / ML models based on the collected data.

[0004] However, how terminal devices obtain data from the network is a problem that needs to be considered. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and apparatus that enables terminal devices to obtain the required data from the network.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, which is applied to a first device or a chip in the first device, or a device containing the first device. For ease of understanding, taking the first device as a terminal device as an example, the method includes: receiving a first message from a network device, the first message including information of a first dataset and / or information of a first data collection configuration, the first data collection configuration being used to collect data;

[0008] According to the first message, a second message is sent to the network device. The second message is used to request a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration from the network device. The second dataset is at least one dataset or at least one fragment of the first dataset. The second data collection configuration is at least one data collection configuration from the first data collection configuration.

[0009] Alternatively, the method includes: receiving a first message from the network, the first message instructing the first device to request a dataset and / or data collection configuration from the network;

[0010] Based on the first message, a second message is sent to the network. The second message is used to request a second dataset or a second data collection configuration from the network. The second data collection configuration is used to collect the data required by the first device.

[0011] Therefore, the first device in this method can selectively request the required dataset / data collection configuration from the dataset / data collection configuration provided by the network device, or the first device can request the required dataset / data collection configuration from the network device under the instruction of the network, ensuring that the first device can obtain the required data from the network.

[0012] In one possible design, the information of the first dataset includes the identifier of at least one dataset and / or the identifier of at least one segment of the dataset, so that the network device can provide datasets at the granularity of datasets or at the granularity of segments of datasets, flexibly adapting to different needs.

[0013] In one possible design, the information in the first data collection configuration includes at least one of a channel state information configuration identifier, a measurement identifier, a feature group identifier, or an artificial intelligence / machine learning (ML) function identifier. The first data collection configuration is used to collect data to distinguish data under different application scenarios.

[0014] In one possible design, the second message includes information indicating a second dataset and / or information indicating a second data collection configuration.

[0015] Optionally, the information indicating the second dataset includes the identifier of the second dataset and / or the identifier of a fragment of the second dataset, so that the first device can request the dataset at the granularity of the dataset or at the granularity of a fragment of the dataset, flexibly adapting to different needs.

[0016] Optionally, the information indicating the second data collection configuration includes at least one of a channel state information configuration identifier, a measurement identifier, a feature group identifier, or an artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) function identifier. The second data collection configuration is used to collect data to request corresponding data according to different scenarios.

[0017] In one possible design, a third message is received from the network, the third message including at least one of a second dataset, a fragment of the second dataset, or a second data collection configuration.

[0018] Optionally, if the third message includes a second data collection configuration, the first data is collected according to the second data collection configuration so that the first device can obtain the data it wants / needs.

[0019] Optionally, the method of the first aspect further includes: sending a second dataset, a fragment of the second dataset, or a second data collection configuration to a second device, wherein the second device is a device that provides services to the first device, so that the second device can also obtain the dataset or obtain data according to the data collection configuration, thereby meeting the data needs of the second device. For the second device, which is a device that is not connected to the network, this method allows the second device to obtain the data it wants through a device that is connected to the network, thereby expanding the application scenarios of the data.

[0020] In one possible design, the first device is a user equipment (UE). Based on a first message, the UE sends a second message to the network. The method of the first aspect further includes receiving a fourth message from a second device. The fourth message includes information indicating a dataset and / or a required data collection configuration for the second device. The second dataset is determined based on the dataset required by the second device, and the second data collection configuration is determined based on the data collection configuration required by the second device. The second device is a device that provides services to the UE. In other words, the first device (e.g., a UE) can request the dataset and / or data collection configuration required by the second device (e.g., a server) from the network device on behalf of the second device (e.g., a server) to meet the data needs of other devices.

[0021] In one possible design, the first device is a user equipment, and the second message also includes information instructing the first device so that the network device can send a dataset based on the information of the first device. For example, it could be a device that sends the dataset requested by the first device to other devices of the network service, whose information matches the information of the first device.

[0022] Optionally, the information indicating the first device includes the device manufacturer's identifier of the first device and / or the device manufacturer's identifier of the chip in the first device.

[0023] In one possible design, the second dataset includes data applicable to the first service, or the data collected through the second data collection configuration is data applicable to the first service. That is, the first device can perform the first service based on the data collected according to the second dataset or the second data collection configuration.

[0024] Optionally, the first service is a service implemented through an artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) model.

[0025] Optionally, the first service is an AI / ML model training service, whereby the AI / ML model is used to complete the business between the first device and the network.

[0026] In a second aspect, a communication method is provided, applied to a network device, the method comprising: sending a first message to a first device, the first message including information of a first dataset and / or information of a first data collection configuration, the first data collection configuration being used to collect data;

[0027] Receive a second message from the first device, the second message being used to request a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration from the network device, the second dataset being at least one dataset or at least one fragment of the first dataset, and the second data collection configuration being at least one data collection configuration of the first data collection configuration.

[0028] Alternatively, the method includes: sending a first message to a first device, the first message instructing the first device to request a dataset and / or data collection configuration from the network;

[0029] A second message is received from the first device. The second message is used to request a second dataset or a second data collection configuration from the network device. The second data collection configuration is used to collect the data required by the first device.

[0030] Therefore, the network device can instruct the first device to have a dataset and / or data collection configuration, or the network device can instruct the first device to request a dataset and / or data collection configuration required by the first device, and receive a second message from the first device for the requested dataset / data collection configuration, so that the network device can provide the dataset / data collection configuration requested by the first device according to the second message, ensuring that the first device can obtain the required data.

[0031] Optionally, the first message instructs the first device to report the required dataset and / or the required data collection configuration; or, the first message instructs the first device to report the existing dataset and / or the existing data collection configuration.

[0032] In one possible design, a third message is sent to the first device based on the second message, the third message including at least one of the second dataset, a fragment of the second dataset, or the second data collection configuration.

[0033] Optionally, any device in the set of devices that the first device serves as a network device sends a third message to the first device according to the second message, including: sending a fragment of the second dataset to the first device according to the second message.

[0034] Optionally, the network device determines the segments for different devices in the device set as different segments in the second dataset.

[0035] In other words, when a network device sends the same dataset to multiple first devices, the network device can split the dataset into fragments and send the different fragments to different first devices, so that multiple first devices can splice the received dataset fragments into a dataset on the device side, reducing communication overhead.

[0036] In one possible design, the method of the second aspect further includes: sending a third message to a third device according to the second message, the network device serving the first device and the third device, the third message including at least one of a second dataset, a fragment of the second dataset, or a second data collection configuration, that is, the dataset / data collection configuration can be sent to the first device in the network that has not been requested, avoiding redundancy caused by repeated requests.

