Communication methods, terminals, network devices, system and storage medium

Abstract

Provided in the present disclosure are communication methods, terminals, network devices, a system and a storage medium. A method comprises: receiving first information sent by a network device, the first information being used for configuring at least one measurement channel state information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one access point (AP) set, the first information being used by a terminal to update at least one of a cooperative AP set and a cooperation mode, and the cooperative AP set being used for providing cooperative transmission support in a distributed network for the terminal, wherein the at least one AP set comprises at least one of the following: at least one candidate AP set, and the cooperative AP set. The present disclosure improves the timeliness of updating the cooperative AP set and / or the cooperation mode, reduces the computational burden on the terminal, achieves a balance between complexity and flexibility, improves the usability of distributed massive MIMO technology, and improves the usability of a cell-free network.

Description

Communication methods, terminals, network devices, systems, and storage media Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communications, and in particular to communication methods, terminals, network devices, systems and storage media. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, ultra-large-scale multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology mainly presents two forms in antenna architecture: centralized ultra-large-scale MIMO and distributed ultra-large-scale MIMO. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To improve the availability of distributed massive MIMO technology, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication method, a terminal, a network device, a system, and a storage medium.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a communication method is provided, the method being executed by a terminal, the method comprising:

[0005] The terminal receives first information sent by a network device. The first information is used to configure at least one Measurement Channel State Information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one set of access points (APs). The first information is used by the terminal to update at least one of the set of cooperating access points (APs) and the cooperation mode. The set of cooperating APs is used to provide the terminal with cooperative transmission support in a distributed network.

[0006] The at least one set of APs includes at least one of the following:

[0007] At least one candidate AP set;

[0008] The set of collaborative APs.

[0009] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a communication method is provided, the method being performed by a network device, the method comprising:

[0010] Send first information to the terminal. The first information is used to configure at least one measurement channel state information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one set of access points (APs). The first information is used by the terminal to update at least one of the cooperative AP set and the cooperative mode. The cooperative AP set is used to provide the terminal with cooperative transmission support in the distributed network.

[0011] The at least one set of APs includes at least one of the following:

[0012] At least one candidate AP set;

[0013] The set of collaborative APs.

[0014] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a terminal is provided, comprising:

[0015] The transceiver module is configured to receive first information sent by a network device. The first information is used to configure at least one Measurement Channel State Information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one set of access points (APs). The first information is used by the terminal to update at least one of the set of cooperating access points (APs) and the cooperation mode. The set of cooperating APs is used to provide the terminal with cooperative transmission support in a distributed network.

[0016] The at least one set of APs includes at least one of the following:

[0017] At least one candidate AP set;

[0018] The set of collaborative APs.

[0019] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a network device is provided, comprising:

[0020] The transceiver module is configured to send first information to the terminal. The first information is used to configure at least one measurement channel state information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one set of access points (APs). The first information is used by the terminal to update at least one of the cooperative AP set and the cooperative mode. The cooperative AP set is used to provide cooperative transmission support in a distributed network for the terminal.

[0021] The at least one set of APs includes at least one of the following:

[0022] At least one candidate AP set;

[0023] The set of collaborative APs.

[0024] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a terminal is provided, comprising:

[0025] One or more processors;

[0026] The processor is used to execute the method described in any one of the first aspects.

[0027] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, a network device is provided, comprising:

[0028] One or more processors;

[0029] The processor is used to execute the communication method described in any one of the second aspects.

[0030] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, a communication system is provided, comprising:

[0031] A terminal, the terminal being configured to implement the communication method described in any one of the first aspects;

[0032] A network device configured to implement the communication method described in any one of the second aspects.

[0033] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, a storage medium is provided that stores instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform a communication method as described in any one of the first or second aspects.

[0034] According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, is used to implement the communication method described in any one of the first or second aspects.

[0035] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the terminal can update the cooperative AP set and / or cooperative mode based on the first information sent by the network device. The first information is used to configure at least one CSI resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration corresponding to at least one AP set. This improves the timeliness of updating the cooperative AP set and / or cooperative mode, reduces the terminal's computing load, achieves a balance between complexity and flexibility, improves the availability of distributed large-scale MIMO technology, and improves the availability of non-cellular networks.

[0036] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0038] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0039] Figure 1B is a schematic diagram of an architecture of a non-cellular wireless access network according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0040] Figure 1C is a schematic diagram of a distributed MIMO architecture according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0041] Figure 1D is a schematic diagram of a CSI feedback framework according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0042] Figure 2 is an interactive schematic diagram of a communication method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0043] Figure 3A is a flowchart illustrating one of the communication methods according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0044] Figure 3B is a second schematic flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0045] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0046] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0047] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0048] Figure 5B is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0049] This disclosure provides a communication method, terminal, network device, system, and storage medium.

[0050] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure propose a communication method executed by a terminal. The method includes: receiving first information sent by a network device, the first information being used to configure at least one Measurement Channel State Information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one set of access points (APs); the first information being used by the terminal to update at least one of a set of cooperating access points (APs) and a cooperation mode; the cooperating AP set being used to provide the terminal with cooperative transmission support in a distributed network; wherein the at least one AP set includes at least one of the following: at least one candidate AP set; the cooperating AP set.

[0051] In the above embodiments, the timeliness of updating the cooperative AP set and / or cooperative mode is improved, the terminal computing load is reduced, a balance between complexity and flexibility is achieved, the availability of distributed large-scale MIMO technology is improved, and the availability of non-cellular networks is improved.

[0052] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, each CSI resource configuration is used to configure any one of the following: a plurality of first CSI resource sets; wherein each first CSI resource set includes at least one measurement reference resource associated with each first AP; first indication information; wherein the first indication information is used to indicate the identifier of a second AP included in each second CSI resource set, and the number of second CSI resource sets is plurality of; a third CSI resource set; wherein the third CSI resource set includes a plurality of first CSI resource subsets, each first CSI resource subset including at least one measurement reference resource associated with each first AP; second indication information; wherein the second indication information is used to indicate the identifier of a second AP included in each second CSI resource subset, the number of second CSI resource subsets is plurality of, and the plurality of second CSI resource subsets belong to the same fourth CSI resource set; wherein each first AP is each AP included in the at least one AP set, wherein the second AP is any one of the at least one AP set, and the at least one measurement reference resource associated with the second AP is pre-configured by the network device.

[0053] In the above embodiments, each CSI resource configuration can be used to configure any of the above, which improves the flexibility of CSI resource configuration and the availability of non-cellular technology.

[0054] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, where different sets of APs and / or different subsets of APs in the at least one set of APs include the same AP, the measurement reference resources associated with the same AP may be the same or different.

[0055] In the above embodiments, when different AP sets and / or different AP subsets in at least one AP set include the same AP, the measurement reference resources associated with the same AP can be the same or different. This improves the flexibility and reliability of resource configuration.

[0056] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes: receiving at least one of a first resource number and a second resource number sent by the network device; wherein at least one of the first resource number and the second resource number is configured by the network device for the terminal based on the terminal's capabilities; wherein the first resource number is the resource number of channel reference resources included in a CSI resource set, and the second resource number is the resource number of channel reference resources included in a subset of CSI resources.

[0057] In the above embodiments, the terminal can receive at least one of the first number of resources and the second number of resources configured by the network device based on the terminal's capabilities, which is simple to implement and highly available.

[0058] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes: receiving at least one of a third resource number and a fourth resource number sent by the network device; wherein at least one of the third resource number and the fourth resource number is configured by the network device for the terminal based on the terminal's capabilities; wherein the third resource number is the maximum number of channel reference resources included in a CSI resource set, and the fourth resource number is the maximum number of channel reference resources included in a subset of CSI resources.

[0059] In the above embodiments, the terminal can receive at least one of the third and fourth resource numbers configured by the network device based on the terminal's capabilities, which is simple to implement and highly available.

[0060] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least one CSI resource configuration.

[0061] In the above embodiments, each CSI reporting configuration can be associated with at least one CSI resource configuration, which is simple to implement and highly available.

[0062] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the at least one CSI reporting configuration is associated with the time-domain characteristics of the at least one CSI reporting configuration; the at least one CSI reporting configuration includes at least one of the following: a first type of CSI reporting configuration, wherein the time-domain characteristics of the first type of CSI reporting configuration are periodic or semi-persistent; and a second type of CSI reporting configuration, wherein the time-domain characteristics of the second type of CSI reporting configuration are non-periodic.

[0063] In the above embodiments, at least one CSI reporting configuration is associated with its time-domain characteristics, which improves the flexibility and reliability of CSI reporting configuration.

[0064] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, each CSI reporting configuration is associated with a CSI resource configuration, the CSI resource configuration including at least two measurement reference resource sets; or each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least two CSI resource configurations, the at least two CSI resource configurations including at least one of the following: a first CSI resource configuration and at least one second CSI resource configuration; wherein, the first CSI resource configuration includes at least two channel measurement resource (CMR) sets, the at least one second CSI resource configuration is used to configure a first interference measurement resource (IMR) set for each CMR set, the first IMR set being an IMR set based on non-zero power interference measurement resource (NZP-IMR), or, the first IMR set being an IMR set based on zero power interference measurement resource (ZP-IMR); a first CSI resource configuration and at least one third CSI resource configuration; wherein, the first CSI resource configuration includes at least two CMR sets, the at least one third CSI resource configuration is used to configure the at least one candidate AP set as an IMR set based on NZP-IMR.

[0065] The above embodiments improve the flexibility and reliability of CSI reporting configuration, facilitate the timely updating of the cooperative AP set and / or cooperative mode, reduce the terminal computing load, achieve a balance between complexity and flexibility, improve the availability of distributed large-scale MIMO technology, and improve the availability of non-cellular networks.

[0066] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, each CSI reporting configuration is associated with a CSI resource configuration, the CSI resource configuration including at least two measurement reference resource subsets; or each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least two CSI resource configurations, the at least two CSI resource configurations including at least one of the following: a fourth CSI resource configuration and at least one fifth CSI resource configuration; wherein the fourth CSI resource configuration includes at least two CMR subsets, the at least one fifth CSI resource configuration is used to configure a first IMR subset for each CMR subset, the first IMR subset being an IMR subset based on NZP-IMR, or the first IMR subset being an IMR subset based on ZP-IMR; a fourth CSI resource configuration and at least one sixth CSI resource configuration; wherein the fourth CSI resource configuration includes at least two CMR subsets, the at least one sixth CSI resource configuration is used to configure the at least one candidate AP set as an IMR subset based on NZP-IMR.

[0067] The above embodiments improve the flexibility and reliability of CSI reporting configuration, facilitate the timely updating of the cooperative AP set and / or cooperative mode, reduce the terminal computing load, achieve a balance between complexity and flexibility, improve the availability of distributed large-scale MIMO technology, and improve the availability of non-cellular networks.

[0068] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, when the first information is used to configure the measurement reference signal, the first information includes at least one of the following: Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) status; Physical Cell Identifier; AP Identifier; AP Set Identifier.

[0069] In the above embodiments, the first information may further include at least one of the above-mentioned items, thereby improving the availability of distributed massive MIMO technology and improving the availability of non-cellular networks.

