TRS transmission method and communication apparatus

Abstract

A TRS transmission method and a communication apparatus, applied to the technical field of communications. The method comprises: on the basis of receiving downlink data sent by a core network device, transmitting TRS scheduling information to a terminal; transmitting a TRS to the terminal; and transmitting the downlink data to the terminal. By means of the method, an access network device triggers transmission of the TRS to the terminal only when there is downlink data to be transmitted to the terminal. That is, the access network device may transmit the TRS to the terminal on demand, rather than transmitting the TRS periodically all the time. In this way, the power consumption overhead of the access network device is reduced.

Description

A TRS transmission method and communication device

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510217679.8, filed on February 25, 2025, entitled "A TRS Transmission Method and Communication Device", 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 a TRS transmission method and communication device. Background Technology

[0003] In existing protocols, the tracking reference signal (TRS) can be used for time-frequency synchronization. In the existing 38.214 protocol, connected terminals expect the access network device to send periodic TRS signals to ensure precise time-frequency synchronization and thus efficient data transmission. The TRS period can be 10ms, 20ms, 40ms, or 80ms. In current technology, as long as a connected terminal exists, the access network device must periodically send TRS signals, resulting in significant power consumption for the access network device. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a TRS transmission method and communication device, which helps to reduce the power consumption of access network equipment.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a TRS transmission method, the method comprising: sending TRS scheduling information to a terminal based on downlink data received from a core network device; sending TRS to the terminal; and sending downlink data to the terminal.

[0006] Based on the method described in the first aspect, the access network device only triggers the sending of TRS to the terminal when it has downlink data to send. When there is no downlink data to send to the terminal, the access network device may not send TRS. In other words, the access network device can send TRS to the terminal on demand, rather than periodically, which helps reduce the power consumption of the access network device.

[0007] In one possible embodiment, data characteristics of downlink data sent by core network equipment can also be received; wherein, TRS scheduling information is determined based on these data characteristics. Determining TRS scheduling information based on the data characteristics of downlink data allows for a more reasonable determination of TRS scheduling information, which helps reduce the power consumption of access network equipment.

[0008] In one possible embodiment, the data characteristics of the downlink data include the amount of downlink data and / or the duration of downlink data. Based on the amount of downlink data and / or the duration of downlink data, TRS scheduling information, such as the number of TRS burst sets and the period of TRS burst sets, can be determined more reasonably, which helps to reduce the power consumption overhead of access network equipment transmission.

[0009] In one possible embodiment, the TRS scheduling information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst sets. By configuring the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst sets, the transmission of TRS can be made more flexible, which helps to reduce the power consumption of access network equipment.

[0010] In one possible embodiment, sending TRS scheduling information to the terminal based on received downlink data from the core network device includes: sending a first downlink control information (DCI) to the terminal based on received downlink data from the core network device, the first DCI including TRS scheduling information and uplink data scheduling information; the method further includes: sending a second DCI to the terminal, the second DCI including downlink data scheduling information. Based on this possible embodiment, the TRS scheduling information can be carried by the DCI used for scheduling uplink data in the existing process, thus eliminating the need for an additional DCI.

[0011] In one possible embodiment, sending TRS scheduling information to the terminal based on downlink data received from the core network device includes: sending a third DCI to the terminal based on the downlink data received from the core network device, wherein the third DCI includes both TRS scheduling information and downlink data scheduling information. Based on this possible embodiment, by having the TRS scheduling information and downlink data scheduling information sent through the same newly added DCI, the process is simplified.

[0012] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a TRS transmission method, the method comprising: sending a scheduling request to an access network device, the scheduling request being used to request scheduling of uplink data and TRS; receiving a first downlink control information (DCI) sent by the access network device, the first DCI including first TRS scheduling information and uplink data scheduling information; receiving the TRS sent by the access network device based on the first TRS scheduling information; and sending uplink data to the access network device based on the uplink data scheduling information.

[0013] Based on the method described in the second aspect, the access network device only triggers the sending of TRS to the terminal when the terminal has uplink data to send. The access network device may not send TRS to the terminal when there is no uplink data to send. In other words, the access network device can send TRS to the terminal on demand, rather than periodically, which helps reduce the power consumption of the access network device.

