Multi-carrier use method, apparatus, and storage medium

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of communications, and provides a multi-carrier use method, an apparatus, and a storage medium, for use in improving the network performance of wireless communication systems. The method comprises: simultaneously using at most M carriers for transmission in a switching mode based on a switching pattern, wherein the M carriers belong to N carriers that are configured for a first node and have already been activated, M is less than N, and both M and N are positive integers.

Description

Multi-carrier usage methods, devices and storage media

[0001] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202510062150.3, filed on January 14, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a method, apparatus and storage medium for using multiple carriers. Background Technology

[0003] In wireless communication systems, multiple carriers can be configured and used simultaneously to support higher peak rates and greater network capacity. However, in some scenarios, the simultaneous use of multiple carriers presents certain problems. For example, frequency band A may be located within the duplex gap of frequency band B; the blocking band between the uplink of frequency band B and the downlink of frequency band A may be too small; the spacing between the uplink of frequency band A and the downlink of frequency band B may be too small; or there may be overlap between the downlink of frequency band A and the uplink of frequency band B. Another example is that a terminal with only a single antenna cannot support two frequency bands simultaneously. Existing technologies can avoid these situations by adding / removing or activating / deactivating secondary cells for the terminal, but this is inefficient due to slow processing time, thus reducing the network performance of the wireless communication system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a multi-carrier usage method, apparatus, and storage medium for improving the transmission performance of wireless communication systems.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present disclosure adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] In a first aspect, a multi-carrier usage method is provided, the method being applied to a first node, the method comprising:

[0007] Transmission is carried out simultaneously using up to M carriers based on a switching pattern. The M carriers are N carriers that are configured and activated for the first node, M is less than N, and both M and N are positive integers.

[0008] In a second aspect, a communication device is provided, which is applied to a first node, the device comprising:

[0009] The processing unit is used to transmit simultaneously using M carriers through a switching method based on a switching pattern.

[0010] For example, M carriers belong to N carriers configured and activated for the first node, where M is less than N and both M and N are positive integers.

[0011] Thirdly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a memory and a processor; the memory and the processor are coupled; the memory is used to store instructions executable by the processor; and the processor executes the instructions and performs the method provided in the first aspect above.

[0012] Fourthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which computer instructions are stored, which, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method provided in the first aspect above; the computer-readable medium includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

[0013] Fifthly, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product including computing technology program instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the method provided in the first aspect above.

[0014] In this embodiment of the disclosure, by using a switching method based on a switching pattern, switching is performed between carriers pre-configured and activated for the first node, which shortens the carrier switching time and improves the network performance of the wireless communication system. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The accompanying drawings are provided to further understand the technical solutions of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this disclosure to explain the technical solutions of the present invention and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a multi-carrier usage method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a switching pattern according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of another switching pattern according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of another switching pattern according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating bitmap information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a symbol index according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating another symbol index according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating another symbol index according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating another symbol index according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating another symbol index according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating another symbol index according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0031] Unless the context otherwise requires, throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprise" and its other forms, such as the third-person singular "comprises" and the present participle "comprising," are interpreted as open-ended and encompassing, meaning "including, but not limited to." In the description of the specification, terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "exemplary embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., are intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic associated with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this disclosure. The illustrative representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic may be included in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0032] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0033] In this disclosure, the terms "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in this disclosure should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of the terms "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0034] In addition, the use of "based on" implies openness and inclusivity, because processes, steps, calculations or other actions "based on" one or more conditions or values ​​can in practice be based on additional conditions or values ​​beyond those conditions.

[0035] The technical solutions provided in this disclosure can be applied to various mobile communication networks, such as New Radio (NR) mobile communication networks using 5th generation mobile networks (5G), future mobile communication networks, or multiple communication convergence systems, etc. This disclosure does not limit these applications.

[0036] The network architecture of the mobile communication network (including but not limited to 3G, 4G, 5G, and future mobile communication networks, such as 6G) in this disclosure embodiment may include network-side devices (e.g., including but not limited to base stations) and receiving-side devices (e.g., including but not limited to terminals). In this example, the first node can be a terminal and the second node can be a base station; or, the first node can be a base station and the second node can be a terminal; or, in the downlink carrier (DL carrier), the first communication node (also referred to as the first communication node device, the first node) can be a base station-side device, and the second communication node (also referred to as the second communication node device, the second node) can be a terminal-side device. Of course, in the uplink carrier (UL carrier), the first communication node can also be a terminal-side device, and the second communication node can also be a base station-side device. In device-to-device communication between the two communication nodes, both the first and second communication nodes can be base stations or terminals. The first and second communication nodes can be referred to as the first node and the second node, respectively.

[0037] For example, taking a network-side device as a base station and a receiving-side device as a terminal, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system includes multiple base stations (e.g., base station 100 and base station 101) and multiple terminals (e.g., terminal 110, terminal 111, terminal 112 and terminal 113). For example, the multiple base stations and multiple terminals can be communicatively connected.

[0038] In this disclosure, the base station can be a base station in Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTEA), or an evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB), a base station device in a 5G network, or a base station in a future communication system (e.g., 6). The base station can include various macro base stations, micro base stations, home base stations, wireless remote extensions, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs), routers, Wireless Fidelity (WIFI) devices, or various network-side devices such as primary cells and secondary cells.

[0039] In this disclosure, a terminal is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities that can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld, wearable, or vehicle-mounted; it can also be deployed on water (such as on ships); and it can be deployed in the air (e.g., on airplanes, balloons, and satellites). The terminal can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminal, augmented reality (AR) terminal, wireless terminal in industrial control, wireless terminal in self-driving, wireless terminal in remote medical care, wireless terminal in smart grid, wireless terminal in transportation safety, wireless terminal in smart city, wireless terminal in smart home, etc. The embodiments of this disclosure do not limit the application scenarios. A terminal may also be referred to as a user, user equipment (UE), access terminal, UE unit, UE station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, UE terminal, wireless communication equipment, UE agent, or UE device, etc. This disclosure is not limited to specific embodiments.

[0040] In this disclosure, higher-layer signaling includes, but is not limited to, Radio Resource Control (RRC), Media Access Control control element (MAC CE), and other signaling outside of physical layer signaling, such as LPP (LTE Positioning Protocol) higher-layer signaling, NRPPa (NR Positioning Protocol A) higher-layer signaling, and LPPa (LTE Positioning Protocol A) higher-layer signaling. For example, LPP is also used in the NR positioning protocol. Physical layer signaling can also be transmitted between the base station and the terminal, such as transmitting physical layer signaling on the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) and the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH).

[0041] In this disclosure, the indicators for various parameters can also be called indexes or identifiers (IDs). These are completely equivalent concepts and can be used interchangeably. For example, resource identifiers in a wireless system include, but are not limited to, one of the following: a reference signal resource, a group of reference signal resources, a reference signal resource configuration, a Channel State Information (CSI) report, a CSI report set, a terminal, a base station, a panel, a neural network model, a sub-neural network model, a neural network layer, a precoding matrix, a beam, a transmission mode, a transmit mode, a receive mode, a module, a model, a functional module, etc., corresponding to the index. The base station can indicate the identifier of one or a group of resources to the terminal through various higher-layer signaling and / or physical-layer signaling. The terminal can also feed back the identifier of one or a group of resources to the base station through various higher-layer signaling and / or physical-layer signaling.

[0042] In some embodiments, a time slot can be a slot or a mini-slot. A time slot or mini-slot includes at least one symbol. Here, a symbol refers to a time unit within a subframe, frame, or time slot, such as an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, a Single-carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) symbol, or an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) symbol. In most cases, the description uses a time slot as an example, which can be replaced with a time instance.

[0043] In some embodiments, transmission includes sending or receiving. For example, sending data or signals, or receiving data or signals.

[0044] In some embodiments, to improve data transmission rate and increase network capacity, parallel transmission between the terminal and the base station is performed using multiple carriers. In some examples, when multiple carriers transmit in parallel, a blocking band (guard band, guard interval) is configured between adjacent carriers to avoid spectral overlap between adjacent carriers and reduce mutual interference between carriers. An excessively wide blocking band will lead to a waste of spectrum resources, while an excessively narrow band may not be effective in preventing interference.

