Communication method, communication device, communication system, storage medium, and program product

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a communication method, a communication device, a communication system, a storage medium, and a program product. The communication method may be executed by a network device. The method comprises: receiving first information, the first information indicating an association relationship between data streams; and performing, on the basis of the first information, coordinated processing on the data streams having the association relationship. In the present disclosure, a network device performs coordinated processing on data streams having an association relationship, thereby facilitating coordinated transmission between different data streams, avoiding the waste of wireless resources, and ensuring user experience.

Description

Communication methods, communication equipment, communication systems, storage media and software products Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, communication device, communication system, storage medium, and program product. Background Technology

[0002] Multimedia services, such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), extended reality media (XRM), or cloud gaming. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In the process of handling multimedia services, multiple data streams may be related, and this relationship can affect the processing of multimedia services and thus the user experience.

[0004] This disclosure provides a communication method, communication device, communication system, storage medium, and program product.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a communication method is proposed, executed by a network device, the method comprising: receiving first information, the first information indicating an association relationship between data streams; and performing collaborative processing on the associated data streams based on the first information.

[0006] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a communication method is proposed, executed by a terminal, the method comprising: sending first information, the first information indicating an association relationship between data streams; the association relationship between the data streams being used by a network device to perform collaborative processing on the associated data streams.

[0007] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a network device is provided, comprising: a transceiver module configured to receive first information, the first information indicating an association relationship between data streams; and a processing module configured to perform collaborative processing on the associated data streams based on the first information.

[0008] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a terminal is provided, comprising: a transceiver module configured to send first information, the first information indicating an association relationship between data streams; the association relationship between the data streams is used by a network device to perform collaborative processing on the associated data streams.

[0009] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, comprising: one or more processors; wherein the communication device is configured to perform a communication method as described in the first or second aspect.

[0010] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, a communication system is provided, including a network device and a terminal; the network device is configured to implement the communication method as described in the first aspect; and the terminal is configured to implement the communication method as described in the second aspect.

[0011] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, a storage medium is provided that stores instructions which, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform a communication method as described in the first or second aspect.

[0012] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the communication method of the first or second aspect.

[0013] According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program is provided that includes code, which, when executed by a processor, implements the communication method of the first or second aspect.

[0014] According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, a chip or chip system is provided, the chip or chip system including processing circuitry configured to perform a communication method as described in the first or second aspect.

[0015] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the network device performs collaborative processing on data streams with related relationships based on the first information, which facilitates the realization of the collaborative transmission needs between different data streams, avoids the waste of wireless resources, and ensures user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings required for the description of the embodiments are introduced below. The following drawings are only some embodiments of this disclosure and do not impose specific limitations on the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 1B is a schematic diagram of a simplified PDU session establishment process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figures 2A and 2B are interactive schematic diagrams of the communication method according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 3 is another interactive schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a chip structure provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0025] This disclosure provides a communication method, communication device, communication system, storage medium, and program product.

[0026] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication method executed by a network device, the method comprising: receiving first information, the first information indicating a correlation between data streams; and performing collaborative processing on the data streams with the correlation based on the first information.

[0027] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the network device performs collaborative processing on data streams with related relationships, which facilitates the collaborative transmission between different data streams, avoids the waste of wireless resources, and ensures user experience.

[0028] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the association between data streams includes at least one of the following: an association between at least two Quality of Service (QoS) streams; an association between at least two Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions; a PDU session including multiple data streams; an association between at least two data streams in the same PDU session; an association between at least two data streams in different PDU sessions; an association between at least two data streams in the same terminal; an association between at least two data streams in different terminals; and an association between at least two data streams in the same service.

[0029] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the first information includes at least one of the following: second information indicating dependencies and / or dependency levels between data streams; and third information indicating the priority of data streams with associated relationships.

[0030] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, based on the first information, collaborative processing is performed on data streams with related relationships, including at least one of the following: establishing a connection for data streams with related relationships; establishing a connection for data streams with related relationships whose priority is greater than a first threshold; establishing connections for the first data stream and the second data stream in sequence, wherein the establishment of the connection of the second data stream depends on the establishment of the connection of the first data stream.

[0031] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments the method further includes: sending fourth information, the fourth information indicating the result of collaborative processing.

[0032] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, if the connection establishment of at least some data streams in the data streams with an association relationship fails, the collaborative processing result is that the connection establishment of all data streams with an association relationship fails; or if the connection establishment of all data streams in the data streams with an association relationship succeeds, the collaborative processing result is that the connection establishment of all data streams with an association relationship succeeds.

[0033] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the network device is a first base station, and the first information is sent to the first base station by at least one of the terminal, core network device, and second base station; or, the network device is a core network device, and the first information is sent to the core network device by the terminal.

[0034] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the first base station is the base station after cell handover, and the second base station is the base station before cell handover; or, the first base station is the serving base station of the terminal, and the second base station is the anchor base station.

[0035] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the first information is carried in a first message, the first message being used for at least one of the following: requesting to establish an RRC connection; requesting to establish a PDU session; requesting to modify a PDU session; requesting a handover; responding to a second message, the second message being used to request terminal context information.

[0036] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication method executed by a terminal, the method comprising: sending first information, the first information indicating an association relationship between data streams; the association relationship between data streams is used by network devices to perform collaborative processing on data streams with an association relationship.

[0037] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the association between data streams includes at least one of the following: an association between at least two Quality of Service (QoS) streams; an association between at least two Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions; a PDU session including multiple data streams; an association between at least two data streams in the same PDU session; an association between at least two data streams in different PDU sessions; an association between at least two data streams in the same terminal; an association between at least two data streams in different terminals; and an association between at least two data streams in the same service.

[0038] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the first information includes at least one of the following: second information indicating dependencies and / or dependency levels between data streams; and third information indicating the priority of data streams with associated relationships.

[0039] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, connections between all data streams with an association relationship are established; or, connections between data streams with an association relationship and a priority greater than a first threshold are established; or, connections between the first data stream and the second data stream are established sequentially, with the establishment of the second data stream connection depending on the establishment of the first data stream connection.

[0040] In some embodiments, in conjunction with the second aspect, the method further includes: receiving fourth information, the fourth information indicating the result of collaborative processing.

[0041] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, if the connection establishment of at least some data streams in the data streams with a relationship fails, the collaborative processing result is that the connection establishment of all data streams with a relationship fails; or if the connection establishment of all data streams in the data streams with a relationship succeeds, the collaborative processing result is that the connection establishment of all data streams with a relationship succeeds.

[0042] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the network device is a first base station, and the first information is sent to the first base station by at least one of the terminal, core network device, and second base station; or, the network device is a core network device, and the first information is sent to the core network device by the terminal.

[0043] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the first base station is the base station after cell handover, and the second base station is the base station before cell handover; or, the first base station is the serving base station of the terminal, and the second base station is the anchor base station.

[0044] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the first information is carried in a first message, the first message being used for at least one of the following: requesting to establish an RRC connection; requesting to establish a PDU session; requesting to modify a PDU session; requesting a handover; responding to a second message, the second message being used to request terminal context information.

[0045] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a network device, including: a transceiver module configured to receive first information, the first information indicating a correlation between data streams; and a processing module configured to perform collaborative processing on the correlated data streams based on the first information.

[0046] In conjunction with some embodiments of the third aspect, in some embodiments, the association between data streams includes at least one of the following: an association between at least two Quality of Service (QoS) streams; an association between at least two Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions; a PDU session including multiple data streams; an association between at least two data streams in the same PDU session; an association between at least two data streams in different PDU sessions; an association between at least two data streams in the same terminal; an association between at least two data streams in different terminals; and an association between at least two data streams in the same service.

