Information transmission method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of communications, and in particular to an information transmission method and apparatus. In the method, a MAC entity of a sending apparatus can determine indication information when a certain condition is met, and send the indication information, so as to trigger an apparatus having received the indication information to send a status report. By determining the indication information by means of the MAC entity, the transmission delay of the indication information can be reduced. Moreover, the transmission delay of the indication information may affect the feedback delay of the status report, so that the sending apparatus can more efficiently learn, by means of the status report, that data that fails to be received should be retransmitted, thereby reducing retransmission delay.

Description

An information transmission method and apparatus

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510206378.5, filed on February 24, 2025, with the China National Intellectual Property Administration, entitled "An Information Transmission Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an information transmission method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] To improve the reliability of service transmission and minimize data loss, the radio link control (RLC) layer in the new radio (NR) user plane protocol stack provides an acknowledgement mode (AM). After receiving a polling request, the AM RLC entity on the receiving side can send an RLC status report to the transmitting side, indicating which data was successfully received and which failed. This allows the AM RLC entity on the transmitting side to retransmit the failed data based on the RLC status report. In other words, the transmission delay of the polling request may affect the feedback delay of the RLC status report, which in turn may affect the retransmission delay. Therefore, reducing the transmission delay of the polling request to reduce retransmission delay is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed at this stage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an information transmission method and apparatus that can reduce the transmission delay of indication information (used to request the receiving device to send a corresponding status report), thereby reducing the transmission delay of the status report and further reducing the retransmission delay.

[0005] Firstly, an information transmission method is provided, which can be executed by a transmitting device. The method includes: the transmitting device sending indication information to receive a first status report. The indication information is determined by a medium access control (MAC) entity of the transmitting device based on first information. The indication information is used to request a receiving device to send the first status report, which indicates the reception status of a MAC SDU. The first information includes at least one of the following: a timeout status of a first timer, the transmission status of MAC service data units (SDUs) since the time of sending the previous indication information, the transmission status of MAC SDUs within a transmission window, the reception status of MAC SDUs within a transmission window, or a timeout status of a second timer, wherein the first timer indicates the update status of the transmission window, and the second timer indicates the reception status of the status report.

[0006] In the above embodiments, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on the first information, which can improve the transmission latency of the indication information in several ways. For example, when the MAC entity determines the indication information, it indicates that the transmission of the indication information will not be affected by the relevant parameters of the logical channel, such as the priority, priority bit rate (PBR), and bucket size duration (BSD) of the logical channel, thereby improving the transmission latency of the indication information. Alternatively, the transmission window of the RLC entity of the transmitting device corresponds to a single logical channel, making it more difficult to meet the conditions for the transmitting device to determine the indication information. However, the transmission window of the MAC entity of the transmitting device corresponds to multiple logical channels, making it easier to meet the conditions for the transmitting device to determine the indication information. That is, compared with the RLC entity of the transmitting device determining the indication information, the MAC entity of the transmitting device can reduce the transmission latency of the indication information. Alternatively, when the RLC entity determines the indication information to realize the transmission of the indication information, more protocol entities are involved than when the MAC entity determines the indication information to realize the transmission of the indication information, that is, determining the indication information by the MAC entity can shorten the transmission latency of the indication information. Among them, the transmission delay of the indication information can affect the feedback delay of the status report, enabling the transmitting device to more efficiently know that the data that failed to be received should be retransmitted through the status report, thereby reducing the retransmission delay.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the transmitting device transmits indication information, including: the MAC entity of the transmitting device submits the indication information to the physical (PHY) layer of the transmitting device (or, the MAC entity of the transmitting device instructs the PHY layer of the transmitting device to send the indication information), the PHY layer of the transmitting device sends the indication information to the PHY layer of the receiving device, and the PHY layer of the receiving device submits the indication information to the MAC entity of the receiving device.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the first information includes the timeout status of a first timer. Indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on the first information, including: the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the first timer times out (timeout can also be replaced by expiration or maturity). Wherein, the first timer is restarted when the transmission window is last updated. For example, the first timer is restarted when the lower bound of the transmission window is last updated. In one possible implementation, 'updating the lower bound of the transmission window' mentioned in this application refers to the MAC SDU located at the lower bound of the transmission window being acknowledged. Or, in other words, the MAC SDU located at the lower bound of the transmission window is successfully received.

[0009] In the above embodiments, the MAC entity of the transmitting device can determine the indication information when the first timer expires, avoiding the delay problem caused by the MAC entity of the transmitting device determining the indication information completely according to the acknowledgment mode (AM) of the RLC entity. This allows the receiving device to receive the indication information faster, thereby improving the feedback delay of the status report. This enables the transmitting device to more efficiently know through the status report that the data that failed to be received should be retransmitted, reducing the retransmission delay.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the first information includes the transmission status of MAC SDUs since the time of sending the previous indication information. The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on the first information, including: the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of data of MAC SDUs sent since the time of sending the previous indication information is greater than a first data volume threshold. For example, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of data of MAC SDUs sent since the time of sending the previous indication information is greater than the first data volume threshold and the duration for which no status report has been received is greater than a first duration threshold.

