Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

A communication method and apparatus, for improving spectrum utilization while effectively controlling mutual interference between different network devices. The method comprises: a first network device sends first information to a terminal, the first information indicating that a downlink frequency band of a second network device overlaps an uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or an uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps a downlink frequency band of the first network device; and upon receiving the first information, the terminal selects, on the basis of the first information, at least one network device from among the first network device and the second network device to access.

Description

Communication methods and devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202510370702.7, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on March 26, 2025, entitled "Communication Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communications, and more particularly to communication methods and apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] With the development of communication technology, non-terrestrial network (NTN) technology has emerged. NTN technology is a communication technology that enables terminals to directly connect to satellites. By integrating satellite communication networks and terrestrial cellular communication networks, it provides superior coverage capabilities without being limited by terrain, meeting the access needs of terminals in different scenarios.

[0004] Due to factors such as long communication distances and high link losses, the uplink and downlink transmission rates of NTN systems are limited. Furthermore, because the coverage area of ​​NTN satellites is large, each satellite has many potential users, but the access capacity of a single satellite is limited, which may result in some users being unable to access the NTN system normally. Currently, the common approach is to use multiple satellites to provide multiple coverage areas for the same region, thereby improving the uplink and downlink throughput and system capacity of the NTN system.

[0005] However, the current solution suffers from low spectrum utilization or excessive interference between different satellites. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a communication method and apparatus that can improve spectrum utilization while effectively controlling mutual interference between different network devices.

[0007] Firstly, a communication method is provided, which can be applied to the terminal side, such as a terminal or a communication module / processing module in the terminal, or a circuit or chip in the terminal responsible for communication functions (such as a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core or a system-in-package (SIP) chip), or a circuit or chip in the terminal responsible for processing functions (such as a graphics processing unit (GPU), an artificial intelligence (AI) processor, or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)). The method includes: receiving first information from a first network device, the first information indicating that the downlink frequency band of a second network device overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or that the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device; and accessing the first network device and / or the second network device according to the first information.

[0008] Based on the above scheme, after receiving the first information from the first network device, the terminal can determine, according to the received first information, that the downlink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or that the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device. Then, the terminal can access at least one of the first and second network devices based on the first information. Since the frequency bands used by the first and second network devices overlap, the same frequency band can be reused by different network devices, which is beneficial to improving spectrum utilization. Furthermore, since the frequency band reused by the first and second network devices belongs not only to one's uplink frequency band but also to the other's downlink frequency band, and the first and second network devices are usually far apart, this helps reduce mutual interference between the first and second network devices and improves the signal transmission quality of both the first and second network devices reusing the same frequency band.

[0009] In one possible design, the first information also indicates at least one of the following: the frequency domain resources of the synchronization signaling and PBCH block (SSB) of the second network device, the time domain resources of the SSB of the second network device, the SSB measurement timing configuration (SMTC) of the second network device, the global synchronization channel number (GSCN) associated with the SSB of the second network device, the load of the first network device, the load of the second network device, the idle resources of the first network device, the idle resources of the second network device, the remaining service time of the first network device, the remaining service time of the second network device, or access selection information, which is used to indicate the access conditions for accessing the first network device and / or the second network device.

[0010] Based on this scheme, when the first information indicates relevant information about the timing of receiving the SSB of the second network device (such as the time-frequency resources of the SSB or SMTC, etc.), the terminal can also obtain the timing of receiving the SSB of the second network device even when the downlink frequency band used by the second network device includes the uplink frequency band in a pair of standard-defined spectrums, thereby improving the success rate of the terminal accessing the second network device; when the first information indicates access selection information, the terminal can obtain the access conditions of the first device and / or the second network device, making it easier for the terminal to select the network device to be accessed.

[0011] In one possible design, accessing the second network device based on first information includes: accessing the second network device when a first access condition is met, the first access condition including at least one of the following: the signal quality of the second network device meets the S criterion; the difference between the signal quality of the second network device and the signal quality of the first network device is greater than or equal to a first threshold; the difference between the load of the second network device and the load of the first network device is less than or equal to a second threshold; the difference between the idle resources of the second network device and the idle resources of the first network device is greater than or equal to a third threshold; the difference between the remaining service time of the second network device and the remaining service time of the first network device is greater than or equal to a fourth threshold; a random number generated by the terminal is less than or equal to the access weight associated with the second network device; the terminal has the capability to support services based on reverse spectrum; or, the first network device instructs the terminal to access the second network device.

[0012] Based on this scheme, the terminal can access the second network device if the second network device meets the first access condition. On the one hand, this allows the terminal to access the first network device first. On the other hand, the restriction of the first access condition ensures that the terminal can only access the second network device if the service capability of the second network device is detected to be good, which helps to improve the access success rate.

[0013] In one possible design, the access weight associated with the second network device is indicated by the first network device; or, the access weight associated with the second network device is determined based on at least one of the following: the signal quality of the second network device, the signal quality of the first network device, the load of the second network device, the load of the first network device, the idle resources of the second network device, the idle resources of the first network device, the remaining service time of the second network device, or the remaining service time of the first network device.

[0014] Based on this scheme, the access weight associated with the second network device can be indicated by the first network device or determined according to the service quality-related factors of the first network device and / or the second network device. This is beneficial to improving the flexibility of determining the access weight associated with the second network device. Furthermore, when determining whether to access the second network device based on the access weight associated with the second network device, it is beneficial to allocate the terminals to be accessed according to the access capacity of the network devices and balance the service pressure of the first and second network devices.

[0015] In one possible design, the first information also indicates the system information of the second network device, which is used to access the second network device.

[0016] Based on this scheme, the first network device can send the system information for accessing the second network device to the terminal through the first information. The second network device does not need to broadcast the system information for accessing the second network device, which helps to reduce the resource consumption of the second network device and the power consumption of the terminal during the process of accessing the second network device.

[0017] In one possible design, accessing the second network device based on the first information includes: accessing the second network device based on system information.

[0018] In one possible design, the communication method further includes: sending second information to a first network device, the second information indicating multiple coverage services supported by the terminal, the multiple coverage services supported by the terminal including at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connection (DC) service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation (CA) service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum.

[0019] Based on this scheme, the terminal can report its capabilities, enabling the first and second network devices to select multiple coverage services to provide to the terminal based on its capabilities. This helps improve the service quality of the services provided by the first and second network devices to the terminal based on multiple coverage.

[0020] In one possible design, the communication method further includes: receiving third information from a first network device, the third information being used to indicate multiple coverage services provided by the first network device and the second network device, the multiple coverage services provided by the first network device and the second network device including at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service based on reverse pairing spectrum.

[0021] Based on this scheme, the terminal reports the multiple coverage services that the terminal can support to the first network device, which makes it easier for the first and second network devices to determine the type of multiple coverage services to be provided to the terminal, and helps to improve the reliability of the multiple coverage services provided by the network devices.

[0022] In one possible design, the first and / or third information is transmitted in any of the following ways: unicast, multicast, or broadcast.

[0023] Secondly, a communication method is provided. This method can be applied to a first network device. For example, it can be executed by the first network device, by a module (e.g., processor, chip, or chip system) applied to the first network device, or by a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the first network device. The method includes: determining first information, the first information indicating that the downlink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or that the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device; and sending the first information to a terminal.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the first information also indicates at least one of the following: the frequency domain resources of the synchronization signal block (SSB) of the second network device, the time domain resources of the SSB of the second network device, the measurement time configuration (SMTC) of the SSB of the second network device, the global synchronization channel number (GSCN) associated with the SSB of the second network device, the load of the first network device, the load of the second network device, the idle resources of the first network device, the idle resources of the second network device, the remaining service time of the first network device, the remaining service time of the second network device, or access selection information, which is used to indicate the access conditions for accessing the first network device and / or the second network device.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the access conditions for the second network device include at least one of the following: the signal quality of the second network device satisfies the S criterion; the difference between the signal quality of the second network device and the signal quality of the first network device is greater than or equal to a first threshold; the difference between the load of the second network device and the load of the first network device is less than or equal to a second threshold; the difference between the idle resources of the second network device and the idle resources of the first network device is greater than or equal to a third threshold; the difference between the remaining service time of the second network device and the remaining service time of the first network device is greater than or equal to a fourth threshold; the random number generated by the terminal is less than or equal to the access weight associated with the second network device; the terminal has the capability to support services based on reverse spectrum; or, the first network device instructs the terminal to access the second network device.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the access weight associated with the second network device is indicated by the first network device; or, the access weight associated with the second network device is determined based on at least one of the following: the signal quality of the second network device, the signal quality of the first network device, the load of the second network device, the load of the first network device, the idle resources of the second network device, the idle resources of the first network device, the remaining service time of the second network device, or the remaining service time of the first network device.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the first information also indicates system information of the second network device, which is used to access the second network device.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the communication method further includes: receiving second information from a terminal, the second information indicating multiple coverage services supported by the terminal, the multiple coverage services supported by the terminal including at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum.

[0029] In one possible design, the communication method further includes: sending third information to the terminal, the third information being used to indicate the multiple coverage services provided by the first network device and the second network device, the multiple coverage services provided by the first network device and the second network device including at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service based on reverse pairing spectrum.

[0030] In one possible design, the first and / or third information is transmitted in any of the following ways: unicast, multicast, or broadcast.

[0031] The technical effects of the second aspect and any of its design methods can be referenced from the technical effects of the first aspect or similar design methods in the first aspect, and will not be elaborated here.