[0047] In conjunction with some embodiments of the third aspect, in some embodiments, the first information includes at least one of the following: second information indicating dependencies and / or dependency levels between data streams; and third information indicating the priority of data streams with associated relationships.

[0048] In conjunction with some embodiments of the third aspect, in some embodiments, the processing module is further configured to: establish a connection for data streams with an association relationship; establish a connection for data streams with an association relationship whose priority is greater than a first threshold; establish connections for a first data stream and a second data stream in sequence, wherein the establishment of the connection of the second data stream depends on the establishment of the connection of the first data stream.

[0049] In conjunction with some embodiments of the third aspect, in some embodiments, the transceiver module is also configured to send a fourth message indicating the result of the collaborative processing.

[0050] In conjunction with some embodiments of the third aspect, in some embodiments, if the connection establishment of at least some data streams in the data streams with a relationship fails, the collaborative processing result is that the connection establishment of all data streams with a relationship fails; or if the connection establishment of all data streams in the data streams with a relationship succeeds, the collaborative processing result is that the connection establishment of all data streams with a relationship succeeds.

[0051] In conjunction with some embodiments of the third aspect, in some embodiments, the network device is a first base station, and the first information is sent to the first base station by at least one of the terminal, core network device, and second base station; or, the network device is a core network device, and the first information is sent to the core network device by the terminal.

[0052] In conjunction with some embodiments of the third aspect, in some embodiments, the first base station is the base station after cell handover, and the second base station is the base station before cell handover; or, the first base station is the serving base station of the terminal, and the second base station is the anchor base station.

[0053] In conjunction with some embodiments of the third aspect, in some embodiments, the first information is carried in a first message, the first message being used for at least one of the following: requesting to establish an RRC connection; requesting to establish a PDU session; requesting to modify a PDU session; requesting a handover; responding to a second message, the second message being used to request terminal context information.

[0054] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a terminal, including: a transceiver module configured to send first information, the first information indicating an association between data streams; the association between data streams is used by network devices to perform collaborative processing on data streams with an association.

[0055] In conjunction with some embodiments of the fourth aspect, in some embodiments, the association between data streams includes at least one of the following: an association between at least two Quality of Service (QoS) streams; an association between at least two Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions; a PDU session including multiple data streams; an association between at least two data streams in the same PDU session; an association between at least two data streams in different PDU sessions; an association between at least two data streams in the same terminal; an association between at least two data streams in different terminals; and an association between at least two data streams in the same service.

[0056] In conjunction with some embodiments of the fourth aspect, in some embodiments, the first information includes at least one of the following: second information indicating dependencies and / or dependency levels between data streams; and third information indicating the priority of data streams with associated relationships.

[0057] In conjunction with some embodiments of the fourth aspect, in some embodiments, connections of all data streams with an association relationship are established; or, connections of data streams with an association relationship but a priority greater than a first threshold are established; or, connections of the first data stream and the second data stream are established sequentially, with the establishment of the second data stream connection depending on the establishment of the first data stream connection.

[0058] In conjunction with some embodiments of the fourth aspect, in some embodiments, the transceiver module is also configured to receive fourth information, which indicates the result of collaborative processing.

[0059] In conjunction with some embodiments of the fourth aspect, in some embodiments, if the connection establishment of at least some data streams in the data streams with an association relationship fails, the collaborative processing result is that the connection establishment of all data streams with an association relationship fails; if the connection establishment of all data streams in the data streams with an association relationship succeeds, the collaborative processing result is that the connection establishment of all data streams with an association relationship succeeds.

[0060] In conjunction with some embodiments of the fourth aspect, in some embodiments, the network device is a first base station, and the first information is sent to the first base station by at least one of the terminal, core network device, and second base station; or, the network device is a core network device, and the first information is sent to the core network device by the terminal.

[0061] In conjunction with some embodiments of the fourth aspect, in some embodiments, the first base station is the base station after cell handover, and the second base station is the base station before cell handover; or, the first base station is the serving base station of the terminal, and the second base station is the anchor base station.

[0062] In conjunction with some embodiments of the fourth aspect, in some embodiments, the first information is carried in a first message, the first message being used for at least one of the following: requesting to establish an RRC connection; requesting to establish a PDU session; requesting to modify a PDU session; requesting a handover; responding to a second message, the second message being used to request terminal context information.

[0063] Fifthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication device, including: one or more processors; wherein the communication device is used to perform a communication method as described in the first or second aspect.

[0064] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication system, including: a network device and a terminal; the network device is configured to implement the communication method as described in the first aspect; and the terminal is configured to implement the communication method as described in the second aspect.

[0065] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform a communication method as described in the first or second aspect.

[0066] Eighthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a program product that, when executed by a communication device, causes the communication device to perform a communication method as described in the first or second aspect.

[0067] In a ninth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods described in an optional implementation of the first or second aspect.

[0068] In a tenth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a chip or chip system. The chip or chip system includes processing circuitry configured to perform the method described according to an optional implementation of the first or second aspect above.

[0069] It is understood that the aforementioned communication devices, communication systems, storage media, program products, computer programs, chips, or chip systems are all used to execute the methods proposed in the embodiments of this disclosure. Therefore, the beneficial effects they can achieve can be referred to the beneficial effects in the corresponding methods, and will not be repeated here.

[0070] This disclosure provides a communication method, communication device, communication system, storage medium, and program product. In some embodiments, the terms "communication method" and "multimedia service processing method," "data stream processing method," "data stream collaborative scheduling method," and "data stream admission control method" can be used interchangeably, as can the terms "communication system," "multimedia service processing system," "collaborative scheduling system," and "admission control system."

[0071] This disclosure is not exhaustive, but merely illustrative of some embodiments, and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, each step in a particular embodiment can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the steps can be arbitrarily combined. For example, a solution after removing some steps in a particular embodiment can also be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the order of the steps in a particular embodiment can be arbitrarily interchanged. Furthermore, the optional implementation methods in a particular embodiment can be arbitrarily combined; moreover, the embodiments can be arbitrarily combined, for example, some or all steps of different embodiments can be arbitrarily combined, and a particular embodiment can be arbitrarily combined with the optional implementation methods of other embodiments.

[0072] In each of the disclosed embodiments, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terminology and / or descriptions of the embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. Technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships.

[0073] The terminology used in the embodiments of this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0074] In this embodiment of the disclosure, unless otherwise stated, elements expressed in the singular form, such as "a," "an," "the," "the," "the," "the," "the," "the," "this," etc., can mean "one and only one," or "one or more," "at least one," etc. For example, when using articles such as "a," "an," "the," etc. in translation, the noun following the article can be understood as either a singular expression or a plural expression.

[0075] In the embodiments of this disclosure, "multiple" refers to two or more.

[0076] In some embodiments, the terms “at least one of”, “one or more”, “a plurality of”, “multiple”, etc., may be used interchangeably.

[0077] In some embodiments, the notation "at least one of A and B", "A and / or B", "A in one case, B in another", "in response to one case A, in response to another case B", etc., may include the following technical solutions depending on the situation: in some embodiments, A (execute A regardless of B); in some embodiments, B (execute B regardless of A); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed); in some embodiments, A and B (both A and B are executed). The same applies when there are more branches such as A, B, C, etc.

[0078] In some embodiments, the notation "A or B" may include the following technical solutions, depending on the situation: in some embodiments, A (execution of A regardless of B); in some embodiments, B (execution of B regardless of A); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed). The same applies when there are more branches such as A, B, C, etc.

