CN111148158B

CN111148158B - Communication method and device

Info

Publication number: CN111148158B
Application number: CN201811303743.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 罗海燕; 戴明增
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-11-02
Filing date: 2018-11-02
Publication date: 2022-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 2038-11-02
Also published as: WO2020088675A1; CN111148158A

Abstract

The embodiment of the application discloses a communication method and a communication device, relates to the technical field of communication, and aims to solve the problem of how a host node acquires a communication system supported by a high layer of a terminal. The method comprises the following steps: the first IAB node generates a first data packet comprising a first indication and a first payload; the first indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload; the communication system comprises a first system or a second system; the first IAB node sends a first data packet to the host node through the wireless backhaul link, and the wireless backhaul link works in the second standard. And the host node receives the first data packet and processes the first payload according to the communication system indicated by the first indication.

Description

Communication method and device

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a communication method and apparatus.

Background

Fifth generation mobile communications (5)^thgeneration, 5G) put forward more stringent requirements for various performance indicators of the network, such as: capacity index is improved by 1000 times, wider coverage requirement, ultrahigh reliability, ultralow time delay and the like. To meet these requirements of 5G, operators utilize a large number of densely deployed small-site networks. In the process of networking by using a large number of densely deployed small stations, in order to reduce the fiber deployment cost and the deployment difficulty, an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) technology with flexible and convenient design is adopted, namely, both an access Link (access Link) and a backhaul Link (backhaul Link) adopt a wireless transmission scheme, so that the fiber deployment is avoided, the deployment cost is reduced, and the deployment flexibility is improved. Among them, a network using the IAB technology may be referred to as an IAB network.

In the IAB network, after a higher layer (e.g., a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer or a Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol layer) of a terminal generates data (or information), the data (or information) may be sent to a relay node (or referred to as an IAB node) through an access link, and the relay node sends the data or information of the terminal to an anchor node (or referred to as an anchor base station) through a backhaul link. Wherein, one or more IAB nodes can be passed between the terminal and the host node. The backhaul link between the IAB node and the host node may operate in a 5G air interface mode, i.e., transmit over a New Radio (NR). The high layer of the terminal may support a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system or an NR system, and the access link between the terminal and the IAB node may also operate in a 5G air interface system, and may also operate in other communication systems, such as: the method can work in an LTE system, a wireless fidelity (wifi) system, a sidelink (sidelink) system, or the like, that is, a communication system supported by a higher layer of the terminal may be the same as or different from a communication system in which the access link works, and the communication system in which the access link works may be the same as or different from the communication system in which the backhaul link works. The scenario that the access link and the backhaul link work in different communication systems may be referred to as a cross-system IAB scenario.

In a cross-system IAB scenario, how a host node knows what communication system (LTE system or NR system) a higher layer (e.g., PDCP layer or RRC layer) of a terminal supports is, so that the host node sends received data (or information) to a corresponding communication system to process the data (or information) becomes an urgent problem to be solved.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a data transmission method and device. The problem of how to acquire the communication system supported by the high layer of the terminal by the host node is solved.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a data transmission method, where the method includes:

the embodiment of the application provides a communication method and a communication device, which are used for solving the problem of how a host node acquires a communication system supported by a high layer of a terminal.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, where the method includes: the first IAB node generates a first data packet comprising a first indication and a first payload; the first indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload; the communication system comprises a first system or a second system; the first IAB node sends a first data packet to the host node through the wireless backhaul link, and the wireless backhaul link works in the second standard. Illustratively, the first payload may be an RRC message sent by the terminal to the first IAB node.

Based on the method of the first aspect, the first IAB node may send a first indication to the host node to indicate a communication system for processing the first payload, where the first payload may be a message that the terminal forwards to the host node through the first IAB node, and the host node may learn, according to the first indication, which communication system the terminal specifically employs to generate the first payload or another message (e.g., user plane data, etc.), and subsequently, when receiving the user plane data or another message of the terminal, process the received user plane data or another message according to the communication system indicated by the first indication.

In one possible design, the first data packet further includes a PHY header, an MAC header, an RLC header, and an adaptation layer header; the PHY header or the MAC header or the RLC header or the adaptation layer header includes a first indication. Based on the possible design, the first indication can be added when the PHY layer or the MAC layer or the RLC layer or the adaptation layer of the first IAB node processes, and the flexibility of carrying the first indication is improved.

In one possible design, the first packet further includes a PHY header, a MAC header, a RLC header, an adaptation layer header, a PDCP header, and a F1AP header; the PHY header or MAC header or RLC header or adaptation layer header or F1AP header or PDCP header includes a first indication therein. Based on this possible design, other protocol layers than the PHY layer or MAC layer or RLC layer or adaptation layer of the first IAB node may be used, such as: the F1AP layer or the PDCP layer adds the first indication, and improves the flexibility of carrying the first indication.

In one possible design, the first data packet further includes a PHY header, a MAC subheader, a RLC header, an adaptation layer header, and a second payload; the second payload includes a first indication. The second payload may be a separate field in the first data packet or an IP header or an SCTP header or an RRC header, etc. Based on this possible design, the first indication may be carried elsewhere than in a protocol layer header (e.g., PHY header or MAC header or RLC header or adaptation layer header or F1AP header or PDCP) of the first IAB node, which increases the flexibility of carrying the first indication.

In one possible design, the first payload is an RRC message that the first IAB receives from the terminal. Based on the possible design, the first indication and the RRC message initiated by the terminal can be sent to the host node together, so that the communication mode for processing the first payload is indicated to the host node in the process of initiating the RRC connection by the terminal, that is, the first indication can be initiated to the host node by means of the existing flow, and the signaling overhead brought by the sending of the first indication is reduced.

In one possible design, the method further includes: and the first IAB receives a second instruction which is sent by the terminal and used for instructing the communication system for processing the first payload. Based on the possible design, the terminal can actively inform the first IAB node of the communication system for processing the first payload, so that the power consumption caused by the first IAB node determining the communication system for processing the first payload is reduced.

In one possible design, the method further includes: and the first IAB node receives a random access request from the terminal and determines a communication system for processing the first payload according to a transmission frequency point corresponding to the random access request or a lead code included in the random access request. Based on the possible design, the first IAB node may determine, by using information related to the random access request, a communication scheme for processing the first payload when the terminal initiates the random access procedure, and based on the possible design, the communication scheme for processing the first payload may not be actively instructed by the terminal, thereby reducing power consumption of the terminal.

In a second aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be a first IAB node or a chip or a system on a chip in the first IAB node, and may also be a component or an apparatus in the first IAB node, which is responsible for implementing functions or operations related to the embodiments of the present application. The communication apparatus may implement the functions performed by the first IAB node in the first aspect or any possible design of the first aspect, where the functions may be implemented by hardware, or may be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as: the communication apparatus may include: the processing module is a transmitting-receiving module;

the processing module is used for generating a first data packet; the first data packet comprises a first indication and a first payload, and the first indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload; the communication system comprises a first system or a second system;

and the transceiver module is used for sending the first data packet to the host node through the wireless return link, and the wireless return link works in a second standard.

The specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus may refer to the first aspect or the behavior function of the first IAB node in the communication method provided by any one of the possible designs of the first aspect, and details are not repeated here. Thus, the communication device provided may achieve the same advantageous effects as the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect.