[0070] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the measurement reference signal included in the same CSI resource set is at least one of the following: synchronization signal block SSB; CSI-RS; demodulation reference signal DMRS.

[0071] In the above embodiments, the measurement reference signals included in the same CSI resource set can be at least one of the above-mentioned ones, which is simple to implement and highly available.

[0072] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the measurement quantity corresponding to the at least one AP set includes at least one of the following: Layer 1 signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (L1-SINR); Layer 1 reference signal received power (L1-RSRP); and block error rate (BLER).

[0073] In the above embodiments, the measurement quantity corresponding to at least one AP set includes at least one of the above-mentioned quantities, resulting in high availability.

[0074] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the first measurement period configured by the first information is different from the second measurement period, and the first measurement period is shorter than the second measurement period; wherein, the first measurement period is the measurement period of the cooperative AP set, and the second measurement period is the measurement period of a candidate AP set.

[0075] In the above embodiments, the measurement period of the collaborative AP set can be shorter than that of the candidate AP set, thereby improving the timeliness of measurement of the collaborative AP set and increasing its availability.

[0076] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure propose a communication method executed by a network device. The method includes: sending first information to a terminal, the first information being used to configure at least one Measurement Channel State Information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one set of Access Points (APs), the first information being used by the terminal to update at least one of a set of cooperating APs and a cooperation mode, the set of cooperating APs being used to provide the terminal with cooperative transmission support in a distributed network; wherein the at least one set of APs includes at least one of the following: at least one set of candidate APs; the set of cooperating APs.

[0077] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, each CSI resource configuration is used to configure any one of the following: a plurality of first CSI resource sets; wherein each first CSI resource set includes at least one measurement reference resource associated with each first AP; first indication information; wherein the first indication information is used to indicate the identifier of a second AP included in each second CSI resource set, and the number of second CSI resource sets is plurality of; a third CSI resource set; wherein the third CSI resource set includes a plurality of first CSI resource subsets, each first CSI resource subset including at least one measurement reference resource associated with each first AP; second indication information; wherein the second indication information is used to indicate the identifier of a second AP included in each second CSI resource subset, the number of second CSI resource subsets is plurality of, and the plurality of second CSI resource subsets belong to the same fourth CSI resource set; wherein each first AP is each AP included in the at least one AP set, wherein the second AP is any one of the at least one AP set, and the at least one measurement reference resource associated with the second AP is pre-configured by the network device.

[0078] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, where different sets of APs and / or different subsets of APs in the at least one set of APs include the same AP, the measurement reference resources associated with the same AP may be the same or different.

[0079] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes: sending at least one of a first resource number and a second resource number to the terminal: wherein at least one of the first resource number and the second resource number is configured by the network device for the terminal based on the terminal's capabilities; wherein the first resource number is the resource number of channel reference resources included in a CSI resource set, and the second resource number is the resource number of channel reference resources included in a subset of CSI resources.

[0080] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes: sending at least one of a third resource number and a fourth resource number to the terminal: wherein at least one of the third resource number and the fourth resource number is configured by the network device for the terminal based on the terminal's capabilities; wherein the third resource number is the maximum number of channel reference resources included in a CSI resource set, and the fourth resource number is the maximum number of channel reference resources included in a subset of CSI resources.

[0081] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least one CSI resource configuration.

[0082] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the at least one CSI reporting configuration is associated with the time-domain characteristics of the at least one CSI reporting configuration; the at least one CSI reporting configuration includes at least one of the following: a first type of CSI reporting configuration, wherein the time-domain characteristics of the first type of CSI reporting configuration are periodic or semi-persistent; and a second type of CSI reporting configuration, wherein the time-domain characteristics of the second type of CSI reporting configuration are non-periodic.

[0083] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, each CSI reporting configuration is associated with a CSI resource configuration, the CSI resource configuration including at least two measurement reference resource sets; or each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least two CSI resource configurations, the at least two CSI resource configurations including at least one of the following: a first CSI resource configuration and at least one second CSI resource configuration; wherein, the first CSI resource configuration includes at least two channel measurement resource (CMR) sets, the at least one second CSI resource configuration is used to configure a first interference measurement resource (IMR) set for each CMR set, the first IMR set being an IMR set based on non-zero power interference measurement resource (NZP-IMR), or, the first IMR set being an IMR set based on zero power interference measurement resource (ZP-IMR); a first CSI resource configuration and at least one third CSI resource configuration; wherein, the first CSI resource configuration includes at least two CMR sets, the at least one third CSI resource configuration is used to configure the at least one candidate AP set as an IMR set based on NZP-IMR.

[0084] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, each CSI reporting configuration is associated with a CSI resource configuration, wherein the CSI resource configuration includes at least two subsets of measurement reference resources; or each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least two CSI resource configurations, wherein the at least two CSI resource configurations include at least one of the following: a fourth CSI resource configuration and at least one fifth CSI resource configuration; wherein the fourth CSI resource configuration includes at least two CMR subsets, and the at least one fifth CSI resource configuration is used to configure a first IMR subset for each CMR subset, wherein the first IMR subset is an IMR subset based on NZP-IMR, or the first IMR subset is an IMR subset based on ZP-IMR; a fourth CSI resource configuration and at least one sixth CSI resource configuration; wherein the fourth CSI resource configuration includes at least two CMR subsets, and the at least one sixth CSI resource configuration is used to configure the at least one candidate AP set as an IMR subset based on NZP-IMR.

[0085] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, when the first information is used to configure the measurement reference signal, the first information includes at least one of the following: Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) status; Physical Cell Identifier; AP Identifier; AP Set Identifier.

[0086] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the measurement reference signal included in the same CSI resource set is at least one of the following: synchronization signal block SSB; CSI-RS; demodulation reference signal DMRS.

[0087] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the measurement quantity corresponding to the at least one AP set includes at least one of the following: Layer 1 signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (L1-SINR); Layer 1 reference signal received power (L1-RSRP); and block error rate (BLER).

[0088] In conjunction with some embodiments of the second aspect, in some embodiments, the first measurement period configured by the first information is different from the second measurement period, and the first measurement period is shorter than the second measurement period; wherein, the first measurement period is the measurement period of the collaborative AP set, and the second measurement period is the measurement period of a candidate AP set.

[0089] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure propose a terminal, comprising: a transceiver module configured to receive first information sent by a network device, the first information being used to configure at least one Measurement Channel State Information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one set of access points (APs), the first information being used by the terminal to update at least one of a set of cooperating access points (APs) and a cooperation mode, the set of cooperating APs being used to provide the terminal with cooperative transmission support in a distributed network; wherein, the at least one set of APs includes at least one of the following: at least one set of candidate APs; the set of cooperating APs.

[0090] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure propose a network device, including: a transceiver module configured to send first information to a terminal, the first information being used to configure at least one Measurement Channel State Information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one set of access points (APs), the first information being used by the terminal to update at least one of a set of cooperating APs and a cooperation mode, the set of cooperating APs being used to provide cooperative transmission support in a distributed network for the terminal; wherein, the at least one set of APs includes at least one of the following: at least one set of candidate APs; the set of cooperating APs.

[0091] Fifthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a terminal comprising: one or more processors; wherein the processors are configured to perform the method described in any one of the first aspects.

[0092] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a network device comprising: one or more processors; wherein the processors are configured to perform the communication method described in any one of the second aspects.

[0093] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication system, comprising: a terminal configured to implement the communication method described in any one aspect; and a network device configured to implement the communication method described in any one aspect.

[0094] Eighthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform a communication method as described in any one of the first or second aspects.

[0095] In a ninth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, is used to implement the communication method described in any one of the first or second aspects.

[0096] It is understood that the aforementioned communication equipment, communication system, storage medium, program product, etc., are all used to execute the methods proposed in the embodiments of this disclosure. Therefore, the beneficial effects they can achieve can be referred to the beneficial effects in the corresponding methods, and will not be repeated here.

[0097] This disclosure provides a communication method, a terminal, a network device, a system, and a storage medium. In some embodiments, the terms communication method, information processing method, and information transmission method may be used interchangeably.

[0098] This disclosure is not exhaustive, but merely illustrative of some embodiments, and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, each step in a particular embodiment can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the steps can be arbitrarily combined. For example, a solution after removing some steps in a particular embodiment can also be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the order of the steps in a particular embodiment can be arbitrarily interchanged. Furthermore, the optional implementation methods in a particular embodiment can be arbitrarily combined; moreover, the embodiments can be arbitrarily combined, for example, some or all steps of different embodiments can be arbitrarily combined, and a particular embodiment can be arbitrarily combined with the optional implementation methods of other embodiments. In all embodiments of this disclosure, unless otherwise specified or logically conflicting, the terminology and / or descriptions between the embodiments are consistent and can be mutually referenced. Technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships.

[0099] The terminology used in the embodiments of this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0100] In this embodiment of the disclosure, unless otherwise stated, elements expressed in the singular form, such as "a," "an," "the," "the," "the," "the," "the," "the," "this," etc., can mean "one and only one," or "one or more," "at least one," etc. For example, when using articles such as "a," "an," "the," etc. in translation, the noun following the article can be understood as either a singular expression or a plural expression.

[0101] In the embodiments disclosed herein, "multiple" refers to two or more.

[0102] In some embodiments, the terms “at least one of A or B, at least one of A and B”, “one or more”, “a plurality of”, “multiple”, etc., may be used interchangeably.

[0103] In some embodiments, the notation "at least one of A and B", "A and / or B", "A in one case, B in another", "in response to one case A, in response to another case B", etc., may include the following technical solutions depending on the situation: in some embodiments, A (execute A regardless of whether there is a branch B); in some embodiments, B (execute B regardless of whether there is a branch A); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed); in some embodiments, both A and B are executed. The same applies when there are more branches such as A, B, C, etc.

[0104] In some embodiments, the notation "A or B" may include the following technical solutions, depending on the situation: in some embodiments, A (execute A regardless of whether a branch B exists); in some embodiments, B (execute B regardless of whether a branch A exists); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed). The same applies when there are more branches such as A, B, and C.

[0105] The prefixes "first," "second," etc., used in the embodiments of this disclosure are merely for distinguishing different descriptive objects and do not impose restrictions on the position, order, priority, quantity, or content of the descriptive objects. The description of the descriptive objects is found in the claims or the context of the embodiments, and the use of prefixes should not constitute unnecessary restrictions. For example, if the descriptive object is a "field," the ordinal numbers preceding "field" in "first field" and "second field" do not restrict the position or order of the "fields." "First" and "second" do not restrict whether the "fields" they modify are in the same message, nor do they restrict the order of "first field" and "second field." Similarly, if the descriptive object is a "level," the ordinal numbers preceding "level" in "first level" and "second level" do not restrict the priority between "levels." Furthermore, the number of descriptive objects is not limited by ordinal numbers and can be one or more. For example, in "first device," the number of "devices" can be one or more. Furthermore, the objects modified by different prefixes can be the same or different. For example, if the object being described is "device", then "first device" and "second device" can be the same device or different devices, and their types can be the same or different. Similarly, if the object being described is "information", then "first information" and "second information" can be the same information or different information, and their content can be the same or different.