[0079] The prefixes "first," "second," etc., used in the embodiments of this disclosure are merely for distinguishing different descriptive objects and do not impose restrictions on the position, order, priority, quantity, or content of the descriptive objects. The description of the descriptive objects is found in the claims or the context of the embodiments, and the use of prefixes should not constitute unnecessary restrictions. For example, if the descriptive object is a "field," the ordinal numbers preceding "field" in "first field" and "second field" do not restrict the position or order of the "fields." "First" and "second" do not restrict whether the "fields" they modify are in the same message, nor do they restrict the order of "first field" and "second field." Similarly, if the descriptive object is a "level," the ordinal numbers preceding "level" in "first level" and "second level" do not restrict the priority between "levels." Furthermore, the number of descriptive objects is not limited by ordinal numbers and can be one or more. For example, in "first device," the number of "devices" can be one or more. Furthermore, the objects modified by different prefixes can be the same or different. For example, if the object being described is "device", then "first device" and "second device" can be the same device or different devices, and their types can be the same or different. Similarly, if the object being described is "information", then "first information" and "second information" can be the same information or different information, and their content can be the same or different.

[0080] In some embodiments, “including A,” “containing A,” “for indicating A,” and “carrying A” can be interpreted as directly carrying A or indirectly indicating A.

[0081] In some embodiments, the terms “in response to…”, “in response to determining…”, “in the case of…”, “when…”, “if…”, “if…”, etc., can be used interchangeably.

[0082] In some embodiments, the terms “greater than,” “greater than or equal to,” “not less than,” “more than,” “more than or equal to,” “not less than,” “higher than,” “higher than or equal to,” “not lower than,” and “above” can be used interchangeably, as can the terms “less than,” “less than or equal to,” “not greater than,” “less than,” “less than or equal to,” “not more than,” “lower than,” “lower than or equal to,” “not higher than,” and “below”.

[0083] In some embodiments, devices, etc., can be interpreted as physical or virtual, and their names are not limited to the names recorded in the embodiments. Terms such as “device”, “equipment”, “circuit”, “network element”, “node”, “function”, “unit”, “section”, “system”, “network”, “chip”, “chip system”, “entity”, and “subject” can be used interchangeably.

[0084] In some embodiments, "network" can be interpreted as devices included in a network (e.g., access network devices, core network devices, etc.).

[0085] In some embodiments, the terms "network devices", "access network device (AN device)", "radio access network device (RAN device)", "base station (BS)", "radio base station", "fixed station", "node", "access network node", "access point", "transmission point (TP)", "reception point (RP)", "transmission / reception point (TRP)", "panel", "antenna panel", "antenna array", "cell", "macro cell", "small cell", "femtocell", "pico cell", "sector", "cell group", "serving cell", "carrier", "component carrier", and "bandwidth part (BWP)" can be used interchangeably.

[0086] In some embodiments, the terms "terminal", "terminal device", "user equipment (UE)", "user terminal", "mobile station (MS)", "mobile terminal (MT)", "subscriber station", "mobile unit", "subscriber unit", "wireless unit", "remote unit", "mobile device", "wireless device", "wireless communication device", "remote device", "mobile subscriber station", "access terminal", "mobile terminal", "wireless terminal", "remote terminal", "handset", "user agent", "mobile client", and "client" can be used interchangeably.

[0087] In some embodiments, access network devices, core network devices, or network devices can be replaced by terminals. For example, embodiments of this disclosure can also be applied to structures where communication between access network devices, core network devices, or network devices and terminals is replaced by communication between multiple terminals (e.g., device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X), etc.). In this case, the structure can also be configured such that the terminal has all or part of the functions of the access network device. Furthermore, terms such as "uplink" and "downlink" can be replaced with terms corresponding to communication between terminals (e.g., "sidelink"). For example, uplink channel, downlink channel, etc., can be replaced with sidelink channel, and uplink link, downlink, etc., can be replaced with sidelink link.

[0088] In some embodiments, the terminal may be replaced by an access network device, a core network device, or a network device. In this case, the access network device, core network device, or network device may also be configured to have all or some of the functions of the terminal.

[0089] In some embodiments, the acquisition of data, information, etc., may comply with the laws and regulations of the country where the location is situated.

[0090] In some embodiments, data, information, etc., may be obtained with the user's consent.

[0091] Furthermore, each element, each row, or each column in the table of this disclosure can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and any combination of any element, any row, or any column can also be implemented as an independent embodiment.

[0092] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of an architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1A, the communication system 100 includes: a terminal 101 and a network device 102.

[0093] In some embodiments, terminal 101 includes, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: mobile phone, wearable device, Internet of Things device, car with communication function, smart car, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver function, virtual reality (VR) terminal device, augmented reality (AR) terminal device, wireless terminal device in industrial control, wireless terminal device in self-driving, wireless terminal device in remote medical surgery, wireless terminal device in smart grid, wireless terminal device in transportation safety, wireless terminal device in smart city, and wireless terminal device in smart home.

[0094] In some embodiments, network device 102 includes access network device and core network device.

[0095] In some implementations, access network equipment may be nodes or devices that connect terminals to a wireless network. Access network equipment may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: evolved NodeB (eNB), next-generation eNB (ng-eNB), next-generation NodeB (gNB), node B (NB), home node B (HNB), home evolved node B (HeNB), radio backhaul equipment, radio network controller (RNC), base station controller (BSC), base transceiver station (BTS), base band unit (BBU), mobile switching center, base station in 6G communication system, open RAN, cloud RAN, base station in other communication systems, and access node in Wi-Fi system.

[0096] In some embodiments, the technical solutions of this disclosure can be applied to the Open RAN architecture. In this case, the interfaces between or within network devices involved in the embodiments of this disclosure can be transformed into internal interfaces of Open RAN. The processes and information interactions between these internal interfaces can be implemented by software or programs.

[0097] In some embodiments, the access network device may be composed of a centralized unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU). The CU may also be called a control unit. The CU-DU structure can separate the protocol layer of the network device. Some of the protocol layer functions are centrally controlled by the CU, while the remaining part or all of the protocol layer functions are distributed in the DU and centrally controlled by the CU. However, this is not the only possibility.

[0098] In some embodiments, the core network equipment may be a single device including a first network element, or it may be multiple devices or a group of devices, each including a first network element. Network elements may be virtual or physical. The core network may include, for example, at least one of an Evolved Packet Core (EPC), a 5G Core Network (5GCN), or a Next Generation Core (NGC).

[0099] It is understood that the communication system described in this disclosure is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of this disclosure, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in this disclosure. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of system architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in this disclosure are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0100] The following embodiments of this disclosure can be applied to the communication system 100 shown in FIG1A, or to some of the main bodies, but are not limited thereto. The main bodies shown in FIG1A are illustrative. The communication system may include all or some of the main bodies in FIG1A, or it may include other main bodies outside of FIG1A. The number and form of each main body are arbitrary. The connection relationship between the main bodies is illustrative. The main bodies may not be connected or may be connected. The connection can be in any way, it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection, it can be a wired connection or a wireless connection.

[0101] The embodiments disclosed herein can be applied to Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), LTE-Beyond (LTE-B), SUPER 3G, IMT-Advanced, 4th generation mobile communication system (4G), 5th generation mobile communication system (5G), 5G new radio (NR), Future Radio Access (FRA), New-Radio Access Technology (RAT), New Radio (NR), New radio access (NX), Future generation radio access (FX), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), CDMA2000, Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), and IEEE 802.20, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Bluetooth (a registered trademark), Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) networks, Device-to-Device (D2D) systems, Machine-to-Machine (M2M) systems, Internet of Things (IoT) systems, Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) systems, systems utilizing other communication methods, and next-generation systems built upon them, etc. Furthermore, multiple systems can be combined (e.g., a combination of LTE or LTE-A with 5G).