[0014] In one possible embodiment, a buffer scheduling request indicating the buffer amount of uplink data may also be sent to the access network device; and a second DCI sent by the access network device may be received, the second DCI including second TRS scheduling information and scheduling information of the buffered uplink data; wherein the second TRS scheduling information is determined based on the buffer amount of uplink data; and a TRS sent by the access network device may be received based on the second TRS scheduling information; and the buffered uplink data may be sent to the access network device based on the scheduling information of the buffered uplink data. Based on this possible embodiment, the access network device may also update the TRS scheduling information based on the buffer amount of uplink data, which helps to reduce the power consumption of the access network device.

[0015] In one possible embodiment, the first TRS scheduling information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst set.

[0016] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a TRS transmission method, the method comprising: receiving a scheduling request sent by a terminal, the scheduling request being used to request scheduling of uplink data and TRS; based on the scheduling request, sending a first downlink control information (DCI) to the terminal, the first DCI including first TRS scheduling information and uplink data scheduling information; sending TRS to the terminal; and receiving uplink data sent by the terminal.

[0017] In one possible embodiment, the system may also receive a cache scheduling request sent by the terminal, the cache scheduling request indicating the cache amount of uplink data; and based on the cache scheduling request, send a second DCI to the terminal, the second DCI including second TRS scheduling information and scheduling information of cached uplink data; wherein the second TRS scheduling information is determined based on the cache amount of uplink data; send a TRS to the terminal; and receive cached uplink data sent by the terminal.

[0018] In one possible embodiment, the first TRS scheduling information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst set.

[0019] The beneficial effects in the third aspect are described in the second aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0020] Fourthly, this application provides a communication device that has the function of implementing any one of the first to third aspects above. For example, the communication device includes a module, unit, or means corresponding to the operation involved in the method described in any one of the first to third aspects above. The module, unit, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0021] Fifthly, this application provides a communication device including an interface circuit and one or more processors. The one or more processors are coupled to a memory. The memory stores part or all of the necessary computer program or instructions for implementing the functions described in any one of the first to third aspects above. The one or more processors can execute the computer program or instructions, and when the computer program or instructions are executed, cause the communication device to implement the methods described in any one of the first to third aspects above. The interface circuit is used to implement the communication functions within the communication device and / or the communication functions between the communication device and other devices or components.

[0022] In one possible embodiment, the processor is used to communicate with other devices or components through the interface circuit.

[0023] In one possible embodiment, the communication device may further include the memory.

[0024] The aforementioned communication device may be a terminal, or a communication / processing module within a terminal, or a chip within a terminal responsible for communication functions. Alternatively, the aforementioned communication device may be an access network device, or a module (e.g., a circuit, chip, or chip system) within an access network device, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the access network device.

[0025] Sixthly, this application provides a communication system including a terminal and an access network device. The terminal can perform the method described in the second aspect above, and the access network device can perform the method described in the third aspect above.

[0026] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions, which, when read and executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method described in any one of the first to third aspects above.

[0027] Eighthly, this application provides a computer program product that, when read and executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the method described in any one of the first to third aspects above. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 is a possible, non-limiting system schematic diagram provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a TRS transmission method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating another TRS transmission method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating another TRS transmission method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a possible communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a possible communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To better understand the embodiments of this application, the system architecture involved in the embodiments of this application will be described first below:

[0035] This application's embodiments can be applied to long-term evolution (LTE) systems, 5th generation mobile communication (5G) systems, 6th generation mobile communication (6G) systems, and other communication systems evolving after 5G, as well as satellite communication and short-range wireless communication systems. The wireless communication systems mentioned in this application's embodiments include, but are not limited to: the three major application scenarios of 5G / 6G mobile communication systems: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC); long-range (LoRa) systems; and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems. The wireless communication system may include one or more access network devices and one or more terminal devices.

[0036] Figure 1 is a possible, non-limiting system schematic diagram provided by an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system 10 includes a radio access network (RAN) 100, a core network (CN) 200, and a data network (DN) 300.

[0037] RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (110a and 110b in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 110) and at least one terminal (120a-120j in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 120). RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay equipment and / or wireless backhaul equipment (not shown in Figure 1). Terminal 120 is wirelessly connected to RAN node 110. RAN node 110 is wirelessly or wired connected to core network 200. The core network equipment in core network 200 and RAN node 110 in RAN 100 can be different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating core network logical functions and wireless access network logical functions.