In a third aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, including: a processor and a memory; the memory is configured to store computer-executable instructions, and when the communication apparatus is running, the processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored by the memory to cause the communication apparatus to perform the communication method according to the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect. For example, the communication device may be the aforementioned first IAB node or a chip or a system on chip in the first IAB node, and the communication device may also be a component or a device in the first IAB node, which is responsible for implementing functions or operations related to the embodiments of the present application.

In a fourth aspect, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method of the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the above aspect.

In a fifth aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method of the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the above aspect.

In a sixth aspect, a chip system is provided, where the chip system includes a processor, a communication interface, and a control unit, where the control unit is configured to enable a communication device to implement the functions recited in the above aspects, for example, the control unit generates a first data packet including a first indication and a first payload; the first indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload; the communication system comprises a first system or a second system; and sending the first data packet to the host node through the wireless backhaul link, wherein the wireless backhaul link works in the second standard. In one possible design, the system-on-chip further includes a memory for storing program instructions and data necessary for the communication device. The chip system may be constituted by a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

For technical effects brought by any design manner in the third aspect to the sixth aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects brought by the first aspect or any possible design manner in the first aspect, and details are not repeated.

In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, where the method includes: the host node receives a first data packet which is sent by the first IAB node and comprises a first indication and a first payload through a wireless backhaul link; the first indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload; the communication system comprises a first system or a second system; the wireless backhaul link works in a second standard; and the host node processes the first payload according to the communication system indicated by the first indication.

Based on the method of the seventh aspect, the host node may receive a first indication sent by the first IAB node and used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload, and because the first payload may be a message that the terminal forwards to the host node through the first IAB node, the host node may learn, according to the first indication, which communication system the terminal specifically employs to generate the first payload or another message (e.g., user plane data, etc.), and subsequently, when receiving the user plane data or another message of the terminal, process the received user plane data or another message according to the communication system indicated by the first indication.

In one possible design, the first packet further includes a protocol header: the PHY header, the MAC header, the RLC header, the adaptation layer header, the PDCP header, the F1AP header, etc., may further include a second payload, and the first packet includes any protocol header including the first indication. Illustratively, the format of the first data packet and the position of the first indication in the first data packet are as described in the possible design of the first aspect and will not be described in detail.

In one possible design, the first packet further includes a protocol header: the PHY header, the MAC header, the RLC header, the adaptation layer header, and the second payload, the second payload including the first indication, and the format of the first data packet and the position of the first indication in the first data packet are exemplarily described in the possible design of the first aspect, and are not described in detail.

In an eighth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be a host node or a chip or a system on a chip in the host node, or may be a component or an apparatus in the host node, which is responsible for implementing functions or operations related to embodiments of the present application. The communication device may implement the functions performed by the host node in each of the above aspects or possible designs, and the functions may be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as: the communication apparatus may include: a transceiver module and a processing module;

the receiving and sending module is used for receiving a first data packet sent by a first IAB node through a wireless backhaul link; the first data packet comprises a first indication and a first payload, and the first indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload; the communication system comprises a first system or a second system; the wireless backhaul link operates in a second standard.

And the processing module is used for processing the first payload according to the communication system indicated by the first indication.

The specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus may refer to the behavior function of the host node in the communication method provided by any one of the seventh aspect and the seventh aspect, and details are not repeated here. Therefore, the communication device provided can achieve the same advantageous effects as any one of the possible designs of the seventh aspect or the seventh aspect.

In a ninth aspect, there is provided a communication apparatus comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is configured to store computer-executable instructions, and when the communication apparatus is running, the processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to enable the communication apparatus to perform the communication method according to any one of the possible designs of the seventh aspect or the seventh aspect. For example, the communication apparatus may be a chip or a system on chip in a host node or a host node, and the communication apparatus may also be a component or an apparatus in the host node, which is responsible for implementing functions or operations related to the embodiments of the present application.

A tenth aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method of the seventh aspect or any one of the above possible designs.

In an eleventh aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method of the seventh aspect described above or any one of the possible designs of the above aspects.

In a twelfth aspect, a chip system is provided, which includes a processor and a communication interface, and is configured to enable a communication device to implement the functions recited in the above aspects, for example, the processor receives a first data packet including a first indication and a first payload, which is sent by a first IAB node, through a wireless backhaul link; the first indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload; the communication system comprises a first system or a second system; the wireless backhaul link works in a second standard; and processing the first payload according to the communication system indicated by the first indication. In one possible design, the system-on-chip further includes a memory for storing program instructions and data necessary for the communication device. The chip system may be constituted by a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

For technical effects brought by any design manner of the ninth aspect to the twelfth aspect, reference may be made to the seventh aspect or any possible design manner of the seventh aspect, and details are not repeated.

In a thirteenth aspect, a communication method is provided, the method comprising: the terminal generates an RRC message and sends a second data packet to the first IAB node through the wireless access link; the second data packet comprises RRC information, and the wireless access link works in a first standard, a second standard, a third standard or a fourth standard.

In one possible design, the second data packet further includes a second indication, where the second indication is used to indicate a communication system for processing the RRC message, and the communication system includes the first system or the second system. For example, the second indication of the communication scheme for processing the RRC message may be further described as: the second indication is used for indicating which communication system is adopted by the terminal to generate the RRC message. The wireless access link works in a first standard, a second standard, a third standard or a fourth standard and indicates that: the terminal may send an RRC message to the first IAB node in the first system, or the terminal may send an RRC message to the first IAB node in the second system, or the terminal may send an RRC message to the first IAB node in the third system. Therefore, the communication system used when the terminal generates the RRC message may be the first system or the second system, and the communication system used when the terminal sends the RRC message may be any other communication system except the first system or the second system, without limitation, and the communication system used when the terminal generates the RRC message may be the same as or different from the communication system used when the terminal sends the RRC message.

For example, assuming that the first system is an LTE system, the second system is an LTE system, the third system is a wifi system, and the fourth system may be a sidelink system, the terminal may generate an RRC message using the LTE system, include the generated RRC message in a data packet, and send the data packet to the first IAB node through the LTE system, and may also include the generated RRC message in the data packet, and send the data packet to the first IAB node through the wifi system, without limitation.

Based on the possible design, the second indication and the RRC message initiated by the terminal may be sent to the first IAB node together, so that in the process of initiating the RRC connection by the terminal, the communication system for processing the RRC message is indicated to the first IAB node, so that the first IAB node determines the communication system for processing the first payload according to the second indication, that is, the second indication may be initiated to the first IAB node by using the existing flow, thereby reducing signaling overhead brought by sending the second indication.

In one possible design, the second data packet further includes one or more of a PHY header, a MAC header, a RLC header, and a PDCP header; the PHY header or the MAC header or the RLC header or the PDCP header includes a second indication. Based on the possible design, the second indication can be added when the PHY layer or the MAC layer or the RLC layer or the PDCP layer of the terminal processes, and the flexibility carried by the second indication is improved.

In one possible design, the method further includes: the terminal sends a random access request to the first IAB node over the radio access link. Based on the possible design, before the terminal initiates the RRC message, a random access request may be sent to the first IAB node, so that the first IAB node determines, according to information related to the random access request (a transmission frequency corresponding to the random access request or a preamble included in the random access request), a communication system for processing the first payload.

In a fourteenth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be a terminal or a chip or a system on a chip in a terminal, or may also be a component or an apparatus in a terminal that is responsible for implementing functions or operations related to the embodiments of the present application, and the communication apparatus may implement the functions performed by the terminal in each possible design of the thirteenth aspect or the thirteenth aspect, where the functions may be implemented by hardware, or may implement corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as: the communication apparatus may include: the processing module is a transmitting-receiving module;

a processing module for generating an RRC message;

a transceiver module, configured to send a second data packet to the first IAB node through the wireless access link; the second data packet comprises RRC information, and the wireless access link works in a first standard, a second standard, a third standard or a fourth standard.

The specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus may refer to any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect or the thirteenth aspect, and the behavioral function of the terminal in the communication method may not be repeated herein. Therefore, the communication device provided can achieve the same advantageous effects as any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect or the thirteenth aspect.

In a fifteenth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is used for storing computer-executable instructions, and when the communication device is operated, the processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored by the memory, so that the communication device executes the communication method according to any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect or the thirteenth aspect. The communication device may be, for example, a terminal or a chip or a system on a chip in the terminal, and the communication device may also be a component or a device in the terminal that is responsible for implementing functions or operations related to the embodiments of the present application.

In a sixteenth aspect, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method of the thirteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the above aspects.

A seventeenth aspect provides a computer program product comprising instructions which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the communication method of the thirteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the aspects.

In an eighteenth aspect, a chip system is provided, where the chip system includes a processor and a communication interface, and is configured to support a communication device to implement the functions in the foregoing aspects, for example, the processor generates an RRC message and sends a second data packet to a first IAB node through a radio access link; the second data packet comprises RRC information, and the wireless access link works in a first standard, a second standard, a third standard or a fourth standard. In one possible design, the system-on-chip further includes a memory for storing program instructions and data necessary for the communication device. The chip system may be constituted by a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

For technical effects brought by any design manner of the fifteenth aspect to the eighteenth aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects brought by any possible design of the thirteenth aspect or the thirteenth aspect, and details are not repeated.

In a nineteenth aspect, there is provided a further communication method, the method comprising: the first IAB node receives a third data packet which is sent by the host node through the wireless backhaul link and comprises the PDU of the first protocol layer; the wireless backhaul link works in a second standard; the first protocol layer comprises an adaptation layer or an RLC layer; the first protocol layer of the first IAB node orders the PDUs of the first protocol layer.

Based on the method in the nineteenth aspect, when the host node sends a data packet to the first IAB node, the following steps are performed: in the process of sending downlink data to the terminal by the IAB node, the PDU in the received data packet may be sequenced by the adaptation layer or RLC layer of the first IAB node to ensure that the data is delivered in sequence, thereby solving the problem of disorder caused by transmission through the wireless backhaul link.

In one possible design, the third data packet further includes an identifier of the terminal, and the method further includes: the first IAB starts a sequencing function of a first protocol layer in the first IAB according to the identifier of the terminal; the communication mode for processing the interactive messages of the terminal and the host node is a first mode. For example, the first IAB node may learn the communication system for processing the first payload according to the first indication in the first aspect. Based on the possible design, the sequencing function of the first protocol layer can be started only when the upper layer of a certain terminal requires in-order delivery.

In one possible design, the first protocol layer of the first IAB node has the functionality to order PDUs of the first protocol layer. Such as: the first IAB node may configure the first protocol layer with the ordering function upon factory setup. Based on the possible design, the data under any communication system can be submitted in sequence.

In a twentieth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be a first IAB node or a chip or a system on a chip in the first IAB node or a component or an apparatus in the first IAB node, and which may implement the functions performed by the first IAB node in each possible design of the twentieth or twentieth aspect, where the functions may be implemented by hardware or by corresponding software executed by hardware. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as: the communication apparatus may include: a transceiver module and a processing module;

the receiving and sending module is used for receiving a third data packet which is sent by the host node through the wireless backhaul link and comprises a PDU (protocol data Unit) of the first protocol layer; the wireless backhaul link works in a second standard; the first protocol layer comprises an adaptation layer or an RLC layer;

and the processing module is used for sequencing the PDU of the first protocol layer. The processing module may be included in a first protocol layer of a first IAB node.

In one possible design, the third data packet further includes an identification of the terminal, and the communication device further includes: the starting unit is used for starting the sequencing function of the first protocol layer in the first IAB according to the identifier of the terminal; the communication mode for processing the interactive messages of the terminal and the host node is a first mode. Based on the possible design, the sequencing function of the first protocol layer can be started only when the upper layer of a certain terminal requires in-order delivery.

A specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus may refer to a behavior function of the first IAB node in the communication method provided in any one of the twentieth aspect and the twentieth aspect. Thus, the communication device provided can achieve the same advantageous effects as any one of the possible designs of the twentieth aspect or the twentieth aspect.

In a twenty-first aspect, there is provided a communication apparatus comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is configured to store computer-executable instructions, and when the communication apparatus is running, the processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored by the memory to cause the communication apparatus to perform the communication method according to any one of the above-mentioned twentieth aspect or twentieth aspect. For example, the communication device may be the first IAB node or a chip or system on a chip in the first IAB node or a component or device in the first IAB node.

A twenty-second aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method of the twentieth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the above aspects.

A twenty-third aspect provides a computer program product comprising instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method of the twentieth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the above aspects.

A twenty-fourth aspect provides a chip system comprising a processor, a communication interface for enabling a communication device to implement the functions referred to in the above aspects, such as:

a communication interface for receiving a third data packet comprising a PDU of the first protocol layer sent by the host node over the wireless backhaul link; the wireless backhaul link works in a second standard; the first protocol layer includes an adaptation layer or an RLC layer.

And the processor is used for sequencing the PDU of the first protocol layer.

In one possible design, the third data packet further includes an identifier of the terminal, and the processor is further configured to start a sorting function of the first protocol layer in the first IAB according to the identifier of the terminal; the communication mode for processing the interactive messages of the terminal and the host node is a first mode. Based on the possible design, the sequencing function of the first protocol layer can be started only when the upper layer of a certain terminal requires in-order delivery.

In one possible design, the system-on-chip further includes a memory for storing program instructions and data necessary for the communication device. The chip system may be constituted by a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

For technical effects brought by any design manner in the twentieth aspect to the twenty-fourteenth aspect, reference may be made to technical effects brought by any possible design manner in the twentieth aspect or the twentieth aspect, and details are not repeated.

In a twenty-fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, where the method includes: the host node receives a fourth data packet which is sent by the first IAB node through the wireless backhaul link and comprises a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) of the first protocol layer; the PDU of the first protocol layer comprises a third payload, and the wireless backhaul link works in a second standard; the first protocol layer comprises an adaptation layer or an RLC layer; and the first protocol layer of the host node orders the PDUs, or the packet data convergence protocol PDCP layer of the host node orders the third payloads.

Based on the method in the twenty-fifth aspect, when the first IAB node sends a data packet to the host node, the following steps are performed: when the terminal sends uplink data to the host node through the IAB node, the adaptation layer, the RLC layer, or the PDCP layer of the host node may sequence the contents in the received data packet to ensure the data to be delivered in sequence, thereby solving the problem of disorder caused by BL transmission.

In one possible design, the method further includes: and the host node receives a first indication which is sent by the first IAB node and used for indicating the communication system for processing the first payload, wherein the communication system for processing the first payload is the same as the communication system for processing the third payload. If the communication standard is the first standard, the host node starts the sequencing function of the first protocol layer of the host node; alternatively, the host node starts the sorting function of the PDCP layer. For example, the first instruction is as described in the first aspect, and based on the possible design is not described again, the ordering function of the first protocol layer or the PDCP layer of the host node may be started after the host node receives the instruction for instructing the processing of the communication system of the first payload and supports the sequential delivery of the high layer requirement of the communication system.

