Communication method and communication apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a communication method and a communication apparatus. The communication method comprises: on the basis of the number N of AIoT devices, which are scheduled by a reader / writer, for sending a MSG3, an index of a first AIoT device among N AIoT devices, which are scheduled by the reader / writer, for sending the MSG3, and the number Y of candidate frequency domain resources, the first AIoT device determining a second time-frequency resource used when sending the MSG3. On the basis of the technical solution, signaling overheads can be reduced.

Description

Communication methods and communication devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510390498.5, filed on March 28, 2025, entitled "Communication Method and Communication 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 a communication method and a communication device. Background Technology

[0003] 3GPP has defined an Internet of Things (IoT) technology with extremely low power consumption and low complexity – the Ambient Internet of Things (AIoT).

[0004] Currently, in AIoT technology, the basic communication process between AIoT devices and readers (also known as readers and writers) includes: AIoT devices first randomly connect to the reader / writer, and after the AIoT device successfully connects, business data is transmitted between the device and the reader / writer.

[0005] However, analysis revealed that there is a problem of high signaling overhead in the communication process between AIoT devices and readers. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a communication method and a communication device to reduce signaling overhead.

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides a communication method that can be applied to a first communication device, such as a first AIoT device or a communication module within the first AIoT device, or a circuit or chip (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) responsible for communication functions within the first AIoT device. In this application, a first AIoT device is used as an example for description.

[0008] The communication method includes: sending a message MSG1 on a first time-frequency resource, wherein MSG1 carries a random identifier ID of a first AIoT device, and the first time-frequency resource is one of Z candidate time-frequency resources for sending MSG1, wherein the Z candidate time-frequency resources include X candidate time-domain resources in the time domain and Y candidate frequency-domain resources in the frequency domain; after receiving MSG2 from the reader, sending MSG3 on a second time-frequency resource, wherein MSG2 is used to respond to the reader receiving MSG1 from the first AIoT device; wherein the second time-frequency resource is determined based on the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, and the number Y of candidate frequency-domain resources.

[0009] In this application, the Z candidate time-frequency resources include X candidate time-domain resources in the time domain and Y candidate frequency-domain resources in the frequency domain, where Z equals X*Y. It is understood that each of the X candidate time-domain resources includes Y candidate frequency-domain resources.

[0010] Based on the communication method provided in the first aspect, after the first AIoT device receives MSG2, which is used to respond to MSG1, the first AIoT device determines the second time-frequency resource to be used when sending MSG3 based on the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, and the index and the number Y of candidate frequency domain resources among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3. Based on this technical solution, the reader does not need to carry information indicating the time-frequency resource used by the first AIoT device when sending MSG3 in MSG2, thus reducing signaling overhead.

[0011] In one possible implementation, X equals 1; the second time-frequency resource occupies the second frequency domain resource in the frequency domain according to the following relationship:

[0012] Among them, Idx frequency This represents the index (Idx) of the second frequency domain resource after sorting Y candidate frequency domain resources by their R values ​​in ascending or descending order. device This represents the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, ceil() represents rounding up, and R represents the frequency shift factor.

[0013] In one possible implementation, X is a positive integer greater than 1; the second time-frequency resource satisfies the following relationship:

[0014] Wherein, Idxtime-frequency represents the index of the second time-frequency domain resource among the X′*Y time-frequency resources after sorting the X′*Y time-frequency resources in a frequency-domain-first-time-domain manner, and the X′*Y time-frequency resources include Y candidate frequency domain resources in the frequency domain, Idx device This indicates the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices that sent MSG3 as scheduled by the reader / writer. ceil() means rounding up.

[0015] In one possible implementation, MSG2 includes N random IDs of AIoT devices. Thus, the first AIoT device can determine the number N of AIoT devices (N) scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, and its index among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, based on the N random IDs of the AIoT devices carried in the received MSG2.

[0016] In one possible implementation, a first bitmap is received from the reader / writer. The first bitmap includes Z bits, each corresponding one-to-one with one of the Z time-frequency domain resources. The first bitmap is used to determine N and the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader / writer to send MSG3. Based on this implementation, after receiving the first bitmap, the first AIoT device can determine the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader / writer to send MSG3, and the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader / writer to send MSG3, based on the first time-frequency resource used by the first AIoT device when sending MSG1 and the first bitmap.

[0017] In one possible implementation, transmitting MSG3 on a second time-frequency resource includes transmitting MSG3 based on one or more of the code rate, repetition count, preamble, and introductory code used when transmitting MSG1.

[0018] Secondly, this application provides a communication method that can be applied to a second communication device, such as a reader or a communication module within a reader, or a circuit or chip (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) responsible for communication functions within the reader. In this application, a reader is used as an example for description.

[0019] The communication method includes: receiving an MSG1 sent by a first AIoT device on a first time-frequency resource, wherein the MSG1 carries a random ID of the first AIoT device, and the first time-frequency resource is one of Z candidate time-frequency resources for sending the MSG1, wherein the Z candidate time-frequency resources include X candidate time-domain resources in the time domain and Y candidate frequency-domain resources in the frequency domain; sending an MSG2, wherein the MSG2 is used to respond to the reader receiving the MSG1 from the first AIoT device; and receiving an MSG3 sent by the first AIoT device on a second time-frequency resource, wherein the second time-frequency resource is determined based on the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send the MSG3, and the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send the MSG3 and the number Y of candidate frequency-domain resources.

[0020] Based on the communication method provided in the second aspect, the reader does not need to carry information in MSG2 to indicate the time-frequency resources used by the first AIoT device when sending MSG3, thus reducing signaling overhead.

[0021] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, X equals 1; the second time-frequency resource occupies the second frequency domain resource in the frequency domain, satisfying the following relationship:

[0022] Among them, Idx frequency This represents the index (Idx) of the second frequency domain resource after sorting the Y candidate frequency domain resources according to their R values ​​in ascending or descending order. device This represents the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, ceil() represents rounding up, and R represents the frequency shift factor.

