Control channel configuration method and apparatus

Abstract

A control channel configuration method. A network device determines first configuration information and second configuration information, the first configuration information being used for configuring first downlink control information (DCI), and the second configuration information being used for configuring second DCI, and the network device transmits the first configuration information and the second configuration information to a terminal device; the terminal device monitors the first DCI on the basis of the first configuration information, and receives the first DCI, the first DCI being used for instructing the terminal device to detect the second DCI on the basis of the second configuration information. By means of the method, the network device determines configuration information applicable when a terminal has no service transmission, the configuration information is different from configuration information applicable when the terminal has service transmission, and then DCI applicable when the terminal has no service transmission is configured; when no service transmission is present, the terminal only monitors the DCI, thereby effectively reducing the power consumption of the terminal in the absence of service transmission.

Description

A control channel configuration method and apparatus Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a control channel configuration method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In existing technologies, the maximum number of PDCCH candidates monitored by a terminal is predefined and related to the subcarrier spacing (SCS) configuration, applicable to all DCI formats. The network side configures the terminal with the DCI format to be monitored and the corresponding PDCCH candidates for each aggregation level according to the terminal's communication requirements.

[0003] When there is no data transmission at the terminal, the terminal only monitors the PDCCH, resulting in high power consumption. Therefore, reducing the power consumption of the terminal monitoring the PDCCH when there is no service transmission on the terminal side is an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication method that can be applied to a terminal side, such as a terminal or a communication module within a terminal, or a circuit or chip (such as a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-a-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core, or a system-in-package (SIP) chip) responsible for communication functions within the terminal. Taking the application of this method to a terminal as an example, in this method, the terminal device receives first configuration information and second configuration information. The first configuration information is used to configure a first downlink control information (DCI), and the second configuration information is used to configure a second DCI. Based on the first configuration information, the terminal device monitors the first DCI. The terminal device receives the first DCI, which is used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the second DCI based on the second configuration information.

[0005] The first configuration information mentioned above can be PDCCH-specific control information configuration when the terminal is not transmitting services, such as low-power PDCCH (LP-PDCCH)-specific control information configuration. The first DCI mentioned above can be downlink control information when the terminal is not transmitting services, such as low-power DCI (LP-DCI). The second configuration information mentioned above can be PDCCH control information configuration when the terminal is transmitting services, and the second DCI mentioned above can be downlink control information when the terminal is transmitting services. In this case, it can be understood that the terminal device switches from a state with no service transmission to a state with service transmission.

[0006] The first configuration information mentioned above can also be the control information configuration for the PDCCH when the terminal is transmitting services, and the first DCI mentioned above can also be the downlink control information when the terminal is transmitting services. The second configuration information mentioned above can also be the control information configuration for the PDCCH when the terminal is not transmitting services, such as the control information configuration for low-power PDCCH (LP-PDCCH), and the second DCI mentioned above can also be the downlink control information when the terminal is not transmitting services, such as low-power DCI (LP-DCI). In this case, it can be understood as the terminal device switching from a state with service transmission to a state without service transmission.

[0007] Using the above method, the network device determines the configuration information when the terminal is not transmitting services. This configuration information is different from the configuration information when the terminal is transmitting services. Then, it configures the downlink control information when the terminal is not transmitting services. When there is no service transmission, the terminal only monitors the above downlink control information, which can effectively reduce the power consumption of the terminal when there is no service transmission.

[0008] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some embodiments of the first aspect, the terminal device obtains first timer information, the first timer information being used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the first DCI according to the first configuration information, or receives first information, the first information being used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the first DCI according to the first configuration information.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some embodiments of the first aspect, the maximum number of times the first DCI is monitored is related to the first DCI, and the maximum number of times the second DCI is monitored is predefined.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some embodiments of the first aspect, the first configuration information includes at least one of the following: the format of the first DCI; the payload size of the first DCI; or the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) size associated with the first DCI.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some embodiments of the first aspect, the first DCI is used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information, including: the first DCI is used to instruct a first bandwidth portion (BWP), and the terminal device monitors the second DCI on the first BWP according to the second configuration information.

[0012] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method that can be applied to a network device, such as a network device or a communication module within a network device, or a circuit or chip (such as a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-a-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core, or a system-in-package (SIP) chip) responsible for communication functions within a network device. Taking the application of this method to a network device as an example, in this method, the network device determines first configuration information and second configuration information. The first configuration information is used to configure a first downlink control information (DCI), and the second configuration information is used to configure a second DCI. The first DCI is used to instruct a terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information; and the first configuration information and the second configuration information are then sent.

[0013] The first configuration information mentioned above can be PDCCH-specific control information configuration when the terminal is not transmitting services, such as low-power PDCCH (LP-PDCCH)-specific control information configuration. The first DCI mentioned above can be downlink control information when the terminal is not transmitting services, such as low-power DCI (LP-DCI). The second configuration information mentioned above can be PDCCH control information configuration when the terminal is transmitting services, and the second DCI mentioned above can be downlink control information when the terminal is transmitting services. In this case, it can be understood that the terminal device switches from a state with no service transmission to a state with service transmission.

[0014] The first configuration information mentioned above can also be the control information configuration for the PDCCH when the terminal is transmitting services, and the first DCI mentioned above can also be the downlink control information when the terminal is transmitting services. The second configuration information mentioned above can also be the control information configuration for the PDCCH when the terminal is not transmitting services, such as the control information configuration for low-power PDCCH (LP-PDCCH), and the second DCI mentioned above can also be the downlink control information when the terminal is not transmitting services, such as low-power DCI (LP-DCI). In this case, it can be understood as the terminal device switching from a state with service transmission to a state without service transmission.

[0015] Using the above method, the network device determines the configuration information when the terminal is not transmitting services. This configuration information is different from the configuration information when the terminal is transmitting services. Then, it configures the downlink control information when the terminal is not transmitting services. When there is no service transmission, the terminal only monitors the above downlink control information, which can effectively reduce the power consumption of the terminal when there is no service transmission.

[0016] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some embodiments of the second aspect, the network device sends first information, the first information being used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the first DCI according to the first configuration information.