[0032] Thirdly, a communication device is provided for implementing various methods. The communication device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the implementation of the methods, which can be implemented in hardware, software, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the functions.

[0033] In some possible designs, the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module can be used to implement the processing functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations thereof. The transceiver module may include a receiving module and a transmitting module, respectively used to implement the receiving function and the transmitting function in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations thereof.

[0034] In some possible designs, the transceiver module can consist of transceiver circuits, transceivers, transceivers, or communication interfaces.

[0035] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory being used to store computer instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to perform the method described in either aspect.

[0036] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a communication interface; the communication interface being used to communicate with a module outside the communication device; the processor being used to execute a computer program or instructions to cause the communication device to perform the method described in any one of these aspects.

[0037] A sixth aspect provides a communication device comprising: at least one processor; said processor being configured to execute a computer program or instructions stored in a memory to cause the communication device to perform the method described in any of the aspects. The memory may be coupled to the processor, or may be independent of the processor.

[0038] In a seventh aspect, a communication device (e.g., the communication device may be a chip or a chip system) is provided, the communication device including a processor for implementing the functions involved in any one of the first to sixth aspects.

[0039] In some possible designs, the communication device includes a memory for storing necessary program instructions and data.

[0040] In some possible designs, when the device is a chip system, it can be composed of chips or contain chips and other discrete components.

[0041] It is understood that the communication device provided in the third to seventh aspects may be the terminal in the first aspect, or a module or unit (e.g., a chip, chip system, or circuit) in the terminal that performs the methods / operations / steps / actions described in the first aspect, or a module or unit that can be used in conjunction with the terminal, or a logical node, logical module, or software that can realize all or part of the terminal's functions; or, the communication device may be the first network device in the second aspect, or a module or unit (e.g., a chip, chip system, or circuit) in the first network device that performs the methods / operations / steps / actions described in the second aspect, or a module or unit that can be used in conjunction with the first network device, or a logical node, logical module, or software that can realize all or part of the first network device's functions.

[0042] It is understandable that when the communication device provided in any of the fourth to seventh aspects is a chip, the sending action / function of the communication device can be understood as outputting information, and the receiving action / function of the communication device can be understood as inputting information.

[0043] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a communication device, enable the communication device to perform the method described in any one of the first to sixth aspects.

[0044] A ninth aspect provides a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a communication device, enables the communication device to perform the method described in either the first or second aspect.

[0045] A tenth aspect provides a communication system comprising a terminal and a first network device. The terminal is configured to perform the method described in any possible design of the first aspect, and the first network device is configured to perform the method described in any possible design of the second aspect.

[0046] The technical effects of any of the design methods in aspects three through ten can be found in the technical effects of different design methods in aspects one and two, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0047] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a satellite multiple coverage method provided in this application;

[0048] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in this application;

[0049] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a converged network architecture of NTN and terrestrial network provided in this application;

[0050] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of another converged network architecture of NTN and terrestrial network provided in this application;

[0051] Figure 5 is a flowchart of a communication method provided in this application;

[0052] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a dual coverage based on reverse pairing spectrum provided in this application;

[0053] Figures 7-9 are schematic diagrams of the communication device provided in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0054] In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " indicates that the objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can mean A or B. "And / or" in this application is merely a description of the relationship between the related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. A and B can be singular or plural.

[0055] In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of a single item or a plurality of items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0056] 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 identical or similar items with substantially the same function and effect. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the terms "first" and "second" are not necessarily different.

[0057] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner to facilitate understanding.

[0058] It is understood that the term "embodiment" used throughout the specification means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic related to an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, various embodiments throughout the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, these specific features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. It is understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the sequence number of each process does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0059] It is understood that in this application, "...when" and "if" both refer to the corresponding processing that will be carried out under certain objective circumstances, and are not limited to a specific time, nor do they require a judgment action to be performed during implementation, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0060] It is understood that some optional features in the embodiments of this application can be implemented independently in certain scenarios without relying on other features, such as the current solution on which they are based, to solve the corresponding technical problems and achieve the corresponding effects. Alternatively, they can be combined with other features as needed in certain scenarios. Correspondingly, the apparatus given in the embodiments of this application can also implement these features or functions, which will not be elaborated here.

[0061] In this application, unless otherwise specified, the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or there is a logical conflict, the terminology and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be mutually referenced. Technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships. The following descriptions of the embodiments of this application do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application.

[0062] Currently, 5G New Radio (NR) has moved from the standardization stage to the commercial deployment stage. The NR standard was designed specifically for the characteristics of terrestrial communication and features high-speed, high-reliability, and low-latency communication for user terminals.

[0063] NTN communication, developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in Release 17, is a direct communication technology between terminals and satellites based on New Radio (NR) technology. Compared to terrestrial network communication, NTN communication offers advantages such as wider coverage and more flexible network deployment. Introducing NTN communication into 5G or future mobile communication technologies can provide communication services to areas difficult to cover with terrestrial networks, such as oceans and forests. It can also enhance communication reliability, providing more stable and higher-quality communication services for users on trains, airplanes, and other modes of transportation.

[0064] Currently, NTN technology has been widely used in fields such as aviation communications and maritime communications. Various research institutes, communications organizations, and companies are participating in the research of NTN communication technology and standards, striving to build a unified communication network for air, space, and ground communications.

[0065] In NTN communication, equipment such as flight platforms are used to form a network to provide terminals with data transmission, voice communication and other services. According to the altitude of the flight platform above the ground, NTN can include a low altitude platform (LAP) subnetwork, a high altitude platform (HAP) subnetwork, and a satellite communication subnetwork.

[0066] For NTN communication using satellites, the uplink and downlink transmission rates are limited due to long communication distances and high link losses. Furthermore, while satellites have a large coverage area and many potential users per satellite, the limited access capacity of a single satellite may prevent some users within the satellite's coverage area from accessing the NTN system. However, as satellite constellations grow larger, multiple visible satellites can simultaneously cover a terminal or its surrounding area, improving uplink and downlink throughput and access capacity in that region.

[0067] Currently, multiple coverage mainly includes two schemes: same-frequency multiple coverage and different-frequency multiple coverage. For ease of description, we will take dual coverage as an example to describe the multiple coverage scheme.

[0068] Referring to Figure 1(a), Satellite 1 and Satellite 2 use independent spectrum to achieve dual coverage of Region 1 (i.e., Satellite 1 and Satellite 2 achieve inter-frequency dual coverage of Region 1). The uplink frequency band for uplink data interaction between Satellite 1 and terminals in Region 1 is F1, and the downlink frequency band for downlink data interaction is F2. The uplink frequency band for uplink data interaction between Satellite 2 and terminals in Region 1 is F3, and the downlink frequency band for downlink data interaction is F4. Among them, F1 and F2 are a pair of frequency division duplex (FDM) spectrum defined by the standard, with F1 being the uplink frequency band and F2 being the downlink frequency band. F3 and F4 are another pair of frequency division duplex (FDM) spectrum defined by the standard, with F3 being the uplink frequency band and F4 being the downlink frequency band.

[0069] In other words, Satellite 1 and Satellite 2 can receive uplink data from terminals in Area 1 through different uplink frequency bands, and send downlink data to terminals in Area 1 through different downlink frequency bands. That is, the spectrum of Satellite 1 and Satellite 2 does not interfere with each other.

[0070] Referring to Figure 1(b), Satellite 1 and Satellite 2 use the same spectrum to achieve dual coverage of Region 1 (i.e., Satellite 1 and Satellite 2 achieve co-frequency dual coverage of Region 1). The uplink frequency band for uplink data interaction between Satellite 1 and terminals in Region 1 is F1, and the downlink frequency band for downlink data interaction is F2. Similarly, the uplink frequency band for uplink data interaction between Satellite 2 and terminals in Region 1 is F1, and the downlink frequency band for downlink data interaction is F2. Here, F1 and F2 are a pair of frequency division duplex (FDM) spectrum pairs defined by the standard, with F1 being the uplink frequency band and F2 being the downlink frequency band.

[0071] In other words, Satellite 1 and Satellite 2 can receive uplink data from terminals in Area 1 through the same uplink frequency band and send downlink data to terminals in Area 1 through the same downlink frequency band. That is, Satellite 1 and Satellite 2 have the same spectrum.

[0072] However, when multiple satellites use independent spectrum to achieve dual or multiple coverage of region 1 at different frequencies, the total bandwidth of the uplink and downlink frequency bands required to achieve multiple coverage of region 1 is large, resulting in low frequency utilization. When multiple satellites use the same spectrum to achieve dual or multiple coverage of region 1 at the same frequency, the use of the same spectrum by multiple satellites leads to strong interference between satellites and more complex data transmission.

[0073] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a communication method in which a terminal can determine, based on first information received from a first network device, that the downlink frequency band of a second network device overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or that the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device. This allows the terminal to access at least one of the first and second network devices based on the first information. Since the frequency bands used by the first and second network devices overlap, the same frequency band can be reused by different network devices, which is beneficial for improving spectrum utilization. Furthermore, since the frequency band reused by the first and second network devices belongs not only to one's uplink frequency band but also to the other's downlink frequency band, and the first and second network devices are usually far apart, this helps reduce mutual interference between the first and second network devices and improves the signal transmission quality of both the first and second network devices reusing the same frequency band.

