CN110830177B

CN110830177B - Hybrid automatic repeat request transmission method and device

Info

Publication number: CN110830177B
Application number: CN201810913414.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 李�远
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-08-10
Filing date: 2018-08-10
Publication date: 2021-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 2038-08-10
Also published as: CN110830177A; WO2020029840A1

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a hybrid automatic repeat request transmission method and a device, relates to the field of communication, and can solve the problems of resource waste and low reliability existing in the existing HARQ-ACK feedback process based on UL grant scheduling. The method comprises the following steps: the terminal equipment starts to send a first data packet corresponding to a first HARQ process from a first time unit; the terminal equipment receives first HARQ response information sent by the network equipment, wherein the first HARQ response information is used for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet; when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device reserves the first data packet in the cache according to the first HARQ response information, and/or the terminal device sends a retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information. The embodiment of the application is applied to the process of data transmission of a wireless communication system.

Description

Hybrid automatic repeat request transmission method and device

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communications, and in particular, to a method and an apparatus for hybrid automatic repeat request transmission.

Background

In the future, new services relying on wireless communication, such as Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR), internet of vehicles, telemedicine, industrial control, power transmission communication, etc., put higher demands on transmission delay and transmission reliability. In order to better support these low-latency and high-reliability service types, an ultra-low-latency and high-reliability (URLLC) characteristic is introduced into a New Radio (NR) system of the fifth-Generation mobile communication technology (5-Generation, 5G), so that the transmission success rate of service channel transmission can be greatly improved.

In order to reduce the time delay, the NR system introduces a scheduling free Grant (GF) uplink transmission, the network device pre-configures and/or activates a GF resource for GF uplink transmission, and the terminal device may directly send uplink data information on the GF resource if a service arrives. Specifically, the terminal device may perform multiple repeated transmissions on one data packet (e.g., a first data packet) on the GF resource by using a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) scheme. If the terminal device receives a UL grant carrying HARQ response information (whether HARQ-ACK is Acknowledgement (Acknowledgement) or Negative Acknowledgement (Negative Acknowledgement)) in the process of performing multiple retransmissions on the data packet, the terminal device stops retransmission and performs data transmission according to the indication of the UL grant.

Based on the existing UL grant scheduling mechanism, the terminal device needs to perform initial transmission or retransmission according to the UL grant, but stopping repeated transmission after receiving the UL grant would result in waste of resources for repeated transmission, and on the other hand, resources scheduled by the UL grant for the terminal device may not be completely adapted, resulting in low reliability of data transmission.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a method and a device for transmitting a hybrid automatic repeat request, which can solve the problems of resource waste and low reliability in the conventional HARQ-ACK feedback process based on ULgrant scheduling.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for hybrid automatic repeat request transmission, including: the terminal equipment starts to send a first data packet corresponding to a first HARQ process from a first time unit; the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled by the network device to the terminal device, where a time unit of the N time units is used for the terminal device to send the first data packet, and N is an integer greater than 1; the terminal equipment receives first HARQ response information sent by the network equipment, wherein the first HARQ response information is used for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet; when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device reserves the first data packet in the cache according to the first HARQ response information, and/or the terminal device sends a retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information.

On one hand, compared with the prior art, when the terminal device receives the UL grant carrying the HARQ response information (whether the HARQ-ACK information is ACK or NACK), the terminal device stops repeatedly sending the first data packet. In the embodiment of the application, when the first HARQ response information received by the terminal device indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device sends a retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information. That is, the terminal device may continue to retransmit the first data packet in N time units in a time unit after receiving the first HARQ response information, so as to avoid waste of subsequent GF resources available for performing repeated transmission of the first data packet (i.e., a time unit available for retransmitting the first data packet in N time units after receiving the first HARQ response information).

On the other hand, compared with the prior art, the terminal device needs to perform initial transmission or retransmission according to the UL grant, but the resources scheduled by the UL grant for the terminal device may not be well adapted, resulting in low reliability of data transmission. In this embodiment of the application, when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device reserves the cache of the first data packet, that is, does not empty the first data packet in the cache. Therefore, the terminal equipment can retransmit the first data packet in the cache, and the reliability of data transmission can be improved.

It will be appreciated that the above two aspects combine to avoid wasting GF resources subsequently available for repeated transmission of the first data packet, while improving the reliability of data transmission. For the related description, reference may be made to the above description, which is not repeated herein.

In one possible implementation, the first HARQ-ACK information is included in first Downlink Control Information (DCI), and the first DCI includes HARQ-ACK responses for at least two terminal devices including the terminal device.

In this way, compared with the method of using the first DCI only for indicating HARQ-ACK information of one terminal device, a large number of bits are left unused in the payload of the first DCI, which results in a waste of control information. The first DCI comprises HARQ-ACK information of at least two terminal devices, so that when the HARQ-ACK information needs to be indicated to a plurality of terminal devices, one first DCI can be sent, one DCI is prevented from being sent to each terminal device, and the purpose of reducing overhead is achieved.

In one possible implementation manner, the terminal device, starting to transmit the first data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process from the first time unit, includes: the terminal equipment transmits the first data packet in the time unit from the first time unit to the time unit between the first HARQ-ACK response information reception in the N time units; when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, and the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the last time unit of the N time units, the sending, by the terminal device, the retransmitted data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information includes: and after receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information, the terminal equipment continues to send the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in the N time units.

That is, the terminal device may continue to retransmit the first data packet in N time units in a time unit after receiving the first HARQ response information (the HARQ-ACK response is NACK), so as to avoid the waste of subsequent GF resources available for performing the repeated transmission of the first data packet.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: the terminal equipment transmits the first data packet in the time unit from the first time unit to the time unit between the first HARQ-ACK response information reception in the N time units; if the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is ACK and the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the last time unit of the N time units, the terminal device stops sending the first data packet over the N time units.

That is to say, when the terminal device determines that the network device correctly receives the first data packet, the terminal device stops sending the first data packet in the N time units, so that the terminal device can send an initial transmission data packet different from the first data packet in the N time units in the time unit after receiving the first HARQ response information (the HARQ-ACK response is ACK), thereby avoiding waste of subsequent GF resources.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: when the terminal equipment sends the first data packet on the first time unit, the terminal equipment starts or restarts a timer corresponding to the first HARQ process; when the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than a first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device restarts the timer, or the terminal device keeps the timer counting continuously; wherein the first target time unit is one time unit of the N time units; the terminal device reserving the first data packet in the buffer according to the first HARQ response information includes: the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the buffer in the counting process of the timer.

Compared with the prior art, if the explicit HARQ-ACK indication state is NACK, the starting/restarting timer can empty the buffer memory, so that packet loss is caused. In the embodiment of the application, when the first HARQ response information received by the terminal device indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device may restart the timer, or keep the timer to continue counting, that is, the terminal device may store the buffer of the first data packet for a longer time, so that the terminal device waits for the next GF period of the first HARQ process, and then performs non-adaptive retransmission in a GF manner, thereby reducing the situation of packet loss, and improving the reliability of data transmission.

In a possible implementation manner, in the counting process of the timer, if the terminal device does not receive control information for indicating a HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet, the method further includes: and the terminal equipment sends the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in a GF mode on a second time unit, wherein the second time unit is later than the GF period of the N time units.

In this way, the terminal device may send the retransmission packet of the first packet in GF manner over the second time unit, so that the network device may successfully receive the first packet.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: and when the terminal equipment transmits the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in a GF mode in a second time unit, the terminal equipment keeps the timer to continue counting.

The terminal device sends the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in the GF mode in the second time unit, so that the terminal device can keep the timer to count continuously, and the buffer of the first data packet can be cleaned in time after the timer expires.

In a possible implementation manner, the terminal device restarts the timer, or after the terminal device keeps counting the timer, when the timer expires, the method further includes: the terminal device clears the first data packet in the buffer, and/or the terminal device sends an initial transmission data packet which corresponds to the first HARQ process and is different from the first data packet in a GF mode on a third time unit, wherein the third time unit is later than the N time units.

That is, after the timer expires, the terminal device may clear the first data packet in the buffer, and may send an initial transmission data packet that corresponds to the first HARQ process and is different from the first data packet in a GF manner at the third time unit when a new data packet (i.e., an initial transmission data packet that is different from the first data packet) needs to be sent.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: when the terminal equipment sends the first data packet on the first time unit, the terminal equipment starts or restarts a timer corresponding to the first HARQ process; when the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is not earlier than the first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device suspends the timer, or the terminal device restarts the timer; wherein the first target time unit is one time unit of the N time units; the terminal device reserving the first data packet in the buffer according to the first HARQ response information includes: when the terminal equipment suspends the timer, the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the cache; when the terminal equipment restarts the timer, the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the buffer memory in the counting process of the timer.

Compared with the prior art, if the explicit HARQ-ACK indication state is NACK, the starting/restarting timer can empty the buffer memory, so that packet loss is caused. In the embodiment of the application, when the first HARQ response information received by the terminal device indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device may restart the timer or suspend the timer, so that the buffer of the first data packet may be stored for a longer time, and the terminal device may wait for the next GF period of the first HARQ process and then perform non-adaptive retransmission in a GF manner, which may reduce the situation of packet loss, thereby improving the reliability of data transmission.

In one possible implementation, after the terminal device suspends the timer, the method further includes: if the terminal equipment does not receive the control information for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet; and the terminal equipment transmits the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in a GF mode on a fourth time unit, wherein the fourth time unit is later than the N time units.

In this way, the terminal device may send the retransmission packet of the first packet in GF manner over the fourth time unit, so that the network device may successfully receive the first packet.

In a possible implementation manner, after the terminal device restarts the timer, the method further includes: in the counting process of the timer, if the terminal device does not receive the control information for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet, the terminal device sends a retransmission data packet of the first data packet in a GF manner in a fourth time unit, which is later than the N time units.

In one possible implementation, the first target time unit is a K-last time unit of the N time units, where K is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N.

When K is 1, that is, the first target time unit is an end time unit (last time unit) of the N time units. When K >1, i.e., the first target time unit is earlier than the end time unit of the N time units. The value of K is configured to the terminal device by the network device, for example, configured to the terminal device through a high-level signaling.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for hybrid automatic repeat request transmission, including: the terminal equipment sends a first data packet corresponding to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process; the terminal equipment receives first HARQ response information sent by the network equipment, wherein the first HARQ response information is used for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet; the first HARQ response information is contained in DCI, the first DCI including HARQ-ACK information of at least two terminal devices including the terminal device; the terminal device performs cache processing on the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information, and/or the terminal device sends a retransmission data packet of the first data packet or sends an initial transmission data packet which corresponds to the first HARQ process and is different from the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information.

On the other hand, compared with the prior art, the terminal device needs to perform initial transmission or retransmission according to the UL grant, but the resources scheduled by the UL grant for the terminal device may not be completely adapted, resulting in low reliability of data transmission. In this embodiment of the application, when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device reserves the cache of the first data packet, that is, does not empty the first data packet in the cache. Therefore, the terminal equipment can retransmit the first data packet in the cache, and the reliability of data transmission can be improved.

In one possible implementation, the scrambling code for scrambling the first DCI is a cell common Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) or a group common RNTI corresponding to the at least two terminal devices.

In one possible implementation, the first DCI includes HARQ response information of the at least two terminal devices but does not include scheduling information.

Because the first DCI may include HARQ-ACK information of at least two terminal devices, when HARQ-ACK needs to be indicated to multiple terminal devices, one first DCI may be sent, and it is avoided that one DCI is sent to each terminal device, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing overhead. In addition, bits not used for indicating the payload information (for example, HARQ-ACK information) in the payload of the first DCI may be used as virtual CRC check bits for performing virtual CRC check on the first DCI, so that the reliability of DCI detection may be improved.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: the terminal device receives a notification message sent by the network device, where the notification message is used to notify the terminal device of the number of bits of the HARQ response information for the at least two terminal devices in the first DCI, and at least one remaining bit in the payload of the first DCI is used to check the first DCI.

That is, at least one remaining bit in the payload of the first DCI may be used to check the first DCI, so that the reliability of DCI detection may be improved.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for hybrid automatic repeat request transmission, including: the terminal equipment starts to send a first data packet corresponding to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process from a first time unit; the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled by the network device to the terminal device, where a time unit of the N time units is used for the terminal device to send the first data packet, and N is an integer greater than 1; the terminal equipment receives first HARQ response information sent by the network equipment, wherein the first HARQ response information is used for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet; if the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is an ACK, and the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the last time unit of the N time units, the terminal device stops sending the first data packet in the N time units.

In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for hybrid automatic repeat request transmission, including: the network equipment receives a first data packet which is sent by the terminal equipment from a first time unit and corresponds to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process; the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled by the network device to the terminal device, where a time unit of the N time units is used for the terminal device to send the first data packet, and N is an integer greater than 1; first HARQ response information sent by the network equipment to the terminal equipment is used for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet; if the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the network device receives a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device according to the first HARQ response information.

Compared with the prior art, the network equipment sends the UL grant carrying the HARQ response information (whether the HARQ-ACK information is ACK or NACK) to the terminal equipment, and the terminal equipment can stop repeatedly sending the first data packet after receiving the UL grant. In the embodiment of the application, the first HARQ response information sent by the network device to the terminal device indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, and the network device receives a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device according to the first HARQ response information. In this way, the network device may receive the first data packet retransmitted by the terminal device in N time units after the first HARQ response information is sent, so as to avoid waste of subsequent GF resources (i.e., time units after the first HARQ response information is sent) available for repeated sending of the first data packet.

In one possible implementation, the first HARQ-ACK information is included in a first downlink control information, DCI, the first DCI comprising HARQ-ACK responses for at least two terminal devices, including the terminal device.

In this way, compared with the method of using the first DCI only for indicating HARQ-ACK information of one terminal device, a large number of bits are left unused in the payload of the first DCI, which results in a waste of control information. The first DCI comprises HARQ-ACK information of at least two terminal devices, so that when the network device needs to indicate HARQ-ACK to a plurality of terminal devices, one first DCI can be sent, one DCI is prevented from being sent to each terminal device, and the purpose of reducing overhead is achieved.