[0023] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, X is a positive integer greater than 1; the second time-frequency resource satisfies the following relationship:

[0024] Where Idxtime-frequency represents the index of the second time-frequency domain resource among the X′*Y time-frequency resources after sorting the X′*Y time-frequency resources in a frequency-domain-first-time-domain manner, and the X′*Y time-frequency resources include the aforementioned Y candidate frequency domain resources in the frequency domain. device This indicates the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices that are scheduled by the reader to send MSG3. ceil() means rounding up.

[0025] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, MSG2 includes N random identifiers for AIoT devices.

[0026] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the method further includes: sending a first bitmap, the first bitmap including Z bits, the Z bits corresponding one-to-one with Z time-frequency domain resources; wherein, the first bitmap is used to determine the index of N and the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3.

[0027] Thirdly, this application provides a communication device that has the functions of the first aspect described above. For example, the communication device includes modules, units, or means that perform the operations involved in the first aspect. These modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0028] Fourthly, this application provides a communication device that has the functions of the second aspect above. For example, the communication device includes modules, units, or means that perform the operations involved in the second aspect above. These modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0029] Fifthly, this application provides a communication device including one or more processors. The one or more processors are coupled to a memory. The memory stores part or all of the computer program or instructions necessary to implement the functions described in the first aspect above. The one or more processors can execute the computer program or instructions, causing the communication device to implement the methods in any possible design or implementation of the first aspect above when the computer program or instructions are executed. Optionally, the communication device may further include an interface circuit for implementing communication functions within the communication device and / or communication functions between the communication device and other devices or components.

[0030] In one possible design, the processor is used to communicate with other devices or components through the interface circuit.

[0031] In one possible design, the communication device may also include the memory.

[0032] Sixthly, this application provides a communication device including one or more processors. The one or more processors are coupled to a memory. The memory stores part or all of the computer program or instructions necessary for implementing the functions described in the second aspect above. The one or more processors can execute the computer program or instructions, causing the communication device to implement the methods in any possible design or implementation of the second aspect above when executed. Optionally, the communication device may further include an interface circuit for implementing communication functions within the communication device and / or communication functions between the communication device and other devices or components.

[0033] In one possible design, the processor is used to communicate with other devices or components through the interface circuit.

[0034] In one possible design, the communication device may also include the memory.

[0035] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when read and executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform any of the possible designs in the first to second aspects described above.

[0036] Eighthly, this application provides a computer program product that, when read and executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform any of the possible designs in the first to second aspects described above.

[0037] The third to eighth aspects mentioned above correspond to the technical solutions of the first aspect of this application. The beneficial effects achieved by each aspect and the corresponding feasible implementation are similar, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication system based on a split architecture applicable to embodiments of this application;

[0040] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the network element function division and protocol layer structure of an open RAN (O-RAN or ORAN) device;

[0041] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the system architecture between AIoT devices and base stations;

[0042] Figure 5 shows a flowchart illustrating the process of connecting an AIoT device to a reader / writer;

[0043] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of multiple AIoT devices connecting to the reader;

[0044] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of the second time-frequency resource determined by the AIoT device when X equals 1;

[0046] Figure 9 shows a schematic diagram of the second time-frequency resource determined by the AIoT device when X is greater than 1;

[0047] Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 11 is a structural schematic diagram of a communication device provided in another embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0049] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system 10 provided in an embodiment of this application. It is understood that the system architecture described in this application embodiment is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of this application embodiment and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in this application embodiment.

[0050] As shown in Figure 1, the communication system 10 includes a radio access network (RAN) 100 and a core network (CN) 200. RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (110a and 110b in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 110) and at least one terminal (120a-120j in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 120). RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay equipment and / or wireless backhaul equipment (not shown in Figure 1). Terminal 120 is wirelessly connected to RAN node 110. RAN node 110 is wirelessly or wired connected to core network 200. The core network equipment in core network 200 and RAN node 110 in RAN 100 can be different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating core network logical functions and radio access network logical functions.

[0051] RAN 100 can be a cellular system related to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 4G, 5G mobile communication systems, or future-oriented evolution systems. RAN 100 can also be an open RAN (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. RAN 100 can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems.

[0052] RAN node 110, sometimes also referred to as access network equipment, RAN entity, or access node, constitutes part of the communication system and is used to help terminals achieve wireless access. Multiple RAN nodes 110 in communication system 10 can be of the same type or different types. In some scenarios, the roles of RAN node 110 and terminal 120 are relative. For example, network element 120i in Figure 1 can be a helicopter or drone, which can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminals 120j accessing RAN 100 through network element 120i, network element 120i is a base station; but for base station 110a, network element 120i is a terminal. RAN node 110 and terminal 120 are sometimes both referred to as communication devices. For example, network elements 110a and 110b in Figure 1 can be understood as communication devices with base station functions, and network elements 120a-120j can be understood as communication devices with terminal functions.

[0053] In one possible scenario, the RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. The RAN node can be a macro base station (as shown in Figure 1, 110a), a micro base station or indoor station (as shown in Figure 1, 110b), a relay node or donor node, or a radio controller in a CRAN scenario. Optionally, the RAN node can also be a server, wearable device, vehicle, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, the access network equipment in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be a roadside unit (RSU). All or part of the functions of the RAN node in this application can also be implemented through software functions running on hardware, or through virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform). The RAN node can also be equipped with communication modules, circuits, or chips that perform corresponding communication functions. The RAN node can also be configured with program instructions for performing corresponding communication functions, as well as corresponding program instructions. The RAN node in this application can also be a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the RAN node's functions.

[0054] In another possible scenario, multiple RAN nodes collaborate to assist the terminal in achieving wireless access, with each RAN node performing a portion of the base station's functions. For example, RAN nodes can be central units (CUs), distributed units (DUs), CU-control plane (CPs), CU-user plane (UPs), or radio units (RUs), etc. CUs and DUs can be separate entities or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radio heads (RRHs).

[0055] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules.

