Communication method, apparatus, and system

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of communications, and discloses a communication method, an apparatus, and a system. The method comprises: a terminal device receiving reference signals transmitted via a plurality of transmission paths, and obtaining measurement parameters of the reference signals corresponding to the plurality of transmission paths, wherein the reference signals are from a network device; and receiving timing adjustment information of the network device, and on the basis of the timing adjustment information and the measurement parameters of the reference signals corresponding to the plurality of transmission paths, determining the association relationship between the plurality of transmission paths and at least one piece of position information corresponding to the network device. In this way, timing adjustment information is sent to a terminal device by means of a network device, such that the terminal device can determine the association relationship between a plurality of transmission paths and at least one piece of position information on the basis of the timing adjustment information, and thus the determined association relationship is not affected by timing adjustment of the network device, thereby improving the accuracy of the determined association relationship.

Description

A communication method, apparatus and system

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510135893.9, filed on February 6, 2025, entitled "A Communication Method, Apparatus and System", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

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

[0004] Indoor positioning technology has broad application prospects in areas such as shopping mall guidance, underground parking lot navigation, warehousing and logistics, and smart factories. Current positioning technologies include those based on wireless signal measurement, such as those based on wireless signal strength, signal time of arrival (time difference), or signal angle of arrival. Specifically, the terminal device can receive reference signals from multiple anchor points of the network device and measure the time of arrival (time difference) of the reference signals; then, based on the time of arrival (time difference) of the reference signals and the location information of the multiple anchor points, the location of the terminal device can be calculated.

[0005] To reduce the deployment cost and address the issue of insufficient anchor points in multi-anchor positioning, a current approach is multipath-assisted positioning. This method allows the terminal device to treat multipath signals received from both physical and virtual anchor points (such as mirror images of physical anchor points) as line-of-sight (LOS) signals from multiple anchor points, enabling positioning even when the number of physical anchor points is insufficient. A key technical challenge of this approach is the relationship between the transmission path and the anchor points (physical or virtual).

[0006] However, how to accurately determine the relationship between the transmission path and the anchor point still requires further research. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This application provides a communication method, apparatus, and system for improving the accuracy of the correlation between transmission paths and location information (or anchor points).

[0008] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, which can be executed by a first communication device. The "first communication device" in this application can refer to a first communication equipment (e.g., a terminal device), a component within the first communication equipment (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the communication equipment. For example, in the method provided in the first aspect, the first communication device receives reference signals transmitted via multiple transmission paths and obtains measurements of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths, wherein the reference signals originate from a second communication device (e.g., a network device); receives timing adjustment information from the second communication device; and determines, based on the timing adjustment information and the measurements of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths, the association between the multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the second communication device.

[0009] By employing the above method, timing adjustment information is sent from the network device to the terminal device. This allows the terminal device to determine the association between multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the network device based on the timing adjustment information. This ensures that the determined association is unaffected by the timing adjustment of the network device, thus improving the accuracy of the determined association. The at least one location information corresponding to the network device can refer to the location information of at least one anchor point (including real physical anchor points and / or virtual anchor points) of the network device; alternatively, "location information" can be replaced with "anchor point".

[0010] In one possible design, the timing adjustment information is carried as a broadcast message.

[0011] In this way, the network device sends timing adjustment information via broadcast messages, so that all terminal devices within the network device's coverage area can receive the timing adjustment information.

[0012] In one possible design, the measured quantity of the reference signal includes the time of arrival (TOA) of the reference signal.

[0013] In one possible design, the timing adjustment information includes first information, which indicates the timing adjustment time of the second communication device.

[0014] In one possible design, the first information includes: the timestamp corresponding to the timing adjustment time; or, the information of the time unit in which the timing adjustment time is located.

[0015] In one possible design, the time unit is a system frame, and the information of the time unit is an SFN.

[0016] In one possible design, determining the association between the multiple transmission paths and the at least one location information based on the timing adjustment information and the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths includes: determining the association between the M transmission paths and the at least one location information based on the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the M transmission paths; determining the association between the N transmission paths and the at least one location information based on the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the N transmission paths; wherein the arrival time of the reference signals transmitted via the M transmission paths is earlier than the timing adjustment time, and the arrival time of the reference signals transmitted via the N transmission paths is not earlier than the timing adjustment time; M and N are both integers greater than or equal to 1.

[0017] In this way, the terminal device processes the measurements before and after the timing adjustment separately, so that the determined correlation is not affected by the timing adjustment of the network device, which helps to improve the accuracy of the determined correlation.

[0018] In one possible design, the timing adjustment information further includes second information, which indicates the timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time.

[0019] In one possible design, the second information includes: the timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time; or, the cumulative adjustment amount of the second communication device from the reference time to the timing adjustment time.

[0020] In one possible design, the second information also includes information for indicating the reference time.

[0021] In one possible design, determining the association between the multiple transmission paths and the at least one location information based on the timing adjustment information and the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths includes: compensating the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to N transmission paths among the multiple transmission paths based on the timing adjustment amount; determining the association between the multiple transmission paths and the at least one location information based on the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to M transmission paths among the multiple transmission paths and the compensated measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the N transmission paths; wherein the arrival time of the reference signals transmitted via the M transmission paths is earlier than the timing adjustment time, and the arrival time of the reference signals transmitted via the N transmission paths is not earlier than the timing adjustment time; M and N are both integers greater than or equal to 1.

[0022] In this way, the terminal device compensates for the measurement of the reference signal corresponding to the N transmission paths according to the timing adjustment, so that the determined correlation is not affected by the timing adjustment of the network device, which facilitates the improvement of the determination accuracy.

[0023] In one possible design, the method further includes: sending a request message, the request message being used to request the timing adjustment information.

[0024] In this way, network devices can send timing adjustment information based on request information, which helps to reduce the transmission overhead caused by network devices frequently sending timing adjustment information.

[0025] In one possible design, the request information includes information for indicating a first time period; wherein the timing adjustment information includes first information for indicating the timing adjustment time of the second communication device, the timing adjustment time being within the first time period.

[0026] Thus, since the request information includes information indicating the first time period, it facilitates network devices to send timing adjustment information for the first time period in a targeted manner.

[0027] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, which can be executed by a second communication device. The "second communication device" in this application can refer to a second communication equipment (e.g., a network device), a component within the second communication equipment (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the communication equipment. For example, in the method provided in the second aspect, the second communication device transmits a reference signal, which is transmitted via multiple transmission paths; and transmits timing adjustment information of the second communication device, which is used to determine the association between the multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the second communication device.