[0037] Optionally, the second message also includes information indicating the device manufacturer of the first device. Based on the second message, a third message is sent to the third device, including: sending the third message to the third device based on the device manufacturer information of the third device corresponding to the device manufacturer information of the first device. That is, the dataset / data collection configuration requested by the first device will only be sent to other devices of the same device manufacturer, thus protecting user privacy.

[0038] It is understandable that the technical effects of the method described in the second aspect can also refer to the relevant introduction of the method described in the first aspect above, and will not be repeated here.

[0039] Thirdly, a communication device is provided, the communication device including a module for performing the method described in any one of the first to second aspects.

[0040] In one possible design, the communication device described in the third aspect may further include a transceiver. This transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used for communication between the communication device described in the third aspect and other communication devices.

[0041] In one possible design, the communication device described in the third aspect may further include a memory. This memory may be integrated with the processor or disposed separately. The memory may be used to store instructions relating to the methods of any of the first to second aspects.

[0042] In the embodiments of this application, the communication device described in the third aspect may be a network device, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly disposed in the network device, or a device containing the network device.

[0043] It is understood that the technical effects of the device described in the third aspect can also be referred to the relevant descriptions of the methods in any of the first to second aspects above, and will not be repeated here.

[0044] Fourthly, a communication device is provided. The communication device includes a processor coupled to a memory, the processor being configured to execute instructions stored in the memory such that the communication device performs the method described in any one of the first to second aspects.

[0045] In one possible design, the communication device described in the fourth aspect may further include a transceiver. This transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used for communication between the communication device described in the fourth aspect and other communication devices.

[0046] In the embodiments of this application, the communication device described in the fourth aspect may be a network device described in any one of the first to second aspects, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly disposed in the network device, or a device containing the network device.

[0047] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device described in the fourth aspect can be referred to the technical effects of the method described in any one of the first or second aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0048] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory being used to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of the first to second aspects.

[0049] In one possible design, the communication device described in the fifth aspect may further include a transceiver. This transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used by the communication device described in the third aspect to communicate with other communication devices.

[0050] In the embodiments of this application, the communication device described in the fifth aspect may be a network device described in any one of the first to second aspects, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly disposed in the network device, or a device containing the network device.

[0051] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device described in the fifth aspect can be referred to the technical effects of the method described in any one of the first or second aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0052] A sixth aspect provides a chip comprising: a controller and an interface circuit, wherein the controller is configured to interact with other devices via the interface circuit to perform the method as described in any one of the first to second aspects.

[0053] A seventh aspect provides a communication system. The communication system includes a first manager for performing the method described in the first aspect, and a second manager for performing the method described in the second aspect.

[0054] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the computer-readable storage medium including storage of a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method described in any one of the first to second aspects to be performed.

[0055] A ninth aspect provides a computer program product comprising a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method described in any one of the first to second aspects to be performed. Attached Figure Description

[0056] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the AI / ML application framework in a communication network;

[0057] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the 5GS architecture;

[0058] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0059] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the network-based dataset / data collection configuration provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 6 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0063] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0064] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0065] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in the embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0067] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can be applied to various communication systems, such as Wi-Fi systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, device-to-device (D2D) communication systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, fourth-generation (4G) mobile communication systems, such as long-term evolution (LTE) systems, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) communication systems, fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication systems, such as new radio (NR) systems, and future communication systems.

[0068] The technical terms and related technical solutions in this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0069] 1. AI / ML application framework:

[0070] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an AI / ML application framework in a communication network.

[0071] In 3GPP Release 17, a framework for the application of AI / ML technology in NR was initially defined, as shown in Figure 1. This AI / ML application framework includes a data collection entity 110, a model training entity 120, a model inference entity 130, and an actor entity 140.

[0072] The data collection entity 110 stores data input from next-generation nodeB (gNB), next-generation nodeB-centralized unit (gNB-CU), next-generation nodeB-distributed unit (gNB-DU), terminals (such as user equipment), or other management entities, serving as a database for AI / ML model training and data analysis inference. The model training entity 120 analyzes the training data provided by the data collection entity 110 to obtain the optimal AI / ML model. The model inference entity 130 uses the AI / ML model, based on the inference data provided by the data collection entity 110, to provide reasonable predictions for network operation based on the AI / ML model and feeds them back to the model training entity 120, or instructs the network to make policy adjustments. The execution entity 140 uniformly plans the relevant policy adjustments and sends them to multiple network entities for execution. Simultaneously, after multiple network entities apply the relevant policies, the network's performance is again input into the application framework and stored by the data collection entity 110.

[0073] With technological advancements, AI / ML models can now be trained not only on the network side but also on the device side. However, the inventors have discovered through research that there is currently no defined method for obtaining the necessary data from the network when the device needs to acquire data, such as the data or dataset required for training an AI / ML model.

[0074] 2.5G network architecture:

[0075] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the 5th generation (5G) mobile communication system (5GS).

[0076] As shown in Figure 2, 5GS includes: access network (AN) and core network (CN), and may also include: terminals.

[0077] A terminal can be a terminal that supports transmission, reception, and sensing functions, or it can be a chip or chip system installed in the terminal, or a device containing the terminal. The terminal can also be referred to as user equipment (UE), access terminal, subscriber unit, user station, mobile station (MS), mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user equipment. The terminals in the embodiments of this application may be mobile phones, cellular phones, smartphones, tablets, wireless data cards, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless modems, handsets, laptop computers, machine-type communication (MTC) terminals, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminals, augmented reality (AR) terminals, smart home devices (e.g., refrigerators, televisions, air conditioners, electricity meters, etc.), intelligent robots, robotic arms, workshop equipment, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical care, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, vehicle-mounted terminals, and roadside units with terminal functions. The terminal in this application can also be an onboard module, onboard unit, onboard component, onboard chip, or onboard unit that is built into a vehicle as one or more components or units. The terminal device can also be other devices with terminal functions; for example, it can be a device that functions as a terminal in D2D communication.

[0078] The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal. The device used to implement the functions of the terminal device can be the terminal device itself; it can also be a device that supports the terminal device in implementing the functions, such as a chip system. The device can be installed in the terminal device or used in conjunction with the terminal device. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system can be composed of chips or can include chips and other discrete components.

[0079] The aforementioned Access Network (AN) is used to implement access-related functions. It can provide network access functionality for authorized users in a specific area and determine transmission links of different quality based on user level and service requirements to transmit user data. The AN forwards control signals and user data between the terminal and the Network Access Center (CN). The AN may include access network equipment, also known as RAN equipment. The CN is primarily responsible for maintaining the mobile network's subscription data and providing terminals with functions such as session management, mobility management, policy management, and security authentication. The CN network mainly includes the following network elements: User Plane Function (UPF) network element, Authentication Server Function (AUSF) network element, Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) network element, Session Management Function (SMF) network element, Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) network element, Network Exposure Function (NEF) network element, Network Function Repository Function (NRF) network element, Policy Control Function (PCF) network element, Unified Data Management (UDM) network element, Unified Data Repository (UDR) network element, and Application Function (AF).