[0045] In some embodiments, the base station configures and activates carriers / cells for the terminal. In some examples, the base station allocates carrier resources to the terminal based on spectrum resources and the terminal's service requirements, specifically determining parameters such as carrier range, center frequency and bandwidth of each carrier, data transmission rate required by the terminal, latency requirements, and coverage area. Then, it generates carrier configuration information based on the allocated carrier resources, such as carrier identifier, frequency band, bandwidth, modulation scheme, and other key parameters. This carrier configuration information is then sent to the terminal via a wireless interface. In some examples, the terminal receives carrier configuration information from the base station through its radio frequency module, parses the carrier configuration information to obtain the key parameters of the carrier, and then activates the carrier configured by the terminal. In some examples, the base station instructs the terminal on carrier configuration information via higher-layer signaling such as MAC CE. In some examples, the base station initializes the cell, such as setting basic cell parameters like cell ID, frequency band, and bandwidth, and allocates necessary resources to the cell, such as channel and power. Then, based on the terminal's service requirements and network planning, it configures corresponding carrier resources for the cell. In some examples, when activating a cell, the base station sends corresponding indication signaling to the cell, instructing the cell to begin operation. In some examples, when a terminal accesses the network, it selects an appropriate cell for communication and transmits data with the base station.

[0046] In some embodiments, the base station deletes or deactivates a carrier / cell for a terminal. In some examples, the Network Management System (NMS) or Operation and Maintenance Center (OMC) receives a task or instruction to delete a cell / carrier and sends a configuration request for cell / carrier deletion to the base station through a specific signaling channel. Upon receiving the configuration request, the base station updates its internal configuration database and sends a notification of cell / carrier deletion to the terminal located within the cell via a radio interface. This notification may be sent via broadcast message or signaling. Upon receiving the notification, the terminal releases the resources associated with the cell / carrier. After confirming the deletion operation, the base station sends a confirmation message to the NMS / OMC indicating successful cell / carrier deletion, causing the NMS / OMC to update its network configuration database to reflect the current network status.

[0047] In some embodiments, the antenna is a physical antenna. In some examples, the antenna is a logical antenna. In some examples, the concepts of port and antenna are interchangeable. In some examples, the antenna is a transmitting antenna. In some examples, the antenna is a receiving antenna. In some examples, the antenna comprises an antenna pair consisting of a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna. In some examples, the antenna can be a uniform linear array. In some examples, the antenna is a uniform planar array, such as an array element / antenna comprising Ng rows and Mg columns, where Ng and Mg are positive integers. In some examples, the antenna is a uniform circular array. In some examples, the antenna can be a non-uniform linear array. In some examples, the antenna is a non-uniform planar array. In some examples, the antenna is a non-uniform circular array. In some examples, the antenna is a directional antenna, and in some examples, the antenna is an omnidirectional antenna. In some examples, the antenna is a dual-polarized antenna. In some examples, the antenna is a single-polarized antenna. In some examples, the terminal has a limited number of antennas, making it impossible to use multiple carriers for transmission simultaneously.

[0048] Next, as shown in Figure 2, this disclosure provides a multi-carrier usage method, which can be applied to a first node, and includes the following steps:

[0049] S201: Transmission is performed simultaneously using up to M carriers through a switching method based on a switching pattern. The M carriers belong to the N carriers configured and activated for the first node, or the M carriers belong to the N carriers configured for the first node. M is less than N, and both M and N are positive integers.

[0050] In some examples, N or X carriers are transmitted using a handover-based method, where X is less than N, X is not less than M, and X, M, and N are all positive integers.

[0051] For example, X or N represents the carrier involved in the handover process.

[0052] For example, when N=2, M=1, X=N=2, it means that the switching pattern is configured on two carriers, and these two carriers use a switching method based on the switching pattern for transmission.

[0053] When N=4, M=1, X=N=4, it means that the switching pattern is configured on 4 carriers, and these 4 carriers use a switching method based on the switching pattern for transmission.

[0054] When N=4, M=1, and X=2, it means that the switching pattern is configured on 2 of the 4 carriers, and these 2 carriers use a switching method based on the switching pattern for transmission.

[0055] When N=4, M=2, and X=3, it means that the switching pattern is configured on 3 of the 4 carriers, and these 3 carriers use a switching method based on the switching pattern for transmission.

[0056] In some examples, the cell responsible for primary communication between the first and second nodes is called the Primary Cell (PCell), which is typically active. Additional cells added to the PCell to provide wider network coverage or higher data transmission rates are called Secondary Cells (SCells). SCells provide additional radio resources to the first node, relieving the load on the PCell and improving network performance. The primary carrier is the carrier that supports the PCell. The secondary carrier is the carrier that carries additional data transmission tasks.

[0057] In some embodiments, M carriers are used for transmission because when some carriers overlap in frequency bands or are too close together, they are prone to mutual interference, affecting the quality of information transmission. Therefore, it is not possible to use these carriers for simultaneous transmission. Alternatively, it may be due to hardware limitations of the first node itself, which prevents the simultaneous use of N carriers for transmission. For example, if the first node has 3 antennas, it is not possible to use more than 3 carriers for transmission simultaneously.

[0058] In some embodiments, the N carriers include a primary carrier and a secondary carrier. The M carriers may include both a primary carrier and a secondary carrier, or they may include only a primary carrier or only a secondary carrier.

[0059] In one embodiment, the values ​​of M and N and the corresponding cell / carrier handover process include the following cases:

[0060] When N=2 and M=1, the first node switches from using PCell for transmission to using SCell for transmission, and then switches back to PCell after the carrier transmission in SCell is completed.

[0061] When N>2 and M=1, the first node switches from using PCell for transmission to using one of the SCells for transmission, and then switches back to PCell after the carrier transmission in the SCell is completed.

[0062] When N>2 and M=2, the first node switches from using PCell for transmission to using at most two SCells for transmission. After the SCell transmission is completed, one of the SCells switches back to PCell. Alternatively, PCell always remains in a transmittable state, and at most one SCell is in a transmittable state at any given time, i.e., dynamically switching between all SCells.

[0063] When N>M and M>2, the first node switches from using PCell for transmission to using at most M SCells for transmission. After the SCell transmission is completed, one of the SCells switches back to PCell. Alternatively, PCell always remains in a transmittable state, and at most M-1 SCells are in a transmittable state at any given time, i.e., dynamic switching between all SCells.

[0064] As an example, the above switching process preferably switches SCells with larger indices, while those with smaller indices do not need to be switched.

[0065] For example, an Index refers to a specific index or ID assigned to a SCell, and a SCell with a larger Index is one whose Index value is larger than that of other SCells.

[0066] A handover pattern-based handover method refers to a mode or strategy that uses a handover pattern to indicate or control the switching of a first node between multiple carriers. For example, a handover pattern can indicate the usage time of the first node on each carrier. This handover method can provide a relatively regular handover path and strategy, enabling the first node to quickly switch according to a pre-configured handover pattern during carrier switching. This reduces latency and jitter during the handover process, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the wireless communication system.

[0067] For example, pattern switching is determined by configuring the period and the usage time of the associated objects that switch patterns within the period.

[0068] In some embodiments, the configuration switching pattern also includes the usage time of non-associated objects of the configuration switching pattern within the period; or the usage time of non-associated objects within the period is implicitly obtained, that is, the remaining usage time within the period excluding the usage time of associated objects.

[0069] As an example, the same period may include only the usage time of associated objects, or the same period may include the usage time of both associated and non-associated objects. For example, as shown in Figure 3, period a is the duration of PCell, and period b is the sum of the duration of PCell and SCell.

[0070] For example, when the associated object is the primary carrier, the usage time of the primary carrier is configured within the handover pattern period. The remaining usage time, excluding the primary carrier's usage time, is the usage time of the non-associated object (e.g., the usage time of the secondary carrier is the usage time of the non-associated object). For instance, as shown in Figure 4, the handover pattern period and the usage time (Pcell duration) or operation duration (PCell operation duration) of the associated object's PCell are configured. The usage time (SCell duration) or operation duration (SCell operation duration) of the non-associated object's SCell is configured or implicitly obtained. When switching to an SCell, data is transmitted during the SCell duration; when switching to a PCell, data is transmitted during the PCell's Pcell duration.

[0071] In some embodiments, multiple handovers can occur between carriers within the same period. For example, as shown in Figure 5, the PCell and SCell are switched twice within one period.

[0072] In some embodiments, the associated objects of a switching pattern include any of the following: carrier, cell, cell pair, cell set, band, where a cell includes one or more carriers.

[0073] As an example, configure the carrier usage time during the switching pattern period. For instance, if the associated object is the primary carrier and the non-associated objects are other carriers besides the primary carrier, configure the primary carrier usage time during the switching pattern period, and use the secondary carrier or other carriers besides the primary carrier for the remaining time.