In one possible implementation manner, the receiving, by the network device, a first data packet corresponding to a first HARQ process, which is sent by the terminal device from a first time unit includes: the network equipment receives the first data packet sent by the terminal equipment in the time unit from the first time unit to the time unit between the first HARQ-ACK response information reception in the N time units; when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, and the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the last time unit of the N time units, the network device receiving the retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device according to the first HARQ response information includes: and the network equipment receives the retransmission data packet of the first data packet which is continuously sent by the terminal equipment in the N time units after receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: the network device receives an initial transmission data packet which corresponds to the first HARQ process and is different from the first data packet and is sent by the terminal device in a GF mode in a third time unit, the third time unit is later than the N time units, the initial transmission data packet different from the first data packet is sent by the terminal device after the expiration of the timer, the timer is that when the terminal equipment sends the first data packet on the first time unit, the terminal equipment starts or restarts the timer corresponding to the first HARQ process, when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information earlier than the first target time unit, and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device for the first data packet is NACK, the timer is a timer restarted by the terminal device, or the timer keeps counting continuously for the terminal device.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: the method further comprises the following steps: the network device receives a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device in a mode of GF without scheduling permission on a second time unit, wherein the second time unit is later than a GF period of the N time units, the retransmission data packet of the first data packet is sent by the terminal device after a timer is suspended, the timer is used for starting or restarting the timer corresponding to the first HARQ process when the terminal device sends the first data packet on the first time unit, and the timer is used for suspending the terminal device when the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is not earlier than a first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK.

In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for hybrid automatic repeat request transmission, including: the method comprises the steps that network equipment receives a first data packet which is sent by terminal equipment and corresponds to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process; first HARQ response information sent by the network equipment to the terminal equipment is used for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet; the first HARQ-ACK information is contained in DCI, the first DCI including HARQ-ACK responses for at least two terminal devices, the at least two terminal devices including the terminal device; if the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the network device receives a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device according to the first HARQ response information.

Compared with the prior art, the network equipment sends the UL grant carrying the HARQ response information (whether the HARQ-ACK information is ACK or NACK) to the terminal equipment, and the terminal equipment can stop repeatedly sending the first data packet after receiving the UL grant. In the embodiment of the application, the first HARQ response information sent by the network device to the terminal device indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, and the network device receives a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device according to the first HARQ response information. In this way, the network device may receive the first data packet retransmitted by the terminal device at the time unit after the first HARQ response information is sent, so as to avoid waste of subsequent GF resources (i.e., the time unit after the first HARQ response information is sent) available for repeated sending of the first data packet.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: the network device sends a notification message to the terminal device, where the notification message is used to notify the terminal device of the number of bits of HARQ response information for at least two terminal devices in the first DCI, and at least one remaining bit in a payload of the first DCI is used to check the first DCI.

In this way, the remaining at least one bit in the payload of the first DCI may be used to check the first DCI, so that the reliability of DCI detection may be improved.

In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a terminal device, including: a transmitting unit, configured to transmit a first data packet corresponding to a first hybrid automatic repeat request, HARQ, process starting from a first time unit; the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled by a network device to the terminal device, where a time unit of the N time units is used for the terminal device to send the first data packet, and N is an integer greater than 1; a receiving unit, configured to receive first HARQ response information sent by the network device, where the first HARQ response information is used to indicate a HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet; a processing unit, configured to, when the first HARQ response information indicates that a HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, reserve the first data packet in a cache according to the first HARQ response information, and/or the sending unit is further configured to send a retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information.

In one possible implementation, the first HARQ-ACK information is included in first downlink control information DCI, where the first DCI includes HARQ-ACK responses for at least two terminal devices including the terminal device.

In a possible implementation manner, the sending unit is specifically configured to: transmitting the first data packet in the N time units from the first time unit to the time unit between the first HARQ-ACK response information being received; when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, and the time when the receiving unit receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the last time unit in the N time units, the sending unit is specifically configured to: continuing to transmit the retransmitted data packet of the first data packet over the N time units after receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information.

In a possible implementation manner, the sending unit is further configured to: transmitting the first data packet in the N time units from the first time unit to the time unit between the first HARQ-ACK response information being received; and if the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is a correct acknowledgement ACK and the time when the terminal equipment receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the last time unit in the N time units, stopping sending the first data packet in the N time units.

In one possible implementation, the processing unit is further configured to: starting or restarting a timer corresponding to the first HARQ process when the first data packet is sent on the first time unit through the sending unit; restarting the timer or keeping the timer to continue counting when the time of receiving the first HARQ response information through the receiving unit is earlier than a first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet is NACK; wherein the first target time unit is one time unit of the N time units; the processing unit is specifically configured to: and reserving the first data packet in the buffer in the counting process of the timer.

In a possible implementation manner, in the counting process of the timer, if the receiving unit does not receive the control information indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet, the sending unit is further configured to: and sending the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in a mode of GF (scheduling free permission) on a second time unit, wherein the second time unit is later than the GF period of the N time units.

In one possible implementation, the processing unit is further configured to: and keeping the timer to continue counting when the transmitting unit transmits the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in a GF mode on a second time unit.

In a possible implementation manner, the processing unit is further configured to restart the timer, or, after keeping the timer to continue counting, when the timer expires: and/or the sending unit is further configured to send an initial transmission data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process and different from the first data packet in a GF manner over a third time unit, where the third time unit is later than the N time units.

In one possible implementation, the processing unit is further configured to: starting or restarting a timer corresponding to the first HARQ process when the first data packet is sent on the first time unit through the sending unit; when the time when the receiving unit receives the first HARQ response information is not earlier than the first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is NACK, suspending the timer or restarting the timer; wherein the first target time unit is one time unit of the N time units; the processing unit is specifically configured to: when the timer is suspended, the first data packet in the cache is reserved; when the timer is restarted, the first data packet in the buffer is reserved in the counting process of the timer.

In a possible implementation manner, after suspending the timer, the sending unit is further configured to: if the control information for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is not received through a receiving unit; transmitting a retransmission data packet of the first data packet in a GF manner at a fourth time unit, the fourth time unit being later than the N time units; after restarting the timer, the sending unit is further configured to: in the counting process of the timer, if the control information for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is not received by the receiving unit, a retransmission data packet of the first data packet is sent in a GF manner in a fourth time unit, which is later than the N time units.

In one possible implementation manner, the first target time unit is a K-last time unit of the N time units, and K is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N.

For technical effects of the sixth aspect and various possible implementations thereof, reference may be made to the technical effects of the first aspect and various possible implementations thereof, which are not described herein in detail.

In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a network device, including: a receiving unit, configured to receive a first data packet corresponding to a first hybrid automatic repeat request HARQ process, which is sent by a terminal device from a first time unit; the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled by a network device to the terminal device, where a time unit of the N time units is used for the terminal device to send the first data packet, and N is an integer greater than 1; a sending unit, configured to send first HARQ response information to the terminal device, where the first HARQ response information is used to indicate a HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet; the receiving unit is further configured to receive a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device according to the first HARQ response information if the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK.

In a possible implementation manner, the receiving unit is specifically configured to: receiving the first data packet sent by the terminal device in the time unit from the first time unit to the time unit between the first HARQ-ACK response information reception in the N time units; when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, and the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the last time unit in the N time units, the receiving unit is specifically configured to: and receiving the retransmission data packet of the first data packet which is continuously sent by the terminal equipment in the N time units after the terminal equipment receives the first HARQ-ACK response information.

In one possible implementation, the receiving unit is further configured to: receiving an initial transmission data packet which corresponds to the first HARQ process and is different from the first data packet and is sent by the terminal equipment in a GF mode in a third time unit, the third time unit is later than the N time units, the initial transmission data packet different from the first data packet is sent by the terminal device after the expiration of the timer, the timer is that when the terminal equipment sends the first data packet on the first time unit, the terminal equipment starts or restarts the timer corresponding to the first HARQ process, when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information earlier than the first target time unit, and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device for the first data packet is NACK, the timer is a timer restarted by the terminal device, or the timer keeps counting continuously for the terminal device.

In one possible implementation, the receiving unit is further configured to: receiving a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device in a mode of GF without scheduling permission on a second time unit, wherein the second time unit is later than a GF period of the N time units, the retransmission data packet of the first data packet is sent by the terminal device after a timer is suspended, the timer starts or restarts the timer corresponding to the first HARQ process when the terminal device sends the first data packet on the first time unit, and the timer is the timer suspended by the terminal device when the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is not earlier than a first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK.

For technical effects of the seventh aspect and various possible implementations thereof, reference may be made to technical effects of the fourth aspect and various possible implementations thereof, which are not described herein again.

In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, which exists in the form of a chip product, and the apparatus includes a processor and a memory, where the memory is configured to be coupled to the processor and store necessary program instructions and data of the apparatus, and the processor is configured to execute the program instructions stored in the memory, so that the apparatus performs the functions of the terminal device in the method.

In a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a terminal device, where the terminal device may implement the function executed by the terminal device in the foregoing method embodiment, and the function may be implemented by hardware, or may be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions.

In one possible design, the terminal device includes a processor and a communication interface, and the processor is configured to support the terminal device to execute the corresponding functions of the method. The communication interface is used for supporting communication between the terminal equipment and other network elements. The terminal device may also include a memory for coupling with the processor that retains program instructions and data necessary for the terminal device.

In a tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium, which includes instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform any one of the methods provided in the first aspect.

In an eleventh aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a computer program product containing instructions, which when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform any one of the methods provided in the first aspect.

In a twelfth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, which exists in the form of a chip product, and the apparatus includes a processor and a memory, where the memory is configured to be coupled to the processor and store necessary program instructions and data of the apparatus, and the processor is configured to execute the program instructions stored in the memory, so that the apparatus performs the functions of the network device in the method.

In a thirteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a network device, where the network device may implement the function performed by the network device in the foregoing method embodiment, and the function may be implemented by hardware, or may be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions.

In one possible design, the network device includes a processor and a communication interface, and the processor is configured to support the network device to perform the corresponding functions of the method. The communication interface is used for supporting communication between the network equipment and other network elements. The network device may also include a memory, coupled to the processor, that stores program instructions and data necessary for the network device.

In a fourteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium, which includes instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform any one of the methods provided in the first aspect.

In a fifteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer program product containing instructions, which when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform any one of the methods provided in the first aspect.

In a sixteenth aspect, a communication system is provided, where the system includes the terminal device provided in the sixth aspect and the network device provided in the seventh aspect.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a multi-repetition GF time domain resource configuration provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a system architecture diagram of a method for hybrid automatic repeat request transmission according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a schematic signal interaction diagram of a hybrid automatic repeat request transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of retransmitting or stopping retransmitting a data packet according to a first DCI according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a schematic signal interaction diagram of another hybrid automatic repeat request transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operation of a timer according to first HARQ response information according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of retransmitting or stopping retransmitting a data packet according to the first HARQ response information according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7A is a schematic diagram of retransmitting or stopping retransmitting a data packet according to the first HARQ response information according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic signal interaction diagram of another harq transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a format of a first DCI provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of another terminal device provided in the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of another terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13 is a schematic structural diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 14 is a schematic structural diagram of another network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 15 is a schematic structural diagram of another network device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

For clarity and conciseness of the following description of the various embodiments, a brief introduction to related concepts or technologies is first presented:

in the NR system, uplink transmission is scheduled by a network device, and specifically includes that the network device instructs, through a UL grant in a downlink control channel, a terminal device to transmit uplink data information on an uplink shared channel (PUSCH) of a corresponding uplink timeslot. If there is a service and uplink data information needs to be sent, the terminal device needs to first send a Scheduling Request (SR) to the network device on an uplink control channel PUCCH, send a UL grant for scheduling a PUSCH to the terminal device after the network device receives the SR, and send uplink data on an uplink resource scheduled by the UL grant. The scheduling mode has the advantages of high reliability and high channel use efficiency. However, a series of processes of transmitting SR, waiting for UL grant scheduling, and transmitting uplink information on PUSCH scheduled by UL grant has a certain delay. In order to reduce time delay, the NR system introduces GF-mode uplink transmission, the network device configures and/or activates GF resources for GF uplink transmission in advance, and the terminal device may directly transmit uplink data information on the GF resources without transmitting an SR to the network device if a service arrives. In other words, under the condition that the terminal device is not scheduled by the UL grant, the uplink information is sent by using the GF parameters configured by the network device on the time-frequency resources configured by the network device for GF transmission, which is called to send the uplink information in a GF mode. The GF is also referred to as a Configured Grant (CG), a Configured Scheduling (CS), a non-scheduled grant (grant-less), a non-scheduled grant Transmission (TWG), and the like, and the application is not limited thereto.

In the GF transmission mode, the network device allocates resources available for GF transmission to the terminal device in a semi-static manner, where the resources available for GF transmission may include uplink PUSCH resources configured or activated by the network device. The information (GF parameter) of the resource used for GF transmission includes information such as time-frequency resource, modulation coding scheme, pilot information, etc., which may be configured by the network device through a high-level signaling, or may be notified to the terminal device by the network device through a UL grant (e.g., a UL grant scrambled by a CS-RNTI) for activating GF transmission, i.e., a semi-static UL grant indication, or may be configured by the high-level signaling and notified to the terminal device through a method indicated by the semi-static UL grant.

The network device notifies the time domain resource or time unit for GF transmission to the terminal device through the high layer signaling, the semi-static UL grant, or the high layer signaling plus the semi-static UL grant, which is called as: the network device configures time domain resources or time units (e.g., N time units described later) for GF transmission to the terminal device.

The network device configures time units for GF transmission, also referred to as: the network device configures a time unit for the terminal device to transmit data information in a GF mode.

When the terminal device is not scheduled by the UL grant, the terminal device transmits uplink information using the GF parameters configured by the network device in the time unit configured by the network device for GF transmission, which is called to transmit data information in a GF mode or transmit a data packet in a GF mode.