[0080] RAN equipment can also be called access network equipment or network equipment. Access network equipment or network equipment can be a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, or it can be a chip or chip system embedded in the device, or a device containing access network equipment. Access network equipment is located in the access network (AN) of a communication system and is used to provide access services to terminals. Access network equipment or network equipment can be non-terrestrial equipment, such as satellites, drones, high-altitude balloons, etc. Access network equipment or network devices can be, or include, 5G, such as a future node B (gNB) in a new radio (NR) system, or one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a 5G base station. They can also be network nodes constituting a gNB, transmission and reception point (TRP) or transmission point (TP), or transmission measurement function (TMF), such as a central unit (CU), distributed unit (DU), CU-control plane (CP), CU-user plane (UP), or radio unit (RU), RSU with base station functionality, or wired access gateway, or 5G core network elements, etc. Alternatively, access network devices can also include: access points (APs) in Wi-Fi systems, wireless relay nodes, wireless backhaul nodes, various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations (also called small cells), relay stations, access points, wearable devices, vehicle-mounted equipment, etc. In future communication systems, access network devices may have other naming methods, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0081] CU and DU can be configured separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RU can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radio heads (RRHs). It is understood that network equipment can also be CU nodes, DU nodes, or devices comprising both CU and DU nodes. Furthermore, a CU can be classified as a network device within an AN or a network device within a CN; no restrictions are placed here.

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

[0083] UPF network elements are primarily responsible for user data processing (forwarding, receiving, billing, etc.). For example, a UPF network element can receive user data from a data network (DN) and forward that data to the terminal through access network equipment. A UPF network element can also receive user data from a terminal through access network equipment and forward that data to the DN. DN network elements refer to the operator's network that provides data transmission services to users. Examples include Internet Protocol (IP), IP Multimedia Service (IMS), and the Internet.

[0084] A DN can be an external network of an operator or a network controlled by the operator, used to provide services to terminal devices.

[0085] The AUSF network element is mainly used to perform security authentication for terminals.

[0086] AMF network elements are primarily used for mobility management in mobile networks. Examples include user location updates, user network registration, and user handover.

[0087] SMF network elements are primarily used for session management in mobile networks. This includes tasks such as session establishment, modification, and release. Specific functions include assigning Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to users and selecting UPF network elements that provide packet forwarding capabilities.

[0088] The PCF network element primarily supports providing a unified policy framework to control network behavior, providing policy rules to the control layer network functions, and is also responsible for acquiring user subscription information related to policy decisions. The PCF network element can provide policies to the AMF and SMF network elements, such as Quality of Service (QoS) policies and slice selection policies.

[0089] NSSF network elements are mainly used to select network slices for terminals.

[0090] NEF network elements are primarily used to support the opening of capabilities and events.

[0091] UDM network elements are mainly used to store user data, such as subscription data and authentication / authorization data.

[0092] UDR network elements are mainly used to store structured data, including contract data, policy data, externally exposed structured data, and application-related data.

[0093] AF primarily supports interaction with CN to provide services, such as influencing data routing decisions, policy control functions, or providing third-party services to the network side.

[0094] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application proposes the following technical solutions. The technical solutions in this application will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0095] This application will present various aspects, embodiments, or features relating to systems that may include multiple devices, components, modules, etc. It should be understood and appreciated that individual systems may include additional devices, components, modules, etc., and / or may not include all the devices, components, modules, etc. discussed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, combinations of these approaches are also possible.

[0096] Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplarily" and "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as an "example" in this application should not be construed as being better or more advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of the word "example" is intended to present the concept in a specific manner.

[0097] First, in this application, "for indicating" can include both direct and indirect indication. When describing "information" for indicating A, it can include whether the information directly indicates A or indirectly indicates A, but does not necessarily mean that the information carries A.

[0098] The information indicated by a given piece of information is called the information to be indicated. In the specific implementation process, there are many ways to indicate the information to be indicated, such as, but not limited to, directly indicating the information to be indicated, such as the information to be indicated itself or its index. It can also be indirectly indicated by indicating other information, where there is a relationship between the other information and the information to be indicated. It can also indicate only a part of the information to be indicated, while the other parts are known or pre-agreed upon. For example, the indication of specific information can be achieved by using a pre-agreed (e.g., protocol-defined) arrangement of various pieces of information, thereby reducing the indication overhead to some extent. At the same time, common parts of various pieces of information can be identified and indicated uniformly to reduce the indication overhead caused by individually indicating the same information.

[0099] Furthermore, the specific indication method can also be any existing indication method, such as, but not limited to, the above-mentioned indication methods and their various combinations. Specific details of various indication methods can be found in existing technologies, and will not be elaborated upon here. As described above, for example, when multiple pieces of information of the same type need to be indicated, the indication methods for different pieces of information may differ. In the specific implementation process, the required indication method can be selected according to specific needs. This application embodiment does not limit the selected indication method; therefore, the indication methods involved in this application embodiment should be understood to cover various methods that enable the party to be indicated to obtain the information to be indicated. Furthermore, in this application embodiment, " / " can represent an "or" relationship, such as A / B, which means A or B.

[0100] The information to be instructed (such as the first information, second information, etc. below) can be sent as a whole or divided into multiple sub-information messages and sent separately. The sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be the same or different. This application does not limit the specific sending method. The sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be predefined, for example, according to a protocol, or configured by the transmitting device by sending configuration information to the receiving device. This configuration information can include, for example, but not limited to, one or a combination of at least two of radio resource control (RRC) signaling, medium access control (MAC) layer signaling, and physical layer signaling. MAC layer signaling includes, for example, a MAC control element (CE); physical (PHY) layer signaling includes, for example, downlink control information (DCI).

[0101] "Sending information" can be understood as one device sending information to another device, or it can also be understood as one logical module within a device sending information to another logical module. For example, "a network device sending information" can be understood as a network device sending information to another device (such as a terminal or other network device), or it can be understood as logical module 1 in the network device sending information to logical module 2 in the network device.

[0102] "Receiving information" can be understood as one device receiving information from another device, or it can be understood as a logical module within a device receiving information from another logical module. For example, "network device receiving information" can be understood as a network device receiving information from another device (such as a terminal or other network device), or it can be understood as logical module 1 in the network device receiving information from logical module 2 in the network device.

[0103] The phrase "sending information to... (e.g., a node)" or the related illustrations in the accompanying drawings can be understood as the destination of the information being a node. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to a node. Similarly, the phrase "receiving information from... (e.g., a node)," "receiving information from... (e.g., a node)," or "receiving information sent by (e.g., a node)," or the related illustrations in the accompanying drawings, can be understood as the source of the information being a node. This can include receiving information directly or indirectly from a node. Information may undergo necessary processing between the source and destination, such as format changes, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be interpreted similarly, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0104] Second, in the embodiments shown below, the first, second, and various numerical designations are merely distinctions for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. For example, to distinguish different indication information.