[0074] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can be used in various communication systems, such as third-generation partnership project (3GPP) communication systems, fourth-generation (4G) systems such as long-term evolution (LTE) systems, 5G systems such as new radio (NR) systems, NTN, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems, LTE and 5G hybrid networking systems, device-to-device (D2D) communication systems, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication systems, Internet of Things (IoT) systems, narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) systems, global system for mobile communications (GSM) systems, enhanced data rate for GSM evolution (EDGE) systems, wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) systems, and code division multiple access 2000 systems. This includes 3GPP communication systems such as CDMA2000, Time Division-Synchronization Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA), and other future communication systems. The communication system can also be a non-3GPP system; there are no restrictions.

[0075] The communication systems described above are merely illustrative examples, and are not limited to those described herein. The communication systems provided in this application do not impose any limitations on the solutions described herein. This will be explained uniformly here and will not be repeated below.

[0076] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating one possible, non-limiting system. As shown in Figure 2, the communication system may include terminals and network devices. The number of network devices and terminals in Figure 2 is merely an example, and the communication system may include more or fewer network devices or terminals than shown in Figure 2.

[0077] Optionally, terminals can communicate with each other, terminals and network devices can communicate with each other, and network devices can communicate with each other via wired or wireless means.

[0078] In one possible implementation, the terminal can be a user-side device with wireless transceiver capabilities, or a chip or chip system embedded in that device. The terminal can also be referred to as terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station (MS), remote station, remote terminal, mobile terminal (MT), user terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device, etc. The terminal can be, for example, a terminal in IoT, V2X, D2D, M2M, 5G networks, or future evolved public land mobile networks (PLMNs). The terminal can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; it can also be deployed on water (such as on ships); and it can also be deployed in the air (such as on airplanes, balloons, and satellites).

[0079] For example, a terminal can be a drone, an IoT device (e.g., a sensor, an electricity meter, a water meter, etc.), a V2X device, a station (ST) in a wireless local area network (WLAN), a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (PDA) device, a handheld device with wireless communication capabilities, a computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device (also known as a wearable smart device), a tablet or a computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, a virtual reality (VR) terminal, a machine type communication (MTC) terminal, a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in self-driving, a wireless terminal in remote medical care, a wireless terminal in a smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation safety, a wireless terminal in a smart city, or a wireless terminal in a smart home. Wireless terminals (such as those in the home), vehicle-mounted terminals, vehicles with vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication capabilities, intelligent connected vehicles, and drones with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to UAV (U2U) communication capabilities, etc. Terminals can be mobile or fixed; this application does not specifically limit their location.

[0080] Optionally, the network device can be a network-side device with wireless transceiver capabilities, or it can be a chip, chip system, or module installed in the device. The network device is located in the radio access network (RAN) of the mobile communication system and is used to provide access services to terminals.

[0081] As one possible implementation, the network device can be a wireless relay node or a wireless backhaul node. For example, the network device can act as a Layer 1 relay device to regenerate physical layer signals (i.e., wireless frequency filtering, frequency conversion, and amplification processing) without having other higher protocol layers.

[0082] As another possible implementation, network devices can implement some or all of the functions of a base station. For example, network devices can be evolved Node Bs (eNBs or eNodeBs) in LTE or evolved LTE systems (LTE-Advanced, LTE-A), such as traditional macro base stations (eNBs) and micro base stations (eNBs) in heterogeneous network scenarios; or they can be next-generation node Bs (gNodeBs or gNBs) in 5G systems; or they can be transmission reception points (TRPs); or they can be base stations in future evolved PLMNs; or they can be devices that implement base station functions in IoT, V2X, D2D, or M2M.

[0083] Alternatively, network equipment can be modules or units capable of performing some or all of the functions of a base station. For example, network equipment can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), CU and DU, CU (control plane, CP), CU (user plane, UP), or a radio unit (RU), etc. CU and DU can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as in a baseband unit (BBU). RU can be included in radio equipment or radio units, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH).

[0084] Optionally, the BBU can be located in the central equipment room of the network equipment, and the RRU can be located in a high-traffic area; or, the BBU and RRU can be located in the same equipment room, such as as different components under the same rack.

[0085] As one possible implementation, the network device in this application embodiment can be deployed on a ground platform. For example, the network device is a ground base station or a module that implements some functions of a ground base station, and the terminal can be a device deployed on a non-ground platform.

[0086] As another possible implementation, the network device in this application embodiment can be deployed on a non-terrestrial platform, such as a low-altitude platform (e.g., a drone), a high-altitude platform (e.g., an aircraft), or a satellite. Therefore, the network device in this application embodiment can also be referred to as a non-terrestrial network device.

[0087] For example, taking a network device deployed on a satellite, or a satellite as an example, the communication system may also include an NTN gateway (or gateway station). Typically, the NTN gateway is deployed on the ground. The NTN gateway can communicate with the satellite; the link between the satellite and the NTN gateway is called a feeder link, and the link between the satellite and the terminal is called a service link.

[0088] Optionally, when a satellite acts as a wireless relay node with relay forwarding capabilities, it can be considered to be operating in transparent mode. When a satellite has data processing capabilities and can perform some or all of the functions of a base station, it can be considered to be operating in regenerative mode. For a given satellite, it may support only transparent mode, only regenerative mode, or both transparent and regenerative modes, and it may be able to switch between transparent and regenerative modes.

[0089] In some implementation scenarios, NTN and terrestrial networks can be integrated. For example, Figures 3 and 4 show the integrated network architecture of NTN and terrestrial networks provided in embodiments of this application. In the architecture shown in Figure 3, the satellite operates in transparent transmission mode, thus requiring the additional deployment of NTN base stations. In the architecture shown in Figure 4, the satellite operates in regenerative mode, and the satellite can serve as an NTN base station, or in other words, NTN base stations can be deployed on the satellite. Here, NTN base station refers to a base station within the NTN network.

[0090] Furthermore, in the architectures shown in Figures 3 and 4, terrestrial base stations refer to base stations in the terrestrial network. NTN base stations and terrestrial base stations can be interconnected through a common core network, or they can achieve more timely assistance and interconnection through interfaces defined between base stations. For example, the interface between base stations can be an Xn interface, and the interface between a base station and the core network can be an NG interface. Of course, the interfaces between base stations and the interfaces between base stations and the core network can also have other implementations, and this application does not specifically limit them.

[0091] It is understandable that the satellites in the architectures described in Figures 3 and 4 above can also be replaced by non-ground payloads on other flight platforms such as drones and airplanes.

[0092] It is worth mentioning that the communication system described in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0093] The communication method provided in this application embodiment will be described below with reference to the communication systems shown in Figures 2 to 4, taking the interaction between a terminal and a first network device as an example. For example, the terminal in the following embodiments may be the terminal in the system shown in Figure 2, and the first network device in the following embodiments may be the network device in the system shown in Figure 3.

[0094] It is worth mentioning that in the following embodiments of this application, the message name, parameter name, or information name between the terminal and the first network device is just an example. Other names may be used in other embodiments, and the method provided in this application does not specifically limit them.

[0095] It is understood that in the embodiments of this application, the terminal or the first network device may execute some or all of the steps in the embodiments of this application. These steps or operations are merely examples, and the embodiments of this application may also execute other operations or variations thereof. Furthermore, the various steps may be executed in different orders as presented in the embodiments of this application, and it is not necessarily necessary to execute all the operations in the embodiments of this application.

[0096] It is understood that this application uses a first network device and a terminal 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 first network device in this application can also be executed by a module applied to the first network device (e.g., a chip, chip system, or processor), or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the first network device; similarly, the method executed by the terminal in this application can also be executed by a module applied to the terminal (e.g., a chip, chip system, or processor), or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the terminal.

[0097] Furthermore, in this application, "sending information" can be understood as one device sending information to another device, or it can also be understood as one logical module within a device sending information to another logical module. For example, "the first network device sending information" can be understood as the first network device sending information to another device (such as a terminal), or it can be understood as logical module 1 (such as a processing module) in the first network device sending information to logical module 2 (such as a transceiver module) in the first non-terrestrial network device.

[0098] In this application, "receiving information" can be understood as one device receiving information from another device, or it can also be understood as a logical module within a device receiving information from another logical module. For example, "terminal receiving information" can be understood as the terminal receiving information from another device (such as the first network device), or it can be understood as logical module 1 (such as the processing module) in the terminal receiving information from logical module 2 (such as the transceiver module) in the terminal.

[0099] In this application, phrases such as "sending information to... (e.g., a terminal)" or related illustrations in the accompanying drawings can be understood as indicating that the destination of the information is a terminal. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to a terminal. Similarly, phrases such as "receiving information from... (e.g., a first network device)," "receiving information from... (e.g., a first network device)," or "receiving information sent by (e.g., a first network device)," or related illustrations in the accompanying drawings, can be understood as indicating that the source of the information is a first network device. This can include receiving information directly or indirectly from a first network device. Information may undergo necessary processing between the source and destination, such as format changes, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be interpreted similarly and will not be elaborated further here.

[0100] Referring to Figure 5, which is a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application, the method may include the following steps:

[0101] S501. The first network device determines first information. The first information indicates that the downlink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or, the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device.

[0102] For example, the overlap between the uplink frequency band of the first network device and the downlink frequency band of the second network device can be understood as the downlink frequency band of the second network device and the uplink frequency band of the first network device including the same frequency band; or, it can also be understood as the downlink frequency band of the second network device including the uplink frequency band of the first network device; or, it can also be understood as the uplink frequency band of the first network device including the downlink frequency band of the second network device.