The time domain resource configured for the terminal device by the network device for GF transmission is periodic, and the period is referred to as a GF period. That is, the patterns (patterns) of the time domain resources for GF transmission configured on different GF periods or the relative positions of the time domain resources for GF transmission are the same. For example, one GF period may include 10 consecutive slots (slots), the first 4 slots being available for GF transmission, and the available GF time domain resources include slots { #0 (i.e., the 0 th slot), #1, #2, #3, #10, #11, #12, #13, #20, #21, #22, #23, … … }. In one possible case, the GF time domain resources available within one GF period all correspond to the same HARQ process Identity (ID). In another possible case, the GF time domain resources available in one GF period correspond to different HARQ process IDs, that is, the network device may configure the terminal device to use multiple HARQ processes to send different data packets in one GF period. The HARQ process ID is also referred to as HARQ ID or HARQ process number (process number), and the like, and the present application is not limited thereto.

In order to enable the network device to distinguish the HARQ process ID corresponding to the uplink data sent by the terminal device in a certain scheduling-free grant time unit, the HARQ process ID of the uplink data and the slot number have a binding relationship. Assuming that the number of HARQ process IDs configured by the network device for GF transmission is M, and the length of one GF period is P time domain symbols, the available GF time domain resources in any GF period all correspond to the same HARQ process ID (i.e., indicate that all are the repeated transmissions of the same data packet), the HARQ process ID corresponding to the GF period is obtained by modulo the M by the sequence number of the GF period, and for the time domain symbol i occupied by the first transmission opportunity for the terminal device to send the GF data packet in the GF period, the corresponding HARQ process ID is: [ floor (i/P) ] modelo M. The GF period length and the number of HARQ process IDs used for GF transmission are configured to the terminal device by the network device, for example, the GF period length is configured by a higher-layer parameter periodicity, and the number of HARQ process IDs used for GF transmission is configured by a higher-layer parameter nrofHARQ-Processes. Therefore, the terminal device can determine, according to the sequence number of the time domain symbol i, the HARQ process ID corresponding to the data packet in the GF period in which the time domain symbol is located. Illustratively, as shown in (a) of fig. 1, every 6 time units is a GF period, and HARQ process IDs corresponding to the nth to nth +5 time units are H0, i.e., HARQ process IDs determined according to a time domain symbol of any one of the nth to nth +5 time units are H0. It should be understood that the HARQ process IDs corresponding to the (n + 18) th to (n + 23) th time units are also H0, that is, if the first period corresponding to H0 is the period corresponding to the (n) th to (n + 5) th time units, then the next period corresponding to H0 is the period corresponding to the (n + 18) th to (n + 23) th time units.

Further, in order to enhance transmission reliability, the uplink GF of NR further introduces a multiple repetition mechanism, where the same data packet is repeatedly transmitted N times over N time units, each time unit of the N time units is used for GF transmission, N is greater than or equal to 1, and the N repeated transmissions all correspond to the same HARQ process ID. The N time units for the N repetitions are configured or indicated by the network device, and any one of the N time units or any one of the N repetitions is referred TO as a Transmission Opportunity (TO). The terminal device may occupy all the N TOs TO send the N TOs or occupy a part of the N TOs TO send data information in a GF period (for example, when an uplink service arrives, it is not too late TO send GF data information on the first TO of the N TOs, but only a TO behind the position is occupied TO send). And if the terminal equipment already sends the GF data information TO the last TO of the N TOs, stopping GF transmission in the current GF period. For example, the N time units mentioned here are N time units for the terminal device to transmit the first data packet, which will be described later.

Any one of the N time units may be carried in a full slot, or may be carried in a mini slot, or an incomplete slot or a non-slot. Wherein, a slot including 14 time domain symbols is called full slot, and a slot smaller than 14 time domain symbols is called mini slot. For uplink transmission, a slot is time domain granularity of uplink resource allocation or uplink transmission or data packet carrying, that is, a slot is a time domain unit for a terminal device to perform uplink transmission or send an uplink data packet. The optional length that the uplink mini-slot may support includes structures such as 7 uplink symbols, 1 uplink symbol, 2 uplink symbols, 3 uplink symbols, or 4 uplink symbols, where the uplink symbols may be single carrier frequency division multiple access symbols (SC-FDMA symbols) or orthogonal frequency division multiple access symbols (OFDMA symbols). In one possible design, the N time units for GF transmission may be consecutive in the time domain. As shown in fig. 1 (a), each 6 time units is a GF period, and each period includes 4 TOs (i.e., the first 4 time units of the GF period). Similarly, as shown in fig. 1 (c), each 10 time units is a GF period, and each period includes 8 TOs (i.e., the first 8 time units). In one possible design, the N time units are not consecutive in the time domain, but the N time units have consecutive sequence numbers of the N full timeslots. As shown in fig. 1 (b), each 10 time units is a GF period, and each period includes 4 TOs (i.e., time units with slot numbers 1 TO 4) which are not consecutive in the time domain but consecutive in the slot number.

The N repetitions may all correspond to the same Redundancy Version (RV) number, or may correspond to a plurality of different RV Version numbers. The RV version number corresponding to the data packet in a certain time unit is related to the sequence numbers of the time unit in N time units. For example, when N is 2, N TOs correspond TO RV {0, 2} or RV {0, 3 }; for another example, when N is 4, N TOs correspond TO RV {0, 2, 3, 1} or RV {0, 3, 0, 3 }; for another example, when N is 8, N TOs correspond TO RV {0, 2, 3, 1, 0, 2, 3, 1} or RV {0, 3, 0, 3, 0, 3}, respectively.

In the process of repeatedly transmitting the data packet in a GF mode, if the UL grant scheduling the data packet is received, the repeated transmission of the data packet is stopped, and initial transmission or retransmission is carried out according to the indication of the UL grant. However, after the terminal device completes N repetitions for a certain data packet (e.g., a first data packet corresponding TO a first HARQ process), it is considered that the network device may not detect any one TO (first data packet above), or the network device has correctly received the first data packet, but the terminal device may not receive the UL grant sent by the network device in order TO save downlink DCI resources and does not send the UL grant TO the terminal device. In order to avoid GF resource waste, a timer (timer) is introduced to GF of NR, and is used to release the HARQ process in time after the terminal device sends the uplink data packet and under the condition that HARQ-ACK indication information cannot be continuously received, so that the terminal device can transmit a new data packet.

Furthermore, because the UL grant only aims at one or two HARQ processes of one terminal device, the overhead is large, and the terminal device is not supported to send initial transmission or retransmission in a GF form on GF resources, the URLLC further introduces explicit HARQ-ACK feedback, which does not carry scheduling information, thereby saving the overhead. The Explicit HARQ-ACK feedback is also referred to as Explicit downlink control information (Explicit DCI, E-DCI), or may be referred to as grant free downlink control information (GF-DCI) or grant free downlink feedback information (GF-DFI).

After introducing the explicit HARQ-ACK feedback, in general, the network device may send the first HARQ response information indicating ACK during multiple repetitions of the terminal device (i.e. before the end of the multiple repetitions of sending the first data packet in at least one time unit), so that the terminal device stops repeating in advance, to save uplink resources. If the network device fails to successfully receive all the repeated first data packets sent by the terminal device in at least one time unit, the network device will generally send a first HARQ response information indication NACK after the end of at least one time unit. The terminal device may perform the following operations according to the explicit HARQ-ACK feedback: 1) after the terminal device receives the explicit HARQ-ACK feedback (regardless of whether the HARQ-ACK status is ACK or NACK), it stops repeatedly transmitting the data packet (e.g., the first data packet). 2, after the terminal equipment receives the explicit HARQ-ACK feedback (no matter the HARQ-ACK state is ACK or NACK), starting/restarting a timer.

The unreasonable point of the above two operations is that 1) if the explicit HARQ-ACK indication state is NACK, the explicit HARQ-ACK does not schedule the terminal device TO send retransmission like UL grant, but needs TO wait for the next GF TO corresponding TO the same HARQ process TO perform non-adaptive retransmission. That is, if the terminal device repeats at the current GF period, it must wait until the next GF period corresponding to the same HARQ process to retransmit, which results in an increase in transmission delay. 2) If the explicit HARQ-ACK indication is received in NACK, the start/restart timer will empty the buffer, resulting in packet loss.

In summary, in the NR URLLC system, after introducing the explicit HARQ-ACK feedback, how to design a relationship between the explicit HARQ-ACK feedback and initial transmission and retransmission of a data packet, how to design a format and a bit field of downlink control information of the explicit HARQ-ACK, and how to design a relationship between the explicit HARQ-ACK and a timer need further research.

The embodiment of the application provides a hybrid automatic repeat request transmission method and a hybrid automatic repeat request transmission device, which are applied to a data (information) transmission scene in a wireless communication system. The data transmission scene comprises a downlink data transmission scene and an uplink data transmission scene.

As shown in fig. 2, a communication system architecture diagram provided for the embodiment of the present application may include a network device (e.g., a base station) and one terminal device (e.g., UE1 or UE2), or include a network device and multiple terminal devices (e.g., UE1 and UE 2). Each terminal device is used for transmitting a first data packet corresponding to a first HARQ process from a first time unit; the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled to the terminal device by the network device, the time units in the N time units are used for the terminal device to send a first data packet, and N is an integer greater than 1; the terminal device is further configured to receive first HARQ response information sent by the network device, where the first HARQ response information is used to indicate a HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet; and when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal equipment is used for reserving the first data packet in the cache according to the first HARQ response information, and/or the terminal equipment is used for sending a retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information.

The base station may be a device capable of communicating with the terminal device. For example, a base station may be a relay station, an access point, a micro cell, a pico cell, a remote radio head, and so on. The base station may also be a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) in a global system for mobile communications (GSM) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, an nb (nodeb) in Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), an eNB or enodeb (evolved nodeb) in LTE, a radio controller in a Cloud Radio Access Network (CRAN) scenario, or a base station in a 5G network or a base station in a future evolution network, such as a macro base station, a home base station, etc.

The terminal device may be a device that provides voice and/or other traffic data connectivity to a user, or a handheld device having wireless connection capability, or other processing device connected to a wireless modem. The wireless terminal may be a portable, pocket, computer-embedded or vehicle-mounted mobile device, such as a mobile phone, a notebook computer capable of accessing the NR system, a tablet computer, etc.; the communication device may also be a Personal Communication Service (PCS) phone, a cordless phone, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone, a Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and the like, which are not limited herein.

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. In the description of the present application, the term "plurality" means two or more than two unless otherwise specified.

In addition, in order to facilitate clear description of technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish the same items or similar items having substantially the same functions and actions. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the terms "first," "second," etc. do not denote any order or quantity, nor do the terms "first," "second," etc. denote any order or importance.

An embodiment of the present application provides a method for transmitting a hybrid automatic repeat request, as shown in fig. 3, including:

301. the terminal equipment starts to transmit a first data packet corresponding to a first HARQ process from a first time unit.

One time unit (e.g., the first time unit to the fifth time unit) refers to a period of time domain resources used for carrying information. For example, one time unit may include one or more Transmission Time Intervals (TTIs) or one or more slots (slots) or one or more time domain symbols (symbols) in succession. The slot may be a full slot or a mini-slot (or referred to as a non-slot). Different time units are used to carry different data packets or different copies (or called duplicate versions) of the same data packet.

It should be understood that the packets (e.g., the first packet, the second packet) in the embodiment of the present invention are original cell packets before modulation and coding, and are also referred to as Protocol Data units (MAC PDUs) or Transport Blocks (TBs).

It should be noted that the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled by the network device to the terminal device, where N is an integer greater than 1.

Optionally, a time unit of the N time units is used for the terminal device to send the first data packet.

Optionally, the time unit in the N time units may be used for the terminal device to send the first data packet, or may be used for the terminal device to send a data packet other than the first data packet, for example, the second data packet. That is, each of the N time units may be used to carry a transmission of the first data packet or a data packet other than the first data packet.

Optionally, the time unit in the N time units may be any time unit in the N time units, that is, any time unit in the N time units is used for the terminal device to send the first data packet. Or, one or more time units of the N time units are used for the terminal device to transmit the first data packet, where the one time unit is a general reference to the time unit of the N time units.

It should be understood that the time domain lengths of any two time units in the N time units may be the same or different, and are not limited.

Optionally, the N time units are time units for the network device to schedule the terminal device to send the first data packet. Specifically, the network device sends a UL grant to the terminal device, and schedules the terminal device to send the first data packet in each of the N time units.

Optionally, the N time units are time units for the network device to configure the terminal device to send the first data packet, or in other words, the N time units are time units for the network device to configure the terminal device to send data information in a GF mode. Specifically, each of the N time units is used to carry a first data packet. For example, when the at least one time unit includes at least two time units, the terminal device repeatedly transmits the first data packet over the at least two time units. It can also be said that each time unit of the at least one time unit corresponds TO a scheduling-free grant GF transmission opportunity TO, any TO is used for carrying the first data packet.

Optionally, the N time units are located in the same GF period. The GF periods and the N time units in the GF periods, which are used for the terminal equipment to send information in a GF mode, are configured by network equipment.

Optionally, the N time units are all time units configured by the network device and located in the same GF period, where the time units are used for the terminal device to send data information in a GF manner.

Optionally, the N time units are time units configured by the network device and located in a same GF period, where the time units are used for the terminal device to send data information in a GF mode. Further, the N time units are all time units configured by the network device and located in the same GF period, where the time units are used for the terminal device to send data information in a GF manner and correspond to the first HARQ process. For example, when the time units included in the GF period are available for the terminal device to transmit data information using multiple HARQ processes, the portion of the time units used for the terminal device to transmit the data packet in GF manner corresponds to the same HARQ process, i.e., the first HARQ process, and is a subset of all the time units configured to transmit data information in GF manner in the GF period.

It should be noted that, a time unit of the N time units is used for the terminal device to send the first data packet. That is, for any one of the N time units, the terminal device may transmit the first packet using the time unit, or may not transmit the first packet using the time unit. For example, the N time units configure, for the network device, a time unit in which the terminal device sends data information in a GF manner, and for a certain time unit in the time units in the N time units, when the terminal device has a service arrival, the terminal device sends a first data packet using the time unit; when no service arrives at the terminal equipment, the terminal equipment does not use the time unit to send the data information. For another example, after the terminal device receives the information indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet sent by the network device and the HARQ-ACK response is an ACK, the terminal device stops (i.e., does not use) sending the first data packet in the N time units and continues to send the first data packet in the subsequent time units after receiving the information of the HARQ-ACK response.