In one possible design, in a case where the host node turns on a sorting function of the PDCP layer, the method further includes: and the host node sends a notification message for notifying the terminal to start the sorting function of the PDCP layer which is equivalent to the host node and supports the first standard in the terminal, so that the terminal can start the sorting function of the PDCP layer which is equivalent to the PDCP layer of the host node and supports the first standard according to the notification message.

In one possible design, the first protocol layer of the host node has the functionality to order the PDUs of the first protocol layer. Such as: the hosting node may configure the first protocol layer to have the ordering function upon factory setting. Based on the possible design, the first protocol layer of the host node can realize sequential submission of data under any communication system.

In a twenty-sixth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be a chip in a host node or a component or an apparatus in a system on chip or a host node. The communication device may implement the functions performed by the host node in each of the above aspects or possible designs, and the functions may be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as: the communication apparatus may include: a transceiver module and a processing module;

the transceiver module is used for receiving a fourth data packet which is sent by the first IAB node through the wireless backhaul link and comprises a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) of the first protocol layer; the PDU of the first protocol layer comprises a third payload, and the wireless backhaul link works in a second standard; the first protocol layer comprises an adaptation layer or an RLC layer;

and the processing module sequences the PDU of the first protocol layer or sequences the third payload.

In a possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to receive a first indication sent by the first IAB node and used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload, where the communication system for processing the first payload is the same as the communication system for processing the third payload. If the communication standard is the first standard, the processing module is also used for starting the sequencing function of the first protocol layer of the host node; alternatively, the ordering function of the PDCP layer is turned on. Illustratively, the first indication is as described in the first aspect, and is not described in detail. Based on the possible design, after the host node receives the indication for indicating the communication system for processing the first payload and supports the upper layer requirement of the communication system to submit in sequence, the sequencing function of the first protocol layer or the PDCP layer of the host node is started.

In a possible design, in a case that the donor node starts the sorting function of the PDCP layer, the transceiver module is further configured to send, to the terminal, a notification message for notifying the terminal to start the sorting function of the PDCP layer that is peer to the PDCP layer of the donor node in the terminal, so that the terminal starts the sorting function of the PDCP layer that is peer to the PDCP layer of the donor node according to the notification message.

The specific implementation manner of the communication device may refer to any possible design of the twenty-fifth aspect or the twenty-fifth aspect, and details of the behavior function of the host node in the communication method are not repeated herein. Thus, the communication device provided can achieve the same advantageous effects as the twenty-fifth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the twenty-fifth aspect.

In a twenty-seventh aspect, there is provided a communication apparatus comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is configured to store computer-executable instructions, and when the communication apparatus is operating, the processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored by the memory to cause the communication apparatus to perform the communication method according to any one of the twenty-fifth aspect and the twenty-fifth aspect. For example, the communication apparatus may be a chip or a system on chip in a host node or a host node, and the communication apparatus may also be a component or an apparatus in the host node, which is responsible for implementing functions or operations related to the embodiments of the present application.

A twenty-eighth aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method of the twenty-fifth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the above aspects.

A twenty-ninth aspect provides a computer program product comprising instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of the twenty-fifth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the above aspect.

A thirty-first aspect provides a chip system, which includes a processor, a communication interface, and a communication device, and is configured to enable the communication device to implement the functions recited in the foregoing aspects, for example:

a communication interface, configured to receive a fourth data packet including a protocol data unit PDU of the first protocol layer, sent by the first IAB node through the wireless backhaul link; the PDU of the first protocol layer comprises a third payload, and the wireless backhaul link works in a second standard; the first protocol layer comprises an adaptation layer or an RLC layer;

and the processor sequences the PDU of the first protocol layer or sequences the third payload.

In one possible design, the communication interface is further configured to receive a first indication that is sent by the first IAB node and used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload, where the communication system for processing the first payload is the same as the communication system for processing the third payload. If the communication standard is the first standard, the processor is also used for starting the sequencing function of the first protocol layer of the host node; alternatively, the ordering function of the PDCP layer is turned on. Illustratively, the first indication is as described in the first aspect, and is not described in detail. Based on the possible design, after the host node receives the indication for indicating the communication system for processing the first payload and supports the upper layer requirement of the communication system to submit in sequence, the sequencing function of the first protocol layer or the PDCP layer of the host node is started.

In one possible design, in a case that the donor node starts the sorting function of the PDCP layer, the communication interface is further configured to send, to the terminal, a notification message for notifying the terminal to start the sorting function of the PDCP layer, which is in the terminal and is peer to the PDCP layer of the donor node, so that the terminal starts the sorting function of the PDCP layer, which is in the terminal and is peer to the PDCP layer of the donor node, according to the notification message.

For technical effects brought by any design manner in the twenty-seventh aspect to the thirty-fifth aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects brought by any possible design manner in the twenty-fifth aspect or the twenty-fifth aspect, and details are not repeated.

In a thirty-first aspect, a method of communication is provided, the method comprising: the method comprises the steps that a terminal receives a sorting function which is sent by a host node and used for informing the terminal to start a PDCP layer supporting a first standard in the terminal; and the terminal starts the reordering function of the PDCP layer according to the notification message.

Based on the method in the thirty-first aspect, the terminal may start a sorting function of a PDCP layer supporting the first standard, which is peer to the host node, according to the notification from the host node, and the PDCP layer of the terminal sorts the downlink data sent by the host node.

In a thirty-second aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be a terminal or a chip or a system on a chip in the terminal, or may also be a component or an apparatus in the terminal, which is responsible for implementing functions or operations related to the embodiments of the present application, and the communication apparatus may implement the functions performed by the terminal in each possible design of the thirty-first aspect or the thirty-third aspect, where the functions may be implemented by hardware, or may be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as: the communication apparatus may include: a transceiver module and a processing module;

the receiving and sending module is used for receiving the notification message sent by the host node; the notification message is used for notifying the terminal to start a sequencing function of a PDCP layer supporting a first system in the terminal;

and the processing module starts the reordering function of the PDCP layer according to the notification message.

The specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus may refer to a behavior function of the terminal in the communication method provided by any one of the thirty-first aspect and the thirty-second aspect, and details are not repeated here. Thus, the communication device provided can achieve the same advantageous effects as any one of the possible designs of the thirty-first aspect or the thirty-first aspect.

In a thirty-third aspect, a communications apparatus is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is configured to store computer-executable instructions, and when the communication apparatus is running, the processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored by the memory to cause the communication apparatus to perform the communication method according to any one of the possible designs of the thirty-first aspect or the thirty-second aspect. The communication device may be, for example, a terminal or a chip or a system on a chip in the terminal, and the communication device may also be a component or a device in the terminal that is responsible for implementing functions or operations related to the embodiments of the present application.

A thirty-fourth aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method of the thirty-first aspect or any one of the above possible designs of the above aspect.

A thirty-fifth aspect provides a computer program product containing instructions which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the communication method of the thirty-first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the above aspect.

A thirty-sixth aspect provides a chip system, comprising a processor, a communication interface, for enabling a communication apparatus to implement the functions referred to in the above aspects, such as:

the communication interface is used for receiving the notification message sent by the host node; the notification message is used for notifying the terminal to start a sequencing function of a PDCP layer supporting a first system in the terminal;

and the processor starts the reordering function of the PDCP layer according to the notification message.

For technical effects brought by any one of the design manners in the thirty-third aspect to the thirty-sixth aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects brought by any one of the possible designs in the thirty-first aspect or the thirty-first aspect, and details are not repeated.