[0038] RAN 100 can be a cellular system related to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 4G, 5G mobile communication systems, or future-oriented evolution systems (such as 6G mobile communication systems). RAN 100 can also be an open RAN (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. RAN 100 can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems. RAN can also be referred to as an access network (AN).

[0039] 1. RAN Node 110

[0040] RAN node 110, sometimes also referred to as access network equipment, RAN entity, access node, access point, or network device, constitutes part of the communication system and is used to help terminals achieve wireless access. Multiple RAN nodes 110 in communication system 10 can be of the same type or different types. In some scenarios, the roles of RAN node 110 and terminal 120 are relative. For example, network element 120i in Figure 1 can be a helicopter or drone, which can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminals 120j accessing RAN 100 through network element 120i, network element 120i is a base station; but for base station 110a, network element 120i is a terminal. RAN node 110 and terminal 120 are sometimes both referred to as communication devices. For example, network elements 110a and 110b in Figure 1 can be understood as communication devices with base station functions, and network elements 120a-120j can be understood as communication devices with terminal functions.

[0041] In one possible scenario, RAN node 110 can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a next-generation base station in a 6th-generation (6G) mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. RAN node 110 can be a macro base station (as shown in Figure 1, 110a), a micro base station or indoor station (as shown in Figure 1, 110b), a relay node or donor node, or a radio controller in a CRAN scenario. In one possible embodiment, RAN node 110 can also be a server, a wearable device, a vehicle, or an in-vehicle device. For example, the access network device in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be a roadside unit (RSU). All or part of the functions of RAN node 110 in this application can also be implemented through software functions running on hardware, or through virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform). In this application, RAN node 110 can also be a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of RAN node 110.

[0042] In another possible scenario, multiple RAN nodes 110 collaborate to assist the terminal in achieving wireless access, with each RAN node 110 implementing a portion of the base station's functions. For example, a RAN node 110 can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU), etc. CUs and DUs can be configured separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radio heads (RRHs).

[0043] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules.

[0044] In this embodiment, the form of RAN node 110 is not limited. The device used to implement the function of RAN node 110 can be RAN node 110 itself; or it can be a device that supports RAN node 110 in implementing the function, such as a chip system. The device can be installed in RAN node 110 or used in conjunction with RAN node 110.

[0045] For ease of description, RAN node 110 will be referred to as the access network device in the following text.

[0046] 2. Terminal

[0047] The terminal can be a device or module that accesses the aforementioned communication system and has corresponding communication functions. The terminal can also be called a terminal device, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, etc. The terminal can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable device, vehicle, drone, helicopter, airplane, ship, robot, robotic arm, smart home device, transportation vehicle with wireless communication capabilities, communication module, head-mounted XR glasses, video player, holographic projector, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal. The terminal typically contains a communication module, circuit, or chip that performs the corresponding communication functions. The terminal can also be configured with program instructions for performing the corresponding communication functions.

[0048] II. Core Network 200

[0049] The core network 200 has three main functions: registration, connection, and session management. The core network 200 primarily includes network exposure function (NEF) network elements, policy control function (PCF) network elements, application function (AF) network elements, access and mobility management function (AMF) network elements, session management function (SMF) network elements, and user plane function (UPF) network elements.

[0050] NEF network element: Used to expose the services and capabilities of 3GPP network functions to AF network elements, and at the same time, it allows AF network elements to provide information to 3GPP network functions.

[0051] PCF network element: Used for policy management of charging and QoS policies.

[0052] AF element: mainly used to transmit the application side's requirements to the network side.

[0053] AMF (Automatic Mobility Management) elements are primarily used for mobility management, access authentication / authorization, and other functions. They are also responsible for transmitting user policies between the UE and the PCF (Programmable Component Filter).

[0054] SMF network element: Used to complete session management functions such as UE IP address allocation, UPF selection, billing and QoS policy control.

[0055] UPF network elements: As the interface with the data network, they perform functions such as user plane data forwarding, session / flow-based billing and statistics, and bandwidth limiting.

[0056] III. Data Network 300

[0057] Data network 300 can provide services such as fixed-line network, Internet, carrier services or third-party services.