[0105] Third, "pre-defined," "pre-configured," or "pre-specified" can be achieved by pre-saving corresponding codes, tables, or other means of indicating relevant information in the device (e.g., including terminal devices and network devices), or by pre-defining them in a protocol. This application does not limit the specific implementation method. "Saving" can refer to saving in one or more memories. These memories can be separate installations or integrated into the encoder, decoder, processor, or communication device. Alternatively, some memories can be separately installed, while others are integrated into the decoder, processor, or communication device. The type of memory can be any form of storage medium, and this application does not limit this.

[0106] Fourth, the “protocol” involved in the embodiments of this application may refer to standard protocols in the field of communication, such as 3GPP’s LTE protocols (such as technical specification (TS) 36, i.e., the TS36 series of technical specifications), NR protocols (such as the TS38 series of technical specifications), and related protocols applied to future communication systems. This application does not limit this.

[0107] The network architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0108] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, a communication system will be used as an example to describe in detail the communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application.

[0109] For example, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system to which the method provided in the embodiments of this application applies. The communication system mainly includes a first device and a network device.

[0110] The first device can be a terminal with transceiver capabilities, or it can be a chip or chip system installed in the terminal, or it can be a device containing the terminal. The terminal can also be referred to as a UE, access terminal, subscriber unit, user station, mobile station (MS), mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user equipment. The terminals in the embodiments of this application may be mobile phones, cellular phones, smartphones, tablets, wireless data cards, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless modems, handsets, laptop computers, machine-type communication (MTC) terminals, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminals, augmented reality (AR) terminals, smart home devices (e.g., refrigerators, televisions, air conditioners, electricity meters, etc.), intelligent robots, robotic arms, workshop equipment, wireless terminals in autonomous driving, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in telemedicine, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, vehicle-mounted terminals, and roadside units with terminal functions. The terminal can be an onboard unit (RSU), or a flight device (e.g., an intelligent robot, hot air balloon, drone, or airplane). The terminal in this application can also be an onboard module, onboard unit, onboard component, onboard chip, or onboard unit built into a vehicle as one or more components or units. The terminal can also be other devices with terminal functions; for example, it can be a device that performs terminal functions in D2D communication. The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal; the device used to implement the terminal function can be a terminal itself; it can also be a device capable of supporting the terminal in implementing this function, such as a chip system. This device can be installed in the terminal or used in conjunction with the terminal. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system can be composed of chips or can include chips and other discrete devices.

[0111] In one possible implementation, the first device can also be a server serving the aforementioned terminal, such as an over-the-top (OTT) server.

[0112] Network devices can be devices within an access network (AN), such as radio access network (RAN) devices. RAN devices can also be called access network devices. Access network devices can be devices with wireless transceiver capabilities, or they can be chips or chip systems embedded in the device, or devices that contain access network equipment. Access network devices are located in the access network (AN) of a communication system and are used to provide access services to terminals. Access network equipment can also include 5G, such as the next-generation node B (gNB) in a new radio (NR) system, or one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a 5G base station, or network nodes constituting a gNB, transmission and reception point (TRP) or transmission point (TP), or transmission measurement function (TMF), such as a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU), an RSU with base station functionality, or a wired access gateway, or core network elements of 5G, etc. Alternatively, access network equipment can also include: access points (APs) in Wi-Fi systems, wireless relay nodes, wireless backhaul nodes, various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations (also known as small cells), relay stations, access points, wearable devices, vehicle-mounted equipment, etc. In future mobile communication systems, access network devices may have other naming methods, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0113] CU and DU can be configured separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RU can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radio heads (RRHs). It is understood that network equipment can be CU nodes, DU nodes, or a combination of CU and DU nodes. Furthermore, CUs can be classified as network equipment within an AN or a network equipment within a CN; no restrictions are placed here.

[0114] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an open radio access network (ORAN) system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software modules and hardware modules.

[0115] In this communication system, the first device is able to request the data it needs from the network. Specifically, the network device sends a first message to the first device, indicating information about a first dataset and / or a first data collection configuration that the network device possesses. Based on the received first message, the first device requests the dataset from the first dataset and / or the data collection configuration from the first data collection configuration from the network device. The data collection configuration is used to collect data. This ensures that the first device can acquire data through the network to meet the needs of the terminal.

[0116] Additionally, the network device can also instruct the first device to request a dataset and / or data collection configuration via a first message. After receiving the first message, the first device requests a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration from the network device. In other words, the first device can also request data from the network based on the network device's instructions, enabling the terminal to obtain the necessary data through the network to meet the first device's needs.

[0117] The communication method and apparatus of this application embodiments will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is understood that this application uses a first device and a network device as examples to illustrate the interaction, but this application does not limit the execution subject of the interaction. The interaction flow between devices in the above-described communication system will be specifically described below through method embodiments. The communication method provided in this application embodiments can be applied to the above-described communication system and specifically applied to various scenarios involved in the above-described communication system, which will be described in detail below.

[0118] Figure 4 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication method is applicable to the above-mentioned communication system and is applied to the interaction between the first device and the network device, mainly involving the interaction between the first device and the network device.

[0119] As shown in Figure 4, the specific process of this method is as follows:

[0120] S401, the network device sends a first message to the first device, and the first device receives the first message from the network device. The first message includes information about the first dataset and / or information about the first data collection configuration.

[0121] The first message can reuse existing signaling to reduce implementation difficulty, or it can be a newly defined signaling that is decoupled from the existing signaling to make the transmission of the first message more flexible. It is understood that other messages mentioned below are similar to the first message and can reuse existing signaling or be newly defined signaling. There are no restrictions on the specific implementation.

[0122] The first dataset can be a single dataset or a collection of multiple datasets. For example, the first dataset can include dataset #0, ..., dataset #N. A dataset can include multiple segments, each containing a portion of the dataset's data. For example, dataset #1 can include segments #0, ..., segment #N, and dataset #2 can also include segments #0, ..., segment #N, where N is a positive integer.

[0123] The information of the first dataset includes the identifier of at least one dataset and / or the identifier of at least one segment in each dataset. For example, the identifier of the dataset can be the index, sequence number, or associated ID associated with the collection scenario of the dataset, or any other identifier that can be used to indicate the dataset so as to distinguish different datasets by the identifier. The identifier of the segment of the dataset can be the index or sequence number of the segment of the dataset, without any specific limitation.

[0124] The first dataset can be pre-stored by the network device, or it can be obtained or generated by the network device. There are no specific restrictions.