[0074] As an example, configure the usage time of a cell within a handover pattern period. For example: the associated object is a PCell, and the unassociated objects are other carriers besides the PCell. Configure the usage time of the PCell within the handover pattern period, and use the SCell or other cells besides the PCell for the remaining time. Another example: configure the usage time of the UL carrier and / or DL ​​carrier within the handover pattern period, or configure the usage time of the UL carrier and DL carrier within the intra-cell handover pattern period, or configure the usage time of the UL carrier within the inter-cell handover pattern period, or configure the usage time of the DL carrier within the inter-cell handover pattern period, or configure the usage time of the UL carrier and DL carrier within the inter-cell handover pattern period. For example, select one of the intra-cell or inter-cell DL carrier and UL carrier as the associated object, and the other as the unassociated object, and configure the usage time of the DL carrier or the UL carrier. For example: configure only the usage time of the DL carrier, or only the usage time of the UL carrier. For example, the usage time of the frequency division duplex (FDD) UL carrier used in a supplementary uplink (SUL) pairing can be unrestricted. In this case, the DL carrier can be the associated object, and only the usage time of the DL carrier can be configured. For instance, SUL refers to an additional UL carrier carrier configured in addition to the regular UL carrier to provide enhanced UL carrier coverage. For example, one of the UL carrier and SUL carrier can be selected as the associated object, and the other as a non-associated object, and the usage time of either the UL carrier or the SUL carrier can be configured.

[0075] As an example, configure the usage time of multiple carrier pairs within a pattern switching cycle. For instance, within a carrier group containing four carriers, configure the usage time of one carrier pair as the associated object and the other carriers as unassociated objects. Another example: within a carrier group containing four carriers, configure the usage time of several carrier pairs within the group as associated objects.

[0076] As an example, configure the usage time of a carrier pair within a pattern switching cycle. For instance, in a carrier group containing four carriers, only one pair of carriers can be configured with a switching pattern. One carrier in this pair is designated as the associated object, and the other as the non-associated object. Configure the usage time of the associated object, and the remaining time is the usage time of the non-associated object.

[0077] For example, within a carrier group comprising four carriers, the usage time of each carrier can be configured. Optionally, multiple carriers can be associated, and the usage time of each associated carrier can be configured. For instance, if the four carriers are represented by indices 0, 1, 2, and 3, the usage time of each carrier can be indicated using a bitmap. When the bitmap is "0012032100", it indicates the carrier belonging to each of the ten slots. Specifically, the carrier with index 0 is used in slots 1, 2, 5, 9, and 10; the carrier with index 1 is used in slots 3 and 8; the carrier with index 2 is used in slots 4 and 7; and the carrier with index 3 is used in slot 6. For example, configuring a bitmap for each carrier: the first carrier is configured with "0001100011", indicating that it can be used in slots 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 out of 10 slots; the second carrier is configured with "1110111101", indicating that it can be used in slots 4 and 9 out of 10 slots. The above example assumes M = 1. Optionally, more than one carrier can be allowed to transmit simultaneously within the same slot, i.e., M > 1.

[0078] In some embodiments, carrier handover that does not distinguish between UL carrier and DL carrier is equivalent to handover between cells.

[0079] As an example, configure the usage time of one cell within the handover pattern period, and use other cells for the remaining time. For instance: configure the usage time of PCell within the handover pattern period, with PCell as the associated object and SCell as the unassociated object, and use SCell for the remaining time. Alternatively, configure the usage time of SCell within the handover pattern period, with PCell as the associated object and PCell as the unassociated object, and use PCell for the remaining time.

[0080] As an example, configure the usage time of a cell pair within a switching pattern cycle. For instance, in a cell group consisting of 4 cells, configure the usage time of one cell pair as the associated object and the other cells as unassociated objects.

[0081] As an example, configure the usage time of multiple cell pairs within a switching pattern cycle. For instance, within a cell group comprising four cells, configure the usage time of several cell pairs as associated objects.

[0082] As an example, configure the usage time of a cell pair within the handover pattern period. For instance, in a cell group consisting of 4 cells, only one pair of cells can be configured with a handover pattern. One cell in this pair is designated as the associated object, and the other cell is designated as the non-associated object. Configure the usage time of the associated object, and the remaining time is the usage time of the non-associated object.

[0083] For example, within a cell group comprising four cells, the usage time for each cell can be configured. Optionally, the associated object can be multiple cells, and the usage time of the associated objects can be configured. For instance, if the four cells are represented by indices 0, 1, 2, and 3, the usage time of each cell can be indicated using a bitmap. A bitmap of "0012032100" indicates that the cell is used in each of the 10 slots. Another example is configuring a bitmap for each cell separately. For instance, configuring "0001100011" for the first cell indicates that the first cell can be used in slots 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 of the 10 slots; configuring "1110111101" for the second cell indicates that the second cell can be used in slots 4 and 9 of the 10 slots. The above examples assume M = 1. Optionally, more than one cell can transmit simultaneously within the same slot, i.e., M > 1.

[0084] In some embodiments, when a cell contains multiple carriers, handover between carriers can be divided into inter-cell handover and intra-cell handover. For example, handover pattern 1 indicates inter-cell handover; handover pattern 2 indicates intra-cell carrier handover. For instance, handover pattern 1 indicates handover between cell a and cell b, while handover pattern 2 indicates handover between different carriers within cell a. Different carriers can refer to multiple DL carriers and / or multiple UL carriers; therefore, handover between different carriers may be between multiple DL carriers, or between multiple UL carriers, or between DL carriers and UL carriers, etc. Intra-cell carrier handover is only performed during the usage time of the cell configured in handover pattern 1. For example, when handover pattern 1 indicates the use of cell a, handover between different carriers within cell a is performed based on handover pattern 2; when handover pattern 1 indicates the use of cell b, no handover is required for the carriers within cell a.

[0085] In some embodiments, since transmit (Tx) / receive (Rx) can be used for multiple carriers within a band (intra-band carrier aggregation (CA) technology), for example, transmit (Txper band) within a specific frequency range, and Rx is shared in intra-band non-contiguous carrier aggregation (intra-band non-contiguous CC), the switching pattern can also be configured to use different bands for different durations.

[0086] As an example, configure the usage time of one or more band pairs or cell set pairs within a handover pattern period. For example: within a band group containing 4 bands, configure the usage time of one pair of bands. Another example: within a band group containing 4 bands, configure the usage time of each pair of bands separately. As an example, configure the usage time of handover pattern cell sets and / or bands. For example: in the case of handover between cell #0 corresponding to band A in cell set #0 and cell #2 corresponding to band B in cell set #1, configure the usage time of handover patterns band A (cell set #0) and band B (cell set #1).

[0087] As an example, configure the handover pattern for a band pair or cell set pair within a configuration period. For instance, within a band group comprising four bands, configure the handover pattern for one band pair. For example, in the case of handover between cell #0 corresponding to band A and cell #2 corresponding to band B, the handover pattern is determined by configuring the usage time of band A and band B.

[0088] As an example, the switching pattern also configures the duration of the primary carrier within the period. For example, configuring the duration of the switching pattern PCell (Pcell operation duration).

[0089] In some embodiments, the period, usage time of associated objects, and / or usage time of non-associated objects are configured based on the subcarrier spacing (SCS). For example, the Pcell duration / Pcell operation duration is configured based on the subcarrier spacing of the PCell, specifically by determining the slot length based on the SCS of the PCell, and then determining the Pcell duration / Pcell operation duration based on the slot length (e.g., the Pcell duration is an integer multiple of the slot length).

[0090] For example, SCS refers to the frequency difference between adjacent subcarriers, and the time slot length is inversely proportional to SCS.

[0091] In some embodiments, the period is the same as the frame structure period; or, the period is an independently configured period, for example, the period is an integer multiple of the time slot length or the radio frame.

[0092] For example, the frame structure period refers to the repetition period of the frame structure in a communication system. A radio frame is the basic unit of time; in a 5G NR system, the radio frame length is typically 10ms. Each radio frame is divided into 10 subframes, each with a length of 1ms. Subframes are further divided into time slots, the number of which depends on the SCS (Segment Controlled Class). For example, when the SCS is 15kHz, each subframe contains one time slot with a length of 1ms; when the SCS is 30kHz, each subframe contains two time slots with a length of 0.5ms.

[0093] In some embodiments, there are multiple switching patterns, which have different associated objects, and the periods of the multiple switching patterns may be the same or different.

[0094] For example, switch pattern a indicates the associated object is PCell, and switch pattern b indicates the associated object is a pair of carriers within PCell. Switch pattern a indicates the usage time of PCell, and switch pattern b indicates the usage time of a pair of carriers within PCell. During the usage time of PCell, the pair of carriers are switched with other carriers within PCell. During the usage time of cells outside PCell (e.g., during the usage time of SCell), the carriers in PCell are not switched.

