Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

A communication method and an apparatus. In the method, a fourth apparatus receives first information from a first apparatus, the first information being used for requesting invoking a semantic communication service; and the fourth apparatus sends second information to the first apparatus, the second information being used for authorizing a first semantic communication service. In this way, a mechanism supporting a semantic communication service is provided, for each apparatus to conveniently use the semantic communication service. Due to the semantic communication service, the apparatuses can flexibly perform semantic communication on the basis of demands, thereby improving the flexibility of apparatus communication, and helping to improve the communication quality of the apparatuses.

Description

A communication method and apparatus

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510121822.3, filed on January 24, 2025, entitled "A Communication Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0004] Semantic communication is a new communication paradigm that is task-oriented and follows a "understand first, transmit later" approach. Specifically, under the premise that both communicating parties have "semantic consensus," semantic communication selectively extracts features from the original signal, compresses and encodes it, and then transmits it, utilizing semantic information for communication. This ensures accurate signal transmission while maximizing signal compression. Joint source-channel coding (JSCC) is a method of semantic communication. JSCC mainly combines source coding and channel coding to encode the signal. Compared to independently designed source and channel coding, JSCC can significantly improve coding performance. However, for communication systems, such as fifth-generation (5G)... th There is currently no solution for how to support semantic communication in 5G (generation, 5G) communication systems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and apparatus for providing a mechanism that supports semantic communication.

[0006] Firstly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method. Or, to put it another way, embodiments of this application provide a semantic communication method. This method is applied to a fourth device. The fourth device can be the fourth device itself (or referred to as a fourth entity, fourth network element, or fourth equipment, etc.), a module within the fourth device, or a logic module or software capable of implementing some or all of the functions of the fourth device. Modules within the fourth device can be, for example, processors, communication modules, or circuits or chips responsible for communication functions. Chips can be, for example, modem chips, system-on-chip (SoC) chips containing modem cores, or system-in-package (SIP) chips. The fourth device can be a device with communication functions, such as a core network element, specifically a mobility management network element, such as an access and mobility management function (AMF), or a session management network element, such as a session management function (SMF). For ease of description, the following description uses the execution of this method by a fourth device as an example. The method includes: a fourth device receiving first information from a first device, and sending second information to the first device, wherein the first information is used to request the invocation of a semantic communication service, and the second information is used to authorize the first semantic communication service.

[0007] Optionally, a semantic communication service is used to implement semantic communication. The semantic communication service can also be replaced by a joint source-channel coding service or a JSCC service, etc. Optionally, the first information can be carried in the registration request, and the second information can be carried in the registration response.

[0008] In this embodiment, semantic communication is service-oriented, enabling a first device in the communication system to invoke semantic communication services through authorization from a fourth device. This allows the communication system to support semantic communication, providing a mechanism for such services. Since semantic communication involves understanding before transmission, this helps reduce the amount of data transmitted by the communication system. Furthermore, because semantic communication is service-oriented, the first device can flexibly invoke services as needed, improving the flexibility of communication between devices. Finally, authorizing the invocation of semantic communication services through the fourth device standardizes the process of invoking semantic communication services.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: configuring one or more parameters to a second device for transmitting data with a first device based on a first semantic communication service; and / or configuring some or all of the parameters to a third device for forwarding data between the first device and the second device; wherein the one or more parameters are used to support (or configure) the first semantic communication service.

[0010] For example, the first device is a terminal device, and the second device is an application server or AF. Alternatively, the first device is an application server, and the second device is a terminal device. The third device may include access network elements and / or user plane network elements, etc.

[0011] When one or more parameters are configured on the second device, the first and second devices can reach a consensus on the semantic communication service to be used, enabling them to communicate smoothly using the first semantic communication service. Similarly, when some or all of the parameters are configured on the third device, the first and third devices can reach a consensus on the semantic communication service to be used, allowing the third device to subsequently assist in implementing the first semantic communication service. In summary, both implementations are beneficial in improving the success rate of implementing the first semantic communication service.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the first semantic communication service is determined based on the subscription information of the first device, which indicates at least one semantic communication service supported by the first device, and the first semantic communication service is one of at least one semantic communication services.

[0013] The contract information can also be referred to as contract data, etc. Optionally, the contract information can be pre-stored in the fourth device, predefined by the protocol, or obtained by the fourth device from other devices (such as unified data storage), etc. There is no limitation on this.

[0014] In this way, ensuring that the semantic communication service of the authorized first device is a semantic communication service supported by the first device is beneficial to improving the success rate of implementing the first semantic communication service.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the second information includes one or more parameters that support the first semantic communication service.

[0016] In this way, the first device can obtain authorization for the first semantic communication service and specify one or more parameters, which helps to improve the success rate of implementing the first semantic communication service.

[0017] In one possible implementation, one or more parameters include at least one of the following: the bitrate of the first semantic communication service; the model of the first semantic communication service; or, the codebook of the first semantic communication service.

[0018] This allows the first device to clearly define the parameters of the first semantic communication service, facilitating more accurate communication using the service. Furthermore, when the semantic communication service is JSCC, the joint design of the source and channel is achieved, optimizing the user experience from sender to receiver.

[0019] In one possible implementation, one or more parameters further include at least one of the following: the type of performing at least one operation; the order of performing at least one operation; or, indicating that at least one operation is performed before the protocol data unit layer; wherein the at least one operation is an operation performed before performing the first semantic communication service, and the at least one operation includes: an entropy decoding operation and / or a decryption operation.

[0020] This allows the first device to determine more parameters of the first semantic communication service, enabling it to more accurately utilize the service for communication. Furthermore, the first device can perform entropy decoding and / or decryption operations on the data, thus preventing situations where the data entropy rate is too high, hindering semantic communication processes such as JSCC, and ensuring the smooth operation of the semantic communication service.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the first information is used to request the invocation of a semantic communication service, including: the first information is used to request the invocation of a semantic communication service that supports one or more functions, wherein the first semantic communication service supports the implementation of one or more functions.

[0022] Thus, the first semantic communication service authorized by the fourth device to the first device is what the first device needs, meets the needs of the first device, and is conducive to improving the subsequent communication quality of the first device.

[0023] In one possible implementation, after sending the second information to the first device, the method further includes: receiving third information from the first device, the third information being used to request an update to the first semantic communication service; and sending fourth information to the second device, the fourth information indicating the transmission of data with the first device based on the updated first semantic communication service. Optionally, requesting an update to the first semantic communication service may include requesting an update to the type of the semantic communication service, or updating the parameters of the first semantic communication service, etc.

[0024] Thus, the first device can request an update to the first semantic communication service based on its own needs, thereby adjusting the first semantic communication service and improving the communication quality of the first device.

[0025] In one possible implementation, after sending the second information to the first device, the method further includes: receiving a fifth message from the first device, the fifth message being used to request the cessation of using the first semantic communication service; and sending a sixth message to the second device, the sixth message indicating the cessation of using the first semantic communication service to transmit data with the first device.

[0026] In this way, the first device can request to stop the first semantic communication service based on its own needs, thereby canceling the first semantic communication service, which improves the communication flexibility of the first device and the communication quality of the first device.

[0027] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method. Or, to put it another way, embodiments of this application provide a semantic communication method. This method is applied to a first device. The first device can be the first device itself (or referred to as a first entity, first network element, or first device, etc.), a module within the first device, or a logic module or software capable of implementing some or all of the functions of the first device. Modules within the first device can be, for example, processors, communication modules, or circuits or chips responsible for communication functions within the first device. Chips can be, for example, modem chips, or SoC chips or SIP chips containing modem cores. The first device can be a device with communication functions, such as a terminal device, a first module, an access network element, a core network element, an application server providing services to the terminal device, or an application function (AF), etc. The first module can be, for example, an application accessible to the terminal device. For ease of description, the following description uses the execution of this method by the first device as an example. The method includes: sending first information, the first information being used to request the invocation of a semantic communication service; and receiving second information, the second information being used to authorize the first semantic communication service.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the second information includes one or more parameters of the first semantic communication service, which are used to implement the first semantic communication service.

[0029] In one possible implementation, one or more parameters include at least one of the following: the bitrate of the first semantic communication service; the model of the first semantic communication service; or, the codebook of the first semantic communication service.

[0030] In one possible implementation, one or more parameters further include at least one of the following: the type of performing at least one operation; the order of performing at least one operation; or, indicating that at least one operation is performed before the protocol data unit layer; wherein the at least one operation is an operation performed before performing the first semantic communication service, and the at least one operation includes: an entropy decoding operation and / or a decryption operation.

[0031] In one possible implementation, the first semantic communication service is determined based on the subscription data of the first device, which indicates at least one semantic communication service supported by the first device, and the first semantic communication service is one of the at least one semantic communication services.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the first information is used to request the invocation of a semantic communication service, including: the first information is used to request the invocation of a semantic communication service that supports one or more functions, wherein the first semantic communication service supports the implementation of one or more functions.

[0033] In one possible implementation, after receiving the second information, the method further includes sending a third information, which is used to request an update to the first semantic communication service.

[0034] In one possible implementation, after receiving the second information, the method further includes sending a fifth information, which requests the cessation of use of the first semantic communication service.

[0035] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method. Or, embodiments of this application provide a semantic communication method. This method is applied to a second device. The second device can be the second device itself (or referred to as a second entity, second network element, or second device, etc.), a module within the second device, or a logic module or software capable of implementing some or all of the functions of the second device. Modules in the second device can be, for example, processors, communication modules, or circuits or chips responsible for communication functions within the second device. Chips can be, for example, modem chips, or SoC chips or SIP chips containing modem cores. The second device can be a device with communication functions, such as a terminal device, access network element, core network element, application server providing services to the terminal device, or application function (AF), etc. The second device is different from the first device discussed in the first aspect above. For ease of description, the following description uses the second device executing this method as an example. The method includes: receiving one or more parameters; the one or more parameters being used to support a first semantic communication service.

[0036] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method. Or, embodiments of this application provide a semantic communication method. This method is applied to a third device. The third device can be the third device itself (or a third entity, third network element, or third device, etc.), a module within the third device, or a logic module or software capable of implementing some or all of the functions of the third device. Modules within the third device can be, for example, processors, communication modules, or circuits or chips responsible for communication functions. Chips can be, for example, modem chips, or SoC chips or SIP chips containing modem cores. The third device can be a device with communication functions, such as an access network element, a core network element (e.g., a user plane network element), etc. For ease of description, the following description uses the execution of this method by a third device as an example. The method includes: receiving some or all of one or more parameters; one or more parameters being used to support a first semantic communication service.

[0037] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device. For example, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also called a processing module) and a communication unit (sometimes also called a communication module). The communication unit is used to perform transmit and receive operations, such as functions related to sending and receiving; the communication unit may be called a transceiver unit; optionally, the communication unit includes a receiving unit and a sending unit. The processing unit is used to perform processing operations. Alternatively, the communication unit may be a transmitter and a receiver, or a transmitter and a receiver. Optionally, the communication device also includes a storage unit (sometimes also called a storage module).

[0038] The communication device may be the fourth device described in the first aspect above. For example, it may be a fourth device, a module (e.g., a chip system) configured in the fourth device, or a device capable of implementing some or all of the functions of the fourth device. The communication device includes corresponding means or modules for performing the first aspect or any possible implementation described above. For example, a communication unit may be used to receive first information and send second information, etc.

[0039] Optionally, the communication device may also implement any of the possible implementations in the first aspect described above, which will not be listed one by one here.

[0040] Sixthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device. For example, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also called a processing module) and a communication unit (sometimes also called a communication module). The communication unit is used to perform transmit and receive operations, such as functions related to sending and receiving; the communication unit may be called a transceiver unit; optionally, the communication unit includes a receiving unit and a sending unit. The processing unit is used to perform processing operations. Alternatively, the communication unit may be a transmitter and a receiver, or a transmitter and a receiver. Optionally, the communication device also includes a storage unit (sometimes also called a storage module).

[0041] The communication device may be the first device described in the second aspect above. For example, it may be the first device itself, or a module (e.g., a chip system) configured in the first device, or a device capable of implementing some or all of the functions of the first device. The communication device includes corresponding means or modules for performing the second aspect above or any possible implementation. For example, a communication unit is used to send first information and receive second information.