It should be noted that the terminal device starts to transmit the first data packet from the first time unit, which includes the terminal device transmitting the first data packet using the first time unit. That is, the terminal device transmits the first packet from the start time of the first time unit. Further, the terminal device transmits the first packet starting from the first time unit, and the terminal device transmits the first packet later than the first time unit in the N time units, for example, the terminal device repeatedly transmits the first packet starting from the first time unit, using the first time unit, a time unit next to the first time unit in the N time units, and a time unit next to the first time unit in the N time units ….

Optionally, N is 1, and the N time units are first time units, that is, the N time units only include the first time unit. At this time, the terminal device may also be referred to as: the terminal device transmits a first data packet corresponding to a first HARQ process on a first time unit.

Optionally, N is an integer greater than 1. The terminal device repeatedly transmits the first data packet using the first time unit and subsequent time units of the N time units from the first time unit. That is, the N time units are used for the terminal device to repeatedly send a first data packet, where each time unit of the N time units is used to carry one transmission of the first data packet.

Further, the terminal device may repeatedly transmit the first data packet using subsequent time units of the N time units in time sequence, starting from a first time unit of the N time units. The first time unit is a time unit for the terminal device to send the first data packet for the first time in the N time units, or the first time unit is a time unit for the terminal device to send an initial transmission (initial transmission) of the first data packet. In some cases, the terminal device repeatedly transmits the first data packet for the last time unit of the N time units, that is, the terminal device transmits the first data packet using all time units after the first time unit of the N time units. In some cases, the terminal device repeatedly transmits the first data packet over the N time units until the last time unit of the N time units, that is, the terminal device repeatedly transmits the first data packet using the N time units until the terminal device stops transmitting the first data packet after a certain time unit of the N time units, wherein the time unit of stopping transmitting is earlier than the last time unit of the N time units; for example, when the terminal device receives a HARQ-ACK response (e.g., the following first HARQ-ACK response information) in the repetition process, indicating that the first data packet is an ACK, the terminal device stops repetition and does not continue to occupy the subsequent time unit to send the first data packet.

It should be understood that the first time unit may be a first time unit of the N time units, and the first time unit may also be later than a first time unit of the N time units, for example, may be a q-th time unit, and q is an integer greater than 1 and equal to or less than N. For example, if the traffic of the terminal device arrives before the first time unit of the N time units, that is, the first data packet may be sent on the transmission opportunity of the first time unit of the N time units, the first time unit is the first time unit of the N time units. If the service of the terminal device arrives after the first time unit of the N time units, that is, the terminal device cannot send the first data packet in the GF mode on the transmission opportunity of the first time unit of the N time units, the terminal device may select a later time unit of the N time units to send the first data packet, where the later time unit is the first time unit.

Specifically, the terminal device starts to transmit a first data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process from the first time unit, that is, the terminal device starts to transmit the first data packet over N time units before receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information in the following. That is, the terminal device transmits the first packet in each time unit (including the first time unit) between the start time of the first time unit and the time of receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information, among the N time units. If at least two time units of the N time units are included after the first time unit and before the first HARQ-ACK response information is received, the terminal equipment repeatedly transmits the first data packet on the at least two time units.

In some cases, the time at which the terminal device receives the first HARQ-ACK response information is located in one of the N time units, i.e. between the start time and the end time of the time unit. In this case, the terminal device transmits the first data packet over N time units before receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information, including the terminal device transmitting the first data packet over the time unit. That is, although the ending time of the time unit is later than the time when the first HARQ-ACK response information is received, if the terminal device starts to transmit the first packet in the time unit before receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information, the time unit is continuously used until the ending time of the time unit, so that the transmission of the first packet is completed.

In some cases, the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ-ACK response information is not located in any time unit of the N time units, i.e. between two adjacent time units of the N time units, or located at the end time of the time unit before and the start time of the time unit after the two adjacent time units of the N time units. In this case, the terminal device sends the first data packet over N time units before receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information, and includes: the terminal equipment transmits the first data packet in the former time unit and does not transmit the first data packet in the latter time unit.

For example, as shown in (a) of fig. 1, assuming that the first time unit is the nth time unit, and the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ-ACK response information in the following text is located in the (n + 2) th time unit, the time units between the starting time of the first time unit and the time when the first HARQ-ACK response information is received include the nth time unit, the (n + 1) th time unit, and the (n + 2) th time unit. As shown in (b) of fig. 1, assuming that the first time unit is a time unit with sequence number 1 in a period corresponding to H0, and the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ-ACK response information in the following text is located between two time units with

sequence numbers

3 and 4 in the period, that is, in a time unit that is not used for the terminal device to send the first data packet, the time units between the starting time of the first time unit and the time when the first HARQ-ACK response information is received include time units with sequence number 1, sequence number 2, and sequence number 3 in the period.

In one possible case, the terminal device repeatedly transmits the first data packet over N time units for the last time unit of the N time units, that is, the terminal device transmits the first data packet over all time units subsequent to the N time units. In another possible case, the terminal device does not continue to repeat the transmission of the first data packet for the N time units until the last time unit of the N time units, that is, the terminal device stops transmitting the first data packet after a certain time unit of the N time units using the N time units repeatedly, and the time unit of stopping transmitting is earlier than the last time unit. For example, when the terminal device receives the UL grant or displays HARQ-ACK indication information (e.g., the following first HARQ response information) indicating that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is ACK in the repetition process, the terminal device stops the repetition and does not occupy the subsequent time units in the N time units to send the first data packet. If the terminal device does not receive the UL grant in the repeating process or displays HARQ-ACK indication information indicating that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is ACK, the terminal device repeatedly sends the first data packet to the end time unit (i.e., the last time unit) in the N time units.

It should be understood that, when the terminal device sends the first data packet in the physical layer, the terminal device may make the first data packet carried in different time units of the N time units correspond to different RV version numbers, or correspond to different Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS) sequences, or perform scrambling using different scrambling codes. For example, the first data packet carried in the first time unit adopts RV0 as the initial transmission data packet, and the first data packet carried in the subsequent time units in the N time units adopts RV2, RV3 or RV1 as the retransmission data packet. However, the first data packets carried in different time units of the N time units all correspond to the same original cell, i.e. to the same MAC PDU or the same TB.

Correspondingly, after the terminal device sends the first data packet to the network device, the method further includes, 301A, the network device receiving the first data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process sent by the terminal device from the first time unit.

Namely, the network device receives a first data packet sent by the terminal device in a time unit from a first time unit to the time unit between the first time unit and the reception of the first HARQ-ACK response information in the N time units.

301B, the network device sends first HARQ response information to the terminal device, where the first HARQ response information is used to indicate a HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet.

In one possible design, first HARQ-ACK response information (first HARQ-ACK information) may be included in a first DCI, the first DCI including HARQ-ACK responses for at least two terminal devices.

The HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet includes an ACK or a NACK. Wherein, the ACK indicates that the network device correctly receives the first data packet. A NACK indicates that the network device did not correctly receive the first data packet. Wherein, the first data packet is not received correctly, which includes the following situations: 1. the network device detects that the terminal device sent the first data packet, but the network device failed to receive the first data packet correctly (or successfully demodulate and encode the first data packet). 2. The network device does not detect that the terminal device sends the first data packet. For example, the network device does not detect the DMRS corresponding to the PUSCH carrying the first data packet, and thus cannot know the existence of the first data packet. The HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first packet may also include Discontinuous Transmission (DTX), i.e. the network device does not detect that the terminal device sent the first packet.

302. And the terminal equipment receives first HARQ response information sent by the network equipment, wherein the first HARQ response information is used for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet.

It should be understood that the HARQ-ACK response (e.g., the first HARQ response information) of a data packet (e.g., the first data packet) is also referred to as reception status or ACK/NACK information for the data packet, and the information indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the data packet may include UL grant and explicit HARQ-ACK information. Specifically, the NDI field in the UL grant may indicate whether the UL grant is used to schedule an initial transmission packet different from the data packet (i.e., the reception status of the data packet is ACK) or a retransmission packet of the data packet (i.e., the reception status of the data packet is NACK).

It should be understood that the HARQ-ACK response is also referred to as a HARQ response, or HARQ-ACK.

303. And when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal equipment sends a retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information.

It should be noted that the retransmission packet of the first packet is the same packet as the first packet. Or, the retransmission packet of the first data packet and the first data packet include the same data information before modulation and coding, and may also be referred to as a MAC PDU or an uplink shared channel (UL-SCH). That is, although the retransmission packet of the first packet is transmitted at a different time unit and possibly using a different RV than the first packet, the retransmission packet of the first packet and the first packet are both the same MAC PDU, which is already transmitted again when the terminal device transmits the retransmission packet of the first packet, and thus is referred to as the retransmission packet of the first packet.

If the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, and the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the last time unit (i.e., the end time unit) of the N time units, the terminal device continues to send the retransmission data packet of the first data packet over the N time units after receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information. That is, the terminal device may continue to transmit the retransmission data packet of the first data packet over at least one time unit of the N time units, starting from the next time unit of the N time units in which the first HARQ-ACK response is received.

In a possible case, the terminal device continues to repeatedly transmit the first data packet over N time units starting from the time unit next to the time unit of the N time units in which the first HARQ-ACK response information is received, and continuing to the last time unit of the N time units, that is, the terminal device transmits the first data packet using all time units subsequent to the N time units.

In another possible case, the terminal device continues to repeatedly transmit the first data packet using a part of time units in the time units subsequent to the N time units, starting from the time unit next to the time unit in which the first HARQ-ACK response information is received in the N time units. Specifically, the terminal device continues to repeat the transmission of the first data packet over N time units starting from the time unit next to the time unit in which the first HARQ-ACK response is received in the N time units, but the repeated transmission of the first data packet does not continue to the last time unit in the N time units, that is, the terminal device stops the transmission after repeatedly transmitting the first data packet to a certain time unit (referred to as a stop time unit) in the N time units by using the N time units, where the stop time unit is earlier than the last time unit.

It should be noted that the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ-ACK response information is earlier than the last time unit in the N time units, which may also be referred to as: the time unit carrying the first HARQ-ACK response information is earlier than the last time unit of the N time units. Further, a time interval between the time unit bearing the first HARQ-ACK response information and the last time unit of the N time units is greater than a threshold, where the threshold is preset, or configured by the network device to the terminal device, or indicated by the network device to the terminal device; this is because there may be a reception delay for the terminal device to receive the first HARQ-ACK response information, and therefore when the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ-ACK response information is earlier than the last time unit in the N time units, the time unit carrying the first HARQ-ACK response information is earlier than the last time unit in the N time units and the time interval between the time unit and the last time unit in the N time units is greater than the threshold. In addition, the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ-ACK response information is earlier than the starting time of the last time unit in the N time units, that is, when the terminal device receives the first HARQ-ACK response information, the last repetition of the first data packet in the N time units is not completed, and therefore, the first data packet is continuously and repeatedly transmitted only when receiving the NACK information indicated by the first HARQ-ACK response information.

Optionally, the first HARQ response information is included in a first DCI, where the first DCI includes HARQ-ACK responses for at least two terminal devices. At this time, the first DCI may be a cell common (cell common) DCI or a group common (group common) DCI. Considering that the first HARQ-ACK corresponding information may be carried in the group common DCI and is used for indicating HARQ-ACK information of other terminal devices besides the terminal device, even if the first data packet transmitted by the terminal device may not be correctly received by the network device, the network device may transmit the first DCI in order to indicate HARQ-ACK information for one other terminal device, for example, to indicate ACK to stop the other terminal device from repeating. That is, when the terminal device receives the first HARQ-ACK response information and indicates NACK during the process of repeatedly transmitting the first data packet in N time units (before the end of the multiple repetitions in N time units), the first DCI may be used to indicate HARQ-ACK information of other terminal devices and may indicate NACK state of the terminal device, for example, the NACK state is a default state.

In the above situation, it is obvious that the first data packet previously sent by the terminal device is not correctly received by the network device, and the first DCI does not schedule the terminal device to continue to send the retransmission of the first data packet like the UL grant, so that the terminal device should not stop repeating, as it receives the UL grant in the multiple repeating process, whether the UL grant indicates that the data packet reception status is NACK or ACK, but should continue to repeat the sending of the first data packet in the time units subsequent to the N time units, so that the network device can correctly receive the first data packet which is subsequently repeatedly sent.

Optionally, the first HARQ response information may be included in the first DCI, and the first DCI does not include the scheduling information. The description of the scheduling information is as follows.

In addition, in another embodiment of the present application, if the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is ACK and the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the last time unit of the N time units, the terminal device stops transmitting the first data packet over the N time units. Or, the terminal device stops the repeated transmission of the first data packet over the N time units. That is, the terminal device stops transmitting the first data packet (or stops repeatedly transmitting the first data packet) from the next time unit of the N time units in which the first HARQ response information is received after receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information. For example, when the terminal device receives the UL grant or displays the HARQ-ACK indication information to indicate ACK in the repetition process, the terminal device stops repetition after receiving the UL grant or displays the HARQ-ACK, and does not occupy the subsequent time unit to send the first data packet.

For example, assume that there are 8 time units within one GF period for the terminal device to repeatedly send the first packet using HARQ process H0. The terminal device repeatedly transmits the first packet over the 8 time units starting from the first time unit of the 8 time units. As shown in (a) of fig. 4, if the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information carried in the first DCI at the 4 th time unit of the 8 time units. Since the network device may transmit the first DCI for instructing UE1 to ACK, and the network device has not correctly received the first data packet transmitted by UE2, the first DCI indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is NACK, and the terminal device continues to repeatedly transmit the first data packet at the 5 th time unit of the 8 time units. As shown in (b) of fig. 4, the network device correctly receives the first data packet sent by the UE2, and therefore the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is ACK, so that the terminal device stops sending the first data packet from the 5 th time unit of the 8 time units, that is, after receiving the first HARQ response information indicating ACK, continues to repeatedly send the first data packet in the subsequent time units that do not occupy the 8 time units.

303A, if the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the network device receives a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device according to the first HARQ response information.