[0058] To reduce the power consumption of access network devices, this application provides a TRS transmission method and communication device. The TRS transmission method and communication device will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is understood that this application uses a terminal, access network device, and core network device as examples to illustrate the execution of the interaction, but this application does not limit the execution subject of the interaction. For example, the method executed by the terminal in this application can also be implemented by a communication / processing module in the terminal or a circuit or chip (such as a modem chip (also known as a baseband chip), or a SoC chip containing a modem core, or a SIP chip, or a GPU) responsible for communication / processing functions in the terminal. The method executed by the access network device or core network device in this application can also be implemented by a module (e.g., a circuit, chip, or chip system) in the access network device or core network device, or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the access network device or core network device.

[0059] Please refer to Figure 2, which is a flowchart illustrating a TRS transmission method provided in an embodiment of this application, wherein:

[0060] 201. The core network equipment sends downlink data to the access network equipment. Correspondingly, the access network equipment can receive the downlink data.

[0061] 202. Based on the downlink data received from the core network, the access network device sends TRS scheduling information to the terminal. Correspondingly, the terminal can receive this TRS scheduling information.

[0062] In this embodiment, the TRS is a key reference signal used to support terminal time-frequency synchronization and channel state tracking, belonging to the category of channel status information reference signals (CSI-RS). The TRS is primarily used to compensate for phase rotation caused by frequency and time offsets when the terminal receives signals, ensuring demodulation accuracy. Since there may be slight deviations in the crystal oscillator frequencies of the access network equipment and the terminal, signal transmission may experience time or frequency offsets. Measuring the TRS can help the terminal adjust for these deviations, thereby optimizing the terminal's signal reception quality.

[0063] In this embodiment, the access network device sends TRS scheduling information to the terminal based on the downlink data received from the core network. This can also be understood as: when the access network device receives downlink data from the core network, it triggers the sending of TRS scheduling information to the terminal. The TRS scheduling information is used to schedule TRS. By sending TRS scheduling information to the terminal, the terminal can successfully receive the TRS based on the TRS scheduling information.

[0064] In one possible embodiment, the TRS scheduling information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst set. The TRS burst set includes one or more TRS. By configuring the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst sets, the transmission of TRS can be made more flexible, which helps to reduce the power consumption of access network equipment.

[0065] In one possible embodiment, in addition to sending downlink data to the access network device, the core network device may also send the data characteristics of the downlink data to the access network device. Correspondingly, the access network device may also receive the data characteristics of the downlink data. The access network device can determine TRS scheduling information based on the data characteristics of the downlink data. Determining TRS scheduling information based on the data characteristics of the downlink data allows for a more reasonable determination of the TRS scheduling information, which helps reduce the power consumption of the access network device.

[0066] Optionally, the data characteristics include the amount of downlink data and / or the duration of downlink data. Based on the amount of downlink data and / or the duration of downlink data, access network devices can more reasonably determine TRS scheduling information, such as the number of TRS burst sets and the period of TRS burst sets, which helps to reduce the power consumption overhead of access network devices.

[0067] For example, if the amount of downlink data is less than the quantity threshold, or the duration of downlink data is less than the time threshold (i.e., the amount of downlink data is small or the duration is short), then only one TRS resource set can be sent. For example, TRS scheduling information can indicate the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRSs included in the TRS burst set, and indicate that the number of TRS resource sets is 1.

[0068] For example, if the amount of downlink data is less than the quantity threshold and the duration of downlink data is less than the time threshold, meaning the amount of downlink data is small and the duration is short, then only one TRS resource set can be sent. For instance, TRS scheduling information can indicate the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRSs included in the TRS burst set, and indicate that the number of TRS resource sets is 1.

[0069] For example, if the amount of downlink data exceeds a quantity threshold, or the duration of downlink data exceeds a time threshold (i.e., the amount of downlink data is large or the duration is long), multiple TRS resource sets can be sent. For instance, TRS scheduling information can indicate the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in a TRS burst set, the number of TRS resource sets, and the period of the TRS burst set.

[0070] For example, if the amount of downlink data exceeds the quantity threshold and the duration of the downlink data exceeds the time threshold (i.e., the downlink data is large in volume and long in duration), then multiple TRS resource sets can be sent. For instance, TRS scheduling information can indicate the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRSs included in a TRS burst set, the number of TRS resource sets, and the period of the TRS burst set.