[0103] For example, taking the uplink frequency band of the first network device as f1 to f2 and the downlink frequency band of the second network device as f3 to f4, where f1 is less than f2 and f3 is less than f4 as an example: When f1 is greater than f3 and less than f4, and f2 is greater than f4, or when f3 is greater than f1 and less than f2, and f4 is greater than f2, the downlink frequency band of the second network device includes the same frequency band as the uplink frequency band of the first network device; when f1 is greater than f3 and f2 is less than f4, the downlink frequency band of the second network device includes all the uplink frequency bands of the first network device; when f1 equals f3 and f2 equals f4, the uplink frequency band of the first network device is the downlink frequency band of the second network device.

[0104] The first network device and the second network device can be terrestrial network devices (such as RAN nodes or base stations) or non-terrestrial network devices (such as drones or satellites); or, one of the first network devices and the other is a non-terrestrial network device and the other is a terrestrial network device, without restriction.

[0105] Similarly, the overlap between the uplink frequency band of the second network device and the downlink frequency band of the first network device is similar to the overlap between the uplink frequency band of the first network device and the downlink frequency band of the second network device. Please refer to the relevant descriptions in the foregoing embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0106] In one possible implementation, the coverage areas of the first network device and the second network device overlap. For example, the coverage areas of the first and second network devices may include the same geographical area; or, the coverage areas of the first and second network devices may include the location of the same device (e.g., a terminal); or, the coverage area of ​​the first network device may include the coverage area of ​​the second network device; or, the coverage area of ​​the second network device may include the coverage area of ​​the first network device.

[0107] As one possible implementation, there can be one or more second network devices. That is, the coverage area overlaps with that of the first network device, and the downlink frequency band overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or, there can be one or more network devices whose uplink frequency band overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device.

[0108] For example, in a plurality of second network devices, the uplink frequency bands of each second network device do not overlap, and / or, the downlink frequency bands of each second network device do not overlap. For instance, taking satellite 1 as the first network device, and satellites 2 and 3 as the second network devices, where satellites 1, 2, and 3 all cover the geographical area where the terminal is located, the downlink frequency bands of satellite 2 are A1 to A2, and the downlink frequency bands of satellite 3 are A3 to A4, where A1 is less than A2 and A3 is less than A4. In the case where the uplink frequency band of the first network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the second network device, A2 is less than A3, or A1 is greater than A4. For ease of description, subsequent embodiments of this application will use a single second network device as an example.

[0109] Optionally, if there is only one second network device, the uplink frequency band of the first network device becomes the downlink frequency band of the second network device, and vice versa. In other words, the first and second network devices are network devices with reverse frequency band pairing, or, more specifically, the first and second network devices are two network devices based on reverse-paired spectrum.

[0110] For example, referring to Figure 6, the first network device is satellite 1 and the second network device is satellite 2. Satellite 1 and satellite 2 are two satellites that achieve dual coverage of geographical area 1 based on reverse pairing spectrum. Then, when the uplink frequency band of satellite 1 is UL1 and the downlink frequency band is DL1, the uplink frequency band of satellite 2 is DL1 and the downlink frequency band is UL1.

[0111] Based on this scheme, on the one hand, the first network device and the second network device can fully reuse the uplink and downlink frequency bands used by the first network device, and the second network device will not occupy other spectrum resources, which is conducive to further improving spectrum utilization. On the other hand, there is no overlap between the uplink frequency bands and the downlink frequency bands of the first network device and the second network device, which is conducive to reducing interference between the first network device and the second network device during data transmission.

[0112] In one possible implementation, the first information includes at least one of the following: first indication information, which indicates a network device whose downlink frequency band overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or a network device whose uplink frequency band overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device; second indication information, which indicates the uplink frequency band and / or downlink frequency band used by the second network device (or indicates the spectrum of the second network device); and third indication information, which indicates that the first network device and the second network device are network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum.

[0113] For example, the first network device and the second network device being network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum can be understood as the downlink frequency band of the second network device overlapping with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlapping with the downlink frequency band of the first network device. In other words, among multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum, there is cross-over between the uplink frequency band of one network device and the downlink frequency band of another network device.

[0114] In addition, the reverse pairing spectrum can also be called the reverse spectrum, reverse pairing, or frequency band reverse pairing, etc. The reverse pairing spectrum can also have other names without restriction.

[0115] In one possible implementation, the spectrum used by the first network device is a pair of paired spectrums of the standard-defined FDD. That is, the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the pair of paired spectrums used by the first network device, and / or, the downlink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the pair of paired spectrums used by the first network device.

[0116] As one possible implementation, if the spectrum used by the first network device is a pair of standard-defined FDD spectrums, and the uplink frequency band of the first network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band used by the second network device, the time-frequency resources where the SSB of the second network device is located can be standard-predefined or predetermined by the first network device and / or the second network device.

[0117] S502, the first network device sends first information to the terminal. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the first information from the first network device.

[0118] For example, the first network device sends the first information to the terminal via a broadcast message, multicast message, or unicast message, and the terminal obtains the first information by receiving the broadcast message, multicast message, or unicast message from the first network device.

[0119] For example, if the terminal is not connected to the first network device (or is not connected to the cell managed by the first network device), the first network device can send the first information to the terminal by broadcasting the first information, such as carrying the first information in the system information block (SIB) or main information block (MIB) of the first network device, and broadcasting the first information during the broadcasting of the SIB or MIB. Alternatively, the first network device can also broadcast the first information through other broadcast messages defined by the standard (such as broadcast messages newly defined by the standard).

[0120] For example, when a terminal accesses a first network device (or a cell managed by the first network device), the first network device can send first information to the terminal via multicast. For instance, the first information can be carried in RRC signaling or MAC CE sent to multiple devices, including the terminal, and the first information can be sent to the terminal by reusing existing RRC signaling or MAC CE.

[0121] For example, when a terminal is about to access a first network device (or a cell managed by the first network device), the first network device can send first information to the terminal via unicast. This can be achieved by including the first information in UE-specific signaling sent to the terminal, and then sending the first information to the terminal via UE-specific signaling. The UE-specific signaling can be existing unicast signaling such as radio resource control (RRC) signaling or media access control layer control element (MAC CE) (i.e., unicasting the first information by reusing existing signaling), or it can be newly defined UC-level signaling.

[0122] When the first network device sends the first information to the terminal through UE-level signaling, it is beneficial to improve the flexibility of sending the first information and to enable the first network device to achieve UE-level scheduling by sending the first information. When the first network device sends the first information to the terminal through broadcast or multicast, it is beneficial to reduce the number of times the first network device sends the first information and the power consumption of the first network device when it needs to send the first information to multiple terminals.

[0123] In one possible implementation, the first network device sends first information when preset conditions are met. The preset conditions include at least one of the following: the proportion of idle resources is less than or equal to a first value, the number of connected terminals is greater than or equal to a second value, or the available bandwidth is less than or equal to a third value.

[0124] In other words, the first network device sends the first information to the terminal when service capacity is poor or available resources are insufficient; when available resources are sufficient or service capacity is good, it does not send the first information to the terminal. This scheme helps reduce the number of times the first network device sends the first information and reduces power consumption.

[0125] S503, The terminal accesses the first network device and / or the second network device according to the first information.

[0126] For example, the terminal accessing the first network device and / or the second network device based on the first information can be understood as the terminal determining, based on the first information, that the downlink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or that the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device. Then, the terminal can access at least one of the first network device or the second network device according to preset rules, based on factors such as the access conditions of the network device, the received instruction information, or the priority of the first network device and the second network device.

[0127] For example, if the uplink and downlink transmission rates required for the current service are higher than a given threshold, the terminal can access the first network device and the second network device according to the first information, and the first network device and the second network device can jointly provide services to the terminal; or, if the idle resources (also known as remaining resources) of the first network device are lower than a preset value, the terminal can access the second network device according to the first information; or, if the remaining service time of the first network device is greater than a preset value, the terminal can also access the first network device according to the first information, etc.

[0128] As one possible implementation, the first network device has a higher priority than the second network device. That is, after receiving the first information, the terminal first initiates a random access request to the first network device; if it fails to access the first network device, it then initiates a random access request to the second network device. Alternatively, after receiving the first information, the terminal determines whether the second network device meets a preset first access condition; if the second network device meets the first access condition, the terminal accesses the second network device; otherwise, it accesses the first network device. The first access condition can be predefined by a standard or predetermined between the first network device and the terminal.

[0129] Based on the above scheme, after receiving the first information from the first network device, the terminal can determine, based on the received first information, that the downlink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or that the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device. This facilitates the terminal in determining at least one network device to be accessed from the first and second network devices based on the first information, and then accessing the determined network device to be accessed. On the one hand, since the frequency bands used by the first and second network devices overlap, the same frequency band can be reused by different network devices, which is beneficial to improving spectrum utilization. On the other hand, the overlap between the uplink frequency band of the first network device and the downlink frequency band of the second network device, and / or the overlap between the downlink frequency band of the first network device and the uplink frequency band of the second network device, means that the frequency band reused by the first and second network devices belongs not only to the uplink frequency band of one but also to the downlink frequency band of the other. Moreover, the distance between the first and second network devices reusing the same frequency band is relatively large, which is beneficial to reducing mutual interference between different network devices and improving the signal transmission quality of each network device reusing the same frequency band.

[0130] The overall flow of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application has been described above. The specific implementation of each step is explained below.

