Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of communications. Provided are a communication method and apparatus. The communication method comprises: when a first communication component in a data transmission path of a terminal device is in a sleep state, buffering in a memory of a main controller a data frame to be sent, wherein the data transmission path comprises the following communication components: a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, a radio frequency and a bus, and the first communication component comprises at least one communication component in the data transmission path; and when at least one first communication component is triggered by a wake-up event so as to be in an awake state, sending, by means of the data transmission path, the data frame buffered in the memory of the main controller. The present application can reduce the wake-up frequency and operating time of the communication components in the data transmission path. The present application is used for transmitting data frames.

Description

Communication methods and devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510015921.3, filed on January 6, 2025, 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 communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] With increasing demands for communication performance and computing power, the processor performance of terminal devices is constantly improving. For graphics-intensive applications, such as games, video editing, and three-dimensional (3D) modeling, the graphics cards in terminal devices have powerful graphics processing capabilities. Furthermore, to run multiple applications simultaneously or perform large-scale data processing, terminal devices feature large-capacity memory and high-speed hard drives.

[0004] However, while high-performance processors, high-efficiency graphics cards, large-capacity memory, and high-speed hard drives improve the performance of terminal devices, they also increase power consumption. Therefore, ensuring low power consumption and long battery life for terminal devices without compromising performance has become a pressing issue. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and apparatus that solves the problem of high power consumption of terminal devices in related technologies, and can reduce the number of wake-up calls and working time of communication components on the data transmission path.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a communication method applied to a terminal device. The method includes: when a first communication component in the data transmission path of the terminal device is in a sleep state, buffering a data frame to be sent in the memory of a main controller. The data transmission path includes the following communication components: a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, a radio frequency, and a bus. The first communication component includes at least one communication component in the data transmission path. When at least one first communication component is awakened by a wake-up event, the data frame buffered in the memory of the main controller is sent through the data transmission path.

[0007] In related technologies, when a terminal device has data frames to be sent, the first communication component in a sleep state immediately exits power-saving mode and enters a wake-up state to start sending the data frames. This results in the first communication component needing to be powered on at all times, leading to high power consumption. In this embodiment, for data frames to be sent, if the first communication component is currently in a wake-up state, the data frame can be sent through the data transmission path. If the first communication component is in a sleep state, it will not be actively woken up to send data frames. Instead, the data frame is buffered, and the buffered data frame is sent after the first communication component is passively woken up by a wake-up event. This sending method reduces the number of wake-up calls and the working time of the communication components on the data transmission path, thus reducing the power consumption of these communication components.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the first communication component includes a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, and a radio frequency; upon triggering a wake-up event, the wireless baseband and radio frequency are in a wake-up state, while the wireless controller is in a sleep state.

[0009] For example, when the link state is stable, the wireless baseband and radio frequency can be woken up upon triggering a wake-up event. The wireless controller is used to configure channel parameters. When the link state is stable, the channel parameters are usually unchanged, so the wireless baseband can autonomously transmit data frames using the previously configured channel parameters without the involvement of the wireless controller.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the first communication component includes a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, and a radio frequency (RF), which are in a wake-up state upon triggering a wake-up event.

[0011] For example, in cases of link instability, the wireless controller, wireless baseband, and radio frequency can be woken up upon triggering a wake-up event. When the link is unstable, channel parameters are typically constantly changing, thus requiring the wireless controller to be woken up to reconfigure them. The wireless baseband then transmits data frames according to the configured channel parameters.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the first communication component includes a radio frequency (RF) that is in a wake-up state upon triggering a wake-up event.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the main controller's memory is connected to the wireless controller via a bus, and the wireless controller, wireless baseband, and radio frequency are connected via an on-chip bus. When at least one first communication component is awakened by a wake-up event, the process of sending the data frame cached in the main controller's memory via the data transmission path includes: transmitting the data frame cached in the main controller's memory to the wireless controller's memory via the main controller and the bus; accessing the wireless controller's memory via the data transmission path and sending the data frame cached in the wireless controller's memory.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the main controller's memory and the wireless controller are connected via an on-chip bus, and the main controller's memory and the wireless controller are respectively connected to the wireless baseband via a bus. The wireless baseband and the radio frequency are connected via an on-chip bus. When at least one first communication component is awakened by a wake-up event, the process of sending the data frame cached in the main controller's memory through the data transmission path includes: accessing the main controller's memory through the data transmission path and sending the data frame cached in the main controller's memory.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the main controller's memory and the wireless controller are connected via an on-chip bus, and the main controller's memory and the wireless controller are respectively connected to the wireless baseband via a bus. The wireless baseband and the radio frequency are connected via an on-chip bus. In this implementation, it is not necessary to transmit data frames from the main controller's memory to the wireless controller's memory.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the process of sending data frames cached in the main controller's memory via the data transmission path includes: aggregating and sending data frames cached in the main controller's memory via the data transmission path.

[0017] Compared to the single-frame transmission of existing technologies, its advantage lies in the fact that by waiting for the first communication component to be awakened by the wake-up event before aggregating and sending the buffered data frames, multiple frame transmissions can be completed in one channel contention, thus reducing RF power consumption.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the wake-up events include: the arrival of the traffic indication map (TIM) time, the arrival of the delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) time, and the sleep duration of the first communication component reaching the listen interval.

[0019] Here, TIM moment refers to the moment when the terminal device receives the beacon frame, and DTIM moment refers to the moment when the terminal device receives the DTIM message, that is, the moment when the DTIM cycle ends. Its beneficial effect is that at the DTIM moment, at least one first communication component is woken up to receive the beacon frame, while buffered data frames are sent. Uplink and downlink bidirectional interaction are completed in one wake-up, thereby extending the TIM function of the protocol.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the wake-up event is the arrival of either the TIM time or the DTIM time. The method further includes: receiving a beacon frame, which indicates whether there is a data frame to be received; if the beacon frame indicates that there is no data frame to be received, the first communication component immediately enters a sleep state after sending the data frame cached in the memory of the main controller.