[0028] In one possible design, the timing adjustment information includes first information, which indicates the timing adjustment time of the second communication device.

[0029] In one possible design, the first information includes: the timestamp corresponding to the timing adjustment time; or, the information of the time unit in which the timing adjustment time is located.

[0030] In one possible design, the timing adjustment information further includes second information, which indicates the timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time.

[0031] In one possible design, the second information includes: the timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time; or, the cumulative adjustment amount of the second communication device from the reference time to the timing adjustment time.

[0032] In one possible design, the method further includes: receiving request information, the request information being used to request the timing adjustment information.

[0033] In one possible design, the request information includes information for indicating a first time period; wherein the timing adjustment information includes first information for indicating the timing adjustment time of the second communication device, the timing adjustment time being within the first time period.

[0034] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, which can be executed by a first communication device. The "first communication device" in this application can refer to a first communication equipment (e.g., a network device), a component within the first communication equipment (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the communication equipment. For example, in the method provided in the first aspect, the first communication device receives reference signals transmitted via multiple transmission paths and obtains measurements of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths, wherein the reference signals originate from a second communication device; receives timing adjustment information from the second communication device; and determines the association between the multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the first communication device based on the timing adjustment information and the measurements of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths.

[0035] By using the above method, the terminal device sends timing adjustment information to the network device, which can determine the association between multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the network device based on the timing adjustment information. This ensures that the determined association is not affected by the timing adjustment of the terminal device, thus improving the accuracy of the determined association.

[0036] In one possible design, the timing adjustment information includes first information, which indicates the timing adjustment time of the second communication device.

[0037] In one possible design, the first information includes: the timestamp corresponding to the timing adjustment time; or, the information of the time unit in which the timing adjustment time is located.

[0038] In one possible design, determining the association between the multiple transmission paths and the at least one location information based on the timing adjustment information and the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths includes: determining the association between the M transmission paths and the at least one location information based on the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the M transmission paths; determining the association between the N transmission paths and the at least one location information based on the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the N transmission paths; wherein the arrival time of the reference signals transmitted via the M transmission paths is earlier than the timing adjustment time, and the arrival time of the reference signals transmitted via the N transmission paths is not earlier than the timing adjustment time; M and N are both integers greater than or equal to 1.

[0039] In one possible design, the timing adjustment information further includes second information, which indicates the timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time.

[0040] In one possible design, the second information includes: the timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time; or, the cumulative adjustment amount of the second communication device from the reference time to the timing adjustment time.

[0041] In one possible design, the second information also includes information for indicating the reference time.

[0042] In one possible design, determining the association between the multiple transmission paths and the at least one location information based on the timing adjustment information and the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths includes: compensating the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to N transmission paths among the multiple transmission paths based on the timing adjustment amount; determining the association between the multiple transmission paths and the at least one location information based on the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to M transmission paths among the multiple transmission paths and the compensated measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the N transmission paths; wherein the arrival time of the reference signals transmitted via the M transmission paths is earlier than the timing adjustment time, and the arrival time of the reference signals transmitted via the N transmission paths is not earlier than the timing adjustment time; M and N are both integers greater than or equal to 1.

[0043] In one possible design, the method further includes: sending a request message, the request message being used to request the timing adjustment information.

[0044] In one possible design, the request information includes information for indicating a first time period; wherein the timing adjustment information includes first information for indicating the timing adjustment time of the second communication device, the timing adjustment time being within the first time period.

[0045] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, which can be executed by a second communication device. The "second communication device" in this application can refer to a second communication equipment (e.g., a terminal device), a component within the second communication equipment (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the communication equipment. For example, in the method provided in the second aspect, the second communication device sends a reference signal, which is transmitted via multiple transmission paths; and sends timing adjustment information of the second communication device, which is used to determine the association between the multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the first communication device.

[0046] In one possible design, the timing adjustment information includes first information, which indicates the timing adjustment time of the second communication device.

[0047] In one possible design, the first information includes: the timestamp corresponding to the timing adjustment time; or, the information of the time unit in which the timing adjustment time is located.

[0048] In one possible design, the timing adjustment information further includes second information, which indicates the timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time.

[0049] In one possible design, the second information includes: the timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time; or, the cumulative adjustment amount of the second communication device from the reference time to the timing adjustment time.

[0050] In one possible design, the method further includes: receiving request information, the request information being used to request the timing adjustment information.

[0051] In one possible design, the request information includes information for indicating a first time period; wherein the timing adjustment information includes first information for indicating the timing adjustment time of the second communication device, the timing adjustment time being within the first time period.

[0052] It is understood that the communication methods provided in the second to fourth aspects correspond to the communication methods provided in the first aspect, and the beneficial effects of the relevant technical features in the second to fourth aspects can be referred to the description in the first aspect.

[0053] Fifthly, this application provides a communication device that has the functions involved in any of the first to fourth aspects. For example, the communication device includes a module, unit, or means corresponding to the operation involved in any of the first to fourth aspects. The function, unit, or means can be implemented by software, or by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software.

[0054] In one possible design, the communication device includes a processing unit and a communication unit. The communication unit can be used to transmit and receive signals to enable communication between the communication device and other devices. The processing unit can be used to perform some internal operations of the communication device. The functions performed by the processing unit and the communication unit can correspond to the operations involved in any of the first to fourth aspects described above.

[0055] In one possible design, the communication device includes a processor that can be coupled to a memory. The memory can store necessary computer programs or instructions for implementing the functions involved in any of the first to fourth aspects described above. The processor can execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, causing the communication device to implement the methods in any of the possible designs or implementations of the first to fourth aspects described above when the computer programs or instructions are executed.

[0056] In one possible design, the communication device includes a processor and a memory, the memory of which may store necessary computer programs or instructions for implementing the functions involved in any of the first to fourth aspects described above. The processor may execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, and when the computer programs or instructions are executed, cause the communication device to implement the methods in any of the possible designs or implementations of the first to fourth aspects described above.

[0057] In one possible design, the communication device includes a processor and an interface circuit, wherein the processor is used to communicate with other devices through the interface circuit and to execute the methods in any possible design or implementation of the first to fourth aspects described above.

[0058] Understandably, in the fifth aspect above, the processor can be implemented in hardware or software. When implemented in hardware, the processor can be a logic circuit, integrated circuit, etc.; when implemented in software, the processor can be a general-purpose processor that reads software code stored in memory. Furthermore, there can be one or more processors, and one or more memories. The memory can be integrated with the processor, or the memory and processor can be separate. In specific implementations, the memory can be integrated with the processor on the same chip, or it can be set on different chips. This application does not limit the type of memory or the arrangement of the memory and processor.