[0106] In some embodiments, “including A,” “containing A,” “for indicating A,” and “carrying A” can be interpreted as directly carrying A or indirectly indicating A.

[0107] In some embodiments, terms such as "time / frequency" and "time-frequency domain" refer to the time domain and / or frequency domain.

[0108] In some embodiments, terms such as “in response to…”, “in response to determining…”, “in the case of…”, “when…”, “when…”, “if…”, etc. can be used interchangeably. These descriptions all refer to the device making a corresponding action under certain objective circumstances. They do not necessarily limit the time, nor do they require the device to make a judgment action when implementing it, nor do they mean that there must be other limitations.

[0109] In some embodiments, the terms “greater than,” “greater than or equal to,” “not less than,” “more than,” “more than or equal to,” “not less than,” “higher than,” “higher than or equal to,” “not lower than,” and “above” can be used interchangeably, as can the terms “less than,” “less than or equal to,” “not greater than,” “less than,” “less than or equal to,” “not more than,” “lower than,” “lower than or equal to,” “not higher than,” and “below”.

[0110] In some embodiments, devices, etc., may be interpreted as physical or virtual, and their names are not limited to those described in the embodiments. Terms such as “device,” “equipment,” “circuit,” “network element,” “network function,” “network device,” “function,” “node,” “unit,” “section,” “system,” “network,” “chip,” “chip system,” “entity,” and “subject” are interchangeable.

[0111] In some embodiments, "network" can be interpreted as devices included in a network (e.g., access network devices, core network devices, etc.).

[0112] In some embodiments, the terms "access network device (AN device)," "radio access network device (RAN device)," "base station (BS)," "radio base station," "fixed station," "node," "access point," "transmission point (TP)," "reception point (RP)," "transmission / reception point (TRP)," "panel," "antenna panel," "antenna array," "cell," "macro cell," "small cell," "femto cell," "pico cell," "sector," "cell group," "serving cell," "carrier," "component carrier," and "bandwidth part (BWP)" can be used interchangeably.

[0113] In some embodiments, the terms "terminal", "terminal device", "user equipment (UE)", "user terminal", "mobile station (MS)", "mobile terminal (MT)", "subscriber station", "mobile unit", "subscriber unit", "wireless unit", "remote unit", "mobile device", "wireless device", "wireless communication device", "remote device", "mobile subscriber station", "access terminal", "mobile terminal", "wireless terminal", "remote terminal", "handset", "user agent", "mobile client", and "client" can be used interchangeably.

[0114] In some embodiments, access network devices, core network devices, or network devices can be replaced by terminals. For example, embodiments of this disclosure can also be applied to structures where communication between access network devices, core network devices, or network devices and terminals is replaced by communication between multiple terminals (e.g., device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X), etc.). In this case, the structure can also be configured such that the terminal has all or part of the functions of the access network device. Furthermore, terms such as "uplink" and "downlink" can be replaced with terms corresponding to communication between terminals (e.g., "sidelink"). For example, uplink channel, downlink channel, etc., can be replaced with sidelink channel, and uplink link, downlink, etc., can be replaced with sidelink link.

[0115] In some embodiments, the terminal may be replaced by an access network device, a core network device, or a network device. In this case, the access network device, core network device, or network device may also be configured to have all or some of the functions of the terminal.

[0116] In some embodiments, the acquisition of data, information, etc., may comply with the laws and regulations of the country where the location is situated.

[0117] In some embodiments, data, information, etc., may be obtained with the user's consent.

[0118] Furthermore, each element, each row, or each column in the table of this disclosure can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and any combination of any element, any row, or any column can also be implemented as an independent embodiment.

[0119] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0120] As shown in Figure 1A, the communication system 100 includes a terminal 101 and a network device 102.

[0121] In some embodiments, terminal 101 includes, for example, at least one of the following: mobile phone, wearable device, Internet of Things device, car with communication function, smart car, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver function, virtual reality (VR) terminal device, augmented reality (AR) terminal device, wireless terminal device in industrial control, wireless terminal device in self-driving, wireless terminal device in remote medical surgery, wireless terminal device in smart grid, wireless terminal device in transportation safety, wireless terminal device in smart city, and wireless terminal device in smart home, but is not limited thereto.

[0122] In some embodiments, network device 102 may include at least one of access network device 102-1 and core network device 102-2.

[0123] In some embodiments, the access network device 102-1 is, for example, a node or device that connects a terminal to a wireless network. The access network device may include at least one of the following in a 5G communication system: an evolved Node B (eNB), a next-generation eNB (ng-eNB), a next-generation Node B (gNB), a node B (NB), a home node B (HNB), a home evolved node B (HeNB), a wireless backhaul device, a radio network controller (RNC), a base station controller (BSC), a base transceiver station (BTS), a base band unit (BBU), a mobile switching center, a base station in a 6G communication system, an open RAN, a cloud RAN, a base station in other communication systems, and an access node in a Wi-Fi system, but is not limited thereto.

[0124] In some embodiments, the technical solutions of this disclosure can be applied to the Open RAN architecture. In this case, the interfaces between or within access network devices involved in the embodiments of this disclosure can be transformed into internal interfaces of Open RAN. The processes and information interactions between these internal interfaces can be implemented by software or programs.

[0125] In some embodiments, the access network device 102-2 may be composed of a central unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU). The CU may also be called a control unit. By adopting the CU-DU structure, the protocol layer of the access network device can be separated. Some of the protocol layer functions are centrally controlled by the CU, while the remaining part or all of the protocol layer functions are distributed in the DU, which is centrally controlled by the CU. However, this is not the only possibility.

[0126] In some embodiments, the core network device 102-2 may be a single device, including a first network element, a second network element, etc., or it may be multiple devices or a group of devices, each including all or part of the first network element, the second network element, etc. Network elements may be virtual or physical. The core network may include, for example, at least one of the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), 5G Core Network (5GCN), and Next Generation Core (NGC).

[0127] It is understood that the communication system described in this disclosure is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of this disclosure, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions proposed in this disclosure. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of system architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions proposed in this disclosure are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0128] The following embodiments of this disclosure can be applied to the communication system 100 shown in FIG1A, or to some of the main bodies, but are not limited thereto. The main bodies shown in FIG1A are illustrative. The communication system may include all or some of the main bodies in FIG1A, or it may include other main bodies outside of FIG1A. The number and form of each main body are arbitrary. Each main body may be physical or virtual. The connection relationship between the main bodies is illustrative. The main bodies may not be connected or may be connected. The connection can be in any way, it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection, it can be a wired connection or a wireless connection.

[0129] The embodiments disclosed herein can be applied to Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), LTE-Beyond (LTE-B), SUPER 3G, IMT-Advanced, 4th generation mobile communication system (4G), 5th generation mobile communication system (5G), 5G new radio (NR), Future Radio Access (FRA), New-Radio Access Technology (RAT), New Radio (NR), New radio access (NX), Future generation radio access (FX), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), CDMA2000, Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), and IEEE 802.20, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Bluetooth (a registered trademark), Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) networks, Device-to-Device (D2D) systems, Machine-to-Machine (M2M) systems, Internet of Things (IoT) systems, Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) systems, systems utilizing other communication methods, and next-generation systems built upon them, etc. Furthermore, multiple systems can be combined (e.g., a combination of LTE or LTE-A with 5G).

[0130] In some embodiments, a centralized configuration can generate significant antenna array gain, forming an extremely narrow beam with high spatial resolution, which is beneficial for energy focusing and multi-user spatial multiplexing. However, the centralized configuration imposes significant constraints on the low-frequency band, especially for sub-1 GHz (i.e., below 1 GHz). Due to the longer wavelengths in the low-frequency band, the antenna array aperture becomes too large, which is not conducive to the deployment of practical antennas. The distributed configuration, on the other hand, effectively solves the problem of flexible deployment in both low-frequency and high-frequency bands. In the low-frequency band, antenna modules can exist as small antenna arrays, or even as a single antenna; while in the high-frequency band, antenna modules can contain more antenna elements, thereby effectively compensating for the propagation loss caused by the high-frequency band.

[0131] In the currently proposed cellular-free network architecture, the cloud-based control unit (CCU), distributed data unit (DDU), and transmit receive point (TRP) have clear division of labor, as well as joint design and flexible deployment. This allows for services that can be dynamically added and adjusted based on user needs, and can flexibly adapt to new functions such as artificial intelligence (AI) and sensing, supporting the inherent needs of 6G intelligence and newly introduced data plane functions.

[0132] In this novel cellular-free wireless access network, as shown in Figure 1B, Edge Distributed Units (EDUs) are introduced to decouple high and low frequencies and separate spatial user data streams. User-Centered Distributed Units (UCDUs) are introduced to merge and / or distribute data streams. EDUs do not need to interact with each other; distributed detection and distributed phase-coding can be performed within the EDUs, while data merging and / or distribution are achieved in the virtualized UCDUs. Due to the decoupling of distributed processing and data streams, vDUs can be implemented in the cloud, allowing for continuous expansion of the number of collaborating nodes and cloud-based expansion of vDU processing capabilities. This overcomes the limitation of traditional centralized baseband pools in terms of computing power. Furthermore, the borderless collaboration breaks through traditional cellular limitations, demonstrating the organic integration of distributed computing and fronthaul networks.

[0133] For example, as shown in Figure 1C, distributed MIMO (dMIMO) connects multiple geographically distributed antenna arrays to a central processing unit (CPU) via fronthaul links, while multiple CPUs are connected to the core network via backhaul links. Multiple access points (APs) jointly serve the terminals within the coverage area. Because APs are closer to users, they help reduce path loss, improve communication link coverage and reliability. Distributed MIMO is a user-centric architecture, which is crucial for mitigating inter-cluster interference and maintaining system scalability. Essentially, it guarantees uniform service quality for all users, ultimately trending towards cell-free distributed massive MIMO.

[0134] In traditional centralized ultra-large-scale MIMO networks, all antenna elements are deployed at the macro base station. In contrast, in cell-free networks, antenna elements are distributed across different geographical locations in the form of Transmission and Reception Points (TRPs), achieving better diversity gain. Distributed MIMO (dMIMO) is one of the key technologies in next-generation mobile communication systems. By deploying a large number of geographically dispersed access points (APs) to serve multiple user equipment (UEs), it can significantly improve network capacity, coverage, and signal quality, achieving more efficient spectrum utilization.

[0135] Building upon a distributed network architecture, the use of distributed transmission technologies becomes even more necessary. Commonly used distributed transmission technologies include Coherent-Joint Transmission (C-JT), Non-Coherent Joint Transmission (NC-JT), and Dynamic Point Selection (DPS). Through the cooperation of multiple Transmission Points (TRPs), C-JT transmission can convert inter-TRP or inter-cell interference into useful signals, thereby improving system performance. Therefore, C-JT is a key technology for improving the performance of 6G distributed MIMO. Furthermore, NC-JT and DPS technologies can be used to address the obstruction effect of the radio channel in 6G distributed MIMO systems. By deploying a large number of distributed cooperative points in the network, distributed ultra-large-scale MIMO can effectively manage and eliminate interference between users, significantly improving the system's spectral efficiency.