A thirty-seventh aspect provides a method of communication, the method further comprising: the host node determines to access the terminal to a second IAB node; the host node sends a third indication to the second IAB through the wireless backhaul link; the wireless backhaul link works in the second standard, and the third indication includes or is used for indicating the communication standard of the wireless access link between the terminal and the second IAB.

Based on the method shown in the thirty-seventh aspect, when the terminal is switched or transferred from one IAB node to a second IAB node, or the second IAB node is added in dual connectivity, the second IAB node may know, according to the instruction of the host node, which communication system the terminal accesses, and configure a protocol layer corresponding to the communication system.

In one possible design, the communication system in which the wireless access link operates includes a first system, a second system, a third system, or a fourth system.

In one possible design, the method further includes: and the host node sends a third instruction to the terminal so that the terminal can know which communication system is accessed to the second IAB node according to the instruction of the host node, and a protocol stack which is equivalent to the second IAB node is configured, and the configured protocol stack supports the communication system.

In a thirty-eighth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be a chip in a host node or a component or an apparatus in a system on chip or a host node, and which may implement the functions performed by the host node in the above-mentioned first aspect or each possible design of the first aspect, where the functions may be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as: the communication apparatus may include: the processing module is a transmitting-receiving module;

a processing module, configured to determine to access the terminal to the second IAB node;

the transceiver module is used for sending a third indication to the second IAB through the wireless backhaul link; the wireless backhaul link works in the second standard, and the third indication includes or is used for indicating the communication standard of the wireless access link between the terminal and the second IAB.

In a possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to send a third indication to the terminal, so that the terminal knows what communication system the second IAB node is accessed to according to the indication of the host node, and configures a protocol stack that is equivalent to the second IAB node, where the configured protocol stack supports the communication system.

The specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus may refer to the behavior function of the host node in the communication method provided by the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect, and details are not repeated here. Thus, the communication device provided may achieve the same advantageous effects as the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect.

In a thirty-ninth aspect, there is provided a communication apparatus comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is configured to store computer-executable instructions, and when the communication apparatus is running, the processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored by the memory to cause the communication apparatus to perform the communication method according to the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect. For example, the communication apparatus may be a chip or a system on chip in a host node or a host node, and the communication apparatus may also be a component or an apparatus in the host node, which is responsible for implementing functions or operations related to the embodiments of the present application.

A fortieth aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method of the first aspect described above or any one of the possible designs of the above aspects.

Fortieth aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method of the first aspect described above or any one of the possible designs of the above aspects.

A forty-second aspect provides a chip system, which includes a processor, a communication interface, and a communication device, for implementing the functions referred to in the above aspects, such as:

a processor configured to determine to access the terminal to a second IAB node;

a communication interface for sending a third indication to the second IAB over the wireless backhaul link; the wireless backhaul link works in the second standard, and the third indication includes or is used for indicating the communication standard of the wireless access link between the terminal and the second IAB.

In a possible design, the communication interface is further configured to send a third indication to the terminal, so that the terminal knows what communication system the second IAB node is accessed to according to the indication of the host node, and configures a protocol stack that is equivalent to the second IAB node, where the configured protocol stack supports the communication system.

For technical effects brought by any design manner of the thirty-ninth aspect to the forty-second aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects brought by the first aspect or any possible design of the first aspect, and details are not repeated.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2a is a schematic diagram of a protocol stack according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2b is a schematic diagram of another protocol stack provided in the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2c is a schematic diagram of another protocol stack provided in the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a schematic view of a cross-system IAB scene provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5a is a process of generating a first data packet according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5b is a flowchart of another process for generating a first data packet according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a flowchart of another communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a flowchart of another communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a flowchart of another communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

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

fig. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication device 110 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication device 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 13 is a schematic composition diagram of a communication device 130 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

First, in order to facilitate understanding of the methods provided by the embodiments of the present application, some terms related to the present application are explained:

access Link (AL) (otherwise known as wireless access link): refers to the radio link, including uplink and downlink, used by a terminal to communicate with a node (e.g., IAB node, home node (or home base station)) providing access service to it. Uplink transmission on the access link is also referred to as uplink transmission of the access link, and downlink transmission is also referred to as downlink transmission of the access link. In this embodiment of the application, the AL may operate in any one of a plurality of different standards, such as a first standard, a second standard, a third standard, and a fourth standard. For example, the first system may be an LTE system, the second system may be an NR system, the third system may be a wifi system, and the fourth system may be a sidelink system.

Backhaul Link (BL) (otherwise known as wireless backhaul link): refers to the wireless link used by a node to communicate with its parent node (e.g., IAB node, home node (or home base station)), including uplink and downlink transmission links. Uplink transmissions on the backhaul link are also referred to as uplink transmissions of the backhaul link, and downlink transmissions are also referred to as downlink transmissions of the backhaul link. In the embodiment of the present application, the BL may operate in the second system. The second scheme may be the NR scheme, as described above.

The technical solution in the embodiments of the present application is described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

The communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application may be applied to the IAB networking shown in fig. 1, and as shown in fig. 1, the IAB networking may include: a plurality of terminals (e.g., terminal 1, terminal 2 in fig. 1), a plurality of IAB nodes (e.g., IAB node 1, IAB node 2, IAB node 3, etc. shown in fig. 1), and a host node. Where a terminal may communicate with a node providing access service to it via an AL, for example, IAB node 4 and IAB node 5 may provide service to terminal 2, and terminal 2 may communicate with IAB node 4 and IAB node 5 via an AL. The IAB nodes and the host node may communicate with each other through the BL. The terminal may send the uplink data to the host node through the plurality of IAB nodes, and then the host node sends the uplink data to the core network device (e.g., a user plane functional Unit (UPF) in a 5G core network, etc.), and the downlink data is received by the host node from the core network device, and then sent to the terminal through the IAB nodes. One or more transmission paths may exist between the terminal and the host node, for example, as shown in fig. 1, there are two available paths for data transmission between the terminal 1 and the host node, path 1: terminal 1 ← → IAB node 4 ← → IAB node 2 ← → IAB node 1 ← → host node, path 2: terminal 1 ← → IAB node 4 ← → IAB node 3 ← → IAB node 1 ← → host node.

It should be noted that fig. 1 is only an exemplary diagram, and the embodiment of the present application does not limit the number of nodes included in the IAB networking, and in addition to the nodes shown in fig. 1, the IAB networking may further include other devices, such as: core network Access Management Function (AMF) devices, Session Management Function (SMF) devices, and the like. Meanwhile, in an IAB scenario combining multi-hop and multi-connection, there are still more other possibilities in the IAB networking scenario, for example, a host node and an IAB node under another host node form a dual connection to serve a terminal, and the like, which are not listed here.

By way of example, the terminal in fig. 1 may be referred to as a User Equipment (UE), an access terminal, a subscriber unit, a subscriber station, a mobile station, a remote terminal, a mobile device, a user terminal, a wireless communication device, a user agent, or a user equipment. The terminal may also be a Station (ST) in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and may be a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone, a Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device, a handheld device with a wireless communication function, a computing device, or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device (also referred to as a wearable smart device). The terminal may also be a terminal in a next generation communication system, for example, a terminal in 5G or a terminal in a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) for future evolution, a terminal in an NR communication system, and the like.