[0059] Sixthly, this application provides a communication system that may include a first communication device and a second communication device; wherein the first communication device is used to perform the method described in the first aspect, and the second communication device is used to perform the method described in the second aspect; or, the first communication device is used to perform the method described in the third aspect, and the second communication device is used to perform the method described in the fourth aspect.

[0060] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program (or computer-readable instructions) in which, when a computer reads and executes some or all of the computer-readable instructions, the method in any of the possible designs in the first to fourth aspects described above is executed.

[0061] For example, a computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access. This includes, but is not limited to, non-transient computer-readable media, random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, magnetic disk storage media, or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer.

[0062] Eighthly, this application provides a computer program product that, when read and executed by a computer, causes any of the possible designs in the first to fourth aspects to be executed.

[0063] Ninthly, this application provides a chip (or chip system) including a processor coupled to a memory storing a computer program; the processor is configured to invoke part or all of the computer program in the memory, such that any of the possible designs in the first to fourth aspects described above are executed. Attached Figure Description

[0064] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application;

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

[0066] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of real physical anchor points and virtual anchor points;

[0067] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between the transmission path and the anchor point based on the movement of the terminal device.

[0068] Figure 5 is a flowchart corresponding to the communication method provided in Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0069] Figure 6 is a flowchart of the communication method provided in Embodiment 2 of this application;

[0070] Figure 7 is a possible exemplary block diagram of the device involved in the embodiments of this application;

[0071] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0072] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This application will focus on various aspects, embodiments, or features of a system that may include multiple devices, components, modules, etc. It should be understood and appreciated that each system may include additional devices, components, modules, etc., and / or may not include all the devices, components, modules, etc. discussed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, combinations of these solutions may also be used.

[0073] In the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplarily" and "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design scheme described as an "example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of the term "example" is intended to present concepts in a concrete manner. In the embodiments of this application, "of," "corresponding, relevant," and "corresponding" may sometimes be used interchangeably, and it should be noted that their intended meanings are consistent unless their distinction is emphasized.

[0074] The technical solutions of this application can be applied to various wireless communication systems, such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), short-range wireless communication systems (such as sidelink, wireless fidelity, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.), wired networks, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, device-to-device (D2D) communication systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, 4th generation (4G) mobile communication systems (such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems), LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) systems, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD) systems, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) communication systems, 5th generation (5G) mobile communication systems (such as New Radio (NR) systems), Future Communications systems, or other similar communication systems, without limitation. This application describes the communication system shown in Figure 1 as an example. When applying the technical solution of this application to other communication systems, the devices, components, modules, etc. in the embodiment can be replaced with corresponding devices, components, modules in other communication systems without limitation.

[0075] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system applied in the embodiments of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system includes at least one network device, as shown in Figure 1 (110a and 110b), and may also include at least one terminal device, as shown in Figure 1 (120a-120j). Specifically, 110a is a base station, 110b is a micro-station, 120a, 120e, 120f, and 120j are mobile phones, 120b is a car, 120c is a fuel dispenser, 120d is a home access point (HAP) deployed indoors or outdoors, 120g is a laptop computer, 120h is a printer, and 120i is a drone. The same terminal device or network device can provide different functions in different application scenarios. For example, the mobile phones in Figure 1 are 120a, 120e, 120f and 120j. Mobile phone 120a can access base station 110a, connect to car 120b, communicate directly with mobile phone 120e and access HAP. Car 120b can access HAP and communicate directly with mobile phone 120a. Mobile phone 120f can access micro-station 110b, connect to laptop 120g and printer 120h. Mobile phone 120j can control drone 120i.

[0076] (1) Network equipment

[0077] A network device is a network-side device with wireless transceiver capabilities. A network device can be a device in a radio access network (RAN) that provides wireless communication capabilities to terminal devices; this is called RAN equipment. The RAN can be an access network within the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 4G, 5G, or future networks. The RAN can also be an open RAN (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a communication network combining two or more of these.

[0078] RAN equipment can also be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a roadside unit (RSU), a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in a 5G mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system, etc.

[0079] RAN equipment can also be modules or units that perform some of the functions of a base station. For example, it can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). The CU performs the functions of the radio resource control (RRC) and PDCP protocols of the base station, and can also perform the functions of the service data adaptation protocol (SDAP). The CU can be further divided into a CU control plane (CP) (i.e., CU-CP) and a CU user plane (UP) (i.e., CU-UP). The DU performs the functions of the RLC and MA layers of the base station, and can also perform some or all of the physical layer functions. For specific descriptions of the above protocol layers, please refer to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications. CU and DU can be set up separately, or they can be included in the same network element, such as in a baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH). In different systems, CU, DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, and RU can also be called O-RU. Any of the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU units in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. The RA device can be a macro base station (as shown in Figure 1, 110a), a micro base station or an indoor station (as shown in Figure 1, 110b), or a relay node or donor node, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or specific device form used in the network equipment.

[0080] (2) Terminal equipment

[0081] A terminal device is a user-side device with wireless transceiver capabilities. Terminal devices can also be called terminals, user equipment (UE), mobile stations, mobile terminals, etc. Terminal devices can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, intelligent transportation, smart cities, etc. Terminal devices can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. In the embodiments of this application, the device used to implement the functions of the terminal device can be the terminal device itself, or it can be a device that supports the terminal device in implementing that function, such as a chip system or a combination of devices or components that can implement the functions of the terminal device. This device can be installed in the terminal device. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or specific device form used in the terminal device.

[0082] Network devices and terminal devices can be fixed in location or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can also be deployed in the air on airplanes, balloons, and artificial satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the network devices and terminal devices.

[0083] The roles of network devices and terminal devices can be relative. For example, the helicopter or drone 120i in Figure 1 can be configured as a mobile network device. For terminal devices 120j that access the wireless access network 100 via 120i, terminal device 120i is a network device; however, for network device 110a, 120i is a terminal device. That is, 110a and 120i communicate via a wireless air interface protocol. Of course, 110a and 120i can also communicate via a network device-to-network device interface protocol. In this case, relative to 110a, 120i is also a network device. Therefore, both network devices and terminal devices can be collectively referred to as communication devices. 110a and 110b in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with network device functions, and 120a-120j in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with terminal device functions.

[0084] Network devices and terminal devices, network devices and network devices, and terminal devices and terminal devices can communicate through licensed spectrum, unlicensed spectrum, or both licensed and unlicensed spectrum simultaneously; there are no specific limitations.