[0125] In one possible implementation, the dataset in the first dataset includes data applicable to the first service. For example, the first service is a service implemented through an AI / ML model, such as AI / ML model training, AI / ML model testing, or other services implemented based on an AI / ML model. The AI / ML model is used to complete services between the first device and network devices, such as load balancing and mobility optimization. Depending on the service, different AI / ML models are required, and correspondingly, the data contained in the first dataset also differs. Taking the first service as an AI / ML model training service as an example, the first dataset can include data used to train the AI / ML model. For example, the first dataset may contain data such as L1-Reference Signal Receiving Power (L1-RSRP), L1-Reference Signal Receiving Quality (RSRQ), L1-Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR), beam identifier (beam-ID), phase information of the reference signal, time information of the reference signal, power information of the reference signal, and location information of data collection. Furthermore, the first dataset can be applied to AI / ML services such as beam management, CSI prediction, compression, and positioning. For example, the data in the first dataset may vary depending on the first service.

[0126] When the first dataset is a collection of multiple datasets, these datasets can contain data applicable to different first services. For example, if the first service is an AI / ML model training service, different first services may instruct the training of different AI / ML models. Thus, for instance, data from dataset #1 could be used to train an AI / ML model for load balancing, data from dataset #2 could be used to train an AI / ML model for mobility optimization, and so on. Further details are omitted.

[0127] The above describes the information for the first dataset. The following section will introduce the configuration information for the first data collection.

[0128] The first data collection configuration can be a single data collection configuration or a collection of multiple data collection configurations. For example, the first data collection configuration may include data collection configuration #0, ..., data collection configuration #N, where N is a positive integer. The first data collection configuration can be pre-stored by the network device for data collection.

[0129] In one possible implementation, a first data collection configuration can collect a first dataset or first data. The first data refers to data other than the first dataset; that is, the first data collection configuration and the first dataset are not bound together, and their relationship is not restricted. Taking an example where the first data collection configuration includes multiple data collection configurations, and the multiple datasets include dataset #1, ..., dataset #N, then dataset #1 can be collected through data collection configuration #1, and data from dataset #N+1 can be collected through data collection configuration #2, with no specific restrictions.

[0130] The information in the first data collection configuration may include at least one of the following: channel state configuration identifier, measurement configuration identifier, AI / ML feature group or feature group identifier, and AI / ML function identifier, wherein the AI / ML function refers to the AI / ML function supported by the first device.

[0131] In one possible implementation, the data collected through the first data collection configuration can be data applicable to the first service. For example, the first service can be an AI / ML model training service. If the first data collection configuration includes multiple data collection configurations, data for training different AI / ML models can be collected through different data collection configurations.

[0132] For ease of understanding, unless otherwise specified, the following text will use the example of the first dataset being a collection of multiple datasets and the first data collection configuration being a collection of multiple data collection configurations.

[0133] S402, the first device sends a second message to the network device according to the first message, and the network device receives the second message from the first device.

[0134] The second message is used to request a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration from the network device.

[0135] In some possible implementations, the second message may include information about the second dataset and / or information about the second data collection configuration to indicate a request for the corresponding second dataset and / or second data collection configuration. The description of the information about the second dataset and the second data collection configuration can be referred to the information about the first dataset and the first data collection configuration in S401, and will not be repeated here.

[0136] The second dataset is the dataset required by the first device, and the second data collection configuration is the data collection configuration required by the first device, so as to collect the data required by the first device through the data collection configuration.

[0137] The second dataset and / or the second data collection configuration can be determined by the first device based on the data requirements of the first device and the first message.

[0138] In one example, the data requirement of the first device may refer to the dataset and / or data collection configuration required by the first device to implement the service, or it may be determined by the first device based on receiving a fourth message from the second device, which is used to request the dataset and / or data collection configuration required by the second device. That is, the first device (such as a user device) may also request the required dataset and / or data collection configuration from the network device on behalf of other devices (such as a server).

[0139] In other words, the first device can selectively request the second dataset and / or the second data collection configuration from the first dataset and / or the first data collection configuration provided in the network device, based on its own data needs.

[0140] In one example, the first device can request a second dataset based on information from the first dataset. Specifically, the second dataset can be at least one dataset or at least one segment of the first dataset. For example, in conjunction with the description of the first dataset and the first data collection configuration in S401, the second dataset can be a combination of any one or more datasets from dataset #1, ..., dataset #N, or a combination of any one or more segments from dataset #1, or a combination of one or more segments from dataset #1 and dataset #2 respectively.

[0141] In one example, the first device may also request a second data collection configuration based on information from the first data collection configuration. The second data collection configuration is at least one of the first data collection configurations. For example, the second data collection configuration may be a combination of any one or more data collection configurations from data collection configuration #1, ..., data collection configuration #N, which will not be elaborated further.

[0142] In one example, the first device can also request a second dataset based on information from a first data collection configuration, or request a second data collection configuration based on information from a first dataset. For instance, since the first data collection configuration can be used to collect data from the first dataset, the first device can pre-store the correspondence between each dataset in the first dataset and each data collection configuration in the first data collection configuration. That is, the first device can obtain the first data collection configuration of the network device based on information from the first dataset, and then select the second data collection configuration. Similarly, the first device can also obtain the first dataset of the network device based on the first data collection configuration, and then select the second dataset.

[0143] In some possible implementations, if the first device is user equipment (UE), the second message may further include information indicating the user equipment. For example, the second message may include the vendor ID of the user equipment and / or the vendor ID of the chip carried by the user equipment to identify the user equipment or the vendor to which the chip carried by the user equipment belongs. User equipment belonging to a specific vendor may require specific datasets and / or data collection configurations, thereby indicating the second dataset and / or the second data collection configuration based on the information indicating the user equipment.

[0144] In other words, the first device can receive information about a first dataset and / or a first data collection configuration from the network device, select a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration that it needs, and request the second dataset and / or the second data collection configuration from the network device. The second data collection configuration is used to collect data. This ensures that the first device can acquire data through the network, thus meeting its data acquisition needs.

[0145] Optionally, in conjunction with the relevant descriptions of S401 and S402, the method may further include:

[0146] Step A: The network device sends a third message to the first device based on the second message, and the first device receives the third message from the network device.

[0147] The third message includes at least one of the second dataset, a fragment of the second dataset, or a second data collection configuration.

[0148] The network device can determine the second dataset and / or the second data collection configuration based on the second message and send it to the first device. After receiving the second data collection configuration, the first device can collect the first data according to the second data collection configuration. As can be seen from S401, the first data can be data applicable to the first service, and the second dataset can include data applicable to the first service. That is, the first device can obtain data based on the received third message to implement the first service.

[0149] Specifically, the first device can be a user device or a server serving the user device (such as an OTT server). The network device can send third messages to the user device or directly to the server to reduce air interface interactions. The following sections will describe different scenarios.