The IAB node in fig. 1 may be a node supporting integrated access and backhaul, and may also be referred to as a wireless backhaul node or a Relay Node (RN) or an IAB node (IAB node). An IAB node may generally refer to any node or device with relay functionality that may provide wireless backhaul services to a wireless access node or a wireless backhaul node (e.g., terminal, other IAB nodes). For example, the IAB node may be any one of a base station or a terminal with a forwarding function, or may be in an independent device form, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application. IAB nodes can exist in two forms: one is to exist as an independent access node, which can independently manage terminals accessing to the IAB node, and this type of relay usually needs to have complete base station protocol stack functions, such as Radio Resource Control (RRC) functions, and this type of relay is usually called layer 3 relay. While another form of relay node and host node can jointly perform user management, such relay usually has only partial layer 2 protocol stack function of the base station, and is called layer 2 relay. The layer 2 relay generally exists as a DU of a host node under a control and bearer split (CU-DU) architecture, and performs control plane communication with the host node or a CU of the host node through an F1application protocol (F1application protocol, F1AP) interface.

A donor node may be referred to as an IAB donor (IAB donor) or a donor base station (donor nodebs, DgNB). The DgNB may be an access network element having a complete base station function, or may be an access network element in a Centralized Unit (CU) and Distributed Unit (DU) separated form. The DgNB is connected to a core network element serving the terminal, for example, to a 5G core (5G core, 5GC), and provides a wireless backhaul function for the IAB node. Illustratively, the donor node may include, but is not limited to, an evolved node B (eNB), a Radio Network Controller (RNC), a Node B (NB), a Base Station Controller (BSC), a Base Transceiver Station (BTS), a home base station (e.g., home evolved node B or home node B, HNB), a Base Band Unit (BBU), an LTE (evolved LTE, LTE) base station, an NR base station (next generation node B, gNB), and the like.

In the IAB networking shown in fig. 1, taking an example that a terminal is connected to a host node through an IAB node, in a possible design, when the IAB node is used as a layer 2 relay, a user plane protocol stack as shown in fig. 2a may be established among the terminal, the IAB node, and the host node, and user plane data is transmitted through the protocol stack. As shown in fig. 2a, the terminal may include a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer, a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, and a Physical (PHY) layer. The IAB node may include an RLC layer 1, an MAC layer 1, and a PHY layer 1, which are peer-to-peer with a protocol layer of the terminal, and may further include an adaptation (adapt) layer, an RLC layer 2, an MAC layer 2, and a PHY layer 2, which are peer-to-peer with a protocol layer of the host node. The host node may include therein an adaptation layer, an RLC layer, an MAC layer, a PHY layer, which are peered to the protocol layers of the IAB node, and a PDCP layer and an SDAP layer, which are peered to the protocol layers of the terminal.

In the case that the IAB node serves as a layer 2 relay, a control plane protocol stack as shown in fig. 2b may be established among the terminal, the IAB node, and the host node, and control plane data is transmitted through the protocol stack. As shown in fig. 2b, the terminal may include an RRC layer, a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, a MAC layer, and a PHY layer. The IAB node may include an RLC layer 1, an MAC layer 1, and a PHY layer 1, which are peer-to-peer with the protocol layer of the terminal, and may further include an F1AP layer, a PDCP layer, an adaptation layer, an RLC layer 2, an MAC layer 2, and a PHY layer 2, which are peer-to-peer with the protocol layer of the host node. The donor node may include an F1AP layer, a PDCP layer, an adaptation layer, an RLC layer, a MAC layer, a PHY layer, which are peer to peer with the protocol layer of the IAB node, and a PDCP layer and an RRC layer, which are peer to peer with the protocol layer of the terminal.

Optionally, when the IAB node is used as a layer 2 relay, a control plane protocol stack as shown in fig. 2c may be further established among the terminal, the IAB node, and the host node, and control plane data is transmitted through the protocol stack. As shown in fig. 2c, the terminal may include an RRC layer, a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, an MAC layer, and a PHY layer. The IAB node may include an RLC layer 1, an MAC layer 1, and a PHY layer 1, which are peer-to-peer with the protocol layer of the terminal, and may further include an adaptation layer, an RLC layer 2, an MAC layer 2, and a PHY layer 2, which are peer-to-peer with the protocol layer of the host node. The host node may include therein an adaptation layer, an RLC layer, a MAC layer, a PHY layer, which are peer-to-peer with the protocol layer of the IAB node, and a PDCP layer and an RRC layer, which are peer-to-peer with the protocol layer of the terminal.

In fig. 2a, fig. 2b, or fig. 2c, a protocol layer (RRC layer, SDAP layer, PDCP layer) above the RLC layer of the terminal may be referred to as an upper layer of the terminal, a protocol layer (including RLC layer) below the RLC layer of the terminal may be referred to as a lower layer of the terminal, the upper layer of the terminal may support a first standard or a second standard, and the terminal may configure the corresponding protocol layer according to the first standard or the second standard, such as: the protocol layer supporting the LTE scheme may be referred to as an LTE protocol layer, and the like, and the protocol layer supporting the NR scheme may be referred to as an NR protocol layer, and the like. The communication system supported by the bottom layer of the terminal is consistent with the communication system of the terminal and the AL work of the IAB node, and the protocol layer supporting the wifi system can be called a wifi protocol layer. The communication system supported by the protocol layer in the IAB node, which is equivalent to the protocol layer of the terminal, is also consistent with the communication system in the AL work, so that the terminal can communicate with the IAB node through the AL. The communication system supported by the protocol layer equivalent to the protocol layer of the host node in the IAB node is consistent with the communication system of BL work between the IAB node and the host node, the communication system supported by the protocol layer equivalent to the protocol layer of the IAB node in the host node is also consistent with the communication system of BL work, so that the IAB node and the host node can communicate through BL, and the communication system supported by the protocol layer equivalent to the higher layer of the terminal in the host node is consistent with the communication system supported by the higher layer of the terminal, so that the host node can process data or messages interacted with the terminal. For example, the terminal may generate data or a message according to a communication system corresponding to a higher layer, forward the generated data or message to a bottom layer, process the data or message by the bottom layer, send the processed data or message to the IAB node through an AL, forward the processed data or message to the host node through a BL, and forward the processed data or message to a protocol layer that is peer to the higher layer of the terminal after the host node receives the data or message. In the embodiment of the present application, the communication systems supported by the peer protocol layers are the same.

Optionally, in fig. 2a or fig. 2b or fig. 2c, in case that the AL supports the third system (wifi system), data or messages interacted between the terminal and the IAB node may not need to be processed by the RLC layer and the PDCP layer. In the case that the AL supports the fourth system (sidelink system), data or messages interacted between the terminal and the IAB node may need to be processed by the RLC layer and the PDCP layer. However, the RLC layer and the PDCP layer may not require the network side (e.g., the IAB node and/or the host node) configuration. In other words, the terminal, IAB node, may autonomously decide the configuration of the RLC layer, PDCP layer. Optionally, with the development of communication technology in the future, in the case that the AL supports the fourth system (sidelink system), the terminal and the IAB node may not include the PDCP layer and the RLC layer. Furthermore, fig. 2a or fig. 2b or fig. 2c are only exemplary drawings, and in addition to illustrating protocol layers, other protocol layers may be included between the IAB node and the host node, such as: an Internet Protocol (IP) layer, a Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) layer, and the like, without limitation.