[0021] The beneficial effect is that in related technologies, terminal devices need to wait for a certain period of time after sending a data frame before entering a sleep state. However, in the embodiments of this application, when there is no data frame to be received after receiving a beacon frame or after sending a data frame, the first communication component immediately enters a sleep state, eliminating the invalid waiting time caused by single-frame transmission, thereby accelerating the fast sleep process of the first communication component.

[0022] Secondly, this application provides a communication device applied to a terminal device. A processing module is used to cache data frames to be sent in the memory of a main controller when a first communication component in the data transmission path of the terminal device is in a sleep state. The data transmission path includes the following communication components: a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, a radio frequency, and a bus. The first communication component includes at least one communication component in the data transmission path. A transceiver module is used to send the data frames cached in the memory of the main controller through the data transmission path when at least one first communication component is awakened by a wake-up event.

[0023] In one possible implementation, the first communication component includes a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, and a radio frequency; upon triggering a wake-up event, the wireless baseband and radio frequency are in a wake-up state, while the wireless controller is in a sleep state.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the first communication component includes a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, and a radio frequency (RF), which are in a wake-up state upon triggering a wake-up event.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the first communication component includes a radio frequency (RF) that is in a wake-up state upon triggering a wake-up event.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the main controller's memory is connected to the wireless controller via a bus, and the wireless controller, wireless baseband, and radio frequency are connected via an on-chip bus; the transceiver module is specifically used to: transmit data frames cached in the main controller's memory to the wireless controller's memory via the main controller and the bus; and access the wireless controller's memory via the data transmission path and send data frames cached in the wireless controller's memory.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the main controller's memory and the wireless controller are connected via an on-chip bus, the main controller's memory and the wireless controller are respectively connected to the wireless baseband via a bus, and the wireless baseband and the radio frequency are connected via an on-chip bus; the transceiver module is specifically used to access the main controller's memory through the data transmission path and send the data frames buffered in the main controller's memory.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module is specifically used to aggregate and send data frames cached in the main controller's memory via the data transmission path.

[0029] In one possible implementation, wake-up events include: the arrival of the TIM time, the arrival of the DTIM time, and the sleep duration of the first communication component reaching the listening interval.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the wake-up event is the arrival of the TIM time or the DTIM time. The transceiver module is also used to receive beacon frames, which are used to indicate whether there are any data frames to be received. In the case that the beacon frame indicates that there are no data frames to be received, the first communication component immediately enters a sleep state after sending the data frames cached in the memory of the main controller.

[0031] Thirdly, this application provides a communication device comprising: one or more processors; a memory for storing one or more computer programs or instructions; and, when the one or more computer programs or instructions are executed by the one or more processors, causing the one or more processors to implement the method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0032] Fourthly, this application provides a communication device, including a processor for performing the method as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0033] Fifthly, this application provides a communication device, which includes: a processing circuit and an interface circuit; wherein the interface circuit is used to couple with a memory external to the communication device and to provide a communication interface for the processing circuit to access the memory; the processing circuit is used to execute program instructions in the memory to implement the method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0034] In practical implementation, the communication device can be a chip, the input circuit can be an input pin, the output circuit can be an output pin, and the processing circuit can be a transistor, gate circuit, flip-flop, and various logic circuits. The input signal received by the input circuit can be received and input by, for example, but not limited to, a receiver, and the signal output by the output circuit can be output to, for example, but not limited to, a transmitter and transmitted by the transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the processor and various circuits.

[0035] In one implementation, the communication device can be a wireless communication device, i.e., a computer device that supports wireless communication functionality. Specifically, the wireless communication device can be a terminal such as a smartphone. The network chip can also be called a system-on-a-chip (SoC), or simply a SoC chip. The communication chip may include a baseband processing chip and a radio frequency (RF) processing chip. The baseband processing chip is sometimes also called a modem or baseband chip. The RF processing chip is sometimes called an RF transceiver or RF chip. In physical implementation, some or all of the chips in the communication chip can be integrated within the SoC chip. For example, the baseband processing chip is integrated into the SoC chip, while the RF processing chip is not integrated with the SoC chip. The interface circuit can be the RF processing chip in the wireless communication device, and the processing circuit can be the baseband processing chip in the wireless communication device.

[0036] In another implementation, the communication device can be a component of a wireless communication device, such as an integrated circuit product like a network chip or communication chip. The interface circuit can be an input / output interface, interface circuit, output circuit, input circuit, pin, or related circuit on the chip or chip network. The processor can also be represented as a processing circuit or logic circuit.

[0037] Sixthly, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing program code, which, when executed by a processor, implements the method as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0038] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a chip comprising: at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to perform the method as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0039] Optionally, the chip also includes memory. At least one processor is used to execute code in the memory, and when the at least one processor executes the code, it causes the chip to implement the method as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0040] Alternatively, the chip described above can also be an integrated circuit.

[0041] Eighthly, this application provides a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method as described in any one of the first aspects. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a possible, non-limiting communication system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0043] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0045] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0046] Figure 5 is a flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0047] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0048] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0049] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0050] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0051] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0052] Figure 11 is a timing diagram of data frame interaction and chip power-saving state under an air interface angle provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0053] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0054] Figure 13 is a block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0055] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0056] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0057] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, embodiments, claims, and drawings of this application are for distinguishing purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or order. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such as including a series of steps or units. A method, system, product, or apparatus is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products, or apparatuses.

[0058] It should be understood that in this application, "at least one (item)" means one or more, and "more than" means two or more. "And / or" is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent three cases: only A exists, only B exists, and both A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one (item) of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one (item) of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0059] This application provides a communication method that can be applied to a communication system. The communication system includes, but is not limited to: 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) related cellular systems, such as 4th generation (4G) communication systems (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems), 5th generation (5G) communication systems (e.g., New Radio (NR) systems), and future-oriented evolution systems (e.g., 6th generation (6G) mobile communication systems). The communication system can also be an open radio access network (OORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. The communication system can also be a communication system integrating two or more of the above systems.

[0060] The communication system provided in this application embodiment may include network devices and terminal devices. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a possible, non-limiting communication system. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system includes at least one network device 101 and at least one terminal device 102.