[0150] Scenario 1: The first device is the user equipment, that is, the network device sends a third message to the user equipment based on the second message received from the user equipment.

[0151] In one example, the network device is a base station, and the first device is a user device in the set of devices served by the base station.

[0152] A network device may receive a second message from one user device or from multiple user devices. The following sections will describe the different scenarios.

[0153] Scenario A: The network device receives a second message from a user device.

[0154] In this scenario, the network device may send a third message only to the user equipment, that is, the network device may send a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration directly to the user equipment.

[0155] Alternatively, the network device may also send a third message to other user devices in the set of devices it serves. For example, as shown in Figure 5(a), the network device may send a uniform second dataset and / or second data collection configuration to all user devices.

[0156] Furthermore, the network device can send a third message to other user equipment in the served device set based on the device vendor identifier of the user equipment or the device vendor identifier of the chip in the user equipment. For example, the network device can send a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration to user equipment in the device set whose device vendor identifier is the same as that of the user equipment, or send a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration to user equipment in the device set whose device chip has the same device vendor identifier as the chip in the user equipment.

[0157] Scenario B: The network device receives a second message from multiple user devices.

[0158] In this scenario, the network device can send a third message to each of these user devices, or it can send a third message to other user devices in the serving device set. Furthermore, the third message can be sent to other user devices in the serving device set based on the vendor identifier of these user devices or the vendor identifier of the chip within the user device. For example, as shown in Figure 5(b), the network device receives the second messages from user devices a, b, and c, and sends a second dataset / or a second data collection configuration to other user devices in the serving device set based on their respective vendor identifiers. Here, user device 1 has the same vendor identifier as user device a, user device 2 has the same vendor identifier as user device b, and user device 3 has the same vendor identifier as user device c. More detailed explanations can be found in the description of scenario A, and will not be repeated here.

[0159] Based on the descriptions of scenarios A and B, it is evident that there are situations where a network device needs to send a second dataset to multiple user devices. In such cases, the network device can either send the second dataset to each user device individually, or it can send fragments of the second dataset to each user device. Furthermore, the fragments of the second dataset sent to different user devices will be different. For example, the network device can segment the second dataset according to the number of user devices and send a fragment of the second dataset to each user device. After receiving the fragments of the second dataset, these user devices can share the data fragments and splice them together to obtain the second dataset.

[0160] In conjunction with the descriptions of scenarios A and B, the method may further include: a first device receiving a third message from a network device, and sending the received second dataset, a fragment of the second dataset, or a second data collection configuration to a second device, wherein the second device is a server serving the user device. For example, referring to Figure 5, the user devices in Figure 5(a) and Figure 5(b) may continue to send the second dataset and / or the second data collection configuration to the corresponding server.

[0161] Scenario 2: The first device is a server serving the user device, that is, the network device sends a third message to the server based on the second message received from the server.

[0162] In one example, a network device can directly send a third message to the server, or it can instruct other network devices performing data collection operations to send a third message to the server. For example, if the network device is a network data analytics function (NWDAF) element, the NWDAF can directly send a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration to the server, or it can instruct a base station or operation administration and maintenance (OAM) element to send a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration to the server, which will not be elaborated further.

[0163] In summary, by selectively requesting the required dataset / data collection configuration from the dataset / data collection configuration provided by the network device, the first device ensures that it can obtain the necessary data, thus clarifying the process by which the first device requests data from the network device. Furthermore, the network device can send the dataset / data collection configuration in multiple ways, increasing the flexibility of the network device in providing data to the first device.

[0164] Figure 6 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication method is applicable to the above-mentioned communication system and is applied to the interaction between the first device and the network device, mainly involving the interaction between the first device and the network device.

[0165] As shown in Figure 6, the specific process of this method is as follows:

[0166] S601, the network device sends a first message to the first device, and the first device receives the first message from the network device.

[0167] The first message instructs the first device to request a dataset / data collection configuration from the network device. Specifically, it can instruct the first device to report the required dataset / data collection configuration information to the network device, or it can instruct the first device to report existing dataset / data collection configuration information to the network device, so that the network device can flexibly configure the dataset / data collection configuration required by the first device based on the existing dataset / data collection configuration information of the first device. For example, the first message can instruct the network device to allow the first device to request the dataset / data collection configuration by carrying 1 bit information. For instance, when bitmap#1 is 1, it instructs the network device to allow the first device to request the dataset / data collection configuration; when bitmap#1 is 0, it instructs the network device to disallow the first device to request the dataset / data collection configuration. Alternatively, the first message can also instruct the information to be reported by the first device by carrying 1 bit information. For instance, when bitmap#2 is 0, it instructs the first message to request the first device to report the required dataset / data collection configuration information to the network device; when bitmap#2 is 1, it instructs the first message to request the first device to report existing dataset / data collection configuration information to the network device. Further details are omitted.

[0168] It is understood that the dataset / data collection configuration required by the first device can be the second dataset / second data collection configuration described in S402 above. For details, please refer to the relevant description in S402. The dataset / data collection configuration that the first device already has is the dataset / data collection configuration that the first device has locally. If it is named the third dataset / third data collection configuration, there is no restriction. For details, please refer to the relevant description in S401-S402. It will not be repeated here.

[0169] S602, the first device sends a second message to the network device, and the network device receives the second message from the first device.

[0170] The second message includes information about a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration, or information about a third dataset and / or a third data collection configuration. It is understood that specific implementations of S602 can be found in the description of S402 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0171] It is understandable that S601 is an optional step. That is to say, the first device can also proactively send a second message to the network device to request the dataset / data collection configuration.

[0172] Optionally, in conjunction with the relevant descriptions of S601 and S602, the method may further include:

[0173] Step B: The network device sends a third message to the first device based on the second message, and the first device receives the third message from the network device. It is understood that the specific implementation of step B can also refer to the description of step A above, and will not be repeated here.

[0174] In summary, the first device can request data from the network device by reporting the required dataset / data collection configuration information or existing dataset / data collection configuration information to the network, either according to the instructions of the network device or by proactively reporting such information. This clarifies the process by which the first device requests data from the network device, ensuring that the first device can acquire data. Furthermore, the network device can send datasets / data collection configurations in various ways, increasing the flexibility of the network device in providing data to the first device.

[0175] The overall flow of the communication method provided by the embodiments of this application has been described above with reference to Figures 4-6. The flow of the communication method provided by the embodiments of this application in specific scenarios will be described below with reference to Figures 7-9.

[0176] Figure 7 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in this application embodiment. The flowchart shown in Figure 7 mainly involves the interaction between terminal devices (such as UE), access network devices (such as RAN), and servers serving the UE (such as OTT).

[0177] Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the communication method flow is as follows:

[0178] S701, the RAN sends a dataset / data collection configuration query message #1 to the UE.