[0095] In some embodiments, a handover pattern configuration can have multiple periods, and the handover patterns within these multiple periods can be configured independently. For example, a handover pattern can have two periods: the first period is 5ms and the second period is 10ms. The handover patterns are configured for each period separately, and the two periods repeat the handover patterns within both periods with a longer period of 15ms. For example: the handover pattern configuration in the first period is: PCell duration is 1ms, SCell duration is 4ms; the handover pattern configuration in the second period is: PCell duration is 5ms, SCell duration is 5ms. This makes the duration configuration of PCell and SCell more flexible to adapt to different types of service transmissions.

[0096] In some embodiments, the second node sends a first signaling message to the first node, the first signaling message including configuration information for switching patterns, enabling the first node to determine the usage time of associated objects based on the configuration information for switching patterns.

[0097] For example, the configuration information for switching patterns includes at least one of the following: the cycle of switching patterns, the start position of the usage time of associated objects, the duration of the usage time of associated objects, and the end position of the usage time of associated objects. Optionally, the above configuration can be used for the switching pattern configuration within each cycle of a dual-cycle or multi-cycle system.

[0098] The starting position of the usage time of an associated object refers to the starting slot and / or starting symbol of the usage time of the associated object.

[0099] In some embodiments, the starting position of the usage time of the associated object is the same as the starting position of the period. For example, as shown in Figure 4, when the associated object is PCell and the period is Period, the starting slot of the PCell's Pcell duration is the same as the starting slot of the Period.

[0100] The usage duration of an associated object refers to the number of time slots (nrofSlots) and / or the number of symbols (nrofSymbols) occupied by the usage time of the associated object, preferably nrofSlots plus nrofSymbols in the slot following the ending slot. For example, the Pcell duration is nrofSlots + nrofSymbols.

[0101] The end position of the usage time of the associated object refers to the end slot and / or end symbol of the usage time of the associated object, preferably the ending symbol in the ending slot.

[0102] In some embodiments, the end position of the usage time of the associated object is the same as the end position of the period. For example, as shown in Figure 4, when the associated object is SCell and the period is Period, the last slot of the SCell duration is the same as the last slot of the Period.

[0103] As an example, within a cycle, the remaining slots / symbols, excluding those of associated objects, represent the usage time of non-associated objects.

[0104] As an example, within a cycle, in addition to the slot / symbol of the associated object, the remaining slot / symbol is allocated through other switching patterns or through dynamic indication.

[0105] For example, if the associated object is a PCell within a period, the remaining time within the period, excluding the PCell's usage time, can be entirely configured as SCell usage time; or, the remaining time within the period can be allocated among several SCells according to another switching pattern; in some embodiments, if the start position of the associated object's usage time is the same as the start position of the period, the associated object's usage time is determined based on the start position of the period and the duration of the associated object's usage time; or the associated object's usage time is determined based on the start position of the period and the end position of the associated object's usage time.

[0106] In other embodiments, when the starting position of the usage time of the associated object and the starting position of the cycle are different, the usage time of the associated object is determined based on the starting position of the usage time of the associated object and the duration of the usage time of the associated object; or the usage time of the associated object is determined based on the starting position of the usage time of the associated object and the ending position of the usage time of the associated object.

[0107] As an example, configure period + start position + usage time: Configure the available time of the reference cell / non-reference cell within the period, using the slot of the reference cell (e.g., PCell) as the unit, determine its start position by the period start point + offset (or configure the period and start time slot independently), configure nrofSlots to determine the usage time using the slot of the reference cell as the unit, and the remaining time is the available time of the non-reference cell within the period.

[0108] In some embodiments, the start position and usage time of the associated object's usage time are configured. For example, as shown in Figure 5, when the associated object is a SCell and the period is Period, the start position and usage time of the SCell duration are determined by configuring the slot offset and nrofSlots, i.e., the slot offset relative to the start of the Period. For example, the time unit slot is the slot of the reference cell, i.e., the time unit slot corresponding to the non-associated object PCell. Further, configuration is made at the symbol granularity, with additional configuration of symbol offset (preferably the symbol offset within the starting slot determined by offset) and / or nrofSymbols (preferably nrofSymbols in the next slot of nrofSlots) to determine the symbol start point and / or symbol duration. The remaining number of slots / symbols within the period duration is used for another cell.

[0109] As an example, configure a period + start position + end position: Within the configured period duration (e.g., 10ms), configure the starting slot and ending slot for the reference cell (e.g., PCell) to determine the usage duration of the reference cell (or configure period + offset to determine the start position, and additionally configure the ending slot). The remaining slots within the period duration are used for another cell. Optionally, configure to the symbol granularity, additionally configure the starting symbol (preferably the starting symbol in the starting slot), and / or configure the ending symbol (preferably the ending symbol in the ending slot). The remaining slots / symbols within the period duration are used for another cell.

[0110] In some embodiments, a Resource Indication Value indicates the start position of the usage time of the associated object and the duration of the usage time of the associated object, or indicates the start position of the usage time of the associated object and the end position of the usage time of the associated object.

[0111] In some embodiments, the configuration information for the switching pattern further includes a period and bitmap information. For example, the bitmap information is used to indicate whether all or part of the time units of the associated object within the period belong to the usage time of the associated object of the switching pattern. Exemplarily, the time unit is a time slot; or, the time unit may also include a symbol, a radio frame, a subframe, etc.

[0112] For example, indicating all time units within the indication period refers to whether each time unit within the indication period belongs to the usage time of the associated object of the switching pattern. For example, as shown in Figure 6, the period includes 10 time slots, and the associated object is PCell, indicating whether each of these 10 time slots belongs to the usage time of PCell.

[0113] The indication period refers to a portion of the time units within the period that indicate whether or not a handover pattern is configured for the associated object. The remaining time units within the period are not configured with handover patterns. For example, in Time Division Duplexing (TDD), the DL carrier and UL carrier use different time units for transmission. In this case, the handover pattern between the two cells can be configured only for the time units used by the UL carrier within the period, and the remaining time units are not configured with handover patterns. For instance, if the period includes 10 time slots of a PCell (which is a TDD carrier), and the last 4 time slots belong to the UL carrier, a handover pattern is configured for these 4 time slots. The first time slot belongs to the UL carrier's usage time for the PCell, and the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th time slots belong to the UL carrier's usage time for the SCell. The remaining 6 time slots within the period are not configured with handover patterns. The SCell can be an FDD or TDD carrier. As an example, for slots / symbols without configured switching patterns, the terminal can only use PCell for transmission, or, in the case of N carriers, the terminal can use N carriers or X carriers for transmission simultaneously.

[0114] For example, the switching pattern indicates the number of time slots included in the period. For instance, as shown in Figure 6, the period includes 10 time slots, and the bitmap information indicates the time slots belonging to the associated object among these 10 time slots. The bitmap information is based on the time unit indication of the reference cell; therefore, when using bitmap information for indication, the associated object is only for the reference cell (e.g., PCell). In some embodiments, the bitmap information includes slot bitmap information.

[0115] For example, time slot bitmap information is used to indicate whether each time slot of an associated object within a period belongs to the usage time of the associated object in the switching pattern.

[0116] For example, as shown in Figure 6, the Period consists of 10 time slots, with a slot bitmap of 0001100011. 0 indicates that the corresponding time slot belongs to the PCell's usage time, and 1 indicates that the corresponding time slot does not belong to the PCell's usage time. The first to third time slots and the sixth to eighth time slots of the Period belong to the PCell's usage time, while the fourth to fifth time slots and the ninth to tenth time slots of the Period do not belong to the PCell's usage time.

[0117] In some embodiments, the bitmap information further includes at least one symbol bitmap. For example, the symbol bitmap information is used to indicate whether each symbol within a specific time slot belongs to the usage time of an associated object of the switching pattern.

[0118] For example, as shown in Figure 7, the symbol bitmap information indicates whether the symbols in the first time slot of the PCell belong to the PCell's usage time. The first time slot includes 14 symbols. Symbol bitmap 11110000000000, where 0 indicates that the corresponding time slot belongs to the PCell's usage time, and 1 indicates that the corresponding time slot does not belong to the PCell's usage time. The first to fourth symbols in this time slot do not belong to the PCell's usage time, while the fifth to fourteenth symbols do belong to the PCell's usage time.

[0119] In some embodiments, the configuration information for switching patterns also includes at least one symbol index. For example, the symbol index is used to indicate the start or end symbol of the usage time of the associated object within a specific time slot.

[0120] In some embodiments, a specific time slot includes at least one of the following:

[0121] The time slot is the first indicator bit among the consecutive 0-valued indicator bits in the time slot bitmap information. For example, as shown in Figure 7, if the indicator bits corresponding to the first three time slots of PCell in the symbol bitmap are all 0, then the starting symbol of PCell's usage time is indicated by the symbol index (Starting symbol index 4) in the first time slot of PCell. The symbol bitmap corresponding to Starting symbol index 4 is 11110000000000, so the starting symbol of PCell's usage time is the 5th symbol in the first time slot of PCell.