[0011] In the above embodiments, the MAC entity of the transmitting device can determine the indication information when the amount of data of the MAC SDU that has been transmitted since the transmission time of the previous indication information is greater than the first data amount threshold. Here, the amount of data of the MAC SDU that has been transmitted corresponds to the amount of data of the MAC SDU of multiple logical channels. That is, the condition for the MAC entity of the transmitting device to determine the indication information is easier to meet, which reduces the transmission delay of the indication information, thereby reducing the feedback delay of the status report. This allows the transmitting device to more efficiently know through the status report that the data that failed to be received should be retransmitted, thus reducing the retransmission delay.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the first information includes the transmission status of MAC SDUs within the transmission window. The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on the first information, including: the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of data of MAC SDUs transmitted within the transmission window exceeds a second data volume threshold. For example, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of data of MAC SDUs transmitted within the transmission window exceeds the second data volume threshold and the duration without receiving a status report exceeds a first duration threshold. Alternatively, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the ratio of the number of MAC SDUs transmitted within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window exceeds a first ratio threshold. For example, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the ratio of the number of MAC SDUs transmitted within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window exceeds the first ratio threshold and the duration without receiving a status report exceeds the first duration threshold.

[0013] In the above embodiments, the MAC entity of the transmitting device can determine the indication information by combining the amount of data of the MAC SDU that has been sent within the transmission window. Here, the amount of data of the MAC SDU that has been sent corresponds to the amount of data of the MAC SDU of multiple logical channels. That is, the conditions for the MAC entity of the transmitting device to determine the indication information are more easily met, which reduces the transmission delay of the indication information, thereby reducing the feedback delay of the status report. This allows the transmitting device to more efficiently know through the status report that the data that failed to be received should be retransmitted, thus reducing the retransmission delay.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the first information includes the reception status of MAC SDUs within the transmission window. Indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on the first information, including: the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDU data within the transmission window exceeds a third data volume threshold. For example, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDU data within the transmission window exceeds the third data volume threshold and the duration without a status report exceeds a first duration threshold. Alternatively, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window exceeds a second ratio threshold. For example, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window exceeds the second ratio threshold and the duration without a status report exceeds the first duration threshold. Alternatively, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDU data with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window exceeds a fourth data volume threshold. For example, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window exceeds a fourth data volume threshold and the duration of not receiving a status report exceeds a first duration threshold. Alternatively, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window exceeds a third ratio threshold. For example, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window exceeds a third ratio threshold and the duration of not receiving a status report exceeds a first duration threshold. Here, unacknowledged MAC SDUs may include unacknowledged retransmission MAC SDUs.

[0015] In the above embodiments, the MAC entity of the transmitting device can determine the indication information by combining the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDU data within the transmission window. Here, the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDU data corresponds to the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDU data in multiple logical channels. That is, the conditions for the MAC entity of the transmitting device to determine the indication information are more easily met, which reduces the transmission delay of the indication information and improves the feedback delay of the status report. This allows the transmitting device to more efficiently know through the status report that the received data should be retransmitted, thus reducing the retransmission delay.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the first information includes the timeout status of the second timer, and the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on the first information, including: the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the second timer times out.

[0017] In the above embodiments, the MAC entity of the transmitting device can determine the indication information when the second timer expires, avoiding the delay problem caused by the MAC entity of the transmitting device determining the indication information completely according to the acknowledgment mode of the RLC entity. This allows the MAC entity of the receiving device to receive the indication information faster, thereby reducing the feedback delay of the status report. This enables the transmitting device to more efficiently know through the status report that the data that failed to be received should be retransmitted, reducing the retransmission delay.

[0018] In a second aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, comprising units, modules, or means for implementing the methods described in any of the first aspects. The communication apparatus may be a terminal or a component within a terminal, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions, or a network device or a component within a network device, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the network device's functions.

[0019] Thirdly, a communication device is provided, comprising at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to cause the communication device to perform the method described in any one of the first aspects. The communication device may be a terminal or a component within a terminal, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions, or a network device or a component within a network device, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the network device's functions. The at least one processor may execute a computer program or instructions stored in a memory to cause the described method to be performed. The memory may be included in the communication device or located externally to the communication device. Furthermore, the communication device may also include an interface.

[0020] Fourthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores computer instructions or programs that, when executed, cause a computer to perform the method as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0021] Fifthly, a computer program product is provided, comprising: a computer program or program that, when run by a computer, causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0022] A sixth aspect provides a chip including at least one processor for executing computer instructions or programs, which, when run, cause the chip to perform the method described in any one of the first aspects. The processor may execute computer programs or instructions stored in memory to cause the described method to be performed. The memory may be included in the chip or located externally. Furthermore, the chip may include an interface.

[0023] A seventh aspect provides a communication system comprising a transmitting device for performing the method as described in any one of the first aspects and a receiving device for communicating with the transmitting device. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating an information transmission method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for determining the conditions satisfied by indication information according to an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of another condition for determining the indication information provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the transmission of MAC SDU within a transmission window according to an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the reception of a MAC SDU within a transmission window according to an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram related to a second timer provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram related to a second timer provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a possible communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of another possible communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system 1000 includes a radio access network (RAN) 100 and a core network 200. Optionally, the communication system 1000 may also include an Internet 300. The RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (110a and 110b in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 110), and may also include at least one terminal (120a-120j in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 120). The RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay devices and / or wireless backhaul devices (not shown in Figure 1). The terminal 120 is wirelessly connected to the RAN node 110, and the RAN node 110 is wirelessly or wiredly connected to the core network 200. The core network equipment in the core network 200 and the RAN node 110 in the RAN 100 can be independent and different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating the logical functions of the core network equipment and the logical functions of the RAN node. Terminals can be connected to each other, as can RAN nodes, via wired or wireless means.