[0136] In some embodiments, a unified Channel State Information (CSI) feedback framework can be adopted, such as that shown in Figure 1D, which can support different application scenarios. This feedback framework decouples CSI measurement and CSI reporting, and enables flexible CSI-RS configuration and CSI reporting configuration.

[0137] CSI can include Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), Precoding Matrix Indicator (PMI), Channel State Information Reference Signal Resource Indicator (CSI-RS Resource Indicator, CRI), Synchronization Signal and PBCH Block Resource Indicator (SSBRI), Layer Indicator (LI), Rank Indicator (RI), Layer 1 Reference Signal Receiving Power (L1-RSRP), and Layer 1 Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (L1-SINR). SSBRI, LI, and L1-RSRP are additional feedback parameters added to the CSI feedback in LTE systems. LI indicates the strongest column in the PMI and is used for Phase-Tracking Reference Signal (PT-RS) mapping. SSBRI and L1-RSRP are used for beam management; one indicates the beam index, and the other indicates the beam strength. Based on the principle of decoupling CSI measurement and CSI feedback described above, each UE can be configured with N ≥ 1 reporting settings and M ≥ 1 resource settings. Each reporting setting is associated with one or more resource settings for channel and interference measurements. For each Bandwidth Part (BWP), N ≤ 12 and M ≤ 28. For example, when used for beam management, a reporting setting can be configured, which is associated with a resource setting, and multiple CSI-RS resources in this resource setting are used for beam scanning; when used for CSI feedback, different configuration methods are used for periodic, semi-persistent, and aperiodic CSI reporting.

[0138] Resource settings can be used for beam management and CSI acquisition. Each resource setting contains S resource sets, each serving as an independent channel or interference measurement resource. Each resource set contains Ks CSI-RS resources; to flexibly support beam scanning or CSI reporting similar to LTE Class B, Ks ≥ 1. The number of aperiodic resource settings is limited; to flexibly support various application scenarios, each resource setting can contain one or more resource sets. For periodic and semi-persistent resource settings, only one resource set can be included when used for CSI acquisition.

[0139] The report setting includes configurations for the following parameters: the reported CSI quantity, CSI type (e.g., Type I or Type II), codebook parameter configuration, and codebook subset constraints. It also includes the time-domain behavior and frequency-domain granularity of PMI and CQI, as well as measurement constraint configurations. Considering different CSI reporting requirements, NR supports periodic, semi-persistent, and aperiodic CSI reporting. For aperiodic CSI reporting, one channel measurement resource and two different interference measurement resources (interference measurement is used for CSI acquisition) can be used; therefore, each report setting can be associated with 1, 2, or 3 resource settings. For periodic and semi-persistent CSI reporting, one channel measurement resource and one interference measurement resource (interference measurement is used for CSI acquisition) can be used; each report setting can be associated with 1 or 2 resource settings.

[0140] In some embodiments, the CSI feedback mechanism can be used to enable the base station to monitor the network environment. For example, the UE measures the CSI-RS and / or SSB reference signals according to the Radio Resource Control (RRC) parameters and feeds the results back to the base station via CSI. This allows the base station to understand the detailed channel status in the network and adjust strategies such as the current antenna precoding matrix and beamforming parameters. In Multi-TRP (MTRP), the uplink and downlink cooperative node sets of the same UE are the same, and different uplink and downlink cooperative nodes and uplink and downlink cooperative beams can be dynamically selected within the cooperative AP set.

[0141] The design of a distributed MIMO system can be understood as a multi-dimensional resource management problem related to cooperative set clustering, precoding, and power control. Cooperative set clustering determines the service relationship between the AP and UE, and the result of cooperative set clustering directly affects the cooperating nodes and cooperation modes, thereby affecting the transmission performance of the entire system.

[0142] In non-cellular networks, UEs can assist the network side in selecting RRUs, beams, or precoding matrices through measurement reporting. However, the measurement reporting method needs to be more flexible than in 5G systems to adapt to more flexible networking configurations. Typically, when a terminal moves within the network or is obstructed, it may involve adding and / or deleting cooperating APs, which can affect the cooperation of multiple APs.

[0143] To mitigate the impact of cooperative AP updates and improve the availability of distributed MIMO technology and non-cellular networks, this disclosure provides the following communication methods, terminals, network devices, systems, and storage media.

[0144] Figure 2 is an interactive schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2, the embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a communication method, which includes:

[0145] In step S2101, network device 102 sends first information to terminal 101.

[0146] In some embodiments, terminal 101 receives first information.

[0147] In some embodiments, the first information may be used to configure CSI resource configuration and / or CSI reporting configuration for each AP set.

[0148] In one example, the AP set includes at least one of the candidate AP set and the collaborative AP set.

[0149] The set of cooperating APs can refer to the set of APs that are currently providing uplink and / or downlink transmission services to terminal 101.

[0150] The candidate AP set can refer to the set of candidate cooperating APs that support providing uplink and / or downlink transmission services to terminal 101.

[0151] The name of the collaborative AP set is not limited and can be interchanged with "service AP set", "terminal collaborative service AP set", etc.

[0152] The name of the candidate AP set is not limited and can be interchanged with "candidate service AP set", "candidate collaboration AP set", etc.

[0153] Each AP set in at least one AP set may include one or more APs. For example, a collaborative AP set may include one or more collaborative APs, and each candidate AP set may include one or more candidate APs.

[0154] In this context, each AP set in at least one AP set may include one or more AP subsets, and each AP subset may include one or more APs. For example, a collaborative AP set may include one or more collaborative AP subsets, and each collaborative AP subset may include one or more collaborative APs. Similarly, each candidate AP set may include one or more candidate AP subsets, and each candidate AP subset may include one or more candidate APs.

[0155] Each AP set can be configured with one or more CSI resource configurations. Each CSI resource configuration is used by terminal 101 for beam management and CSI acquisition.

[0156] Each AP set can be configured with one or more CSI reporting configurations. Each CSI reporting configuration can be used by terminal 101 to report measurement results, and each CSI reporting configuration can include, but is not limited to, the following parameter configurations: reported CSI parameters, CSI type, codebook parameter configuration, and codebook subset constraints.

[0157] In some embodiments, the first information may be used by terminal 101 to update the set of cooperative access points (APs) and / or the cooperative mode.

[0158] In one example, terminal 101 may delete one or more cooperative APs from the cooperative AP set and / or add one or more candidate APs to the cooperative AP set based on the measurement corresponding to each cooperative AP and / or each candidate AP.

[0159] In one example, the cooperation method can refer to the way collaborative APs cooperate in transmission.

[0160] For example, the collaboration method may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: Dynamic Point Blanking (DPB); DPS; C-JT; NC-JT; or a combination of at least two of DPB, DPS, C-JT, and NC-JT, such as a combination of C-JT and NC-JT. This disclosure does not limit the scope of the collaboration method.

[0161] In one example, terminal 101 can update the collaboration mode between each collaborative AP in the collaborative AP set based on the measurement corresponding to each collaborative AP and / or each candidate AP, for example, updating from C-JT to a combination of C-JT and NC-JT.

[0162] In some embodiments, when terminal 101 performs channel measurement and / or interference measurement based on CSI resource configuration, in addition to determining the measurement quantity of each cooperative AP included in the cooperative AP set, it is also necessary to determine the measurement quantity of each candidate AP, and then compare the measurement quantities of different candidate AP sets relative to the cooperative AP set in order to update the cooperative AP set, such as by deleting and / or adding cooperative APs. This involves a large amount of computation and a long delay.

[0163] In order to reduce the latency of measurement and calculation by terminal 101 and improve the efficiency of updating the cooperative AP set and cooperative mode, network device 102 can configure one or more candidate AP sets through first information.

[0164] For example, the cooperative AP set includes AP#1, AP#2, and AP#3. If network device 102 is configured with candidate APs, say AP#4, AP#5, and AP#6, then the terminal needs to measure the corresponding measurements of each of the six APs. Furthermore, based on the measurements, it is necessary to compare the measurement values ​​of various possible sets with the measurement values ​​of the current cooperative AP set. Among these, possible sets include, for example, candidate set #1 includes AP#1, AP#2, and AP#4; candidate set #2 includes AP#1, AP#2, and AP#5; candidate set #3 includes AP#1, AP#2, and AP#6; candidate set #4 includes AP#1, AP#3, and AP#4, and so on, for a total of 120 combinations. Obviously, the computational load of terminal 101 is large, and the latency is long.

[0165] For example, network device 102 can select a limited number of combinations from the combinations in 120 as a candidate AP set. For instance, it can select six candidate AP sets, assuming the AP identifiers are {1, 2, 4}, {2, 3, 4}, {2, 4, 6}, {3, 5, 6}, {2, 3, 5}, and {1, 3, 6}. Terminal 101 only needs to compare the measurements of the six candidate AP sets with the measurements of the current cooperating AP set {1, 2, 3} to quickly update the cooperating AP set and / or cooperation mode.

[0166] In some embodiments, network device 102 may determine the aforementioned set of candidate APs based on at least one of the following: the geographical location of the cooperating APs and / or candidate APs, channel prediction results, terminal services, and interference conditions. Terminal 101 determines the performance evaluation of each cooperating AP, each candidate AP, the set of cooperating APs, and each set of candidate APs through CSI measurement. By estimating the CSI of a finite number of combinations, the computational load of terminal 101 can be significantly reduced, achieving a trade-off between complexity and flexibility.

[0167] In some embodiments, each CSI resource configuration may be used to configure any of the following: a plurality of first CSI resource sets; first indication information; a third CSI resource set; or second indication information.

[0168] In one example, each first AP is each AP included in the at least one set of APs, for example, each collaborative AP included in the collaborative AP set, and each candidate AP included in each candidate AP set can be a first AP. Each first CSI resource set may include at least one measurement reference resource associated with each of the above first APs.

[0169] The measurement reference resources may include, but are not limited to, channel measurement resources (CMR) and / or interference measurement resources (IMR).

[0170] For example, each resource in each first CSI resource set can be configured with the same collaboration identifier so that terminal 101 divides each first CSI resource set according to the collaboration identifier.

[0171] For example, network device 102 can explicitly configure one or more measurement reference resources associated with each first AP in each first CSI resource set. For example, it can configure the identifier of the corresponding first AP for different measurement reference resources.

[0172] Alternatively, network device 102 may implicitly configure one or more measurement reference resources associated with each first AP in each first CSI resource set. For example, it may configure corresponding association information for different measurement reference resources, which may be directly associated with a corresponding first AP.

[0173] Each first AP is associated with one or more measurement reference resources, and each measurement reference resource is associated with one first AP, but each first AP may be associated with one or more measurement reference resources.

[0174] In one example, the first indication information may be used to indicate the identifier of the second AP included in each second CSI resource set, wherein the second AP may be any one of at least one AP set, each second AP may be associated with one or more measurement reference resources, and the associated measurement reference resources may be pre-configured for each second AP by the network device 102 via, for example, Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.

[0175] For example, when each CSI resource configuration is used to configure the first indication information, each CSI resource configuration can configure multiple second CSI resource sets, and the measurement reference resources included in each second CSI resource set are configured implicitly.