[0122] The time slot is the last indicator bit in the consecutive 0-valued indicator bits of the time slot bitmap information. For example, as shown in Figure 8, if the indicator bits corresponding to the first three time slots of PCell in the symbol bitmap are all 0, then the end symbol of PCell's usage time is indicated by the symbol index (Ending symbol index 7) in the third time slot of PCell. The symbol bitmap corresponding to Ending symbol index 7 is 00000000111111, so the end symbol of PCell's usage time is the 8th symbol in the third time slot of PCell.

[0123] The time slot is the first indicator bit among the consecutive 1-valued indicator bits in the time slot bitmap information. For example, as shown in Figure 8, if the indicator bit corresponding to the last time slot of PCell in the symbol bitmap is 1, and the switch is made from SCell to PCell in this time slot, then the starting symbol of PCell's usage time is indicated by the symbol index (Starting symbol index 10) in the last time slot of PCell. The symbol bitmap corresponding to Starting symbol index 10 is 11111111110000, so the starting symbol of PCell's usage time is the 11th symbol in the last time slot of PCell.

[0124] The last indicator bit in the consecutive 1-valued indicator bits in the time slot bitmap information corresponds to the time slot. As shown in Figure 7, the indicator bit corresponding to the last time slot of PCell in the symbol bitmap is 1, and the switch from PCell to SCell occurs in this time slot. In the last time slot of PCell, the end symbol of PCell usage time is indicated by the symbol index (Ending symbol index 6). The symbol bitmap corresponding to Ending symbol index 6 is 00000001111111, so the end symbol of PCell usage time is the 7th symbol in the last time slot of PCell.

[0125] As an example, in the case of an indicator bit with discontinuous values ​​in the time slot bitmap information, this indicator bit can be used as the first indicator bit / last indicator bit.

[0126] In some embodiments, the time slot location of the symbol index includes the following cases:

[0127] The symbol index is located in the time slot corresponding to the first indicator bit in a series of consecutive 1-valued indicator bits, and in the time slot corresponding to the first indicator bit in a series of consecutive 0-valued indicator bits.

[0128] The symbol index is located in the time slot corresponding to the last indicator bit in a series of consecutive 1-valued indicator bits, and in the time slot corresponding to the last indicator bit in a series of consecutive 1-valued indicator bits.

[0129] The symbol index is located in the time slot corresponding to the first and last indicator bits among the consecutive indicator bits with a value of 1.

[0130] The symbol index is located in the time slot corresponding to the first and last indicator bits among the consecutive indicator bits with a value of 0.

[0131] In some embodiments, a set of symbolic indexes is used to indicate two types of slots.

[0132] For example, as shown in Figure 9, the slot bitmap is 0001100001 (the symbol bitmap within the slot consists of consecutive 0s and consecutive 1s; this slot corresponds to 0. The symbol bitmap within the slot consists of consecutive 1s and consecutive 0s; this slot corresponds to 1). The ending symbol index 7 of the third slot of the PCell (indicator bit value is 0) is 00000000111111. Inverting the ending symbol index 7 yields the starting symbol index 8: 11111111000000. The starting symbol index 8 can be used as the symbol index of the last slot of the PCell (indicator bit value is 1). At this point, the symbol index is located in the slot corresponding to the last indicator bit among consecutive indicator bits of 1, and also in the slot corresponding to the last indicator bit among consecutive indicator bits of 0.

[0133] For example, when the symbol index is reversed, the starting symbol index = the ending symbol index + 1. For example, the starting symbol index 8 = the ending symbol index 7 + 1. If the number of symbols exceeds the limit of a slot, it starts from the next slot.

[0134] For example, as shown in Figure 10, the slot bitmap is 0001100001 (the symbol bitmap within the slot consists of consecutive 1s and consecutive 0s; this slot corresponds to 0. The symbol bitmap within the slot consists of consecutive 0s and consecutive 1s; this slot corresponds to 1). The starting symbol index 7 of the first slot of the PCell (indicator bit value is 0) is 11111100000000. Inverting the starting symbol index 7 yields the ending symbol index 6: 00000011111111. The ending symbol index 6 can be used as the symbol index of the last slot of the PCell (indicator bit value is 1). At this point, the symbol index is located in the slot corresponding to the first indicator bit among consecutive 1s and the slot corresponding to the first indicator bit among consecutive 0s.

[0135] For example, when the symbol index is reversed, the Ending symbol index = the Starting symbol index - 1. For example, the Ending symbol index 6 = the Starting symbol index 7 - 1. If it is negative, it ends at the previous slot.

[0136] For example, as shown in Figure 11, the slot bitmap is 0001100001 (the symbol bitmap within the slot consists of consecutive 0s and consecutive 1s; this slot corresponds to the last indicator bit among consecutive indicator bits with a value of 0, and the symbol bitmap within the slot consists of consecutive 1s and consecutive 0s; this slot corresponds to the first indicator bit among consecutive indicator bits with a value of 0). The symbol index 6 of the first slot of the PCell (indicator bit value of 0) is 11111100000000. Inverting the starting symbol index 6 yields the ending symbol index 5: 00000000111111. The ending symbol index 5 can be used as the symbol index of the ninth slot of the PCell (indicator bit value of 0). At this time, the symbol index is located in the slots corresponding to the first and last indicator bits among consecutive indicator bits with a value of 0.

[0137] In some embodiments, two sets of symbolic indexes are used to indicate two types of slots respectively.

[0138] For example, as shown in Figure 8, the slot bitmap is 0001100001 (the symbol bitmap within the slot consists of consecutive 0s and consecutive 1s; this slot corresponds to 0. The symbol bitmap within the slot consists of consecutive 1s and consecutive 0s; this slot corresponds to 1). The symbol index 7 (Ending symbol index 7) of the third slot of the PCell (indicator bit value is 0) is 00000000111111. The symbol index 10 (Starting symbol index 10) of the last slot of the PCell (indicator bit value is 1) is 11111111110000. Ending symbol index 7 and Starting symbol index 10 are two sets of symbol indices. At this time, the symbol index is located in the slot corresponding to the last indicator bit among consecutive indicator bits with a value of 1, and in the slot corresponding to the last indicator bit among consecutive indicator bits with a value of 0.

[0139] For example, as shown in Figure 12, the slot bitmap is 0001100001 (the symbol bitmap within the slot consists of consecutive 0s and consecutive 1s; this slot corresponds to the last indicator bit among consecutive indicator bits with a value of 0; the symbol bitmap within the slot consists of consecutive 1s and consecutive 0s; this slot corresponds to the first indicator bit among consecutive indicator bits with a value of 0). The symbol index 4 of the first slot of the PCell (indicator bit value of 0) is 11110000000000. The symbol index 7 of the ninth slot of the PCell (indicator bit value of 0) is 00000000111111. Starting symbol index 4 and ending symbol index 7 are two sets of symbol indices. At this time, the symbol index is located in the slot corresponding to the first indicator bit among consecutive indicator bits with a value of 0, and in the slot corresponding to the last indicator bit among consecutive indicator bits with a value of 0.

[0140] For example, as shown in Figure 7, the slot bitmap is 0001100001 (the symbol bitmap within the slot consists of consecutive 1s and consecutive 0s; this slot corresponds to 0. The symbol bitmap within the slot consists of consecutive 0s and consecutive 1s; this slot corresponds to 1). The symbol index 4 of the first slot of the PCell (indicator bit value is 0) is 11110000000000. The symbol index 6 of the tenth slot of the PCell (indicator bit value is 1) is 00000001111111. Starting symbol index 4 and ending symbol index 6 are two sets of symbol indices. At this time, the symbol index is located in the slot corresponding to the first indicator bit among consecutive 0s and the slot corresponding to the first indicator bit among consecutive 1s.

[0141] In some embodiments, when the indicator bit corresponding to the time slot is 0, consecutive 1s in the symbol bitmap can be omitted, which is equivalent to not configuring the symbol bitmap.

[0142] In some embodiments, when the indicator bit corresponding to the time slot is 1, consecutive 0s in the symbol bitmap can be omitted, which is equivalent to not configuring the symbol bitmap.

[0143] In some embodiments, when the number of time slots corresponding to consecutive indicator bits with a value of 1 and / or consecutive indicator bits with a value of 0 is 1, the symbol bitmap is not configured.

[0144] In some embodiments, when the number of time slots corresponding to consecutive indicator bits with a value of 1 and / or consecutive indicator bits with a value of 0 is less than N (N is a positive integer), the symbol bitmap is not configured.

[0145] In some embodiments, the symbol index is also used to indicate the start or end symbol of the usage time of non-associated objects within a specific time slot, enabling the first node to determine the usage time of non-associated objects based on the configuration information of the switching pattern. For example, it indicates the usage time of associated objects, and the remaining usage time of associated objects within the period is the usage time of non-associated objects.