[0035] RAN100 can be an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) system, an NR system, or a future radio access system as defined in the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), or a WiFi system. RAN100 can also include two or more of the above-mentioned different radio access systems. RAN100 can also be an open RAN (O-RAN).

[0036] RAN nodes, also known as radio access network devices, RAN entities, or access nodes, are used to help terminals access communication systems wirelessly.

[0037] In one application scenario, a RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in a 5G mobile communication system, a next-generation base station in a 6G mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. A RAN node 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.

[0038] In another application scenario, multiple RAN nodes can collaborate to help terminals achieve wireless access, with different RAN nodes implementing different functions of the base station. For example, a RAN node can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). The RU can be used to transmit and receive radio signals. The CU and DU can be two independent RAN nodes or integrated into the same RAN node, such as within a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency equipment, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU) or an active antenna unit (AAU). CUs can be further divided into two types of RAN nodes: CU-control plane (CP) and CU-user plane (UP).

[0039] In different systems, RAN nodes may have different names. For example, in an O-RAN system, a CU can be called an open CU (O-CU), a DU can be called an open DU (O-DU), and an RU can be called an open RU (O-RU). The RAN nodes in the embodiments of this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. For example, a RAN node can be a server loaded with the corresponding software modules. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the RAN nodes. For ease of description, a base station is used as an example of a RAN node in the following description. In this application, base stations and network devices can be used interchangeably.

[0040] A terminal is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, capable of sending signals to or receiving signals from a base station. Terminals can also be called terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, etc. Terminals can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the terminal.

[0041] Base stations and terminals can be fixed or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can be deployed on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the base stations and terminals.

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

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

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

[0045] To facilitate understanding of the content of this solution, some terms used in the embodiments of this application will be explained below, so that those skilled in the art can understand them. This part is only for the purpose of understanding and should not be regarded as a specific limitation of this application.

[0046] Communication between network devices and terminals follows a specific protocol layer structure. This protocol layer may include a control plane protocol layer and a user plane protocol layer. The control plane protocol layer may include at least one of the following: radio resource control (RRC) layer, packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, RLC layer, MAC layer, or PHY layer, etc. The user plane protocol layer may include at least one of the following: service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer, PDCP layer, RLC layer, MAC layer, or physical layer, etc. For detailed descriptions of each protocol layer, please refer to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications, which will not be elaborated here.

[0047] When different RAN nodes implement partial functions of network devices, each RAN node can implement the functions of its corresponding protocol layer. For example, a CU may be configured to implement the functions of PDCP layer and above (e.g., RRC layer and / or SDAP layer). A DU may be configured to implement the functions of protocol layers below PDCP layer (e.g., RLC layer, MAC layer, and / or PHY layer). Alternatively, a CU may be configured to implement the functions of protocol layers above PDCP layer (e.g., RRC layer and / or SDAP layer), and a DU may be configured to implement the functions of PDCP layer and below (e.g., RLC layer, MAC layer, and / or PHY layer).

[0048] The above CU and DU configurations are just examples; the functions of the CU and DU can be configured as needed. For instance, the CU or DU can be configured to have more protocol layer functions, or to have only some protocol layer processing functions. For example, some RLC layer functions and protocol layer functions above the RLC layer can be placed in the CU, while the remaining RLC layer functions and protocol layer functions below the RLC layer can be placed in the DU. Alternatively, the functions of the CU or DU can be divided according to service type or other system requirements. For example, based on latency, functions that need to meet low latency requirements can be placed in the DU, while functions that do not need to meet this latency requirement can be placed in the CU.

[0049] For network elements in an ORAN system, the corresponding protocol layer functions they can implement can be found in Table 1. In Table 1, O-CU-CP is configured to implement RRC layer functions and PDCP layer control plane functions; O-CU-UP is configured to implement SDAP layer functions and PDCP layer user plane functions; O-DU is configured to implement RLC layer functions, MAC layer functions, and higher-level (PHY-high) functions in the PHY layer; and O-RU is configured to implement lower-level (PHY-low) functions in the PHY layer. Higher-level physical layer functions may include a portion of the physical layer's functions, which are closer to the MAC layer; lower-level physical layer functions may include another portion of the physical layer's functions, which are closer to the mid-radio frequency side.

[0050] Table 1

[0051] Some of the aforementioned protocol layers can provide corresponding transmission modes. For example, to adapt to the quality of service (QoS) requirements of different types of service data, the RLC layer provides AM. That is, the AM RLC entity uses an automatic repeat request (ARQ) mechanism to ensure lossless data transmission. The basic idea of ​​ARQ is that the data receiving device (hereinafter referred to as the receiving device) can send an RLC status report to the data sending device (hereinafter referred to as the sending device), indicating which data was successfully received and which data failed to be received. The sending device can then retransmit the failed data based on this RLC status report.

[0052] The receiving device may send an RLC status report when any of the following conditions are met:

[0053] 1. The receiver's timer (t-Reassembly) timed out.

[0054] 2. The receiving device's RLC entity receives a polling request, if the polling request is contained in an RLC protocol data unit (PDU). When the polling bit in the RLC PDU is 1, the receiving device sends an RLC status report.