[0071] In one possible embodiment, the access network device includes a CU and a DU. The CU can receive downlink data from the core network device. After receiving the downlink data, the CU triggers the transmission of the TRS scheduling information and downlink data to the DU. After receiving the TRS scheduling information and downlink data, the DU sends the TRS scheduling information to the terminal, and subsequently, the DU sends the TRS and downlink data to the terminal. Optionally, the CU can also receive data characteristics of the downlink data from the core network device. After receiving the downlink data and the data characteristics, the CU triggers the determination of TRS scheduling information based on the data characteristics and sends the TRS scheduling information and downlink data to the DU. After receiving the TRS scheduling information and downlink data, the DU sends the TRS scheduling information to the terminal, and subsequently, the DU sends the TRS and downlink data to the terminal.

[0072] In another possible embodiment, after receiving the downlink data, the CU triggers the transmission of downlink data to the DU. After receiving the downlink data, the DU triggers the transmission of TRS scheduling information to the terminal, and subsequently, the DU transmits TRS and downlink data to the terminal. Optionally, the CU may also receive data characteristics of the downlink data from the core network equipment. After receiving the downlink data and the data characteristics, the CU triggers the transmission of the downlink data and the data characteristics to the DU. After receiving the downlink data and the data characteristics, the DU triggers the determination of TRS scheduling information based on the data characteristics and transmits the TRS scheduling information to the terminal, and subsequently, the DU transmits TRS and downlink data to the terminal.

[0073] 203. The access network device sends a TRS to the terminal. Accordingly, the terminal can receive the TRS based on the TRS scheduling information.

[0074] In this embodiment of the application, after the terminal receives the TRS, it can perform time / frequency synchronization with the access network device based on the TRS so that it can efficiently receive downlink data in the future.

[0075] 204. The access network device sends downlink data to the terminal. Accordingly, the terminal can receive the downlink data.

[0076] The following describes two possible implementation methods for access network devices to send TRS scheduling information to terminals based on data received from core network devices:

[0077] 1. The access network device sends TRS scheduling information to the terminal based on the data received from the core network device, including: the access network device sending a first DCI to the terminal based on the downlink data received from the core network device, the first DCI including TRS scheduling information and uplink data scheduling information. Accordingly, the terminal can receive the first DCI.

[0078] The access network device can also send a second DCI to the terminal, which includes downlink data scheduling information. Accordingly, the terminal can receive this second DCI. The terminal can then receive the downlink data based on the downlink data scheduling information.

[0079] In other words, TRS scheduling information and downlink data scheduling information are sent through different DCIs. TRS scheduling information can be carried by the existing DCI used for scheduling uplink data, thus eliminating the need for an additional DCI.

[0080] 2. Based on the data received from the core network device, the access network device sends TRS scheduling information to the terminal, including: based on the downlink data received from the core network device, sending a third DCI to the terminal, which includes the TRS scheduling information and the downlink data scheduling information. Accordingly, the terminal can receive this third DCI.

[0081] In other words, TRS scheduling information and downlink data scheduling information are sent through the same DCI. This third DCI can be a newly designed DCI. For example, it could be DCI 1_X, which can schedule both TRS and downlink data simultaneously. By having TRS scheduling information and downlink data scheduling information sent through the same newly added DCI, the process is simplified.

[0082] As can be seen, based on the method described in Figure 2, the access network device only triggers the sending of TRS to the terminal when it has downlink data to send. When there is no downlink data to send to the terminal, the access network device does not need to send TRS. In other words, the access network device can send TRS to the terminal on demand, rather than periodically, which helps reduce the power consumption of the access network device.

[0083] Please refer to Figure 3, which is a flowchart illustrating another TRS transmission method provided in an embodiment of this application, wherein:

[0084] 301. The terminal sends a scheduling request to the access network device, which requests the scheduling of uplink data and TRS. Accordingly, the access network device can receive the scheduling request.

[0085] In this embodiment, after receiving the scheduling request, the access network device triggers the sending of TRS scheduling information to the terminal. That is, when the terminal has uplink data to transmit, the access network device is triggered to send TRS scheduling information to the terminal.

[0086] 302. Based on the scheduling request, the access network device sends a first DCI to the terminal. The first DCI includes first TRS scheduling information and uplink data scheduling information. Accordingly, the terminal can receive the first DCI.