[0017] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some embodiments of the second aspect, the maximum number of times the first DCI is monitored is related to the first DCI, and the maximum number of times the second DCI is monitored is predefined.

[0018] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some embodiments of the second aspect, the first configuration information mentioned above includes at least one of the following: the format of the first DCI; the payload size of the first DCI; or the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) size associated with the first DCI.

[0019] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some embodiments of the second aspect, the first DCI is used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information, including: the first DCI is used to instruct a first bandwidth portion (BWP), and the first BWP is used by the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information.

[0020] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide an apparatus capable of implementing the methods described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect. The apparatus includes corresponding units or modules for performing the methods described above. The units or modules included in the apparatus can be implemented in software and / or hardware. The apparatus can be, for example, a terminal, a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the implementation of the methods in the terminal, or a logic node, logic module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions.

[0021] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide an apparatus capable of implementing the methods described in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect. The apparatus includes corresponding units or modules for performing the methods described above. The units or modules included in the apparatus can be implemented in software and / or hardware. The apparatus can be, for example, a wireless access network device, a chip, chip system, or processor supporting the implementation of the methods in a wireless access network device, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of a wireless access network device.

[0022] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide an apparatus comprising: a processor coupled to a memory for storing instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by the processor, the apparatus implements the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0023] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this application provide an apparatus comprising: a processor coupled to a memory for storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to implement the method described in the second aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0024] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon, which, when executed by a communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, or to perform the method described in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect.

[0025] Eighthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product including computer program code. When the computer program code is run on a communication device, it causes the communication device to perform the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, or to perform the method described in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect.

[0026] Ninthly, embodiments of this application provide a chip, including: a processor coupled to a memory for storing instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by the processor, the chip causes the chip to implement the methods described in the first aspect, the second aspect, any possible implementation of the first aspect, or any possible implementation of the second aspect.

[0027] In a tenth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication system including the apparatus of the third aspect and the apparatus of the fourth aspect, or including the apparatus of the fifth aspect and the apparatus of the sixth aspect.

[0028] It is understood that the beneficial effects of the features corresponding to the first and second aspects in aspects three through ten are described in the relevant descriptions in aspects one and two, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the communication system used in the embodiments provided in this application;

[0030] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of another device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system applied in the embodiments of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system includes a radio access network (RAN) 100 and a core network (CN) 130. Optionally, the communication system may also include an Internet 140. RAN 100 may include at least one RAN node (110a and 110b in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 110) and at least one terminal (120a-120j in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 120). RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes. Terminal 120 is wirelessly connected to RAN node 110. RAN node 110 is wirelessly or wired connected to core network 130. The core network equipment in core network 130 and RAN node 110 in RAN 100 can be independent physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating core network logical functions and radio access network logical functions, or a single device integrating some core network logical functions and some radio access network logical functions. Terminals and RAN nodes can be interconnected via wired or wireless means. Figure 1 is only a schematic diagram; the communication system may also include other network devices, such as relay devices and backhaul devices, which are not shown in Figure 1.

[0035] The methods and apparatus provided in this application can be used in various communication systems, such as fourth-generation (4G) communication systems, 4.5G communication systems, 5G communication systems, 5.5G communication systems, 6G communication systems, systems integrating multiple communication systems, or future evolution communication systems. Examples include Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, New Radio (NR) systems, Open RAN (O-RAN or ORAN) systems, Cloud Radio Access Network (CRAN) systems, and communication systems related to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), as well as other such communication systems. It can also be a communication system integrating two or more of the above systems.

[0036] RAN nodes can also be described in different ways, such as radio access network equipment. Unless otherwise specified, this application will use the term "radio access network equipment." Radio access network equipment (sometimes referred to as network equipment in this application) can 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 next-generation base station in a 6G mobile communication system, or a base station in a future mobile communication system. Radio access network equipment can be a macro base station (as shown in Figure 1, 110a), a micro base station or an indoor station (as shown in Figure 1, 110b), a relay node or donor node, or a radio controller in a CRAN scenario. Optionally, radio access network equipment can also be a server, wearable device, vehicle, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, the access network equipment can be a roadside unit (RSU). It is understood that all or part of the functions of the wireless access network device in this application can also be implemented through software functions running on hardware, or through virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (such as a cloud platform). The wireless access network device in this application can also be a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of a wireless access network device.

[0037] Radio access network (RAN) devices can also be modules or units that perform some of the functions of a base station. For example, they can be centralized units (CUs) or distributed units (DUs). In another possible scenario, multiple RAN devices collaborate to assist terminals in achieving wireless access, with each RAN device performing some of the base station's functions. For example, RAN devices can be CUs, DUs, CUs (control plane, CP), CUs (user plane, UP), or radio units (RUs). CUs and DUs can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency (RF) devices or RF units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radio heads (RRHs).

[0038] 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 ORAN system, CU can also be called an open central unit (O-CU), DU can also be called an open distributed unit (O-DU), CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, this application uses DU and RU as examples. Any of the DU and RU units in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or specific device form used in the wireless access network equipment. For ease of description, the following description uses a base station as an example of a wireless access network equipment.

[0039] A terminal can also be called a terminal device, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, etc. Terminals can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technologies or device forms used in the terminals.

[0040] The terminal in this application can also be a VR terminal, AR terminal, or MR terminal. VR terminals, AR terminals, and MR terminals can all be referred to as XR terminals. XR terminals can be, for example, head-mounted devices (such as helmets or glasses), all-in-one devices, televisions, monitors, automobiles, in-vehicle devices, tablets, or smart screens. XR terminals can present XR data to users, and users can experience diverse XR services by wearing or using XR terminals. XR terminals can access networks wirelessly or via wired means, such as through WiFi, 5G, or other systems.

[0041] Base stations and terminals can be fixed 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 artificial satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of base stations and terminals.