[0042] Optionally, the communication device may also implement any of the possible embodiments in the second aspect described above, which will not be listed one by one here.

[0043] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication device. For example, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also called a processing module) and a communication unit (sometimes also called a communication module). The communication unit is used to perform transmit and receive operations, such as functions related to sending and receiving; the communication unit may be called a transceiver unit; optionally, the communication unit includes a receiving unit and a sending unit. The processing unit is used to perform processing operations. Alternatively, the communication unit may be a transmitter and a receiver, or a transmitter and a receiver. Optionally, the communication device also includes a storage unit (sometimes also called a storage module).

[0044] In a first possible implementation, the communication device may be the second device described in the third aspect above. For example, it may be a second device, a module (e.g., a chip system) configured in the second device, or a device capable of implementing some or all of the functions of the second device. The communication device includes corresponding means or modules for performing the third aspect or any possible implementation described above. For example, a communication unit is used to receive fourth information.

[0045] Optionally, the communication device may also implement any of the possible implementations in the third aspect described above, which will not be listed one by one here.

[0046] In a second possible implementation, the communication device may be the third device described in the fourth aspect above. For example, it may be a third device, a module (e.g., a chip system) configured in the third device, or a device capable of implementing some or all of the functions of the third device. The communication device includes corresponding means or modules for performing the fourth aspect or any of the possible implementations described above. For example, a communication unit is used to receive fourth information.

[0047] Optionally, the communication device may also implement any of the possible implementations in the fourth aspect described above, which will not be listed one by one here.

[0048] In one possible design, the communication device in any of the fifth to seventh aspects mentioned above is a communication chip, the processing unit can be one or more processors or processor cores, and the communication unit can be the input / output circuit or input / output interface of the communication chip.

[0049] Eighthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication system. The communication system includes a first device and a fourth device. The fourth device is, for example, any of the communication devices shown in the fifth aspect, or is capable of implementing the functions of any of the communication devices shown in the fifth aspect, or is capable of executing any of the methods in the first aspect. The first device is, for example, any of the communication devices shown in the sixth aspect, or is capable of implementing the functions of any of the communication devices shown in the sixth aspect, or is capable of executing any of the methods in the second aspect.

[0050] In one possible implementation, the communication system further includes a second device and / or a third device. The second device is, for example, the communication device shown in the first possible implementation of the seventh aspect, or is capable of implementing the functions of the communication device shown in the first possible implementation of the seventh aspect, or is capable of performing any of the methods described in the third aspect. The third device is, for example, the communication device shown in the second possible implementation of the seventh aspect, or is capable of implementing the functions of the communication device shown in the second possible implementation of the seventh aspect, or is capable of performing any of the methods described in the fourth aspect.

[0051] Ninthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device. The communication device includes one or more processors. The one or more processors are capable of executing computer programs or instructions stored in a memory, which, when executed, cause the communication device to implement any of the methods described in the first to fourth aspects.

[0052] Optionally, the communication device may include a memory, in which case the memory may be coupled to one or more processors, or the memory may be configured relatively independently of one or more processors. Alternatively, the memory may exist independently of the communication device.

[0053] In one possible design, the communication device may further include an interface circuit, wherein the processor is used to communicate with other devices or components through the interface circuit.

[0054] The aforementioned communication device may be a terminal device, or a communication module within a terminal device, or a chip in the terminal responsible for communication functions, such as a modem chip (also known as a baseband chip), or a SoC or SIP chip containing a modem module. Alternatively, the aforementioned communication device may be an access network device, or a module within an access network device.

[0055] Tenthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device. The communication device includes a processor and an interface circuit. The interface circuit is used to receive signals from other communication devices besides the communication device and transmit them to the processor, or to send signals from the processor to other communication devices besides the communication device. The processor, through logic circuits or executing code instructions, is used to implement the methods as described in any of the first to fourth aspects. The number of processors can be one or more, and is not limited thereto.

[0056] In the specific implementation process, the communication device can be a chip, and the processor can be a transistor, gate circuit, flip-flop, and various logic circuits, etc. The specific implementation method of the processor is not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0057] In one implementation, the communication device can be a computer device that supports wireless communication. Specifically, the computer device can be a terminal device such as a smartphone, or a network device such as a wireless access network device (e.g., a base station).

[0058] In another implementation, the communication device can be a component of a computer device, such as an integrated circuit product like a system-on-a-chip (SoC) or communication chip. A SoC can also be called a System-on-a-Chip (SoC). A communication chip can include a baseband processing chip and a radio frequency (RF) processing chip. A baseband processing chip is sometimes called a modem or baseband chip. An RF processing chip is sometimes called an RF transceiver or RF chip. In physical implementation, some or all of the communication chip can be integrated within the SoC. For example, the baseband processing chip is integrated into the SoC, while the RF processing chip is not integrated. The interface circuit can be the RF processing chip in the computer device, and the processor can be the baseband processing chip in the computer device. The interface circuit can be an input / output interface, interface circuit, output circuit, input circuit, pin, or related circuit on the chip or chip system. The processor can also be a processing circuit or logic circuit.

[0059] In another implementation, the communication device can be a chip system, which may consist of chips or include chips and other discrete devices. Chip systems may include, for example, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), system-on-a-chip (SoCs), CPUs, network processors (NPs), digital signal processors (DSPs), microcontroller units (MCUs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), or other integrated chips.

[0060] Eleventhly, embodiments of this application provide a chip system. The chip system includes a processor. Optionally, the chip system may further include an interface (such as a communication interface). The processor can be used to implement any of the methods described in the first aspect and possible implementations to the fourth aspect and possible implementations. Optionally, the chip system also includes a memory. The memory is used to store a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions). The processor is used to call and run the computer program from the memory, causing a device equipped with the chip system to perform any of the methods described in the first to fourth aspects. Implementations of the chip system can be referred to the content of the chip system discussed above, and will not be listed here.

[0061] In a twelfth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium. This computer-readable storage medium is used to store a computer program or instructions that, when executed, implement the methods described in any of the first to fourth aspects.

[0062] In a thirteenth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product. When the computer program product is executed, it causes a processor to perform a method as described in any of the first to fourth aspects. The computer program product includes a computer program and / or instructions, etc.

[0063] Regarding the beneficial effects of any of the technical solutions in the second to thirteenth aspects mentioned above, please refer to the discussion of the beneficial effects of the corresponding technical solutions in the first aspect, which will not be listed here again. Attached Figure Description

[0064] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system applicable to an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an encoding process;

[0066] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a cliff effect;

[0067] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 5B is a schematic diagram of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0070] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0071] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the protocol stack of a device in a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0072] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the protocol stack of a device in another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0073] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0074] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0075] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0076] Figure 12A is a schematic diagram of another data processing procedure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0077] Figure 12B is a schematic diagram of another data processing procedure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0078] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0079] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of another data processing procedure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0080] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0081] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of another data processing procedure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0082] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0083] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0084] The embodiments of this application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0085] The following section will first introduce the terms and technologies involved in the various embodiments of this application.

[0086] 1. A terminal device is a user-side device with wireless transceiver capabilities. Terminal devices can also be called terminal equipment, terminals, user interfaces (UEs), mobile stations, mobile terminals, etc. Terminal devices can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, intelligent transportation, and smart cities. Terminal devices can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, mobile stations (MS), subscriber units, cellular phones, smartphones, wireless data cards, personal digital assistant (PDA) computers, tablet computers, wireless modems, handsets, laptop computers, or machine-type communication (MTC) terminals, etc. Terminal devices typically contain communication modules, circuits, or chips that perform the corresponding communication functions. They may also be configured with program instructions for performing these functions.

[0087] In various embodiments of this application, the means for implementing the functions of the terminal device may be implemented by the terminal device itself, or by a module (such as a chip or modem) in the terminal device, or by a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions.

[0088] 2. A network device is a network-side device with wireless transceiver capabilities. A network device can be a device, equipment, or module located on the network side of a communication system and possessing corresponding communication functions. A network device typically contains a communication module, circuit, or chip that performs the corresponding communication function. The network device also contains program instructions for performing the corresponding communication function and the corresponding program instructions. A network device can include core network devices and / or access network devices. An access network device can be a device in a radio access network (RAN) that provides wireless communication functions for terminal equipment; it can be referred to as RAN equipment. The RAN can be an access network in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), for example, a fourth-generation (4G) network. th RAN can be a generation (4G), 5G, or future-oriented communication network. RAN can also be an open access network (open RAN, O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a communication network combining two or more of the above.

[0089] RAN equipment can also be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in a 5G mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system, etc.

[0090] RAN equipment can also be a module or unit that performs some of the functions of a base station. For example, it can be a central unit / control unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). The CU and DU can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as in a baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH). The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or equipment form used in the network device.

[0091] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an open (O)-RAN system, CU can also be called an O-RAN central unit (O-CU), DU can also be called an O-RAN distributed unit (O-DU), CU-CP can also be called an O-RAN central unit control plane (O-CU-CP), CU-UP can also be called an O-RAN Central Unit User Plane (O-CU-UP), and RU can also be called an O-RU. Any of the units CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. RA equipment can be a macro base station, a micro base station, an indoor station, a relay node, or a donor node, etc.

[0092] In various embodiments of this application, the functions of the network device can be implemented by the network device itself, by modules (such as chips) within the network device, or by logic modules or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions. Alternatively, they can be implemented by a control subsystem that includes network device functions. This control subsystem, including network device functions, can be a control center in the aforementioned application scenarios such as smart grids, industrial control, intelligent transportation, and smart cities.

[0093] Before data is transmitted by terminal devices or network devices, it is usually processed (or manipulated), such as through encoding. Encoding refers to converting data into another form of representation so that the transmitted data can be recognized by the receiving end. After receiving the data, the receiving end performs inverse processing to obtain the data. Inverse processing can be considered as performing the reverse of the initial processing. The inverse processing of encoding is decoding. Encoding includes source coding and channel coding, which will be introduced separately below.

[0094] 3. Source coding encodes the data (or information) itself, primarily aiming to transform the data into a form with less data volume. Source coding focuses on effectively representing the data generated by the information source (such as sound, images, text, etc.), minimizing the loss of valid data while reducing the number of bits required to represent it, thus saving storage space or transmission bandwidth. Source coding algorithms include Huffman coding and arithmetic coding. The inverse process of source coding is source decoding.

[0095] Source coding can be divided into two types: lossless coding and lossy coding. Lossless coding means that the encoded data can be completely recovered from the original data. Lossy coding, on the other hand, allows for a certain degree of information loss in exchange for a higher compression ratio.

[0096] For example, choose a video compression standard, such as H.264. H.264 uses a series of compression techniques, including transform coding (such as Discrete Cosine Transform, DCT), motion compensation, quantization, and entropy coding, to reduce the size of video files. An AVI video file, after being encoded with H.264, is converted into an H.264 video file. This H.264 video file is much smaller than the AVI video file, but there is some loss in video quality.

[0097] In one possible implementation, source coding includes at least one of the following processes: transformer, quantizer, entropy coding, compression, and semantic feature extraction. These processes are described below.

[0098] Transformation, also known as conversion or encoding transformation, refers to the direct conversion of a signal from one encoding scheme to another. Quantization is used to reduce redundant data and shorten the encoded data length.

[0099] 4. Entropy coding is based on entropy theory in information theory to encode raw data, aiming to efficiently represent the original data and reduce redundancy. Entropy coding can be a lossless data compression technique that utilizes the statistical properties of the original data to reduce the number of bits required to represent it. The basic idea of ​​entropy coding is to make the average codeword length (i.e., the value of information entropy) of the encoded codewords approach the entropy limit, which is the theoretical limit of data compression. Entropy coding includes methods such as Shannon-Fanno coding, Huffman coding, and arithmetic coding, all of which attempt to approach the lower bound declared by Shannon's source coding theorem. Among entropy coding methods, Huffman coding and Shannon-Fanno coding are two commonly used methods. These methods achieve effective data compression by assigning shorter codewords to frequently occurring symbols and longer codewords to less frequently occurring symbols.