[0056] A terminal can be a device or module that accesses the aforementioned communication system and has corresponding communication functions. A terminal can also be called a terminal device, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, etc. Terminals can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, transportation vehicles with wireless communication capabilities, communication modules, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal. A terminal typically contains a communication module, circuit, or chip that performs the corresponding communication function. The terminal can also be configured with program instructions for performing the corresponding communication function.

[0057] Referring to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of a communication system based on a split architecture applicable to embodiments of this application, as shown in Figure 2, the access network device communicates with the core network (CN) device via a backhaul link and with the terminal via an air interface. Specifically, the BBU in the access network device communicates with the core network device via the backhaul link; the RU in the access network device communicates with the terminal via an air interface. The BBU communicates with at least one RU via a fronthaul link (FH), and the BBU and RU may or may not be co-located. The BU may include at least one CU and at least one DU, and the CU and DU can communicate with each other via a midhaul link.

[0058] Referring to Figure 3, which is a diagram showing the network element function division and protocol layer structure of an O-RAN device, the access network device can be divided into CU, DU, and RU.

[0059] In some examples, the CU is a logical node carrying the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer, Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer, Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, and other control functions of the access network equipment. The CU connects to network nodes such as the core network through interfaces, which can be interfaces such as E2 interfaces. Optionally, the CU may have some core network functions. The CU (e.g., PDCP layer and higher layers) connects to the DU (e.g., RLC layer and lower layers) through interfaces, which can be interfaces such as F1 interfaces. In some examples, these interfaces (e.g., F1 interfaces) can provide Control Plane (C-Plane) and User Plane (U-Plane) functions (e.g., interface management, system information management, UE context management, RRC message transmission, etc.). F1AP is the application protocol of the F1 interface, defining the F1 signaling procedures in some examples. The F1 interface supports Control Plane F1-C and User Plane F1-U.

[0060] In some examples, the CU can be split into CU-CP (control unit-control plane) and CU-UP (control unit-user plane). CU-CP is a logical node carrying the RRC layer and PDCP-C (control plane part of PDCP) layer, used to implement the CU's control plane functions. CU-CP can interact with network elements in the core network used to implement control plane functions. These network elements in the core network can be access and mobility function (AMF) network elements, such as the access and mobility management function (AMF) in a 5G system. The AMF network element is responsible for mobility management in the mobile network, such as terminal device location updates, terminal device registration with the network, and terminal device handover. CU-UP is a logical node carrying the SDAP layer and PDCP-U (user plane part of PDCP) layer, used to implement the CU's user plane functions. CU-UP can interact with network elements in the core network used to implement user plane functions. These network elements in the core network, such as the UPF (user plane function) in a 5G system, are responsible for data forwarding and receiving in terminal devices. The above CU and DU configurations are merely examples; the functions of the CU and DU can be configured as needed. For instance, the CU or DU can be configured to have more protocol layer functions, or only some protocol layer processing functions. For example, some RLC layer functions and protocol layer functions above the RLC layer can be placed in the CU, while the remaining RLC layer functions and protocol layer functions below the RLC layer can be placed in the DU. Furthermore, the functions of the CU or DU can be divided according to service type or other system requirements, such as by latency. Functions that require low latency can be placed in the DU, while functions that do not require low latency can be placed in the CU.

[0061] In some examples, a DU is a logical node that carries the radio link control (RLC) layer, medium access control (MAC) layer, higher physical layer (PHY) layer, and other functions. In some examples, a DU can control at least one RU. The DU connects to the RU through interfaces, which can be fronthaul interfaces.

[0062] In some examples, the CU may not have a PDCP layer, i.e., it only includes the RRC layer. CU-CP does not have PDCP-C. CU-UP may not have PDCP-U, or may not have CU-UP at all. In some examples, the DU may not have an RLC layer, only a MAC and a higher PHY layer. Furthermore, in some examples, it may not have a CU and may only include the DU.

[0063] In some examples, the Higher PHY layer includes parts of the PHY layer that handle processes such as forward error correction (FEC) encoding and decoding, scrambling, modulation, and demodulation.

[0064] In some examples, the RU is a logical node carrying both lower physical layer (PHY) and radio frequency (RF) processing. In some examples, the RU can be a 3GPP transmission reception point (TRP), a remote radio head (RRH), or other similar entities. In some examples, the Low-PHY includes PHY processing functions such as Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), digital beamforming, and filtering. The RU communicates with one or more UEs via a radio link.

[0065] The DU and RU can be co-located or not. The DU and RU exchange control plane and user plane information via a lower-layer split-control, user, and synchronization (LLS-CUS) interface through a fronthaul link. LLS-CUS may include LLS-C and LLS-U interfaces that provide the control plane (C-Plane) and user plane (U-Plane), respectively. In some examples, the control plane (C-Plane) refers to real-time control between the DU and RU. The DU and RU exchange management information via an LLS-M interface on the fronthaul link; the management plane (M-Plane) refers to non-real-time management operations between the DU and RU.

[0066] DUs and RUs can work together to implement the functions of the PHY layer. A DU can be connected to one or more RUs. The functions of DUs and RUs can be configured in various ways depending on the design. For example, a DU can be configured to implement baseband functions, and an RU can be configured to implement mid-RF functions. Another example is that a DU can be configured to implement higher-level functions in the PHY layer, and an RU can be configured to implement lower-level functions in the PHY layer, or both lower-level and RF functions. Higher-level functions in the physical layer can include a portion of the physical layer's functions that are closer to the MAC layer, while lower-level functions in the physical layer can include another portion of the physical layer's functions that are closer to the mid-RF side.

[0067] To better understand the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, some concepts used in the embodiments of this application will be introduced first.

[0068] 1. Bitrate

[0069] In communication systems, bit rate refers to the number of bits transmitted per unit of time, usually expressed as bit rate. The higher the bit rate, the more data is transmitted per second.

[0070] 2. Bandwidth

[0071] Bandwidth typically refers to the frequency range of a signal, or the width of frequencies that are allowed to pass through. For example, bandwidth can be 15 kilohertz (kHz) or 30 kHz.