[0061] In this embodiment, the communication device has wireless communication capabilities and can be configured with multiple antennas. These multiple antennas may include at least one transmitting antenna for transmitting signals and at least one receiving antenna for receiving signals. Additionally, each communication device also includes a transmitter chain and a receiver chain. Those skilled in the art will understand that these chains may include multiple components related to signal transmission and reception (e.g., processors, modulators, multiplexers, demodulators, demultiplexers, or antennas). The communication device can be a network device or a terminal device, and there is no limitation thereto.

[0062] The network device 101 is located on the network side of the aforementioned communication system. It is used to help terminal devices achieve wireless access and is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, or a chip or chip system that can be installed in the device. The network device 101 includes, but is not limited to, network devices, radio access network (RAN) nodes, access network devices, RAN entities, or access nodes. Multiple network devices 101 in the communication system can be nodes of the same type or nodes of different types.

[0063] In one possible scenario, network device 101 can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a next-generation base station in a 6th-generation (6G) mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. Network device 101 can be a macro base station, a micro base station or indoor station, a relay node or donor node, or a radio controller in a CRAN scenario. Network device 101 can be a macro base station, a micro base station or indoor station, a relay node or donor node, an open radio access network (ORAN), or a radio controller in a centralized radio access network (CRAN) scenario. Network device 101 can also be one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a 5th generation (5G) base station, or it can be a network node constituting a gNB, TRP, 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), or a roadside unit (RSU) with base station functionality. CU and DU can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RU can be included in radio equipment or radio units, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH).

[0064] In different systems, CU (or CU-control plane and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU open CU, DU can also be called O-DU, CU-control plane can also be called O-CU-control plane, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, the embodiments of this application use CU, CU-control plane, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples. Any unit among CU (or CU-control plane, CU-UP), DU, and RU in the embodiments of this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software modules and hardware modules.

[0065] Optionally, network device 101 can also be a server, wearable device, vehicle, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, the network device can be an RSU (Roadside Unit). Optionally, network device can also be a control unit in autonomous driving, a central controller in a smart factory / smart home, or a handheld or automatic control remote sensor for flight equipment. Optionally, network device can also be a control device such as a central control unit or control panel, like a drone controller or a control unit in industrial control. All or part of the functions of the network device in this application can also be implemented through software functions running on hardware, or through virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform). The network device in this application can also be a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the network device functions.

[0066] The form of the network device is not limited in the embodiments of this application. The device used to implement the function of the network device can be the network device itself, or it can be a device that supports the network device in implementing the function, such as a chip system. The device can be installed in the network device or used in conjunction with the network device.

[0067] Terminal equipment 102 is a device, equipment, module, chip, or chip system with transceiver functions. It 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 device, etc. Terminal equipment can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grid, smart home, smart office, smart wearables, intelligent transportation, and smart cities, etc.

[0068] The terminal devices in the embodiments of this application may be mobile phones, cellular phones, smartphones, tablets, mice, remote controls, styluses, set-top boxes, routers, cameras, screens, smart screens, wireless data frame cards, personal digital assistant computers (PDAs), wireless modems, handsets, laptop computers, smartwatches, smart bracelets, wireless headphones, electronic whiteboards, 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, washing machines, rice cookers, table lamps, electricity meters, etc.), smart robots, robotic arms, workshop equipment, wireless terminals in autonomous driving, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical care, wireless terminals in smart grids, and transportation safety devices. Wireless terminals in various applications include those related to safety, smart cities, smart homes, in-vehicle terminals, in-vehicle screens, in-vehicle audio systems, car keys, roadside units (RSUs) with terminal functions, and flying equipment (e.g., intelligent robots, hot air balloons, drones, airplanes). The terminal equipment in this application can also be an in-vehicle module, in-vehicle component, in-vehicle chip, or in-vehicle unit integrated into a vehicle as one or more components or units. The terminal equipment can also be other devices with terminal functions; for example, it can be a device that functions as a terminal in device-to-device (D2D) communication.

[0069] The embodiments of this application do not limit the form of the terminal device. The device used to implement the function of the terminal device can be the terminal device itself; it can also be a device that supports the terminal device in implementing the function, 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.

[0070] It should be noted that the solutions in the embodiments of this application can also be applied to other communication systems, and the corresponding names can be replaced by the names of the corresponding functions in other communication systems.

[0071] It is understood that the structure of the communication system shown in Figure 1 does not constitute a specific limitation on the communication system. In other embodiments of this application, the communication system may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The components shown may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0072] In one possible implementation, please refer to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application. The terminal device 200 includes the following communication components: a main controller 201, a main controller memory 202, a wireless controller 203, a wireless baseband 204, and a radio frequency (RF) 205. The wireless controller 203, the wireless baseband 204, and the RF 205 can be located in a single wireless chip and connected via an on-chip bus (also known as an internal interconnect). The main controller 201, the main controller memory 202, and the wireless chip are connected via a bus 206.

[0073] Data generated by the application (APP) on the main controller 201, after being cached in the main controller's memory 202, needs to be transmitted to the wireless controller 203 via the bus for further caching. Then, it waits for the wireless baseband 204 to access the channel before activating the radio frequency 205 to transmit signals.

[0074] In another possible implementation, please refer to Figure 3, which is a schematic diagram of another terminal device provided in this application embodiment. The communication components included in this terminal device are the same as those in Figure 2. Unlike Figure 2, in Figure 3, the main controller 201 and the wireless controller 203 can be located in a single control chip and connected via an on-chip bus. The wireless baseband 204 and the radio frequency 205 can be located in a single wireless chip and connected via an on-chip bus. The control chip, the main controller's memory 202, and the wireless chip are connected via bus 206.

[0075] The data generated by the application (APP) on the main controller 201 is cached in the main controller's memory 202 and then the radio frequency 205 is activated to transmit the signal after the wireless baseband 204 accesses the channel.

[0076] The main controller 201 integrates multiple functions such as a processor, memory, and input / output interfaces, and can provide computing and data processing functions for terminal devices. It may include a system-on-chip (SoC).