[0131] In one possible implementation, the first information further indicates at least one of the following: the frequency domain resources of the SSB of the second network device, the time domain resources of the SSB of the second network device, the SMTC of the second network device, the GSCN associated with the SSB of the second network device, the load of the first network device, the load of the second network device, the idle resources of the first network device, the idle resources of the second network device, the remaining service time of the first network device, the remaining service time of the second network device, or access selection information, which is used to indicate the access conditions for accessing the first network device and / or the second network device.

[0132] For example, the frequency domain resources of the SSB of the second network device can be understood as searching the frequency domain resources of the SSB of the second network device, or it can also be understood as the frequency domain resources where the SSB of the second network device is located, or it can also be understood as the frequency domain resources occupied by the SSB of the second network device. Similarly, the time domain resources of the SSB of the second network device can be understood as searching the time domain resources of the SSB of the second network device, or it can also be understood as the time domain resources where the SSB of the second network device is located, or it can also be understood as the time domain resources occupied by the SSB of the second network device.

[0133] In other words, if the standard does not define the time-frequency resources where the SSB of the second network device is located, the first network device indicates the time-frequency resources where the SSB of the second network device is located to the terminal; if the standard predefines some information about the time-frequency resources where the SSB of the second network device is located, the first network device indicates the remaining information about the time-frequency resources where the SSB of the second network device is located to the terminal.

[0134] For example, if the standard predefines the frequency domain resources for searching SSBs in a pair of paired spectrums in an FDD (such as the standard predefining the GSCN or candidate GSCN associated with the SSB during the uplink band SSB search process), the first network device can indicate the time domain resources of the second network device's SSB or the second network device's SMTC to the terminal using the first information. Based on this scheme, the terminal can accurately determine the time-frequency resources for searching the second network device's SSB, which helps reduce power consumption during the terminal's search for the second network device's SSB.

[0135] For example, the load of the first network device may include at least one of the following: the number of access terminals in the first network device, the amount of data to be transmitted by all access terminals in the first network device, or the size / percentage of the used time-frequency resources in the available time-frequency resources of the first network device. Similarly, the load of the second network device may include at least one of the following: the number of access terminals in the second network device, the amount of data to be transmitted by all access terminals in the second network device, or the size / percentage of the used time-frequency resources in the available time-frequency resources of the second network device.

[0136] For example, the idle resources of the second network device can be understood as the remaining / available access resources of the second network device, or the remaining / available time-frequency resources of the second network device, or the remaining / available data transmission resources of the second network device. Similarly, the idle resources of the first network device can be understood as the remaining / available access resources of the first network device, or the remaining / available time-frequency resources of the first network device, or the remaining / available data transmission resources of the first network device.

[0137] When the second network device and the terminal move relative to each other, the terminal's location will eventually leave the coverage area of ​​the second network device. Therefore, the remaining service time of the second network device can be understood as the remaining duration for which the second network device can cover the terminal's location, or the remaining duration for which the second network device can establish a communication connection with the terminal, or the maximum service time provided by the second network device after the terminal connects to it. Similarly, the remaining service time of the first network device can be understood as the remaining duration for which the first network device can cover the terminal's location, or the remaining duration for which the first network device can establish a communication connection with the terminal, or the maximum service time provided by the second network device after the terminal connects to it.

[0138] In other words, the first network device can send auxiliary information to the terminal to help the terminal select the network device to access, so that the terminal can access at least one of the first network device and the second network device according to the auxiliary information and the terminal's needs, which is conducive to improving the quality of services provided by the network device to the terminal.

[0139] Optionally, if the standard predefines the access conditions of the first network device and / or the second network device, the first network device does not need to indicate the access conditions of the first network device and / or the second network device through the first information. If the standard does not define the access conditions of the first network device and / or the second network device, or only defines part of the access conditions of the first network device and / or the second network device, the first network device can indicate the access conditions of the first network device and / or the second network device to the terminal through the first information.

[0140] Furthermore, when the second network device includes multiple network devices, the first network device can respectively indicate one or more of the above information to each of the second network devices through the first information.

[0141] In one possible implementation, the access conditions of the second network device (i.e., the first access conditions) include at least one of the following: the signal quality of the second network device satisfies the S criterion; the difference between the signal quality of the second network device and the signal quality of the first network device is greater than or equal to a first threshold; the difference between the load of the second network device and the load of the first network device is less than or equal to a second threshold; the difference between the idle resources of the second network device and the idle resources of the first network device is greater than or equal to a third threshold; the difference between the remaining service time of the second network device and the remaining service time of the first network device is greater than or equal to a fourth threshold; the random number generated by the terminal is less than or equal to the access weight associated with the second network device; and the terminal has the capability to support services based on reverse spectrum. Alternatively, the first network device instructs the terminal to access the second network device.

[0142] For example, the signal quality of the second network device includes one or more of the following: reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received power quality (RSRQ), cell selected receive level, or signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) of the cell managed by the second network device (or the cell managed by the second network device that includes the location of the terminal). Similarly, the signal quality of the first network device includes one or more of the following: RSRP, RSRQ, cell selected receive level, or SINR of the cell managed by the first network device (or the cell managed by the first network device that includes the location of the terminal). A difference between the signal quality of the second network device and the signal quality of the first network device that is greater than or equal to a first threshold can be understood as either the signal quality of the second network device being significantly better than that of the first network device, or the signal quality of the second network device not being significantly worse than that of the first network device.

[0143] The meaning of the idle resources of the first network device and the second network device can be referred to the relevant description in the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeated here. The difference between the idle resources of the second network device and the idle resources of the first network device being greater than or equal to the third threshold can be understood as the idle resources of the second network device being significantly more than the idle resources of the first network device, or it can also be understood as the idle resources of the second network device not being significantly less than the idle resources of the first network device.

[0144] Similarly, if the difference between the remaining service time of the second network device and the remaining service time of the first network device is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold, it can be understood that the remaining service time of the second network device is significantly higher than that of the first network device, or it can also be understood that the remaining service time of the second network device is not significantly lower than that of the first network device.

[0145] The terminal has the ability to support services based on reverse spectrum, which can be understood as the terminal's antenna system having the ability to receive downlink data on the uplink band in the standard-defined FDD band, and / or to transmit uplink data on the downlink band in the standard-defined FDD band; or, it can also be understood as the terminal being able to access network devices that use the uplink band in the standard-defined FDD band as the downlink band, and / or use the downlink band in the standard-defined FDD band as the uplink band.

[0146] As one possible implementation, the terminal includes a first antenna system and a second antenna system. The first antenna system is capable of transmitting uplink data on the uplink band of the standard-defined FDD frequency band and receiving downlink data on the downlink band of the standard-defined FDD frequency band. The second antenna system is capable of receiving downlink data on the uplink band of the standard-defined FDD frequency band and transmitting uplink data on the downlink band of the standard-defined FDD frequency band.

[0147] As another possible implementation, the terminal includes a first antenna system that can receive downlink data on both the downlink band and the uplink band of the standard-defined FDD band.

[0148] For example, the access weight associated with the second network device can also be called the selection weight of the second network device, the access weight of the second network device, the selection / access coefficient of the second network device, or the access opportunity / probability of the second network device. The access weight associated with the second network device can also be replaced with other names without restriction.

[0149] It is worth mentioning that the difference between the load of the second network device and the load of the first network device is less than or equal to the second threshold. This can be interpreted as the load of the second network device being significantly less than the load of the first network device, or it can also be interpreted as the load of the second network device not being significantly higher than the load of the first network device.

[0150] As one possible implementation, if the access conditions of the second network device (i.e., the first access conditions) include multiple conditions mentioned above, the terminal can access the second network device if the second network device meets any one of the conditions included in the first access conditions.

[0151] For example, consider a first access condition including: the signal quality of the second network device meets the S criterion; the difference between the signal quality of the second network device and the signal quality of the first network device is greater than or equal to a first threshold; and the random number generated by the terminal is less than or equal to the access weight associated with the second network device. After receiving the first information, the terminal can first determine the access weight associated with the second network device, then compare the size relationship between the random number generated by the terminal and the access weight associated with the second network device. If the random number generated by the terminal is less than or equal to the access weight associated with the second network device, the terminal determines that the second network device meets the first access condition, and initiates random access to the second network device as a network device to be accessed. Alternatively, after receiving the first information, the terminal can also detect the signal quality of the second network device. If the signal quality of the second network device meets the S criterion, the terminal determines that the second network device meets the first access condition, and initiates random access to the second network device as a network device to be accessed.

[0152] As another possible implementation, if the access conditions of the second network device (i.e., the first access conditions) include multiple conditions mentioned above, the terminal accesses the second network device if the second network device satisfies all the conditions included in the first access conditions.

[0153] For example, consider a first access condition including: the signal quality of the second network device meets the S criterion; the difference between the signal quality of the second network device and the signal quality of the first network device is greater than or equal to a first threshold; and the first network device instructs the terminal to access the second network device. After receiving the first information, if the terminal detects that the signal quality of the second network device meets the S criterion, the difference between the signal quality of the second network device and the signal quality of the first network device is greater than or equal to the first threshold, and the first network device instructs the terminal to access the second network device, then the terminal determines that the second network device meets the first access condition and initiates random access to the second network device, designating it as the network device to be accessed. If the terminal detects that the signal quality of the second network device does not meet the S criterion, the difference between the signal quality of the second network device and the signal quality of the first network device is less than the first threshold, or the first network device does not instruct the terminal to access the second network device, then the terminal determines that the second network device does not meet the first access condition and does not initiate random access to the second network device.