[0179] Dataset / Data Collection Configuration Query Message #1 includes information about the datasets and / or data collection configurations in the RAN, such as the first dataset and / or first data collection configuration information described in S401 above. It can be understood that Dataset / Data Collection Configuration Query Message #1 is one possible name for the first message described in S401-S402 above, and there is no specific limitation.

[0180] It is understandable that S701 can also refer to the relevant introduction of S401 mentioned above, so it will not be repeated here.

[0181] S702, the UE sends a dataset / data collection configuration request message #1 to the RAN.

[0182] It is understood that the dataset / data collection configuration request message #1 is used to request the dataset / data collection configuration required by the UE, such as including the information of the second dataset and / or the second data collection configuration described in S402 above, for example, a possible name for the second message described in S402 above, without any specific limitation.

[0183] It is understandable that S702 can also refer to the relevant introduction of S402 mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0184] S703, the RAN sends the dataset / data collection configuration to the UE.

[0185] It is understandable that S703 can refer to the relevant introduction of step A above, and will not be repeated here.

[0186] S704, OTT sends a dataset / data collection configuration request message #2 to UE.

[0187] S705, the UE sends a dataset / data collection configuration to the OTT.

[0188] It is understood that S704-S705 are optional steps, that is, the OTT can request the dataset / data collection configuration it needs from the RAN through the UE. For details, please refer to the relevant introduction of S402 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0189] Figure 8 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. The flowchart shown in Figure 8 mainly involves the interaction between a terminal device (such as a UE), an access network device (such as a RAN), and a server serving the UE (such as an OTT).

[0190] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, the communication method flow is as follows:

[0191] S801, the RAN sends a dataset / data collection configuration query message #2 to the UE.

[0192] Dataset / Data Collection Configuration Query Message #2 is used to instruct the UE to request a dataset / data collection configuration, such as instructing the UE to report the required second dataset / second data collection configuration, or instructing the UE to report the existing third dataset / third data collection configuration. It can be understood that Dataset / Data Collection Configuration Query Message #2 is one possible name for the first message described in S601 above, and no specific limitation is made.

[0193] It is understandable that S801 can also refer to the relevant introduction of S601 mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0194] It is understandable that S801 is an optional step, meaning that the UE can also send a dataset / data collection configuration request message directly to the RAN without instruction.

[0195] S802, the UE sends a dataset / data collection configuration request message #3 to the RAN.

[0196] It is understood that the dataset / data collection configuration request message #3 is used to request the dataset / data collection configuration required by the UE, or an existing dataset / data collection configuration, for example, a possible name for the second message described in S602 above, without any specific limitation.

[0197] It is understandable that S802 can also refer to the relevant introductions of S602 or S402 mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0198] S803, the RAN sends the dataset / data collection configuration to the UE.

[0199] It is understandable that S803 can refer to the relevant introduction in step B above, and will not be repeated here.

[0200] S804, OTT sends a dataset / data collection configuration request message #2 to UE.

[0201] S805, the UE sends a dataset / data collection configuration to the OTT.

[0202] It is understood that S804-S805 are optional steps, that is, the OTT can request the dataset / data collection configuration it needs from the RAN through the UE. For details, please refer to the relevant introduction of S402 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0203] Figure 9 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in this application embodiment. The flowchart shown in Figure 9 mainly involves the interaction between terminal devices (such as UE), network devices (such as NWDAF, OAM / RAN), and servers serving the UE (such as OTT).

[0204] S901, OTT sends Dataset / Data Collection Configuration Request Message #4 to NWDAF.

[0205] Dataset / Data Collection Configuration Request Message #4 is used to indicate the dataset / data collection configuration required by the OTT, or an existing dataset / data collection configuration. It can be understood that the dataset / data collection configuration query message #3 is a possible name for the second message described in S402 or S602 above, and there is no specific limitation.

[0206] It is understandable that S901 can also refer to the relevant introductions of S402 or S602 mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0207] S902, NWDAF sends dataset / data collection configuration to UE via OAM / RAN.

[0208] S903, the UE sends a dataset / data collection configuration to the OTT.

[0209] It is understandable that S902-S903 can refer to the relevant introduction of step A above, and will not be repeated here.

[0210] The communication method provided by the embodiments of this application has been described in detail above with reference to Figures 4-9. The communication apparatus used to perform the communication method provided by the embodiments of this application is described in detail below with reference to Figures 10-11.

[0211] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Exemplarily, as shown in Figure 10, the communication device 1000 includes a transceiver module 1001 and a processing module 1002. For ease of explanation, Figure 10 only shows the main components of the communication device.

[0212] The communication device 1000 can be applied to the communication methods shown in Figures 4-9 to achieve the corresponding functions. For example, the transceiver module 1001 can be used to implement the transceiver function in the communication methods shown in Figures 4-9, and the processing module 1002 can be used to implement other functions in the communication methods shown in Figures 4-9 besides the transceiver function.

[0213] Optionally, the transceiver module 1001 may include a transmitting module (not shown in FIG10) and a receiving module (not shown in FIG10). The transmitting module is used to implement the transmitting function of the communication device 1000, and the receiving module is used to implement the receiving function of the communication device 1000.

[0214] Optionally, the communication device 1000 may further include a storage module (not shown in FIG10) that stores programs or instructions. When the processing module 1002 executes the program or instructions, the communication device 1000 can perform the functions in the methods shown in FIG4-FIG9.

[0215] It is understood that the communication device 1000 may be a network device, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly that can be set in the network device, or a device that includes the network device. This application does not limit this.

[0216] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device 1000 can be referenced from the technical effects of the communication method described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0217] Figure 11 is a second schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Exemplarily, the communication device can be a terminal, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly that can be disposed in the terminal. As shown in Figure 11, the communication device 1100 may include a processor 1101. Optionally, the communication device 1100 may further include a memory 1102 and / or a transceiver 1103. The processor 1101 is coupled to the memory 1102 and the transceiver 1103, for example, they can be connected via a communication bus.

[0218] The following is a detailed description of each component of the communication device 1100 with reference to Figure 11:

[0219] The processor 1101 is the control center of the communication device 1100. It can be a single processor or a collective term for multiple processing elements. For example, the processor 1101 can be one or more central processing units (CPUs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the embodiments of this application, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), or one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

[0220] Optionally, the processor 1101 can execute various functions of the communication device 1100 by running or executing software programs stored in the memory 1102 and calling data stored in the memory 1102, such as executing the communication methods shown in Figures 4-9 above.

[0221] In a specific implementation, as one embodiment, processor 1101 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 shown in FIG11.