[0085] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can be applied to various possible scenarios, such as positioning scenarios, sensing scenarios, lateral positioning scenarios, or lateral sensing scenarios. Taking the positioning scenario as an example, the technical solutions of this application embodiment can be applied to indoor positioning scenarios, such as the positioning of indoor robots. Taking the application of the technical solutions of this application embodiment to the positioning scenario as an example, the terminal device can be a device to be positioned or a node to be positioned. Optionally, the communication system also includes a positioning service node, which can initiate a positioning process according to the request of the terminal device, and locate the terminal device according to the positioning information reported by the terminal device and the network device. The positioning service node can be a positioning server, or it can be a location management function (LMF) network element.

[0086] The network architecture and business scenarios described in this application are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0087] The following explanations address the relevant terms used in the embodiments of this application. These explanations are intended to make the embodiments of this application easier to understand and should not be construed as strict limitations on the terms within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0088] (1) Reference signal

[0089] The reference signal in this application embodiment can be a downlink reference signal, such as a synchronization signal / physical broadcast channel block (SSB), a demodulation reference signal (DMRS), a channel status information reference signal (CSI-RS), a positioning reference signal (PRS), etc.

[0090] Alternatively, the reference signal in the embodiments of this application can also be an uplink reference signal, such as a sounding reference signal (SRS).

[0091] (2) Anchor point

[0092] In this application's embodiments, an anchor point can refer to a node or device deployed within a specific positioning service area, whose location is known, and capable of transmitting and receiving wireless signals for positioning measurement. For example, an anchor point can refer to a network device's transmission reception point (TRP), a radio frequency remote unit, or a radio frequency remote antenna, etc.

[0093] (3) Transmission path

[0094] In this application's embodiments, the transmission path refers to the path that the signal travels during transmission or propagation. In a wireless propagation environment, signals encounter various obstacles, such as buildings, mountains, and trees. When the signal propagates to these obstacles, phenomena such as reflection, refraction, and scattering occur, causing the signal to propagate to the receiving end along different paths.

[0095] (4) Positioning technology

[0096] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard supports various positioning technologies, including Time of Arrival (TOA) positioning and Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) positioning. TOA positioning determines the distance between a terminal device and network devices by measuring the time difference between a signal transmitted by a network device and the signal received by the terminal device. TDOA positioning determines the location of a terminal device by measuring the transmission delay difference between the terminal device and multiple network devices. Depending on the measurement object, TDOA positioning includes downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning technology and uplink time difference of arrival (UL-TDOA) positioning technology.

[0097] The following uses DL-TDOA as an example, combined with Figure 2, to illustrate the process of estimating the location of the terminal device. As shown in Figure 2, there are three anchor points: anchor point 1, anchor point 2, and anchor point 3. The coordinates of anchor point 1 are known to be (x1, y1), anchor point 2 to be (x2, y2), and anchor point 3 to be (x3, y3). Assume the coordinates of the terminal device to be located are (x1, y1), (x2, y2), and (x3, y3). UE ,y UE ), where x UE and y UE This is an unknown quantity. Using anchor point 1 as a reference anchor point, the terminal device can measure the arrival time difference Δt between the reference signal at anchor point 2 and the reference signal at anchor point 1. 21 And the arrival time difference Δt between the reference signal of anchor point 3 and the reference signal of anchor point 1. 31 According to the definition of a hyperbola (i.e., the distance difference between the device and two fixed points is constant), the terminal device is located on a hyperbola with anchor points 1 and 2 as foci, so we get equation (1). The terminal device is located on a hyperbola with anchor points 1 and 3 as foci, so we get equation (2).

[0098] Where c is the speed of light, there are only two unknowns to be solved, x. UE and y UE By combining equations (1) and (2), the location coordinates of the terminal device can be calculated. In other words, the terminal device knows which anchor point the received reference signal comes from, and knows the coordinates of each anchor point, so the location of the terminal device can be calculated.

[0099] (5) Timed adjustment

[0100] In this embodiment, the network devices can perform timing adjustments. For example, in a communication system comprising multiple network devices, different network devices may need to transmit data on specific time and frequency resources. Precise timing adjustments enable network devices to accurately send and receive signals within the allocated spectrum resources, avoiding waste of spectrum resources or signal overlap due to timing deviations. There are various ways to achieve timing synchronization between network devices, such as synchronization based on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) (some base stations can synchronize with GNSS to ensure their own clock synchronization), or synchronization based on inter-station sequence detection (e.g., multiple small stations synchronizing with a main base station). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the terminal devices can also perform timing adjustments.

[0101] As described above regarding positioning technologies, the positioning scenario shown in Figure 2 involves three anchor points sending reference signals to the terminal device to achieve positioning; that is, all three anchor points need to participate in the positioning process simultaneously. However, in some cases, there may be an insufficient number of anchor points, such as fewer than three, which would prevent the above method from being used to locate the terminal device.

[0102] One solution to this problem is multipath-assisted localization (LOS). For example, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) can be based on multipath-assisted localization. Specifically, in SLAM, the terminal device can treat multipath signals received from real physical anchors and virtual anchors (such as mirrored anchors of real physical anchors) as LOS signals from multiple anchors, thereby enabling localization of the terminal device even when the number of real physical anchors is insufficient.

[0103] Referring to Figure 3, assume the location service area includes two physical anchor points, namely anchor point 1 and anchor point 2. Anchor point 1 and anchor point 2 can each send reference signals to the terminal device. Since the propagation of the reference signals encounters reflections, refractions, and scattering from various obstacles, the reference signal sent by anchor point 1 may reach the terminal device via transmission paths ① and ②, while the reference signal sent by anchor point 2 may reach the terminal device via transmission paths ③ and ④. Transmission path ① is the LOS path of anchor point 1, while transmission path ② can be considered the LOS path of anchor point 1', and anchor point 1' is a mirror image of anchor point 1; transmission path ③ is the LOS path of anchor point 1, while transmission path ④ can be considered the LOS path of anchor point 2', and anchor point 2' is a mirror image of anchor point 2. Thus, the terminal device can be located based on three anchor points: anchor point 1, anchor point 1', anchor point 2, and anchor point 2'.

[0104] Furthermore, a key technical issue in SLAM localization is the association between the transmission path and the anchor point (real physical anchor point or virtual anchor point), that is, distinguishing which anchor point the reference signal received from different transmission paths originates from. A common approach is to leverage the mobility of the terminal device to track the measurement of the reference signal over a time sequence, and then determine the association between the transmission path and the anchor point based on algorithms such as joint probability filtering and belief propagation.