[0146] In some embodiments, there is a gap between the usage time of associated objects and the usage time of unassociated objects within a period. For example, as shown in Figure 4, there is a gap between the usage time of PCell and the usage time of SCell within a period (the gap is neither within the usage time of PCell nor within the usage time of SCell), or the gap is located at the beginning and / or end of the usage time of PCell and / or SCell (the gap is within the usage time of PCell and / or within the usage time of SCell).

[0147] For example, a gap refers to a time interval reserved during carrier switching to allow for antenna switching. For instance, the gap duration may be 20µs, 35µs, or 70µs.

[0148] In some embodiments, the location of the gap includes the following situations:

[0149] The gap is located at the start and end of the usage time of the associated object of the switching pattern.

[0150] The gap is located at the start and end of the usage time of non-associated objects in the switching pattern.

[0151] The gap is located at the starting point of the usage time of associated objects and the starting point of the usage time of non-associated objects.

[0152] The gap is located at the end of the usage time of the associated object and the end of the usage time of the non-associated object.

[0153] In some embodiments, the location of the gap is configured, and the gap location includes one of the following: the gap is located at the start and end of the usage time of the associated object of the switching pattern; or, the gap is located at the start and end of the usage time of the non-associated object of the switching pattern; or, the gap is located at the start of the usage time of the associated object and the start of the usage time of the non-associated object; or, the gap is located at the end of the usage time of the associated object and the end of the usage time of the non-associated object.

[0154] In some embodiments, the location of the gap is configured via higher-level signaling.

[0155] In some embodiments, the second node sends a second signaling message to the first node. This second signaling message is used to activate or deactivate the gap configuration after it has been configured at the gap location, allowing the first node to choose whether to configure the gap based on specific needs. Activating the gap configuration means configuring a gap between the usage time of associated objects and the usage time of non-associated objects within a given period.

[0156] Optionally, the second signaling may include physical layer signaling, higher layer signaling, etc. For example: RRC signaling, MAC CE signaling, or Downlink Control Information (DCI) signaling.

[0157] In some embodiments, the second signaling indicates whether a gap is activated, and also indicates the location and duration of the gap.

[0158] In some embodiments, a gap is required when the transmit chain (Tx chain) / receive chain (Rx chain) is restricted / shared, but not required when the Rx chain / Tx chain is unrestricted / shared.

[0159] Rx chain sharing refers to a situation in a wireless communication network where the first node shares the same Rx chain across multiple bands / carriers for data transmission. Tx chain sharing refers to a situation in a wireless communication network where the first node shares the same Tx chain across multiple bands / carriers for data transmission.

[0160] Tx chain limitation refers to a limitation in the performance or capability of the transmitting link, while Rx chain limitation refers to a limitation in the performance or capability of the receiving link, resulting in a decrease in the quality or power of the transmitted / received signals. For example, if the first node has a limited number of antennas, with only one antenna port, a gap duration needs to be configured during carrier handover to allow time for the handover process of the first node.

[0161] As an example, when the first node is transmitting on a UL carrier in a band / cell or receiving on a DL carrier, if the previous uplink transmission was performed on a UL carrier in another band / cell, or the previous downlink transmission was performed on a DL carrier in another band / cell, the first node does not expect to transmit on any carrier during the gap period.

[0162] In some embodiments, the methods for configuring a switching pattern for the first node include, but are not limited to, the following:

[0163] Method 1: Configure a semi-static switching pattern via RRC.

[0164] As an example, when it is necessary to adjust the period of switching patterns, such as increasing or decreasing the duration of the period, the established RRC connection can be modified and the duration of the period can be reconfigured through RRC reconfiguration.

[0165] For example, an RRC connection refers to a high-level communication protocol between a first node and a second node, used to handle the allocation, management, and transmission of control information for radio resources. After an RRC connection is established, the first node can enter the connected state, thereby enabling it to receive and send data.

[0166] As an example, when it is necessary to deactivate the switching pattern based on the switching method of the switching pattern through RRC reconfiguration, or not to configure the switching pattern when reconfiguring RRC.

[0167] Method 2: Based on the RRC configuration, dynamically configure and switch patterns.

[0168] As an example, the second node sends a third signaling message to the first node; correspondingly, the first node receives the third signaling message, which includes at least one of the following:

[0169] The first instruction is used to indicate whether to use or disable the handover pattern. For example, it may indicate that the first node uses only PCell for transmission and stops handover with other cells; or it may indicate that handover between PCell and SCell is stopped.

[0170] The second instruction is used to indicate the duration of use of a non-associated object. For example, it indicates increasing or decreasing the SCell duration. In some embodiments, the second instruction is also used to indicate increasing or decreasing the duration of the cycle of a non-associated object or an associated object.

[0171] The third instruction is used to indicate the switching pattern to be used from among multiple configured switching patterns. For example, if multiple switching patterns are pre-configured for the first node, the third instruction activates one of the switching patterns for use.

[0172] The aforementioned third signaling is physical layer signaling or higher layer signaling, such as DCI signaling and MAC CE signaling.

[0173] In some embodiments, if there is no service transmission during the usage time of the non-associated object or if no scheduling information for scheduling service transmission of the non-associated object is detected, the duration of the usage time of the non-associated object is adjusted.

[0174] As an example, the usage time of a non-associated object can be adjusted via third signaling. For instance, if there is no service transmission or no DCI signaling for scheduling service transmission is detected during the usage time of the SCell, the second node sends third signaling to adjust the usage time of the non-associated object.

[0175] For example, when adjusting the usage time of unrelated objects, the usage time of unrelated objects can be reduced or increased according to preset rules.

[0176] As an example, the default rule is: when no DCI signaling for scheduled service transmission is detected within a certain time offset, the usage time of non-associated objects is reduced. The larger the time offset, the shorter the usage time of the SCell. Once the time offset reaches a threshold, the usage time of non-associated objects no longer changes. When DCI signaling for scheduled service transmission is detected, the configured switching pattern is restored, so that the usage time of the SCell is restored.

[0177] In some embodiments, the switching pattern is at the cell level or at the terminal level.

[0178] For example, cell-level handover patterns are typically controlled by the network side (such as base stations), while terminal-level handover patterns are typically controlled autonomously by the terminal. For instance, when terminal antenna limitations prevent the simultaneous use of multiple carriers, a terminal-level handover pattern is preferred; conversely, when overlapping or interference between bands prevents the simultaneous use of multiple carriers, a cell-level handover pattern is preferred.

[0179] In some embodiments, when the handover pattern is at the cell level, the effective conditions of the handover pattern include the following:

[0180] The pattern switching does not take effect until the terminal is in a connected state.

[0181] For example, the switching pattern does not take effect before the terminal is in connected state; it is only transmitted using PCell. Once the RRC connection between the terminal and the second node is successfully established, the switching pattern takes effect immediately after the terminal enters connected state. Alternatively, the switching pattern takes effect after the terminal enters connected state and receives the instruction.

[0182] The handover pattern takes effect before the terminal is in connected state and only applies the configuration regarding the usage time of the primary cell in the handover pattern.

[0183] As an example, when the pattern switching is at the terminal level, only PCell is used for transmission, and the pattern switching takes effect after the RRC connection.

[0184] As an example, when the handover pattern is at the cell level, the terminal does not take effect before the RRC connection; or, the configuration regarding PCell in the handover pattern takes effect. For example, after the terminal receives the handover pattern indicated by the System Information Block Type 1 (SIB1), the Pcell operation duration of the PCell in the handover pattern takes effect, that is, the terminal only transmits during the Pcell operation duration of the PCell, reducing terminal power consumption.

[0185] As an example, the terminal is not active before the RRC connection and only uses PCell for information transmission. After the RRC connection, it uses a semi-static configuration handover pattern indicated by DCI signaling, and this handover pattern is a terminal-level handover pattern.

[0186] As an example, the terminal takes effect before the RRC connection, using PCell and SCell based on a handover pattern, and this handover pattern is at the cell level. For example, the handover pattern takes effect before the RRC connection is established via SIB1 indication.

[0187] In some embodiments, when there is repetition on the target cell or transmission blocks are transmitted across multiple time slots (TBoMS), transmission is performed in several ways, but not limited to these.

[0188] Method 1: Configure a handover pattern so that a repetition / TBoMS transmission is fully completed within the target cell's usage time, without interruption or loss of the repetition / TBoMS transmission due to handover.

[0189] For example, the target cell refers to the cell where repetition / TBoMS is located.