In an IAB networking, a communication system of an AL operation may be the same as or different from a communication system of a BL operation (i.e., a cross-system IAB scenario), where a first system is an LTE system, a second system is an NR system, a third system is a wifi system, and a fourth system is a sidelink system, as an example, fig. 3 shows the cross-system IAB scenario, in fig. 3, an L1 layer in a host node includes a PHY layer, and an L2 layer includes an RLC layer and an MAC layer. Similarly, the L1 layer in the IAB node includes a PHY layer, the L2 layer includes an RLC layer and a MAC layer, the L1 layer in the terminal includes a PHY layer, and the L2 layer includes an RLC layer and a MAC layer. The AL between the IAB node and the terminal may operate in multiple communication systems, for example: the terminal can be accessed to the IAB node through a wifi system, an LTE system, an NR system or a sidelink, and the IAB node can be accessed to the host node through the NR system. The PDCP layer of the terminal may support an LTE scheme or an NR scheme. In this embodiment of the present application, a protocol layer supporting an LTE system may be referred to as an LTE protocol layer, a protocol layer supporting an NR system may be referred to as an NR protocol layer, a protocol layer supporting an LTE system may be referred to as an NR protocol layer, and a protocol layer supporting an LTE system may be referred to as an NR protocol layer, for example: the PDCP layer supporting the LTE scheme may be referred to as an LTE PDCP layer. As shown in fig. 3, when the terminal accesses the IAB node through the LTE scheme, the LTE PDCP layer of the terminal corresponds to the LTE PDCP layer of the host node, and the data transmitted on the AL may be delivered to the LTE PDCP layer of the terminal. When the terminal accesses the IAB node through the NR mode, the NR PDCP layer of the terminal corresponds to the NR PDCP layer of the host node, and data transmitted on the AL can be delivered to the NR PDCP layer of the terminal. When the terminal accesses the IAB node through the wifi system/sidelink system, the data sent by the IAB node to the terminal through the AL may be delivered to the LTE PDCP layer or the NRPDCP layer of the terminal, and exemplarily which PDCP layer to deliver is determined by a communication system that processes the data.

The communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application is described below with reference to the IAB networking shown in fig. 1. Each communication device mentioned in the following method embodiments may have a protocol stack shown in fig. 2a, fig. 2b, or fig. 2c, which is not described again.

Fig. 4 is a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, and as shown in fig. 4, the method may include:

step 401: the first IAB node generates a first data packet;

for example, the first IAB node may be the IAB node connected to the terminal through the AL in fig. 1, or may be the IAB node connected to the host node through the BL on the path from the terminal to the host node, without limitation.

The first data packet may include, but is not limited to, a first indication and a first payload, where the first indication may be used to indicate a communication scheme for processing the first payload, and the communication scheme may include, but is not limited to, a first scheme or a second scheme, and the first scheme and the second scheme are different. In embodiments of the present application, the first standard may be an LTE standard, and the second standard may be an NR standard. The first indication may be a serial code stream corresponding to a "communication system for processing the first payload", or may be an identifier formed by combining numbers, letters, or binary numbers, where the identifier may be used to identify a certain communication system. Such as: taking the first indication as an identifier, the first indication may be a or B, where a identifies an LTE system and B identifies an NR system.

The first payload may be referred to as a first payload (payload), the first payload is a message that the terminal sends to the host node through the first IAB node, and the terminal may be any terminal connected with the first IAB node in fig. 1. For example, the first payload may be a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message transmitted by the terminal, the RRC message requesting establishment (or modification or restoration) of an RRC connection with the host node. The RRC message may be an RRC connection request (RRC connection request), an RRC reestablishment request (RRC request), an RRC recovery request (RRC resume request), or the like. In this way, the first indication may be sent to the host node in an RRC connection request procedure or an RRC reestablishment procedure or an RRC recovery procedure initiated by the terminal. It should be noted that the first payload is not limited to be an RRC message, and may also be another message initiated by the terminal, where the message is generated by the terminal in the first standard or the second standard.

In the embodiments of the present application, the communication system for processing the first payload may also be described as a communication system supported by a higher layer of the terminal or a communication system used by the higher layer of the terminal to generate the first payload and other messages (for example, the following third payload, user plane data, etc.). Under the condition that the communication system is a second system, such as an NR system, the high layer of the terminal comprises: PDCP layer, SDAP layer, RRC layer; when the communication system is the first system, such as the LTE system, the upper layer of the terminal includes a PDCP layer and an RRC layer.

Illustratively, under the condition that the first IAB is connected to the terminal through the AL, the first IAB may determine, through a preamble (preamble) sent by the terminal, or an indication of the terminal, or a transmission frequency point corresponding to a message sent by the terminal, which type of communication system the first payload is processed in, and further obtain the first indication. For exemplary purposes, reference may be made to the following.

In one design, when a first IAB node is connected to a terminal through an AL, the first IAB node may receive a data packet including a first payload sent by the terminal, and process the received data packet through a PHY layer, an MAC layer, and an RLC layer corresponding to a communication system in which the AL works to obtain the first payload. In the case that the first IAB is connected to the terminal through one or more hops (two or more hops), such as: in fig. 1, a first IAB node is an IAB node 1, when a terminal 1 reaches the IAB node 1 through an IAB node 4 and an IAB node 3, the terminal sends a data packet including a first payload to the IAB node connected to the AL (or called a first IAB node), the first IAB node processes the received data packet through a PHY layer, an MAC layer, and an RLC layer corresponding to a communication system in which the AL works to obtain the first payload, includes the first payload in the data packet, and sends the first payload to the first IAB node through the BL, the first IAB node receives the data packet including the first payload, and processes the received data packet through the PHY layer, the MAC layer, and the RLC layer corresponding to the communication system in which the BL works to obtain the first payload. Optionally, the first IAB node includes the first payload in a data packet, and sending the first payload to the first IAB node through the BL includes: under the condition that the first IAB node is directly connected with the first IAB through the BL, the first IAB node sends a data packet comprising the first payload to the first IAB node through the BL, under the condition that the first IAB node is connected with the first IAB through one or more other IABs, the first IAB node sends the data packet comprising the first payload to the next-hop IAB node through the BL, and the next-hop IAB node sends the data packet comprising the first payload to the first IAB node through the BL or other IABs.

In one possible design, a protocol stack in the first IAB node that interacts with the host node includes an adaptation layer, an RLC layer, a MAC layer, and a PHY layer. The first data packet comprises a physical PHY header, an MAC header, an RLC header and an adaptation layer header. The process of the first IAB node generating the first data packet is shown in fig. 5a, and includes: the first IAB carries out adaptation layer processing on the first payload and the first indication to obtain an adaptation layer PDU (protocol data unit) comprising an adaptation layer header and the first payload, wherein the adaptation layer header comprises the first indication; and the adaptive layer PDU is delivered to the RLC layer downwards for processing to obtain the RLC PDU comprising an RLC head and the adaptive layer PDU, the RLC PDU is delivered to the MAC layer downwards for processing to obtain the MAC PDU comprising the MAC head and the RLC PDU, and the MAC PDU is delivered to the PHY layer downwards for processing to obtain a first data packet comprising the PHY head and the MAC PDU. Optionally, in fig. 5a, the first indication may be included not only in the adaptation layer header, but also in the PHY header, or the MAC header, or the RLC header, without limitation.

It should be noted that, in the embodiments of the present application, in an LTE system, an NR system, or a sidelink system, the MAC header may also be described as a MAC subheader.