[0154] Optionally, the first, second, third, and fourth thresholds mentioned above are predefined by the standard or predetermined by the first network device. That is, when the first network device instructs the terminal on the access conditions (i.e., the first access conditions) of the second network device through the first information, if the standard does not define the values ​​of the above thresholds, the first network device can instruct the terminal on at least one condition included in the first access conditions, and the value of the threshold value corresponding to the condition with a threshold value among the at least one conditions. If the standard defines the values ​​of the above thresholds, then the first network device only needs to instruct the terminal on at least one condition included in the first access conditions through the first information.

[0155] Based on this scheme, the terminal can accurately determine whether to connect to the second network device according to the first access condition. In addition, when the first access condition is indicated to the terminal by the first network device through the first information, the first network device can flexibly set the first access condition to allocate the terminals to be connected to the first network device and the second network device in a specific ratio, thereby improving the load balancing between the first network device and the second network device.

[0156] In one possible implementation, the access weight associated with the second network device is indicated by the first network device.

[0157] For example, the access weight associated with the second network device may be determined by the first network device based on the remaining access capacity, or it may be determined by the first network device based on the proportion of idle resources.

[0158] For example, taking the access weight associated with the second network device as having a value range of 0-1, and the random number generated by the terminal also having a value range of 0-1, the terminal selects one network device from the first and second network devices for access. When the ratio of the remaining access capacity to the maximum access capacity of the first network device is greater than or equal to 0.5, the first network device can determine that its remaining access capacity is sufficient, and sets the access weight associated with the second network device to 0.2. When the first access condition is that the random number generated by the terminal is less than or equal to the access weight associated with the second network device, the probability that the random number generated by the terminal is less than or equal to the access weight associated with the second network device (or in other words, the second network device meets the first access condition) is approximately 0.2, and the probability that the terminal will use the first network device as the access network device is approximately 0.8. When the ratio of the remaining access capacity to the maximum access capacity of the first network device is less than 0.25, the first network device can determine that its remaining access capacity is insufficient, and sets the access weight associated with the second network device to 0.6. When the first access condition is that the random number generated by the terminal is less than or equal to the access weight associated with the second network device, the probability that the random number generated by the terminal is less than or equal to the access weight associated with the second network device (or in other words, the second network device meets the first access condition) is approximately 0.6, and the probability that the terminal will use the first network device as the access network device is approximately 0.4.

[0159] Furthermore, when the number of second network devices is greater than one, the access weight associated with the second network device can be a range. For example, assuming the value range of the random number generated by the terminal is 0-1, and the terminal selects one network device from the first and second network devices for access. The second network devices include second network device 1 and second network device 2. After the first network device determines that 20% of the terminals will access second network device 1, 20% of the terminals will access second network device 2, and the remaining 60% of the terminals will access the first network device, the first network device can instruct the access weight of second network device 1 to be 0-0.2 and the access weight of second network device 2 to be 0.2-0.4. If the generated random number is between 0-0.2, the terminal will access second network device 1; if the generated random number is between 0.2-0.4, the terminal will access second network device 2; and if the generated random number is greater than 0.4, the terminal will access the first network device.

[0160] Similarly, when the number of second network devices is greater than 2, the first network device can also assign an access weight range to each second network device. The specific implementation method is similar to the above embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0161] Optionally, the first network device may indicate the access weight associated with the second network device through a preset field in the message carrying the first information, or the first network device may indicate the access weight associated with the second network device through a reserved field in the first information.

[0162] Based on this scheme, the first network device can flexibly adjust the access weight associated with the second network device to connect multiple terminals to the first and second network devices in a specific ratio. This helps to balance the access pressure between the two network devices and improve the service quality and resource utilization of the first and second network devices.

[0163] In one possible implementation, the access weight associated with the second network device is determined by the terminal based on at least one of the following: the signal quality of the second network device, the signal quality of the first network device, the load of the second network device, the load of the first network device, the idle resources of the second network device, the idle resources of the first network device, the remaining service time of the second network device, or the remaining service time of the first network device.

[0164] The meanings of the various pieces of information that the terminal may use in determining the access weight associated with the second network device can be found in the relevant descriptions in the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0165] For example, the access weight associated with the second network device is positively correlated with the signal quality of the second network device, the remaining service time of the second network device, the idle resources of the second network device, and the load of the first network device, and negatively correlated with the load of the second network device, the signal quality of the first network device, the idle resources of the first network device, and the remaining service time of the first network device.

[0166] For example, assuming the random number generated by the terminal and the access weight associated with the second network device are both between 0 and 1, and the terminal selects one of the first and second network devices for access. If the signal quality of the second network device is greater than the preset signal quality, the terminal directly selects the second network device as the network device to be accessed and sets the access weight associated with the second network device to 1; if the signal quality of the first network device is greater than the preset signal quality, the terminal directly selects the first network device as the network device to be accessed and sets the access weight associated with the second network device to 0.

[0167] Alternatively, if the remaining service time of the second network device is greater than the preset duration, and / or the remaining service time of the first network device is less than the preset duration, the second network device is directly designated as the network device to be accessed, and the access weight associated with the second network device is set to 1; if the remaining service time of the first network device is greater than the preset duration, and / or the remaining service time of the second network device is less than the preset duration, the first network device is directly designated as the network device to be accessed, and the access weight associated with the second network device is set to 0.

[0168] The method by which the terminal determines the access weight associated with the second network device based on other information is similar to the scheme in the above embodiments. Please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments, and they will not be repeated here.

[0169] As one possible implementation, if the access weight values ​​determined by the terminal based on multiple pieces of information are not completely identical, the terminal can use the access weight value corresponding to the information with higher priority as the actual value of the access weight associated with the second network device, or it can use the maximum or minimum value among the multiple determined access weight values ​​as the actual value of the access weight associated with the second network device.

[0170] Furthermore, the above embodiment is an example of the terminal determining the access weight associated with the second network device based on one of the above-mentioned pieces of information. In the application process, the terminal can also access multiple of the above-mentioned pieces of information to determine the access weight associated with the second network device.

[0171] For example, assuming the random number generated by the terminal and the access weight associated with the second network device are both between 0 and 1, and the terminal selects one of the first and second network devices for access: If the idle resources of the second network device are greater than those of the first network device, and the ratio of the idle resources of the second network device to those of the first network device is 3:2, the terminal will choose the second network device as the better access choice and set the access weight associated with the second network device to 0.6. If the idle resources of the second network device are less than those of the first network device, and the ratio of the idle resources of the second network device to those of the first network device is 1:4, the terminal will choose the first network device as the better access choice and set the access weight associated with the second network device to 0.2.

[0172] Alternatively, the terminal can calculate the access weight K associated with the second network device using the following formula: K = Q1 × (signal quality of the second network device - signal quality of the first network device) - Q2 × (load of the second network device - load of the first network device). Here, Q1 and Q2 can be predefined weighting coefficients in the standard, or they can be weighting coefficients predetermined by the terminal.

[0173] The implementation method of the terminal determining the access weight associated with the second network device based on other information is similar to the scheme in the above embodiments. Please refer to the relevant description in the above embodiments, and it will not be repeated here.

[0174] Based on this scheme, the terminal can determine the access weight of the second network device on its own according to one or more pieces of information, which helps to reduce the data transmission pressure on the first network device.

[0175] In one possible implementation, the first information further indicates system information of the second network device. The system information of the second network device indicated by the first information is used to access the second network device. In S503, if the terminal accesses the second network device based on the first information, it accesses the second network device based on the system information of the second network device indicated by the first information.

[0176] For example, the system information of the second network device indicated by the first information includes all or part of the information in the MIB of the second network device, and / or all or part of the information in the SIB of the second network device.

[0177] When the first information indicates the system information of the second network device, the terminal only needs to synchronize with the second network device by searching for the SSB of the second network device during the process of accessing the second network device. Then, it initiates random access to the second network device according to the system information of the second network device indicated by the first information. There is no need to receive the system information of the second network device according to the SSB of the second network device. This helps to reduce the complexity of the terminal in the process of accessing the second network device and the overhead caused by receiving the broadcast signal of the second network device.

[0178] Optionally, when the first information indicates the system information of the second network device, the second network device may broadcast the complete SSB of the second network device, or broadcast a portion of the signals in the SSB of the second network device, for example, only broadcasting the synchronization sequence (i.e., the primary synchronization signal (PSS) and the secondary synchronization signal (SSS) in the SSB of the second network device, without broadcasting the physical broadcast channel (PBCH).

[0179] As one possible implementation, the second network device can also reduce the broadcast frequency of system information (or in other words, the second network device broadcasts system information at a low density). For example, the second network device can increase the broadcast interval of system information from T to 2T, 3T, or 5T, where T is a standard-predefined system information broadcast interval, or the reciprocal of a standard-predefined system information broadcast frequency.

[0180] Optionally, the second network device can send system information to the accessed terminals via broadcast or unicast.

[0181] Based on this scheme, the first network device sends the system information related to the access of the second network device to the terminal, so that the second network device does not need to broadcast the access-related system information. This helps to reduce the amount of information broadcast by the second network device, which helps to reduce the power consumption of the second network device. Furthermore, since the second network device does not need to consider the terminal access delay caused by the broadcast interval of the access-related system information, the second network device can reduce the broadcast frequency of system information, which further reduces the power consumption of the second network device.

[0182] In one possible implementation, the terminal sends second information to the first network device. Correspondingly, the first network device receives the second information from the terminal. The second information indicates the multiple coverage services supported by the terminal.

[0183] For example, the multiple coverage services supported by the terminal may include at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum.