When the first HARQ response information sent by the network device indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the network device may continue to receive the retransmitted data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device over N time units.

In one possible design, the network device may receive a retransmission packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device in a GF manner over a second time unit, where the second time unit is later than a GF period in which the N time units are located; or the network equipment receives a first transmission data packet which corresponds to the first HARQ process and is different from the first data packet and is sent by the terminal equipment in a GF mode in a third time unit, wherein the third time unit is later than the N time units.

304. And the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the cache according to the first HARQ response information.

When the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device reserves the buffer of the first data packet, that is, does not empty the first data packet in the buffer.

Further, the terminal device sends a retransmission data packet of the first data packet.

Wherein the buffer includes a Media Access Control (MAC) layer buffer.

Optionally, when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information and indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is ACK, the terminal device empties the first data packet in the buffer, where emptying is also referred to as removing.

Further, the terminal device sends an initial transmission data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process and different from the first data packet.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment, step 303 and step 304 may be executed alternatively or both. Moreover, when step 303 and step 304 are both executed, the execution order is not limited, and step 303 may be executed first, and then step 304 may be executed; step 304 may be performed first, and then step 303 may be performed; step 303 and step 304 may also be executed simultaneously, which is not limited in this embodiment.

Moreover, there is no necessary execution sequence between steps 301 to 304, and the execution sequence between the steps is not specifically limited in this embodiment.

On one hand, compared with the prior art, when the terminal device receives the UL grant carrying the HARQ response information (whether the HARQ-ACK information is ACK or NACK), the terminal device stops repeatedly sending the first data packet. In the embodiment of the application, when the first HARQ response information received by the terminal device indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device sends a retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information. That is, the terminal device may continue to retransmit the first data packet in N time units in a time unit after receiving the first HARQ response information, so as to avoid waste of subsequent GF resources available for performing repeated transmission of the first data packet (i.e., a time unit available for retransmitting the first data packet in N time units after receiving the first HARQ response information). That is, if the terminal device repeats in the current GF period, it does not need to wait for the next GF period corresponding to the same HARQ process to retransmit, and thus the transmission delay can be reduced.

On the other hand, compared with the prior art, the terminal device needs to perform initial transmission or retransmission according to the UL grant, but the resource scheduled by the UL grant for the terminal device may not be well adapted, resulting in low reliability of data transmission. In this embodiment of the application, when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device reserves the cache of the first data packet, that is, does not empty the first data packet in the cache. Therefore, the terminal equipment can retransmit the first data packet in the cache, and the reliability of data transmission can be improved.

Another embodiment of the present application provides a method for hybrid automatic repeat request transmission, as shown in fig. 5, including:

501. the terminal equipment starts to transmit a first data packet corresponding to a first HARQ process from a first time unit.

The related description of step 501 may refer to step 301 in the embodiment shown in fig. 3, which is not described herein again.

501A, a network device receives a first data packet corresponding to a first HARQ process, which is sent by a terminal device from a first time unit.

502. And when the terminal equipment sends the first data packet on the first time unit, the terminal equipment starts or restarts a timer corresponding to the first HARQ process.

Optionally, the time when the terminal device starts or restarts the timer is when the terminal device sends the first data packet on the first time unit (i.e., within a time interval corresponding to the first time unit), or is a starting time of the first time unit, or is an ending time of the first time unit.

Optionally, the time when the terminal device starts or restarts the timer is on a first time unit of the N time units (i.e., within a time interval corresponding to the first time unit), or is a starting time of the first time unit, or is an ending time of the first time unit.

Optionally, the time when the terminal device starts or restarts the timer is when the first data packet is sent in any one of the N time units (i.e., a time interval corresponding to the time unit where the first data packet is sent in any one of the N time units), or is a starting time of the any one time unit, or is an ending time of the any one time unit.

It should be understood that the terminal device starting or restarting the timer means that the terminal device adjusts the value assigned by the timer to an initial value. The initial value may be preset or configured by higher layer signaling (e.g., configured by configured Grant Timer signaling). For example, the initial value of the timer may be the number Y of GF periods. After the terminal device starts or restarts the timer, the timer starts counting, that is, a counting process starts, and the timer counting may also be referred to as timer running (running). The counting process of the timer is also called as: the process of the timer counting over time.

In one possible design, the counting process of the timer means that the timer counts down as time advances. The timer countdown may also be referred to as timer back-off or timer running or timer counting. For example, when the timer counts down, the timer value is decremented by one every GF period until the counting process of the timer is finished when the timer is decremented to the minimum value (e.g., 0 or 1) of the timer, which is also referred to as the timer counting down or running out (not running) or expired (expire) or elapsed (elapse). In another possible design, the timer counting process is that the value of the timer increases as time advances, e.g., the timer increments by one every certain period of time. For example, assuming that the initial value of the timer is 0 or 1, the maximum value of the timer is Y or Y-1 of the number of GF periods, and the timer runs, the value of the timer is increased by one every GF period until the counting process of the timer is finished when the maximum value of the timer is increased, that is, the timer expires.

502A, the network device sends first HARQ response information to the terminal device.

The first HARQ response information is used for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet.

503. And the terminal equipment receives first HARQ response information sent by the network equipment, wherein the first HARQ response information is used for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet.

The related description of step 503 may refer to step 302 in the embodiment shown in fig. 3, which is not described herein again.

The terminal device performs step 504 or performs step 505 according to the time when the first HARQ response information is received.

504. And when the time when the terminal equipment receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal equipment restarts the timer or keeps the timer to continue counting.

The first target time unit is one time unit of the N time units. Specifically, the first target time unit is a K-last time unit of the N time units, and K is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N.

When K is 1, that is, the first target time unit is an end time unit (last time unit) of the N time units. Considering that the worst case is that the terminal device receives the first HARQ-ACK response information indicating NACK when repeatedly transmitting the first data packet to the penultimate time unit of the N time units, and at this time, although none of the first data packets transmitted multiple times before the end time unit is successfully received by the network device, the terminal device continues to transmit the first data packet on the end time unit of the N time units and is still likely to be correctly received by the network device even though the terminal device receives NACK, so that the timer can continue to count down or restart the timer, which is advantageous in that, in the case of good channel conditions, if the network device correctly receives the first data packet on the last time unit, it is not necessary to transmit a UL grant or explicit HARQ-ACK information indicating ACK of the first data packet after the end time unit, but rather releases the cache after the timer expires.

When K >1, i.e., the first target time unit is earlier than the end time unit of the N time units. In consideration of the above worst case, if the terminal device receives the first HARQ-ACK response information indication NACK at a later time in the N time units (e.g., the second to last time unit of the N time units), even if the terminal device still continues to repeat the transmission of the first packet, the reliability thereof cannot be guaranteed in consideration of the small number of remaining time units for repetition. Therefore, the first target time may be set to be the time unit with the K >1 from the last, when the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information indicated as NACK is not earlier than the time unit with the K from the last, the subsequent number of repetitions is less than K, the terminal device (assuming that the repetitions less than K are also probably not paired), may suspend or restart the timer, and may wait until the subsequent GF period corresponding to the first HARQ process performs non-adaptive retransmission in a GF manner. Conversely, when the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ-ACK response information indicated as NACK is earlier than the last K time unit, considering that the subsequent repetition number is greater than or equal to K times, the terminal device (assuming that the repetition probability greater than or equal to K times can be transmitted) will continue or restart the timer, so that the network device does not need to send a UL grant or explicit HARQ-ACK information to indicate ACK of the first data packet after correctly receiving the subsequent repeated first data packet, thereby saving signaling notification overhead; the terminal device may release the cache after the timer expires.

It should be understood that the value of K may be preset, or may be configured to the terminal device by the network device, for example, configured to the terminal device through a high-layer signaling.

It should be understood that the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information earlier than the first target time unit means that the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information earlier than the starting time of the first target time unit.

After receiving the first HARQ response information, the terminal device may operate the timer according to the following two ways:

the first method is as follows: the terminal device restarts the timer so that the timer counts (e.g., counts down) over time. That is, as the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information, the timer starts counting down again from the initial value of the timer.

The second method comprises the following steps: the terminal equipment keeps the timer to continue counting, which is also called the terminal equipment continues counting the timer. Considering that after restarting the timer, it needs to wait for a long time before the timer expires because the timer is reset to the initial value. During the timer counting (e.g., counting down), even if a time unit corresponding to the next GF period of the first HARQ process is encountered, it cannot be used. In order to release the first HARQ process earlier for initial transmission of the data packet using the corresponding time unit, the timer may be kept counting down based on the value of the timer when the first HARQ response information is received.

In combination with the foregoing scenario of multiple repetitions, taking repetition based on GF as an example, the terminal device may receive the first HARQ-ACK response information during the multiple repetitions (e.g., before the first target time unit of the N time units) (or the first HARQ-ACK response information is not received until the first target time unit is reached for multiple repeated transmissions of the first data packet), and the first HARQ-ACK response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is NACK, at this time, the terminal device may still use the subsequent time units of the N time units to continue to repeat transmission of the first data packet in the current GF period, and the terminal device may correctly receive the repetitions in at least one subsequent time unit. Considering that, in this case, the terminal device continuously sending the first data packet repeatedly in the subsequent time unit is equivalent to starting a new round of data packet transmission, and the network device may also correctly receive the first data packet. Considering that the terminal device transmits the first packet only in the subsequent time unit (i.e., from the subsequent time unit), the buffer is cleared if the timer expires. Therefore, the terminal device should not suspend the timer in the case of the above-described continuation repetition, but continue the timer or restart the timer, and empty the buffer after the timer expires, and further, prepare a new packet transmission if there is new data.

For example, assume that there are 8 time units within one GF period for the terminal device to repeatedly send the first packet using HARQ process H0. The terminal device starts at the first time unit (i.e., the first time unit) of the 8 time units and repeatedly transmits the first data packet over the 8 time units. And, the terminal device starts a timer corresponding to H0 when transmitting the first packet at the first time unit. As shown in fig. 6 (a), assuming that the first target time unit is the last time unit (i.e. the 8 th time unit) of the 8 time units, if the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information carried in the first DCI at the 5 th time unit of the 8 time units, and the first HARQ response information indicates that the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device may restart the timer and start counting the timer again from the initial value of the timer, and retain the first data packet in the buffer in the following timer counting process. The timer counting process is a counting process after the terminal device restarts the timer after receiving the first HARQ response information. As shown in (b) in fig. 6, after receiving the first HARQ response information, the terminal device may keep the timer to continue counting, and retain the first data packet in the buffer during counting of the timer.

It is understood that the above two timers are only exemplary and do not constitute any limitation to the embodiments of the present application.

Optionally, the terminal device reserves the first data packet in the cache according to the first HARQ response information, including: and the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the buffer in the counting process of the timer.

It should be understood that the timer counting process referred to herein is a counting process after the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information. The timer counting process is also referred to as: the process of the timer counting over time, such as the timer counting down over time as previously described.

Optionally, in the counting process of the timer, if the terminal device does not receive control information (e.g., second HARQ response information or UL grant different from the first HARQ response information) for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet, the terminal device may send the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in a GF manner over the second time unit. The second time unit is located in a subsequent GF period corresponding to the first HARQ process, i.e., the second time unit is later than the GF period in which the N time units are located. Because the GF TO (i.e., N time units) in the current GF period is already used up, and the retransmission packet of the first packet sent by the terminal device needs TO be on the GF TO corresponding TO the first HARQ process, the retransmission of the first packet can be performed in the GF period later than the N time units. That is, if the terminal device does not receive the control information (e.g., the second HARQ response information or the UL grant) indicating the reception status of the first data packet during the period when the timer is not expired, the terminal device may perform non-adaptive retransmission on the first data packet in the second time unit in the GF manner when the next GF period of the same HARQ process arrives, so as to increase transmission reliability and avoid waste of GF resources.

Referring to the description related to fig. 6, as shown in fig. 7, when the timer has not expired (i.e., during the timer counting process), and when the time advances to the next GF period corresponding to H0, the terminal device may send the xth retransmission, i.e., the non-adaptive retransmission, of the first data packet in GF manner using the second time unit in the next GF period (the second time unit may include the first time unit available for GF transmission in the next GF period) and the subsequent time units available for GF transmission. Wherein x is an integer greater than 1.

In addition, if the terminal device receives control information indicating a HARQ-ACK response for the first packet (e.g., second HARQ response information different from the first HARQ response information) during a period in which the timer has not expired, the terminal device may perform initial transmission or retransmission according to the received control information and/or a time at which the control information is received, and perform an operation of the timer, such as continuing timer counting, stopping timer counting, or restarting the timer.

Further, when the terminal device sends the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in the GF mode in the second time unit, the terminal device keeps the timer to continue counting. This is because the network device may have correctly received the first data packet, but in order to save the notification signaling overhead, the HARQ-ACK information is not sent, and therefore the terminal device should keep the timer counting up. Further, after the terminal device sends the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in the GF mode in the second time unit, the first data packet in the buffer is emptied after the timer expires.

The terminal device restarts the timer, or after the terminal device keeps counting the timer, if the timer expires, the terminal device may clear the first data packet in the buffer, or the terminal device may send an initial transmission data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process and different from the first data packet in a GF manner over the third time unit, or the terminal device may perform an operation of clearing the first data packet in the buffer and sending the initial transmission data packet over the third time unit. The third time unit is located in a subsequent GF period corresponding to the first HARQ process, i.e., the third time unit is later than the GF period in which the N time units are located.

It should be understood that the expiration of the timer may be the end (e.g., the countdown to the minimum) of the timer counting process, and the failure to receive control information indicating the HARQ-ACK response for the first packet during the timer counting process. The expiration of the timer may be, for example, that the terminal device restarts the timer or that the terminal device keeps counting the timer, and the timer counts down to a minimum value, and control information indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is not received during the counting down of the timer.

It should be understood that the first packet corresponding to the first HARQ process and different from the first packet means that, after the terminal device empties the first packet in the buffer, a new packet is generated and put into the buffer to replace the first packet, and at this time, the new packet is also called the first packet and corresponds to a different MAC PDU from the first packet.