[0176] For example, the first indication information indicates that the identifiers of the second APs included in the second CSI resource set #1 are 1, 2, and 4, and the measurement reference resources pre-configured by the network device 102 for the aforementioned second APs are {resource #1, resource #2}, {resource #5}, and {resource #6, resource #7, resource #8}, respectively. At this time, the terminal 101 can determine that the second CSI resource set #1 includes {resource #1, resource #2, resource #5, resource #6, resource #7, resource #8}.

[0177] In one example, each CSI resource configuration can be used to configure a third CSI resource set, which may include multiple first CSI resource subsets, and each first CSI resource subset may include one or more measurement reference resources associated with each first AP.

[0178] For example, each resource in each first CSI resource subset can be configured with the same collaboration identifier so that terminal 101 divides each first CSI resource subset according to the collaboration identifier.

[0179] Alternatively, network device 102 may implicitly partition resources in a third CSI resource set so that terminal 101 can partition each first CSI resource subset. This disclosure does not limit the implicit partitioning method; for example, it can be based on the mapping relationship between resources and specific information.

[0180] In one example, the second indication information may be used to indicate the identifier of the second AP included in each second CSI resource subset, wherein the second AP may be one of at least one set of APs, each second AP may be associated with one or more measurement reference resources, and the associated measurement reference resources may be pre-configured for each second AP by the network device 102 via, for example, Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.

[0181] For example, when each CSI resource configuration is used to configure the second indication information, each CSI resource configuration can configure a fourth CSI resource set, and a fourth CSI resource set includes multiple second CSI resource subsets, and the measurement reference resources included in each second CSI resource subset are configured implicitly.

[0182] For example, the first indication information indicates that the identifiers of the second APs included in the second CSI resource subset #1 are 1, 2, and 5, and the measurement reference resources pre-configured by the network device 102 for the second APs are {resource #1}, {resource #2}, and {resource #5, resource #7}, respectively. At this time, the terminal 101 can determine that the second CSI resource subset #1 includes {resource #1, resource #2, resource #5, resource #7}.

[0183] The above is merely an illustrative example, and this disclosure does not limit the content configured for each CSI resource configuration.

[0184] In some embodiments, if the collaborative AP set and the candidate AP set include the same AP, the measurement reference resources associated with that same AP may be the same or different.

[0185] For example, if both the collaborative AP set and the candidate AP set #1 include AP #1, the measurement reference resource associated with AP #1 in the collaborative AP set can be resource #1, and the measurement reference resource associated with AP #1 in the candidate AP set #1 is also resource #1. If the performance of the candidate AP set #1 is better in subsequent measurements, and it can be used as a new collaborative set, it is equivalent to not updating the measurement reference resource associated with AP #1.

[0186] For example, if both the collaborative AP set and the candidate AP set #1 include AP #1, the measurement reference resource associated with AP #1 in the collaborative AP set can be resource #1, and the measurement reference resource associated with AP #1 in the candidate AP set #1 can be resource #2. If the performance of the candidate AP set #1 is better in subsequent measurements, it can be used as a new collaborative set, which is equivalent to updating the measurement reference resource associated with AP #1.

[0187] In some embodiments, if different subsets of collaborative APs include the same AP, the measurement reference resources associated with that same AP may be the same or different.

[0188] For example, both collaborative AP subset #1 and collaborative AP subset #2 include AP #1. The measurement reference resource associated with AP #1 in the collaborative AP subset can be resource #1, and the measurement reference resource associated with AP #1 in the collaborative AP subset #1 is also resource #1. This is equivalent to dividing the collaborative AP subset to which AP #1 belongs, but without distinguishing the measurement reference resource associated with AP #1.

[0189] For example, both collaborative AP subset #1 and collaborative AP subset #2 include AP #1. The measurement reference resource associated with AP #1 in the collaborative AP subset can be resource #1, and the measurement reference resource associated with AP #1 in the collaborative AP subset #1 is resource #2. This is equivalent to dividing the collaborative AP subset to which AP #1 belongs and the measurement reference resource associated with AP #1.

[0190] In some embodiments, if different subsets of candidate APs include the same AP, the measurement reference resources associated with the same AP may be the same or different.

[0191] For example, both candidate AP subset #1 and candidate AP subset #2 include AP #4. The measurement reference resource associated with AP #4 in the candidate AP subset can be resource #1, and the measurement reference resource associated with AP #4 in the candidate AP subset #2 is also resource #1. This is equivalent to dividing the candidate AP subset to which AP #4 belongs, but without distinguishing the measurement reference resource associated with AP #4.

[0192] For example, if both candidate AP subset #1 and candidate AP subset #2 include AP #4, the measurement reference resource associated with AP #4 in the candidate AP subset can be resource #1, and the measurement reference resources associated with AP #4 in the candidate AP subset #2 are resources #3 and resource #4. This is equivalent to dividing the candidate AP subset to which AP #4 belongs and the measurement reference resources associated with AP #4.

[0193] In some embodiments, if the same AP is included in different candidate AP sets, the measurement reference resources associated with the same AP may be the same or different.

[0194] For example, both candidate AP set #1 and candidate AP set #2 include AP #4. The measurement reference resource associated with AP #4 in candidate AP set #1 can be resource #1, and the measurement reference resource associated with AP #4 in candidate AP set #2 can also be resource #1. This is equivalent to dividing the candidate AP set to which AP #4 belongs, but without distinguishing the measurement reference resource associated with AP #4.

[0195] For example, both candidate AP set #1 and candidate AP set #2 include AP #4. The measurement reference resource associated with AP #4 in the candidate AP set can be resource #1, and the measurement reference resources associated with AP #4 in the candidate AP set #2 are resources #3 and resource #4. This is equivalent to dividing the candidate AP set to which AP #4 belongs and the measurement reference resources associated with AP #4.

[0196] In some embodiments, if the collaborative AP set and the candidate AP subset include the same AP, the measurement reference resources associated with that same AP may be the same or different.

[0197] The case where the collaborative AP set and the candidate AP subset contain the same AP is similar to the case where the collaborative AP set and the candidate AP set contain the same AP, and will not be elaborated here.

[0198] In some embodiments, if the same AP is included in the collaborative AP subset and the candidate AP set, the measurement reference resources associated with that same AP may be the same or different.

[0199] The case where the collaborative AP subset and the candidate AP set contain the same AP is similar to the case where the collaborative AP set and the candidate AP set contain the same AP, and will not be elaborated here.

[0200] The above is merely an illustrative example. This disclosure does not limit whether the measurement reference resources associated with the same AP are the same in cases where different AP sets and / or different AP subsets include the same AP.

[0201] In some embodiments, each CSI reporting configuration may be associated with one or more CSI resource configurations.

[0202] In one example, at least one CSI reporting configuration configured by the first information is associated with the time-domain characteristics of the at least one CSI reporting configuration.

[0203] For example, at least one CSI reporting configuration includes at least one of the following: a first type of CSI reporting configuration; a second type of CSI reporting configuration.

[0204] Among them, the time-domain characteristics of the first type of CSI reporting configuration are periodic or semi-persistent.

[0205] Among them, the time-domain characteristic of the second type of CSI reporting configuration is non-periodic.

[0206] In one example, where each CSI reporting configuration is associated with a CSI resource configuration, a CSI resource configuration may include at least two sets of measurement reference resources.

[0207] In one example, where each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least two CSI resource configurations, the at least two CSI resource configurations include at least one of the following: a first CSI resource configuration and at least one second CSI resource configuration; or a first CSI resource configuration and at least one third CSI resource configuration.

[0208] For example, the first CSI resource configuration includes at least two CMR sets.

[0209] For example, at least one second CSI resource configuration is used to configure a first IMR set for each CMR set. The first IMR set can be an IMR set based on non-zero power-interference measurement resources (NZP-IMR), or an IMR set based on zero power-interference measurement resources (ZP-IMR).

[0210] For example, at least one third CSI resource configuration is used to configure the at least one candidate AP set as an IMR set based on NZP-IMR.

[0211] In one example, where each CSI reporting configuration is associated with a CSI resource configuration, a CSI resource configuration may include at least two subsets of measurement reference resources.

[0212] In one example, where each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least two CSI resource configurations, the at least two CSI resource configurations include at least one of the following: a fourth CSI resource configuration and at least one fifth CSI resource configuration; or a fourth CSI resource configuration and at least one sixth CSI resource configuration.

[0213] For example, the fourth CSI resource configuration includes at least two CMR subsets.

[0214] For example, at least one fifth CSI resource configuration is used to configure a first IMR subset for each CMR subset, wherein the first IMR subset is an IMR subset based on NZP-IMR, or the first IMR subset is an IMR subset based on ZP-IMR.

[0215] For example, at least one sixth CSI resource configuration is used to configure the at least one candidate AP set as an IMR subset based on NZP-IMR.

[0216] In some embodiments, the first information may be used to configure the measurement reference signal. Accordingly, the first information may include at least one of the following: Transmission Configuration Indication state (TCI state); Physical Cell Identifier (PCI); AP identifier; AP set identifier.

[0217] In the absence of cellular networking, PCI may not be included in the first information.

[0218] The AP set identifier can also be called the AP group identifier (APG ID).

[0219] In some embodiments, the measurement reference signals included in the same CSI resource set may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: Synchronization Signal and PBCH Block (SSB); Channel State Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS); Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS).

[0220] In one example, the same CSI resource set may include any of the above measurement reference signals.

[0221] In one example, the same CSI resource set may include a combination of the above measurement reference signals, such as SSB and CSI-RS.

[0222] In some embodiments, the measurement quantity corresponding to at least one AP set may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: L1-SINR; L1-RSRP; BLER.

[0223] In some embodiments, the first measurement period configured in the first information and the second measurement period may be the same or different, wherein the first measurement period is the measurement period of the cooperative AP set, and the second measurement period is the measurement period of a candidate AP set.

[0224] In one example, if the first measurement period configured in the first information is different from the second measurement period, the first measurement period can be shorter than the second measurement period.

[0225] In step S2102, network device 102 sends the first resource count and / or the second resource count to terminal 101.

[0226] In some embodiments, terminal 101 receives a first number of resources and / or a second number of resources.

[0227] In some embodiments, the first resource number is the number of channel reference resources included in a CSI resource set. The reference signals can be different reference signals or combinations of reference signals. Accordingly, the network device 102 can configure the number of channel reference resources included in each CSI resource set based on the capabilities of the terminal. The first resource numbers corresponding to multiple CSI resource sets can be the same or different, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0228] In some embodiments, the second resource number is the resource number of channel reference resources included in a subset of CSI resources. The second resource numbers corresponding to multiple subsets of CSI resources may be the same or different, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0229] In some embodiments, terminal 101 determines a first number of resources corresponding to each CSI resource set and / or determines a second number of resources corresponding to each CSI resource subset based on the instruction of network device 102.

[0230] In step S2103, network device 102 sends the third resource number and / or the fourth resource number to terminal 101.

[0231] In some embodiments, terminal 101 receives a third resource number and / or a fourth resource number.