[0190] Method 2: If one or more transmissions in the repetition / TBoMS on the target cell overlap with at least one symbol of the usage time of a non-target cell, the overlapping transmissions are canceled. For example, if a repetition is not completed at the end of the Pcell operation duration, subsequent repetition transmissions are canceled. If a repetition on a PCell spans two or more Pcell operation durations, transmissions overlapping with at least one symbol of the SCell operation duration are canceled.

[0191] Method 3: If one or more transmissions in the repetition / TBoMS on the target cell overlap with at least one symbol of the usage time of a non-target cell, discard the duplicate transmission or transmit the transport block across multiple time slots. For example, if a PUSCH repetition on a PCell is transmitted four times, occupying four time slots, and one or more of these transmissions overlap with at least one symbol of the SCell operation duration, the PUSCH repetition is not transmitted or is cancelled.

[0192] Method 4: Repetition / TBoMS on the target cell is transmitted in the available time slots or symbols. Time slots or symbols corresponding to the usage time of non-target cells are not included in the available time slots or symbols.

[0193] Method 5: If one or more transmissions in the repetition / TBoMS on the target cell overlap with at least one symbol of the usage time of a non-target cell, then the usage time of the non-target cell is skipped, and the remaining transmissions of the repetition or transmission block spanning multiple time slots are completed. If the repetition / TBoMS has not been completed by the end of the operation duration of this cell, then the operation duration of non-this cell is skipped, and the remaining subsequent transmissions are completed. For example, if a PUSCH repetition exists on the PCell, only the Pcell operation duration of the PCell is counted as usable time.

[0194] In some embodiments, different transmission strategies are implemented based on the length of time the non-target cell is used. For example, if the usage time of the non-target cell is less than or no more than N time slots / symbols, the transmission method of mode 4 is used; otherwise, the transmission methods of mode 2 / mode 3 are used.

[0195] In some embodiments, the handover method based on the handover pattern can use a semi-static codebook for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) - acknowledgment (ACK) feedback. The semi-static codebook consists of HARQ-ACK bits when the carrier is in a transmittable state.

[0196] For example, a semi-static codebook refers to a HARQ-ACK codebook whose size does not dynamically change with actual data scheduling. HARQ is a data transmission protocol used in wireless communication for acknowledgment mechanisms of data packets to ensure reliable data transmission. ACK stands for Acknowledgment signal, which is a confirmation message acknowledging successful reception of a data packet.

[0197] In one example, if the receiver fails to receive the data packet correctly, it will send a negative acknowledgment to the sender, requesting a retransmission; if the receiver receives the data packet correctly, it will send an ACK.

[0198] HARQ-ACK bits are a set of bits sent by the receiver to the transmitter to indicate whether the receiver has correctly received the data packet sent by the transmitter. Based on the switching pattern, the switching between carriers follows a certain regularity. Therefore, when switching based on the switching pattern, the semi-static code used for HARQ-ACK feedback inherently includes the HARQ-ACK bits when the carrier is in a transmittable state.

[0199] In some embodiments, the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) corresponding to the feedback information bits of the target cell's PDSCH in the HARQ-ACK codebook does not include PDSCHs that overlap with at least one symbol of the usage time of non-target cells, such as PDSCHs used for data transmission. For example, the HARQ-ACK codebook only includes HARQ-ACK bits for the Pcell operation duration in the PCell, excluding unused time in the PCell. Specifically, when determining the PDSCH that may be received, PDSCHs that overlap with at least one symbol of the usage time of non-PCells are excluded to reduce the overhead of HARQ-ACK feedback.

[0200] The handover method described above for multi-carrier usage involves switching among multiple carriers configured and activated for the first node. This means the carrier to be switched is pre-activated, eliminating the need for the second node to add / delete, activate / deactivate secondary cells or carriers in real-time during the handover process, thus improving processing efficiency. Simultaneously, the first node performs rapid handover according to a pre-configured handover pattern, reducing latency and jitter during the handover process and further enhancing the network performance of the wireless communication system.

[0201] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 13, the communication device includes a processing unit 1300. The processing unit 1300 is specifically used to: transmit simultaneously using up to M carriers through a switching method based on a switching pattern, wherein the up to M carriers belong to N carriers configured for and activated by a first node, M is less than N, and M and N are both positive integers.

[0202] In some embodiments, the period of the handover pattern and the usage time of the associated objects of the handover pattern within the period are configured. The associated objects of the handover pattern include any of the following: carrier, cell, cell pair, cell group, frequency band, and the cell includes one or more carriers.

[0203] In some embodiments, configuring a switching pattern further includes: determining the usage time of non-associated objects of the switching pattern within a period, for example, determining refers to the usage time of non-associated objects of the switching pattern within a period.

[0204] In some embodiments, the usage time of a non-associated object within a period is the remaining usage time within the period excluding the usage time of the associated object.

[0205] In some embodiments, the number of switching patterns is multiple, and the switching patterns in multiple periods are configured independently.

[0206] In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes a receiving unit 1301, which is configured to: receive a first signaling, the first signaling including configuration information for switching patterns.

[0207] In some embodiments, the configuration information for switching patterns includes at least one of the following: the period for switching patterns, the start position of the usage time of the associated object, the duration of the usage time of the associated object, and the end position of the usage time of the associated object.

[0208] In some embodiments, the configuration information for the switching pattern includes the period of the switching pattern and bitmap information, wherein the bitmap information is used to indicate whether all or part of the time units of the associated object within the period belong to the usage time of the associated object of the switching pattern.

[0209] In some embodiments, the time unit is a time unit determined with reference to an associated object or a non-associated object.

[0210] In some embodiments, the bitmap information includes time slot bitmap information, which is used to indicate whether each time slot of the associated object within a period belongs to the usage time of the associated object of the switching pattern.

[0211] In some embodiments, the bitmap information further includes at least one symbol bitmap information, which is used to indicate whether each symbol belongs to the usage time of the associated object of the switching pattern within a specific time slot.

[0212] In some embodiments, the configuration information for switching patterns also includes at least one symbol index, which is used to indicate the start or end symbol of the usage time of the associated object within a specific time slot.

[0213] In some embodiments, the configuration information for switching patterns also includes at least one symbol index, which is used to indicate the start or end symbol of the usage time of a non-associated object within a specific time slot.

[0214] For example, a specific time slot includes at least one of the following:

[0215] The time slot corresponding to the first indicator bit among the indicator bits that are continuously 0 in the time slot bitmap information.

[0216] The time slot corresponding to the last indicator bit among the consecutive 0-valued indicator bits in the time slot bitmap information.

[0217] The time slot corresponding to the first indicator bit among the indicator bits that are continuously set to 1 in the time slot bitmap information.

[0218] The time slot corresponding to the last indicator bit among the indicator bits that have a continuous value of 1 in the time slot bitmap information.

[0219] In some embodiments, there is a switching time interval between the usage time of associated objects and the usage time of non-associated objects within a period.

[0220] In some embodiments, the switching time interval is located at the start and end of the usage time of the associated object of the switching pattern.

[0221] In some embodiments, the switching time interval is located at the start and end of the usage time of the non-associated objects of the switching pattern.

[0222] In some embodiments, the switching time interval is located at the beginning of the usage time of the associated object and the beginning of the usage time of the non-associated object.

[0223] In some embodiments, the switching time interval is located at the end of the usage time of the associated object and the end of the usage time of the non-associated object.

[0224] In some embodiments, the location of the switching time interval is configured via higher-layer signaling.

[0225] In some embodiments, the receiving unit 1301 is further configured to: receive a second signaling to activate or deactivate the switching time interval after configuring it via higher-layer signaling at the location of the switching time interval.

[0226] In some embodiments, the receiving unit 1301 is further configured to: receive a third signaling, the third signaling including at least one of the following:

[0227] The first instruction is used to indicate whether to use or disable the switching pattern.

[0228] The second instruction is used to indicate the duration of time for adjusting the usage of associated or non-associated objects.

[0229] The third instruction is used to indicate the switching pattern to be used from among a plurality of configured switching patterns.

[0230] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further configured to: adjust the duration of the usage time of the non-associated object when there is no service transmission or no scheduling information for scheduling service transmission of the non-associated object is detected during the usage time of the non-associated object.

[0231] In some embodiments, the switching pattern is at the cell level or at the terminal level.

[0232] In some embodiments, when switching patterns at the cell level, the switching pattern does not take effect before the terminal is in a connected state.

[0233] In some embodiments, at the cell level of the handover pattern, the handover pattern takes effect before the terminal is in connected state and only the configuration regarding the usage time of the primary cell in the handover pattern is applied.

[0234] In some embodiments, the PDSCH corresponding to the feedback information bits of the target cell in the HARQ-ACK codebook does not include PDSCHs that overlap with at least one symbol of the usage time of a non-target cell.