Optionally, the first data packet different from the first data packet is an earliest data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process, which is sent by the terminal device after the timer expires.

For example, when the timer counts down to the minimum value, the terminal device may empty the first packet in the buffer, and if there is an initial packet different from the first packet, may put the initial packet into the buffer corresponding to the first HARQ process, and send the initial packet in GF mode in the third time unit.

Exemplarily, referring to the related description of fig. 6, as shown in (a) of fig. 7A, the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information at the 7 th time unit of the 8 time units, and the first HARQ response information indicates that the first data packet is NACK, so that the terminal device continues timer counting, and retains the first data packet in the buffer during the timer counting. And after the timer expires, the terminal device clears the first data packet in the buffer, and sends an initial transmission data packet (for example, a second data packet) different from the first data packet in the next GF period corresponding to H0. The terminal device repeatedly transmits the second packet at 8 time units of the next GF period and restarts the timer corresponding to H0 when the terminal device transmits the second packet at the first one of the 8 time units of the next GF period. And the terminal equipment receives the first HARQ response information on the 8 th time unit of the 8 time units, and the first HARQ response information indicates that the first data packet is NACK, the terminal equipment suspends the timer and reserves the second data packet in the cache. As shown in (b) of fig. 7A, it is assumed that the first target time unit is the second last time unit of the 8 time units, i.e., K is 2. The terminal device receives the first HARQ response information at the 5 th time unit of the 8 time units, and the first HARQ response information indicates that the first data packet is NACK, so that the terminal device continues timer counting, and retains the first data packet in the buffer in the timer counting process. And after the timer expires, the terminal device clears the first data packet in the buffer, and sends an initial transmission data packet (for example, a second data packet) different from the first data packet in the next GF period corresponding to H0. The terminal device repeatedly transmits the second packet at 8 time units of the next GF period and restarts the timer corresponding to H0 when the terminal device transmits the second packet at the first one of the 8 time units of the next GF period. And the terminal equipment receives the first HARQ response information on the 7 th time unit of the 8 time units, and the first HARQ response information indicates that the first data packet is NACK, then the terminal equipment suspends the timer and reserves the second data packet in the cache.

505. And when the time when the terminal equipment receives the first HARQ response information is not earlier than the first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is NACK, the terminal equipment suspends the timer or restarts the timer.

Wherein the description of the first target time unit may refer to step 504.

That is, the terminal device may receive the first HARQ response information after the end of the repeated transmission of the first data packet over N time units, or the terminal device may receive the first HARQ response information until the first target time unit after the multiple repeated transmissions of the first data packet. And, the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first packet is NACK. At this time, after receiving the first HARQ response information, the terminal device cannot ensure reliability of transmission of the first data packet because there is no time unit available for continuing to repeatedly transmit the first data packet out of the N time units, or even if there is an available time unit. Taking GF as an example, since the terminal device has completed multiple repetitions over the current GF period, there is no GF TO repeat sending the first data packet in the current GF period, or only a few GF TO (time unit) is insufficient TO ensure reliability, it needs TO wait until the next GF period of the first HARQ process and then perform non-adaptive retransmission in GF mode. Compared with the operation of the terminal device continuing the counting of the timer in step 504, in step 505, since the network device does not correctly receive the first data packet in the current GF period at a certain or large probability, the terminal device may perform an action of retransmitting the first data packet in this case, so as to avoid a problem of packet loss caused by emptying the first data packet in the buffer when the timer expires in the case of continuing the timer.

In the above case, the operation of the timer by the terminal device includes the following two ways:

the first method is as follows: the terminal equipment suspends the timer, i.e. the terminal equipment stops (stop) the timer counting. Therefore, the timer is not counted any more and is not expired, so that the terminal equipment cannot empty the buffer due to the expiration of the timer, and the terminal equipment can be ensured to execute the non-adaptive retransmission of the first data packet. Here, the suspend timer means that the timer is no longer counting over time. Further, the timer is suspended until the terminal device initiates data transmission in a new GF period corresponding to the first HARQ process, or receives new HARQ-ACK indication information, the terminal device will resume (continue) timer counting, or restart the timer. Further, after the terminal device suspends the timer, if the terminal device does not receive the control information for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet; and the terminal equipment transmits the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in a GF mode on the fourth time unit. The fourth time unit is located in a subsequent GF period corresponding to the first HARQ process, i.e., the fourth time unit is later than the GF period in which the N time units are located.

In this way, the terminal device reserves the first data packet in the buffer according to the first HARQ response information, including: and the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the cache.

The second method comprises the following steps: the terminal equipment restarts the timer. In this way, since the timer is reset to the initial value, the time for counting is prolonged, and it is convenient for the terminal device to wait for the next GF period of the first HARQ process and then perform non-adaptive retransmission in a GF manner.

In the second mode, the terminal device reserves the first data packet in the buffer according to the first HARQ response information, including: and the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the buffer in the counting process of the timer.

After the terminal equipment restarts the timer, in the counting process of the timer, if the terminal equipment does not receive the control information for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet, the terminal equipment sends a retransmission data packet of the first data packet on a fourth time unit in a GF mode, wherein the fourth time unit is later than N time units.

Optionally, in the second mode, after the terminal device restarts the timer, if the timer expires, the terminal device clears the first data packet in the cache; or, the terminal device may also send an initial transmission data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process and different from the first data packet in a GF manner at the fifth time unit; or the terminal device may perform operations of clearing the first data packet in the buffer and sending the initial transmission data packet in the fifth time unit. The fifth time unit is later than the N time units.

Optionally, the flow of the hybrid automatic repeat request transmission method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes step 506:

506. and the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the cache according to the first HARQ response information.

And when the time when the terminal equipment receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal equipment restarts the timer or keeps the timer to continue counting. No matter the terminal equipment restarts the timer or keeps the timer to continue counting, in the counting process of the timer, the terminal equipment keeps the cache of the first data packet, namely the first data packet in the cache is not emptied. The timer counting process is a counting process after the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information.

And when the time when the terminal equipment receives the first HARQ response information is not earlier than the first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is NACK, the terminal equipment suspends the timer or restarts the timer. When the terminal equipment suspends the timer, the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the cache. When the terminal equipment restarts the timer, the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the cache in the counting process of the timer.

Optionally, the flow of the hybrid automatic repeat request transmission method provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include step 507:

507. and the terminal equipment sends the retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information.

The related description of step 507 may refer to step 303 in the embodiment shown in fig. 3, which is not described herein again.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment, step 506 and step 507 may be executed alternatively or both. Moreover, when step 506 and step 507 are both executed, the execution sequence is not limited, and step 506 may be executed first, and then step 507 is executed; or step 507 may be performed first, and then step 506 may be performed; step 506 and step 507 may also be executed simultaneously, which is not limited in this embodiment.

507B, the network device receives the retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device according to the first HARQ response information.

In addition, there is no necessary execution sequence between step 501 and step 507B, and each step is not executed, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment.

In addition, compared with the prior art, if the explicit HARQ-ACK indication state is NACK, the start/restart timer will empty the buffer, thereby causing packet loss. In this embodiment of the application, when the first HARQ response information received by the terminal device indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device may restart the timer, or keep the timer to continue counting, or suspend the timer, that is, the terminal device may store the buffer of the first data packet for a longer time, so that the terminal device waits for the next GF period of the first HARQ process, and then performs non-adaptive retransmission in a GF manner, thereby reducing the situation of packet loss.

Another embodiment of the present application provides a method for hybrid automatic repeat request transmission, as shown in fig. 8, including:

801. the terminal device transmits a first data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process.

In one possible design, a terminal device may transmit a first data packet corresponding to a first HARQ process starting from a first time unit. The first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled to the terminal device by the network device, where N is an integer greater than 1 or equal to 1.

When N is equal to 1, N time units are the first time units, that is, N time units only include the first time unit. At this time, the terminal device may also be referred to as: the terminal device transmits a first data packet corresponding to a first HARQ process on a first time unit.

It should be noted that, the remaining related processes in step 801 may refer to the description of step 301, and are not described herein again.

801A, the network device receives a first data packet corresponding to a first HARQ process sent by the terminal device.

801B, the network device sends the first HARQ response information to the terminal device.

The first HARQ response information is used for indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet. The HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet includes an ACK or a NACK. The related description may refer to step 302, which is not described herein.

802. And the terminal equipment receives the first HARQ response information sent by the network equipment.

The first HARQ response information may be included in the first DCI, the first DCI not including the scheduling information. The scheduling information is used for indicating the terminal equipment to send information such as the time-frequency resource position, the modulation coding mode, the pilot frequency information and the like of a PUSCH (physical uplink shared channel) of the uplink information, and the scheduling information comprises: at least one of Modulation Coding Scheme (MCS), Bandwidth slice indicator (Bandwidth slice indicator), Frequency domain resource allocation (Frequency domain resource allocation), Time domain resource allocation (Time domain resource allocation), SRS information, DMRS information, and PMI information.

It should be understood that the first DCI includes a payload (payload) and a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) Check bit configuration. The payload is also called a valid bit, and is a bit for indicating useful control information. Wherein the number of bits of the payload is fixed length or pre-configured. The CRC check bits are used for checking the first DCI, and the number of CRC check bits may be fixed or pre-configured, for example, 16 bits or 24 bits. Generally, the greater the number of CRC check bits, the higher the detection reliability.

In one possible design, the first HARQ response information is included in a first DCI, which is a user-specific DCI for the terminal device, that is, the first DCI includes control information for the terminal device and does not include control information for other terminal devices. Specifically, the CRC check bits may be scrambled by a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) of a user specific cell corresponding to the terminal device, for example, a C-RNTI. In order to better utilize the bits in the first DCI, the first DCI may be used to indicate the reception status of other data packets, for example, data packets corresponding to other HARQ processes, in addition to the reception status of the first data packet. These data packets corresponding to other HARQ processes may be located in the same GF period as the first data packet, or may be located in a different GF period from the first data packet.

In another possible design, the first HARQ response information is included in a first DCI, the first DCI including HARQ-ACK responses for at least two terminal devices. At this time, the first DCI may be a cell common (cell common) DCI or a group common (group common) DCI. It should be understood that the above HARQ-ACK information for the at least two terminal devices comprises HARQ-ACK information for each of the at least two terminal devices, i.e. a total HARQ-ACK information for the at least two terminal devices. For example, the number of the at least two terminal devices is M, the HARQ-ACK information for each of the at least two terminal devices is X bits, and the total number of HARQ-ACK information bits is M × X bits. For example, the HARQ-ACK information corresponding to each terminal device corresponds to one bit field in the DCI, different terminal devices correspond to different bit fields, and the network device configures the position of the bit field of the HARQ-ACK information corresponding to the terminal device in the DCI to the terminal device, so that the terminal device can obtain HARQ-ACK information for itself. In this way, compared with the method of using the first DCI only for indicating HARQ-ACK information of one terminal device, a large number of bits are left unused in the payload, which results in a waste of control information. The first DCI comprises HARQ-ACK information of at least two terminal devices, so that when the HARQ-ACK information needs to be indicated to a plurality of terminal devices, one first DCI can be sent, one DCI is prevented from being sent to each terminal device, and the purpose of reducing overhead is achieved.

Further, the network device uses the cell common RNTI or the group common RNTI as a scrambling code (scrambling), so as to scramble the first DCI, thereby achieving the purpose that the at least two terminal devices receive the first DCI.

It should be understood that scrambling (scrambling) is also referred to as masking. Specifically, the RNTI (e.g., user specific RNTI, cell common RNTI, or group common RNTI) is scrambled onto the CRC of the first DCI to generate the scrambled CRC. Thereby enabling the terminal device to recognize that the control information transmitted to itself is included in the first DCI. The RNTI may be scrambled to all bits of the CRC, or only part of the bits of the CRC may be scrambled (for example, when the RNTI length is smaller than the CRC number).

In one possible design, the first DCI is used to indicate only HARQ-ACK information to at least two terminal devices and is not used to explicitly indicate other control information. That is, useful information in the first DCI is the HARQ-ACK information described above, and does not include other control information for instructing the terminal device.

It should be understood that useful information refers to control information for indicating a terminal device, or control information containing explicit indication of content. The useful information here is different from the CRC information in the first DCI, or the virtual CRC information described later. The CRC information or the virtual CRC information is not used to indicate the control information to the terminal device, but is used for the terminal device to confirm that the first DCI is correctly received.

Optionally, the at least two terminal devices indicate all terminal devices of HARQ-ACK information for the first DCI. That is, the first DCI is used to indicate HARQ-ACK information of the at least two terminal devices and is not used to indicate HARQ-ACK information of other terminal devices.

Considering that the first DCI is used to indicate HARQ-ACK information of a plurality of terminal devices, which may still not fill up the payload in the DCI, the remaining bits in the payload that are not used to indicate useful information (e.g., HARQ-ACK information) may be used as virtual CRC check bits for performing virtual CRC check on the first DCI, so that the reliability of DCI detection may be improved. The virtual CRC check may also be referred to as verification (validation) or check, and the present application is not limited thereto. Herein, the dummy CRC check bits may also be referred to as reserved bits or padding (padding) bits.

For example, the network device may set the virtual CRC check bits to a preset value, for example, all '0' or all '1', and when the terminal device performs blind detection on the control information, it may be determined that the first control information is correctly received or successfully decoded only by ensuring that the virtual CRC check bits in the payload are all the preset value, except for ensuring that the CRC check is passed (the CRC check bits in the DCI and the CRC generated by the terminal device according to the payload match), so as to read the first HARQ response information in the payload. And if any one bit in the virtual CRC check bits is not a preset value, the first control information is not received correctly, and the information in the payload cannot be read.

Since the terminal device does not know the total number of terminal devices indicated by the first DCI, the network device needs to notify the terminal device of a useful information bit field or a virtual CRC bit field in the payload, so that the terminal device knows the virtual CRC bit field for checking the first DCI. The network device can configure the information to the terminal device through high-level signaling. The higher layer signaling may be RRC signaling or RMSI signaling.