[0232] In some embodiments, the third resource number is the maximum number of channel reference resources included in a CSI resource set. The third resource numbers corresponding to multiple CSI resource sets may be the same or different, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0233] In some embodiments, the fourth resource number is the maximum number of channel reference resources included in a subset of CSI resources. The fourth resource numbers corresponding to multiple subsets of CSI resources may be the same or different, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0234] In some embodiments, terminal 101 determines the third number of resources corresponding to each CSI resource set and / or determines the fourth number of resources corresponding to each CSI resource subset based on the instruction of network device 102.

[0235] In step S2104, terminal 101 updates the set of cooperative access points (APs) and / or the cooperative mode.

[0236] In some embodiments, terminal 101 may measure at least one candidate AP set and cooperative AP set based on first information to determine the measurement quantity corresponding to each AP set.

[0237] In one example, the first information is used to configure one or more CSI resource configurations for the aforementioned AP set. Terminal 101 can perform channel measurements and / or interference measurements based on the CSI resource configurations to determine the measurement quantities.

[0238] Furthermore, terminal 101 can update at least one of the set of cooperative access points (APs) and the cooperative mode based on the measurement.

[0239] Furthermore, if the terminal updates the set of cooperating APs and / or the cooperation method, and the first information is used to configure one or more CSI reporting configurations for the aforementioned AP set, the terminal 101 can report based on the CSI reporting configuration so as to report the updated set of cooperating APs and / or the updated cooperation method to the network device 102.

[0240] In some embodiments, the names of information, etc., are not limited to the names described in the embodiments. Terms such as "information", "message", "signal", "signaling", "report", "configuration", "indication", "instruction", "command", "channel", "parameter", "domain", "field", "symbol", "symbol", "codebook", "codeword", "codepoint", "bit", "data", "program", and "chip" can be used interchangeably.

[0241] In some embodiments, the terms "codebook," "codeword," and "precoding matrix" can be used interchangeably. For example, a codebook can be a collection of one or more codewords / precoding matrices.

[0242] In some embodiments, the terms "uplink", "uplink", and "physical uplink" can be used interchangeably, as can the terms "downlink", "downlink", and "physical downlink", as well as the terms "sidelink", "sidelink", "sidelink communication", "sidelink communication", "direct connection", "direct link", "direct communication", and "direct link communication".

[0243] In some embodiments, the terms “downlink control information (DCI),” “downlink (DL) assignment,” “DL DCI,” “uplink (UL) grant,” and “UL DCI” can be used interchangeably.

[0244] In some embodiments, terms such as "physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)" and "DL data" can be used interchangeably, as can terms such as "physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)" and "UL data".

[0245] In some embodiments, the terms "synchronization signal (SS)," "synchronization signal block (SSB)," "reference signal (RS)," "pilot," and "pilot signal" can be used interchangeably.

[0246] In some embodiments, terms such as “moment,” “point in time,” “time,” and “time location” can be used interchangeably, as can terms such as “duration,” “segment,” “time window,” “window,” and “time.”

[0247] In some embodiments, the terms "precoding", "precoder", "weight", "precoding weight", "quasi-co-location (QCL)", "transmission configuration indication (TCI) status", "spatial relation", "spatial domain filter", "transmission power", "phase rotation", "antenna port", "antenna port group", "layer", "the number of layers", "rank", "resource", "resource set", "resource group", "beam", "beam width", "beam angular degree", "antenna", "antenna element", and "panel" can be used interchangeably.

[0248] In some embodiments, "acquire," "get," "obtain," "receive," "transmit," "bidirectional transmission," and "send and / or receive" can be used interchangeably and can be interpreted as receiving from other entities, acquiring from protocols, acquiring from higher layers, obtaining through self-processing, or autonomous implementation. Protocols include, for example, at least one of the 3GPP protocol, Wi-Fi protocol, and audio and / or video protocols.

[0249] In some embodiments, terms such as “send,” “transmit,” “report,” “distribute,” “transfer,” “bidirectional transmission,” “send and / or receive” can be used interchangeably.

[0250] In some embodiments, terms such as "certain," "preset," "default," "set," "indicated," "a certain," "any," and "first" can be used interchangeably. "Certain A," "preset A," "default A," "set A," "indicated A," "a certain A," "any A," and "first A" can be interpreted as A pre-defined in a protocol or the like, or as A obtained through setting, configuration, or instruction, or as specific A, a certain A, any A, or first A, but are not limited thereto.

[0251] The communication method involved in the embodiments of this disclosure may include steps S2101 to S2104. For example, step S2101 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step S2102 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step S2103 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step S2101+S2102 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step S2101+S2103 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step S2102+S2103 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step S2104 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and step S2101+S2104 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, but is not limited thereto.

[0252] In some embodiments, steps S2102 and S2103 may be performed in an alternate order or simultaneously.

[0253] In some embodiments, step S2101 is optional, and one or more of these steps may be omitted or substituted in different embodiments. For example, if terminal 101 obtains first information from another device, step S2101 may not be performed.

[0254] In some embodiments, step S2102 is optional, and one or more of these steps may be omitted or substituted in different embodiments. For example, if terminal 101 determines the first resource number and / or the second resource number based on a predefined method, step S2102 may not be executed.

[0255] In some embodiments, step S2103 is optional, and one or more of these steps may be omitted or substituted in different embodiments. For example, if terminal 101 determines the third resource number and / or the fourth resource number based on a predefined method, step S2103 may not be executed.

[0256] In some embodiments, step S2104 is optional, and one or more of these steps may be omitted or substituted in different embodiments. For example, if terminal 101 does not meet the conditions for triggering an update of the collaborative AP set and / or collaborative mode, step S2104 may not be executed. As another example, if terminal 101 determines, based on the first information, that it does not need to update the collaborative AP set and / or collaborative mode, step S2104 may not be executed.

[0257] In some embodiments, the steps and their optional implementations in other embodiments described before or after this embodiment, as well as other related parts in the specification, can be referred to, and will not be repeated here.

[0258] In the above embodiments, the timeliness of updating the cooperative AP set and / or cooperative mode is improved, the terminal computing load is reduced, a balance between complexity and flexibility is achieved, the availability of distributed large-scale MIMO technology is improved, and the availability of non-cellular networks is improved.

[0259] Figure 3A is an interactive schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3A, the embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a communication method, which is executed by terminal 101 and includes:

[0260] Step S3101: Obtain the first information.

[0261] In some embodiments, optional implementations of step S3101 can be found in optional implementations of step S2101 in FIG2 and other related parts in the embodiments involved in FIG2, which will not be repeated here.

[0262] In some embodiments, terminal 101 receives first information sent by network device 102, but is not limited thereto. Terminal 101 may also receive first information from other entities, such as relay devices or other entities. In this case, step S3101 may be omitted.

[0263] In some embodiments, terminal 101 obtains first information as defined by the protocol, in which step S3101 is omitted.

[0264] In some embodiments, the terminal 101 obtains first information from the upper layer(s), in which case step S3101 is omitted.

[0265] In some embodiments, the terminal 101 processes the information to obtain the first information, and step S3101 is omitted in this case.

[0266] In some embodiments, the terminal 101 autonomously implements the function indicated by the first information, or the above function is a default or default value, in which case step S3101 is omitted.

[0267] In the above embodiments, the timeliness of updating the cooperative AP set and / or cooperative mode is improved, the terminal computing load is reduced, a balance between complexity and flexibility is achieved, the availability of distributed large-scale MIMO technology is improved, and the availability of non-cellular networks is improved.

[0268] Figure 3B is an interactive schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3B, the embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a communication method, which is executed by network device 102 and includes:

[0269] Step S3201: Send the first message.

[0270] In some embodiments, network device 102 sends first information to terminal 101.

[0271] In some embodiments, terminal 101 receives first information.

[0272] In some embodiments, optional implementations of step S3201 can be found in optional implementations of step S2101 in FIG2 and other related parts in the embodiments involved in FIG2, which will not be repeated here.

[0273] In the above embodiments, the network device can provide the first information to the terminal, which improves the timeliness of updating the cooperative AP set and / or cooperative mode, reduces the terminal's computing load, achieves a balance between complexity and flexibility, improves the availability of distributed large-scale MIMO technology, and improves the availability of non-cellular networks.

[0274] The above process is further illustrated with examples below.

[0275] In distributed massive MIMO, the set of APs that the terminal needs to measure, the current set of cooperating APs, and the set of measurement (candidate) APs are configured through the network.

[0276] Downlink reference signal set: SSB, CSI-RS, DMRS.

[0277] Measured quantities: L1-RSRP, L1-SINR.

[0278] Beam type: Joint TCI state, Downlink TCI state.

[0279] Uplink reference signal set: SRS, DMRS.

[0280] Measured quantities: L1-RSRP, L1-SINR.

[0281] Beam type: Joint TCI state, Uplink TCI state.

[0282] CSI configuration method 1: The network configures multiple CSI resource sets for one CSI resource setting. Each CSI resource set corresponds to the measurement reference resources of a set of candidate cooperative APs configured by the network (all RSs have a unified cooperative ID number). Each AP contains one or more resource configurations (different AP resources can be distinguished by explicitly configuring the number of AP subsets, configuring according to implicit rules, or configuring AP IDs, etc.).

[0283] The network pre-groups potential cooperating APs based on geographical location, channel prediction, terminal services, and interference. The terminal calculates the performance evaluation of different APs and AP sets through CSI measurement. By estimating the CSI of a limited number of combinations, the computational load can be significantly reduced, achieving a trade-off between complexity and flexibility.

[0284] Each AP is configured with a corresponding measurement reference signal. The configuration can include TCI state, PCI, AP ID, and AP group ID (APG ID).

[0285] CSI reporting configuration: Extended configuration.

[0286] For the configuration of periodic or semi-continuous CSI reporting settings, at least two different CSI resource settings can be associated, or multiple CMRs can be configured.

[0287] Configure NZP-IMR or ZP-IMR independently for each CMR, or

[0288] By using the candidate AP set as NZP-IMR.

[0289] For AP CSI report settings, at least two different CSI resource settings can be associated.

[0290] Configure CMR only, or

[0291] For each CMR set, configure one or two IMR sets corresponding to the collaborative AP set or candidate AP set.

[0292] The number of CSI trigger states may increase.

[0293] Measurement period: Configure the same period or different periods (e.g., the collaborative AP set has a smaller period); APs in the candidate AP set and APs in the collaborative AP set may overlap.

[0294] CSI configuration method 2 involves configuring one CSI resource set for each CSI resource setting in the network. Each resource in the CSI resource set is assigned a collaboration ID number or implicitly grouped into a collaboration ID group. Each AP contains one or more resource configurations (different AP resources can be distinguished by explicitly configuring the number of resources in an AP subset, configuring according to implicit rules, or configuring APG IDs, etc.).

[0295] The network pre-groups cooperative APs based on geographical location, channel prediction, terminal services, interference, etc. The terminal measures the performance of different individual APs and AP sets through CSI. By estimating the CSI for a limited number of combinations, the computational load can be significantly reduced.

[0296] Each AP is configured with a corresponding measurement reference signal. The configuration can include TCI state, PCI, AP ID, and APG ID.