[0102] In some embodiments, multimedia services involve data of multiple modalities, referred to as multimodal data. Multimodal data can include audio data, video data, text data, tactile data, etc., and these data are correlated. For example, when a human touches objects with different surface textures and materials, the tactile sensation is different; therefore, tactile data is correlated with the image data of the object's surface. As another example, if a user's video is captured by a camera, and the user's audio recording of the video is simultaneously captured by a recording device, then the video data and audio data are correlated.

[0103] In some embodiments, multimodal data can be obtained from the same device or from different devices. In some embodiments, multimodal data can belong to the same user or different users. In some embodiments, multimodal data can belong to the same service or different services.

[0104] In some embodiments, to differentiate various data streams, a Quality of Service (QoS) scheme can be introduced into the communication system to provide network services with different QoS levels for various service requirements. Core network devices can establish one or more Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions, and each PDU session can transmit multiple data streams with different QoS requirements, referred to as QoS streams.

[0105] In some embodiments, the data stream can be replaced by a QoS stream or a media stream.

[0106] In some embodiments, the transmission of data streams of different modalities involves different QoS requirements. Therefore, for multimodal data, there is a correlation between different QoS streams.

[0107] In some embodiments, for multimedia services, when a terminal initiates a service request, the core network device establishes a corresponding PDU session. A PDU session can contain multiple QoS flows, each of which is identified by a QoS flow ID (QFI). Within a PDU session, the QFI of each QoS flow is unique. The access network device maps the QoS flows to radio bearers (RBs). The mapping relationship between QoS flows and RBs can be many-to-one or one-to-one.

[0108] Figure 1B is a simplified PDU session establishment process. As shown in Figure 1B, the PDU session establishment process includes:

[0109] In step S1101, the UE initiates a PDU session establishment request to the SMF through the base station and AMF.

[0110] In step S1102, after receiving the request, the SMF obtains the UE's subscription data from the UDM.

[0111] In step S1103, after receiving the request, the SMF obtains the policy rules for that type of user from the PCF.

[0112] In step S1104, after receiving the request, the SMF establishes a session with the UPF to establish a user plane connection.

[0113] In step S1105, the SMF initiates a PDU session resource request to the base station.

[0114] In step S1106, the base station sets up the corresponding radio resources after receiving the request.

[0115] In step S1107, the base station sends a PDU session resource response to the SMF.

[0116] In step S1108, after receiving the reply, the SMF updates the UPF to establish a tunnel from the UPF to the base station.

[0117] In some embodiments, after the PDU session is established, a tunnel is generated between the UE, AN, and UPF. The UE reaches the UPF through this tunnel to connect to the target data network (DN).

[0118] In some embodiments, QoS flows are managed by SMF, and the creation and modification of QoS flows can be triggered by terminals, PCF, UDM, etc., while the deletion of QoS flows can be triggered by terminals, PCF, etc.

[0119] In some embodiments, during the PDU session establishment process, if only some of the multiple QoS flows are successfully established, the application layer can only receive the data packets of the successfully established QoS flows. However, since there is a correlation between the multiple QoS flows, some of the multiple QoS flows may not be successfully established. Therefore, it is meaningless for the application layer to only receive the data packets of the successfully established QoS flows. The application layer may discard the received data packets, which leads to a waste of wireless resources and affects the user experience.

[0120] In some embodiments, the relationships between different data streams vary, and these different relationships can affect the processing of multimedia services. For example, if the connection establishment of some data streams fails, or the transmission of some data streams fails, or the QoS guarantee of some data streams is insufficient, this may only affect part of the multimedia service's functionality. Conversely, if the connection establishment of another part of the data streams fails, or the transmission of another part of the data streams fails, or the QoS guarantee of another part of the data streams is insufficient, this may directly lead to the failure of the entire multimedia service. Therefore, how to handle multiple data streams with different relationships is a problem that urgently needs to be solved.

[0121] This disclosure provides a communication method, communication device, communication system, storage medium, and program product. The network device receives first information indicating the correlation between data streams. Based on the first information, it performs collaborative processing on the data streams with correlation, which facilitates the collaborative transmission between different data streams of multimedia services, avoids the waste of wireless resources, and ensures user experience.

[0122] Figure 2A is an interactive schematic diagram of a communication method provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2A, the present disclosure relates to a communication method. Executed by a communication system 100, the communication method includes steps S2101 to S2103.

[0123] In step S2101, the terminal sends the first information.

[0124] In some embodiments, a network device receives first information. In some embodiments, an access network device receives first information. In some embodiments, a core network device receives first information. In some embodiments, the core network device may send the first information to the access network device.

[0125] In some embodiments, the first information is used by the network device to perform coordinated processing of multiple data streams with a relationship. In some embodiments, the first information is used by the network device to perform admission control of multiple data streams with a relationship. In some embodiments, the first information is used by the network device to determine multiple data streams with a relationship. In some embodiments, the first information is used by the network device to determine the relationship between multiple data streams.

[0126] In some embodiments, the first information indicates the correlation between data streams. In some embodiments, the data stream is an upstream data stream.

[0127] In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association between at least two QoS flows.

[0128] In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association between at least two PDU sessions. In some embodiments, each PDU session in the at least two PDU sessions includes one or more data streams. In some embodiments, the association between at least two PDU sessions can be understood as the association between the data streams included in the at least two PDU sessions respectively. In some embodiments, the association between at least two PDU sessions can also be understood as the association between at least two sets of data streams, wherein each set of data streams corresponds to one PDU session, and one or more data streams included in a PDU session constitute a set of data streams.

[0129] Understandably, the relationships between data flows can be indicated at the granularity of QoS flow or at the granularity of PDU session.

[0130] In some embodiments, the first information indicates an association between at least two data streams within the same PDU session. In some embodiments, the first information indicates an association between at least two data streams in different PDU sessions. It is understood that the at least two data streams with an association may belong to the same PDU session or different PDU sessions.

[0131] In some embodiments, the first information indicates an association between at least two data streams from the same terminal. In some embodiments, the first information indicates an association between at least two data streams from different terminals. It is understood that the at least two data streams with an association may belong to the same terminal or different terminals.

[0132] In some embodiments, the first information indicates an association between at least two PDU sessions on the same terminal. In some embodiments, the first information indicates an association between at least two PDU sessions on different terminals. It is understood that the at least two associated PDU sessions may belong to the same terminal or different terminals.

[0133] In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association between at least two data streams in the same PDU session of the same terminal. In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association between at least two data streams in different PDU sessions of the same terminal. In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association between at least two data streams in different PDU sessions of different terminals. It is understood that the at least two data streams with an association relationship may belong to the same PDU session of the same terminal, different PDU sessions of the same terminal, or different PDU sessions of different terminals.

[0134] In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association between at least two data streams of the same service. In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association between at least two data streams of different services. It is understood that the at least two data streams with an association relationship may belong to the same service or different services.

[0135] In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association between at least two PDU sessions of the same service. In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association between at least two PDU sessions of different services. It is understood that the at least two PDU sessions with an association relationship may belong to the same service or different services.

[0136] In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association between at least two data streams in the same PDU session of the same service. In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association between at least two data streams in different PDU sessions of the same service. In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association between at least two data streams in different PDU sessions of different services. It is understood that the at least two data streams with an association relationship may belong to the same PDU session of the same service, different PDU sessions of the same service, or different PDU sessions of different services.