[0222] In a specific implementation, as one embodiment, the communication device 1100 may also include multiple processors, such as processors 1101 and 1104 shown in FIG. 11. Each of these processors may be a single-core processor (single-CPU) or a multi-core processor (multi-CPU). Here, a processor may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores used to process data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0223] The memory 1102 is used to store the software program that executes the solution of this application, and is controlled by the processor 901 to execute it. The specific implementation method can be referred to the above method embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0224] Optionally, the memory 1102 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions, or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but not limited thereto. The memory 1102 may be integrated with the processor 1101 or may exist independently and be coupled to the processor 1101 through the interface circuit of the communication device 1100 (not shown in FIG. 11). This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0225] Transceiver 1103 is used for communication with other communication devices. For example, if communication device 1100 is a terminal, transceiver 1103 can be used to communicate with a network device or with another terminal device. As another example, if communication device 1100 is a network device, transceiver 1103 can be used to communicate with a terminal or with another network device.

[0226] Optionally, transceiver 1103 may include a receiver and a transmitter (not shown separately in Figure 11). The receiver is used to implement the receiving function, and the transmitter is used to implement the transmitting function.

[0227] Optionally, the transceiver 1103 can be integrated with the processor 1101 or exist independently and be coupled to the processor 1101 through the interface circuit of the communication device 1100 (not shown in FIG11). This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0228] It is understood that the structure of the communication device 1100 shown in Figure 11 does not constitute a limitation on the communication device. Actual communication devices may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0229] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device 1100 can be referred to the technical effects of the method described in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0230] It should be understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be a central processing unit (CPU), or it can be 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. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0231] It should also be understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The 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. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of random access memory (RAM) are available, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous DRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous DRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous linked DRAM (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM).

[0232] The above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, by software, hardware (such as circuits), firmware, or any other combination thereof. When implemented using software, the above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions or computer programs. When the computer instructions or computer programs are loaded or executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (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 includes one or more sets of available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium. A semiconductor medium can be a solid-state drive.

[0233] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0234] 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.

[0235] 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.

[0236] 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.

[0237] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0238] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0239] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0240] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. A and B can be singular or plural. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following related objects, but it can also represent an "and / or" relationship. Please refer to the context for a more accurate understanding.

[0241] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0242] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0243] In this application, descriptions such as "when," "under the circumstances," "if," and "if" all refer to the device taking corresponding actions under certain objective circumstances. They are not time limits, nor do they require the device to perform a judgment action during implementation, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0244] 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.

[0245] 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.

[0246] 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.

[0247] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0248] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0249] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0250] 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, applied to a first device or a chip of a first device, includes: Receive a first message from a network device, the first message including information about a first dataset and / or information about a first data collection configuration, the first data collection configuration being used to collect data; Based on the first message, a second message is sent to the network device. The second message is used to request a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration from the network device. The second dataset is at least one dataset or at least one segment of the first dataset. The second data collection configuration is at least one data collection configuration from the first data collection configuration.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The information of the first dataset includes the identifier of at least one dataset and / or the identifier of at least one segment in the dataset.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The information in the first data collection configuration includes at least one of the following: channel state information configuration identifier, measurement identifier, feature group identifier, or artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) function identifier.

4. A communication method, characterized in that, The method, applied to a first device or a chip of a first device, includes: Receive a first message from the network, the first message instructing the first device to request a dataset and / or data collection configuration from the network; Based on the first message, a second message is sent to the network. The second message is used to request a second dataset or a second data collection configuration from the network. The second data collection configuration is used to collect the data required by the first device.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second message includes information indicating the second dataset and / or information indicating the second data collection configuration.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The information indicating the second dataset includes the identifier of the second dataset and / or the identifier of a segment of the second dataset.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The information indicating the second data collection configuration includes at least one of the following: channel state information configuration identifier, measurement identifier, feature group identifier, or artificial intelligence (AI / machine learning) function identifier.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive a third message from the network, the third message including at least one of the second dataset, a fragment of the second dataset, or the second data collection configuration.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, If the third message includes the second data collection configuration, the method further includes: Collect the first data according to the second data collection configuration.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: The second dataset, a fragment of the second dataset, or the second data collection configuration is sent to a second device, which is a device that provides services to the first device.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The first device is a user equipment. Before sending the second message to the network according to the first message, the method further includes: A fourth message is received from a second device, the fourth message including information indicating the dataset required by the second device and / or information on the required data collection configuration, the second dataset being determined based on the dataset required by the second device, the second data collection configuration being determined based on the data collection configuration required by the second device, and the second device being a device that provides services to the user equipment.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1-11, characterized in that, The first device is a user equipment, and the second message also includes information indicating the first device.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The information indicating the first device includes the manufacturer's identifier of the first device and / or the manufacturer's identifier of the chip in the first device.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1-11, characterized in that, The second dataset includes data applicable to the first service, or data collected through the second data collection configuration is applicable to the first service.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The first service is a service implemented through artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) models.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The first service is an AI / ML model training service, and the AI / ML model is used to complete the business between the first device and the network.

17. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to network devices, the method includes: Send a first message to a first device, the first message including information about a first dataset and / or information about a first data collection configuration, the first data collection configuration being used to collect data; The network device receives a second message, which requests a second dataset and / or a second data collection configuration from the network device. The second dataset is at least one dataset or at least one fragment of the first dataset, and the second data collection configuration is at least one data collection configuration of the first data collection configuration.

18. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to network devices, the method includes: Send a first message to the first device, the first message instructing the first device to request a dataset and / or data collection configuration from the network; A second message is received from the first device, the second message being used to request a second dataset or a second data collection configuration from the network device, the second data collection configuration being used to collect data required by the first device.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that, The first message instructs the first device to report the required dataset and / or the required data collection configuration.

20. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that, The first message instructs the first device to report existing datasets and / or existing data collection configurations.

21. The method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that, The method further includes: Based on the second message, a third message is sent to the first device, the third message including at least one of the second dataset, a fragment of the second dataset, or the second data collection configuration.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The first device is any device in the set of devices serving the network device, and according to the second message, sends a third message to the first device, including: According to the second message, a fragment of the second dataset is sent to the first device.

23. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that, The network device determines the segments for different devices in the device set as different segments in the second dataset.

24. The method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that, The method further includes: According to the second message, a third message is sent to a third device, the network device serving the first device and the third device, the third message including at least one of the second dataset, a fragment of the second dataset, or the second data collection configuration.

25. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that, The second message also includes information indicating the equipment manufacturer of the first device, and the step of sending the third message to the third device according to the second message includes: The third message is sent to the third device based on the equipment manufacturer information of the third device corresponding to the equipment manufacturer information of the first device.

26. A communication device, characterized in that, The apparatus includes a module for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-25.

27. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a processor and a memory; the memory is used to store computer instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-25.

28. A communication system, characterized in that, It includes a first device for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-16, and / or a network device for performing the method as described in any one of claims 17-25.

29. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-25 to be performed.

30. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-25 to be performed.

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