[0105] Specifically, during its movement, the terminal device can continuously collect measurements of reference signals from different anchor points (including real physical anchor points and virtual anchor points), such as arrival time. These measurements will exhibit certain characteristics and patterns in a time series as the terminal device moves. Referring to Figure 4, when the terminal device is at position 1, it can receive reference signals via transmission paths ① and ②, and obtain the measurements of the reference signals corresponding to transmission paths ① and ②. When the terminal device moves from position 1 to position 2, it can receive reference signals via transmission paths ⑤ and ⑥, and obtain the measurements of the reference signals corresponding to transmission paths ⑤ and ⑥. In this case, based on the measurements of the reference signals corresponding to transmission paths ①, ②, ⑤, and ⑥, using algorithms such as joint probability filtering and belief propagation, it can be determined that transmission paths ① and ⑤ are associated with the same anchor point, and transmission paths ② and ⑥ are associated with the same anchor point.

[0106] However, because network devices perform timing adjustments, this affects the measurement of the reference signal, leading to inaccuracies in the correlation between the transmission path and the anchor point determined using the above method. Continuing with the example in Figure 4, assuming the reference signal measurement includes arrival time, without network device timing adjustments, the measurement of the reference signal corresponding to transmission path ① is arrival time 1, and the measurement of the reference signal corresponding to transmission path ⑤ is arrival time 2. Arrival time 2 and arrival time 1 satisfy certain characteristics and patterns. Therefore, using algorithms such as joint probability filtering and belief propagation, it can be determined that transmission path ① and transmission path ⑤ are associated with the same anchor point. If the network device performs timing adjustments during the terminal device's movement from position 1 to position 2, for example, shifting the network device's time backward by x, the time at which the network device sends the reference signal will also shift backward by x. Then, when the terminal device is at position 2, because the network device's time for sending the reference signal is shifted backward by x, the arrival time of the reference signal obtained by the terminal device for transmission path ⑤ will also be shifted backward by x (i.e., arrival time 2 + x). In this case, based on arrival time 1 and arrival time 2+x, using algorithms such as joint probability filtering and confidence propagation may determine that transmission path ① and transmission path ⑤ are associated with different anchor points, that is, the relationship between the determined transmission path and the anchor point is inaccurate.

[0107] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, apparatus, and system for improving the accuracy of the association between transmission paths and anchor points.

[0108] The communication method provided in this application will be described below with reference to Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. The communication method provided in this application involves a first communication device and a second communication device. The first communication device is a first communication equipment or a component within the first communication equipment, such as a processor, chip (e.g., baseband chip), or chip system disposed within the first communication equipment; the second communication device is a second communication equipment or a component within the second communication equipment, such as a processor, chip, or chip system disposed within the second communication equipment. For example, the first communication device may be a terminal device, and the second communication device may be a network device; or the first communication device may be a network device, and the second communication device may be a terminal device.

[0109] In this embodiment, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. "Send" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receive" can be understood as the "input" of the chip interface. In other words, "send" or "receive" can occur between devices, such as between a network device and a terminal device via an air interface. "Send" or "receive" can also occur within a device, such as between components, modules, chips, software modules, or hardware modules within the device via a bus, wiring, or interface.

[0110] Example 1

[0111] In Embodiment 1, the first communication device will be used as the terminal device and the second communication device will be used as the network device for the description.

[0112] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in Embodiment 1 of this application. As shown in Figure 5, the process may include:

[0113] S501, the network device sends a reference signal; correspondingly, the terminal device receives the reference signal transmitted through multiple transmission paths and obtains the measurement quantity of the reference signal corresponding to the multiple transmission paths.

[0114] The reference signal is a downlink reference signal. The measurement of the reference signal may include the arrival time of the reference signal, and optionally, may also include other possible information, which is not specifically limited.

[0115] For example, the aforementioned reference signal can refer to multiple reference signals, which are transmitted at different times; that is, the multiple reference signals constitute a time-series reference signal. For instance, if a network device periodically transmits reference signals, then the multiple reference signals include reference signals transmitted by the network device within multiple periods. Furthermore, the network device can transmit reference signals through one or more physical anchor points, and each physical anchor point can have one or more mirror anchor points.

[0116] For example, multiple reference signals include reference signal 1 and reference signal 2, and the actual physical anchor point of the network device includes anchor point 1. The network device first sends reference signal 1 through anchor point 1; reference signal 1 is transmitted to the terminal device via at least one transmission path, that is, the terminal device receives reference signal 1 transmitted via at least one transmission path. Then, the network device sends reference signal 2 through anchor point 2; reference signal 2 is transmitted to the terminal device via at least one transmission path, that is, the terminal device receives reference signal 2 transmitted via at least one transmission path. The aforementioned multiple transmission paths include at least one transmission path for reference signal 1 and at least one transmission path for reference signal 2.

[0117] S502, the network device sends timing adjustment information; correspondingly, the terminal device receives the timing adjustment information.

[0118] For example, the timed adjustment information can be carried in a broadcast message, a system message, or other possible messages, without any specific limitation.

[0119] For example, network devices can proactively send timed adjustment information, such as sending timed adjustment information periodically, or sending timed adjustment information after each timed adjustment.

[0120] Alternatively, network devices can send timing adjustment information based on requests from terminal devices, thus reducing transmission overhead caused by frequent sending of timing adjustment information by network devices. For example, prior to S502, the terminal device sends a request message to the network device, which requests timing adjustment information; subsequently, in S502, in response to the request message, the network device sends timing adjustment information. The request message can carry various possible messages, such as a location assistance information request message.

[0121] The following section introduces the timing adjustment information in conjunction with implementation methods 1 and 2.

[0122] (1) Implementation method 1

[0123] The timed adjustment information includes first information, which indicates the timed adjustment period for the network device.

[0124] In one example, the first information indicates the timing adjustment time as the most recent timing adjustment time of the network device, such as timing adjustment time 'a'. For instance, the first information includes the timestamp corresponding to timing adjustment time 'a', which can be a Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) timestamp. Another example is that the first information includes information about the time unit in which timing adjustment time 'a' belongs. This time unit can be a system frame, a subframe, or a time slot, etc. Taking a system frame as an example, the information of the time unit can be the system frame number (SFN).

[0125] Optionally, the timing adjustment time indicated by the first information includes the timing adjustment time of the network device in the most recent K times, where K is an integer greater than 1, and the value of K can be pre-configured or pre-defined.

[0126] In another example, the timing adjustment time indicated by the first information is the timing adjustment time of the network device within the first time period. For instance, if the network device performs one timing adjustment within the first time period, then the timing adjustment time indicated by the first information is the timing adjustment time corresponding to that single timing adjustment. Or, if the network device performs multiple timing adjustments within the first time period, then the timing adjustment time indicated by the first information includes the timing adjustment times corresponding to each of those multiple adjustments.