[0137] In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association relationship between at least two data streams of the same service on the same terminal. In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association relationship between at least two data streams of different services on the same terminal. In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association relationship between at least two data streams of different services on different terminals. It is understood that the at least two data streams with an association relationship may belong to the same service on the same terminal, different services on the same terminal, or different services on different terminals.

[0138] In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association relationship between at least two PDU sessions of the same service on the same terminal. In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association relationship between at least two PDU sessions of different services on the same terminal. In some embodiments, the first information indicates the association relationship between at least two PDU sessions of different services on different terminals. It is understood that the at least two PDU sessions with an association relationship may belong to the same service on the same terminal, different services on the same terminal, or different services on different terminals.

[0139] In some embodiments, the association between data streams includes at least one of the following: association between at least two QoS streams, association between at least two PDU sessions, association between at least two data streams in the same PDU session, association between at least two data streams in different PDU sessions, association between at least two data streams in the same terminal, association between at least two data streams in different terminals, association between at least two data streams in the same service, and association between at least two data streams in different services.

[0140] In some embodiments, the first information includes at least one of the following: second information and third information. In some embodiments, the second information indicates dependencies between data streams. In some embodiments, the second information indicates the dependency level between data streams. In some embodiments, the second information indicates both dependencies and dependency levels between data streams. In some embodiments, the third information indicates the priority of data streams with an association relationship.

[0141] In some embodiments, dependencies between data streams can be used to determine the collaborative processing requirements of the data streams. In some embodiments, dependencies between data streams can be used to determine the conditions for establishing connections between data streams. In some embodiments, dependencies between data streams can be used to determine the requirements for establishing connections between data streams. In some embodiments, dependencies between data streams can be used to determine the order in which connections between data streams are established.

[0142] In one example, the second information indicates that data stream A depends on data stream B. This can be interpreted as the establishment of the connection of data stream A depending on the establishment of the connection of data stream B, or as the prerequisite for the establishment of the connection of data stream A being successful in establishing the connection of data stream B, or as the establishment of the connection of data stream B needing to precede the establishment of the connection of data stream A.

[0143] In some embodiments, the dependency level between data streams can be used to determine the collaborative processing requirements of the data streams. In some embodiments, the dependency level between data streams can be used to determine the degree of dependency between data streams. In some embodiments, the dependency level between data streams can be used to determine the strength of the dependency relationship between data streams. In some embodiments, the dependency level between data streams can be used to determine the conditions for establishing a data stream that has dependencies on multiple data streams.

[0144] In some embodiments, the higher the dependency level between data streams, the stronger the dependency between them, which can be understood as a strong dependency relationship. In other embodiments, the lower the dependency level between data streams, the weaker the dependency relationship, which can be understood as a weak dependency relationship.

[0145] In one example, if the dependency level of data flow A on data flow B is higher than the dependency level of data flow A on data flow C, it can be understood as the degree of dependency of data flow A on data flow B being higher than the degree of dependency of data flow A on data flow C. Alternatively, it can be understood as a strong dependency between data flow A and data flow B, and a weak dependency between data flow A and data flow C. Furthermore, it can be understood as the establishment of a connection in data flow A being more dependent on the establishment of a connection in data flow B. It can also be understood as a prerequisite for the establishment of a connection in data flow A being successful, and a prerequisite for the establishment of a connection in data flow A being successful in connecting data flow B and data flow C.

[0146] In some embodiments, the priority of related data flows can be used to determine the collaborative processing requirements of the data flows. In some embodiments, the priority of related data flows can be used to determine the importance of the data flows. In some embodiments, the priority of related data flows can be used to determine the collaborative processing order of related data flows. In some embodiments, the priority of related data flows can be used by network devices to determine the data flows to be processed first when resources are insufficient.

[0147] In some embodiments, the higher the priority, the more important the data stream is and the more priority it needs to be processed.

[0148] In one example, data flow A has a higher priority than data flow B. This can be interpreted as data flow A being more important than data flow B, or as data flow A needing to establish a connection earlier than data flow B, or as data flow A being processed first when network device resources are insufficient.

[0149] In some embodiments, the first information may be User Equipment Assistance Information (UAI).

[0150] In some embodiments, the terminal may send first information to the network device via control signaling. In some embodiments, the control signaling may be at least one of radio resource control (RRC) signaling, media access control-control element (MAC-CE) signaling, and non-access stratum (NAS) signaling.

[0151] In some embodiments, the terminal can send first information to the network device via a first message, i.e., the first information can be carried in the first message. In some embodiments, the first message is used to request the establishment of an RRC connection. In one embodiment, the first message is used to request the establishment of a PDU session. In some embodiments, the first message is used to request the modification of a PDU session. In some embodiments, the first message is used to request a handover. In some embodiments, the first message is used to respond to a second message, and the second message is used to request terminal context information.

[0152] In one example, the first message is an attach request message. In another example, the first message is an RRC setup request message. In another example, the first message is a PDU session establishment request. In another example, the first message is a PDU session modification request message. In another example, the first message is a handover request message. In another example, the first message is a UE context response message.

[0153] In some embodiments, the terminal may send the first information directly to the access network device via RRC signaling or MAC-CE signaling.

[0154] In some embodiments, the terminal can send the first information directly to the core network device via NAS signaling, and the core network device can send the received first information to the access network device.

[0155] In some embodiments, before step S2101, the terminal may send terminal capability information to the network device to indicate to the network device the terminal's ability to support the association between transmitted data streams. The network device may also send network device capability information to the terminal to indicate to the terminal the network device's ability to support the collaborative processing of data streams with association.

[0156] In step S2102, the access network device performs collaborative processing on data streams with related relationships based on the first information.

[0157] In some embodiments, the access network device determines related data streams based on first information. In some embodiments, the access network device determines the association between at least two data streams based on the first information. In some embodiments, the access network device determines the collaborative processing requirements between at least two data streams based on the first information. In some embodiments, the access network device determines the connection establishment requirements of related data streams based on the first information.

[0158] In some embodiments, the access network device coordinates the establishment of connections for data streams with related relationships based on first information. In some embodiments, the access network device coordinates the transmission of data streams with related relationships based on first information.

[0159] In some embodiments, the access network device establishes connections for associated data streams. In some embodiments, the access network device establishes radio bearers for associated data streams. It is understood that connections for all associated data streams need to be established to meet the cooperative transmission requirements of the associated data streams.

[0160] In some embodiments, the access network device establishes a connection for data flows with a priority greater than a first threshold among associated data flows. In some embodiments, the access network device establishes a radio bearer for data flows with a priority greater than the first threshold among associated data flows. It is understood that data flows with a priority greater than the first threshold among associated data flows are of higher importance, thus facilitating network devices to prioritize the processing of high-importance data flows.

[0161] In some embodiments, the access network device establishes connections for a first data stream and a second data stream sequentially. In some embodiments, the access network device establishes radio bearers for the first data stream and the second data stream sequentially. In some embodiments, the connection establishment of the second data stream depends on the connection establishment of the first data stream. In some embodiments, the establishment of the radio bearer of the second data stream depends on the establishment of the radio bearer of the first data stream. It is understood that by coordinating the processing of dependent data streams based on dependencies, the access network device can fully guarantee the successful transmission of multiple dependent data streams, thereby ensuring the successful execution of multimedia services.

[0162] In step S2103, the access network device sends the fourth information.

[0163] In some embodiments, the access network device sends fourth information based on the result of collaborative processing of data streams with related relationships.