Optionally, the network device notifies the terminal device of the end position of the bit number/bit region of the HARQ-ACK information for at least two terminal devices in the first DCI (or in the payload of the first DCI). That is, the network device notifies the terminal device of the number of bits, or the bit region, or the end position of the bit region of the HARQ response information for at least two terminal devices in the first DCI. The bit field or the bit field refers to a position and/or a size of the bit field of the HARQ response information in the first DCI. The terminal device determines that at least one remaining bit in the payload is used for checking the first DCI. That is, the network device notifies HARQ-ACK information bit number/bit region end position for at least two terminal devices, so that the terminal device can determine the bit region for performing the virtual CRC check as at least one bit in the payload except for the HARQ-ACK information bits of at least two terminal devices. The at least one bit may be all bits or a part of bits of the payload except for HARQ-ACK information bits of the at least two terminal devices. For example, the terminal device may determine that the bit field for the terminal device to perform the virtual CRC check is all the bit fields except for the HARQ-ACK information bits of at least two terminal devices in the payload; alternatively, the terminal device may determine that the bit field for the terminal device virtual CRC check includes all bit fields in the payload except for HARQ-ACK information bits and common control information bits of at least two terminal devices. The bit number of the common control information is fixed or preset or configured by the network equipment. I.e. the remaining at least one bit in the payload of the first DCI may be used to check the first DCI.

For example, as shown in (a) of fig. 9, when the first DCI does not include other common control information bit fields, the bit fields used for the virtual CRC check are: all remaining bit fields in the payload of the first DCI. That is, the payload of the first DCI includes HARQ-ACK information for the at least two terminal devices, and the remaining bits in the payload are used for the terminal device to perform virtual CRC check on the first DCI. The network equipment configures the bit number of the HARQ-ACK information of the at least two terminal equipments to the terminal equipment, so that the terminal equipment can determine bits of virtual CRC from the payload to be bits except for the bit fields occupied by the HARQ-ACK information of the at least two terminal equipments in the payload, and then the terminal equipment can compare the bit value of the virtual CRC bit field of the received first DCI with a preset value, if the bits are matched, the verification is successful, and the first DCI is determined to be effective; if not, the check fails, and the HARQ-ACK information in the payload can not be received.

For another example, as shown in (b) of fig. 9, when the first DCI further includes other cell common control information or group common control information bit field, and the bit field occupied by the cell common/group common control information bit field is preset or preconfigured, the bit field used for the virtual CRC check is: a part of remaining bit fields in the payload of the first DCI, i.e., remaining bit fields excluding the HARQ-ACK information and the cell common/group common control information. That is, the payload of the first DCI includes HARQ-ACK information for the at least two terminal devices and common control information, and the remaining bits in the payload are used for the terminal devices to perform virtual CRC check on the first DCI. Therefore, the network device configures the number of bits of the HARQ-ACK information of the at least two terminal devices to the terminal device, so that the terminal device can determine bits of the virtual CRC check from the payload as bits of the payload other than the bit field occupied by the HARQ-ACK information of the at least two terminal devices and the bit field occupied by the common control information, compare the bit value of the virtual CRC bit field of the received first DCI type with a preset value, and if the bits are matched, the check is successful, and determine that the first DCI is valid; if not, the check fails, and the HARQ-ACK information in the payload can not be received.

Optionally, the network device may notify (terminal device): the number of bits/bit region/end position of the bit region of the useful information in the payload of the first DCI. The terminal device determines that at least one remaining bit in the payload is used for checking the first DCI. Wherein the useful information comprises HARQ-ACK information for at least two terminal devices. Further, the useful information may comprise further information for the at least two terminal devices and/or further cell common/group common control information and/or further user specific control information for each of the at least two terminal devices. Thus, in the payload of the first DCI, the bit field used for the virtual CRC check is: all remaining bit fields of the payload of the first DCI except the useful information bit field.

Optionally, the network device may notify: the number of the at least two terminal devices. The terminal device determines that the remaining at least one bit of the HARQ response information for the at least two terminal devices in the payload is used for checking the first DCI. Therefore, the terminal equipment can calculate the ending position of the bit number/bit area for indicating the HARQ-ACK information aiming at least two terminal equipments according to the number of the terminal equipments indicated by the first DCI. For example, the network device indicates HARQ response information to M terminal devices, where each terminal device corresponds to X preset or preconfigured HARQ-ACK bits, and the effective bit number is M × X (i.e., M is multiplied by X), where M and X are integers greater than or equal to 1, respectively. Further, the network device also indicates the number of bits of HARQ-ACK information corresponding to each terminal device, i.e. the network device may notify X to the terminal device. In this way, the terminal device may determine an end position of a bit number/bit region in the payload for indicating HARQ-ACK information for at least two terminal devices, and/or determine a bit region for enabling the terminal device to perform virtual CRC check as the remaining at least one bit in the payload, as described above, which is not described herein again.

Optionally, the network device may notify: reserved (reserved) number of bits/bit region starting position in payload of the first DCI. Wherein the reserved bits are bits for checking the first DCI. That is, the network device notifies the number of bits/bit region start position for performing the virtual CRC check in the payload so that the terminal device can perform the virtual CRC check using the bits or the bit region. The bit field refers to a position and a size of the bit field used for the virtual CRC check in the first DCI. Wherein the useful information comprises HARQ-ACK information for at least two terminal devices; the useful information may also comprise other user specific control information for the at least two terminal devices and or other cell common/group common control information.

Optionally, when the network device configures the terminal device to use multiple code words (code words) or multiple TBs for data transmission, and the network device notifies the terminal device that HARQ-ACK information in the first HARQ-ACK response information uses spatial bundling, the terminal device may determine that bits used for virtual CRC check in a payload of the first DCI include at least one bit used for HARQ response information in the first DCI, where the at least one bit used for HARQ response information is a bit saved after the network device uses spatial bundling. Herein, the multiple codewords or multiple TBs refer to that the same time unit or the same Transmission Time Interval (TTI) is used for carrying multiple codewords or TBs. Here, the spatial bundling means that the network device combines HARQ responses corresponding to a plurality of TBs (corresponding to a plurality of HARQ response bits before processing) into 1 bit through a combining process (e.g., a process). That is, the first DCI may carry multiple HARQ response bits for each of the at least two terminal devices, and only one HARQ response bit needs to be indicated for each of the at least two terminal devices after spatial bundling is used. In this case, the saved HARQ response bits in the payload of the first DCI may be used for the virtual CRC check.

It should be noted that, the rest of the relevant processes in step 802 may refer to the description of step 302, which is not described herein again.

803. And the terminal equipment carries out caching processing on the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information.

On the one hand, the terminal device may reserve the first data packet in the buffer for the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information, and the specific process may refer to the related description in step 502 and step 506 in the embodiment shown in fig. 5, which is not described herein again.

On the other hand, the terminal device may empty the first packet in the buffer for the first packet according to the first HARQ response information. For example, if the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is an ACK, the terminal device may empty the first data packet in the buffer for the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information, regardless of whether the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the first target time unit or not.

804. The terminal equipment sends a retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information; or sending a different initial transmission data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process and different from the first data packet.

The process of the terminal device sending the retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information may refer to the related description of step 303 in the embodiment shown in fig. 3, which is not described herein again.

The first data packet different from the first data packet may be a second data packet, and the second data packet is different from the first data packet. The terminal device empties the first packet in the buffer before sending the second packet and puts the new MAC PDU (i.e., the second packet) in the buffer.

It should be noted that step 803 and step 804 in this embodiment may be executed alternatively or both. Moreover, when both the step 803 and the step 804 are executed, the execution sequence is not limited, and the step 803 may be executed first, and then the step 804 may be executed; step 804 may be executed first, and then step 803 may be executed; step 803 and step 804 may also be executed simultaneously, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment.

804A, the network device receives a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device according to the first HARQ response information; or receiving a primary transmission data packet which is different from the first data packet and corresponds to the first HARQ process and is sent by the terminal equipment.

It should be noted that, there is no necessary execution sequence between steps 801 to 804A, and each step is not executed, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment.

It should be noted that, for the remaining related processes in the embodiment shown in fig. 8, reference may be made to descriptions in the embodiment shown in fig. 3 or the embodiment shown in fig. 5, which are not described herein again.

In addition, the embodiment of the application provides a format and a bit field of downlink control information (first DCI) of explicit HARQ-ACK. The first DCI may include HARQ-ACK information of at least two terminal devices, so that when HARQ-ACK needs to be indicated to multiple terminal devices, one first DCI may be sent, and it is avoided that one DCI is sent to each terminal device, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing overhead. In addition, bits that are not used to indicate useful information (for example, HARQ-ACK information) in the payload of the first DCI may be used as virtual CRC check bits for performing virtual CRC check on the first DCI, so that the reliability of DCI detection may be improved.

The above-mentioned scheme provided by the embodiments of the present application is introduced mainly from the perspective of the terminal device and the network device. It is understood that the terminal device and the network device include corresponding hardware structures and/or software modules for performing the respective functions in order to implement the functions. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is performed as hardware or computer software drives hardware depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the solution. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

In the embodiment of the present application, the terminal device and the network device may be divided into the functional modules according to the above method example, for example, each functional module may be divided corresponding to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be realized in a hardware mode, and can also be realized in a software functional module mode. It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the division of the module is schematic, and is only one logic function division, and there may be another division manner in actual implementation.

In the case of dividing each functional module by corresponding functions, fig. 10 shows a first possible structural diagram of the terminal device 10 according to the foregoing embodiment, where the terminal device includes: transmitting section 1001, receiving section 1002, and processing section 1003. In this embodiment of the present application, a sending unit 1001, configured to send a first data packet corresponding to a first HARQ process from a first time unit; the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled to the terminal device by the network device, the time units in the N time units are used for the terminal device to send a first data packet, and N is an integer greater than 1; a receiving unit 1002, configured to receive first HARQ response information sent by a network device, where the first HARQ response information is used to indicate a HARQ-ACK response of the network device to a first data packet; a processing unit 1003, configured to, when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, reserve the first data packet in the buffer according to the first HARQ response information, and/or the sending unit 1001 is further configured to send a retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information. Wherein, the sending unit 1001 may be configured to support the terminal device to perform the processes 301 and 303 in fig. 3 and the processes 501 and 507 in fig. 5; and processes 801 and 804 in fig. 8. Receiving unit 1002 may be configured to support the terminal device to perform process 302 in fig. 3, process 503 in fig. 5, and process 802 in fig. 8. Processing unit 1003 may be configured to support the terminal device to perform process 304 in fig. 3, processes 504, 505, and 506 in fig. 5; and process 803 in figure 8.

In the case of an integrated unit, fig. 11 shows a second possible structural diagram of the terminal device according to the above-described embodiment. In the present application, the terminal device may include a processing module 1101, a communication module 1102, and a storage module 1103. The processing module 1101 is configured to control hardware devices and application software of each part of the terminal device; the communication module 1102 is configured to receive an instruction and/or data sent by another device, and may also send data of the terminal device to the other device; the storage module 1103 is used for storing software programs of the terminal device, storing data, running software, and the like. The processing module 1101 may be a determination unit or a controller, and may be, for example, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a general purpose determination unit, a digital signal determination unit (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other Programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. Which may implement or perform the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure. The determining unit may also be a combination that performs a computing function, e.g., comprising one or more micro-processing units, a combination of a DSP and a micro-processing unit, etc. The communication module 1102 may be a transceiver, a transceiver circuit or a communication interface, etc. The storage module 1103 may be a memory.

In one possible design, the terminal device may be implemented by the structure (apparatus or system) in fig. 12.

Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure provided in an embodiment of the present application. The architecture 1200 includes at least one processor 1201, a communication bus 1202, a memory 1203, and at least one communication interface 1204.

The processor 1201 may be a CPU, a microprocessor unit, an ASIC, or one or more integrated circuits configured to control the execution of programs in accordance with the teachings of the present application.

The communication bus 1202 may include a path for communicating information between the aforementioned components.

Communication interface 1204 may employ any transceiver or the like for communicating with other devices or communication networks, such as an ethernet, Radio Access Network (RAN), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), etc.

The memory 1203 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that may store static information and instructions, a Random Access Memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that may store information and instructions, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, optical disk storage (including compact disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, blu-ray disc, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited to these. The memory may be a separate memory, connected to the determination unit via a bus. The memory may also be integrated with the determination unit.

The memory 1203 is used for storing application program codes for executing the scheme of the application, and the processor 1201 controls the execution of the application program codes. The processor 1201 is configured to execute the application program code stored in the memory 1203, thereby implementing the functions in the method according to the embodiment of the present application.

In particular implementations, processor 1201 may include one or more CPUs such as CPU0 and CPU1 in fig. 12, for example, as an example.

In particular implementations, architecture 1200 may include multiple processors, such as processor 1201 and processor 1207 in FIG. 12, for example, as an example. Each of these processors may be a single-core (single-CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor. A processor herein may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

In particular implementations, structure 1200 may also include an output device 1205 and an input device 1206, as one embodiment. An output device 1205, in communication with the processor 1201, may display information in a variety of ways. For example, the output device 1205 may be a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display device, a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display device, a projector (projector), or the like. The input device 1206 is in communication with the processor 1201 and may accept user input in a variety of ways. For example, the input device 1206 may be a mouse, keyboard, touch screen device, or sensing device, among others.

In a specific implementation, the structure 1200 may be a desktop, a laptop, a web server, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a tablet, a wireless terminal device, a communication device, an embedded device, or a device with a similar structure as in fig. 12. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the type of the structure 1200.

In the case of dividing each functional module by corresponding functions, fig. 13 shows a first possible structural diagram of the network device 13 in the foregoing embodiment, where the network device includes: a receiving unit 1301 and a transmitting unit 1302. In this embodiment of the present application, the receiving unit 1301 is configured to receive a first data packet, which is sent by a terminal device from a first time unit and corresponds to a first HARQ process; the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled to the terminal device by the network device, the time units in the N time units are used for the terminal device to send a first data packet, and N is an integer greater than 1; a sending unit 1302, configured to send first HARQ response information to the terminal device, where the first HARQ response information is used to indicate a HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet; the receiving unit 1301 is further configured to receive a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device according to the first HARQ response information if the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK. Receiving unit 1301 may be configured to support a network device to perform processes 301A and 303A in fig. 3; processes 501A and 507B in fig. 5; and processes 801A and 804A in fig. 8. The sending unit 1302 may be configured to support a network device to perform the process 301B in fig. 3; process 502A in fig. 5; and process 801B in fig. 8.