[0297] For CSI report settings, you can also configure one or two IMR subsets for one CMR subset; or configure only the NZP-IMR subset; or use the candidate AP subset as the NZP-IMR of the cooperating AP subset.

[0298] The number of CSI trigger states does not increase.

[0299] APs in the candidate AP set and APs in the collaborative AP set may overlap.

[0300] The above embodiments provide a CSI measurement configuration method for downlink cooperative AP updates, which is used for network-triggered AP set updates or terminal-triggered AP set updates. This helps the network side obtain terminal-estimated AP set changes and other related cooperative information, thereby improving network efficiency.

[0301] This disclosure also proposes an apparatus (also referred to as a communication device, etc.) for implementing any of the above methods. For example, an apparatus is proposed that includes units or modules for implementing the steps performed by the terminal in any of the above methods. Furthermore, another apparatus is proposed that includes units or modules for implementing the steps performed by a network device (e.g., an access network device, a core network functional node, a core network device, etc.) in any of the above methods.

[0302] It should be understood that the division of units or modules in the above device is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, they can be fully or partially integrated into a single physical entity, or they can be physically separated. Furthermore, the units or modules in the device can be implemented by a processor calling software: for example, the device includes a processor connected to a memory containing instructions. The processor calls the instructions stored in the memory to implement any of the above methods or to implement the functions of the units or modules in the above device. The processor can be, for example, a general-purpose processor, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) or a microprocessor, and the memory can be internal or external to the device. Alternatively, the units or modules in the device can be implemented in the form of hardware circuits. The functionality of some or all of the units or modules can be achieved through the design of these hardware circuits, which can be understood as one or more processors. For example, in one implementation, the hardware circuit is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The functionality of some or all of the units or modules is achieved through the design of the logical relationships between the components within the circuit. In another implementation, the hardware circuit can be implemented using a programmable logic device (PLD). Taking a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) as an example, it can include a large number of logic gates. The connection relationships between the logic gates are configured through configuration files, thereby achieving the functionality of some or all of the units or modules. All units or modules of the above device can be implemented entirely through processor-called software, entirely through hardware circuits, or partially through processor-called software with the remaining parts implemented through hardware circuits.

[0303] In this embodiment, the processor is a circuit with signal processing capabilities. In one implementation, the processor can be a circuit with instruction read and execute capabilities, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a graphics processing unit (GPU) (which can be understood as a microprocessor), or a digital signal processor (DSP). In another implementation, the processor can implement certain functions through the logical relationships of hardware circuits. The logical relationships of the aforementioned hardware circuits are fixed or reconfigurable. For example, the processor is a hardware circuit implemented using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a programmable logic device (PLD), such as an FPGA. In a reconfigurable hardware circuit, the process of the processor loading a configuration document and configuring the hardware circuit can be understood as the process of the processor loading instructions to implement the functions of some or all of the above units or modules. Furthermore, it can also be a hardware circuit designed for artificial intelligence, which can be understood as an ASIC, such as a Neural Network Processing Unit (NPU), a Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), or a Deep Learning Processing Unit (DPU).

[0304] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The terminal 4100 is used to execute any of the above methods. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 4A, the terminal 4100 may include a transceiver module 4101.

[0305] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 4101 is configured to receive first information sent by a network device. The first information is configured to configure at least one Measurement Channel State Information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one set of access points (APs). The first information is used by the terminal to update at least one of the cooperative access point (AP) set and the cooperative mode. The cooperative AP set is used to provide the terminal with cooperative transmission support in a distributed network. The at least one AP set includes at least one of the following: at least one candidate AP set; the cooperative AP set.

[0306] Optionally, the transceiver module 4101 is used to perform at least one of the communication steps (such as step S2101, step S2102, step S2103, but not limited thereto) performed by the terminal 5100 in any of the above methods, which will not be described in detail here.

[0307] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The network device 4200 is used to perform any of the above methods. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 4B, the network device 4200 may include a transceiver module 4201.

[0308] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 4201 is configured to send first information to the terminal. The first information is configured to configure at least one Measurement Channel State Information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one set of access points (APs). The first information is used by the terminal to update at least one of the cooperative AP set and the cooperative mode. The cooperative AP set is used to provide the terminal with cooperative transmission support in a distributed network. The at least one AP set includes at least one of the following: at least one candidate AP set; the cooperative AP set.

[0309] Optionally, the transceiver module 4201 is used to perform at least one of the communication steps (such as step S2101, step S2102, step S2103, but not limited thereto) performed by the network device 4200 in any of the above methods, which will not be described in detail here.

[0310] In some embodiments, the transceiver module may include a transmitting module and / or a receiving module, which may be separate or integrated. Optionally, the transceiver module may be interchangeable with a transceiver.

[0311] In some embodiments, the transceiver module can be interchanged with the transceiver.

[0312] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device 5100 proposed in an embodiment of this disclosure. The communication device 5100 can be a network device (e.g., access network device, core network device, etc.), a terminal (e.g., user equipment, etc.), a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the network device in implementing any of the above methods, or a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the terminal in implementing any of the above methods. The communication device 5100 can be used to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments; for details, please refer to the descriptions in the above method embodiments.

[0313] As shown in Figure 5A, the communication device 5100 is used to execute any of the above methods. In some embodiments, the communication device 5100 includes one or more processors 5101. The processor 5101 may be a general-purpose processor or a special-purpose processor, such as a baseband processor or a central processing unit. The baseband processor may be used to process communication protocols and communication data, and the central processing unit may be used to control communication devices (e.g., base stations, baseband chips, terminal devices, terminal device chips, DUs or CUs, etc.), execute programs, and process program data. Optionally, the communication device 5100 is used to execute any of the above methods. Optionally, one or more processors 5101 are used to invoke instructions to cause the communication device 5100 to execute any of the above methods.

[0314] In some embodiments, the communication device 5100 further includes one or more transceivers 5102. When the communication device 5100 includes one or more transceivers 5102, the transceiver 5102 performs at least one of the communication steps (e.g., steps S2101, S2102, S2103, but not limited thereto) in the above method, and the processor 5101 performs at least one of other steps (e.g., step S2104, but not limited thereto). In optional embodiments, the transceiver may include a receiver and / or a transmitter, which may be separate or integrated. Optionally, the terms transceiver, transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiver circuit, interface circuit, interface, etc., can be used interchangeably; the terms transmitter, transmitting unit, transmitter, transmitting circuit, etc., can be used interchangeably; the terms receiver, receiving unit, receiver, receiving circuit, etc., can be used interchangeably.

[0315] In some embodiments, the communication device 5100 further includes one or more memories 5103 for storing data and / or instructions. Optionally, one or more processors 5101 are used to invoke instructions stored in the memory 5103 to cause the communication device 5100 to perform any of the above methods. Optionally, all or part of the memory 5103 may also be located outside the communication device 5100. In an optional embodiment, the communication device 5100 may include one or more interface circuits 5104. Optionally, the interface circuit 5104 is connected to the memory 5103 and can be used to receive data and / or instructions from the memory 5103 or other devices, and can be used to send data and / or instructions to the memory 5103 or other devices. For example, the interface circuit 5104 can read data and / or instructions stored in the memory 5103 and send the data and / or instructions to the processor 5101.

[0316] The communication device 5100 described in the above embodiments may be a network device or a terminal, but the scope of the communication device 5100 described in this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the structure of the communication device 5100 may not be limited by FIG. 5A. The communication device may be a standalone device or may be part of a larger device. For example, the communication device may be: (1) a standalone integrated circuit IC, or chip, or chip system or subsystem; (2) a collection of one or more ICs, optionally, the IC collection may also include storage components for storing data, programs and / or instructions; (3) an ASIC, such as a modem; (4) a module that can be embedded in other devices; (5) a receiver, terminal device, smart terminal device, cellular phone, wireless device, handheld device, mobile unit, vehicle device, network device, cloud device, artificial intelligence device, etc.; (6) others, etc.

[0317] Figure 5B is a schematic diagram of the structure of chip 5200 according to an embodiment of this disclosure. For cases where the communication device 5100 can be a chip or a chip system, please refer to the schematic diagram of chip 5200 shown in Figure 5B, but it is not limited thereto.

[0318] Chip 5200 includes one or more processors 5201. Chip 5200 is used to perform any of the methods described above.

[0319] In some embodiments, chip 5200 further includes one or more interface circuits 5202. Optionally, terms such as interface circuit, interface, and transceiver pin can be used interchangeably. In some embodiments, chip 5200 further includes one or more memories 5203 for storing data and / or instructions. Optionally, all or part of the memories 5203 may be located outside of chip 5200. Optionally, the interface circuit 5202 is connected to the memories 5203, and the interface circuit 5202 can be used to receive data and / or instructions from the memories 5203 or other devices, and the interface circuit 5202 can be used to send data and / or instructions to the memories 5203 or other devices. For example, the interface circuit 5202 can read data and / or instructions stored in the memories 5203 and send the data and / or instructions to the processor 5201.

[0320] In some embodiments, the interface circuit 5202 performs at least one of the communication steps such as sending and / or receiving in the above-described method (e.g., steps S2101, S2102, and S2103, but not limited thereto). The interface circuit 5202 performing the communication steps such as sending and / or receiving in the above-described method refers, for example, to the interface circuit 5202 performing data and / or instruction interaction between the processor 5201, the chip 5200, the memory 5203, or the transceiver device. In some embodiments, the processor 5201 performs at least one of other steps (e.g., step S2104, but not limited thereto).

[0321] The modules and / or devices described in the various embodiments, such as virtual devices, physical devices, and chips, can be combined or separated arbitrarily as needed. Optionally, some or all steps can also be performed collaboratively by multiple modules and / or devices, which is not limited here.

[0322] This disclosure also proposes a storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform any of the above methods. Optionally, the storage medium is an electronic storage medium. Optionally, the storage medium is a computer-readable storage medium, but not limited thereto; it may also be a storage medium readable by other devices. Optionally, the storage medium may be a non-transitory storage medium, but not limited thereto; it may also be a temporary storage medium.

[0323] This disclosure also proposes a program product, including a program and / or instructions, which, when executed by a communication device, cause the communication device to perform any of the above methods. Optionally, the program product is a computer program product. Optionally, the program product is stored on the storage medium.

[0324] This disclosure also proposes a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform any of the above methods.

[0325] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method is performed by a terminal, and the method comprises: receiving first information sent by a network device, the first information being used for configuring at least one measurement channel state information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one access point (AP) set, the first information being used for updating, by the terminal, at least one of a cooperative AP set and a cooperation manner, the cooperative AP set being used for providing, for the terminal, cooperative transmission support in a distributed network; wherein the at least one AP set comprises at least one of: at least one candidate AP set; and the cooperative AP set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, Each CSI resource configuration is used for configuring any one of: a plurality of first CSI resource sets, wherein each first CSI resource set comprises at least one measurement reference resource associated with each first AP; first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating an identity of a second AP included in each second CSI resource set, and the number of second CSI resource sets is a plurality; one third CSI resource set, wherein the one third CSI resource set comprises a plurality of first CSI resource subsets, and each first CSI resource subset comprises at least one measurement reference resource associated with each first AP; second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating an identity of a second AP included in each second CSI resource subset, the number of second CSI resource subsets is a plurality, and the plurality of second CSI resource subsets belong to a same fourth CSI resource set. wherein each first AP is each AP included in the at least one AP set, and a second AP is any one of the at least one AP set, and at least one measurement reference resource associated with the second AP is preconfigured by the network device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein: in a case where different AP sets and / or different AP subsets in the at least one AP set comprise a same AP, the measurement reference resources associated with the same AP are the same or different.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The method further comprises: receiving at least one of a first resource number and a second resource number sent by the network device; wherein at least one of the first resource number and the second resource number is configured by the network device for the terminal based on a capability of the terminal, wherein the first resource number is a resource number of channel reference resources included in one CSI resource set, and the second resource number is a resource number of channel reference resources included in one CSI resource subset.