[0164] In some embodiments, the terminal receives fourth information.

[0165] In some embodiments, the fourth information is used to indicate the collaborative processing result of data streams with related relationships.

[0166] In some embodiments, if the connection establishment of some data streams in a data stream with an association relationship fails, the fourth information indicates that the connection establishment of all data streams with an association relationship has failed. In some embodiments, if the connection establishment of all data streams in a data stream with an association relationship fails, the fourth information indicates that the connection establishment of all data streams with an association relationship has failed. In some embodiments, if the connection establishment of all data streams in a data stream with an association relationship succeeds, the fourth information indicates that the connection establishment of all data streams with an association relationship has succeeded.

[0167] In some embodiments, the fourth information is also used to indicate the cause of the collaborative processing result.

[0168] In one example, the fourth piece of information is used to indicate that the collaborative processing result is a failure, and also to indicate that the reason for the failure of the collaborative processing is that the collaborative processing cannot be guaranteed, resulting in the failure to establish a data flow with a relationship.

[0169] The communication method involved in the embodiments of this disclosure may include at least one of steps S2101 to S2103. For example, step S2101 may be implemented as a standalone embodiment. For example, step S2102 may be implemented as a standalone embodiment. For example, step S2103 may be implemented as a standalone embodiment. For example, steps S2101 and S2102 may be combined as a standalone embodiment. For example, steps S2102 and S2103 may be combined as a standalone embodiment.

[0170] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the access network device receives first information sent by the terminal or the core network device to determine the correlation between data streams and to perform collaborative processing on the data streams with correlation, so as to facilitate the collaborative transmission between different data streams of multimedia services, avoid the waste of wireless resources, and ensure user experience.

[0171] Figure 2B is an interactive schematic diagram of a communication method provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2B, the present disclosure relates to a communication method. Executed by a communication system 100, the communication method includes steps S2201 to S2204.

[0172] In this embodiment of the disclosure, for a handover scenario, the communication system includes a terminal, access network device A, and access network device B. Access network device A is the target base station, and access network device B is the source base station.

[0173] In step S2201, the terminal sends the first information.

[0174] In some embodiments, the source base station receives the first information.

[0175] The optional implementation of step S2204 can be found in the optional implementation of step S2201 in Figure 2A and other related parts in the embodiments involved in Figure 2A, which will not be repeated here.

[0176] In step S2202, the source base station sends the first information.

[0177] In some embodiments, the target base station receives first information.

[0178] In some embodiments, the source base station sends first information to the target base station via a first message, which is a handover request message containing the first information. In some embodiments, the handover request message includes a PDU session establishment information element (IE), which contains the first information.

[0179] In step S2203, the target base station performs collaborative processing on data streams with related relationships based on the first information.

[0180] The optional implementation of step S2203 can be found in the optional implementation of step S2202 in Figure 2A and other related parts in the embodiments involved in Figure 2A, which will not be repeated here.

[0181] In step S2204, the target base station sends the fourth information.

[0182] In some embodiments, the terminal receives fourth information.

[0183] The optional implementation of step S2204 can be found in the optional implementation of step S2203 in Figure 2A and other related parts in the embodiments involved in Figure 2A, which will not be repeated here.

[0184] In some embodiments, the source base station in the above embodiments can be replaced by an anchor base station, and the target base station can be replaced by a serving base station. Understandably, for an inactive terminal, the terminal can send first information to the anchor base station, the serving base station sends a terminal context request message to the anchor base station, and the anchor base station sends the first information to the serving base station through a terminal context response message.

[0185] The communication method involved in the embodiments of this disclosure may include at least one of steps S2201 to S2204. For example, step S2201 may be implemented as a standalone embodiment. For example, step S2202 may be implemented as a standalone embodiment. For example, step S2203 may be implemented as a standalone embodiment. For example, step S2204 may be implemented as a standalone embodiment. For example, steps S2202 and S2203 may be combined as a standalone embodiment. For example, steps S2203 and S2204 may be combined as a standalone embodiment.

[0186] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the target base station receives the first information sent by the source base station to determine the correlation between data streams and to perform collaborative processing on the data streams with correlation, which facilitates the collaborative transmission between different data streams of multimedia services in cross-base station handover scenarios, avoids waste of wireless resources, and ensures user experience.

[0187] In some embodiments, terms such as “cooperative processing,” “cooperative scheduling,” “joint admission control,” and “unified scheduling” can be used interchangeably.

[0188] In some embodiments, the terms "data stream," "service stream," "media stream," and "QoS stream" can be used interchangeably.

[0189] In some embodiments, the names of information, etc., are not limited to the names described in the embodiments. Terms such as "information", "message", "signal", "signaling", "report", "configuration", "indication", "instruction", "command", "channel", "parameter", "domain", "field", "symbol", "symbol", "codebook", "codeword", "codepoint", "bit", "data", "program", and "chip" can be used interchangeably.

[0190] In some embodiments, the terms “carrying,” “including,” “containing,” and “encapsulating” can be used interchangeably.

[0191] In some embodiments, the terms “radio”, “wireless”, “radio access network (RAN)”, “access network (AN)”, and “RAN-based” can be used interchangeably.

[0192] In some embodiments, “get,” “obtain,” “receive,” “transmit,” “bidirectional transmission,” and “send and / or receive” can be used interchangeably and can be interpreted as receiving from other entities, obtaining from protocols, obtaining from higher layers, obtaining through self-processing, or autonomous implementation, among other meanings.

[0193] In some embodiments, terms such as “send,” “transmit,” “report,” “transmit,” “request,” “bidirectional transmission,” “send and / or receive” can be used interchangeably.

[0194] In some embodiments, the terms “issue,” “return,” “feedback,” “response,” and “acknowledgement” can be used interchangeably.

[0195] In some embodiments, terms such as "certain," "preset," "default," "set," "indicated," "a certain," "any," and "first" can be used interchangeably. "Certain A," "preset A," "default A," "set A," "indicated A," "a certain A," "any A," and "first A" can be interpreted as A pre-defined in a protocol or the like, or as A obtained through setting, configuration, or instruction, or as specific A, a certain A, any A, or first A, but are not limited thereto.

[0196] In some embodiments, if an arrow in the interaction diagram representing the sending of information, signaling, etc. from one subject to another passes through other subjects, it can be interpreted as the information being forwarded from one subject to another via other subjects, or it can be interpreted as the information being sent from one subject to another without passing through other subjects.

[0197] Figure 3 is another interactive schematic diagram of the communication method provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The communication method involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to terminals, network devices, and terminals in the communication system 100. As shown in Figure 3, the communication method of the embodiments of the present disclosure includes steps S3101 to S3102.

[0198] In step S3101, the terminal sends the first information.

[0199] The optional implementation of step S3101 can also be found in the optional implementation of step S2102 in Figure 2A and other related parts in the embodiments involved in Figure 2A, which will not be repeated here.

[0200] In step S3102, the network device performs collaborative processing on data streams with related relationships based on the first information.

[0201] The optional implementation of step S3102 can also be found in the optional implementation of step S2107 in Figure 2A and other related parts in the embodiments involved in Figure 2A, which will not be repeated here.

[0202] In some embodiments, the network device includes access network equipment and core network equipment. In some embodiments, when the network device is a first base station, the first information is sent to the first base station by at least one of the terminal, the core network equipment, and the second base station. In some embodiments, the network device is a core network equipment, and the first information is sent to the core network equipment by the terminal. In some embodiments, the first base station is a base station after cell handover, and the second base station is a base station before cell handover; or, the first base station is the serving base station of the terminal, and the second base station is an anchor base station.