[0184] The terminal's support for independent services based on reverse pairing spectrum can be understood as the terminal's service requests being processed by any one of the multiple network devices using reverse pairing spectrum (i.e., the first network device or the second network device), or it can also be understood as the terminal being able to access any one of the multiple network devices using reverse pairing spectrum.

[0185] The terminal's support for dual-connection services based on reverse pairing spectrum for multiple network devices can be understood as follows: the terminal's service requests can be jointly processed by two network devices (i.e., the first network device and the second network device) that use reverse pairing spectrum among multiple network devices. Alternatively, it can be understood as the terminal being able to access two network devices that use reverse pairing spectrum simultaneously.

[0186] The meaning of a terminal supporting carrier aggregation services based on reverse pairing spectrum from multiple network devices is similar to the meaning of a terminal supporting dual connectivity services based on reverse pairing spectrum from multiple network devices, as described above. The difference lies in the following: when the first and second network devices provide carrier aggregation services based on reverse pairing spectrum to the terminal, the terminal splits and aggregates the service data sent by the first and second network devices at the media access control layer (MAC); when the first and second network devices provide dual connectivity services based on reverse pairing spectrum to the terminal, the terminal splits and aggregates the service data sent by the first and second network devices at the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer.

[0187] In other words, the terminal reports to the first network device via the second information which multiple coverage services based on reverse pairing spectrum the terminal can support for the first and second network devices. After receiving the second information from the terminal, the first network device can forward the second information to the second network device, or, in the process of jointly providing multiple coverage services to the terminal with the second network device, indicate to the second network device the type of multiple coverage service to be used, so that the first and second network devices can accurately provide the multiple coverage services supported by the terminal.

[0188] In one possible implementation, the first network device sends third information to the terminal. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the third information from the first network device. This third information is used to indicate the multiple coverage services provided by the first and second network devices.

[0189] For example, the multiple coverage service provided by the first network device and the second network device includes at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service based on reverse pairing spectrum. The meaning of the multiple coverage service provided by the first network device and the second network device can be found in the relevant descriptions in the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0190] In other words, the first network device sends the multiple coverage services that the first network device and the second network device can provide to the terminal through the third information. This allows the terminal to select at least one network device to access based on the types of services that the first network device and the second network device can provide, taking into account factors such as the terminal's capabilities and business needs. This ensures that after the terminal accesses the first network device and / or the second network device, the accessed network device can provide good service to the terminal.

[0191] Optionally, the third information can be transmitted in any of the following ways: broadcast, unicast, or multicast.

[0192] In one possible implementation, the first network device sends fourth information to the terminal, and correspondingly, the terminal receives the fourth information from the first network device. The fourth information is used to instruct the first and second network devices on providing multiple coverage services to the terminal.

[0193] In other words, the first network device can directly instruct the terminal on the type of multi-coverage service provided by the first network device and the second network device after the terminal accesses the network, so that the terminal can determine the processing method of the service data from the first network device and / or the second network device based on the fourth information.

[0194] As one possible implementation, after the terminal sends the second information to the first network device, the first network device sends a fourth information to the terminal. The fourth information is used to indicate a multi-coverage service supported by the terminal.

[0195] In other words, when determining the multiple coverage services to be provided to the terminal, the first network device combines the terminal capabilities reported by the terminal and selects one of the multiple coverage services supported by the terminal to provide to the terminal, which helps to improve the service quality of the multiple coverage services provided by the network device to the terminal.

[0196] The method provided in this application has been described above. In addition, this application also provides a communication device for implementing the functions described in the above method embodiments.

[0197] It is understood that, in order to achieve the aforementioned functions, the communication device includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and algorithm steps of the examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0198] This application embodiment can divide the communication device into functional modules according to the above method embodiment. For example, each function can be divided into its own functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. It is worth mentioning that the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0199] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of a communication device 70. The communication device 70 includes a processing module 701 and a transceiver module 702. This communication device 70 can be used to implement the functions of the aforementioned terminal or the first network device.

[0200] In some embodiments, the communication device 70 may further include a storage module (not shown in FIG. 7) for storing program instructions and data.

[0201] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 702, also referred to as a transceiver unit, is used to implement sending and / or receiving functions. The transceiver module 702 may consist of a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, a transceiver unit, or a communication interface.

[0202] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 702 may include a receiving module and a sending module, respectively configured to perform the receiving and sending steps performed by the terminal or RAN node in the above method embodiments, and / or other processes to support the technology described herein; the processing module 701 may be configured to perform the processing steps performed by the terminal or RAN node in the above method embodiments, and / or other processes to support the technology described herein.

[0203] When the communication device 70 is used to implement the functions of a terminal, the transceiver module 702 is used to receive first information from the first network device, the first information indicating that the downlink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or, the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device; the processing module 701 is used to access the first network device and / or the second network device according to the first information.

[0204] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 702 is used to send second information to the first network device. The second information indicates the multiple coverage services supported by the terminal. The multiple coverage services supported by the terminal include at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum.

[0205] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 702 is configured to receive third information from the first network device, the third information being used to indicate the multiple coverage services provided by the first network device and the second network device, the multiple coverage services provided by the first network device and the second network device including at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service based on reverse pairing spectrum.

[0206] When the communication device 70 is used to implement the function of the first network device, the processing module 701 is used to determine the first information, which indicates that the downlink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or that the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device; the transceiver module 702 is used to send the first information to the terminal.

[0207] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 702 is used to receive second information from the terminal, the second information indicating multiple coverage services supported by the terminal, the multiple coverage services supported by the terminal including at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum.

[0208] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 702 is used to send third information to the terminal. The third information is used to indicate the multiple coverage service provided by the first network device and the second network device. The multiple coverage service provided by the first network device and the second network device includes at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service based on reverse pairing spectrum.

[0209] All relevant content of each step involved in the above method embodiments can be referenced from the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and will not be repeated here.

[0210] In this application, the communication device 70 can be presented in an integrated manner by dividing it into various functional modules. Here, "module" can refer to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a circuit, a processor and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, integrated logic circuits, and / or other devices that can provide the above functions.

[0211] In some embodiments, when the communication device 70 in FIG7 is a chip or chip system, the function / implementation process of the transceiver module 702 can be implemented through the input / output interface (or communication interface) of the chip or chip system, and the function / implementation process of the processing module 701 can be implemented through the processor (or processing circuit) of the chip or chip system.

[0212] Since the communication device 70 provided in this embodiment can execute the above method, the technical effects it can achieve can be referred to the above method embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0213] As a possible product form, the terminal or first network device described in the embodiments of this application can be implemented using the following: one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), controllers, state machines, gate logic, discrete hardware components, any other suitable circuits, or any combination of circuits capable of performing the various functions described throughout this application.

[0214] As another possible product form, the terminal or first network device described in this application embodiment can be implemented using a general bus architecture. For ease of explanation, refer to FIG8, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 800 provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 800 includes a processor 801 and a transceiver 802. The communication device 800 can be a terminal, or a chip or chip system therein; or, the communication device 800 can be a first network device, or a chip or module therein. FIG8 only shows the main components of the communication device 800. In addition to the processor 801 and transceiver 802, the communication device may further include a memory 803 and input / output devices (not shown in the figure).

[0215] Optionally, the processor 801 is mainly used to process communication protocols and communication data, control the entire communication device, execute software programs, and process the data of the software programs, thereby implementing the methods provided in the above-described method embodiments. The memory 803 is mainly used to store software programs and data. The transceiver 802 may include a radio frequency (RF) circuit and an antenna. The RF circuit is mainly used for converting baseband signals to RF signals and processing RF signals. The antenna is mainly used for transmitting and receiving RF signals in the form of electromagnetic waves. Input / output devices, such as touch screens, displays, and keyboards, are mainly used to receive user input data and output data to the user.

[0216] Optionally, the processor 801, transceiver 802, and memory 803 can be connected via a communication bus.

[0217] When the communication device is powered on, the processor 801 can read the software program in the memory 803, interpret and execute the instructions of the software program, and process the data of the software program. When data needs to be transmitted wirelessly, the processor 801 performs baseband processing on the data to be transmitted and outputs the baseband signal to the radio frequency (RF) circuit. The RF circuit processes the baseband signal and transmits the RF signal outward in the form of electromagnetic waves through the antenna. When data is sent to the communication device, the RF circuit receives the RF signal through the antenna, converts the RF signal into a baseband signal, and outputs the baseband signal to the processor 801. The processor 801 converts the baseband signal into data and processes the data.

[0218] In another implementation, the radio frequency circuitry and antenna can be set up independently of the processor performing baseband processing. For example, in a distributed scenario, the radio frequency circuitry and antenna can be arranged remotely, independent of the communication device.

[0219] In some embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the above-described communication device 70 can take the form of the communication device 800 shown in FIG8 in terms of hardware implementation.

[0220] As an example, the function / implementation process of the processing module 701 in Figure 7 can be implemented by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in Figure 8 calling computer execution instructions stored in the memory 803. The function / implementation process of the transceiver module 702 in Figure 7 can be implemented by the transceiver 802 in the communication device 800 shown in Figure 8.

[0221] As another possible product form, the terminal or first network device in this application may adopt the composition structure shown in FIG9, or include the components shown in FIG9. FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the composition of a communication device 900 provided in this application. The communication device 900 may be a terminal or a chip or system-on-a-chip in the terminal; or, it may be a first network device or a module or chip or system-on-a-chip in the first network device.