[0087] In other words, the first DCI schedules both uplink data and TRS. For example, the first DCI can be DCI 0_X, or the first DCI can be any other DCI; this application does not limit the specific implementation.

[0088] In one possible embodiment, the first TRS scheduling information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst set. The TRS burst set includes one or more TRS. By configuring the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst sets, the transmission of TRS can be made more flexible, which helps to reduce the power consumption of access network equipment.

[0089] 303. The access network device sends a TRS to the terminal. Accordingly, the terminal receives the TRS sent by the access network device based on the first TRS scheduling information.

[0090] 304. The terminal sends uplink data to the access network device based on the uplink data scheduling information. Correspondingly, the access network device can receive the uplink data.

[0091] As can be seen, based on the method described in Figure 3, the access network device only triggers the sending of TRS to the terminal when the terminal has uplink data to send. The access network device does not need to send TRS to the terminal when there is no uplink data to send. In other words, the access network device can send TRS to the terminal on demand, rather than periodically, which helps reduce the power consumption of the access network device.

[0092] Please refer to Figure 4, which is a flowchart illustrating another TRS transmission method provided in an embodiment of this application, wherein:

[0093] 401. The terminal sends a scheduling request to the access network device, which requests the scheduling of uplink data and TRS. Accordingly, the access network device can receive the scheduling request.

[0094] 402. Based on the scheduling request, the access network device sends a first DCI to the terminal. The first DCI includes first TRS scheduling information and uplink data scheduling information. Accordingly, the terminal can receive the first DCI.

[0095] 403. The access network device sends a TRS to the terminal. Accordingly, the terminal receives the TRS sent by the access network device based on the first TRS scheduling information.

[0096] 404. The terminal sends uplink data to the access network device based on the uplink data scheduling information. Correspondingly, the access network device can receive the uplink data.

[0097] Steps 401 to 404 can be found in the descriptions of steps 301 to 304, and will not be repeated here.

[0098] 405. The terminal sends a cache scheduling request to the access network device, which indicates the amount of uplink data to be cached.

[0099] The cache scheduling request is used to indicate the amount of uplink data cached in the terminal. It can also be understood as a request to reschedule the TRS or to adjust the TRS scheduling information.

[0100] 406. The access network device sends a second DCI to the terminal based on the cache scheduling request. The second DCI includes the second TRS scheduling information and the scheduling information of the cached uplink data.

[0101] The second TRS scheduling information is determined based on the uplink data buffer size. In other words, access network devices can update the TRS scheduling information based on the uplink data buffer size.

[0102] For example, if the amount of upstream data cached is less than the quantity threshold, that is, the amount of upstream data cached is small, the number of TRS resource sets can be reduced.

[0103] Alternatively, the number of TRS resource sets can be determined based on the cache size range of the uplink data. For example, if the uplink data cache size is in cache size range 1, then 1 TRS resource set is sent. If the uplink data cache size is in cache size range 2, then 2 TRS resource sets are sent. If the uplink data cache size is in cache size range 3, then 3 TRS resource sets are sent. Cache size range 1 is less than cache size range 2, and cache size range 2 is less than cache size range 3.

[0104] In one possible embodiment, the second TRS scheduling information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst set.

[0105] 407. The access network device sends a TRS to the terminal. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the TRS sent by the access network device based on the second TRS scheduling information.

[0106] 408. The terminal sends the cached uplink data to the access network device based on the scheduling information of the cached uplink data. The access network device receives the cached uplink data sent by the terminal.

[0107] As can be seen, based on the method described in Figure 4, the access network device can also update the TRS scheduling information based on the uplink data buffer amount, which helps to reduce the power consumption of the access network device.

[0108] It is understood that, in order to achieve the functions in the above embodiments, the access network device and terminal include 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 by hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0109] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the possible communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of the terminal or access network device in the above method embodiments, and thus can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments. In the embodiments of this application, the communication device can be one of the terminals 120a-120j shown in Figure 1, or it can be the access network device 110a or 110b shown in Figure 1, or it can be a module (such as a chip) applied to the terminal or access network device.

[0110] As shown in Figure 5, the communication device 500 includes a processing unit 510 and a transceiver unit 520. The communication device 500 is used to implement the functions of the terminal or access network device in the method embodiments shown in Figure 2, 3, or 4 above.