[0100] Entropy coding can improve the entropy rate of data. The entropy rate refers to the average amount of information generated by an information source per unit time, or the average entropy of the information source. In information theory, the entropy rate is used to measure the change in the degree of uncertainty of a stochastic process over time. Specifically, the entropy rate is defined as the limiting value of the entropy of a sequence of random variables as the sequence length increases.

[0101] The parameters involved in entropy coding (or the entropy coding operations) include information about the entropy coding algorithm and / or the coding length. Information about the entropy coding algorithm includes its type, the probability model used to encode the data, and / or its parameters, such as the probability distribution. A probability model, in the context of data encoding, describes the probability of each symbol (such as a character in text or a pixel value in an image) occurring. Probability models are used to help understand the distribution patterns of data and to optimize coding efficiency based on these patterns. A probability distribution describes the probabilistic patterns of a random variable's values. For discrete random variables, the probability distribution can be represented as the set of probabilities of the random variable taking each possible value; for continuous random variables, the probability density function describes the probabilistic patterns of its values. The coding length refers to the number of bits required to represent a specific piece of information or data.

[0102] The inverse process of entropy coding is entropy decoding, or in other words, entropy decoding corresponds to entropy coding. Entropy decoding is used to recover the original data from the entropy-coded compressed data stream without loss of quality. Entropy decoding is a process of the decoder. When performing entropy decoding, the parameters of entropy decoding can be explicitly defined. The parameters of entropy decoding correspond to or are the same as the parameters of entropy coding. For example, the parameters of entropy decoding include information about the entropy coding algorithm (or entropy decoding algorithm) and / or the code length, etc.

[0103] 5. Channel coding is the encoding process performed during the transmission of information from the source to the destination. Its purpose is to ensure that signals (such as those used for communication) are not distorted or erroneous during channel transmission, thereby improving the reliability of data transmission. Channel coding focuses on how to reliably transmit information over imperfect channels (which may contain noise, interference, or attenuation). The goal of channel coding is to improve the reliability of data transmission, ensuring correct data reception even under less than ideal channel conditions. Channel coding adds redundant information (check bits) to the transmitted data, enabling the receiver to detect and correct a certain number of errors. Channel coding techniques include Hamming codes, Reed-Solomon codes, convolutional codes, and low-density parity-check codes (LDPC), among others. Parameters involved in channel coding (or channel coding parameters) include codeword length and / or coding rate. Codeword length refers to the total length of the codewords in the channel coding. The coding rate is the ratio of the transmission rate of the encoded data to the transmission rate of the original data.

[0104] The inverse process of channel coding is channel decoding, which is used to process the data to obtain the data before channel coding.

[0105] 6. Semantic communication is task-oriented and follows a "understand first, transmit later" approach. It aims to successfully transmit the semantic information conveyed by the source, rather than the accurate reception of every symbol or bit. Under the premise of "semantic consensus" between the communicating parties, selective feature extraction, compression encoding, and transmission of the original signal are performed to utilize semantic information for communication. The core of this process is that it focuses not only on the physical transmission of information but also on its semantic connotation, thereby ensuring accurate and efficient information delivery. Compared to traditional communication, semantic communication places greater emphasis on whether the receiver can accurately understand the intent and content of the information. Even if some technical distortion or errors occur during transmission, as long as these errors do not affect the original meaning of the information, the communication is still considered successful.

[0106] Semantic communication involves semantic extraction, encoding and transmission, and decoding and recovery. At the sending end, semantic features can be extracted from the original data (or information) based on codebooks (such as knowledge bases) and deep learning networks, generating a semantic representation sequence. This sequence is then processed by a semantic source encoder and a channel encoder to generate a channel-coded sequence, which is finally sent to the transmission channel. At the receiving end, the channel output signal is processed by a channel decoding module and a semantic source decoder to obtain the semantic representation sequence. This sequence is then subjected to semantic recovery and reconstruction to ultimately recover the original data. Optionally, reconstruction can be achieved using artificial intelligence (AI) generation.

[0107] Semantic communication, through the accurate extraction and efficient transmission of semantic features, can significantly reduce the bandwidth requirements of high-bandwidth services such as video and images, thereby significantly improving communication efficiency and user experience. Furthermore, semantic communication emphasizes "understanding and digestion," utilizing advanced artificial intelligence technology to extract and transmit the information most relevant to the specific intelligent task at the receiving end from the raw data. This effectively compresses data redundancy, improves the effectiveness of information transmission, reduces network transmission pressure, and lowers the processing latency of intelligent tasks. Semantic communication can be applied to multimodal data transmission scenarios such as autonomous driving, voice, images, and video.

[0108] Optionally, one implementation of semantic communication can be joint source-channel coding (JSCC). Optionally, the semantic communication involved in the embodiments of this application can be replaced by JSCC.

[0109] 7. JSCC refers to the joint application of source coding and channel coding. JSCC includes, but is not limited to, two implementation methods. The first method utilizes AI (such as models) to jointly perform source coding and channel coding, deeply fusing source coding and channel coding using AI. The second method considers the channel state during source coding and / or considers the parameters of source coding during channel coding. For example, the code rate of channel coding can be adjusted based on the source coding conditions. The second implementation method can be implemented using specific algorithms. In JSCC, the source coding process can be achieved by extracting semantic features; therefore, JSCC is actually an implementation method of semantic communication.

[0110] The inverse process of JSCC is joint source-channel coding (JSCD). JSCD allows information to be shared between source decoding and channel decoding to optimize overall decoding performance.

[0111] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, basic AI concepts that may be involved in the embodiments of this application are explained, which do not limit the scope of protection of the embodiments of this application.

[0112] 8. Machine learning (ML): Machine learning is an important technological approach to achieving AI. AI enables machines to possess human-like intelligence, applying computer hardware and software to simulate certain intelligent behaviors of humans, including machine learning or other methods. Machine learning refers to learning models or rules from raw data, such as neural networks, decision trees, and support vector machines.

[0113] 9. A model can be considered an implementation of machine learning. A model can also be called or replaced by function, feature, function / or feature, AI model, or machine learning model, etc., without specific limitations on its name. A model refers to a function model that maps an input of a certain dimension to an output of a certain dimension, and its model parameters can be obtained through machine learning training. For example, f(X) = aX 2 +b represents a quadratic function model, which can be viewed as an AI model. a and b correspond to the parameters of this model and can be obtained through machine learning training. Examples of such models include deep neural networks (DNNs). DNNs can be further divided into feed-forward neural networks (FNNs), convolutional neural networks (CNNs), and recurrent neural networks (RNNs). Neural networks, or artificial neural networks, are mathematical models that mimic the behavioral characteristics of animal neural networks, performing distributed parallel information processing; they are a special form of AI model.

[0114] 10. Model files and model parameters.

[0115] Model files and / or model parameters can be used to determine the model. Optionally, the model in the embodiments of this application may refer to the model itself, or it may refer to the model files and / or model parameters used to determine the model.

[0116] The model file can be used to indicate the model structure, which may include, but is not limited to, FNN, CNN, or RNN. The model file can have a fixed format, such as a standard predefined format, or a format pre-negotiated by both ends of the interface. Model parameters can refer to parameters in the neural network model, such as, but not limited to, the number of layers in the neural network, the type and weights of neurons in each layer, etc. This application does not limit the method of distributing model parameters.

[0117] Take DNN as an example. The idea behind DNN comes from the neuronal structure of the brain. Each neuron can perform a weighted summation operation on its inputs and then use the result of the weighted summation operation to generate the output through a non-linear function. For example, the input of a neuron is x = [x0, x1, ..., x...]. N -1], the weights corresponding to the inputs are w = [w0, w1, ..., w N -1], the bias of the weighted summation is b, and the form of the nonlinear function f() can be diverse. For example, the nonlinear function f() is the maximum value function max{0, x}. Then the effect of the execution of a neuron is Where N is a positive integer, and n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to (N-1). The weights of the weighted summation operation of neurons in a neural network and the nonlinear function are called the parameters of the neural network. The parameters of all neurons in a neural network constitute the parameters of the neural network.

[0118] A DNN typically has multiple neural network layers, including an input layer, one or more hidden layers, and an output layer. Generally, the first layer is the input layer, the last layer is the output layer, and the layers in between are hidden layers. Each layer contains multiple neurons. Layers are fully connected; that is, any neuron in the i-th layer is connected to any neuron in the (i+1)-th layer. The input layer processes the received values ​​(i.e., the DNN's input) through neurons and then passes them to the hidden layers. Similarly, the hidden layers pass the computation results to the final output layer, producing the DNN's output. The embodiments in this application do not limit the structure and parameters used in the AI ​​model.

[0119] One of the model structure or model parameters can be predefined, while the other can be sent by the sender (e.g., the network side). Alternatively, both the model structure and model parameters can be sent by the sender (e.g., the network side). This application does not limit this aspect.

[0120] Sending a model can refer to sending a model file and / or model parameters, while receiving a model can refer to receiving a model file and / or model parameters.

[0121] 11. A protocol stack can be understood as a collection of network communication protocols (or simply protocols). A protocol stack may include at least one protocol layer, each with its own function and network communication protocol. Each protocol layer can be understood as an entity, software module (such as code or instructions), logic module (or unit), or hardware module in the device it resides in. For example, a protocol layer includes an application layer, which directly provides services to users and applications (APPs), is responsible for processing protocol implementations, and ensures that different applications can transmit data effectively and correctly. An application layer can be understood as an entity, logic module (or logic unit), or module that implements the protocol, such as a software module (specifically, software code and / or instructions) or hardware module. In the embodiments of this application, the application layer and the application can be interchanged.

[0122] 12. Reference signal (RS): A signal used in data demodulation, etc. Examples of reference signals include demodulation reference signal (DMRS), sounding reference signal (SRS), channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS), cell-specific reference signal (C-RS / CRS), or positioning reference signal (P-RS / PRS). DMRS may include, for example, DMRS for demodulation of the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) (simply referred to as DMRS for PUCCH) and DMRS for demodulation of the physical uplink share channel (PUSCH) (simply referred to as DMRS for PUSCH). There are various types of reference signals, and as standards evolve, the names of reference signals may change, and more reference signals may emerge; therefore, no specific limitations are made.

[0123] In this application embodiment, the number of nouns, unless otherwise specified, refers to "singular nouns or plural nouns," that is, "one or more." "At least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c means: a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0124] In the embodiments of this application, the words "exemplarily," "for example," and "for instance" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design scheme described as an "example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of the word "example" is intended to present concepts in a concrete manner. In the embodiments of this application, "of," "corresponding, relevant," and "corresponding" may sometimes be used interchangeably, and it should be noted that their intended meanings are consistent unless their distinction is emphasized.

[0125] In this application embodiment, "instruction" can include direct instruction, indirect instruction, explicit instruction, and implicit instruction. When describing a certain instruction information to indicate A, it can be understood that the instruction information carries A, directly indicates A, or indirectly indicates A. In this application, the information indicated by the instruction information is called the information to be instructed. In the specific implementation process, there are many ways to indicate the information to be instructed, such as, but not limited to, directly indicating the information to be instructed, such as the information to be instructed itself or its index. It can also indirectly indicate the information to be instructed by indicating other information, wherein there is an association between the other information and the information to be instructed. It can also indicate only a part of the information to be instructed, while the other parts of the information to be instructed are known or agreed upon in advance. For example, the instruction of specific information can also be achieved by using the arrangement order of various information in advance (e.g., protocol stipulation), thereby reducing the instruction overhead to a certain extent. In addition, the information to be instructed can be sent as a whole or divided into multiple sub-information to be sent separately, and the sending period and / or sending time of these sub-information can be the same or different.

[0126] In the embodiments of this application, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "send information to XX" can be understood as the destination of the information being XX, which may include direct transmission via the air interface or indirect transmission by other units or modules via the air interface. "Receive information from YY" can be understood as the source of the information being YY, which may include direct reception from YY via the air interface or indirect reception from YY by other units or modules via the air interface. "Send" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receive" can also be understood as the "input" of the chip interface. In other words, sending and receiving can occur between devices, such as between network devices and terminal devices, or within a device, such as between components, modules, chips, software modules, or hardware modules within the device via a bus, wiring, or interface.