In the case of an integrated unit, fig. 14 shows a second possible structural diagram of the network device involved in the above embodiment. In this application, the network device may include a processing module 1401, a communication module 1402, and a storage module 1403. The processing module 1401 is used to control hardware devices and application software of each part of the network device; the communication module 1402 is configured to receive an instruction sent by another device, and may also send data of the network device to the other device; the storage module 1403 is used for executing storage of software programs, storage of data, execution of software, and the like of the network device. The processing module 1401 may be a determination unit or a controller, for example, a CPU, a general purpose determination unit, a DSP, an ASIC, an FPGA or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. Which may implement or perform the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure. The determining unit may also be a combination that performs a computing function, e.g., comprising one or more micro-processing units, a combination of a DSP and a micro-processing unit, etc. The communication module 1402 may be a transceiver, a transceiving circuit, a communication interface, or the like. The storage module 1403 may be a memory.

In one possible design, the network device may be implemented by the base station of fig. 15.

As shown in fig. 15, a schematic structural diagram of a base station provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a portion 1501 and a portion 1502. The base station 1501 is mainly used for receiving and transmitting radio frequency signals and converting the radio frequency signals and baseband signals; section 1502 is mainly used for baseband processing, control of base stations, and the like. Section 1501 may be generally referred to as a transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiving circuitry, or transceiver, etc. Section 1502 is generally a control center of a base station, which may be generally referred to as a processing unit, for controlling the base station to perform the steps described above with respect to the base station (i.e., serving base station) in fig. 3. Reference is made in particular to the description of the relevant part above.

The transceiver unit of section 1501, which may also be referred to as a transceiver, or transceiver, includes an antenna and a radio frequency unit, where the radio frequency unit is mainly used for radio frequency processing. Alternatively, a device for implementing a receiving function in the section 1501 may be regarded as a receiving unit, and a device for implementing a transmitting function may be regarded as a transmitting unit, that is, the section 1501 includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. A receiving unit may also be referred to as a receiver, a receiving circuit, or the like, and a transmitting unit may be referred to as a transmitter, a transmitting circuit, or the like.

Section 1502 may include one or more boards, each board may include one or more determining units and one or more memories, and the determining units are configured to read and execute programs in the memories to implement baseband processing functions and control of the base station. If a plurality of single boards exist, the single boards can be interconnected to increase the processing capacity. As an optional implementation, multiple boards may share one or more determining units, or multiple boards may share one or more memories, or multiple boards may share one or more determining units at the same time. The memory and the determining unit may be integrated or may be provided separately. In some embodiments, 1501 and 1502 may be integrated or may be separate. In addition, all functions in the 1502 portion may be integrated into one chip, or a portion of functions may be integrated into one chip, so that another portion of functions is integrated into one or more other chips, which is not limited in this application.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a communication system, including the terminal device described in any of fig. 10 to 12, and the network device or the base station described in any of fig. 13 to 15.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that in one or more of the examples described above, the functions described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer.

It is clear to those skilled in the art that the descriptions of the embodiments provided in the present application may be referred to each other, and for convenience and brevity of description, for example, the functions and steps of the apparatuses and the devices provided in the embodiments of the present application may be referred to the relevant descriptions of the method embodiments of the present application, and the method embodiments and the device embodiments may be referred to each other.

The above-mentioned embodiments, objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application are further described in detail, it should be understood that the above-mentioned embodiments are only examples of the present application, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, and any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements and the like made on the basis of the technical solutions of the present application should be included in the scope of the present application.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, embodiments of the present application may be provided as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, embodiments of the present application may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, embodiments of the present application may take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, and the like) having computer-usable program code embodied therein.

Embodiments of the present application are described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the application. It will be understood that each flow and/or block of the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, and combinations of flows and/or blocks in the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a determining unit of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the determining unit of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiments of the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the application. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the embodiments of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application is also intended to encompass such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A method for hybrid automatic repeat request transmission, comprising:

the terminal equipment starts to send a first data packet corresponding to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process from a first time unit; the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled by a network device to the terminal device, where a time unit of the N time units is used for the terminal device to send the first data packet, and N is an integer greater than 1;

the terminal equipment receives first HARQ response information sent by the network equipment, wherein the first HARQ response information is used for indicating hybrid automatic repeat request response (HARQ-ACK) response of the network equipment to the first data packet;

when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet is an error response NACK, the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in a cache according to the first HARQ response information, and/or the terminal equipment sends a retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information;

when the terminal equipment sends the first data packet on the first time unit, the terminal equipment starts or restarts a timer corresponding to the first HARQ process;

when the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than a first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device restarts the timer or keeps the timer to continue counting; wherein the first target time unit is one time unit of the N time units;

the terminal device reserving the first data packet in the cache according to the first HARQ response information includes:

and the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the buffer in the counting process of the timer.

2. The hybrid automatic repeat request transmission method according to claim 1, wherein the first HARQ response information is included in first downlink control information DCI, the first DCI comprising HARQ-ACK responses for at least two terminal devices including the terminal device.

3. The HARQ transmission method according to claim 2, wherein the terminal device starts transmitting the first data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process from the first time unit includes:

the terminal equipment transmits the first data packet in the time unit from the first time unit to the time unit between the first HARQ-ACK response information reception in the N time units;

when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, and the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the last time unit of the N time units, the sending, by the terminal device, the retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information includes:

and after receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information, the terminal equipment continues to send the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in the N time units.

4. The HARQ transmission method according to claim 1, wherein if the terminal device does not receive the control information indicating the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet during the timer counting process, the method further comprises:

and the terminal equipment sends the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in a mode of avoiding scheduling permission GF on a second time unit, wherein the second time unit is later than the GF period of the N time units.

5. The HARQ transmission method according to claim 4, wherein the terminal device restarts the timer or when the timer expires after the terminal device keeps the timer counting up, the method further comprises:

the terminal device clears the first data packet in the cache, and/or the terminal device sends an initial transmission data packet which corresponds to the first HARQ process and is different from the first data packet in a GF mode on a third time unit, wherein the third time unit is later than the N time units.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

when the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is not earlier than the first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is NACK, the terminal device suspends the timer, or the terminal device restarts the timer; wherein the first target time unit is one time unit of the N time units;

when the terminal equipment suspends the timer, the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the cache;

when the terminal equipment restarts the timer, the terminal equipment reserves the first data packet in the buffer memory in the counting process of the timer.

7. The HARQ transmission method according to any of claims 1-6, wherein the first target time unit is a K last time unit of the N time units, K being an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N.

8. A method for hybrid automatic repeat request transmission, comprising:

the network equipment receives a first data packet which is sent by the terminal equipment from a first time unit and corresponds to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process; the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled by a network device to the terminal device, where a time unit of the N time units is used for the terminal device to send the first data packet, and N is an integer greater than 1;

the network equipment sends first HARQ response information to the terminal equipment, wherein the first HARQ response information is used for indicating hybrid automatic repeat request response (HARQ-ACK) response of the network equipment to the first data packet;

when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet is an error response NACK, the network equipment receives a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal equipment according to the first HARQ response information;

the network device receives an initial transmission data packet which corresponds to the first HARQ process and is different from the first data packet and is sent by the terminal device in a mode of scheduling-free permission GF in a third time unit, the third time unit is later than the N time units, the initial transmission data packet which is different from the first data packet is sent by the terminal device after a timer expires, the timer starts or restarts the timer corresponding to the first HARQ process when the terminal device sends the first data packet in the first time unit, and the timer is the restart timer of the terminal device when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information earlier than a first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, or, the timer is a timer for keeping counting continuously by the terminal equipment.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first HARQ response information is included in first downlink control information, DCI, the first DCI comprising HARQ-ACK responses for at least two terminal devices, including the terminal device.

10. The HARQ transmission method according to claim 9, wherein the receiving, by the network device, the first data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process from the terminal device starting from the first time unit includes:

the network equipment receives the first data packet sent by the terminal equipment in the time unit from the first time unit to the time unit between the first HARQ-ACK response information reception in the N time units;

when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, and the time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the last time unit of the N time units, the network device receiving the retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device according to the first HARQ response information includes:

and the network equipment receives the retransmission data packet of the first data packet which is continuously sent by the terminal equipment on the N time units after receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information.

11. The hybrid automatic repeat request transmission method according to any of claims 8-10, wherein said method further comprises:

the network device receives a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device in a GF mode in a second time unit, wherein the second time unit is later than a GF period in which the N time units are located, the retransmission data packet of the first data packet is sent by the terminal device after a timer is suspended, the timer starts or restarts the timer corresponding to the first HARQ process when the terminal device sends the first data packet in the first time unit, and the timer is the timer suspended by the terminal device when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information which is not earlier than a first target time unit and indicates that the network device responds to the HARQ-ACK of the first data packet as NACK.

12. A terminal device, comprising:

a transmitting unit, configured to transmit a first data packet corresponding to a first hybrid automatic repeat request, HARQ, process starting from a first time unit; the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled by a network device to the terminal device, where a time unit of the N time units is used for the terminal device to send the first data packet, and N is an integer greater than 1;

a receiving unit, configured to receive first HARQ response information sent by the network device, where the first HARQ response information is used to indicate a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet;

a processing unit, configured to, when the first HARQ response information indicates that a HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is an error response NACK, reserve the first data packet in a cache according to the first HARQ response information, and/or send a retransmission data packet of the first data packet according to the first HARQ response information;

the processing unit is further to:

starting or restarting a timer corresponding to the first HARQ process when the first data packet is sent on the first time unit through the sending unit;

restarting the timer or keeping the timer to continue counting when the time of receiving the first HARQ response information through the receiving unit is earlier than a first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network equipment to the first data packet is NACK; wherein the first target time unit is one time unit of the N time units;

the processing unit is specifically configured to:

and reserving the first data packet in the buffer in the counting process of the timer.

13. The terminal device of claim 12, wherein the first HARQ response information is included in a first downlink control information, DCI, and wherein the first DCI includes HARQ-ACK responses for at least two terminal devices, including the terminal device.

14. The terminal device of claim 13, wherein the sending unit is specifically configured to:

transmitting the first data packet in the N time units from the first time unit to the time unit between the first HARQ-ACK response information being received;

when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, and the time when the receiving unit receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than the last time unit in the N time units, the sending unit is specifically configured to:

continuing to transmit the retransmitted data packet of the first data packet over the N time units after receiving the first HARQ-ACK response information.

15. The terminal device of claim 12, wherein in the timer counting process, if the receiving unit does not receive the control information indicating the HARQ-ACK response for the first data packet, the sending unit is further configured to:

and sending the retransmission data packet of the first data packet in a mode of GF (scheduling free permission) on a second time unit, wherein the second time unit is later than the GF period of the N time units.

16. The terminal device of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is further configured to restart the timer or, after keeping the timer counting continuously, when the timer expires:

and/or the sending unit is further configured to send an initial transmission data packet corresponding to the first HARQ process and different from the first data packet in a GF manner over a third time unit, where the third time unit is later than the N time units.

17. The terminal device of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

when the time when the receiving unit receives the first HARQ response information is not earlier than the first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the first data packet is NACK, suspending the timer or restarting the timer; wherein the first target time unit is one time unit of the N time units;

the processing unit is specifically configured to:

when the timer is suspended, the first data packet in the cache is reserved;

when the timer is restarted, the first data packet in the buffer is reserved in the counting process of the timer.

18. The terminal device according to any of claims 12-17, wherein the first target time unit is a K-last time unit of the N time units, K being an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N.

19. A network device, comprising:

a receiving unit, configured to receive a first data packet corresponding to a first hybrid automatic repeat request HARQ process, which is sent by a terminal device from a first time unit; the first time unit is included in N time units configured or scheduled by a network device to the terminal device, where a time unit of the N time units is used for the terminal device to send the first data packet, and N is an integer greater than 1;

a sending unit, configured to send first HARQ response information to the terminal device, where the first HARQ response information is used to indicate that the network device responds to a HARQ-ACK response to a HARQ-ACK of the first data packet;

the receiving unit is further configured to receive a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device according to the first HARQ response information if the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is an error response NACK;

the receiving unit is further configured to:

receiving an initial transmission data packet which corresponds to the first HARQ process and is different from the first data packet and is sent by the terminal device in a mode of avoiding scheduling permission GF on a third time unit, wherein the third time unit is later than the N time units, the initial transmission data packet which is different from the first data packet is sent by the terminal device after a timer expires, the timer starts or restarts the timer corresponding to the first HARQ process when the terminal device sends the first data packet on the first time unit, and the timer is the timer restarted by the terminal device when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information earlier than a first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, or, the timer is a timer for keeping counting continuously by the terminal equipment.

20. The network device of claim 19, wherein the first HARQ response information is included in a first downlink control information, DCI, the first DCI comprising HARQ-ACK responses for at least two terminal devices, including the terminal device.

21. The network device of claim 20, wherein the receiving unit is specifically configured to:

receiving the first data packet sent by the terminal device in the time unit from the first time unit to the time unit between the first HARQ-ACK response information reception in the N time units;

when the first HARQ response information indicates that the HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, and a time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is earlier than a last time unit of the N time units, the receiving unit is specifically configured to:

and receiving the retransmission data packet of the first data packet which is continuously sent by the terminal equipment on the N time units after the first HARQ-ACK response information is received.

22. The network device of any of claims 19-21, wherein the receiving unit is further configured to:

receiving a retransmission data packet of the first data packet sent by the terminal device in a GF manner on a second time unit, where the second time unit is later than a GF period where the N time units are located, where the retransmission data packet of the first data packet is sent by the terminal device after a timer is suspended, where the timer is a timer that starts or restarts a timer corresponding to the first HARQ process when the terminal device sends the first data packet on the first time unit, and where a time when the terminal device receives the first HARQ response information is not earlier than a first target time unit and the first HARQ response information indicates that a HARQ-ACK response of the network device to the first data packet is NACK, the timer is the timer suspended by the terminal device.