[0127] For example, if a network device performs two timed adjustments within a first time period, with the first adjustment corresponding to adjustment time b1 and the second adjustment corresponding to adjustment time b2, then the timed adjustment time indicated by the first information includes both adjustment time b1 and adjustment time b2. In this case, the first information includes the timestamps corresponding to adjustment time b1 and adjustment time b2; or, the first information includes information about the time unit containing adjustment time b1 and the time unit containing adjustment time b2.

[0128] For example, the first time period is a period of time before the network device sends the timing adjustment information, and the first time period may include one or more time units. The first time period may be pre-configured or predefined; or, the first time period may be requested by the terminal device, such as the request information including information for indicating the first time period, such as at least one of the start time, length, and end time of the first time period.

[0129] (2) Implementation Method 2

[0130] The timing adjustment information includes first information and second information. The first information is described in the implementation method 1. The second information is used to indicate the timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time.

[0131] In one example, the first information indicates the timing adjustment time as the most recent timing adjustment time of the network device, such as timing adjustment time 'a'. The second information includes the timing adjustment amount corresponding to timing adjustment time 'a', which can be a forward offset of x time units (such as milliseconds or nanoseconds), represented as -x, or a backward offset of x time units, represented as +x.

[0132] Alternatively, the second piece of information includes the cumulative adjustment amount of the network device from the reference time to the timing adjustment time 'a', such as the cumulative forward or backward offset of 'y' time units (which can be represented as -y or +y). The terminal device can then determine the timing adjustment amount corresponding to timing adjustment time 'a' based on this cumulative adjustment amount. For example, after each timing adjustment, the network device sends the cumulative adjustment amount from the reference time to the current timing adjustment time to the terminal device. Assuming the most recent timing adjustment time before timing adjustment time 'a' is timing adjustment time 'c', the terminal device can subtract the cumulative adjustment amount from the reference time to timing adjustment time 'a' from the cumulative adjustment amount from the reference time to timing adjustment time 'a' to obtain the timing adjustment amount corresponding to timing adjustment time 'a'.

[0133] The reference time can be pre-configured or pre-defined; or the reference time can be indicated by the network device to the terminal device, such as the second information also including information for indicating the reference time.

[0134] In another example, the first information indicates the timing adjustment time as the timing adjustment time of the network device within a first time period, such as timing adjustment time b1 and timing adjustment time b2. The second information includes the timing adjustment amount corresponding to timing adjustment time b1 and the timing adjustment amount corresponding to timing adjustment b2; or, the second information includes the cumulative adjustment amount of the network device from the reference time to timing adjustment time b1 and the cumulative adjustment amount of the network device from the reference time to timing adjustment time b2.

[0135] S503, the terminal device determines the association between the multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the network device based on the timing adjustment information and the measured quantities of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths.

[0136] For example, at least one location information corresponding to a network device can refer to the location information of at least one anchor point of the network device, where at least one anchor point includes a real physical anchor point and / or a virtual physical anchor point. Furthermore, at least one location information corresponds one-to-one with at least one anchor point; "location information" can be replaced with "anchor point." For instance, "determining the association between multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to a network device" can be replaced with "determining the association between multiple transmission paths and at least one anchor point of the network device."

[0137] For example, regarding implementation method 1 or implementation method 2 above, the terminal device can determine the association relationship between the M transmission paths and the at least one location information based on the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the M transmission paths. For instance, it can be determined that transmission path 1 and transmission path 2 are associated with the same location information, and transmission path 3, transmission path 4, and transmission path 5 are associated with the same location information. Furthermore, the terminal device can determine the association relationship between the N transmission paths and the at least one location information based on the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the N transmission paths. Wherein, the arrival time of the reference signal transmitted via the M transmission paths is earlier than the timing adjustment time (e.g., timing adjustment time a), and the arrival time of the reference signal transmitted via the N transmission paths is not earlier than the timing adjustment time, and is not earlier than, but includes, later than, or equal to; M and N are both integers greater than or equal to 1.

[0138] In this way, the terminal device processes the measurements before and after the timing adjustment separately, so that the determined correlation is not affected by the timing adjustment of the network device, which helps to improve the accuracy of the determined correlation.

[0139] Regarding the above implementation method 2, the terminal device can compensate (e.g., +x) the measurement of the reference signal corresponding to N transmission paths in the multiple transmission paths according to the timing adjustment amount; then, based on the measurement of the reference signal corresponding to M transmission paths in the multiple transmission paths and the measurement of the reference signal corresponding to the compensated N transmission paths, the association relationship between the multiple transmission paths and at least one location information can be determined.

[0140] Alternatively, the terminal device can compensate (e.g., -x) the measurement quantities of reference signals corresponding to M transmission paths out of the multiple transmission paths based on the timing adjustment amount; then, based on the measurement quantities of reference signals corresponding to N transmission paths out of the multiple transmission paths and the measurement quantities of reference signals corresponding to the compensated M transmission paths, the association relationship between the multiple transmission paths and at least one location information can be determined.

[0141] In this way, the terminal device compensates for the measurement of the reference signal corresponding to M transmission paths or the measurement of the reference signal corresponding to N transmission paths according to the timing adjustment, so that the determined correlation is not affected by the timing adjustment of the network device, which facilitates the improvement of the accuracy of the determined correlation.

[0142] Optionally, after the terminal device determines the association relationship, the terminal device can be located based on the association relationship, and the specific implementation is not limited.

[0143] By using the above method, timing adjustment information is sent from the network device to the terminal device, so that the terminal device can determine the association relationship between multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the network device (or the association relationship between multiple transmission paths and at least one anchor point) based on the timing adjustment information. This ensures that the determined association relationship is not affected by the timing adjustment of the network device, thus improving the accuracy of the determined association relationship.

[0144] Example 2

[0145] In Embodiment 2, the first communication device will be used as a network device and the second communication device will be used as a terminal device for the description.

[0146] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in Embodiment 2 of this application. As shown in Figure 6, the process may include:

[0147] S601, the terminal device sends a reference signal; correspondingly, the network device receives the reference signal transmitted through multiple transmission paths and obtains the measurement quantity of the reference signal corresponding to the multiple transmission paths.

[0148] The reference signal is an uplink reference signal. The measurement of the reference signal may include the arrival time of the reference signal, and optionally, may also include other possible information, which is not specifically limited.