[0072] 3. Frequency Division Multiple Access

[0073] Frequency division multiple access (FDMA) divides the total bandwidth into multiple orthogonal channels, with each user having access to one channel. In other words, FDMA is a technology that enables multiple users to share the same frequency domain resources.

[0074] Uplink FDMA is commonly used in wireless communication, especially in communication between a base station and a mobile terminal, where the base station receives signals from multiple mobile terminals.

[0075] To implement uplink FDMA, signals from multiple users can be allocated to different frequencies using different frequency shift factors (corresponding to different frequency offsets). This method helps avoid interference between signals and allows multiple signals to be transmitted simultaneously.

[0076] With the development of wireless networks and the evolution of business needs, AIoT technology has emerged. AIoT is based on cellular mobile communication infrastructure, and its main services include, but are not limited to, inventory management, positioning, and sensing. Typical application scenarios include logistics, warehousing, industrial manufacturing, identity recognition, and environmental monitoring. To meet ultra-low power consumption requirements, AIoT terminals (often referred to as AIoT devices) can use low-precision, low-power mid-to-low frequency ring oscillators or receive downlink signals without a local oscillator. This receiving method further reduces the power consumption of downlink reception.

[0077] AIoT devices can also be described as either devices or tags. For example, AIoT devices include the following two types:

[0078] The first type has a peak power consumption level of approximately 1 microwatt (μW), has energy storage, no uplink or downlink amplifiers, and uplink transmission is based on reflection transmission using an externally provided carrier.

[0079] The second type: peak power consumption level is less than or equal to several hundred μW, with energy storage, uplink amplifier and / or downlink amplifier, uplink transmission is based on internally generated carrier, or uplink transmission is based on externally provided carrier for reverse reflection transmission.

[0080] Typically, the device that communicates with AIoT devices is also called a reader. A reader can be a handheld or fixed device that reads information from tags (and sometimes writes information to tags). This application does not limit the form of the reader. For example, the reader can be a terminal, a network device, or a device with read / write capabilities. Exemplarily, Figure 4 illustrates the system architecture between an AIoT device and a base station. As shown in Figure 4(a), the reader is the base station, and the AIoT device can communicate directly with the base station. As shown in Figure 4(b), the AIoT device can communicate with the base station through an intermediate node. The intermediate node can be a network device or a terminal.

[0081] The messages sent by the reader to the AIoT device are also called reader-to-device (R2D) messages. The messages sent by the AIoT device to the reader are also called device-to-reader (D2R) messages.

[0082] Currently, when an AIoT device needs to communicate with a reader, the AIoT device must first randomly connect to the reader, and then transmit business data with the reader after the connection is successful.

[0083] In AIoT systems, uplink transmissions are all based on reader / writer scheduling. R2D messages carry information indicating the time-frequency resources used by AIoT devices when sending uplink information. This information, which indicates the time-frequency resources used by AIoT devices when sending uplink information, can also be called uplink scheduling information.

[0084] Below, referring to Figure 5, we will explain the random access process for the existing AIoT device #1 using AIoT device #1 as an example. As shown in Figure 5, the random access process includes:

[0085] 1) The reader sends message 0 (MSG0), which carries uplink scheduling information indicating at least one candidate time-frequency resource that can be used to send MSG1; correspondingly, AIoT device #1 receives MSG0.

[0086] For example, MSG0 can be a paging message or a trigger message, or both a paging and trigger message.

[0087] 2) After receiving MSG0, AIoT device #1 selects a time-frequency resource from at least one candidate time-frequency resource and sends MSG1. MSG1 includes the random identifier of AIoT device #1.

[0088] For example, MSG1 can also be called a random access request message. Selecting a time-frequency resource from at least one candidate time-frequency resource to send MSG1 can also be understood as selecting an access opportunity from at least one candidate access opportunity to send MSG1.

[0089] 3) The reader sends message 2 (MSG2), which indicates that the reader has received the random ID of AIoT device #1 and the scheduling information for AIoT device #1 to send MSG3; correspondingly, AIoT device #1 receives MSG2.

[0090] Optionally, MSG2 may also include the RN number of other AIoT devices and scheduling information for other AIoT devices to send MSG3. In this scenario, MSG2 can also be called common MSG2.

[0091] 4) AIoT device #1 sends MSG3 based on the scheduling information indicated by MSG2 to complete the access.

[0092] In addition, the current support is for scenarios where X>1, where X represents that an R2D message can indicate X candidate time-domain resources, and each of the X candidate time-domain resources can be used to send uplink information.

[0093] For example, with X=2, indicating that one R2D message can indicate two candidate time-domain resources, and taking the reader / writer scheduling four AIoT devices to access the network as an example, as shown in Figure 6, the MSG0 sent by the reader / writer can indicate at least four candidate time-frequency resources. Correspondingly, after receiving MSG0, each of the four AIoT devices selects a time-frequency resource from at least one candidate time-frequency resource and sends MSG1. Then, the reader / writer sends MSG2 to indicate the time-frequency resource used by each of the four AIoT devices when sending MSG3; correspondingly, the four AIoT devices send MSG3 on the time-frequency resource indicated by MSG2 based on the received MSG2.

[0094] However, the above access process suffers from high signaling overhead for the reader / writer.

[0095] In view of this, this application provides a communication method and a communication apparatus to reduce signaling overhead.

[0096] The communication method provided in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is understood that this application uses a first AIoT device and a reader / writer as examples to illustrate the interaction, but this application does not limit the entities that can be used to illustrate the interaction.

[0097] Figure 7 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 700 provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 7, the various steps in method 700 will be described in detail below.

[0098] S710, the first AIoT device sends MSG1 on the first time-frequency resource, and the corresponding reader receives MSG1; MSG1 carries the random ID of the first AIoT device, and the first time-frequency resource is one of Z candidate time-frequency resources used to send MSG1. The Z candidate time-frequency resources include X candidate time-domain resources in the time domain and Y candidate frequency-domain resources in the frequency domain.