[0127] The following describes the communication system (or communication network, network, or system, etc.) used in the embodiments of this application.

[0128] The solutions provided in this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as 4th generation (4G) mobile communication systems (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks), 5th generation (5G) mobile communication systems (e.g., New Radio (NR) systems), future mobile communication systems, non-terrestrial networks (NTN) systems, integrated systems of one or more of the above communication systems, or other communication systems. NTN, for example, is a satellite communication system. An integrated system could be a system that combines a satellite communication system with other communication systems.

[0129] Figure 1 illustrates a communication system applicable to an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system 1000 includes an access network (AN) 100. Optionally, the communication system may also include a core network (CN) 200 and an Internet 300. The access network 100 may include at least one network device (or network equipment, or network-side equipment), as shown in Figure 1 (110a and 110b). 110a is a base station, and 110b is a micro-station. The communication system 1000 may also include at least one terminal device (or terminal equipment), as shown in Figure 1 (120a to 120j). 120a, 120e, 120f, and 120j are mobile phones, 120b is a car, 120c is a gas pump, 120d is a home access point (HAP) deployed indoors or outdoors, 120g is a laptop computer, 120h is a printer, and 120i is a drone. The same terminal device or the same network device can provide different functions in different application scenarios. For example, the mobile phones in Figure 1 include 120a, 120e, 120f, and 120j. Mobile phone 120a can access base station 110a, connect to car 120b, communicate directly with mobile phone 120e, and access the HAP. Car 120b can access the HAP and communicate directly with mobile phone 120a. Mobile phone 120f can be connected to micro-station 110b, connect to laptop 120g, and connect to printer 120h. Mobile phone 120j can control drone 120i. The devices in the various embodiments of this application can also be replaced or understood as equipment, modules, entities, or nodes in equipment, etc., and are not limited thereto.

[0130] For example, a terminal device can access the Internet 300 through access network 100 and core network 200, thereby using the services provided by the Internet 300. For instance, the Internet 300 may have one or more application servers (AS), and the terminal device can access one or more application servers through an application (APP). The content of the terminal device and network device can be referred to the content of the terminal device and network device discussed above, and will not be listed here.

[0131] Network devices and terminal devices can be fixed in location or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can be deployed in the air on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the network devices and terminal devices.

[0132] The roles of network devices and terminal devices can be relative. For example, the helicopter or drone 120i in Figure 1 can be configured as a mobile network device. For terminal devices 120j that access the wireless access network 100 via 120i, terminal device 120i is a network device; however, for network device 110a, 120i is a terminal device. That is, 110a and 120i communicate via a wireless air interface protocol. Of course, 110a and 120i can also communicate via a network device-to-network device interface protocol. In this case, relative to 110a, 120i is also a network device. Therefore, both network devices and terminal devices can be collectively referred to as communication devices. 110a and 110b in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with network device functions, and 120a-120j in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with terminal device functions.

[0133] A terminal device can send data (or information) to a network device. Similarly, a network device can also send data to a terminal device. The data involved in the various embodiments of this application can also be replaced with information. Before sending data, the device generally needs to encode the data, which includes source coding and channel coding of the data sequentially.

[0134] Figure 2 illustrates an encoding process. The terminal device can perform source coding on the data. Furthermore, the terminal device's modem can perform channel coding on the source-coded data to obtain the encoded data, which is then transmitted.

[0135] As shown in Figure 2, the terminal device can acquire data x, perform source coding on the original data x, and obtain data z, thus realizing the source coding process. Furthermore, the modem in the terminal device can perform channel coding on the data z to obtain data c. The purpose of channel coding is to ensure that communication signals are not distorted or erroneous during channel transmission.

[0136] Source coding reduces data redundancy, while channel coding increases it; they are essentially two opposite directions. However, the source coding process at the application layer of a terminal device is independent of the channel coding process at the modem, which can easily lead to the cliff effect. The cliff effect is the phenomenon where signal strength suddenly drops to a certain level, resulting in complete signal loss. The ladder effect can be understood as a special type of cliff effect, referring to a sudden, phased loss of signal strength.

[0137] Figure 3 illustrates a cliff effect. The horizontal axis in Figure 3 represents SNR, and the vertical axis represents the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of the decoded video. Both SNR and PSNR in Figure 3 can be expressed in decibels (dB). As shown in Figure 3, a noticeable cliff point appears when the terminal device performs independent source coding and channel coding on single-layer video. When the terminal device performs independent source coding and channel coding on multi-layer video, a noticeable step point appears, i.e., a step effect occurs, which can be understood as a special type of cliff effect. Single-layer video refers to video content encoded with only one instruction and resolution. Multi-layer video refers to video content encoded with different qualities and resolutions.

[0138] To address this, semantic communication, such as JSCC, has been proposed. Continuing as shown in Figure 3, when joint source-channel coding is performed on terminal device video (such as single-layer or multi-layer video), the cliff effect is largely avoided. However, for communication systems, how to support semantic communication is a pressing issue that needs to be resolved.

[0139] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, which is used to provide a mechanism to support a communication system in implementing semantic communication.

[0140] The communication system (or scenario) provided in the embodiments of this application will be introduced below.

[0141] Please refer to Figure 4, which is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 4, the communication system includes a first device and a fourth device. Optionally, the communication system further includes a second device and / or at least one third device. The devices involved in the embodiments of this application can be understood as equipment, software or hardware modules in equipment, or logical concepts, etc., and the device can also be replaced by equipment, entity, network element, or node, etc., and its name is not limited. Any of the first to fourth devices is a device with communication capability.

[0142] The fourth device is used to manage the semantic communication service. The first device can request the fourth device to invoke the semantic communication service. After invoking the semantic communication service, the first device can use the semantic communication service to transmit data with the second device. For example, the first device can send data to the second device, or the second device can send data to the first device.

[0143] Optionally, the first device and the second device can transmit data through at least one third device. In other words, at least one third device supports the forwarding of data between the first device and the second device. Examples of the implementation methods of the aforementioned devices are described below.

[0144] Optionally, the first device can be a terminal device, a first module, an access network element, an application server, an application server, or a core network (CN) element (such as a data processing network element or a user plane network element). Core network elements can also be referred to as core network entities, core network equipment, or core network devices, etc.

[0145] The content of the terminal device can be referred to the content of the terminal device discussed above.

[0146] The first module must be accessible to or able to communicate with the terminal device. This first module can be located in the terminal device or other devices; there is no limitation on its location. The first module can be a software module such as an application (APP), webpage, mini-program, lightweight application, or plugin; there is no limitation on its location.

[0147] Optionally, the access network element may be the network device described in Figure 1 above, such as a base station, CU, or DU.

[0148] An Application Server (AF) provides a server-side solution for a specific type of service to users. An AF can be a server, an application server, or a business server, and can also be interchangeable with an application server. An AF can be an AF deployed within the operator's network itself, or it can be a third-party AF.

[0149] Data processing network elements specifically include data processing functions (DPFs). DPFs have data processing capabilities, such as integrating some or all of the semantic communication service functions.

[0150] User plane network elements include user plane functions (UPFs). UPFs are responsible for data processing and relay.

[0151] Optionally, the second device may be a terminal device, a first module, an access network element, an application function (AF), an application server, or a core network element (such as a data processing network element or a user plane network element).

[0152] Optionally, at least one third device includes user plane network elements and / or access network elements, etc.

[0153] Optionally, the fourth device can be a mobility management network element, such as an access and mobility management function (AMF). The AMF is responsible for handling user access and mobility management, including user authentication, security, and location management. Alternatively, the fourth device can be a session management network element, such as a session management function (SMF). The SMF is responsible for managing user data communication sessions.

[0154] The following examples illustrate the implementation methods of various devices in the communication system, using A1 to A12 as examples.

[0155] A1. The first device is a terminal device or a first module, the second device is a UPF or DPF, and the fourth device is an AMF or SMF.

[0156] A2. The first device is a UPF or DPF, the second device is a terminal device or a first module, and the fourth device is an AMF or SMF.

[0157] A3. The first device is a terminal device or a first module, the second device is an application function (AF) or an application server, and the fourth device is an AMF or an SMF.

[0158] A4. The first device is an AF or an application server, the second device is a terminal device or a first module, and the fourth device is an AMF or an SMF.

[0159] A5. The first device is a terminal device or a first module, the second device is an access network element, and the fourth device is an AMF or SMF.

[0160] A6. The first device is an access network element, the second device is a terminal device or the first module, and the fourth device is an AMF or SMF.

[0161] A7. The first device is a terminal device or a first module, the second device is an AF or an application server, at least one third device includes a DPF and / or a UPF, and the fourth device is an AMF or an SMF.

[0162] A8. The first device is a terminal device or a first module, the second device is an AF or an application server, at least one third device includes at least one of an access network element, a DPF, and a UPF, and the fourth device is an AMF or an SMF.

[0163] A9. The first device is an AF or an application server, the second device is a terminal device or a first module, at least one third device includes a DPF and / or a UPF, and the fourth device is an AMF or an SMF.

[0164] A10, the first device is an AF or an application server, the second device is a terminal device or a first module, at least one third device includes at least one of an access network element, a DPF, and a UPF, and the fourth device is an AMF or an SMF.

[0165] A11. The first device is an AF or an application server, the second device is an access network element, at least one third device includes a DPF and / or a UPF, and the fourth device is an AMF or an SMF.

[0166] A12. The first device is an AF or an application server, the second device is an access network element, at least one third device includes a DPF and / or a UPF, and the fourth device is an AMF or an SMF.

[0167] Please refer to Figure 5A, which is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 5A illustrates the UE, the radio access network (RAN), some network elements, and the data network (DN). These network elements include, for example, the core network elements in the core network.

[0168] For example, the UE can access the core network via (R)AN, and further access the DN, etc. The contents of the UE can be referred to the contents of the terminal device discussed in Figure 1 above, and will not be listed here again. The various parts illustrated in Figure 5A will be described below.

[0169] (R)AN) includes one or more access network elements (or access network devices or access network apparatuses), and the access network elements can refer to the network apparatuses discussed in Figure 1 above, which will not be listed here.

[0170] The content of AF can be referred to in Figure 4 above, and will not be listed here again. The Edge Application Server Discovery Function (EASDF) is responsible for discovering edge application servers. The Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) is responsible for selecting and managing network slice instances that serve the UE.

[0171] The Network Exposure Function (NEF) is responsible for managing the external exposure of network data. For example, it converts information received from the AF into information to be sent to internal core network elements, and vice versa; it also securely exposes network capabilities and events provided by core network elements to the AF.

[0172] The network repository function (NRF) enables the registration, management, and status detection of network functions (NFs).

[0173] The policy control function (PCF) mainly provides policy control related to UE access and mobility, and policy control related to session management.

[0174] Unified data management (UDM) is responsible for managing and storing information about user devices, such as user identity, device configuration, and user preferences.

[0175] Unified data repository (UDR) is used to support the storage and retrieval of user data and other data by other network elements, including subscription data, policy data, structured data, or application data.

[0176] The Edge Application Server Discovery Function (EASDF) is used to discover edge application servers.

[0177] The network slice-specific authentication and authorization function (NSSAAF) is responsible for authenticating and authorizing network slices. NSSAAF can belong to a standalone non-public network (SNPN).

[0178] The authentication server function (AUSF) is responsible for supporting the unified authentication service function and implementing access authentication for both 3GPP and non-3GPP systems.

[0179] The AMF can be referred to in Figure 4 above, and will not be listed here again.

[0180] The SMF can be referred to in Figure 4 above, and will not be listed here again.

[0181] Service communication proxy (SCP) provides functions such as indirect communication, proxy service discovery, and message routing.

[0182] The network slice admission control function (NSACF) can support monitoring and controlling the number of registered users for each network slice.

[0183] UPF is used for routing and forwarding user plane data, threshold control, traffic monitoring, authentication, and other functions.

[0184] DPF has data processing capabilities, such as integrating some or all of the functions of semantic communication services. DPF can communicate with UPF, SMF, and (R)AN, etc.