[0077] The main controller's memory 202 may include random access memory (RAM), such as double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR).

[0078] The wireless controller 203 may include a wireless SoC, which integrates a processor, memory, input / output interfaces, and other functions to enable the terminal device to achieve wireless communication. For example, the terminal device may be a device based on a wireless local area network (WiFi) communication protocol, and accordingly, the wireless controller may include a WiFi SoC.

[0079] The wireless baseband 204 has functions such as digital signal processing, modulation / demodulation, encoding / decoding, and signal processing. In scenarios where the terminal device adopts the WiFi protocol, the wireless baseband accordingly includes a WiFi baseband, which can be, for example, a WiFi digital baseband (DBB).

[0080] Radio frequency 205 is used to modulate the baseband signal transmitted by wireless baseband 204 from the low-frequency band to the high-frequency band. The high-frequency signal is then amplified by a subsequent power amplifier and filtered by a filter before being transmitted through the antenna. The received signal undergoes the reverse process.

[0081] Buses can include: peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) bus, universal serial bus (USB) and secure digital input and output card (SDIO) bus, etc.

[0082] Please refer to Figure 4, which is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. This method can be applied to terminal devices, such as any of the terminal devices shown in Figures 1 to 3. The method may include the following processes:

[0083] 301. When the first communication component in the data transmission path of the terminal device is in a sleep state, the data frame to be sent is buffered in the memory of the main controller. The data transmission path includes the following communication components: wireless controller, wireless baseband, radio frequency and bus. The first communication component includes at least one communication component in the data transmission path.

[0084] The data frame to be sent can be data generated by the terminal device's APP. In one possible implementation, the terminal device can select different sending strategies based on the latency-sensitive characteristics of the data frame. When the first communication component is in a sleep state and the data frame to be sent is not latency-sensitive, the data frame to be sent can be cached in the main controller's memory. When the first communication component is in a sleep state and the data frame to be sent is latency-sensitive, the first communication component can be woken up immediately and the data frame can be sent to ensure service performance. Referring to Figure 2 or Figure 3 above, the main controller 201 can identify whether the data frame to be sent is latency-sensitive.

[0085] By introducing latency-sensitive features, the transmission scheduling of services is designed based on latency sensitivity, thereby reducing the power consumption of data transmission paths without affecting the latency indicators of latency-sensitive services.

[0086] Non-latency-sensitive data refers to data that is not sensitive to time delays. This type of data can tolerate relatively large delays during transmission and processing. Therefore, buffering non-latency-sensitive data before it is sent usually does not affect business performance. For example, non-latency-sensitive data can include: background traffic (such as intermittent background traffic or background traffic with low traffic volume), static data, historical data, non-real-time reporting data, and backup data.

[0087] Background traffic refers to communication traffic generated in a communication system without a specific target interaction; it is typically other data traffic unrelated to the current communication session. Examples include traffic generated by the following types of communication services: app keep-alive, system processes and services, network protocol communication, broadcast and multicast communication, network scanning and security detection, and network service discovery.

[0088] As an example, the first communication component may include a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, and a radio frequency (RF) signal. As yet another example, the first communication component may include an RF signal.

[0089] 302. When at least one first communication component is awakened by a wake-up event, the data frame cached in the memory of the main controller is sent through the data transmission path.

[0090] Upon triggering a wake-up event, at least one first communication component will transition from a sleep state to a wake-up state. For example, a wake-up event may include the arrival of a TIM time, the arrival of a DTIM time, or the first communication component reaching the listening interval after a period of sleep.

[0091] The TIM moment refers to the moment when the terminal device receives the beacon frame, while the DTIM moment refers to the moment when the terminal device receives the DTIM message, i.e., the moment the DTIM cycle ends. In the 802.11 protocol, the terminal device notifies the network device to enter sleep mode by sending a data frame with a power-saving flag. The network device temporarily stores the terminal device's broadcast and multicast frames. The network device sends beacon frames to the terminal device at beacon intervals. These beacon frames contain TIM information to indicate whether the terminal device has data waiting to be transmitted. DTIM is a special type of TIM; the DTIM cycle refers to the configured interval of how many beacon frames, and the next beacon frame will carry DTIM information.

[0092] If the first communication component only includes radio frequency (RF), it will be awake and receive beacon frames during the TIM (Time Indicator) period. If the first communication component includes not only RF but also a wireless controller and / or wireless baseband, it will be awake and receive beacon frames during the DTIM (Time To Live) period. That is, the first communication component wakes up according to the DTIM cycle and remains in sleep mode outside of DTIM periods. After receiving the beacon frame, the terminal device reads the buffer flag according to the assigned association identifier (AID). If a TIM indication is read, it sends a data frame with a non-energy-saving flag to the network device to notify it that it is awake. The network device then sends the buffered data frame to the terminal device.

[0093] During TIM or DTIM, in this embodiment of the application, while waking up at least one first communication component to receive beacon frames, buffered data frames are sent. Uplink and downlink bidirectional interaction are completed in one wake-up, thereby extending the TIM function of the protocol.

[0094] It should be noted that at least one first communication component initiates the wake-up process before the TIM or DTIM time, and has already entered the wake-up state at the TIM or DTIM time.

[0095] In the 802.11 standard, the listening interval represents the number of beacon frame intervals between two wake-ups of a terminal device. The listening interval is user-defined by the terminal device. For example, the DTIM period or preset duration can be 100 milliseconds (ms), 200ms, 300ms, 400ms, 500ms, 600ms, 700ms, or 800ms, etc.

[0096] In one possible implementation, the wake-up event may also include the presence of a latency-sensitive data frame to be sent. To avoid impacting service performance, the latency-sensitive data frame needs to be sent immediately. Therefore, the wake-up event includes the presence of a latency-sensitive data frame to be sent, enabling at least one first communication component to immediately enter a wake-up state to send the latency-sensitive data frame.