[0042] The roles of base stations and terminals can be relative. For example, the aircraft or drone 120i in Figure 1 can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminals 120j that access the wireless access network 100 through 120i, terminal 120i is a base station; however, for base station 110a, 120i is a terminal, meaning that 110a and 120i communicate via a wireless air interface protocol. Of course, 110a and 120i can also communicate via a base station-to-base station interface protocol. In this case, relative to 110a, 120i is also a base station. Therefore, both base stations and terminals can be collectively referred to as communication devices. 110a and 110b in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with base station functions, and 120a-120j in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with terminal functions.

[0043] Communication between base stations and terminals, between base stations, and between terminals can be conducted using licensed spectrum, unlicensed spectrum, or both simultaneously. Communication can be conducted using spectrum below 6 GHz, spectrum above 6 GHz, or both simultaneously. The embodiments of this application do not limit the spectrum resources used for wireless communication.

[0044] In the embodiments of this application, the functions of the base station can be executed by modules (such as chips) within the base station, or by a control subsystem that includes base station functions. This control subsystem, including base station functions, can be a control center in the application scenarios of the aforementioned terminals, such as smart grids, industrial control, intelligent transportation, and smart cities. Similarly, the functions of the terminal can be executed by modules (such as chips or modems) within the terminal, or by a device that includes terminal functions.

[0045] In this application, the base station sends downlink signals or downlink information to the terminal, with the downlink information carried on the downlink channel; the terminal sends uplink signals or uplink information to the base station, with the uplink information carried on the uplink channel; and the terminal sends sidelink signals or sidelink information to the terminal, with the sidelink information carried on the sidelink channel. The information can be control information or data information.

[0046] A cell is a wireless coverage area identified by a base station identification code or global cell identification code. Simply put, a cell is an area where a base station provides wireless coverage. For example, in an NR system, when a terminal connects to a cell, that cell can be understood as the serving cell for the terminal. The terminal uses the resources provided by the cell to achieve data transmission with the wireless access network equipment. These resources can include one or more of time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, or spatial-domain resources. A carrier wave is a radio signal (such as an electromagnetic wave) with a specific frequency, bandwidth, and standard emitted by a base station to carry information; it can also be called a CC or carrier frequency.

[0047] The control channel element (CCE) is the basic unit constituting the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) at the physical layer, occupying six resource element groups (REGs) in the frequency domain. A given PDCCH can consist of 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 CCEs, with the specific value determined by the size of the downlink control information (DCI) payload and the required coding rate. The number of CCEs constituting a PDCCH is called the aggregation level. The base station can adjust the aggregation level of the PDCCH according to the actual radio channel conditions to achieve link-adaptive transmission. In the NR PDCCH, one CCE maps to 72 actual physical resources (REs), of which 18 REs are used to carry demodulation reference signals and 54 REs are used to carry DCI.

[0048] The search space is a set of candidate PDCCHs at a certain aggregation level. As mentioned above, the aggregation level at which the base station actually sends PDCCHs varies over time. Since there is no relevant signaling to inform the UE, the UE needs to monitor PDCCHs at different aggregation levels. This monitoring of PDCCHs can also be understood as the UE blindly detecting PDCCHs when the PDCCHs are unknown. The PDCCHs to be blindly detected are called candidate PDCCHs. The UE decodes all candidate PDCCHs within the search space. If the cyclic redundancy code (CRC) check passes, the UE considers the content of the decoded PDCCH valid for the UE and uses the information obtained from the decoding (such as transmission scheduling instructions, time slot format instructions, power control commands, etc.) for subsequent operations.

[0049] To reduce the complexity of blind detection for UEs, the set of blind detection CCEs needs to be limited. In one possible implementation, the starting CCE number of a candidate PDCCH needs to be divisible by the number of CCEs in that candidate PDCCH. For example, a candidate PDCCH with an aggregation level of 2 can only start with a CCE number divisible by 2, and the same principle applies to the search space for other aggregation levels.

[0050] A REG (Remote Frequency Group) occupies one orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol in the time domain and one resource block (RB) in the frequency domain (comprising 12 consecutive subcarriers, or 12 consecutive REs). Within a REG, 3 REs are used to map the demodulation reference signal for the PDCCH, and 9 REs are used to map the DCI (Discretionary Cipher Interface). The REs used for mapping the PDCCH demodulation reference signal are evenly distributed within the REG, specifically the subcarriers numbered 1, 5, and 9 within the REG.

[0051] A REG bundle consists of multiple REGs that are consecutive in the time and / or frequency domains. The number of REGs constituting a REG bundle may be 1, 2, 3, or 6. Furthermore, the PDCCH mapped within a REG bundle uses the same precoding. This means that the UE can use the demodulation reference signal within the REG bundle to perform joint time and / or frequency domain channel estimation, thereby improving the accuracy of channel estimation.

[0052] A control resource set (CORESET) comprises multiple physical resource blocks in the frequency domain and 1 to 3 OFDM symbols in the time domain, and can be located anywhere within a time slot. The time and frequency resources occupied by a CORESET are semi-statically configured by higher-layer parameters. In NR, dynamic signaling indication is not supported for CORESET resource configuration.

[0053] In the frequency domain, CORESET configuration supports both continuous and discrete frequency domain resource configurations, and the configured CORESET does not exceed the frequency domain range of the bandwidth part (BWP). Furthermore, the granularity of CORESET frequency domain resource configuration is 6 REGs.

[0054] In NR, a maximum of 10 search space sets can be configured within each downlink BWP in the serving cell. Each search space set includes one or more search spaces at an aggregation level, and a search space is a set of candidate PDCCHs at a specific aggregation level. Furthermore, NR introduces temporal configuration information for search space sets. The UE needs to detect candidate PDCCHs based on the temporal location of the configured search space set, thus eliminating the need to detect candidate PDCCHs in every downlink subframe. The search space configuration information is shown in Table 1.

[0055] Table 1. Search Space Configuration Information

[0056] As mentioned above, the determination of the UE search space involves two steps: First, based on the configuration information of the search space set, the CCE index of each candidate PDCCH in the configured candidate PDCCH set within the CORESET is determined; second, based on preset rules, the set of candidate PDCCHs to be detected is determined from the configured candidate PDCCH set, where the set of candidate PDCCHs to be detected is a subset of the configured candidate PDCCH set. The CCE index of each candidate PDCCH in the NR within the CORESET is determined according to a given search space function.