[0222] As shown in Figure 9, the communication device 900 includes at least one processor 901 and at least one communication interface (Figure 9 is only an example illustrating the inclusion of a communication interface 904 and a processor 901). Optionally, the communication device 900 may also include a communication bus 902 and a memory 903.

[0223] Processor 901 can be a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a PLD, or any combination thereof. Processor 901 can also be other devices with processing functions, such as circuits, devices, or software modules, without limitation.

[0224] The communication bus 902 is used to connect different components in the communication device 900, enabling communication between them. The communication bus 902 can be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus or an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus, etc. This bus can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is used in Figure 9, but this does not indicate that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0225] Communication interface 904 is used for communicating with other devices or communication networks. For example, communication interface 904 can be a module, circuit, transceiver, or any device capable of communication. Optionally, communication interface 904 can also be an input / output interface located within processor 901, used to implement signal input and signal output for the processor.

[0226] The memory 903 may be a device with storage function, used to store instructions and / or data. The instructions may be computer programs.

[0227] For example, the memory 903 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and / or instructions; it may also be a random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and / or instructions; it may also be an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, etc., without limitation.

[0228] It should be noted that the memory 903 can exist independently of the processor 901, or it can be integrated with the processor 901. The memory 903 can be located inside or outside the communication device 900, without limitation. The processor 901 can be used to execute the instructions stored in the memory 903 to implement the methods provided in the following embodiments of this application.

[0229] As an optional implementation, the communication device 900 may also include an output device 905 and an input device 906. The output device 905 communicates with the processor 901 and can display information in various ways. For example, the output device 905 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display device, a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device, or a projector, etc. The input device 906 communicates with the processor 901 and can receive user input in various ways. For example, the input device 906 may be a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen device, or sensing device, etc.

[0230] In some embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the communication device 70 shown in FIG7 can take the form of the communication device 900 shown in FIG9 in terms of hardware implementation.

[0231] As an example, the function / implementation process of the processing module 701 in Figure 7 can be implemented by the processor 901 in the communication device 900 shown in Figure 9 calling computer execution instructions stored in the memory 903. The function / implementation process of the transceiver module 702 in Figure 7 can be implemented by the communication interface 904 in the communication device 900 shown in Figure 9.

[0232] It is worth noting that the structure shown in Figure 9 does not constitute a specific limitation on the terminal or the first network device. For example, in other embodiments of this application, the terminal or the first network device may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The components shown can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0233] In some embodiments, this application also provides a communication device, which includes a processor for implementing the methods in any of the above method embodiments.

[0234] As one possible implementation, the communication device also includes a memory. This memory stores necessary computer programs and data. The computer program may include instructions, which a processor can invoke to instruct the communication device to execute the methods described in any of the above method embodiments. Alternatively, the memory may not be present in the communication device.

[0235] As another possible implementation, the communication device also includes an interface circuit, which is a code / data read / write interface circuit, used to receive computer execution instructions (which are stored in memory and may be read directly from memory or may be transmitted through other devices) and transmit them to the processor.

[0236] As another possible implementation, the communication device also includes a communication interface for communicating with modules outside the communication device.

[0237] It is understood that the communication device can be a chip or a chip system. When the communication device is a chip system, it can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices. This application does not specifically limit this.

[0238] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program or instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a computer, implements the functions of any of the above-described method embodiments.

[0239] This application also provides a computer program product that, when executed by a computer, implements the functions of any of the above method embodiments.

[0240] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0241] It is understood that the systems, apparatuses, and methods described in this application can also be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0242] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0243] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0244] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software programs, implementation can be, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product. This computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a computer or a data storage device containing one or more servers, data centers, etc., that can be integrated with the medium. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid-state drive (SSD)). In this embodiment, the computer may include the aforementioned apparatus.

[0245] Although this application has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, those skilled in the art, by reviewing the accompanying drawings, disclosure, and appended claims, will understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments in carrying out the claimed application. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions listed in the claims. While different dependent claims may recite certain measures, this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0246] Although this application has been described in conjunction with specific features and embodiments, it is obvious that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the scope of this application. Accordingly, this specification and drawings are merely illustrative descriptions of the application as defined by the appended claims, and are considered to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of this application. Clearly, those skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications to this application without departing from its scope. Thus, if such modifications and modifications fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, this application is also intended to include such modifications and modifications.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: Receive first information from a first network device, the first information indicating that the downlink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or that the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device; Access the first network device and / or the second network device based on the first information.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first information also indicates at least one of the following: The frequency domain resources of the synchronization signal block (SSB) of the second network device, the time domain resources of the SSB of the second network device, the measurement time configuration (SMTC) of the SSB of the second network device, the global synchronization channel number (GSCN) associated with the SSB of the second network device, the load of the first network device, the load of the second network device, the idle resources of the first network device, the idle resources of the second network device, the remaining service time of the first network device, the remaining service time of the second network device, or access selection information, wherein the access selection information is used to indicate the access conditions for accessing the first network device and / or the second network device.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Accessing the second network device based on the first information includes: If a first access condition is met, the second network device is accessed, wherein the first access condition includes at least one of the following: The signal quality of the second network device meets the S criterion; The difference between the signal quality of the second network device and the signal quality of the first network device is greater than or equal to a first threshold; The difference between the load of the second network device and the load of the first network device is less than or equal to the second threshold; The difference between the idle resources of the second network device and the idle resources of the first network device is greater than or equal to a third threshold; The difference between the remaining service time of the second network device and the remaining service time of the first network device is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold; The random number generated by the terminal is less than or equal to the access weight associated with the second network device; The terminal has the capability to support services based on reverse spectrum; or, The first network device instructs the terminal to connect to the second network device.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The access weight associated with the second network device is as indicated by the first network device; or, The access weight associated with the second network device is determined based on at least one of the following: the signal quality of the second network device, the signal quality of the first network device, the load of the second network device, the load of the first network device, the idle resources of the second network device, the idle resources of the first network device, the remaining service time of the second network device, or the remaining service time of the first network device.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The first information also indicates the system information of the second network device, which is used to access the second network device.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Accessing the second network device based on the first information includes: accessing the second network device based on the system information.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a second message to the first network device, the second message indicating the multiple coverage services supported by the terminal, the multiple coverage services supported by the terminal including at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The method further includes: The system receives third information from the first network device, the third information being used to indicate the multiple coverage services provided by the first network device and the second network device. The multiple coverage services provided by the first network device and the second network device include at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service based on reverse pairing spectrum.

9. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: First information is determined, which indicates that the downlink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the uplink frequency band of the first network device, and / or that the uplink frequency band of the second network device overlaps with the downlink frequency band of the first network device; Send the first information to the terminal.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first information also indicates at least one of the following: The frequency domain resources of the synchronization signal block (SSB) of the second network device, the time domain resources of the SSB of the second network device, the measurement time configuration (SMTC) of the SSB of the second network device, the global synchronization channel number (GSCN) associated with the SSB of the second network device, the load of the first network device, the load of the second network device, the idle resources of the first network device, the idle resources of the second network device, the remaining service time of the first network device, the remaining service time of the second network device, or access selection information, wherein the access selection information is used to indicate the access conditions for accessing the first network device and / or the second network device.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The access conditions for the second network device include at least one of the following: The signal quality of the second network device meets the S criterion; The difference between the signal quality of the second network device and the signal quality of the first network device is greater than or equal to a first threshold; The difference between the load of the second network device and the load of the first network device is less than or equal to the second threshold; The difference between the idle resources of the second network device and the idle resources of the first network device is greater than or equal to a third threshold; The difference between the remaining service time of the second network device and the remaining service time of the first network device is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold; The random number generated by the terminal is less than or equal to the access weight associated with the second network device; The terminal has the capability to support services based on reverse spectrum; or, The first network device instructs the terminal to connect to the second network device.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The access weight associated with the second network device is as indicated by the first network device; or, The access weight associated with the second network device is determined based on at least one of the following: the signal quality of the second network device, the signal quality of the first network device, the load of the second network device, the load of the first network device, the idle resources of the second network device, the idle resources of the first network device, the remaining service time of the second network device, or the remaining service time of the first network device.

13. The method according to any one of claims 9-12, characterized in that, The first information also indicates the system information of the second network device, which is used to access the second network device.

14. The method according to any one of claims 9-13, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal receives second information indicating the multiple coverage services supported by the terminal. The multiple coverage services supported by the terminal include at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service of multiple network devices based on reverse pairing spectrum.

15. The method according to any one of claims 9-14, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal is sent a third message, which is used to indicate the multiple coverage services provided by the first network device and the second network device. The multiple coverage services provided by the first network device and the second network device include at least one of the following: independent service based on reverse pairing spectrum, dual connectivity service based on reverse pairing spectrum, or carrier aggregation service based on reverse pairing spectrum.

16. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a module for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-8, or includes a module for performing the method as described in any one of claims 9-15.

17. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a processor; the processor is configured to run a computer program or instructions to cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-8, or to cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 9-15.

18. A chip or chip system, characterized in that, The chip or chip system includes a processor coupled to a memory for storing programs or instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-8 to be performed, or cause the method as described in any one of claims 9-15 to be performed.

19. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions or programs that, when executed on a computer, cause the method described in any one of claims 1-8 to be performed, or cause the method described in any one of claims 9-15 to be performed.

20. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes computer instructions; when some or all of the computer instructions are run on a computer, they cause the method of any one of claims 1-8 to be performed, or cause the method of any one of claims 9-15 to be performed.

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