[0097] Taking a first communication component comprising a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, and a radio frequency (RF) as an example, in one possible implementation, the wireless baseband and RF are in a wake-up state upon triggering a wake-up event, while the wireless controller is in a sleep state. When transmitting data frames buffered in the master controller's memory, the wireless baseband and RF autonomously transmit the data. In another possible implementation, the wireless controller, wireless baseband, and RF are in a wake-up state upon triggering a wake-up event. When transmitting data frames buffered in the master controller's memory, the wireless controller controls the data transmission.

[0098] For example, when the link state is stable, the wireless baseband and radio frequency can be woken up upon triggering a wake-up event. When the link state is unstable, the wireless controller, wireless baseband, and radio frequency can be woken up upon triggering a wake-up event. Scenarios with stable link states include, but are not limited to: the location of the terminal device remains unchanged and the channel conditions remain unchanged. Scenarios with unstable link states include, but are not limited to: a decrease or increase in the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the received beacon frame and an increase in detected channel interference.

[0099] The wireless controller is used to configure channel parameters. When the link is stable, the channel parameters are usually constant, so the wireless baseband can autonomously transmit data frames using the previously configured channel parameters without the wireless controller's intervention. When the link is unstable, the channel parameters are usually constantly changing, therefore the wireless controller needs to be woken up to reconfigure the channel parameters. The wireless baseband then transmits data frames according to the configured channel parameters.

[0100] In one possible implementation, data frames cached in the main controller's memory can be aggregated and sent via a data transmission path. Compared to the single-frame transmission of existing technologies, this embodiment of the application waits for the first communication component to be woken up by a wake-up event before aggregating and sending the cached data frames, enabling multiple frame transmissions to be completed with a single channel contention, thus reducing RF power consumption.

[0101] In this embodiment, after sending the data frames cached in the main controller's memory, if no data frames are to be received, the first communication component can immediately enter a sleep state. For example, if at least one of the first communication components enters a wake-up state triggered by the arrival of a TIM or DTIM time, the beacon frame received by the terminal device indicates whether a data frame is to be received. If the beacon frame indicates that no data frame is to be received, the first communication component immediately enters a sleep state after sending the data frames cached in the main controller's memory. If the beacon frame indicates that a data frame is to be received, the component listens for a preset duration after sending the data frames cached in the main controller's memory and receiving data from the peer. If no data is to be received during the listening period, the component enters a sleep state.

[0102] In related technologies, after sending a data frame, the terminal device needs to wait for a certain period of time (e.g., 40ms) before entering a sleep state. However, in the embodiments of this application, when there is no data frame to be received after sending a data frame, the first communication component immediately enters a sleep state, eliminating the invalid waiting time caused by single-frame transmission, thereby accelerating the fast sleep process of the first communication component.

[0103] When transmitting buffered data frames through the data transmission path, if the bus is in a sleep state, the bus will be woken up to transmit the data frames.

[0104] Please refer to Figure 5, which is a flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. This method can be applied to terminal devices, such as any of the terminal devices shown in Figures 1 to 3. Figure 5 illustrates the method using an example where the first communication component includes a WiFi controller, a WiFi baseband, and a radio frequency. The method may include the following processes:

[0105] First, it is determined whether the data frame to be sent is time-sensitive. If the data frame to be sent is time-sensitive, the data frame is sent via the bus, WiFi controller, WiFi baseband, and radio frequency.

[0106] If the data frame to be sent is not a time-sensitive data frame, it is first determined whether the first communication component is in a sleep state. If the first communication component is not in a sleep state, the aforementioned time-sensitive data transmission process is executed, that is, the data frame is sent through the bus, WiFi controller, WiFi baseband, and radio frequency.

[0107] If the first communication component is in a sleep state, the data frames to be sent are buffered in the main controller's memory. For each data frame to be sent, the aforementioned process is executed.

[0108] Simultaneously, it's necessary to determine if a wake-up event has occurred. If no wake-up event occurs, the aforementioned process continues for each data frame to be sent. If a wake-up event occurs, the WiFi baseband and radio frequency (RF) are woken up. Whether the WiFi controller is woken up depends on the link status. If the link status is stable, the WiFi controller goes into sleep mode for transmission. If the link status is unstable, the WiFi controller is woken up for transmission. Data frames are then sent via the WiFi baseband and RF.

[0109] This application uses the terminal device architectures shown in Figures 2 and 3 as examples to illustrate the transmission process of non-latency-sensitive data frames. For the architecture shown in Figure 2, the data frames cached in the main controller's memory need to be transmitted to the wireless controller's memory via the main controller and bus. Then, the wireless controller's memory is accessed through the data transmission path, and the data frames cached in the wireless controller's memory are sent. For the architecture shown in Figure 3, it is not necessary to transmit the data frames cached in the main controller's memory to the wireless controller's memory; the main controller's memory can be accessed directly through the data transmission path, and the data frames cached in the main controller's memory can be sent.

[0110] Please refer to Figures 6 to 8, which are schematic diagrams of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figures 6 to 8 are the architecture shown in Figure 2. First, as shown in Figure 6, the main controller 201 caches the data frames to be sent (e.g., data generated by the APP on the main controller) in the main controller's memory 202, and the bus 206 remains in a sleep state.

[0111] In the event of a wake-up event, as shown in Figure 7, after waking up bus 206, the main controller 201 transmits the data frames cached in the main controller's memory 202 to the memory of the wireless controller 203 via bus 206. Although the wireless chip in Figure 7 is in sleep mode, it still includes a constant-power area, and bus 206 can be woken up by this area. During data transmission on bus 206, the core of the wireless controller 203 is not woken up; the background control of the wireless controller 203 completes the data transmission on bus 206 and caches it in local memory.

[0112] As shown in Figure 8, in one example, the wireless baseband 204 schedules data frames buffered in the memory of the wireless controller 203 and transmits these buffered data frames via the radio frequency 205. If no data frames are to be received, the wireless controller 203 immediately goes into sleep mode after transmitting the buffered data frames. In this example, the wireless controller 203 is not woken up. This example can be applied to the following scenario: assuming the wake-up event occurs at the DTIM time, and the received beacon frame does not require processing by the wireless controller 203, the wireless controller 203 is in sleep mode. In this case, the buffered data frames can be transmitted according to this example, provided the link status is stable.