[0099] The first time-frequency resource refers to the time-frequency resource used by the first AIoT device when transmitting MSG1. In this application, the first time-frequency resource used by the first AIoT device when transmitting MSG1 is one of Z candidate time-frequency resources for transmitting MSG1. That is, the first AIoT device will select one time-frequency resource from the Z candidate time-frequency resources to transmit MSG1. It can be understood that the time-frequency resource selected by the first AIoT device from the Z candidate time-frequency resources for transmitting MSG1 is also the first time-frequency resource.

[0100] The Z candidate time-frequency resources include X candidate time-domain resources in the time domain and Y candidate frequency-domain resources in the frequency domain, where Z equals X*Y. Alternatively, the Z candidate time-frequency resources consist of X candidate time-domain resources and Y candidate frequency-domain resources, where each of the X candidate time-domain resources includes Y candidate frequency-domain resources.

[0101] In this application, the time-domain resources occupied by the first time-frequency resource in the time domain are also referred to as the first time-domain resources, and the time-domain resources occupied by the first time-frequency resource in the frequency domain are also referred to as the first frequency-domain resources. It is understood that the first time-domain resource is one of the aforementioned X candidate time-domain resources, and the first frequency-domain resource is one of the aforementioned Y candidate time-domain resources.

[0102] In one implementation, the reader can send MSG0 before the first AIoT device sends MSG1. MSG0 is used to determine the aforementioned Z candidate time-frequency resources. For example, MSG0 can be a paging message or a trigger message.

[0103] For example, the first AIoT device obtains the temporal positions of X candidate temporal resources based on one or more of the following indicated by MSG0: the number X of candidate temporal resources, the code rate used when transmitting MSG1, the number of repetitions of the preamble, and the length of the preamble / midamble. For example, the first AIoT device determines the duration of each of the X candidate temporal resources based on the code rate used when transmitting MSG1, the number of repetitions of the preamble, the information of the preamble / midamble, and the transport block size (TBS), thereby determining the temporal positions of the X candidate temporal resources based on the duration of the candidate temporal resources and the start time of the first candidate temporal resource among the X candidate temporal resources. One implementation method for the first AIoT device to determine the start time of the first candidate time-domain resource among X candidate time-domain resources is as follows: The first AIoT device determines the start time of the first candidate time-domain resource among X candidate time-domain resources based on a timing relationship. For example, a timing relationship of [first value, second value] indicates that the interval between the start time of the first candidate time-domain resource among X candidate time-domain resources and the time of receiving MSG0 should be within the interval of [first value, second value]. Another example is a timing relationship of [third value], indicating that the interval between the start time of the first candidate time-domain resource among X candidate time-domain resources and the time of receiving MSG0 is the third value.

[0104] For example, the first AIoT device obtains the location of Y candidate frequency domain resources in the frequency domain based on one or more of the following indicated by MSG0: bandwidth size, chip duration, and frequency shift factor R.

[0105] For example, the reader can use Log2(X) in MSG0 to indicate the number of candidate time-domain resources X, use 3 bits to indicate R, use 2 bits to indicate the bandwidth, use 1-2 bits to indicate the code rate used when sending MSG1, use 1 bit to indicate the number of repetitions of the preamble, and use 2-3 bits to indicate the preamble / intercalation.

[0106] 720, the reader sends MSG2, which is used in response to the reader receiving MSG1 from the first AIoT device.

[0107] In this application, after receiving MSG1 from the first AIoT device, the reader can send MSG2 in response to receiving MSG1 from the first AIoT device. MSG2 includes the random ID of the first AIoT device. Correspondingly, after receiving MSG2, the first AIoT device determines the MSG1 received by the reader based on its random ID carried in MSG2. It can be understood that MSG2 can also be considered as a response to the MSG1 received by the reader from the first AIoT device.

[0108] In this application, the MSG2 sent by the reader / writer can be implemented in different ways:

[0109] Implementation Method 1: The MSG2 sent by the reader includes not only the random ID of the first AIoT device, but also the random IDs of one or more other AIoT devices. In this application, this type of MSG2 is also referred to as common MSG2.

[0110] In this implementation, the MSG2 sent by the reader can be broadcast, for example.

[0111] Implementation Method 2: The reader sends MSG2 corresponding to each of the N AIoT devices. Each MSG2 is used to respond to the reader receiving the MSG1 of the corresponding AIoT device.

[0112] For example, if N is 3, meaning the reader determines that 3 AIoT devices are sending MSG3, let's call these 3 AIoT devices #1, #2, and #3. Then the reader can send MSG2 corresponding to device #1, carrying its random ID; it can send MSG2 corresponding to device #2, carrying its random ID; and it can send MSG2 corresponding to device #3, carrying its random ID. Correspondingly, after receiving MSG2 carrying its random ID, device #1 knows that the reader received its MSG1, thus determining that it can send MSG3. Similarly, after receiving MSG2 carrying its random ID, device #2 knows that the reader received its MSG1, thus determining that it can send MSG3. After receiving MSG2 carrying the random ID of device #3, device #3 learns that the reader received MSG1 from device #3, and thus device #3 determines that it can send MSG3.

[0113] 730, after the first AIoT device receives MSG2 from the reader, it sends MSG3 on the second time-frequency resource.

[0114] In this application, after the first AIoT device receives MSG2, which includes the random ID of the first AIoT device, the first AIoT device will send MSG3. In this application, the time-frequency resource used by the first AIoT device when sending MSG3 is referred to as the second time-frequency resource. The time-domain resource occupied by the second time-frequency resource in the time domain is also referred to as the second time-domain resource, and the time-domain resource occupied by the second time-frequency resource in the frequency domain is also referred to as the second frequency-domain resource.

[0115] In this application, the first AIoT device determines the second time-frequency resource based on the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, and the number Y of candidate frequency domain resources.

[0116] The number N of AIoT devices sending MSG3 based on reader scheduling can also be described as: the number N of AIoT devices sending MSG3 based on reader instructions.