[0057] In existing technologies, the maximum number of PDCCH candidates monitored by the terminal is predefined and related to the subcarrier spacing (SCS) configuration, applicable to all DCI formats. For example, as shown in Table 2, This represents the maximum number of PDCCH candidates that can be monitored in each time slot of a DL BWP with a single serving cell SCS configuration of μ. μ is the SCS configuration and can take values ​​of {0, 1, 2, 3}.

[0058] Table 2. Maximum number of PDCCH candidates monitored per time slot in a DL BWP with SCS configured as μ∈{0,1,2,3} for a single serving cell.

[0059] For example, as shown in Table 2, the maximum number of PDCCH candidates monitored per time slot in DL BWP with SCS configurations of 0, 1, 2 and 3 for a single serving cell are 44, 36, 22 and 20 respectively.

[0060] The network side will configure the DCI format to be monitored and the PDCCH candidates corresponding to each aggregation level for the terminal according to the terminal's communication requirements.

[0061] Since the maximum number of monitored PDCCH candidates is independent of the DCI format, the network side configures PDCCH candidates uniformly for all candidate DCI formats of the UE. To reduce the probability of PDCCH blocking at the terminal, the network side usually configures the monitored PDCCH candidates to the maximum value for the terminal. When the terminal has no data transmission, it only monitors the PDCCH, resulting in high terminal power consumption. Therefore, how to reduce the power consumption of the terminal monitoring the PDCCH when there is no service transmission at the terminal side is an urgent problem to be solved.

[0062] This application provides a communication method that determines configuration information when there is no service transmission at the terminal through a network device, and then configures downlink control information when there is no service transmission at the terminal. When there is no service transmission, the terminal only monitors the aforementioned downlink control information, which can effectively reduce the power consumption of the terminal when there is no service transmission.

[0063] Figure 2 is an interactive schematic diagram of a communication method 200 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 illustrates the method using a network device and a terminal as examples of the execution subjects of this interactive schematic, but this application does not limit the execution subjects of this interactive schematic. For example, the network device in Figure 2 can also be a module applied to a network device (e.g., a chip, chip system, or processor), or it can be a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the network device; the terminal in Figure 2 can also be a module applied to a terminal (e.g., a chip, chip system, or processor), or it can be a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the terminal. As shown in Figure 2, the method 200 of this embodiment may include parts 210, 220, 230, and 240.

[0064] Part 210: The network device determines first configuration information and second configuration information. The first configuration information is used to configure a first DCI, and the second configuration information can be used to configure a second DCI. For example, the first and second configuration information can be PDCCH control information configurations used to configure downlink control information.

[0065] The first configuration information mentioned above can be PDCCH-specific control information configuration when the terminal is not transmitting services, such as low-power PDCCH (LP-PDCCH)-specific control information configuration. The first DCI mentioned above can be downlink control information when the terminal is not transmitting services, such as low-power DCI (LP-DCI). The second configuration information mentioned above can be PDCCH control information configuration when the terminal is transmitting services, and the second DCI mentioned above can be downlink control information when the terminal is transmitting services. In this case, it can be understood that the terminal device switches from a state with no service transmission to a state with service transmission.

[0066] The first configuration information mentioned above can also be the control information configuration for the PDCCH when the terminal is transmitting services, and the first DCI mentioned above can also be the downlink control information when the terminal is transmitting services. The second configuration information mentioned above can also be the control information configuration for the PDCCH when the terminal is not transmitting services, such as the control information configuration for low-power PDCCH (LP-PDCCH), and the second DCI mentioned above can also be the downlink control information when the terminal is not transmitting services, such as low-power DCI (LP-DCI). In this case, it can be understood as the terminal device switching from a state with service transmission to a state without service transmission.

[0067] The communication method 200 and its possible implementations provided in this application are all illustrated by taking the switching of a terminal device from a state with no service transmission to a state with service transmission as an example. The method embodiments and possible implementations for switching a terminal device from a state with service transmission to a state with no service transmission will be elaborated upon after the content of method 200 and possible implementations, and will not be repeated here.

[0068] Part 220: The network device sends the first configuration information and the second configuration information to the terminal, and correspondingly, the terminal receives the first configuration information and the second configuration information from the network device.

[0069] Part 230: The terminal monitors the first DCI based on the first configuration information described above. The process of detecting the first DCI described above can be referred to the foregoing content and will not be repeated here. For example, the terminal decodes the DCI carried by the PDCCH in the search space. If the CRC check passes, the terminal considers the content of the decoded DCI to be valid for the terminal and uses the information obtained from the decoding (such as transmission scheduling indication, time slot format indication, power control command, etc.) to perform subsequent operations.

[0070] Part 240: The network device sends the first DCI to the terminal device, and correspondingly, the terminal device receives the first DCI from the network device, which is used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information.

[0071] In method 200, the network device determines the configuration information when the terminal has no service transmission. This configuration information is different from the configuration information when the terminal has service transmission. Then, it configures the downlink control information when the terminal has no service transmission. When there is no service transmission, the terminal only monitors the above downlink control information, which can effectively reduce the power consumption of the terminal when there is no service transmission.

[0072] In this application, "sending information to...(terminal)" can be understood as the destination of the information being the terminal. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to the terminal. "Receiving...information from (wireless access network device)" can be understood as the source of the information being the wireless access network device, and can include receiving information directly or indirectly from the wireless access network device. Information may undergo necessary processing between the source and destination, such as format changes, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be interpreted similarly, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0073] In one possible implementation of method 200, method 200 further includes: a terminal device obtaining first timer information, the first timer information being used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the first DCI according to the first configuration information. The first timer information may be determined by the terminal, determined by the network device and sent to the terminal, or predefined; this application does not limit this. The first timer information is used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the first DCI according to the first configuration information. For example, the first timer information may include a first timer start time and a timing duration. The first timer start time may be the time when the terminal device receives the first configuration information, and the timing duration information may be used to indicate the first duration. This implementation can also be understood as the terminal device monitoring the first DCI according to the first configuration information after the first timer has started and a first duration has elapsed. As another example, the first timer information may be used to indicate a first moment, at which point the terminal device begins monitoring the first DCI according to the first configuration information. This implementation can also be understood as the first timer information instructing the terminal device to begin monitoring the first DCI according to the first configuration information at a first moment. This application does not limit the content of the first timer information or the indication method of the first timer.