[0113] In another example, the wireless controller 203 schedules data frames cached in its memory and transmits them via the wireless baseband 204 and radio frequency 205. If no data frames are to be received, the wireless controller 203 immediately goes into sleep mode after transmitting the cached data frames. This example requires waking the wireless controller 203. This example can be applied to the following scenarios: 1. Assuming the wake-up event is the arrival of a DTIM time, and the received beacon frame needs to be processed by the wireless controller 203, the wireless controller 203 is in a woken-up state. In this case, the cached data frames can be transmitted directly according to this example; 2. Assuming the wake-up event is the presence of a time-sensitive data frame to be transmitted, the wireless controller 203 will be woken up to transmit the time-sensitive data frame, and the cached data frames can be transmitted directly according to this example; 3. If the wireless controller 203 remains in sleep mode after the wake-up event, the cached data frames can be transmitted according to this example even when the link state is unstable.

[0114] Please refer to Figures 9 and 10, which are schematic diagrams of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application. Figures 9 and 10 are the architecture shown in Figure 3. First, as shown in Figure 9, the main controller 201 caches the data frames to be sent (e.g., data generated by the APP on the main controller) in the main controller's memory 202, while the wireless controller 203 and the bus 206 remain in sleep mode.

[0115] In the event of a wake-up event, as shown in Figure 10, bus 206 is woken up first, while wireless controller 203 remains in sleep mode. Although the wireless chip in Figure 10 is in sleep mode, it still includes a constant-power area, and bus 206 can be woken up by the constant-power area.

[0116] In another example, the wireless baseband 204 directly schedules the data frames buffered in the main controller's memory 202 via bus 206 and transmits the buffered data frames via radio frequency 205. If there are no data frames to be received, the wireless controller 203 immediately goes into sleep mode after transmitting the buffered data frames. In this example, the wireless controller 203 is not woken up. The scenarios to which this example can be applied can be referred to the relevant description of the example in Figure 8 where the wireless controller 203 is not woken up; this embodiment will not be elaborated upon here.

[0117] In another example, the wireless controller 203 directly schedules the data frames cached in the main controller's memory 202 and transmits them via the wireless baseband 204 and radio frequency 205. If no data frames are to be received, the wireless controller 203 immediately goes into sleep mode after transmitting the data frames cached in its memory. This example requires waking up the wireless controller 203. The applicable scenarios for this example can be found in the description of the example of waking up the wireless controller 203 in Figure 8, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0118] The power consumption benefits of this application embodiment are explained below based on the data frame interaction process from an air interface perspective. Please refer to Figure 11, which is a schematic diagram of data frame interaction and chip power-saving state timing from an air interface perspective provided by an embodiment of this application. Figure 11 takes the arrival of the DTIM wake-up event as an example. Figure 11 includes Figure (a) and Figure (b), which respectively show the chip power-saving state timing of related technologies and embodiments of this application under the same communication process. As shown in Figures (a) and (b), the DTIM interval is 3 times the TIM interval. The network device sends a beacon frame to the terminal device every TIM interval. Figure (a) or Figure (b) shows a total of 6 beacon frames. The first and fourth beacon frames carry DTIM messages, and the remaining beacon frames carry TIM messages. The terminal device enters the wake-up state and receives beacon frames at the DTIM moment, and remains in the sleep state at the TIM moment.

[0119] As shown in Figure (a), in the related technology, the terminal device wakes up the first communication component and immediately sends the data frame when there is a data frame to be sent. Starting from the sending of the first data frame, the first communication component is woken up a total of 6 times (including 5 wake-ups triggered by the existence of a data frame to be sent and 1 wake-up triggered by the arrival of the DTIM time).

[0120] As shown in Figure (b), in this embodiment, the terminal device wakes up the first communication component and aggregates and sends the buffered data frames when the DTIM time arrives. At the second DTIM time, the first communication component wakes up to receive beacon frames, and after receiving the beacon frames, it sends all the buffered beacon frames at once. Therefore, compared to related technologies, this embodiment reduces the number of times the first communication component is woken up from 6 times to 1 time.

[0121] Assume that the time cost of activating the first communication component for transmission is 40ms and the power consumption is 10mA. The time cost of receiving each beacon frame is 1ms and the power consumption is 2mA. As shown in Figure (a), in the related technology, the time for the first communication component to be in the wake-up state to send data frames is 201ms (200ms total time cost of activating the first communication component for transmission 5 times + 1ms time cost of receiving the second beacon frame carrying the DTIM message), and the power consumption is 52milliampere (mA) (200ms total power consumption cost of activating the first communication component for transmission 5 times + 2mA power consumption cost of receiving the second beacon frame carrying the DTIM message).

[0122] As shown in Figure (b), in this embodiment, the first communication component is in a wake-up state for 2ms to send a data frame (1ms for sending one data frame + 1ms for receiving the second beacon frame carrying the DTIM message), and the power consumption is 12mA (10mA for sending one data frame + 2mA for receiving the second beacon frame carrying the DTIM message). Compared to related technologies, the power consumption of this embodiment is improved by 80% in Figure 11.

[0123] In summary, the communication method provided in this application, when the first communication component in the data transmission path of the terminal device is in a sleep state, caches the data frame to be sent in the memory of the main controller. Then, when at least one of the first communication components is awakened by a wake-up event, the cached data frame in the main controller's memory is sent through the data transmission path. The data transmission path includes the following communication components: a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, a radio frequency (RF) component, and a bus. The first communication component includes at least one of the communication components in the data transmission path. For the data frame to be sent, if the first communication component is currently awakened, the data frame can be sent through the data transmission path. If the first communication component is in a sleep state, it will not be actively awakened to send the data frame; instead, the data frame is cached first, and the cached data frame is sent after the first communication component is passively awakened by a wake-up event. This sending method reduces the number of wake-up events and the working time of the communication components in the data transmission path, thus reducing the power consumption of these communication components. Furthermore, when the first communication component includes a wireless controller, the wireless controller can be controlled to be in a sleep state to send the cached data frame, thereby further reducing the power consumption of the terminal device. For example, when the wake-up event arrives at DTIM time, at least one first communication component is periodically woken up according to the DTIM interval to perform data frame aggregation and transmission. At least one first communication component is powered on and operates for a period of time only at the DTIM time.