[0185] The aforementioned UPF and DPF can be used as user plane core network elements (or user plane network elements), while other core network elements besides UPF can be used as control plane core network elements (or control plane network elements).

[0186] Each of the aforementioned network elements can provide corresponding services through a service-based interface (SBI). For example, AF, NSSF, NEF, NRF, PCF, UDM, UDR, AF, EASDF, NSSAAF, AUSF, AMF, SMF, SCP, and NSACF can provide service-based interfaces Naf, Nnssf, Nnef, Nnrf, Npcf, Nudm, Nudr, Naf, Neasdf, Nnssaaf, Nausf, Namf, Nsmf, Nscp, and Nnsacf, respectively. UE and AMF can communicate via the N1 interface, (R)AN and AMF via the N2 interface, SMF and UPF via the N4 interface, UPF and DN via the N6 interface, and UPFs via the N9 interface.

[0187] Figure 5A above illustrates a communication system architecture. A communication system may include many more network elements, which are not limited here. Furthermore, as standards evolve, the functions or names of the aforementioned network elements may change, and even more network elements may emerge; these are not specifically limited here either.

[0188] Please refer to Figure 5B, which is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 5B, the first device can be an APP or a UE, the second device can be a DPF, the third device may include a RAN and / or a UPF, and the fourth device can be an SMF or an AMF.

[0189] Please refer to Figure 6, which is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 6 illustrates the UE, the radio access network (RAN), some network elements, and the data network (DN). These network elements include core network elements in the core network, specifically such as AF, NSSF, NEF, NRF, PCF, UDM, AF, EASDF, NSSAAF, AUSF, AMF, SMF, SCP, NSACF, UPF, etc. The difference between Figure 6 and Figure 5A is that the UPF in Figure 6 includes the DPF, or in other words, the UPF integrates the functions of the DPF; that is, the UPF has data processing capabilities, such as integrating some or all of the semantic communication service functions.

[0190] The contents of UE, RAN, AF, NSSF, NEF, NRF, PCF, UDM, AF, EASDF, NSSAAF, AUSF, AMF, SMF, SCP, and NSACF shown in Figure 6 can be referred to the contents of UE, RAN, AF, NSSF, NEF, NRF, PCF, UDM, AF, EASDF, NSSAAF, AUSF, AMF, SMF, SCP, and NSACF discussed in Figure 5A, and will not be listed here. (R)AN and UPF can communicate via the N3 interface.

[0191] Figure 7 illustrates the protocol stack of devices in a communication system. Figure 7 shows the UE, (R)AN, and UPF. Figure 7 can be used as a schematic diagram of the protocol stack of each device in the communication system shown in Figure 6 above.

[0192] As shown in Figure 7, the UE includes an application layer, a protocol data unit (PDU) layer, a data processing (DP) layer, and a radio transmission protocol stack. The contents of the protocol stack can be referred to the protocol stack discussed above, and will not be listed here.

[0193] The content of the application layer can be referred to in the previous discussion of the application layer, and will not be listed here again. The PDU layer refers to the protocol layer that uses PDUs to transmit data. A PDU can be understood as the smallest data unit transmitted in different layers of protocols, used to transmit data in the network. The size and result of a PDU depend on the requirements of the protocol used. The PDU layer may include at least one protocol layer in the network protocol stack other than the application layer. The network protocol stack may be, for example, the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocol stack. For example, the network protocol stack includes the application layer, transport layer, network layer, link layer (or data link layer), and application layer. Optionally, the network protocol stack may also include the session layer, presentation layer, and physical layer (PHY), etc. In another possible design, the application layer may not be part of the network protocol stack. Optionally, the UE's PDU layer may be deployed in the UE's operating system.

[0194] The transport layer's main functions include establishing, maintaining, and terminating sessions. Transport layer protocols, such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP), provide different services. TCP provides reliable, connection-oriented service, while UDP provides unreliable, connectionless service. The network layer is responsible for transmitting data packets between different networks, such as handling packet routing, i.e., determining the best path for data packets from source to destination. The link layer's main functions include frame synchronization, error control, flow control, and physical addressing. The session layer is used for establishing, managing, and terminating sessions. The presentation layer is responsible for data representation, encoding, and conversion. The physical layer defines the transmission medium within the device; physical layer components include network interface cards (NICs) and / or virtual NICs.

[0195] The data processing layer is responsible for data processing, such as being mainly responsible for some or all of the semantic communication functions. Figure 7 shows the data processing layer as a separate protocol layer. In fact, the functions of the data processing layer can also be integrated into other protocol layers, such as the protocol layer in the PDU layer or the wireless transmission protocol stack. This is not limited.

[0196] In addition, Figure 7 shows an example where the data processing layer is deployed after the PDU layer. In reality, the data processing layer can also be located before the PDU layer. In short, the deployment location of the data processing layer is not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0197] The wireless transport protocol stack can be, for example, a 3GPP protocol stack, specifically a 5G wireless transport protocol stack. The UE's wireless transport protocol stack can be deployed in the UE's modem. The wireless transport protocol stack includes the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer, the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, the Media Access Control (MAC) layer, and the physical layer.

[0198] The SDAP layer is responsible for mapping between Quality of Service (QoS) flows and radio bearers, adding QoS flow identifiers (QFI) to data packets. The PDCP layer ensures secure, reliable, and efficient packet data transmission, including functions such as compression, encryption, and integrity protection. The RLC layer is responsible for data segmentation and reassembly, error detection and correction, and data retransmission. The MAC layer is responsible for mapping between logical and transport channels, data multiplexing and demultiplexing, reporting scheduling information, error correction (HARQ), inter-user priority management, logical channel priority management, and data padding. The PHY layer provides the actual wireless signal transmission, including modulation, demodulation, signal coding, and signal transmission.

[0199] Access network elements include a wireless transmission protocol stack, a General Packet Radio Service Tunneling Protocol (GTP) user layer (GTP-U), an Internet Protocol (IP) layer, and layers L2 and L1. GTP-U is used for data transmission. Layer 1 includes, for example, the physical layer, and layer 2 includes, for example, the MAC layer.

[0200] For ease of distinction, a UPF that communicates with access network elements can be called a relay UPF. A relay UPF includes the GTP-U layer, UDP / IP layer, L2, and L1. The user plane device (such as the UPF) that communicates with this user plane device includes the PDU layer, GTP-U layer, UDP / IP layer, L2, and L1. The relay UPF primarily implements relaying, handling data forwarding.

[0201] The relay UPF can communicate with the anchor UPF, which is responsible for data forwarding and data processing. The anchor UPF consists of the PDU layer, data processing layer, GTP-U, UDP / IP, L2, and L1.

[0202] For example, when a UE sends data to an application server, the UE can process the data sequentially through the application layer, transport layer, network layer, link layer, and radio transmission protocol stack, and then transmit the processed data sequentially through access network elements, relay UPFs, and anchor UPFs to the application server or AF. Similarly, the application server or AF can transmit data to the UE sequentially through anchor UPFs, relay UPFs, and access network elements.

[0203] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned wireless transmission protocol stack can also be replaced with a fixed access transmission protocol stack. For example, when the UE and the access network element transmit via Ethernet, the wireless transmission protocol stack in the UE and the access network element can be replaced with a fixed access transmission protocol stack.

[0204] In addition, Figure 7 provides examples of the protocol stacks of various devices. In reality, there may be multiple protocol stacks for each device, and the aforementioned devices may also include more protocol stacks or protocol layers. Furthermore, there may be multiple names for these protocol stacks and protocol layers, which are not limited here.

[0205] Figure 8 illustrates the protocol stack of devices in a communication system. Figure 8 shows the UE, (R)AN, and UPF. Figure 8 can be used as a schematic diagram of the protocol stacks of the various devices in the communication system shown in Figure 6. Unlike Figure 7, the data processing layer in the UE is deployed between the PDU layer and the application layer, essentially deployed above the PDU layer, and the data processing layer of the anchor UPF can also be deployed above the PDU layer. The contents of the protocol stacks of the UE, (R)AN, and UPF shown in Figure 8 can be referred to the contents of the protocol stacks of the UE, (R)AN, and UPF discussed in Figure 7 above, and will not be listed individually here.

[0206] The communication system and business scenarios described in this application are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0207] The method provided by the embodiments of this application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings corresponding to the various embodiments of this application, all steps indicated by dashed lines are optional steps. Furthermore, the first device involved in the various embodiments of this application may be, for example, the terminal device involved in FIG1, the first device involved in FIG4, the UE involved in FIG5A, FIG5B, or any of FIG6 to FIG8, etc.; the second device may be, for example, the network device involved in FIG1, the second device involved in FIG4, the DPF involved in FIG5A or FIG5B, the UPF involved in FIG6, the UPF involved in FIG7 or FIG8, or any of the (R)AN involved in FIG5A, FIG5B, or FIG6 to FIG8. Alternatively, the first device involved in the various embodiments of this application may be, for example, the network device involved in FIG1, the second device involved in FIG4, the DPF involved in FIG5A or FIG5B, the UPF involved in FIG6, the UPF involved in FIG7 or FIG8, or any of the (R)AN involved in FIG5A, FIG5B, or FIG6 to FIG8. The second device may be, for example, the terminal device involved in FIG1, the first device involved in FIG4, or any of the UE involved in FIG5A, FIG5B, or FIG6 to FIG8. Furthermore, the third device involved in the various embodiments of this application may be, for example, the third device involved in FIG4, the DPF involved in FIG5A or FIG5B, the UPF involved in FIG6, the UPF involved in FIG7 or FIG8, or the (R)AN involved in FIG5A, the (R)AN involved in FIG5B, or any of the (R)AN involved in FIG6 to FIG8, etc., and the fourth device may be, for example, the fourth device involved in FIG4, the AMF or SMF involved in FIG5A, FIG5B, or FIG6, etc. The names of the devices involved herein may also be various, and there is no limitation thereto. In addition, if the technical solutions provided by the various embodiments of this application are applied to other communication systems or as standards continue to evolve, the names and / or functions of the devices or network elements may change, and there is no limitation thereto.

[0208] The communication method provided by the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 9 illustrates the communication method provided by the embodiments of this application, and the steps involved in Figure 9 will be described below.

[0209] S901, the first device sends first information to the fourth device. Correspondingly, the fourth device receives the first information from the first device. The first information is used to request (or register, or authorize) a semantic communication service. The first information can also be called a registration request or registration message, and its name is not limited. Alternatively, the first information is carried in the registration request or registration message.

[0210] The first device can directly send the first information to the fourth device, or send the first information to the fourth device through other devices. For example, if the first device is a first module (such as an APP) and the fourth device is an AMF or SMF, then the application can send the first information to the AMF or SMF through the terminal device and the access network element. The first module can refer to the content of the first module involved in Figure 4 above, and will not be listed here. Alternatively, if the first device is an AF or an application server and the fourth device is an AMF or SMF, then the AF or application server can send the first information to the AMF or SMF through a UPF, etc.

[0211] Semantic communication services can also be referred to as semantic communication functions, semantic communication methods, semantic communication paradigms, or semantic communication approaches, and their names are not limited. A semantic communication service refers to a service capable of providing semantic communication. A semantic communication service may be an entity, software module (such as code), hardware module, functional body, or individual network element. Optionally, one implementation of a semantic communication service can be a JSCC service. Optionally, a semantic communication service can be replaced with a JSCC service.

[0212] In one possible implementation, the first device can send first information based on a semantic communication interface. That is, the first device can request and invoke a semantic communication service based on the semantic communication interface. The semantic communication interface can be, for example, a service-oriented interface. The information in the semantic communication interface can be predetermined by a protocol, configured by another device such as the fourth device, or configured through negotiation between the first device and the fourth device.

[0213] Optionally, the information of the semantic communication interface includes at least one of the following: the operation name, description, or parameters (or input) of the semantic communication interface.

[0214] Optionally, the parameters of the semantic communication interface include at least one of the following: the bitrate of the semantic communication service, the model of the semantic communication service, or the codebook of the semantic communication service. The bitrate of the semantic communication service refers to the amount of data processed or transmitted per unit time. The model of the semantic communication service refers to the model used to implement the semantic communication service. The codebook of the semantic communication service is used to encode or decode data; the codebook includes available codes and a set of indices to these codes, and is similar to a dictionary or knowledge base.