[0149] For example, the aforementioned reference signal can refer to multiple reference signals, which are transmitted at different times; that is, the multiple reference signals constitute a time-series reference signal. For instance, if a terminal device periodically transmits reference signals, then the multiple reference signals include reference signals transmitted by the terminal device within multiple periods. Furthermore, the network device can receive reference signals through one or more anchor points (including real physical anchor points and / or virtual anchor points), and each real physical anchor point can have one or more mirror anchor points.

[0150] For example, multiple reference signals include reference signal 1 and reference signal 2. The terminal device first sends reference signal 1, which is transmitted to the network device via at least one transmission path; that is, the network device receives reference signal 1 transmitted via at least one transmission path. Then, the terminal device sends reference signal 2, which is transmitted to the network device via at least one transmission path; that is, the network device receives reference signal 2 transmitted via at least one transmission path. These multiple transmission paths include at least one transmission path for reference signal 1 and at least one transmission path for reference signal 2.

[0151] S602, the terminal device sends timing adjustment information; correspondingly, the network device receives the timing adjustment information.

[0152] For example, the timed adjustment information can be carried in a location assistance information message or other possible messages, without any specific limitation.

[0153] For example, the terminal device can proactively send timing adjustment information, such as sending it periodically or after each timing adjustment. Alternatively, the terminal device can also send timing adjustment information based on a request from the network device, thus reducing the transmission overhead caused by the terminal device frequently sending timing adjustment information.

[0154] For example, the timing adjustment information includes first information, which indicates the timing adjustment time of the terminal device. Alternatively, the timing adjustment information includes first information and second information, whereby the second information indicates the timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time. For details, please refer to the description in Embodiment 1, which will not be repeated here.

[0155] S603, the network device determines the association between the multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the network device based on the timing adjustment information and the measured quantities of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths.

[0156] For example, the specific implementation of determining the association relationship by the network device can be referred to the description of S503 in Embodiment 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0157] Optionally, after the network devices determine the association, they can locate the terminal devices based on the association, and the specific implementation is not limited.

[0158] By using the above method, the terminal device sends timing adjustment information to the network device, which enables the network device to determine the association between multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the network device (or the association between multiple transmission paths and at least one anchor point) based on the timing adjustment information. This ensures that the determined association is not affected by the timing adjustment of the terminal device, thus improving the accuracy of the determined association.

[0159] Regarding the above embodiments, it is understood that:

[0160] (1) In this application, “predefined” usually refers to information that is defined by the standard, does not require configuration by other devices, and is recorded / written in advance in the hardware and / or software of the terminal device or network device itself, or can be understood as information that cannot be changed by the network device or terminal device.

[0161] In this application, "pre-configuration" can refer to the server sending relevant information to network devices or terminal devices; alternatively, it can refer to defining the relevant information and pre-writing it into the network devices or terminal devices. This application does not limit the specific method used. Furthermore, the relevant information can be changed or updated.

[0162] (2) In the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in the event of a logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions in different embodiments or different examples or implementations are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features in different examples or implementations of different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships. In addition, different implementations or different examples can be referenced or referred to by each other.

[0163] (3) The various numerical designations used in this application are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. The step numbers in the above flowcharts are only examples of the execution process and do not constitute a restriction on the order of execution of the steps. That is, the size of each step number does not imply the order of execution, and the execution order of each step should be determined by its function and internal logic. In addition, not all steps shown in the flowcharts are mandatory steps, and some steps can be added or deleted based on actual needs.

[0164] The above mainly describes the solution provided by the embodiments of this application from the perspective of the interaction between the first communication device and the second communication device. It is understood that, in order to achieve the above functions, the first communication device and the second communication device may include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, in conjunction with the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0165] In this application embodiment, the first communication device and the second communication device can be divided into functional units according to the above method example. For example, each function can be divided into a separate functional unit, or two or more functions can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0166] In the case of using integrated units, FIG7 shows a possible exemplary block diagram of the device involved in the embodiments of this application. As shown in FIG7, the device 700 may include a processing unit 702 and a communication unit 703. The processing unit 702 is used to control and manage the operation of the device 700. The communication unit 703 is used to support communication between the device 700 and other devices. Optionally, the communication unit 703 is also called a transceiver unit, and may include a receiving unit and / or a sending unit, respectively used to perform receiving and sending operations. The device 700 may also include a storage unit 701 for storing the program code and / or data of the device 700.

[0167] (1) The device 700 can be the first communication device in the above embodiments. The processing unit 702 can support the device 700 in performing the actions of the first communication device in the above method embodiments. Alternatively, the processing unit 702 mainly performs the internal actions of the first communication device in the method embodiments, and the communication unit 703 can support communication between the device 700 and other devices.

[0168] For example, in one embodiment, the communication unit 703 is configured to: receive reference signals transmitted via multiple transmission paths; the processing unit 702 is configured to: obtain measurement quantities of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths, the reference signals originating from a second communication device (such as a network device); the communication unit 703 is further configured to: receive timing adjustment information from the second communication device; the processing unit 702 is further configured to: determine the association relationship between the multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the second communication device based on the timing adjustment information and the measurement quantities of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths.

[0169] Other further technical features can be found in the descriptions in the above method embodiments.

[0170] (2) The device 700 can be the second communication device in the above embodiments. The processing unit 702 can support the device 700 in performing the actions of the second communication device in the above method embodiments. Alternatively, the processing unit 702 mainly performs the internal actions of the second communication device in the method embodiments, and the communication unit 703 can support communication between the device 700 and other devices.

[0171] For example, in one embodiment, the communication unit 703 is used to: send a reference signal, the reference signal being transmitted via multiple transmission paths; and send timing adjustment information of the second communication device, the timing adjustment information being used to determine the association between the multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the second communication device.

[0172] Other further technical features can be found in the descriptions in the above method embodiments.

[0173] It should be understood that the division of units in the above device is merely 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, all units in the device can be implemented entirely through software calls from processing elements; all units can be implemented entirely in hardware; or some units can be implemented through software calls from processing elements, while others are implemented in hardware. For example, each unit can be a separate processing element, or it can be integrated into a chip within the device. Alternatively, it can be stored as a program in memory, called and executed by a processing element of the device. Moreover, these units can be fully or partially integrated together, or implemented independently. The processing element here can also be called a processor, which can be an integrated circuit with signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, the operations or units described above can be implemented through integrated logic circuits in the processor element or through software calls from processing elements.

[0174] In one example, a unit in any of the above devices can be one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the methods described above, such as one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), or one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or a combination of at least two of these forms of integrated circuits. As another example, when a unit in the device can be implemented in the form of a processing element scheduler, the processing element can be a processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU), or other processor capable of calling programs. Furthermore, these units can be integrated together to implement a system-on-chip (SoC).