[0117] In this application, there are different ways to determine how the first AIoT device learns the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3:

[0118] In one implementation, the MSG2 received by the first AIoT device is the common MSG2 in implementation 1 of step S720. In this case, the first AIoT device can directly determine the number of AIoT devices sending MSG3 as indicated by the reader based on the random ID included in MSG2. That is, in this implementation, the first AIoT device can determine the number N of AIoT devices sending MSG3 through the random ID included in MSG2. It is understandable that in this implementation, the number N of AIoT devices sending MSG3 as indicated by the reader can also be understood as the number of MSG3 responses carried by the reader's MSG2.

[0119] In another implementation, the MSG2 received by the first AIoT device is the MSG2 in implementation 2 of step S720. In this case, the reader can indicate a first bitmap, which includes Z bits, each corresponding to one of Z time-frequency domain resources. Correspondingly, the first AIoT device determines the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3 based on the first bitmap. For example, if the number Z of candidate time-frequency resources for sending MSG1 is 7, meaning there are Z subsequent time-frequency resources, and the reader indicates the first bitmap to be 101000, it indicates that the AIoT devices sending MSG1 on the first and third time-frequency resources are sending MSG3. Correspondingly, the first AIoT device determines the number of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3 based on the first bitmap. Optionally, the reader carries the first bit map in the first MSG2 sent. Correspondingly, each of the N AIoT devices needs to obtain the first bit map from the first MSG2 received.

[0120] In this application, there can be different implementations for how the first AIoT device learns its index among the N AIoT devices that are scheduled by the reader to send MSG3:

[0121] In one implementation, if the reader adopts the common MSG2 method described above, then the first AIoT device can determine the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices that are scheduled by the reader to send MSG3 based on the order of the first AIoT device's random ID among the N random IDs included in common MSG2.

[0122] In another implementation, the first AIoT device can determine its index among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3 based on the received first bitmap. That is, the first AIoT device can determine the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3 and its index among these N devices based on the first bitmap. Specifically, after receiving the first bitmap, the first AIoT device determines its index among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3 based on the first time-frequency resource used when sending MSG1. Taking the example where the reader indicates the first bitmap is 101000, and the first AIoT device sends MSG1 based on the third time-frequency resource, then the first AIoT device can determine that the number of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3 is 2, and its index among these 2 scheduled AIoT devices is 2.

[0123] The following describes how the first AIoT device determines the second time-frequency resource based on the number N of AIoT devices (as indicated by the reader) sending MSG3, the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices sending MSG3 as indicated by the reader, and the number Y of candidate frequency domain resources:

[0124] If X equals 1, the first AIoT device, after sorting the Y candidate frequency domain resources according to their R values ​​from smallest to largest or from largest to smallest, determines the second time-frequency resource based on either formula (I) or formula (II):

[0125] Among them, Idx frequency This represents the index of the second frequency domain resource after sorting the Y candidate frequency domain resources according to their R values ​​in ascending or descending order, where R represents the frequency shift factor, and Idx device This represents the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, Y is the number of candidate frequency domain resources, N is the number of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, and ceil() represents rounding up. Offset is the starting position offset of the AIoT device with index 1 on the Y candidate frequency shift resources, which can be 0 by default or a predefined value.

[0126] For example, as shown in Figure 8, the reader indicates 8 candidate time-frequency resources (Z equals 8), where X equals 1 (i.e., the Z candidate time-frequency resources include 1 candidate time-domain resource in the time domain), and Y equals 8. As shown in Figure 8, after devices #1, #2, and #3 send MSG1 at the positions shown in Figure 8, assume the reader schedules devices #1, #2, and #3 to send MSG3 via MSG2. Assuming device #1's index among these 3 devices is 1, device #2's index is 2, and device #3's index is 3, then, as shown in Figure 8, after sorting the Y candidate frequency domain resources according to their R values ​​from smallest to largest or largest to smallest: device #1 determines the index of the second frequency domain resource used to send MSG3 as 1; device #2 determines the index of the second frequency domain resource used to send MSG3 as 4; and device #3 determines the index of the second frequency domain resource used to send MSG3 as 7.

[0127] If X is a positive integer greater than 1, the first AIoT device determines the second time-frequency resource by: first determining X′ based on the number of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, and the number Y of candidate frequency-domain resources included in each candidate time-domain resource, where, X′ represents the number of time slots occupied by multiple MSG3s when the reader schedules N AIoT devices to send MSG3; then, the first AIoT device determines the second time-frequency resource based on the following formula (III) or the following formula (IV) after jointly sorting the X′*Y resources within the X′ time slots:

[0128] Where Idxtime-frequency represents the index of the second time-frequency domain resource among the X′*Y time-frequency resources after sorting the X′*Y time-frequency resources in a frequency-domain-first-time-domain manner, and Idx device This represents the index of the first AIoT device among N AIoT devices. ceil() means rounding up. Offset is the starting position offset of the AIoT device with index 1 on the Y candidate frequency shift resources. For example, it can be 0 by default or a predefined value.

[0129] Understandably, the X′*Y time-frequency resources include the Y candidate frequency domain resources mentioned above in the frequency domain, and X′ time slots in the time domain. That is, the X′*Y time-frequency resources in this application consist of X′ time slots in the time domain and the aforementioned Y candidate frequency domain resources included in each of the X′ time slots.

[0130] The first AIoT device can determine the location of the aforementioned X′*Y time-frequency resources in the time domain based on the timing relationship.

[0131] For example, as shown in Figure 9, the reader indicates 6 candidate time-frequency resources (Z equals 6), where X equals 2 (i.e., the Z candidate time-frequency resources include 2 candidate time-domain resources in the time domain), and Y equals 3. As shown in Figure 9, after devices #1 and #2 send MSG1 at the positions shown in Figure 9, assume the reader schedules devices #1 and #2 to send MSG3 via MSG2. Assuming device #1 has an index of 1 among these two AIoT devices, and device #2 has an index of 2 among these two devices, then:

[0132] Device #1 determines X′=1, and then sorts the three determined time-frequency resources in the manner of first frequency domain and then time domain, and obtains the index of the second time-frequency resource used to transmit MSG3 as 1 based on the above formula (III);

[0133] Device #2 determines X′ = 1, and then sorts the three determined time-frequency resources in the order of frequency domain first and time domain second, and obtains the index of the second time-frequency resource used to transmit MSG3 as 3 based on the above formula (III).