[0074] In another possible implementation of method 200, method 200 further includes: the network device sending first information to the terminal device, the first information being used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the first DCI according to the first configuration information, and correspondingly, the terminal device receiving the first information from the network device. The first information may be higher-layer signaling or other signaling, and this application does not limit it. The above implementation can also be understood as the network device instructing the terminal device to start monitoring the first DCI according to the first configuration information via the first information. This application does not limit the specific form of the first information, the signaling content it contains, its name, or its bearer method.

[0075] In one possible implementation of the terminal device monitoring the first DCI and the second DCI, the maximum number of times the first DCI is monitored is related to the first DCI, and the maximum number of times the second DCI is monitored is predefined. In other words, when the terminal device has no service transmission, the network device determines a PDCCH-specific control information configuration, which is used to configure the first DCI when the terminal device has no service transmission, and the maximum number of times the terminal monitors the first DCI is related to the first DCI; when the terminal device has service transmission, the network device determines a PDCCH control information configuration, which is used to configure the second DCI when the terminal device has service transmission, and the maximum number of times the terminal monitors the second DCI is predefined, as described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0076] For example, when the terminal device is transmitting services, the maximum number of PDCCH candidates monitored per time slot in a single serving cell SCS configured as a 15kHz DL BWP is 44. This can also be understood as the maximum number of times the terminal device monitors the DCI carried on the PDCCH being monitored being 44. That is, the maximum number of times the aforementioned second DCI is monitored is predefined and is 44. When the terminal device is not transmitting services, the maximum number of times the terminal device monitors the DCI in the absence of service transmission can be set to 4 (the maximum number of times the DCI is monitored in the absence of service transmission can be the same or different under different SCS configurations, and this application does not limit this). It can be understood that, as can be seen from the above example, when the terminal device is not transmitting services, configuring a dedicated DCI and associating it with the maximum number of times the dedicated DCI is monitored can effectively reduce the number of times the terminal device blindly detects the DCI, thereby effectively reducing the power consumption of the terminal when the terminal device is not transmitting services.

[0077] In one possible implementation of the first configuration information, the first configuration information includes at least one of the following: the format of the first DCI, the payload size of the first DCI, or the CRC size associated with the first DCI. The format, payload size, or associated CRC size of the first DCI can be understood as a configuration for when the terminal device is not transmitting services, distinct from the DCI format, DCI payload size, or DCI associated CRC size when the terminal device is transmitting services. For example, the first configuration information may include LP-DCI format configuration information for configuring a new DCI format.

[0078] Optionally, the first DCI includes a second BWP identifier (identity, ID), which indicates the BWP used when the terminal device is transmitting services. Similarly, a third BWP can be defined for the BWP used when the terminal device is not transmitting services. When the terminal device switches from a state with no service transmission to a state with service transmission, the second BWP ID included in the first DCI can also be used to indicate the BWP used when the terminal device switches to the state with service transmission, ensuring the continuity of service transmission.

[0079] In one possible implementation where the first DCI is used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information, the first DCI is used to instruct the first BWP, and the terminal device monitors the second DCI on the first BWP according to the second configuration information. For example, the first DCI includes the first BWP ID, which is used to instruct the first BWP, and the terminal device monitors the second DCI on the first BWP according to the second configuration information of the row number. This application does not limit the manner in which the first DCI instructs the first BWP; it may include explicit or implicit instruction.

[0080] In one possible implementation of transmitting the first DCI, a new DCI format is scrambled using C-RNTI or a defined new-RNTI, using polar coding or Reed-Muller (RM) coding, or by using a sequence to carry bit information, such as using an uncorrelated sequence to carry 10 bits of information, to transmit the first DCI without DMRS.

[0081] If we consider the reception of cell-level information by the terminal device, such as system messages and paging, the terminal can switch blind detection capabilities in a time-division manner. A larger blind detection capability is used when blindly detecting cell-level DCI, and a smaller blind detection capability is used at other times. The blind detection PDCCH and CORESET are associated, and different functions of DCI are blindly detected at different times through the associated CORESET. For the first DCI, a new control resource granularity can be defined, such as 1 CCE corresponding to 1 symbol 1RB, defining a new aggregation level; a semi-static pattern can be defined to switch back to the second control channel for blind detection to receive cell information, etc., for blind DCI detection. This application will not elaborate on these methods.

[0082] The above-described method 200 and some possible implementations are all based on the example of a terminal device switching from a state with no service transmission to a state with service transmission. In other words, the first configuration information and the first DCI mentioned above are configuration information and DCI specifically used by the terminal device in the state with no service transmission. The second configuration information and the second DCI mentioned above can be understood as control information configuration information and DCI in the prior art. When the terminal device switches from a state with service transmission to a state with no service transmission, the above-described method 200 and some possible implementations can also be implemented, only with the functions of the first configuration information and the second configuration information, as well as the functions of the first DCI and the second DCI, swapped. For the process of method 200 and some possible implementations, please refer to the description in method 200 and some possible implementations. It will not be elaborated here. In other words, the switch of the terminal device from a state with no service transmission to a state with service transmission, or the switch of the terminal device from a state with service transmission to a state with no service transmission, is merely a difference in the state of data transmission at a specific moment or time period. The characteristics and contents related to the control information, configuration information, DCI, etc. of the terminal in the states with and without service transmission are unrelated to the switch of the above states. They can all be referred to the description in method 200 of this application and some possible implementations, and will not be repeated here.

[0083] This application also provides another method in which a new BWP type, low power BWP (LP-BWP), is defined. When the terminal has no data, it can switch to the low power BWP to reduce power consumption. When the terminal has data, it switches to the normal BWP for data transmission.