[0055] When the transmitting device receives an RLC status report indicating that an RLC PDU located at the lower boundary of the RLC transmission window has been successfully received, the transmitting device can slide the RLC transmission window. If no RLC status report is received for an extended period, the RLC transmission window may become blocked, affecting throughput. For example, if all data sent by the transmitting device is received by the receiving device, the timer t-Reassembly may be reset. If the timer t-Reassembly keeps resetting, the receiving device may not send RLC status reports, causing the RLC transmission window to become blocked. Alternatively, the transmitting device may send an interrogation request when any of the following conditions are met. When these conditions are met, the RLC transmission window is already blocked; that is, the transmitting device sends the interrogation request after the RLC transmission window has become blocked.

[0056] 1. The number of acknowledged mode data (AMD) PDUs reaches the PDU count threshold that triggers polling. New transmissions increase the number of AMD PDUs, and the number of previously transmitted AMD PDUs is reset to zero with each query request.

[0057] 2. The number of bytes in the AMD PDU reaches the byte count threshold that triggers polling. New transmissions increase the byte count of the AMD PDU, and the byte count of the AMD PDU already sent is reset to zero each time an inquiry request is sent.

[0058] 3. Except for RLC PDUs that have been transmitted and are awaiting confirmation, both the transmission buffer and the retransmission buffer are empty. That is, no new RLC PDUs arrive in the RLC transmission window except for those awaiting retransmission.

[0059] 4. RLC Transmission Window Blocking (Pause). Transmission window blocking (pause) means that the RLC entity of the transmitting device is temporarily unable to send new RLC PDUs. That is, all RLC PDUs in the RLC transmission window except for those awaiting retransmission have been sent, but new RLC PDUs located outside the RLC transmission window cannot be sent.

[0060] Therefore, both of the aforementioned conditions that trigger the receiving device to send an RLC status report will affect the transmission delay of the RLC status report, which may in turn affect the retransmission delay. Based on this, this application proposes that the MAC entity determine indication information (used to request the receiving device to send the corresponding status report), which can reduce the transmission delay of the indication information, thereby reducing the transmission delay of the status report. This allows the sending device to more efficiently identify which data reception has failed through the status report so that it can promptly retransmit these failed data, thus reducing the retransmission delay. The embodiments of this application are described in detail below.

[0061] As shown in Figure 2, this application provides an information transmission method, which includes, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0062] S201. The transmitting device sends indication information, which is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on first information. The indication information is used to request the receiving device to send a first status report, which is used to indicate the reception status of the MAC SDU. The first information includes at least one of the following: the timeout status of a first timer, the transmission status of the MAC SDU since the time of sending the previous indication information, the transmission status of the MAC SDU within the transmission window, the reception status of the MAC SDU within the transmission window, or the timeout status of a second timer, wherein the first timer is used to indicate the update status of the transmission window, and the second timer is used to indicate the reception status of the status report.

[0063] Accordingly, the receiving device receives the instruction information.

[0064] In this application, the transmitting device and the receiving device can be either the RAN node 110 or the terminal 120 in Figure 1. As an example, the transmitting device can be a terminal, a component within a terminal, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. The receiving device can be a network device, a component within a network device, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the network device's functions. As yet another example, the transmitting device can be a network device, a component within a network device, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the network device's functions, and the receiving device can be a terminal, a component within a terminal, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. As yet another example, the transmitting device and the receiving device can be different terminals or network devices, etc. Specific forms of the transmitting and receiving devices are not listed here. Here, 'component' can be a module, a communication module, a circuit or chip responsible for communication functions. The chip can be a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-a-chip (SoC) containing a modem core, or a system-in-a-chip (SoC) or system-in-package (SoC), etc.

[0065] In one possible implementation, the transmitting device sends indication information, including: the MAC entity of the transmitting device submits (or sends) the indication information to the PHY layer of the transmitting device (or, the MAC entity of the transmitting device instructs the PHY layer of the transmitting device to send the indication information); the PHY layer of the transmitting device sends the indication information to the PHY layer of the receiving device; and the PHY layer of the receiving device submits (or sends) the indication information to the MAC entity of the receiving device. In one possible implementation, the indication information may be called an inquiry indication or inquiry request. This application does not limit its name; any information that can be used to request the receiving device to send a first status report can be used as the indication information of this application. In one possible implementation, the indication information can be at least one bit. For example, the indication information is 1 bit, which can be called a poll bit. When the indication information is '1', it indicates that the indication information is used to request the receiving device to send a first status report, i.e., triggering the receiving device to send a first status report. When the indication information is '0', it indicates that the indication information is not used to request the receiving device to send a first status report, i.e., not triggering the receiving device to send a first status report. The reverse is also possible.

[0066] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned first status report can be used to indicate the reception status of a MAC SDU. It can also be described as follows: the first status report is used to indicate the reception status of a MAC SDU sent by the transmitting device. For example, if the reception status of the MAC SDU is an acknowledgement (ACK), it indicates that the MAC SDU has been successfully received by the receiving device. If the reception status of the MAC SDU is a negative acknowledgement (NACK), it indicates that the MAC SDU has not been successfully received by the receiving device, i.e., the receiving device has not successfully received the MAC SDU.

[0067] S202, The receiving device sends a first status report.

[0068] Accordingly, the transmitting device receives the first status report.

[0069] The sending of a first status report by the receiving device may include: the MAC entity of the receiving device submitting (or sending) a first status report to the PHY layer of the receiving device (or the MAC entity of the receiving device instructing the PHY layer of the receiving device to send a first status report), the PHY layer of the receiving device sending a first status report to the PHY layer of the sending device, and the PHY layer of the sending device submitting (or sending) a first status report to the MAC entity of the sending device.