[0235] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further configured to: if one or more transmissions in a repeated transmission or transmission block transmission across multiple time slots on the target cell overlap with at least one symbol of the usage time of a non-target cell, then cancel the overlapping one or more transmissions.

[0236] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further configured to: discard the repeated transmission or the transmission block across multiple time slots if one or more transmissions in the repeated transmission or transmission block across multiple time slots on the target cell overlap with at least one symbol of the usage time of the non-target cell.

[0237] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further configured to: transmit repeated transmissions or transmission blocks across multiple time slots on the target cell in the available time slots or symbols, and the time slots or symbols corresponding to the usage time of non-target cells are not included in the available time slots or symbols.

[0238] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further configured to: if one or more transmissions in the repeated transmission or transmission block transmission across multiple time slots on the target cell overlap with at least one symbol of the usage time of the non-target cell, then skip the usage time of the non-target cell and complete the remaining transmission of the repeated transmission or transmission block transmission across multiple time slots.

[0239] In the case of implementing the functions of the integrated modules described above in hardware, this disclosure provides a schematic diagram of a communication device. Figure 14 shows a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The communication device includes: a processor 1402, a communication interface 1403, and a bus 1404. Optionally, the communication device may further include a memory 1401.

[0240] Processor 1402 may implement or execute various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with this disclosure. Processor 1402 may be a central processing unit, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with this disclosure. Processor 1402 may also be a combination of functions implementing computational capabilities, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc.

[0241] Communication interface 1403 is used to connect to other devices via a communication network. This communication network can be Ethernet, wireless access network, wireless local area network (WLAN), etc.

[0242] The memory 1401 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), disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, 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 is not limited thereto.

[0243] In some embodiments, the memory 1401 may exist independently of the processor 1402. The memory 1401 may be connected to the processor 1402 via a bus 1404 and may be used to store instructions or program code. When the processor 1402 calls and executes the instructions or program code stored in the memory 1401, it can implement the multi-carrier usage method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0244] In other embodiments, the memory 1401 may also be integrated with the processor 1402.

[0245] Bus 1404 can be an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Bus 1404 can be divided into ground bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is used to represent it in Figure 14, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0246] Through the above description of the implementation methods, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, only the division of the above models is used as an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different models as needed, that is, the internal structure of the base station or terminal can be divided into different models to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0247] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium. All or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be executed by computer instructions instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in the computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the above method embodiments. The computer-readable storage medium can be any of the foregoing embodiments or memory. The computer-readable storage medium can also be an external storage device of the base station or terminal, such as a pluggable hard drive, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc., equipped on the base station or terminal. Further, the computer-readable storage medium can include both internal storage units of the base station or terminal and external storage devices. The computer-readable storage medium is used to store the computer program and other programs and data required by the base station or terminal. The computer-readable storage medium can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0248] This disclosure also provides a computer program product comprising a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform any of the multi-carrier usage methods provided in the above embodiments.

[0249] Although this disclosure has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments by reviewing the accompanying drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims in carrying out the claimed disclosure. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions listed in the claims. While different dependent claims may recite certain measures, this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce a good effect.

[0250] Although this disclosure has been described in conjunction with specific features and embodiments, it will be apparent that various modifications and combinations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, this specification and drawings are merely exemplary illustrations of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and are to be considered as covering any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of this disclosure. It is obvious that those skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications to this disclosure without departing from its spirit and scope. Thus, this disclosure is also intended to include any such modifications and modifications that fall within the scope of the claims of this disclosure and their equivalents.

[0251] The above are merely specific embodiments of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for using multiple carriers, wherein, Applied to the first node, the method includes: Transmission is performed simultaneously using up to M carriers based on a switching pattern. The M carriers are N carriers configured and activated for the first node, where M is less than N and both M and N are positive integers.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Configure the period of the handover pattern and the usage time of the associated objects of the handover pattern within the period. The associated objects of the handover pattern include any of the following: carrier, cell, cell pair, cell group, frequency band. The cell includes one or more carriers.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, Configuring the switching pattern also includes determining the usage time of non-associated objects of the switching pattern within the period, wherein the determination means that the usage time of non-associated objects of the switching pattern within the period is either the remaining usage time of the non-associated objects within the period excluding the usage time of the associated objects.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The switching pattern has multiple cycles, and the switching patterns within multiple cycles are configured independently.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The method further includes: Receive a first signaling message, which includes configuration information for the switching pattern.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The configuration information for the switching pattern includes at least one of the following: the switching pattern cycle, the start position of the usage time of the associated object, the duration of the usage time of the associated object, and the end position of the usage time of the associated object.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The configuration information of the switching pattern includes the period of the switching pattern and bitmap information. The bitmap information is used to indicate whether all or part of the time units within the period belong to the usage time of the associated object of the switching pattern.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, The time unit is a time unit determined by referring to associated or non-associated objects.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein, The bitmap information includes time slot bitmap information, which is used to indicate whether each time slot within the period belongs to the usage time of the associated object of the switching pattern.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The bitmap information also includes at least one symbol bitmap information, which is used to indicate whether each symbol in a specific time slot belongs to the usage time of the associated object of the switching pattern; or, The configuration information for the switching pattern also includes at least one symbol index, which is used to indicate the start or end symbol of the usage time of an associated object within a specific time slot, or to indicate the start or end symbol of the usage time of a non-associated object within a specific time slot.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The specific time slot includes at least one of the following: The time slot corresponding to the first indicator bit among the indicator bits that are continuously 0 in the time slot bitmap information; The time slot corresponding to the last indicator bit among the indicator bits that have consecutive values ​​of 0 in the time slot bitmap information; The time slot corresponding to the first indicator bit among the indicator bits that are continuously 1 in the time slot bitmap information; The time slot corresponds to the last indicator bit among the indicator bits that have a continuous value of 1 in the time slot bitmap information.

12. The method according to claim 3, wherein, There is a switching time interval between the usage time of the associated object and the usage time of the non-associated object within the period.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The location of the switching time interval includes one of the following: The switching time interval is located at the start and end positions of the usage time of the associated object of the switching pattern; or, The switching time interval is located at the start and end positions of the usage time of the non-associated objects of the switching pattern; or, The switching time interval is located at the start of the usage time of the associated object and the start of the usage time of the non-associated object; or, The switching time interval is located at the end of the usage time of the associated object and the end of the usage time of the non-associated object.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The method further includes: configuring the position of the switching time interval via higher-layer signaling, or receiving second signaling to activate or deactivate the switching time interval after configuring the position of the switching time interval via higher-layer signaling.

15. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The method further includes: Receive a third signaling message, the third signaling message including at least one of the following: A first instruction, the first instruction being used to indicate whether the switching pattern is used or deactivated; The second instruction is used to indicate the duration of adjustment for the usage time of associated or non-associated objects; A third indication is used to indicate the switching pattern to be used from among a plurality of configured switching patterns.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The method further includes: If there is no service transmission during the usage time of the unrelated object or no scheduling information for scheduling the service transmission of the unrelated object is detected, the duration of the usage time of the unrelated object shall be adjusted.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The switching pattern is either at the cell level or at the terminal level.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein, In the case of the cell level of the handover pattern, the handover pattern is not effective before the terminal is in the connected state, or the handover pattern is effective before the terminal is in the connected state and only the configuration of the usage time of the primary cell in the handover pattern is applied.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The PDSCH corresponding to the feedback information bits of the target cell in the HARQ-ACK codebook does not include PDSCHs that overlap with at least one symbol in the usage time of non-target cells.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The method further includes: If a repeated transmission on the target cell or a transmission block spanning multiple time slots overlaps with at least one symbol of the usage time of a non-target cell in a repetitive transmission or transmission block spanning multiple time slots, then the overlapping transmission or transmission is discarded; or... If, during a repeated transmission on the target cell or a transmission of a transport block across multiple time slots, one or more transmissions overlap with at least one symbol of the usage time of a non-target cell, then the repeated transmission or the transmission of a transport block across multiple time slots is discarded; or... Repeated transmissions or transmission blocks on the target cell that span multiple time slots are transmitted within the available time slots or symbols, excluding time slots or symbols corresponding to usage times outside the target cell; or, If one or more transmissions in a repeated transmission or transmission block across multiple time slots on the target cell overlap with at least one symbol of the usage time of a non-target cell, then the usage time of the non-target cell is skipped and the remaining transmission of the repeated transmission or transmission block across multiple time slots is completed.

21. A communication device, wherein, include: Memory and processor; Memory and processor are coupled; The memory is used to store instructions that can be executed by the processor; When the processor executes the instructions, it performs the method as described in any one of claims 1-20.

22. A computer-readable storage medium, wherein, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-20.

23. A computer program product, wherein, The computer program product includes computing technology program instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-20.

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