[0215] Optionally, the parameters of the semantic communication interface may also include the type of at least one operation to be performed, the order in which the at least one operation is performed, or an indication to perform at least one operation before the protocol data unit layer. The at least one operation is an operation performed before the semantic communication service is executed, used to assist in the implementation of the semantic communication service. This at least one operation includes: entropy decoding operation and / or decryption operation.

[0216] Optionally, this at least one operation further includes an entropy encoding operation and / or an encryption operation. The entropy encoding operation is the inverse of the entropy decoding operation. The encryption operation is the inverse of the decryption operation. Alternatively, the fact that at least one operation includes an entropy decoding operation and / or a decryption operation inherently implies that at least one operation also includes an entropy encoding operation and / or an encryption operation.

[0217] Optionally, if at least one operation includes a decryption operation, one or more parameters may also include a decryption key corresponding to the decryption operation. Optionally, if at least one operation includes an encryption operation, one or more parameters may also include an encryption key corresponding to the encryption operation. The decryption key and the encryption key may be the same or different, and this is not limited.

[0218] For example, at least one operation includes an entropy decoding operation and / or a decryption operation, and the order in which the at least one operation is performed is, for example, performing the entropy decoding operation first and then the decryption operation. Instructing the execution of at least one operation before the protocol data unit layer could, for example, specifically instruct the execution of at least one operation at the data processing layer.

[0219] For example, the semantic communication interface is the JSCC interface. The service operation names of the JSCC interface include creating a JSCC service (Nnef_JSCC_create), deleting a JSCC service (Nnef_JSCC_delete), or updating a JSCC service (Nnef_JSCC_update). Creating a JSCC service is used to request the invocation or creation of a JSCC service. Deleting a JSCC service is used to request the stopping or deletion of a JSCC service. Updating a JSCC service is used to request updates to the JSCC's type and / or input.

[0220] The JSCC interface description creates a JSCC service request, specifically for a first device (such as an app, UE, AF, or application server) to create a JSCC service request. The parameters of the JSCC interface include at least one of the following: the JSCC bitrate, the JSCC model, or the JSCC codebook. Optionally, the parameters of the JSCC interface may also include the type of at least one operation to be performed, the order in which at least one operation is performed, or an indication to perform at least one operation before the protocol data unit layer. Optionally, the parameters of the JSCC interface may also include a decryption key and an encryption key.

[0221] For example, when creating a JSCC service, the parameters (or inputs) for creating the JSCC service include the parameters of the JSCC interface mentioned above. Alternatively, when updating a JSCC service, the parameters (or inputs) for updating the JSCC service include updating the encryption key.

[0222] For example, if the first device is an application, then the information of the Nnef_JSCC interface can be shown in Table 1 below.

[0223] Table 1

[0224] Consumers can be understood as the party that invokes semantic communication services.

[0225] As can be seen from Table 1 above, the APP can create JSCC service requests, update JSCC services, and cancel JSCC services.

[0226] For example, if the first device is AF, then the information of the Nnef_JSCC interface can be shown in Table 2 below.

[0227] Table 2

[0228] As can be seen from Table 2 above, AF can create JSCC service requests, update JSCC services, and cancel JSCC services.

[0229] In one possible design, the first information is used to request the invocation of a semantic communication service, including: the first information is used to request the invocation of a semantic communication service that satisfies a first condition. This is equivalent to the first device requesting semantic service communication under certain conditions. The first condition, for example, includes the semantic communication service supporting one or more functions.

[0230] For example, the first information includes information about one or more functions. For example, one or more functions may include encryption and / or entropy coding. Optionally, the first condition may also indicate the order in which these one or more functions are implemented. For example, the first condition may indicate that the encryption function is implemented first, followed by the entropy coding function.

[0231] In one possible implementation, the first device may send the first information upon meeting a second condition. In this way, the first device can flexibly request semantic communication services as needed. The second condition may be at least one of the following: channel quality is less than a first threshold, signal-to-noise ratio is less than a second threshold, power (e.g., transmission power) is less than a third threshold, or the communication distance between the first and second devices is less than a fourth threshold. Channel quality below the first threshold indicates poor channel quality. Using semantic communication services under poor channel quality conditions can reduce the amount of data transmitted by the system and improve the overall communication quality of the communication system.

[0232] S902, the fourth device sends second information to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the second information from the fourth device. The second information is used to authorize the first semantic communication service.

[0233] For example, after receiving the first information, the fourth device can determine that it is a first semantic communication service authorized by the first device, or in other words, authorize the first device to invoke the first semantic communication service. The fourth device can determine the first semantic communication service from one or more semantic communication services. These one or more semantic communication services may be pre-existing in the fourth device or predetermined by a protocol, and there is no limitation on this. The method of determining the first semantic communication service is described below in conjunction with B1 to B3.

[0234] B1. The fourth device can determine the first semantic communication service based on the first information. For example, if the first information is used to request the invocation of a semantic communication service that meets the first condition, then the fourth device can determine the semantic communication service that meets the first condition from one or more semantic communication services as the first semantic communication service.

[0235] B2. The fourth device can determine the first semantic communication service based on the subscription information of the first device. The subscription information of the first device indicates at least one semantic communication service supported by the first device. The at least one semantic communication service supported by the first device can be at least one semantic communication service that the first device can invoke or use. Different first devices can support different at least one semantic communication service. The subscription information of the first device can be pre-defined by the protocol, stored in the fourth device, or obtained by the fourth device from other devices, such as UDM or UDR. In this case, the fourth device can determine one of the at least one semantic communication services as the first semantic communication service.

[0236] B3. The fourth device determines the first semantic communication service based on the first information and the contract information of the first device.

[0237] For example, the fourth device may identify the semantic communication service that satisfies the first condition among at least one semantic communication service as the first semantic communication service.

[0238] Regardless of which method is used to determine the first semantic communication service, the fourth device may optionally also consider the capability information of the second device when determining the first semantic communication service. The capability information of the second device indicates the semantic communication services supported by the second device. In this way, the first semantic communication service is a semantic communication service supported by the second device. This facilitates smooth communication between the first device and the second device based on the first semantic communication service.

[0239] In one possible implementation, the fourth device may also configure a first semantic communication service for other devices communicating with the first device.

[0240] For example, the fourth device configures the first semantic communication service for the second device. The following description, in conjunction with Figure 10, illustrates a communication method. Figure 10 mainly illustrates the processes of the fourth device configuring the first semantic communication service for the second device, updating the first semantic communication service, and canceling the first semantic communication service.

[0241] For example, referring to S1001 in Figure 10, the fourth device can configure one or more parameters to the second device. Correspondingly, the second device receives one or more parameters configured by the fourth device. This is equivalent to the second device and the first device reaching a consensus on the first semantic communication service, facilitating smooth subsequent communication between the two devices.

[0242] One or more parameters can be used to instruct the second device to communicate with the first device using a first semantic communication method. Thus, the second device can communicate with the first device using the first semantic communication method based on these one or more parameters.

[0243] The fourth device can configure one or more parameters to the second device. This can be done by the fourth device directly configuring some or all of these parameters to the second device, or by the fourth device sending first indication information to the second device. This first indication information includes information about a first semantic communication method, such as an identifier for the first semantic communication method. Thus, the second device can determine one or more parameters based on the first indication information.

[0244] Optionally, one or more parameters may include at least one of the following: the bitrate of the first semantic communication service, the model of the first semantic communication service, or the codebook of the first semantic communication service. The contents of the bitrate, model, and codebook can be referred to the contents of the bitrate, model, and codebook discussed above, and will not be listed here.

[0245] Optionally, one or more parameters may also include the type of at least one operation to be performed, the order in which the at least one operation is performed, or an indication to perform at least one operation before the protocol data unit layer. The at least one operation is an operation performed before the semantic communication service is implemented, used to assist in the implementation of the semantic communication service. This at least one operation includes: entropy decoding operation and / or decryption operation.

[0246] Optionally, this at least one operation further includes an entropy encoding operation and / or an encryption operation. The entropy encoding operation is the inverse of the entropy decoding operation. The encryption operation is the inverse of the decryption operation. Alternatively, the fact that at least one operation includes an entropy decoding operation and / or a decryption operation inherently implies that at least one operation also includes an entropy encoding operation and / or an encryption operation.

[0247] Optionally, if at least one operation includes a decryption operation, one or more parameters may also include a decryption key corresponding to the encryption operation. Optionally, if at least one operation includes an encryption operation, then one or more parameters may also include an encryption key corresponding to the encryption operation. The decryption key and the encryption key may be the same or different; this is not limited.

[0248] In one possible implementation, the first device and the second device can communicate collaboratively using a first semantic communication service. For example, the first device can perform entropy decoding and / or decryption operations on the data, and then process the processed data based on the first semantic communication service, such as performing JSCC processing, and send the semantically processed data to the second device. The second device processes the received data based on the first semantic communication service, such as performing JSCD processing, to obtain the data.

[0249] Optionally, the first semantic communication service may include compression / feature extraction and channel coding. The processing corresponding to the first semantic communication service may be JSCC. JSCC may include compression and channel coding.

[0250] For example, the data processing layer of the first device performs compression / dimensionality reduction / feature extraction, and the modem of the first device performs channel coding. The data processing layer and the modem of the first device can jointly adjust the code rate to achieve JSCC. Alternatively, the modem of the first device performs compression / dimensionality reduction / feature extraction and channel coding to achieve JSCC. In summary, the embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the way the first device implements semantic communication services or JSCC.

[0251] In one possible implementation, the fourth device may also configure the first semantic communication service for at least one third device. For example, the fourth device may configure some or all of one or more parameters to at least one third device to facilitate the completion of the first semantic communication service by at least one third device. Optionally, if the at least one third device includes multiple third devices, the parameters configured by the fourth device to different third devices may be different or the same, and this is not limited.

[0252] The process of configuring a first semantic communication service for at least one third device can be illustrated by S1002 and S1003 as shown in Figure 10. Figure 10 illustrates an example where at least one third device includes two third devices. In S1002, the fourth device configures P parameters to one of the at least one third device. Accordingly, the third device receives the P parameters configured by the fourth device. And in S1003, the fourth device configures Q parameters to the other of the at least one third device, and accordingly, the other third device receives the Q parameters configured by the fourth device.

[0253] The P or Q parameters can be some or all of the parameters in one or more parameters. Both P and Q are positive integers. Optionally, the P and Q parameters can be the same or different. Furthermore, the sum of P and Q can be equal to, less than, the total number of parameters, or less than the total number of parameters.

[0254] Optionally, P parameters are used to directly support the first semantic communication service, and Q parameters are used to assist in implementing the first semantic communication service. For example, the Q parameters may be parameters related to at least one operation. Alternatively, the P parameters may include parameters for directly supporting the first semantic communication service, and the Q parameters may include parameters for assisting in implementing the first semantic communication service. For example, the P parameters may include at least one of the following: the code rate of the first semantic communication service, the model of the first semantic communication service, or the codebook of the first semantic communication service. The Q parameters may include the type of operation to be performed, the order in which the operation to be performed, or an indication to perform the operation before the protocol data unit layer. Optionally, in this case, one third device is an access network element, and the other third device is a UPF.

[0255] Optionally, the P parameters include some parameters directly supporting the first semantic communication service, and the Q parameters include another part of the parameters directly supporting the first semantic communication service, as well as parameters assisting in the implementation of the first semantic communication service. For example, the first semantic communication service is a JSCC service, which includes compression processing / feature extraction, channel coding, decompression processing / feature recovery, and channel decoding. The P parameters may include parameters related to channel decoding. The Q parameters include parameters related to decompression processing / feature recovery, the type of at least one operation to be performed, the order in which at least one operation is performed, and indications to perform at least one operation before the protocol data unit layer, etc.

[0256] In this way, it is equivalent to the first device and each of the third devices reaching a consensus on the first semantic communication service, which facilitates the third devices to assist in processing the data transmitted between the first device and the second device.