[0070] Optionally, steps S203 and S204 may be included after step S202.

[0071] S203, The transmitting device determines the first MAC SDU to be retransmitted based on the first status report.

[0072] For example, the first MAC SDU is the MAC SDU with a receive status of NACK in the first status report.

[0073] S204, The transmitting device retransmits the first MAC SDU.

[0074] Accordingly, the receiving device receives the first MAC SDU.

[0075] The following is a detailed description of how the indication information is determined in step S201 above.

[0076] The conditions under which the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information include at least one of the following (e.g., one or more of the following):

[0077] 1. First timer timeout. In this case, the first information mentioned above includes the timeout status of the first timer. That is, when the first timer times out, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information, as shown at time t3 in Figure 3.

[0078] In this application, the timeout of a timer (such as a first timer) can be understood as the timer reaching its maximum value. In one possible implementation, 'first timer timeout' can also be described as: the first duration is greater than or equal to a second duration threshold, or the first timer reaches the second duration threshold. For the former, the start time of the first duration is the same as the time of the last update of the sending window. For the latter, when the sending window was last updated, the MAC entity of the sending device restarted the first timer. That is, when the sending window is updated, the MAC entity of the sending device restarts the first timer, as shown at time t1 or t2 in Figure 3. In one possible implementation, the threshold value (such as the second duration threshold) mentioned in this application can be a predefined or preconfigured value greater than or equal to 0. Restarting a timer (such as the first timer) mentioned in this application can refer to clearing the timer's value to zero and restarting the countdown. For example, clearing the value of the first timer to zero and restarting the countdown. In one possible implementation, 'last update of the sending window' can be the lower bound of the last update of the sending window. Here, 'lower bound of the update sending window' mentioned in this application refers to the MAC SDU located at the lower bound of the sending window being acknowledged. Alternatively, a MAC SDU located at the lower boundary of the transmission window is successfully received, meaning the transmitting device has sent the MAC SDU located at the lower boundary of the transmission window and received a status report including the MAC SDU, with the status report indicating that the MAC SDU has been received. In other words, when a MAC SDU located at the lower boundary of the transmission window is acknowledged, the MAC entity of the transmitting device updates (or slides) the transmission window.

[0079] In one possible implementation, the transmission window in this application can be a single transmission window. That is, one transmission window corresponds to multiple logical channels, or in other words, the MAC SDU in the transmission window includes MAC SDUs of multiple logical channels. These multiple logical channels correspond to one or more logical channel groups. For example, multiple logical channels are contained in one logical channel group. Alternatively, some of the multiple logical channels are contained in one logical channel group, and another portion of the multiple logical channels are contained in another logical channel group.

[0080] In another possible implementation, the transmission window in this application can be one of multiple transmission windows. Multiple transmission windows correspond to multiple logical channel groups. For example, there is a one-to-one correspondence between multiple transmission windows and multiple logical channel groups. That is, one transmission window corresponds to one logical channel group, and another transmission window corresponds to another logical channel group. In other words, the MAC SDU in one transmission window includes the MAC SDUs of multiple logical channels in one logical channel group.

[0081] 2. The amount of data in the MAC SDU that has been transmitted since the time of the previous indication message is greater than or equal to the first data volume threshold. In this case, the aforementioned first information includes the transmission status of the MAC SDU since the time of the previous indication message. That is, when the amount of data in the MAC SDU that has been transmitted since the time of the previous indication message is greater than or equal to the first data volume threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information. For example, at time t1 in Figure 4, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information. And when the amount of data in the MAC SDU that has been transmitted since time t1 is greater than or equal to the first data volume threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information again. That is, between time t1 and time t2, the amount of data in the MAC SDU that has been transmitted is greater than or equal to the first data volume threshold, so the MAC entity of the transmitting device can determine the indication information again.

[0082] In one possible implementation, the data volume of the MAC SDU mentioned in this application refers to the number of MAC SDUs, the number of bits, or the number of bytes, etc. For example, when the data volume of the MAC SDUs sent since the time of the last indication message is greater than or equal to a first data volume threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication message, which can be described as: when the number of MAC SDUs sent since the time of the last indication message is greater than or equal to the first data volume threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication message. Alternatively, when the number of bits or bytes of the MAC SDUs sent since the time of the last indication message is greater than or equal to the first data volume threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication message, etc.

[0083] In one possible implementation, the "sent MAC SDU" mentioned in this application refers to a MAC SDU that the transmitting device has sent but has not yet received a status report including that MAC SDU. That is, the transmitting device has sent the MAC SDU, but has not received a status report including that MAC SDU.

[0084] 3. The amount of data in the transmitted MAC SDU within the transmission window is greater than or equal to the second data volume threshold. In this case, the aforementioned first information includes the transmission status of the MAC SDU within the transmission window. That is, when the amount of data in the transmitted MAC SDU within the transmission window is greater than or equal to the second data volume threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information.

[0085] For example, taking the number of MAC SDUs already sent within the sending window as an example, in Figure 5, the MAC SDUs already sent within the sending window include MAC SDUs with sequence numbers (SN) from n-2 to n, meaning the number of MAC SDUs already sent within the sending window is 3. Assuming the second data volume threshold is 2, and 3 is greater than 2, the MAC entity of the sending device can determine the indication information. Alternatively, taking the number of MAC SDUs already sent within the sending window as the number of bits or bytes as an example, when the number of bits or bytes of the MAC SDUs already sent within the sending window is greater than or equal to the second data volume threshold, the MAC entity of the sending device determines the indication information.