[0134] Optionally, in this application, the first AIoT device transmitting MSG3 on the second time-frequency resource includes: transmitting MSG3 on the second time-frequency resource based on one or more of the code rate, repetition count, preamble, and intermolecular code used when transmitting MSG1. For example, the preamble length when the first AIoT device transmits MSG3 is the same as the preamble length when transmitting MSG1.

[0135] For example, let's define the rule by which the first AIoT device determines the number of second time-frequency resources based on the number N of AIoT devices (as instructed by the reader to send MSG3), the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices sending MSG3, and the number Y of candidate frequency domain resources. This rule is called the first rule. Optionally, the reader can instruct the first AIoT device to determine the second time-frequency resources based on a predefined rule. For example, the reader might send 1 bit to the first AIoT device, where a value of 0 indicates that the second time-frequency resources are determined based on a predefined rule, or vice versa.

[0136] The communication method provided in this application has been described above. The communication device provided in the embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to Figures 10 and 11.

[0137] Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Specifically, as shown in Figure 10, the device 1000 includes: a transceiver module 1001 and a processing module 1002.

[0138] For example, in an embodiment of the first device, device 1000 is applied to a first AIoT device.

[0139] Specifically, the transceiver module 1001 is configured to: transmit MSG1 on a first time-frequency resource, wherein MSG1 carries the ID of the first AIoT device, and the first time-frequency resource is one of Z candidate time-frequency resources for transmitting MSG1, wherein the Z candidate time-frequency resources include X candidate time-domain resources in the time domain and Y candidate frequency-domain resources in the frequency domain; the transceiver module 1001 is further configured to: transmit MSG3 on a second time-frequency resource after receiving MSG2 from the reader, wherein MSG2 is used to respond to the reader receiving MSG1 from the first AIoT device; wherein the processing module 1002 is configured to: determine the second time-frequency resource based on the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to transmit MSG3, the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to transmit MSG3, and the number Y of candidate frequency-domain resources.

[0140] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 1001 is further configured to: receive a first bitmap from the reader, the first bitmap including Z bits, the Z bits corresponding one-to-one with Z time-frequency domain resources; wherein, the first bitmap is used to determine the index of N and the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3.

[0141] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 1001 is also used to transmit MSG3 based on one or more of the code rate, repetition count, preamble, and intermembrane used when transmitting MSG1.

[0142] For example, in an embodiment of the second device, device 1000 is applied to a reader / writer.

[0143] Specifically, the transceiver module 1001 is configured to: receive MSG1 sent by the first AIoT device on a first time-frequency resource, wherein MSG1 carries a random identifier ID of the first AIoT device, and the first time-frequency resource is one of Z candidate time-frequency resources for sending MSG1, wherein the Z candidate time-frequency resources include X candidate time-domain resources in the time domain and Y candidate frequency-domain resources in the frequency domain; the transceiver module 1001 is further configured to: send MSG2, wherein MSG2 is used to respond to the reader receiving MSG1 from the first AIoT device; the transceiver module 1001 is further configured to: receive MSG3 sent by the first AIoT device on a second time-frequency resource, wherein the second time-frequency resource is determined based on the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, and the number Y of candidate frequency-domain resources.

[0144] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 1001 is further configured to: transmit a first bitmap, the first bitmap including Z bits, the Z bits corresponding one-to-one with Z time-frequency domain resources; wherein, the first bitmap is used to determine the index of N and the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to transmit MSG3.

[0145] The implementation method for determining the second time-frequency resource based on the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, and the number Y of candidate frequency domain resources can be referred to the description in the previous method, and will not be repeated here.

[0146] Figure 11 is a structural schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The device shown in Figure 11 can be used to perform the method described in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0147] As shown in Figure 11, the device 1100 of this embodiment includes a memory 1101 and a processor 1102. In one implementation, the device 1100 further includes a communication interface 1103 and a bus 1104. The memory 1101, the processor 1102, and the communication interface 1103 are interconnected via the bus 1104.

[0148] The memory 1101 may be a read-only memory (ROM), a static storage device, a dynamic storage device, or a random access memory (RAM). The memory 1101 may store a program, and when the program stored in the memory 1101 is executed by the processor 1102, the processor 1102 performs the various steps of the method shown in FIG7.

[0149] The processor 1102 may be a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), microprocessor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits, used to execute relevant programs to implement the method shown in FIG7 of the embodiment of this application.

[0150] The processor 1102 can also be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, each step of the method in FIG7 of this application embodiment can be completed by the integrated logic circuitry in the processor 1102 or by software instructions.

[0151] The processor 1102 described above can also be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or a conventional processor, etc.

[0152] The steps of the method disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly implemented by a hardware decoding processor, or implemented by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software modules can reside in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. This storage medium is located in memory 1101. The processor 1102 reads the information in memory 1101 and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the functions required by the units included in the device of this application. For example, it can execute the various steps / functions of the embodiment shown in FIG7.

[0153] The communication interface 1103 can use, but is not limited to, transceivers to enable communication between the device 1100 and other devices or communication networks.

[0154] Bus 1104 may include a pathway for transmitting information between various components of device 1100 (e.g., memory 1101, processor 1102, communication interface 1103).

[0155] It should be understood that the device 1100 shown in the embodiments of this application can be deployed in network devices or terminals.

[0156] The above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, by software, hardware, firmware, or any other combination thereof. When implemented using software, the above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions or computer programs. When the computer instructions or computer programs are loaded or 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 website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be a usable medium accessible to a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center containing one or more sets of usable media. The usable medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium. A semiconductor medium can be a solid-state drive.

[0157] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. A and B can be singular or plural. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following related objects, but it can also represent an "and / or" relationship. Please refer to the context for a more accurate understanding.