[0124] The embodiments of this application can be applied to business scenarios with intermittent background traffic or low traffic volume. This type of background traffic is not sensitive to latency, which solves the problem in related technologies that such background traffic will frequently wake up the first communication component and increase the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0125] The order of the methods provided in the embodiments of this application can be adjusted appropriately, and the process can also be added or removed as appropriate. Any variations 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 protection scope of this application, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0126] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. The electronic device 400 can be a terminal device or a chip or functional module in a terminal device. As shown in Figure 12, the electronic device 400 includes a processor 401, a transceiver 402, and a communication line 403.

[0127] The processor 401 is used to execute any step in the aforementioned method embodiments, and when performing processes such as sending adaptive measurement results and receiving Gap configuration and inter-frequency measurement configuration, it can selectively call the transceiver 402 and the communication line 403 to complete the corresponding operations.

[0128] Furthermore, the electronic device 400 may also include a memory 404. The processor 401, memory 404, and transceiver 402 can be connected via a communication line 403.

[0129] Transceiver 402 is used to communicate with other devices or other communication networks, such as Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), etc. Transceiver 402 can be a module, circuit, transceiver, or any device capable of enabling communication.

[0130] The transceiver 402 is mainly used for sending and receiving frames, etc., and may include a transmitter and a receiver to send and receive frames, respectively. Operations other than sending and receiving frames are implemented by the processor, such as buffering data frames to be sent.

[0131] Communication line 403 is used to transmit information between the various components included in electronic device 400.

[0132] In one design, the processor can be viewed as a logic circuit, and the transceiver as an interface circuit.

[0133] Memory 404 is used to store instructions. These instructions can be computer programs.

[0134] It should be noted that the memory 404 can exist independently of the processor 401, or it can be integrated with the processor 401. The memory 404 can be used to store instructions, program code, or data frames, etc. The memory 404 can be located inside or outside the electronic device 400, without limitation. The processor 401 is used to execute the instructions stored in the memory 404 to implement the methods provided in the above embodiments of this application.

[0135] In one example, processor 401 may include one or more processors, such as processor 0 and processor 1 in Figure 12.

[0136] As an alternative implementation, the electronic device 400 may include multiple processors, for example, in addition to the processor 401 in FIG12, it may also include a processor 407.

[0137] As an optional implementation, the electronic device 400 also includes an output device 405 and an input device 406. For example, the input device 406 is a device such as a keyboard, mouse, microphone, or joystick, and the output device 405 is a device such as a display screen or speaker.

[0138] It should be noted that the electronic device 400 can be a chip system or a device with a similar structure to that shown in Figure 12. The chip system can be composed of chips or include chips and other discrete components. Actions, terms, etc., involved in the various embodiments of this application can be referred to mutually without limitation. The message names or parameter names in the messages used for interaction between devices in the embodiments of this application are merely examples; other names can be used in specific implementations without limitation. Furthermore, the composition structure shown in Figure 12 does not constitute a limitation on the electronic device 400. In addition to the components shown in Figure 12, the electronic device 400 may include more or fewer components than shown in Figure 12, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0139] The processor and transceiver described in this application can be implemented on integrated circuits (ICs), analog ICs, radio frequency integrated circuits, mixed-signal ICs, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), electronic devices, etc. The processor and transceiver can also be manufactured using various IC process technologies, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS), n-metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS), p-type metal oxide semiconductors (PMOS), bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS), silicon germanium (SiGe), gallium arsenide (GaAs), etc.

[0140] The foregoing primarily describes the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application from the perspective of the device. It is understood that, in order to achieve the above functions, the device includes corresponding hardware structures and / or software modules for executing each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the algorithm steps of the examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application 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.

[0141] This application embodiment can divide the device into functional modules according to the above method example. For example, each function can be divided into its own functional modules, or two or more functions can be integrated into one terminal device. The integrated modules can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules. It should be noted that the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0142] Figure 13 is a block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. When each functional module is divided according to its corresponding function, the communication device 500 may include a processing module 501 and a transceiver module 502. Exemplarily, the communication device may be a terminal device, or a chip in the terminal device, or other combined devices or components having the aforementioned communication device functions. When the communication device 500 is a terminal device, the processing module 501 may be a processor (or processing circuit), such as a baseband processor, which may include one or more central processing units (CPUs). When the communication device 500 is a device or component having the aforementioned functions, the processing module 501 may be a processor (or processing circuit), such as a baseband processor. When the communication device 500 is a chip system, the processing module 501 may be a processor (or processing circuit) of the chip system, and may include one or more central processing units. It should be understood that the processing module 501 in the embodiments of this application may be implemented by a processor or processor-related circuit components (or, referred to as processing circuits).

[0143] For example, the processing module 501 is used to buffer the data frame to be sent in the memory of the main controller when the first communication component in the data transmission path of the terminal device is in a sleep state. The data transmission path includes the following communication components: wireless controller, wireless baseband, radio frequency and bus. The first communication component includes at least one communication component in the data transmission path.

[0144] The transceiver module 502 is used to send data frames cached in the memory of the main controller through the data transmission path when at least one first communication component is awakened by a wake-up event.

[0145] In combination with the above scheme, the first communication component includes a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, and a radio frequency; when a wake-up event is triggered, the wireless baseband and radio frequency are in a wake-up state, while the wireless controller is in a sleep state.

[0146] In combination with the above scheme, the first communication component includes a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, and a radio frequency (RF). When a wake-up event is triggered, the wireless controller, the wireless baseband, and the RF are in a wake-up state.

[0147] In combination with the above scheme, the first communication component includes radio frequency (RF), which is in a wake-up state when triggered by a wake-up event.

[0148] In conjunction with the above scheme, the main controller's memory and the wireless controller are connected via a bus, and the wireless controller, wireless baseband, and radio frequency are connected via an on-chip bus; the transceiver module 502 is specifically used for: transmitting data frames cached in the main controller's memory to the wireless controller's memory via the main controller and the bus; accessing the wireless controller's memory through the data transmission path and sending data frames cached in the wireless controller's memory.