[0086] 4. The ratio of the number of MAC SDUs sent within the sending window to the size of the sending window is greater than or equal to a first ratio threshold. In this case, the aforementioned first information includes the sending status of MAC SDUs within the sending window. That is, when the ratio of the number of MAC SDUs sent within the sending window to the size of the sending window is greater than or equal to the first ratio threshold, the MAC entity of the sending device determines the indication information. The size of the sending window can refer to the total number of MAC SDUs within the sending window, which is a fixed value. For example, in Figure 5, the size of the sending window is 6, and the MAC SDUs sent within the sending window include MAC SDUs with sequence numbers n-2 to n, meaning the number of MAC SDUs sent within the sending window is 3. The ratio of the number of MAC SDUs sent within the sending window to the size of the sending window is 1 / 2. Assuming the first ratio threshold is 40%, 1 / 2 is greater than 40%, and the MAC entity of the sending device can determine the indication information.

[0087] 5. The amount of unacknowledged MAC SDU data within the transmission window is greater than or equal to the third data volume threshold. In this case, the aforementioned first information includes the reception status of the MAC SDU within the transmission window. That is, when the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDU data within the transmission window is greater than or equal to the third data volume threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information.

[0088] For example, taking the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the sending window as an example, in Figure 6, the sending window size is 7, and the unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the sending window include MAC SDUs with sequence numbers 1, 3, 5, and 7, meaning the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the sending window is 4. Assuming the third data volume threshold is 3, and 4 is greater than 3, the MAC entity of the sending device can determine the indication information. Alternatively, taking the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the sending window as the number of bits or bytes as an example, when the number of bits or bytes of the unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the sending window is greater than or equal to the third data volume threshold, the MAC entity of the sending device determines the indication information.

[0089] In one possible implementation, in this application, an unacknowledged MAC SDU refers to a MAC SDU that has been sent but not acknowledged. That is, the transmitting device has sent a MAC SDU but has not received a status report including that MAC SDU, or it has received a status report including that MAC SDU and the status report indicates that the MAC SDU has not been received. Here, a MAC SDU may include a complete MAC SDU or segments of a MAC SDU. A segment of a MAC SDU means that the MAC SDU was sent by the transmitting device in the form of multiple segments. When determining the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs within a transmission window, multiple segments of the same MAC SDU are counted as one MAC SDU.

[0090] 6. The ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs in the transmission window to the size of the transmission window is greater than or equal to a second ratio threshold. In this case, the aforementioned first information includes the reception status of MAC SDUs in the transmission window. That is, when the ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs in the transmission window to the size of the transmission window is greater than or equal to the second ratio threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information.

[0091] 7. The amount of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window is greater than or equal to the fourth data volume threshold. In this case, the aforementioned first information includes the reception status of MAC SDUs within the transmission window. That is, when the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window is greater than or equal to the fourth data volume threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information.

[0092] For example, taking the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window as an example, in Figure 6, the transmission window size is 7, and the unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the transmission window include MAC SDUs with sequence numbers 1, 3, 5, and 7. Among them, the MAC SDUs with sequence numbers 1, 5, and 7 have a priority higher than the first priority. That is, the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window is 3. Assuming the fourth data volume threshold is 2, i.e., 3 is greater than 2, the MAC entity of the transmitting device can determine the indication information. Alternatively, taking the number of bits or bytes of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window as an example, when the number of bits or bytes of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window is greater than or equal to the fourth data volume threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information. As an example, "priority higher than the first priority" in this application can also be replaced with "priority higher than or equal to the first priority".

[0093] In one possible implementation, the priority of a certain MAC SDU mentioned in this application is the priority of the logical channel to which the MAC SDU belongs.

[0094] 8. The ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window is greater than or equal to a third ratio threshold. In this case, the aforementioned first information includes the reception status of MAC SDUs within the transmission window. That is, when the ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window is greater than or equal to the third ratio threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information.

[0095] 9. Second timer timeout. In this case, the first information mentioned above includes the timeout status of the second timer. That is, the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the second timer times out, as shown at time t3 in Figure 7.

[0096] The conditions under which the MAC entity of the transmitting device starts the second timer include at least one of the following (e.g., one or more of the following):

[0097] (1) The number of status reports received within the observation period is less than or equal to the first threshold value. That is, when the number of status reports received within the observation period is less than or equal to the first threshold value, the MAC entity of the transmitting device starts the second timer. For example, in Figure 8, if 2 status reports are received within observation period #1 and the first threshold value is 3, since 2 is less than 3, the second timer is started. If 4 status reports are received within observation period #2 and the first threshold value is 3, since 4 is greater than 3, the second timer is not started. The observation period can be predefined or preconfigured.

[0098] (2) The interval between two consecutive status reports received within the observation period is greater than or equal to the first interval. That is, when the interval between two consecutive status reports received within the observation period is greater than or equal to the first interval, the MAC entity of the transmitting device starts the second timer. For example, the interval between two consecutive status reports received within the observation period #1 is interval #1, such as 10 milliseconds (ms). Assuming the first interval is 5 ms, 10 ms is greater than 5 ms, and the MAC entity of the transmitting device can start the second timer.