[0084] LP-BWPs for extreme energy saving can be configured via higher-level signaling. For example, a BWP ID can be selected from multiple existing BWP configurations for LP-BWP, or a BWP with a dedicated BWP ID can be configured for use as LP-BWP, such as BWP ID 4, or a BWP without a BWP ID can be configured.

[0085] The terminal can automatically switch to LP-BWP via a timer. For example, if the UE's dwell time on the normal BWP exceeds the timer duration, the terminal will automatically switch to LP-BWP. Alternatively, if the UE does not receive the DCI parameter for data scheduling on the normal BWP for a period exceeding the timer duration, the terminal will automatically switch to LP-BWP. The timer duration can be predefined or configured via signaling. The signaling can be Radio Resource Control (RRC), Media Access Control (MAC-CE), or DCI.

[0086] The terminal can switch from the normal BWP to the LP-BWP by receiving network-side indication signaling. This indication signaling can be either RRC or DCI signaling. If the terminal is instructed to switch via RRC signaling, the network configures only one BWP, enabling energy saving by reconfiguring the normal BWP to the LP-BWP. If the terminal is instructed to switch via DCI signaling, the network configures at least one normal BWP and one LP-BWP, enabling the terminal to switch to the LP-BWP by carrying the LP-BWP identifier in the DCI. The identifier in the DCI can reuse an existing BWP switching identifier, switching by recognizing the BWP ID, or it can add an additional LP-BWP indicator to the DCI. The additional LP-BWP can be 1 bit, in which case the network can only configure one LP-BWP, with 0 and 1 indicating whether to switch to the LP-BWP. Alternatively, it can be 2 bits, in which case the network can configure three LP-BWPs, with one predefined value indicating no switch to the LP-BWP, and the other three values ​​indicating which specific LP-BWP to switch to. In DCI, the terminal can be instructed to switch to LP-BWP by predefining the values ​​of some fields, such as frequency domain resource allocation, time domain resource allocation, MCS, and RV fields. These are all predefined values, which indicate that the terminal has switched to LP-BWP (limited to configuring 1 LP-BWP). If multiple LP-BWPs are configured, other fields can be used to indicate the specific LP-BWP, such as using the BWP indicator field.

[0087] The bandwidth configuration of LP-BWP can be predefined to reduce configuration overhead. For example, the bandwidth of LP-BWP can be predefined as 5MHz, 3MHz, 25RB (BWP subcarrier spacing of 15kHz), or 11RB (BWP subcarrier spacing of 30kHz). UE behavior on LP-BWP can be defined as follows:

[0088] A) UE behavior on normal BWP:

[0089] Monitor PDCCH;

[0090] Receive downlink shared channel (DL-SCH);

[0091] Transmit uplink shared channel (UL-SCH) / random access channel (RACH) / physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) / sounding reference signal (SRS);

[0092] Report channel state information (CSI);

[0093] B) UE behavior on LP-BWP includes at least one of the following:

[0094] Only LP-DCI is blind tested; other DCIs are not blind tested.

[0095] Do not accept DL-SCH;

[0096] Do not send UL-SCH / RACH / PUCCH / SRS;

[0097] It does not receive long-period channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS);

[0098] Independent low-power receiver.

[0099] The relationship between LP-BWP and LP-PDCCH: Only LP-PDCCH can be configured on LP-BWP, while LP-PDCCH can be applied to all types of BWP.

[0100] If the terminal device is to receive cell-level information, such as system messages, paging, or CSI-RS reference signals, it can time-division switch to the normal BWP. A semi-static pattern can be defined to switch back to the normal BWP.

[0101] Corresponding to the methods described in the above embodiments, this application also provides corresponding apparatus, including modules for executing the corresponding methods in the above embodiments. The modules may be software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0102] Figure 3 provides a schematic diagram of a terminal structure. This terminal is applicable to the scenario shown in Figure 1. The terminal or its modules can execute the aforementioned method 200 and various possible implementations. For ease of explanation, Figure 3 only shows the main modules of the terminal. As shown in Figure 3, the terminal 300 includes a processor, a memory, a control circuit, an antenna, and input / output devices. The processor is mainly used to process communication protocols and communication data, control the entire terminal, execute software programs, and process the data of the software programs. The memory is mainly used to store software programs and data. The radio frequency circuit is mainly used for the conversion between baseband signals and radio frequency signals and the processing of radio frequency signals. The antenna is mainly used for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals in the form of electromagnetic waves. Input / output devices, such as touch screens, displays, and keyboards, are mainly used to receive user input data and output data to the user.

[0103] When the terminal is powered on, the processor can read the software program from the storage unit, parse and execute the instructions of the software program, and process the data of the software program. When data needs to be transmitted wirelessly, the processor performs baseband processing on the data to be transmitted and outputs the baseband signal to the radio frequency (RF) circuit. The RF circuit processes the baseband signal to obtain the RF signal and transmits the RF signal outward in the form of electromagnetic waves through the antenna. When data is sent to the terminal, the RF circuit receives the RF signal through the antenna. This RF signal is further converted into a baseband signal and output to the processor. The processor converts the baseband signal back into data and processes the data.

[0104] For ease of explanation, Figure 3 shows only one memory and processor. In a real terminal, multiple processors and memories may exist. Memory can also be called storage medium or storage device, etc., and this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0105] As an optional implementation, the processor may include a baseband processor and a central processing unit (CPU). The baseband processor is mainly used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the CPU is mainly used to control the entire terminal device, execute software programs, and process the data of the software programs. The processor in Figure 3 integrates the functions of a baseband processor and a CPU. Those skilled in the art will understand that the baseband processor and the CPU can also be independent processors interconnected via technologies such as buses. Those skilled in the art will understand that a terminal may include multiple baseband processors to adapt to different network standards, and a terminal may include multiple CPUs to enhance its processing capabilities. The various modules of the terminal can be connected via various buses. The baseband processor can also be described as a baseband processing circuit or a baseband processing chip. The CPU can also be described as a central processing circuit or a central processing chip. The function of processing communication protocols and communication data can be built into the processor or stored in the storage unit as a software program, which is then executed by the processor to implement the baseband processing function.