5. The method according to any one of claims 2-4, characterized in that, The method further comprises: receiving at least one of a third resource number and a fourth resource number sent by the network device; wherein at least one of the third resource number and the fourth resource number is configured by the network device for the terminal based on the capability of the terminal, wherein the third resource number is a maximum resource number of channel reference resources included in one CSI resource set, and the fourth resource number is a maximum resource number of channel reference resources included in one CSI resource subset.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least one CSI resource configuration.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The at least one CSI reporting configuration is associated with a time domain characteristic of the at least one CSI reporting configuration; The at least one CSI reporting configuration comprises at least one of the following types: A first type of CSI reporting configuration, the time domain characteristic of the first type of CSI reporting configuration being periodic or semi-persistent; A second type of CSI reporting configuration, the time domain characteristic of the second type of CSI reporting configuration being aperiodic.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, Each CSI reporting configuration is associated with one CSI resource configuration, and the one CSI resource configuration comprises at least two sets of measurement reference resources; or Each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least two CSI resource configurations, and the at least two CSI resource configurations comprise at least one of the following: A first CSI resource configuration and at least one second CSI resource configuration; wherein the first CSI resource configuration comprises at least two sets of channel measurement resources (CMRs), and the at least one second CSI resource configuration is used to configure a first set of interference measurement resources (IMRs) for each CMR set, the first set of IMRs being an IMR set based on a non-zero power interference measurement resource (NZP-IMR), or the first set of IMRs being an IMR set based on a zero power interference measurement resource (ZP-IMR); A first CSI resource configuration and at least one third CSI resource configuration; wherein the first CSI resource configuration comprises at least two sets of CMRs, and the at least one third CSI resource configuration is used to configure the at least one set of candidate APs as an IMR set based on a NZP-IMR.

9. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, Each CSI reporting configuration is associated with one CSI resource configuration, and the one CSI resource configuration comprises at least two subsets of measurement reference resources; or Each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least two CSI resource configuration, and the at least two CSI resource configuration comprises at least one of the following: A fourth CSI resource configuration and at least one fifth CSI resource configuration; wherein the fourth CSI resource configuration comprises at least two subsets of CMRs, and the at least one fifth CSI resource configuration is used to configure a first subset of IMRs for each subset of CMRs, the first subset of IMRs being a subset of IMRs based on a NZP-IMR, or the first subset of IMRs being a subset of IMRs based on a ZP-IMR; A fourth CSI resource configuration and at least one sixth CSI resource configuration; wherein the fourth CSI resource configuration comprises at least two subsets of CMRs, the at least one sixth CSI resource configuration is used to configure the at least one set of candidate APs as a subset of IMRs based on a NZP-IMR.

10. The method according to claims 1-9, characterized in that, In the case that the first information is used to configure a measurement reference signal, the first information comprises at least one of the following: A transmission configuration indication (TCI) state; A physical cell identifier; An AP identifier; An AP set identifier.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The measurement reference signals included in the same CSI resource set are at least one of the following: A synchronization signal block (SSB); A CSI-RS; A demodulation reference signal (DMRS).

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The measurement quantities corresponding to the at least one set of APs comprise at least one of the following: Layer 1 signal to interference and noise ratio L1-SINR; Layer 1 reference signal received power L1-RSRP; Block error rate BLER.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, The first measurement period configured by the first information is different from the second measurement period, and the first measurement period is smaller than the second measurement period; wherein the first measurement period is a measurement period of the cooperative AP set, and the second measurement period is a measurement period of a candidate AP set.

14. A communication method, comprising: The method is performed by a network device, and the method comprises: sending first information to a terminal, the first information being used for configuring at least one measurement channel state information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one access point (AP) set, the first information being used for the terminal to update at least one of a cooperative AP set and a cooperation mode, the cooperative AP set being used for providing cooperative transmission support in a distributed network for the terminal; wherein the at least one AP set comprises at least one of: at least one candidate AP set; the cooperative AP set.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, Each CSI resource configuration is used for configuring any of: a plurality of first CSI resource sets; wherein each first CSI resource set comprises at least one measurement reference resource associated with each first AP; first indication information; wherein the first indication information is used for indicating an identity of a second AP included in each second CSI resource set, the number of second CSI resource sets being a plurality; one third CSI resource set; wherein the one third CSI resource set comprises a plurality of first CSI resource subsets, and each first CSI resource subset comprises at least one measurement reference resource associated with each first AP; second indication information; wherein the second indication information is used for indicating an identity of a second AP included in each second CSI resource subset, the number of second CSI resource subsets being a plurality, and the plurality of second CSI resource subsets belong to a same fourth CSI resource set; wherein each first AP is each AP included in the at least one AP set, and a second AP is any one of the at least one AP set, at least one measurement reference resource associated with the second AP being preconfigured by the network device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, In a case where different AP sets and / or different AP subsets in the at least one AP set comprise a same AP, the measurement reference resources associated with the same AP are the same or different.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that, The method further comprises: sending at least one of a first resource number and a second resource number to the terminal: wherein at least one of the first resource number and the second resource number is configured by the network device for the terminal based on a capability of the terminal; wherein the first resource number is a resource number of channel reference resources included in one CSI resource set, and the second resource number is a resource number of channel reference resources included in one CSI resource subset.

18. The method according to any one of claims 15-17, characterized by, The method further comprises: sending at least one of a third resource number and a fourth resource number to the terminal: At least one of the third resource number and the fourth resource number is configured by the network device for the terminal based on a capability of the terminal; the third resource number is a maximum resource number of channel reference resources included in one CSI resource set, and the fourth resource number is a maximum resource number of channel reference resources included in one CSI resource subset.

19. The method according to any one of claims 14-18, characterized by, Each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least one CSI resource configuration.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein, The at least one CSI reporting configuration is associated with a time domain characteristic of the at least one CSI reporting configuration. The at least one CSI reporting configuration includes at least one of the following types: A first type of CSI reporting configuration, a time domain characteristic of the first type of CSI reporting configuration being periodic or semi-persistent; A second type of CSI reporting configuration, a time domain characteristic of the second type of CSI reporting configuration being aperiodic.

21. The method of claim 19 or 20, wherein, Each CSI reporting configuration is associated with one CSI resource configuration, and the one CSI resource configuration includes at least two measurement reference resource sets; or Each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least two CSI resource configurations, and the at least two CSI resource configurations include at least one of the following: A first CSI resource configuration and at least one second CSI resource configuration; wherein the first CSI resource configuration includes at least two channel measurement resource (CMR) sets, and the at least one second CSI resource configuration is used to configure a first interference measurement resource (IMR) set for each CMR set, the first IMR set being an IMR set based on a non-zero power interference measurement resource (NZP-IMR), or the first IMR set being an IMR set based on a zero power interference measurement resource (ZP-IMR); A first CSI resource configuration and at least one third CSI resource configuration; wherein the first CSI resource configuration includes at least two CMR sets, and the at least one third CSI resource configuration is used to configure the at least one candidate AP set as an IMR set based on a NZP-IMR.

22. The method of claim 19 or 20, wherein, Each CSI reporting configuration is associated with one CSI resource configuration, and the one CSI resource configuration includes at least two measurement reference resource subsets; or Each CSI reporting configuration is associated with at least two CSI resource configurations, and the at least two CSI resource configurations include at least one of the following: A fourth CSI resource configuration and at least one fifth CSI resource configuration; wherein the fourth CSI resource configuration includes at least two CMR subsets, and the at least one fifth CSI resource configuration is used to configure a first IMR subset for each CMR subset, the first IMR subset being an IMR subset based on a NZP-IMR, or the first IMR subset being an IMR subset based on a ZP-IMR; A fourth CSI resource configuration and at least one sixth CSI resource configuration; wherein the fourth CSI resource configuration includes at least two CMR subsets, and the at least one sixth CSI resource configuration is used to configure the at least one candidate AP set as an IMR subset based on a NZP-IMR.

23. The method according to any one of claims 14-22, characterized by, The first information comprises at least one of the following: a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state; a physical cell identifier; an AP identifier; an AP set identifier.

24. The method according to any one of claims 14-23, characterized by, The measurement reference signals included in the same CSI resource set are at least one of the following: a synchronization signal block (SSB); a CSI-RS; 25. The method according to any one of claims 14-24, characterized by, a demodulation reference signal (DMRS). The measurement quantities corresponding to the at least one AP set comprise at least one of the following: a layer 1 signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (L1-SINR); a layer 1 reference signal received power (L1-RSRP); 26. The method of any one of claims 14-25, wherein, a block error rate (BLER).

27. A terminal, characterized by The first measurement period configured by the first information is different from a second measurement period, and the first measurement period is smaller than the second measurement period; wherein the first measurement period is a measurement period of the cooperative AP set, and the second measurement period is a measurement period of a candidate AP set. comprise: a transceiver configured to receive first information sent by a network device, the first information being used to configure at least one measurement channel state information (CSI) resource configuration and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one access point (AP) set, and the first information being used for the terminal to update at least one of a cooperative AP set and a cooperation manner, the cooperative AP set being used to provide the terminal with support for cooperative transmission in a distributed network; wherein the at least one AP set comprises at least one of the following: at least one candidate AP set; 28. A network device, comprising: the cooperative AP set. comprise: a transceiver configured to send first information to a terminal, the first information being used to configure at least one measurement channel state information (CSI) resource and / or at least one CSI reporting configuration for at least one access point (AP) set, the first information being used for the terminal to update at least one of a cooperative AP set and cooperation manner, the cooperative AP set being used to provide the terminal with support for cooperative transmission in the distributed network; wherein the at least one AP set comprises at least one of the following: a candidate AP set; 29. A terminal, characterized by the cooperative AP set. comprise: one or more processors; 30. A network device, comprising: wherein the processor is configured to perform the method of any one of claims 1-13. comprise: one or more processors; 31. A communication system, characterized by wherein the processor is configured to perform the communication method of any one of claims 13-26. comprise: a terminal configured to implement the communication method of any one of claims 1-13; 32. A storage medium, the storage medium storing instructions, wherein, a network device configured to implement the communication method of any one of claims 14-26.

33. A computer program product comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the instructions are run on a communication device, the communication device is caused to perform the communication method of any one of claims 1-13 or 14-26. The computer program is executed by a processor to implement the communication method of any one of claims 1-13 or 14-26.

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