[0099] (3) The first number is greater than or equal to the second threshold value. The first number is the number of consecutive intervals between received status reports within the time period that are greater than or equal to the first interval. That is, when the first number is greater than or equal to the second threshold value, the MAC entity of the transmitting device starts the second timer. For example, if the intervals between consecutive received status reports within observation time period #2 are 7ms, 4ms, 6ms, and 5ms, the first number is 2. If the second threshold value is 1, and 2 is greater than 1, the MAC entity of the transmitting device can start the second timer.

[0100] In one possible implementation, in combination with any of (1) to (3) above, the MAC entity of the transmitting device can also restart the second timer when a status report is received, as shown at time t1 or t2 in FIG7.

[0101] In one possible implementation, the value of the second timer, whether it is a first value or a second value, is determined by the amount of data in the unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the sending window. For example, the second timer is set to the first value when the amount of data in the unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the sending window is greater than or equal to a fourth data volume threshold; or, the second timer is set to the first value when the amount of data in the highest priority MAC SDU among the unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the sending window is greater than or equal to the fourth data volume threshold. The second timer is set to the second value when the amount of data in the unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority lower than the second priority within the sending window is greater than or equal to a fifth data volume threshold; or, the second timer is set to the second value when the amount of data in the lowest priority MAC SDU among the unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the sending window is greater than or equal to the fifth data volume threshold. Wherein, the first value is less than or greater than the second value, and the first priority is greater than the second priority.

[0102] Specifically, when the value of the second timer is the first value, the aforementioned 'second timer timeout' can also be described as: the second timer duration is greater than or equal to the first value. When the value of the second timer is the second value, 'second timer timeout' can also be described as: the third timer duration is greater than or equal to the second value.

[0103] In one possible implementation, when the transmission window in this application is one of multiple transmission windows, different logical channel groups can correspond to different second timers.

[0104] The above lists the conditions for the MAC entity of the transmitting device to determine the indication information. In one possible implementation, some of the conditions listed above can be combined as the conditions for the MAC entity of the transmitting device to determine the indication information. For example, when the amount of data of MAC SDUs sent since the time of the last indication information transmission is greater than or equal to a first data volume threshold and the duration of no status report received is greater than or equal to a first duration threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information. Alternatively, when the amount of data of MAC SDUs sent within the transmission window is greater than or equal to a second data volume threshold and the duration of no status report received is greater than or equal to a first duration threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information. Alternatively, when the ratio of the number of MAC SDUs sent within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window is greater than or equal to a first ratio threshold and the duration of no status report received is greater than or equal to a first duration threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information. Alternatively, when the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDU data within the transmission window is greater than or equal to a third data volume threshold and the duration of no status report received is greater than or equal to a first duration threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information. Alternatively, when the ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window is greater than or equal to a second ratio threshold and the duration of no status report received is greater than or equal to a first duration threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information. Alternatively, when the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDU data with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window is greater than or equal to a fourth data volume threshold and the duration of no status report received is greater than or equal to a first duration threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information. Alternatively, when the ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window is greater than or equal to a third ratio threshold and the duration of no status report received is greater than or equal to a first duration threshold, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the indication information. These are not listed individually here.

[0105] In one possible implementation, to achieve the functions described in the above embodiments, the transmitting device (such as a network device, a component in a network device, a terminal, or a component in a terminal) includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to perform each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and method steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed in this application, 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 scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0106] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a possible communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication device can be used to implement the functions of the transmitting device (such as a network device, a component in a network device, a terminal, or a component in a terminal) in the above method embodiments, and therefore can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments. In the embodiments of this application, the communication device can be the terminal 120 shown in Figure 1, or the RAN node 110 (such as a network device) shown in Figure 1, or a component (such as a module, communication module, or chip, etc.) applied to the terminal or RAN node (such as a network device).

[0107] As shown in Figure 9, the communication device 900 includes a processing unit 910 and a transceiver unit 920. The communication device 900 is used to implement the functions of the transmitting device in the method embodiment shown in Figure 2 above. For example, the processing unit 910 can be used to determine the first MAC SDU to be retransmitted based on the first status report. The transceiver unit 920 is used to send indication information and receive the first status report, and can also be used to retransmit the first MAC SDU. The indication information is used to request the receiving device to send the first status report, and the first status report is used to indicate the reception status of the MAC SDU. The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on first information, which includes at least one of the following: the timeout status of a first timer, the transmission status of the MAC SDU since the time of sending the previous indication information, the transmission status of the MAC SDU within the transmission window, the reception status of the MAC SDU within the transmission window, or the timeout status of a second timer, wherein the first timer is used to indicate the update status of the transmission window, and the second timer is used to indicate the reception status of the status report.

[0108] For a more detailed description of the processing unit 910 and the transceiver unit 920, please refer to the relevant description in the method embodiment shown in Figure 2.

[0109] As shown in Figure 10, the communication device 1000 includes a processor 1010 and an interface circuit 1020. The processor 1010 and the interface circuit 1020 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 1020 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. Optionally, the communication device 1000 may also include a memory 1030 for storing instructions executed by the processor 1010, or storing input data required by the processor 1010 to execute instructions, or storing data generated after the processor 1010 executes instructions. Sometimes, the interface circuit 1020 can also be understood as part of the processor 1010, in which case the communication device 1000 includes the processor 1010.