[0257] In one possible implementation, the first device, the second device, and at least one third device may communicate in concert using a first semantic communication service.

[0258] Optionally, at least one third device may include multiple third devices, and when the first semantic communication service is JSCC, these multiple third devices may implement different functions to assist in implementing the first semantic communication service. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the functions implemented by these multiple third devices.

[0259] For example, one of the at least three third devices can implement JSCD, and the other third device can implement the inverse operation corresponding to at least one operation.

[0260] Alternatively, one of the at least three third devices may implement at least one corresponding inverse operation, as well as a portion of the operations involved in JSCD, while the other third device may implement another portion of the operations involved in JSCD, without limitation. Some of the operations involved in JSCD include, for example, decompression processing / feature recovery, and others include, for example, channel decoding.

[0261] For example, a third device can implement at least one corresponding inverse operation, such as entropy coding and / or encryption, as well as decompression / feature recovery. Another third device can implement channel decoding.

[0262] In one possible implementation, the first device may also update the first semantic communication service based on the semantic communication interface. The process of updating the first semantic communication service can refer to steps S1004 and S1005. Optionally, the first device may update the first semantic communication service when a third condition is met. The third condition may be, for example, a change in channel quality greater than a fifth threshold, a change in signal-to-noise ratio greater than a sixth threshold, a change in power greater than a seventh threshold, or a change in the communication distance between the first device and the second device greater than an eighth threshold.

[0263] S1004. The first device may send third information to the fourth device. Correspondingly, the fourth device receives the third information from the first device. The third information is used to request an update to the first semantic communication service. The third information requesting an update to the first semantic communication service may include the type of the semantic communication service to be updated, or the parameters of the semantic communication service to be updated. Optionally, if the third information is used to request an update to the type of the semantic communication service, it may carry the updated type of the semantic communication service. Optionally, if the third information is used to request an update to the parameters of the first semantic communication service, it may carry the updated parameters of the first semantic communication service.

[0264] The fourth device can determine whether to update the first semantic communication service based on the third information. Optionally, if the fourth device determines to update the first semantic communication service, in step S1005, the fourth device can also send fourth information to the second device. Correspondingly, the second device receives the fourth information from the fourth device. The fourth information indicates that data is transmitted with the first device based on the updated first semantic communication service. Optionally, the fourth device can also indicate to the first device that the update of the first semantic communication service was successful.

[0265] In one possible implementation, the first device can also cancel (or stop) the first semantic communication service based on the semantic communication interface. The process for stopping the first semantic communication service can refer to steps S1006 and S1007. Optionally, if the second condition is not met, the first device can determine to stop the first semantic communication service. The content of the second condition can refer to the content of the second condition discussed above, and will not be listed here again. Not meeting the second condition could be, for example, channel quality greater than or equal to a first threshold, signal-to-noise ratio greater than or equal to a second threshold, power (e.g., transmission power) greater than or equal to a third threshold, or the communication distance between the first device and the second device less than or equal to a fourth threshold, etc., at least one of these conditions.

[0266] For example, continuing as shown in FIG10, in S1006, the first device sends a fifth message to the fourth device. Correspondingly, the fourth device receives the fifth message from the first device. The fifth message is used to request the cessation of using the first semantic communication service. Optionally, in S1007, the fourth device sends a sixth message to the second device. Correspondingly, the second device receives the sixth message from the fourth device. The sixth message indicates the cessation of using the first semantic communication service to transmit data with the first device. Optionally, the fourth device may also indicate to the first device that the cessation of the first semantic communication service was successful.

[0267] S1001 to S1007 shown in Figure 10 are all optional steps, and are indicated by dashed lines in Figure 10.

[0268] In this embodiment, the first device can invoke semantic communication services based on needs, and the second device can authorize and manage semantic communication services, providing a mechanism to support semantic communication. Furthermore, the fourth device can also configure semantic communication services for the second device corresponding to the first device and other third devices that assist in semantic communication, increasing the complexity of semantic communication service configuration and facilitating the smooth execution of semantic communication services subsequently.

[0269] Since the first to the fourth devices are different, the interactions between the devices also differ. Examples will be given below.

[0270] The communication method shown in Figure 11 is described below. Figure 11 uses an APP or UE as the first device, a DPF as the second device, and an AMF or SMF as the fourth device as an example.

[0271] S1101, the APP / UE sends the first information to the AMF / SMF. Correspondingly, the AMF / SMF receives the first information from the APP / UE. The content of the first information can be found in the description of the first information in Figure 9, and will not be listed here.

[0272] For example, the first information indicates whether encryption is performed, whether entropy encoding is performed, and the order of entropy encoding and encryption. Optionally, the first information may also include the encryption key for the encryption operation.

[0273] S1102, AMF / SMF determines the first semantic communication service.

[0274] For example, the AMF / SMF can determine the first semantic communication service based on the UE's subscription information and the first information. The content of the subscription information, the content of the first information, and the content of the first semantic communication service can be referred to respectively in Figure 9 above.

[0275] S1103, AMF / SMF configures one or more parameters to AF. Correspondingly, AF receives one or more parameters configured from AMF / SMF. The content of these one or more parameters can be referred to the discussion of one or more parameters above, and will not be listed here again.

[0276] S1104, the AMF / SMF configures P parameters to the access network element. Correspondingly, the access network element receives the P parameters configured by the AMF / SMF. The contents of the P parameters can be referred to the discussion of the P parameters in Figure 10 above, and will not be listed here again.

[0277] S1105, the AMF / SMF configures Q parameters to the DPF. Correspondingly, the DPF receives the Q parameters configured by the AMF / SMF. The contents of the Q parameters can be referred to the discussion of the Q parameters in Figure 10 above, and will not be listed here again.

[0278] S1106, the AMF / SMF sends the second information to the APP / UE. Correspondingly, the APP / UE receives the second information from the AMF / SMF. The content of the second information can be referred to in the previous discussion and will not be listed here again.

[0279] The steps S1102 to S1105 mentioned above are all optional.

[0280] Optionally, the APP / UE and access network elements can collaboratively transmit data based on first semantic communication. The following description, using Figure 12A as an example, illustrates the data processing process of the UE and access network elements shown in Figure 11. As shown in Figure 12A, the UE includes a PDU layer and a data processing layer, and the DPF includes a PDU layer and a data processing layer. As shown in Figure 12A, the UE can access the APP, for example, to obtain data that has undergone source encoding (e.g., sequential encryption and entropy encoding). This data is then decrypted and entropy-decoded by the UE's data processing layer, and JSCC is performed through the UE (e.g., the UE's modem). The UE then transmits the JSCC-processed data to the access network elements. The access network elements can perform JSCD processing on the data from the UE, and the DPF (e.g., the DPF's data processing layer) sequentially performs entropy encoding and encryption on the data from the access network elements, and then transmits the processed data. Alternatively, the data processing layer can be located within the PDU layer.

[0281] The following description, using Figure 12B as an example, illustrates the data processing process of the UE and access network elements shown in Figure 11. As shown in Figure 12B, the UE includes a PDU layer, a data processing layer, etc., and the DPF includes a PDU layer and a data processing layer, etc. As shown in Figure 12B, the UE can access the APP, for example, to obtain data that has undergone source coding (e.g., sequential encryption and entropy coding). This data is then decrypted and entropy decoded by the UE's data processing layer. The UE's data processing layer performs compression processing / feature extraction, and the UE (e.g., the UE's modem) performs channel coding processing. The UE's data processing layer and the modem can jointly adjust the code rate to achieve JSCC. Correspondingly, the access network elements (e.g., the physical layer of the access network element) perform channel decoding on the data from the UE, and the DPF performs decompression processing / feature recovery on the data from the access network elements to achieve JSCD. Alternatively, the data processing layer can be set within the PDU layer.

[0282] The communication method shown in Figure 13 is described below. In Figure 13, the first device is AF, the second device is UE, the third device includes DPF and RAN, and the fourth device is AMF or SMF.

[0283] S1301, AF sends the first message to AMF / SMF. Correspondingly, AMF / SMF receives the first message from AF. The content of the first message can be referred to in Figure 9, and will not be listed here.

[0284] For example, the first information indicates whether encryption is performed, whether entropy encoding is performed, and the order of entropy encoding and encryption. Optionally, the first information may also include the encryption key for the encryption operation.

[0285] S1302, AMF / SMF determine the first semantic communication service.

[0286] For example, the AMF / SMF can determine the first semantic communication service based on the UE's subscription information and the first information. The content of the subscription information, the content of the first information, and the content of the first semantic communication service can be referred to respectively as the content of the subscription information, the content of the first information, and the content of the first semantic communication service discussed above.

[0287] S1303, the AMF / SMF configures one or more parameters to the UE. Correspondingly, the UE receives one or more parameters configured from the AMF / SMF. The content of these one or more parameters can be referred to the discussion of one or more parameters above, and will not be listed here again.

[0288] S1304, the AMF / SMF configures P parameters to the access network element. Correspondingly, the access network element receives the P parameters configured by the AMF / SMF. The contents of the P parameters can be referred to the discussion of the P parameters in Figure 10 above, and will not be listed here again.

[0289] S1305, AMF / SMF configures Q parameters to DPF. Correspondingly, DPF receives the Q parameters configured from AMF / SMF. The contents of the Q parameters can be referred to the Q parameters discussed in Figure 10 above, and will not be listed here again.

[0290] S1306, AMF / SMF sends a second message to AF. Correspondingly, AF receives the second message from AMF / SMF. The content of the second message can be referred to in the previous discussion of the second message content, and will not be listed here again.

[0291] The steps S1302 to S1305 described above are all optional.

[0292] Optionally, the APP / UE and access network elements can collaboratively transmit data based on the first semantic communication service. The following description, using Figure 14 as an example, illustrates the data processing process of the UE and access network elements shown in Figure 13. As shown in Figure 14, the DPF includes a PDU layer and a data processing layer, and the UE includes a PDU layer and a data processing layer. As shown in Figure 14, the data from the AF, after source encoding (e.g., sequential encryption and entropy encoding), is decrypted and entropy decoded by the DPF's data processing layer. It can then undergo JSCC through the access network element (e.g., the access network element's modem). The access network element then transmits the JSCC-processed data to the UE. The UE can sequentially perform JSCD, entropy encoding, and encryption processing on the data. For example, the UE's modem performs JSCD, the UE's data processing layer performs entropy encoding and encryption, and then transmits the processed data. Alternatively, the data processing layer can be located within the PDU layer.

[0293] The communication method shown in Figure 15 is described below. In Figure 15, the first device is the UE, the second device is the access network element, and the fourth device is either an AMF or an SMF, as an example.

[0294] S1501, the APP / UE sends the first information to the AMF / SMF. Correspondingly, the AMF / SMF receives the first information from the APP / UE. The content of the first information can be found in the description of the first information in Figure 9, and will not be listed here.

[0295] For example, the first information indicates whether encryption is performed, whether entropy encoding is performed, and the order of entropy encoding and encryption. Optionally, the first information may also include the encryption key for the encryption operation.

[0296] S1502, AMF / SMF determine the first semantic communication service.

[0297] For example, the AMF / SMF can determine the first semantic communication service based on the UE's subscription information and the first information. The content of the subscription information, the content of the first information, and the content of the first semantic communication service can be referred to respectively as the content of the subscription information, the content of the first information, and the content of the first semantic communication service discussed above.

[0298] S1503, AMF / SMF configures one or more parameters to the access network element. Correspondingly, the access network element receives one or more parameters configured by the AMF / SMF. The content of these one or more parameters can be referred to the discussion of one or more parameters above, and will not be listed here again.

[0299] S1504, the AMF / SMF sends the second information to the APP / UE. Correspondingly, the APP / UE receives the second information from the AMF / SMF. The content of the second information can be referred to in the previous discussion and will not be listed here again.

[0300] The steps S1502 to S1503 described above are all optional.