[0158] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple 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.

[0159] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes 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 limit the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0160] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software 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.

[0161] 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.

[0162] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can 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.

[0163] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0164] 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.

[0165] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory, random access memory, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: Applications to first-environment IoT AIoT devices include: A message MSG1 is sent on a first time-frequency resource. The MSG1 carries a random identifier ID of the first AIoT device. The first time-frequency resource is one of Z candidate time-frequency resources for sending MSG1. The Z candidate time-frequency resources include X candidate time-domain resources in the time domain and Y candidate frequency-domain resources in the frequency domain. After receiving MSG2 from the reader, MSG3 is sent on the second time-frequency resource. MSG2 is used to respond to the reader receiving MSG1 from the first AIoT device. The second time-frequency resource is determined based on the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, and the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3 and the number Y of candidate frequency domain resources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, X equals 1; The second time-frequency resource occupies a second frequency domain resource in the frequency domain, and the second frequency domain resource satisfies the following relationship: wherein Idx frequency represents an index of the second frequency domain resource after the Y candidate frequency domain resources are sorted in ascending order of R values or descending order of R values, Idx device represents an index of the first AIoT device in N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, ceil() represents rounding up, and R represents a frequency shift factor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, X is a positive integer greater than 1; The second time-frequency resource satisfies the following relationship: wherein, Idxtime-frequency represents an index of a second time-frequency resource in the X'*Y time-frequency resources after the X'*Y time-frequency resources are sorted in a manner of frequency domain first and time domain second, the X'*Y time-frequency resources include the Y candidate frequency domain resources in the frequency domain, Idxtime-frequency represents an index of a second time-frequency resource in the X'*Y time-frequency resources after the X'*Y time-frequency resources are sorted in a manner of time domain first and frequency domain second, the X'*Y time-frequency resources include the Y candidate frequency domain resources in the frequency domain, and Idxtime-frequency represents an index of a second time-frequency resource in the X'*Y time-frequency resources after the X'*Y time-frequency resources are sorted in a manner of time domain first and frequency domain second, the X'*Y time-frequency resources include the Y candidate frequency domain resources in the frequency domain. device represents an index of the first AIoT device in N AIoT devices that send MSG3 scheduled by the reader, ceil() means rounding up.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, MSG2 includes the random identifiers of the N AIoT devices.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive a first bitmap from the reader / writer, the first bitmap including Z bits, the Z bits corresponding one-to-one with the Z time-frequency domain resources; The first bitmap is used to determine N and the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices that are scheduled by the reader to send MSG3.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The transmission of MSG3 on the second time-frequency resource includes: MSG3 is transmitted on the second time-frequency resource based on one or more of the code rate, repetition count, preamble, and introductory code used when transmitting MSG1.

7. A communication method characterized by comprising: Applications in readers and writers include: Receive message MSG1 sent by a first environment IoT AIoT device on a first time-frequency resource. The MSG1 carries a random identifier ID of the first AIoT device. The first time-frequency resource is one of Z candidate time-frequency resources for sending MSG1. The Z candidate time-frequency resources include X candidate time-domain resources in the time domain and Y candidate frequency-domain resources in the frequency domain. Send MSG2, which is used to respond to the reader receiving MSG1 from the first AIoT device; The first AIoT device receives MSG3 transmitted on a second time-frequency resource, wherein the second time-frequency resource is determined based on the number N of AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to transmit MSG3, and the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to transmit MSG3 and the number Y of candidate frequency domain resources.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, X equals 1; The second time-frequency resource occupies a second frequency domain resource in the frequency domain, and the second frequency domain resource satisfies the following relationship: wherein Idx frequency denotes an index of the second frequency domain resource after the Y candidate frequency domain resources are sorted in ascending order of R values or descending order of R values, device denotes an index of the first AIoT device in N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, ceil() denotes rounding up, and R denotes a frequency shift factor.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein, X is a positive integer greater than 1; The second time-frequency resource satisfies the following relationship: wherein, Idxtime-frequency represents an index of a second time-frequency resource in X'*Y time-frequency resources after the X'*Y time-frequency resources are sorted in a manner of frequency domain first and time domain second, the X'*Y time-frequency resources include the Y candidate frequency domain resources in the frequency domain, Idxtime-frequency represents an index of a second time-frequency resource in X'*Y time-frequency resources after the X'*Y time-frequency resources are sorted in a manner of time domain first and frequency domain second, the X'*Y time-frequency resources include the Y candidate frequency domain resources in the frequency domain, and Idxtime-frequency represents an index of a second time-frequency resource in X'*Y time-frequency resources after the X'*Y time-frequency resources are sorted in a manner of time domain first and frequency domain second, the X'*Y time-frequency resources include the Y candidate frequency domain resources in the frequency domain. device represents an index of the first AIoT device in N AIoT devices scheduled by the reader to send MSG3, ceil() means rounding up.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that, MSG2 includes the random identifiers of the N AIoT devices.

11. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a first bitmap, which includes Z bits, and the Z bits correspond one-to-one with the Z time-frequency domain resources; The first bitmap is used to determine N and the index of the first AIoT device among the N AIoT devices that are scheduled by the reader to send MSG3.

12. A communications device, characterized by comprising means for implementing the method of any of claims 1 to 6; or, comprising means for implementing the method of any of claims 7 to 11.

13. A communications device, characterized by comprising a processor for causing the communication device to implement the method of any of claims 1 to 6, or to implement the method of any of claims 7 to 11, by executing computer programs or instructions, and / or by logic circuitry.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, further comprising a memory for storing the computer programs or instructions, and / or configuration files of the logic circuitry.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 or 14, wherein, further comprising a communication interface for inputting and / or outputting signals.

16. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program or instructions, characterized in that, the method of any of claims 1 to 6 is executed, or the method of any of claims 7 to 11 is executed, when the computer programs or instructions are run.

17. A computer program product, characterised in that, a computer program, which, when run, causes the method of any of claims 1 to 6 to be executed, or the method of any of claims 7 to 11 to be executed.

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