[0106] In one example, the antenna and control circuit with transceiver functions can be considered as the transceiver unit 311 of terminal 300, and the processor with processing functions can be considered as the processing unit 312 of terminal 300. As shown in Figure 3, terminal 300 includes transceiver unit 311 and processing unit 312. The transceiver unit can also be called a transceiver, transceiver device, etc. Optionally, the device in transceiver unit 311 used to implement the receiving function can be considered as a receiving unit, and the device in transceiver unit 311 used to implement the transmitting function can be considered as a transmitting unit, that is, transceiver unit 311 includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. For example, the receiving unit can also be called a receiver, receiver circuit, etc., and the transmitting unit can be called a transmitter, transmitter, or transmitting circuit, etc. Optionally, the above-mentioned receiving unit and transmitting unit can be integrated into one unit, or they can be multiple independent units. The above-mentioned receiving unit and transmitting unit can be in one geographical location or distributed in multiple geographical locations.

[0107] As shown in Figure 4, another embodiment of this application provides a device 400. This device can be a terminal, or a module applied to a terminal (e.g., an integrated circuit, a chip, etc.). Alternatively, the device can be a wireless access network (WLAN) device, or a module applied to a WLAN device (e.g., an integrated circuit, a chip, etc.), or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the WLAN device's functions. The device can also be other communication modules. For example, the device 400 can implement the functions of the WLAN device in method 200 and various possible implementations, or the device 400 can implement the functions of the terminal in method 200 and various possible implementations. The device 400 may include an interface module 401 (or interface unit) and a processing module 402 (or processing unit), and may also include a storage module 403 (or storage unit).

[0108] In one possible design, one or more modules as shown in Figure 4 may be implemented by one or more processors, or by one or more processors and memory; or by one or more processors and transceivers; or by one or more processors, memory, and transceivers. This application embodiment does not limit this. The processors, memory, and transceivers can be configured individually or integrated.

[0109] The device is capable of implementing the functions of the terminal described in the embodiments of this application. For example, the device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the steps involved in the terminal described in the embodiments of this application. These functions, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or hardware executing corresponding software, or a combination of software and hardware. Detailed descriptions can be further found in the corresponding descriptions in the foregoing method embodiments. Alternatively, the device is capable of implementing the functions of the wireless access network device described in the embodiments of this application. For example, the device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the steps involved in the wireless access network device described in the embodiments of this application. These functions, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or hardware executing corresponding software, or a combination of software and hardware. Detailed descriptions can be further found in the corresponding descriptions in the foregoing method embodiments.

[0110] In one possible design, device 400 includes an interface module 401 and a processing module 402. Device 400 can be, for example, a terminal, a module applied to a terminal (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. Interface module 401 is used to receive first configuration information and second configuration information, wherein the first configuration information is used to configure a first downlink control information (DCI), and the second configuration information is used to configure a second DCI. Processing module 402 is used to monitor the first DCI according to the first configuration information. Interface module 401 is also used to receive the first DCI, which instructs the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information. A detailed description of device 400 can be further referred to the corresponding description in the foregoing corresponding method embodiments.

[0111] In one possible implementation of the device 400, the interface module 401 is further configured to obtain first timer information, which is used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the first DCI according to the first configuration information; or the interface module 401 is further configured to receive first information, which is used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the first DCI according to the first configuration information.

[0112] In one possible implementation of the device 400, the maximum number of times the first DCI is monitored is related to the first DCI, and the maximum number of times the second DCI is monitored is predefined.

[0113] In one possible implementation of the device 400, the first configuration information mentioned above includes at least one of the following:

[0114] The format of the first DCI mentioned above;

[0115] The load size of the first DCI mentioned above; or

[0116] The size of the Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) associated with the first DCI mentioned above.

[0117] In one possible implementation of the device 400, the first DCI is used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information, including:

[0118] The first DCI is used to indicate the first bandwidth portion (BWP), and the terminal device monitors the second DCI on the first BWP according to the second configuration information.

[0119] In one possible design, device 400 includes an interface module 401 and a processing module 402. Device 400 can be, for example, a wireless access network (WLAN) device, a module applied to a WLAN device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the WLAN device's functions. Processing module 402 is used to determine first configuration information and second configuration information. The first configuration information is used to configure a first downlink control information (DCI), and the second configuration information is used to configure a second DCI. The first DCI is used to instruct a terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information. Interface module 401 is used to send the first configuration information and the second configuration information. A detailed description of device 400 can be further referred to the corresponding description in the foregoing method embodiments.

[0120] In one possible implementation of the device 400, the interface module 401 is further configured to send first information, which instructs the terminal device to monitor the first DCI according to the first configuration information.

[0121] In one possible implementation of device 400, the maximum number of times the first DCI is monitored is related to the first DCI, and the maximum number of times the second DCI is monitored is predefined. In one possible implementation of device 400, the first configuration information includes at least one of the following:

[0122] The format of the first DCI mentioned above;

[0123] The load size of the first DCI mentioned above; or

[0124] The size of the Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) associated with the first DCI mentioned above.

[0125] In one possible implementation of the device 400, the first DCI is used to instruct the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information, including:

[0126] The first DCI is used to indicate the first bandwidth portion (BWP), and the first BWP is used by the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information.

[0127] It is understood that the beneficial effects of the above-mentioned device 400 and various possible implementation methods can be referred to the description in the foregoing method embodiments or invention content, and will not be repeated here.

[0128] Optionally, the device 400 may further include a storage module 403 for storing data or instructions (also referred to as code or program). The other modules may interact with or be coupled to the storage module to implement corresponding methods or functions. For example, the processing module 402 may read data or instructions from the storage module 403, enabling the device 400 to implement the methods described in the above embodiments.

[0129] In one example, the modules in the aforementioned device can be one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the methods described above, such as: one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), or one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or a combination of at least two of these integrated circuit forms. As another example, when the modules in the device can be implemented in the form of a processing element scheduler, the processing element can be a general-purpose processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU) or other processor capable of calling programs. Furthermore, these units can be integrated together to implement a system-on-a-chip (SOC).