[0175] The receiving unit described above is an interface circuit of the device, used to receive signals from other devices. For example, when the device is implemented as a chip, the receiving unit is an interface circuit for the chip to receive signals from other chips or devices. The transmitting unit described above is an interface circuit of the device, used to transmit signals to other devices. For example, when the device is implemented as a chip, the transmitting unit is an interface circuit for the chip to transmit signals to other chips or devices.

[0176] Based on the above embodiments, this application also provides a communication device. Referring to FIG8, the communication device 800 may include one or more processors 801. Optionally, the communication device 800 may further include a memory 802, which may be disposed inside or outside the communication device 800. It is understood that FIG8 only shows the main components of the communication device, and the communication device may further include a transceiver (not shown in the figure).

[0177] Specifically, processor 801 can be a CPU, a network processor (NP), or a combination of a CPU and an NP. Processor 801 may further include a hardware chip. The aforementioned hardware chip can be an ASIC, a programmable logic device (PLD), or a combination thereof. The aforementioned PLD can be a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), an FPGA, generic array logic (GAL), or any combination thereof.

[0178] The processor 801 and memory 802 are interconnected. Optionally, the processor 801 and memory 802 are interconnected via bus 803; bus 803 can be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus or an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Buses can be categorized as address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is used in Figure 8, but this does not indicate that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0179] In one alternative implementation, memory 802 is used to store programs, etc. Specifically, the program may include program code, which includes computer operation instructions. Memory 802 may include RAM, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as one or more disk storage devices. Processor 801 executes the application program stored in memory 802 to implement the above functions, thereby realizing the functions of communication device 800.

[0180] For example, the communication device 800 may be the first communication device or the second communication device in the above embodiments.

[0181] In one embodiment, when the communication device 800 implements the functions of the first communication device in the above method embodiment, the transceiver can perform the transmit and receive operations executed by the first communication device in the above method embodiment; the processor 801 can perform other operations besides the transmit and receive operations executed by the first communication device in the above method embodiment. For specific details, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments, which will not be elaborated here.

[0182] In one embodiment, when the communication device 800 implements the functions of the second communication device in the above method embodiment, the transceiver can perform the transmit and receive operations executed by the second communication device in the above method embodiment; the processor 801 can perform other operations besides the transmit and receive operations executed by the second communication device in the above method embodiment. Specific details can be found in the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0183] The terms "system" and "network" in this application embodiment are used interchangeably. "At least one" refers to one or more, and "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" includes A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC. And, unless otherwise specified, the ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" mentioned in this application embodiment are used to distinguish multiple objects and are not used to limit the order, sequence, priority, or importance of multiple objects.

[0184] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this application can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0185] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to this application. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart illustrations and / or one or more blocks of the block diagrams.

[0186] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the functions specified in one or more flowcharts and / or one or more block diagrams.

[0187] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions, which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus, provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowcharts and / or one or more block diagrams.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a first communication device, and the method includes: Receive reference signals transmitted via multiple transmission paths and obtain the measured quantities of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths, wherein the reference signals originate from a second communication device; Receive timing adjustment information from the second communication device; Based on the timing adjustment information and the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths, the association relationship between the multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the second communication device is determined.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The measured quantity of the reference signal includes the time of arrival (TOA) of the reference signal.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The timing adjustment information includes first information, which is used to indicate the timing adjustment time of the second communication device.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first information includes: The timestamp corresponding to the timed adjustment; or... The information of the time unit in which the timing adjustment time is located.

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, Based on the timing adjustment information and the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths, the association relationship between the multiple transmission paths and the at least one location information is determined, including: Based on the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to M transmission paths among the multiple transmission paths, the association relationship between the M transmission paths and the at least one location information is determined; Based on the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to N transmission paths among the multiple transmission paths, the association relationship between the N transmission paths and the at least one location information is determined; Wherein, the arrival time of the reference signal transmitted via the M transmission paths is earlier than the timing adjustment time, and the arrival time of the reference signal transmitted via the N transmission paths is not earlier than the timing adjustment time; M and N are both integers greater than or equal to 1.

6. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The timing adjustment information also includes second information, which indicates the timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second information includes: The timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time; or... The cumulative adjustment amount of the second communication device from the reference time to the timing adjustment time.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, Based on the timing adjustment information and the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to the multiple transmission paths, the association relationship between the multiple transmission paths and the at least one location information is determined, including: Based on the timing adjustment amount, the measurement of the reference signal corresponding to N transmission paths among the multiple transmission paths is compensated; Based on the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to M transmission paths and the measured values ​​of the reference signals corresponding to N transmission paths after compensation, the association relationship between the multiple transmission paths and the at least one location information is determined. Wherein, the arrival time of the reference signal transmitted via the M transmission paths is earlier than the timing adjustment time, and the arrival time of the reference signal transmitted via the N transmission paths is not earlier than the timing adjustment time; M and N are both integers greater than or equal to 1.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a request message, which is used to request the timing adjustment information.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The request information includes information indicating a first time period; The timing adjustment information includes first information, which indicates the timing adjustment time of the second communication device, and the timing adjustment time is located within the first time period.

11. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a second communication device, and the method includes: A reference signal is transmitted via multiple transmission paths; The timing adjustment information of the second communication device is sent, and the timing adjustment information is used to determine the association between the multiple transmission paths and at least one location information corresponding to the second communication device.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The timing adjustment information includes first information, which is used to indicate the timing adjustment time of the second communication device.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first information includes: The timestamp corresponding to the timed adjustment; or... The information of the time unit in which the timing adjustment time is located.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The timing adjustment information also includes second information, which indicates the timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The second information includes: The timing adjustment amount corresponding to the timing adjustment time; or... The cumulative adjustment amount of the second communication device from the reference time to the timing adjustment time.

16. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive request information, which is used to request the timing adjustment information.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that, The request information includes information indicating a first time period; The timing adjustment information includes first information, which indicates the timing adjustment time of the second communication device, and the timing adjustment time is located within the first time period.

18. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor coupled to a memory in which a computer program is stored; the processor is configured to invoke part or all of the computer program in the memory such that the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 17 is executed.

19. A communication system, characterized in that, The communication system includes a first communication device and a second communication device, wherein the first communication device is used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, and the second communication device is used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 11 to 17.

20. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program that, when some or all of the computer program is executed by a computer, causes the method described in any one of claims 1 to 17 to be performed.

21. A computer program product, characterized in that, When the computer reads and executes the computer program product, the method described in any one of claims 1 to 17 is performed.

Images