[0111] When the communication device 500 is used to implement the function of the access network device in the method embodiment shown in FIG2:

[0112] The transceiver unit 520 is used to send TRS scheduling information to the terminal based on the downlink data received from the core network equipment; and to send TRS to the terminal; and to send downlink data to the terminal.

[0113] In one possible embodiment, the transceiver unit 520 is further configured to receive data characteristics of downlink data sent by the core network equipment; wherein, the TRS scheduling information is determined based on the data characteristics.

[0114] In one possible embodiment, the data characteristics include the amount of downlink data and / or the duration of downlink data.

[0115] In one possible embodiment, the TRS scheduling information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst set.

[0116] In one possible embodiment, the transceiver unit 520 sends TRS scheduling information to the terminal based on the downlink data received from the core network device, including: sending a first downlink control information (DCI) to the terminal based on the downlink data received from the core network device, wherein the first DCI includes TRS scheduling information and uplink data scheduling information.

[0117] The transceiver unit 520 is also used to send a second DCI to the terminal, the second DCI including downlink data scheduling information.

[0118] In one possible embodiment, the transceiver unit 520 sends TRS scheduling information to the terminal based on the downlink data received from the core network device, including: sending a third DCI to the terminal based on the downlink data received from the core network device, wherein the third DCI includes TRS scheduling information and downlink data scheduling information.

[0119] When the communication device 500 is used to implement the functions of the terminal in the method embodiment shown in FIG3 or FIG4:

[0120] The transceiver unit 520 is configured to send a scheduling request to the access network device, the scheduling request being used to request the scheduling of uplink data and TRS; receive a first downlink control information (DCI) sent by the access network device, the first DCI including first TRS scheduling information and uplink data scheduling information; receive the TRS sent by the access network device based on the first TRS scheduling information; and send uplink data to the access network device based on the uplink data scheduling information.

[0121] In one possible embodiment, the transceiver unit 520 is further configured to send a buffer scheduling request to the access network device, the buffer scheduling request indicating the buffer amount of uplink data; and receive a second DCI sent by the access network device, the second DCI including second TRS scheduling information and scheduling information of the buffered uplink data; wherein the second TRS scheduling information is determined based on the buffer amount of uplink data; and receive a TRS sent by the access network device based on the second TRS scheduling information; and send the buffered uplink data to the access network device based on the scheduling information of the buffered uplink data.

[0122] In one possible embodiment, the first TRS scheduling information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst set.

[0123] When the communication device 500 is used to implement the function of the access network device in the method embodiment shown in FIG3 or FIG4:

[0124] The transceiver unit 520 is configured to receive a scheduling request sent by the terminal, the scheduling request being used to request the scheduling of uplink data and TRS; and based on the scheduling request, send a first downlink control information (DCI) to the terminal, the first DCI including first TRS scheduling information and uplink data scheduling information; send a TRS to the terminal; and receive uplink data sent by the terminal.

[0125] In one possible embodiment, the transceiver unit 520 is further configured to receive a cache scheduling request sent by the terminal, the cache scheduling request indicating the cache amount of uplink data; and based on the cache scheduling request, send a second DCI to the terminal, the second DCI including second TRS scheduling information and scheduling information of cached uplink data; wherein the second TRS scheduling information is determined based on the cache amount of uplink data; and send a TRS to the terminal; and receive cached uplink data sent by the terminal.

[0126] In one possible embodiment, the first TRS scheduling information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst set.

[0127] As shown in Figure 6, the communication device 600 includes a processor 610 and an interface circuit 620. The processor 610 and the interface circuit 620 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 620 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. Optionally, the communication device 600 may also include a memory 630 for storing instructions executed by the processor 610, input data required for executing instructions by the processor 610, or data generated after the processor 610 executes instructions. The communication device 600 can be a terminal or access network device, or a module (such as a chip) applied to a terminal or access network device.

[0128] When the communication device 600 is used to implement the method shown in FIG2, FIG3 or FIG4, the processor 610 is used to implement the function of the processing unit 510, and the interface circuit 620 is used to implement the function of the transceiver unit 520.

[0129] 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 other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the terminal, which is sent to the terminal by the access network device; or, the terminal chip sends information to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the terminal, which is sent to the access network device by the terminal.