[0149] In combination with the above scheme, the memory of the main controller and the wireless controller are connected through an on-chip bus. The memory of the main controller and the wireless controller are respectively connected to the wireless baseband through a bus. The wireless baseband and the radio frequency are connected through an on-chip bus. The transceiver module 502 is specifically used to access the memory of the main controller through the data transmission path and send the data frames cached in the memory of the main controller.

[0150] In conjunction with the above scheme, the transceiver module 502 is specifically used to aggregate and send data frames cached in the memory of the main controller through the data transmission path.

[0151] Based on the above scheme, the wake-up events include: the arrival of the TIM time, the arrival of the DTIM time, and the sleep duration of the first communication component reaching the listening interval.

[0152] In conjunction with the above scheme, the wake-up event is the arrival of the TIM time or the DTIM time. The transceiver module 502 is also used to receive beacon frames, which are used to indicate whether there are any data frames to be received. In the case that the beacon frame indicates that there are no data frames to be received, the first communication component immediately enters a sleep state after sending the data frames cached in the memory of the main controller.

[0153] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication device is applicable to the scenarios shown in the above-described method embodiments. For ease of explanation, Figure 14 only shows the main components of the communication device, including a processor, memory, control circuit, and input / output devices. The processor is mainly used to process communication protocols and communication data frames, execute software programs, and process the data frames of the software programs. The memory is mainly used to store software programs and data frames. The control circuit is mainly used for power supply and the transmission of various electrical signals. The input / output devices are mainly used to receive data frames input by the user and output data frames to the user.

[0154] When the communication device is a terminal device, the control circuit can be a motherboard, the memory includes storage media such as hard disks, RAM, and ROM, and the processor can include a baseband processor and a central processing unit (CPU). The baseband processor is mainly used to process communication protocols and communication data frames, while the CPU is mainly used to control the entire communication device, execute software programs, and process data frames from the software programs. Input / output devices include displays, keyboards, and mice. The control circuit can further include or be connected to transceiver circuits or transceivers, such as network cable interfaces, for sending or receiving data frames or signals, such as for data frame transmission and communication with other devices. Furthermore, it can also include an antenna for sending and receiving messages, for transmitting data frames / requests with other devices.

[0155] According to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, this application also provides a computer program product, which includes computer program code. When the computer program code is run on a computer, it causes the computer to execute any of the methods described in the embodiments of this application.

[0156] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium. All or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be executed by a computer or a communication-enabled device using computer programs or instructions to control related hardware. The computer program or set of instructions can be stored in the computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the computer program or set of instructions can include the processes described in the above method embodiments. The computer-readable storage medium can be an internal storage unit of the terminal device in any of the foregoing embodiments, such as the hard disk or memory of the terminal device. The computer-readable storage medium can also be an external storage device of the terminal device, such as a plug-in hard disk, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc. Further, the computer-readable storage medium can include both internal storage units and external storage devices of the terminal device. The computer-readable storage medium is used to store the computer program or instructions and other programs and data frames required by the terminal device. The computer-readable storage medium can also be used to temporarily store data frames that have been output or will be output.

[0157] 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.

[0158] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working process of the device described above can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0159] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of 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.

[0160] 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.

[0161] 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.

[0162] 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 (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.

[0163] 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 technical scope 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, Applied to a terminal device, the method includes: When the first communication component in the data transmission path of the terminal device is in a sleep state, the data frame to be sent is cached in the memory of the main controller. The data transmission path includes the following communication components: wireless controller, wireless baseband, radio frequency and bus. The first communication component includes at least one communication component in the data transmission path. When at least one of the first communication components is awakened by a wake-up event, the data frame cached in the memory of the main controller is sent through the data transmission path.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first communication component includes the wireless controller, the wireless baseband, and the radio frequency; When the wake-up event is triggered, the wireless baseband and the radio frequency are in a wake-up state, while the wireless controller is in a sleep state.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first communication component includes a wireless controller, a wireless baseband, and a radio frequency (RF). When the wake-up event is triggered, the wireless controller, the wireless baseband, and the RF are in the wake-up state.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first communication component includes the radio frequency, which is in the wake-up state when the wake-up event is triggered.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The memory of the main controller is connected to the wireless controller via the bus, and the wireless controller, the wireless baseband, and the radio frequency are connected via an on-chip bus. When at least one of the first communication components is awakened by a wake-up event, sending the data frame cached in the main controller's memory through the data transmission path includes: The data frames cached in the memory of the main controller are transmitted to the memory of the wireless controller via the main controller and the bus. Access the memory of the wireless controller through the data transmission path and send the data frames cached in the memory of the wireless controller.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The memory of the main controller is connected to the wireless controller via an on-chip bus. The memory of the main controller and the wireless controller are respectively connected to the wireless baseband via the bus. The wireless baseband is connected to the radio frequency via an on-chip bus. When at least one of the first communication components is awakened by a wake-up event, sending the data frame cached in the main controller's memory through the data transmission path includes: Access the main controller's memory through the data transmission path and send the data frames cached in the main controller's memory.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The step of sending the data frames cached in the main controller's memory through the data transmission path includes: Data frames cached in the main controller's memory are aggregated and sent through the data transmission path.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The wake-up events include: the arrival of the Traffic Indication Bitmap (TIM) time, the arrival of the Transmission Traffic Indication Bitmap (DTIM) time, and the sleep duration of the first communication component reaching the listening interval.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The wake-up event is the arrival of either the TIM time or the DTIM time, and the method further includes: Receive a beacon frame, the beacon frame being used to indicate whether there is a data frame to be received; Wherein, if the beacon frame indicates that there is no data frame to be received, the first communication component immediately enters the sleep state after sending the data frame cached in the memory of the main controller.

10. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes: One or more processors; Memory, used to store one or more computer programs or instructions; When the one or more computer programs or instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A computer program product containing instructions, characterized in that, When the instructions are executed by the computing device, the computing device performs the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores program code that, when executed by a processor, implements the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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