[0203] The communication method involved in the embodiments of this disclosure may include at least one of steps S3101 to S3102. For example, step S3101 may be implemented as a standalone embodiment. For example, step S3102 may be implemented as a standalone embodiment.

[0204] In the following, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be described by way of specific implementation.

[0205] In some embodiments, multimodality involves multiple sources or forms of information, such as touch, hearing, vision, and smell; and information media such as voice, video, and text. To perceive user input from multiple dimensions, numerous types and numbers of apps and / or devices are used for multimodal information collection, including multiple cameras, speakers, sensors, keyboards, fingerprint scanners, etc. These devices for collecting multimodal information can be used on the same device or across multiple devices. In a single-user, single-device multimodal scenario, for example, a user's video can be captured by a camera on the same handheld terminal, while the user's voiceprint can also be captured by sensors on the phone, thus obtaining information from two modalities simultaneously. In this case, the information from these two modalities needs to be combined before being reported to the network. If the datasets of the two modalities are out of sync, it can cause a dizzying user experience. Therefore, even when the same user acquires content on the same collection terminal, strict time synchronization is usually required for fusion and presentation.

[0206] In some embodiments, when multimodal communication involves multiple inputs (which may occur on only one UE or across multiple UEs), a common approach is for the APP layer (i.e., the reference layer) to initiate services and make decisions based on the multiple inputs. A common problem is that, for example, if several services fail to establish a connection, the APP layer may discard received data. This isn't a major issue in existing wired networks or Wi-Fi, but in mobile networks, it leads to a significant waste of wireless resources, which are very valuable. It's crucial to avoid data packets being discarded after reaching the APP layer; therefore, some collaborative processing during service access is necessary at the access layer.

[0207] In some embodiments, it is necessary to consider the varying degrees of dependency between multiple XRM data streams. For example, insufficient QoS guarantees or data stream transmission failures in some data streams may have a localized impact on the entire XRM service, such as affecting user experience or some business functions; however, insufficient QoS guarantees or data stream transmission failures in other data streams may directly lead to the failure of the entire XRM service. Identifying and coordinating data streams with different dependencies or priorities is an important and indispensable requirement in actual XRM operations.

[0208] In some embodiments, the current 5GS system does not have a complete mechanism to support the needs of XRM services and multimodal services among multiple UEs, and there is no corresponding technical solution to support the functional characteristics of identification and coordination of dependencies or priorities between multiple XRM data streams of a UE or between XRM data streams of multiple UEs.

[0209] In some embodiments, the terminal reports auxiliary information (i.e., first information) to the network to indicate the correlation between related data streams, so as to facilitate reasonable scheduling and processing by the network.

[0210] In some embodiments, the granularity of indicating the relevant data flow can be a QoS flow or a PDU session.

[0211] In some embodiments, related data flows refer to at least two data flows (Qos flows) that are associated.

[0212] In some embodiments, the associated data flow can be at least two data flows (QoS flow) within the same PDU session.

[0213] In some embodiments, the associated data flow can be at least two data flows (QoS flow) across a PDU session.

[0214] In some embodiments, a related data stream refers to at least two PDU sessions that are associated.

[0215] In some embodiments, the related data streams can be at least two data streams from the same UE.

[0216] In some embodiments, the associated data streams can be at least two data streams across the UE.

[0217] In some embodiments, the related data streams may belong to the same service group identifier simultaneously. In some embodiments, the service group identifier is a multi-modality service identifier (MMSID).

[0218] In some embodiments, the auxiliary information includes at least one of the following: dependency level information of the relevant data stream and priority information of the relevant data stream.

[0219] In some embodiments, the dependency level of related data streams can reflect the association between data streams, facilitating joint admission control by the base station. In one example, if data stream A depends on data stream B, then the prerequisite for the establishment of data stream A is that data stream B is also successfully established.

[0220] In some embodiments, the priority of related data streams can reflect the importance of the data streams, facilitating base stations to prioritize establishment when resources are insufficient. In some embodiments, a higher priority means that establishment is mandatory or should be attempted.

[0221] In some embodiments, dependency level information and priority information of related data streams can be used in combination. In some embodiments, the base station can perform joint admission control of related data streams based on dependency level information and priority information.

[0222] In one example, the priority information for data streams 1 to 5 is shown in the table above. If data stream 1 and data stream 2 are related, meaning they need to be established simultaneously, then after the base station obtains this relationship, it will successfully establish data streams 1 and 2 simultaneously. The others are optional to establish. If the establishment of data stream 1 and / or data stream 2 fails, the entire admission control process fails.

[0223] In some embodiments, the auxiliary information may be for uplink or downlink traffic flows.

[0224] In some embodiments, the auxiliary information can be reported directly from the terminal to the base station. In some embodiments, the auxiliary information is reported to the base station in the form of signaling such as RRC / MAC. In some embodiments, the auxiliary information is reported to the base station in the form of UAI. In some embodiments, the auxiliary information only indicates the correlation and / or priority level between uplink data streams. In some embodiments, the terminal can obtain this information from the App layer. In some embodiments, how the terminal obtains this information can be based on the terminal's implementation.

[0225] In some embodiments, the auxiliary information can be reported from the terminal to the core network element. In some embodiments, the auxiliary information is reported to the core network element in the form of signaling such as NAS. In some embodiments, the auxiliary information is reported to the core network element in an Attach message. In some embodiments, the auxiliary information may indicate the correlation and / or priority level between uplink data streams.

[0226] In some embodiments, if the core network receives the auxiliary information, it can forward it to the base station for admission control. In some embodiments, if the base station finds that multiple QoS flows in the same PDU session need to be established successfully, it will reply that the entire PDU session establishment failed if any one of them fails to be admitted. In some embodiments, the auxiliary information will be carried in the service establishment / modification request initiated by the core network.

[0227] In some embodiments, the source base station, upon receiving the auxiliary information, may forward it to the target base station. In some embodiments, the auxiliary information is carried in the PDU session establishment IE of the handover request message, facilitating the target base station to perform related cooperative admission control. In some embodiments, for inactive terminals, the new serving base station will carry the auxiliary information in the terminal context request response message obtained from the anchor base station, facilitating the new serving base station to perform cooperative admission control.

[0228] This disclosure also proposes an apparatus for implementing any of the above methods. For example, a terminal is proposed, which includes units or modules for implementing the steps performed by the terminal in any of the above methods. Furthermore, another network device is proposed, including units or modules for implementing the steps performed by the network device (e.g., access network device, core network functional node, core network device, etc.) in any of the above methods.

[0229] It should be understood that the division of units or modules in the above device is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, they can be fully or partially integrated into a single physical entity, or they can be physically separated. Furthermore, the units or modules in the device can be implemented by a processor calling software: for example, the device includes a processor connected to a memory containing instructions. The processor calls the instructions stored in the memory to implement any of the above methods or to implement the functions of the units or modules in the above device. The processor can be, for example, a general-purpose processor, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) or a microprocessor, and the memory can be internal or external to the device. Alternatively, the units or modules in the device can be implemented in the form of hardware circuits. The functionality of some or all of the units or modules can be achieved through the design of these hardware circuits, which can be understood as one or more processors. For example, in one implementation, the hardware circuit is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The functionality of some or all of the units or modules is achieved through the design of the logical relationships between the components within the circuit. In another implementation, the hardware circuit can be implemented using a programmable logic device (PLD). Taking a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) as an example, it can include a large number of logic gates. The connection relationships between the logic gates are configured through configuration files, thereby achieving the functionality of some or all of the units or modules. All units or modules of the above device can be implemented entirely through processor-called software, entirely through hardware circuits, or partially through processor-called software with the remaining parts implemented through hardware circuits.