[0301] Optionally, the APP / UE and access network elements can collaboratively transmit data based on the first semantic communication service. The following description, using Figure 16 as an example, illustrates the data processing process of the UE and access network elements shown in Figure 15. As shown in Figure 16, the UE includes a PDU layer and a data processing layer, while the access network element includes a PDU layer and a data processing layer. As shown in Figure 16, the UE obtains data from the APP after source encoding (e.g., sequential encryption and entropy encoding) by the APP. This data is then decrypted and entropy decoded by the UE's data processing layer, and can then undergo JSCC (Signaled JSCC) through the UE (e.g., the UE's modem). The UE transmits the JSCC-processed data to the access network element. The access network element can sequentially perform JSCD, entropy encoding, and encryption on the data. For example, the access network element's physical layer performs JSCD, and its data processing layer performs entropy encoding and encryption, then transmits the processed data. Alternatively, the data processing layer can be located within the PDU layer.

[0302] Based on the same inventive concept, this application provides a communication device. The following describes any of the communication devices illustrated in Figures 17 and 18. This communication device may be, for example, any of the first to fourth devices discussed above, or a module within these devices; no specific limitation is made thereto.

[0303] As shown in Figure 17, the communication device 1700 may include modules or units for implementing the methods described in the embodiments above. In one possible design, the communication device 1700 includes a processing unit 1710 and a communication unit 1720. The communication unit 1720 is used to perform transmit and receive operations, such as functions related to sending and receiving; the communication unit 1720 may be referred to as a transceiver unit; optionally, the communication unit 1720 includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. The processing unit 1710 is used to perform processing operations. Alternatively, the communication unit 1720 may be a transmitter and a receiver, or a transmitter and a receiver. Optionally, the communication device 1700 may also include a storage unit 1730. The storage unit 1730 is used to store the device's program code or data.

[0304] In the first implementation, the communication device 1700 can be any of the first devices involved in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, 13 to 16, modules in the first device (such as communication modules, circuits or chips), or devices that implement the functions of the first device.

[0305] In the above embodiments, the communication unit 1720 is used to send first information and receive second information, etc.

[0306] The communication device 1700 can also perform other steps performed by the first device in any of the figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16 mentioned above, which will not be listed here.

[0307] In the second implementation, the communication device 1700 can be any of the fourth devices involved in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, 13 to 16, modules in the fourth device (such as communication modules, circuits or chips), or devices that implement the functions of the fourth device.

[0308] In the above embodiment, the communication unit 1720 is used to receive first information and send second information.

[0309] The communication device 1700 can also perform other steps performed by the fourth device mentioned in any of Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, 13 to 16, which will not be listed here.

[0310] In the third implementation, the communication device 1700 can be any of the second devices involved in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, 13 to 16, modules in the second device (such as communication modules, circuits or chips), or devices that implement the functions of the second device.

[0311] The communication device 1700 can also perform the steps executed by the second device mentioned in any of Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16, which will not be listed here.

[0312] In the fourth implementation, the communication device 1700 can be any of the third devices involved in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, 13 to 16, modules in the third device (such as communication modules, circuits or chips), or devices that implement the functions of the third device.

[0313] The communication device 1700 can also perform other steps performed by the third device mentioned in any of Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, 13 to 16, which will not be listed here.

[0314] In one possible design, when the communication device 1700 is a terminal device, a communication module within a terminal device, an access network device, or a communication module within an access network device, the function of the processing unit 1710 can be implemented by one or more processors. Specifically, the processor may include a modem chip, or a SoC chip or SIP chip containing a modem core. The function of the communication unit 1720 can be implemented by transceiver circuitry.

[0315] In one possible design, when the communication device 1700 is a circuit or chip responsible for communication functions in a terminal device, or a circuit or chip responsible for communication functions in an access network device, such as a modem chip or a system-on-a-chip (SoC) chip or SIP chip containing a modem core, the function of the processing unit 1710 can be implemented by a circuit system including one or more processors or processor cores in the aforementioned chip. The function of the communication unit 1720 can be implemented by interface circuits or data transceiver circuits on the aforementioned chip.

[0316] It is understood that the division of units in the above-described device is merely a logical functional division. Each function can correspond to a functional unit, or two or more functions can be integrated into one functional unit. In actual implementation, all or some units can be integrated into a single physical entity, or they can be distributed across different physical entities. Furthermore, the aforementioned functional units can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both. Whether a function is executed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0317] In one example, the functional unit in any of the above devices may be one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the above methods, such as: one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or one or more central processing units (CPUs), one or more microcontroller units (MCUs), one or more DSPs, or one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or a combination of at least two of these integrated circuit forms.

[0318] In one example, storage unit 1730 may include random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory or electrically erasable programmable memory and / or registers, etc.

[0319] The communication device shown in Figure 18 will be described below. As shown in Figure 18, the communication device 1800 includes a processor 1810. Optionally, the communication device 1800 also includes an interface circuit 1820 and a memory 1830. The processor 1810 and the interface circuit 1820 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 1820 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. The memory 1830 is used to store instructions executed by the processor 1810, or to store input data required by the processor 1810 to run instructions, or to store data generated after the processor 1810 runs instructions. The interface circuit 1820 and the memory 1830 are optional modules and are shown in Figure 18 with dashed boxes. In addition, Figure 18 shows an example with one processor 1810 and one memory 1830, but the number of processors 1810 and memory 1830 is not actually limited.

[0320] In one possible implementation, the communication device 1800 is used to perform other steps executed by any of the first devices mentioned in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16, which will not be listed here one by one. Optionally, the processor 1810 is used to implement the functions of the processing unit 1710, and the interface circuit 1820 is used to implement the functions of the communication unit 1720.

[0321] In one possible implementation, the communication device 1800 is used to perform other steps performed by the first device involved in any of Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, 13 to 16, which will not be listed here one by one.

[0322] In one possible implementation, the communication device 1800 is used to perform other steps performed by any of the third devices mentioned in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16, which will not be listed here one by one.

[0323] In one possible implementation, the communication device 1800 is used to perform other steps performed by any of the fourth devices mentioned in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, 13 to 16, which will not be listed here one by one.

[0324] In one possible implementation, the communication device 1800 is used to perform other steps performed by the first device involved in any of Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, 13 to 16, which will not be listed here one by one.

[0325] In one possible implementation, the communication device 1800 is used to perform other steps performed by any of the second devices involved in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, 13 to 16, which will not be listed here one by one.

[0326] When the communication device 1800 is a chip applied to a device (such as the terminal device or network device mentioned above), the device chip implements the functions of the device in the above method embodiments. The device chip receives information from other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the device, the information being sent to the device by other devices; or, the device chip sends information to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the device, the information being sent to other devices by the device. Here, the communication device 1800 can be a baseband chip of a device, or a DU or other module. The DU here can be a DU under an open radio access network (O-RAN) architecture.

[0327] The processor 1810 can be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, or graphics processing units (GPUs), hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. Furthermore, the memory involved in the various embodiments of this application can include volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM). The memory can also include non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, hard disk drives (HDDs), or solid-state drives (SSDs).

[0328] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of this application provide a communication system. The communication system includes a first device and a fourth device. Optionally, the system may further include a second device and / or a third device.

[0329] The first device can perform the function of any of the first devices involved in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16. The second device can perform the function of any of the second devices involved in Figures 9 to 16. The third device can perform the function of any of the third devices involved in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16. The fourth device can perform the function of any of the fourth devices involved in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16.

[0330] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of this application provide a communication system. The communication system includes a first device and a fourth device. Optionally, the system may further include a second device and / or a third device.

[0331] The first device can perform the functions of the first device involved in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16. The second device can perform the functions of the second device involved in Figures 9 to 16. The third device can perform the functions of the third device involved in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16. The fourth device can perform the functions of the fourth device involved in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16.

[0332] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of this application provide a chip system comprising a processor and an interface. The processor is used to call and execute instructions from the interface, and when the processor executes the instructions, it implements any of the steps described in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16.

[0333] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing computer programs or instructions that, when run, implement any of the steps involved in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16.

[0334] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of this application provide a program product that, when executed, enables a processor to perform any of the steps described in Figures 9 to 11, 12A, 12B, and 13 to 16. This program product is, for example, a computer program product, specifically, a computer program and / or instructions. The processor is, for example, a processor running in a computer.

[0335] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are performed entirely or partially. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user equipment, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video optical disc; or it can be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium can be volatile or non-volatile, or it can include both types of storage media. Some or all of the steps of the communication method in the embodiments of this application can be implemented by a GPU, or by a GPU in conjunction with other processors.

[0336] In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terminology and / or descriptions of different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features of different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0337] The various numerical designations used in the embodiments of this application are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the process numbers described above does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be based on its function and internal logic.

Claims

A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: Receive first information from the first device, the first information being used to request the invocation of semantic communication services; Send a second message to the first device, the second message being used to authorize the first semantic communication service. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Configure one or more parameters to the second device, which is used to transmit data with the first device based on the first semantic communication service; and / or, Configure some or all of the parameters of the one or more parameters to a third device, the third device being used to forward data between the first device and the second device; The one or more parameters are used to support the first semantic communication service. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first semantic communication service is determined based on the subscription information of the first device, which indicates at least one semantic communication service supported by the first device, and the first semantic communication service is one of the at least one semantic communication services. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The second information includes one or more parameters, which are used to support the first semantic communication service. The method according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that, The one or more parameters include at least one of the following: The bitrate of the first semantic communication service; The model of the first semantic communication service; or, The codebook of the first semantic communication service. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The one or more parameters also include at least one of the following: The type that performs at least one operation; The order in which the at least one of the operations is performed; or, Instructs that at least one of the operations be performed before the protocol data unit layer; The at least one operation is an operation performed before executing the first semantic communication service, and the at least one operation includes: entropy decoding operation and / or decryption operation. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The first information is used to request the invocation of the semantic communication service, including: The first information is used to request the invocation of a semantic communication service that supports one or more functions, wherein the first semantic communication service supports the implementation of the one or more functions. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that After sending the second information to the first device, the method further includes: Receive third information from the first device, the third information being used to request an update to the first semantic communication service; A fourth message is sent to the second device, the fourth message indicating that data is transmitted with the first device based on the updated first semantic communication service. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that After sending the second information to the first device, the method further includes: Receive a fifth message from the first device, the fifth message being used to request the cessation of use of the first semantic communication service; A sixth message is sent to the second device, the sixth message indicating that the first semantic communication service should be stopped from transmitting data with the first device. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method includes: Send a first message, which is used to request the invocation of the semantic communication service; Receive second information, which is used to authorize the first semantic communication service. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The second information includes one or more parameters, which are used to support the first semantic communication service. The method of claim 11, wherein The one or more parameters include at least one of the following: The bitrate of the first semantic communication service; The model of the first semantic communication service; or, The codebook of the first semantic communication service. The method of claim 12, wherein The one or more parameters also include at least one of the following: The type that performs at least one operation; The order in which the at least one of the operations is performed; or, Instructs that at least one of the operations be performed before the protocol data unit layer; The at least one operation is an operation performed before executing the first semantic communication service, and the at least one operation includes: entropy decoding operation and / or decryption operation. The method according to any one of claims 10-13, characterized in that The first semantic communication service is determined based on the subscription information of the first device, which indicates at least one semantic communication service supported by the first device, and the first semantic communication service is one of the at least one semantic communication services. The method according to any one of claims 10-14, characterized in that The first information is used to request the invocation of the semantic communication service, including: The first information is used to request the invocation of a semantic communication service that supports one or more functions, wherein the first semantic communication service supports the implementation of the one or more functions. The method according to any one of claims 10-15, characterized in that After receiving the second information, the method further includes: Send a third message, which is used to request an update to the first semantic communication service. The method according to any one of claims 10-16, characterized in that After receiving the second information, the method further includes: Send a fifth message, which is used to request the cessation of use of the first semantic communication service. A communication device, characterized by The device includes one or more processors, which are configured to execute computer programs or instructions in memory, such that the communication device implements the method as claimed in any one of claims 1-9 or the method as claimed in any one of claims 10-17. A computer program product, characterized in that When the computer program product is executed, it causes the processor to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-9 or the method as described in any one of claims 10-17. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized by The storage medium stores a computer program or instructions, which, when executed by a communication device, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-9 or the method as described in any one of claims 10-17.

Images