[0130] When the aforementioned communication device is a module applied to an access network device, the access network device module implements the functions of the access network device in the above method embodiments. The access network device module receives information from other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the access network device, which is information sent by the terminal to the access network device; or, the access network device module sends information to other modules (such as radio frequency modules or antennas) in the access network device, which is information sent by the access network device to the terminal. Here, the access network device module can be the baseband chip of the access network device, or it can be a DU or other modules. The DU here can be a DU under an open radio access network (O-RAN) architecture.

[0131] 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 a base station and a terminal; 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 base station chip and other modules of the base station.

[0132] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be a central processing unit, or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field-programmable gate arrays, or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0133] The method steps in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or by a processor executing software instructions. 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, optical discs, 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. Of course, the storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and storage medium can reside in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Alternatively, the ASIC can reside in a network device or terminal. Of course, the processor and storage medium can also exist as discrete components in a network device or terminal.

[0134] 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.

[0135] 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.

[0136] 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.

[0137] 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. A method for transmitting a tracking reference signal (TRS), characterized in that, The method includes: Based on the downlink data received from the core network equipment, TRS scheduling information is sent to the terminal; Send TRS to the terminal; The downlink data is sent to the terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Data characteristics of the downlink data received from the core network equipment; The TRS scheduling information is determined based on the data characteristics.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The data characteristics include the amount of downlink data and / or the duration of downlink data.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The TRS scheduling information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst set.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The step of sending TRS scheduling information to the terminal based on the downlink data received from the core network equipment includes: Based on the downlink data received from the core network equipment, a first downlink control information (DCI) is sent to the terminal. The first DCI includes TRS scheduling information and uplink data scheduling information. The method further includes: A second DCI is sent to the terminal, the second DCI including the scheduling information of the downlink data.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The step of sending TRS scheduling information to the terminal based on the downlink data received from the core network equipment includes: Based on the downlink data received from the core network equipment, a third DCI is sent to the terminal. The third DCI includes TRS scheduling information and the scheduling information of the downlink data.

7. A method for transmitting a tracking reference signal (TRS), characterized in that, The method includes: Send a scheduling request to the access network device, the scheduling request being used to request the scheduling of uplink data and TRS; Receive the first downlink control information (DCI) sent by the access network device, wherein the first DCI includes first TRS scheduling information and uplink data scheduling information; The access network device sends a TRS based on the first TRS scheduling information; The uplink data is sent to the access network device based on the scheduling information of the uplink data.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a cache scheduling request to the access network device, the cache scheduling request indicating the amount of uplink data to be cached; The system receives a second DCI sent by the access network device. The second DCI includes second TRS scheduling information and scheduling information for cached uplink data. The second TRS scheduling information is determined based on the cache size of the uplink data. The access network device sends a TRS based on the second TRS scheduling information; The cached uplink data is sent to the access network device based on the scheduling information of the cached uplink data.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The first TRS scheduling information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst set.

10. A method for transmitting a tracking reference signal (TRS), characterized in that, The method includes: The receiving terminal sends a scheduling request, which is used to request the scheduling of uplink data and TRS; Based on the scheduling request, a first downlink control information (DCI) is sent to the terminal. The first DCI includes a first TRS scheduling information and uplink data scheduling information. Send TRS to the terminal; Receive uplink data sent by the terminal.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive a cache scheduling request sent by the terminal, the cache scheduling request indicating the amount of uplink data to be cached; Based on the cache scheduling request, a second DCI is sent to the terminal. The second DCI includes second TRS scheduling information and scheduling information for cached uplink data. The second TRS scheduling information is determined based on the cache size of the uplink data. Send TRS to the terminal; Receive cached uplink data sent by the terminal.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The first TRS scheduling information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the time-frequency resources of the TRS, the number of TRS included in the TRS burst set, the number of TRS burst sets, and the period of the TRS burst set.

13. A communication device comprising a module for performing the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor and an interface circuit, wherein the interface circuit is used to receive signals from other communication devices and transmit them to the processor or to send signals from the processor to other communication devices, and the processor is used to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 12 through logic circuits or executing code instructions.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program or instructions, which, when executed by a communication device, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer program or instructions, characterized in that, When the computer program or instructions are executed by the communication device, the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 12 is implemented.

17. A communication system, characterized in that, The communication system includes a terminal and an access network device, wherein the terminal is used to perform the method described in any one of claims 11 to 12, and the access network device is used to perform the method described in any one of claims 7 to 9.

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