[0130] Referring to Figure 5, a schematic diagram of an apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application is shown, which can be used to implement the above-described method 200 and various possible implementations. As shown in Figure 5, the apparatus includes a processor 510 and an interface 530, with the processor 510 coupled to the interface 530. The interface 530 is used to communicate with other modules or devices. The interface 530 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. The interface 530 can be, for example, an interface circuit. Optionally, the apparatus further includes a memory 520 for storing instructions executed by the processor 510, or storing input data required by the processor 510 to execute instructions, or storing data generated after the processor 510 executes instructions.

[0131] The above-described method 200 and various possible implementations can be implemented by the processor 510 calling programs or instructions stored in the memory 520. The memory 520 can be internal or external to the device, and this application does not limit it in this regard.

[0132] Optionally, the functions / implementation processes of the interface module 401 and processing module 402 in FIG. 4 can be implemented by the processor 510 in the device shown in FIG. 5. Alternatively, the functions / implementation processes of the processing module 402 in FIG. 4 can be implemented by the processor 510 in the device shown in FIG. 5, and the functions / implementation processes of the interface module 401 in FIG. 4 can be implemented by the processor calling program instructions in memory to drive the interface 530. For example, the functions / implementation processes of the interface module 401 can be implemented by the processor calling program instructions in memory to drive the interface 530.

[0133] When the aforementioned device is a chip applied to a terminal, the chip in the terminal implements the functions of the terminal in the above method embodiments. The chip receives information from other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the terminal, and this information comes from other terminals or wireless access network devices; or, the chip sends information to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the terminal, and this information is sent by the terminal to other terminals or wireless access network devices.

[0134] When the aforementioned device is a chip applied to a wireless access network (WLAN) device, the chip implements the functions of the WLAN device in the above method embodiments. The chip receives information from other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) within the WLAN device, the information originating from other WLAN devices or terminals; or, the chip sends information to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) within the WLAN device, the information being sent by the WLAN device to other WLAN devices or terminals.

[0135] Those skilled in the art will understand that the various numerical designations, such as "first" and "second," used in this application are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application, nor do they indicate a sequential order. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. In the textual description of this application, the character " / " generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following related objects; in the formulas of this application, the character " / " indicates a "division" relationship between the preceding and following related objects. "At least one" refers to one or more. "At least two" refers to two or more. "At least one," "any one," or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple. "Multiple" refers to two or more, and other quantifiers are similar.

[0136] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0137] 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 instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid-state disk (SSD)).

[0138] The steps of the methods described in the embodiments of this application can be directly embedded in hardware, a software unit executed by a processor, or a combination of both. The software unit can be stored in random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), registers, hard disk, removable disk, or any other form of storage medium in the art. Exemplarily, the storage medium can be connected to the processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. Optionally, the storage medium can also be integrated into the processor. The processor and the storage medium can be disposed in an ASIC.

[0139] This application also provides a computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a computer, implements the functions of any of the above method embodiments.

[0140] This application also provides a computer program product that, when executed by a computer, implements the functions of any of the above-described method embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments in this application can be referred to mutually. In the various embodiments of this application, and in the various implementation methods / methods / implementations within those embodiments, unless otherwise specified or logically conflicting, the terminology and / or descriptions between different embodiments and between the various implementation methods / methods / implementations within those embodiments are consistent and can be mutually referenced. The technical features in different embodiments and in the various implementation methods / methods / implementations within those embodiments can be combined according to their inherent logical relationships to form new embodiments, implementation methods, methods, or implementation approaches. The above-described embodiments of this application do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method comprises: receiving first configuration information and second configuration information, the first configuration information being used for configuring first downlink control information (DCI), and the second configuration information being used for configuring second DCI; monitoring the first DCI according to the first configuration information; receiving first DCI, the first DCI being used for instructing the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: obtaining first timer information, the first timer information being used for instructing the terminal device to monitor the first DCI according to the first configuration information, or receiving first information, the first information being used for instructing the terminal device to monitor the first DCI according to the first information.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The maximum monitoring times of monitoring the first DCI are related to the first DCI, and the maximum monitoring times of monitoring the second DCI are predefined.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first configuration information comprises at least one of: a format of the first DCI; a payload size of the first DCI; or a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) size associated with the first DCI.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first DCI is used for instructing the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information, comprising: the first DCI is used for indicating a first bandwidth part (BWP), and the terminal device monitors the second DCI on the first BWP according to the second configuration information.

6. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method comprises: determining first configuration information and second configuration information, the first configuration information being used for configuring first downlink information (DCI), and the second configuration information being used for configuring second DCI, the first DCI being used for instructing a terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information; sending the first configuration information and the second configuration information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The method further comprises: sending first information, the first information being used for instructing the terminal device to monitor the first DC I according to the first configuration information.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, The maximum monitoring times of monitoring the first DCI are related to the first DCI, and the maximum monitoring times of monitoring the second DCI are predefined.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein, The first configuration information comprises the following at least one of: a format of the first DCI; a payload size of the first D CI; or a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) size associated with the first DCI.

10. The method according to any one of claims 6-9, characterized in that, The method further comprises: the first DCI is used for instructing the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to second configuration information, comprising:

11. A communications device, characterized by the first DCI is used for indicating a first bandwidth part ( BWP), and the first BWP is used for the terminal device to monitor the second DCI according to the second configuration information. The apparatus comprises:

12. A communications device, characterized by a processor coupled to a memory, the memory being used to store programs or instructions, when the programs or instructions are executed by the processor, the apparatus executes the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The apparatus comprises: a processor coupled to a memory, the memory being used to store programs and instructions, when the programs or instructions are executed by the processor, the apparatus executes the method according any one of claims 6 to 10.

13. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions, The instructions, when executed, result in the method of any of claims 1 to 5 being performed, or result in the method of any of claims 6 to 10 being performed.

14. A computer program product, characterised in that, A computer program product comprising computer program code to, when run on a computer, implement the method of any of claims 1 to 5, or implement the method of any of claims 6 to 10.

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