[0230] In this embodiment, the processor is a circuit with signal processing capabilities. In one implementation, the processor can be a circuit with instruction read and execute capabilities, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a graphics processing unit (GPU) (which can be understood as a microprocessor), or a digital signal processor (DSP). In another implementation, the processor can implement certain functions through the logical relationships of hardware circuits. The logical relationships of the aforementioned hardware circuits are fixed or reconfigurable. For example, the processor is a hardware circuit implemented using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a programmable logic device (PLD), such as an FPGA. In a reconfigurable hardware circuit, the process of the processor loading a configuration document and configuring the hardware circuit can be understood as the process of the processor loading instructions to implement the functions of some or all of the above units or modules. In addition, it can also be hardware circuits designed for artificial intelligence, which can be understood as ASICs, such as Neural Network Processing Units (NPUs), Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), and Deep Learning Processing Units (DPUs).

[0231] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device proposed in an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 4A, the network device 4100 may include a transceiver module 4101 and a processing module 4102. In some embodiments, the transceiver module 4101 is configured to receive first information, the first information indicating the association relationship between data streams; the processing module 4102 is configured to perform collaborative processing on the data streams with the association relationship based on the first information. In some embodiments, the transceiver module is used to perform at least one of the communication steps such as sending and / or receiving performed by the network device in any of the above methods (e.g., steps S2101, S2103, but not limited thereto), which will not be described in detail here.

[0232] In some embodiments, the network device is any one of the access network device, target base station, and serving base station in the above embodiments.

[0233] Figure 4B is an exemplary structural diagram of a terminal provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 4B, the terminal 4200 may include a transceiver module 4201. In some embodiments, the transceiver module 4201 is used to send first information, the first information indicating an association relationship between data streams; the association relationship between data streams is used by network devices to perform collaborative processing on data streams with an association relationship. In some embodiments, the transceiver module 4201 may be configured to perform at least one of the communication steps (e.g., steps S2101, S2103, but not limited thereto) performed by the terminal in any of the above methods, which will not be described in detail here.

[0234] In some embodiments, the transceiver module described above may include a transmitting module and / or a receiving module. The transmitting module and the receiving module may be separate or integrated together. Optionally, the transceiver module described above may be interchangeable with a transceiver.

[0235] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The communication device 5100 can be any of a network device, a terminal, or a fourth node; it can also be a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the network device in implementing any of the above methods; it can also be a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the terminal in implementing any of the above methods; or it can be a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the fourth node in implementing any of the above methods. The communication device 5100 can be used to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments, and specific details can be found in the descriptions in the above method embodiments.

[0236] As shown in Figure 5, the communication device 5100 includes one or more processors 5101. The processor 5101 can be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, such as a baseband processor or a central processing unit (CPU). The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the CPU can be used to control communication devices (e.g., base stations, baseband chips, terminal devices, terminal device chips, DUs or CUs, etc.), execute programs, and process program data. Optionally, the communication device 5100 can be used to execute any of the above methods. Optionally, one or more processors 5101 can be used to invoke instructions to cause the communication device 5100 to execute any of the above methods.

[0237] In some embodiments, the communication device 5100 further includes one or more transceivers 5102. When the communication device 5100 includes one or more transceivers 5102, the transceiver 5102 performs at least one of the communication steps (e.g., S2101, step S2103, but not limited thereto) in the above method, such as sending and / or receiving, while the processor 5101 performs at least one of other steps (e.g., step S2102, but not limited thereto). In optional embodiments, the transceiver 5102 may include a receiver and / or a transmitter, which may be separate or integrated. Optionally, the terms transceiver, transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiver circuit, interface circuit, interface, etc., can be used interchangeably; the terms transmitter, sending unit, transmitter, sending circuit, etc., can be used interchangeably; and the terms receiver, receiving unit, receiver, receiving circuit, etc., can be used interchangeably.

[0238] In some embodiments, the communication device 5100 further includes one or more memories 5103 for storing data. Optionally, all or part of the memories 5103 may be located outside the communication device 5100. In optional embodiments, the communication device 5100 may include one or more interface circuits 5104. Optionally, the interface circuits 5104 are connected to the memories 5103 and can be used to receive data from the memories 5103 or other devices, and to send data to the memories 5103 or other devices. For example, the interface circuits 5104 can read data stored in the memories 5103 and send the data to the processor 5101.

[0239] The communication device 5100 described in the above embodiments may be a network device or a terminal, but the scope of the communication device 5100 described in this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the structure of the communication device 5100 may not be limited by FIG. 5. The communication device may be a standalone device or a part of a larger device. For example, the communication device may be: (1) a standalone integrated circuit IC, or chip, or chip system or subsystem; (2) a collection of one or more ICs, optionally, the IC collection may also include storage components for storing data and programs; (3) an ASIC, such as a modem; (4) a module that can be embedded in other devices; (5) a receiver, terminal device, smart terminal device, cellular phone, wireless device, handheld device, mobile unit, vehicle device, network device, cloud device, artificial intelligence device, etc.; (6) others, etc.

[0240] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. When the communication device 6100 can be a chip or a chip system, the schematic diagram of the chip 6100 shown in Figure 6 can be referred to, but is not limited thereto.

[0241] Chip 6100 includes one or more processors 6101. Chip 6100 is used to perform any of the above methods.

[0242] In some embodiments, chip 6100 further includes one or more interface circuits 6102. Optionally, terms such as interface circuit, interface, and transceiver pin can be used interchangeably. In some embodiments, chip 6100 further includes one or more memories 6103 for storing data. Optionally, all or part of the memories 6103 may be located outside chip 6100. Optionally, interface circuit 6102 is connected to memory 6103, and interface circuit 6102 can be used to receive data from memory 6103 or other devices, and interface circuit 6102 can be used to send data to memory 6103 or other devices. For example, interface circuit 6102 can read data stored in memory 6103 and send the data to processor 6101.

[0243] In some embodiments, the interface circuit 6102 performs at least one of the communication steps (e.g., S2101, S2103, but not limited thereto) in the above-described method, such as sending and / or receiving. For example, the interface circuit 6102 performing the communication steps (e.g., sending and / or receiving) in the above-described method means that the interface circuit 6102 performs data interaction between the processor 6101, the chip 6100, the memory 6103, or the transceiver device. In some embodiments, the processor 6101 performs at least one of other steps (e.g., step S2102, but not limited thereto).

[0244] The modules and / or devices described in the various embodiments, such as virtual devices, physical devices, and chips, can be combined or separated arbitrarily as needed. Optionally, some or all steps can also be performed collaboratively by multiple modules and / or devices, which is not limited here.

[0245] This disclosure also proposes a storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a communication device 5100, cause the communication device 5100 to perform any of the methods described above. Optionally, the storage medium is an electronic storage medium. Optionally, the storage medium is a computer-readable storage medium, but not limited thereto; it may also be a storage medium readable by other devices. Optionally, the storage medium may be a non-transitory storage medium, but not limited thereto; it may also be a temporary storage medium.

[0246] This disclosure also proposes a program product that, when executed by a communication device 5100, causes the communication device 5100 to perform any of the above methods. Optionally, the program product is a computer program product.

[0247] This disclosure also proposes a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform any of the above methods.

[0248] Other embodiments of the invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention that follow the general principles of the invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the invention are indicated by the following claims.

[0249] It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise structure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

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