[0110] When the communication device 1000 is used to implement the method shown in FIG2, the processor 1010 is used to implement the function of the processing unit 910, and the interface circuit 1020 is used to implement the function of the transceiver unit 920.

[0111] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip applied to a terminal, the terminal chip implements the functions of the terminal in the above method embodiments. The terminal chip receives information from a network device, which can be understood as the information being first received by other modules in the terminal (such as an RF module or antenna), and then sent to the terminal chip by these modules. The terminal chip sends information to a network device, which can be understood as the information being first sent to other modules in the terminal (such as an RF module or antenna), and then sent to the network device by these modules.

[0112] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip used in a network device, the chip implements the functions of the network device in the above method embodiments. The chip receives information from the terminal, which can be understood as the information being first received by other modules (such as an RF module or antenna) in the network device, and then sent to the chip by these modules. The chip sends information to the terminal, which can be understood as the information being forwarded to other modules (such as an RF module or antenna) in the network device, and then sent to the terminal by these modules.

[0113] In this application, entity A sends information to entity B, either directly or indirectly through other entities. Similarly, entity B receives information from entity A, either directly or indirectly through other entities. Entities A and B can be RAN nodes or terminals, or modules within RAN nodes or terminals. Information transmission and reception can be between RAN nodes and terminals, such as between network devices and terminals; between two RAN nodes, such as between a CU and a DU; or between different modules within a single device, such as between a terminal chip and other modules of the terminal, or between a chip in a network device and other modules of that network device.

[0114] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0115] The method steps in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or in software instructions executable by a processor. The software instructions can consist of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, registers, hard disks, portable hard disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. The storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. Alternatively, the ASIC can reside in a network device or terminal. The processor and storage medium can also exist as discrete components in a network device or terminal.

[0116] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are performed entirely or partially. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user equipment, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video optical disc; or it can be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or may include both types of storage media.

[0117] In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terminology and / or descriptions of different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features of different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0118] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. In the textual description of this application, the character " / " generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following related objects; in the formulas of this application, the character " / " indicates a "division" relationship between the preceding and following related objects. "Including at least one of A, B, and C" can mean: including A; including B; including C; including A and B; including A and C; including B and C; including A, B, and C.

[0119] Furthermore, to facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish between network elements and similar items with essentially the same function. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and that the terms "first" and "second" are not necessarily different.

[0120] It is understood that the various numerical designations used in the embodiments of this application are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the process numbers described above does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic.

Claims

1. An information transmission method, characterized in that, Applied to a transmitting device, the method includes: Sending indication information, the indication information being determined by the Media Access Control (MAC) entity of the sending device based on first information, the indication information being used to request the receiving device to send a first status report, the first status report being used to indicate the reception status of the MAC Service Data Unit (SDU); Receive the first status report; The first information includes at least one of the following: the timeout status of the first timer, the transmission status of MAC SDU since the time of the last indication information, the transmission status of MAC SDU within the transmission window, the reception status of MAC SDU within the transmission window, or the timeout status of the second timer, wherein the first timer is used to indicate the update status of the transmission window, and the second timer is used to indicate the reception status of the status report.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on the first information, including: The first information includes the timeout status of the first timer, and the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the first timer times out; Specifically, the first timer was restarted the last time the sending window was updated.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on the first information, including: The first information includes the transmission status of MAC SDUs since the time of sending the previous indication information. The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of data of MAC SDUs sent since the time of sending the previous indication information is greater than a first data amount threshold.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on the first information, including: The first information includes the transmission status of MAC SDUs within the transmission window. The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of data of the MAC SDUs transmitted within the transmission window exceeds a second data volume threshold; or, The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the ratio of the number of MAC SDUs sent within the transmitting window to the size of the transmitting window is greater than a first ratio threshold.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on the first information, including: The first information includes the reception status of MAC SDUs within the transmission window, and the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDU data within the transmission window exceeds a third data amount threshold; or, The indication information is determined when the ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window is greater than a second ratio threshold; or, The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window exceeds a fourth data volume threshold; or... The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmitting window to the size of the transmitting window is greater than a third ratio threshold.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device based on the first information, including: The first information includes the timeout status of the second timer, and the indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the second timer times out.

7. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of data of the MAC SDU sent since the time of the previous indication information is greater than a first data amount threshold and the duration of the period during which no status report has been received is greater than a first duration threshold.

8. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of MAC SDU data sent within the transmission window exceeds a second data volume threshold and the duration for which no status report has been received exceeds a first duration threshold; or... The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the ratio of the number of MAC SDUs sent within the transmitting window to the size of the transmitting window is greater than a first ratio threshold and the duration of not receiving a status report is greater than a first duration threshold.

9. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The indication information is determined when the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDU data within the transmission window by the MAC entity of the transmitting device exceeds a third data volume threshold and the duration for which no status report is received exceeds a first duration threshold; or... The indication information is determined when the ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs within the transmission window to the size of the transmission window is greater than a second ratio threshold and the duration of no status report received is greater than a first duration threshold; or, The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the amount of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmission window exceeds a fourth data volume threshold and the duration for which no status report has been received exceeds a first duration threshold; or... The indication information is determined by the MAC entity of the transmitting device when the ratio of the number of unacknowledged MAC SDUs with a priority higher than the first priority within the transmitting window to the size of the transmitting window is greater than a third ratio threshold and the duration of not receiving a status report is greater than a first duration threshold.

10. A communication device, characterized in that, Includes units or modules for implementing the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes: computer program code, which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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