In yet another possible design, the protocol stack in the first IAB node that interacts with the host node includes a F1AP layer, a PDCP layer, an adaptation layer, an RLC layer, a MAC layer, and a PHY layer. The first packet includes a PHY header, a MAC header, an RLC header, an adaptation layer header, a PDCP header, and an F1AP header. The process of the first IAB node generating the first data packet is shown in fig. 5b, and includes: the first IAB carries out F1AP layer processing on the first payload and the first indication to obtain an F1APPDU (payload protocol data unit) comprising an F1AP header and the first payload, wherein the F1AP header comprises the first indication; the method comprises the steps of submitting F1AP PDU to a PDCP layer for processing to obtain a PDCP PDU comprising F1AP PDU and a PDCP header, submitting the PDCP PDU to an adaptation layer for processing to obtain an adaptation layer PDU comprising the adaptation layer header and the PDCP PDU, submitting the adaptation layer PDU to an RLC layer for processing to obtain an RLC PDU comprising the RLC header and the adaptation layer PDU, submitting the RLC PDU to an MAC layer for processing to obtain an MAC PDU comprising the MAC header and the RLC PDU, submitting the MAC PDU to a PHY layer for processing to obtain a first data packet comprising the PHY header and the MAC PDU. It is noted that, in fig. 5b, the first indication may be included not only in the F1AP header, but also in the PHY header or the MAC header or the RLC header or the adaptation layer header or the PDCP header, without limitation.

In yet another possible design, the first indication may not be included in the protocol header, but may be included in a separate field or other protocol header (e.g., IP header, SCTP header, or RRC header) in the first data packet. Such as: the first data packet may further include a PHY header, a MAC subheader, an RLC header, an adaptation layer header, and a second payload, and the first indication may be included in the second payload. The second payload may be a protocol header other than the protocol layer header described above, such as: IP header or SCTP header or RRC header, etc.

Optionally, the position of the first indication in the first data packet includes, but is not limited to, the above possibilities, and the first indication may be included in any other position besides the first payload. In addition, each protocol header or protocol header may include other information besides the first indication, which is not limited. Such as: the adaptation layer header may further include at least one or more of an identifier of the terminal, a bearer (bearer) identifier or a logical channel identifier of the terminal, a cell identifier (cell ID), an identifier of an IAB node accessed by the terminal, a logical channel identifier/bearer identifier of the wireless backhaul link, a tag indicating a quality of service (QoS) requirement of a packet, and the like.

Step 402: the first IAB node sends a first data packet to the host node over the wireless backhaul link.

Illustratively, the wireless backhaul link may be the BL described above, and the wireless backhaul link may operate in a second standard, such as: can work in NR mode. The host node may be a host node of the first IAB node, and the first IAB node may be directly connected to the host node through the wireless backhaul link, or may be connected to the host node through one or more other IAB nodes.

Taking the wireless backhaul link as the BL, the sending, by the first IAB node, the first data packet to the host node through the wireless backhaul link may include: under the condition that the first IAB is directly connected with the host node through the BL, the first IAB node directly sends a first data packet to the host node through the BL; and under the condition that the first IAB node is connected with the host node through one or more other IAB nodes, the first IAB node sends a first indication and a data packet of a first payload to a next-hop IAB node through the BL, and the next-hop IAB node sends the first data packet to the host node through the BL. It should be noted that when one or more IAB nodes exist between the first IAB node and the host node, the one or more IAB nodes exist between the first IAB node and the host node, and only forward (or transparently transfer) the first indication and the first payload, and do not change the first indication and the first payload, so as to ensure that the first indication and the first payload are completely transferred to the host node.

Step 403: and the host node receives the first data packet and processes the first payload according to the communication system indicated by the first indication.

Illustratively, the protocol layers shown in fig. 2a or fig. 2c are included in the home node: the method comprises the steps that under the conditions of an adaptation layer, an RLC layer, an MAC layer and the PHY layer, a first data packet can comprise a PHY head, an MAC head, an RLC head and an adaptation layer head, the adaptation layer head can comprise a first instruction, after the host node receives the first data packet, the received first data packet is delivered to the PHY layer of the host node, the PHY layer removes (removes) the PHY head to obtain an MAC PDU (or a PHY SDU), the MAC PDU is delivered upwards to the MAC layer to be processed, the MAC head is removed from the MAC layer to obtain the RLC PDU (or the PHY SDU), the RLC PDU is delivered to the RLC layer, the RLC head is removed from the RLC layer to obtain the adaptation layer PDU (or the PHY SDU), the adaptation layer PDU is delivered upwards to the adaptation layer, the adaptation layer head is analyzed by the adaptation layer to obtain the first instruction, the adaptation layer head is removed to obtain a first payload, and the first payload is delivered to a high layer corresponding to a communication system indicated by the first instruction to be processed.

Similarly, the protocol layers shown in FIG. 2b are included in the home node: in the case of the F1AP layer, the PDCP layer, the adaptation layer, the RLC layer, the MAC layer, and the PHY layer, the adaptation layer header may include a PHY header, an MAC header, an RLC header, an adaptation layer header, a PDCP header, and an F1AP header, the adaptation layer header may include a first instruction, the host node receives the first data packet, delivers the received first data packet to the PHY layer of the host node, removes the PHY header from the PHY layer to obtain an MAC PDU, delivers the MAC PDU upward to the MAC layer for processing, removes the MAC header from the MAC layer to obtain an RLC PDU, delivers the RLC PDU to the RLC layer, removes the RLC header from the RLC layer to obtain an adaptation layer PDU, delivers the adaptation layer PDU upward to the adaptation layer, parses the adaptation layer header from the adaptation layer to obtain a first instruction, removes the adaptation layer header from the adaptation layer to obtain a PDCP PDU, delivers the first instruction and the PDCP PDU upward to the PDCP layer, removes the PDCP header from the PDCP layer to obtain an F1AP PDU, and delivers the first instruction and the F1AP upward to an F1AP layer, and removing the F1AP header in the F1AP PDU at the F1AP layer to obtain a first payload, and submitting the first payload to a high layer corresponding to the communication system indicated by the first indication for processing according to the first indication.

Similarly, when the first data packet includes a second payload (such as an IP header, an SCTP header, or an RRC header), and the second payload includes the first indication, the received data packet may be processed layer by layer in the protocol layer to obtain the first payload and the second payload, the second payload is analyzed to obtain the first indication, and the first payload is delivered to the higher layer corresponding to the communication system indicated by the first indication to be processed according to the first indication.

For example, assuming that the first payload is an RRC message and the communication system indicated by the first indication is LTE, the RRC message may be submitted to an RRC layer supporting LTE system for processing.

The above description only takes the example that the adaptation layer header includes the first indication, and it is understood that, if the PHY header, the MAC header, or the RLC header includes the first indication, the host node may also obtain the first indication included in the first data packet by referring to the above manner, and process the first payload according to the communication system indicated by the first indication. Such as: the host node may parse the protocol header including the first indication to obtain the first indication, and submit the first indication to an upper layer (such as an adaptation layer shown in fig. 2a or 2c or an F1AP layer shown in fig. 2 b), so that the upper layer submits the first payload to a higher layer supporting the communication system indicated by the first indication for processing according to the first indication.

Based on the method shown in fig. 4, the IAB node may send a first indication to the host node to indicate a communication system for processing the first payload, and because the first payload is a message that the terminal forwards to the host node through the IAB node, the host node may learn, according to the first indication, which communication system is specifically adopted by the terminal to generate the first payload or other messages (such as user plane data, etc.), and subsequently, when receiving the user plane data or other messages of the terminal, process the received user plane data or other messages according to the communication system indicated by the first indication.

Optionally, in a case that the terminal is directly connected to the first IAB node through the AL, before step 401, the first IAB node further needs to determine a communication system supported by a higher layer of the terminal, and since the communication system supported by the higher layer of the terminal is the same as the communication system for processing the first payload, subsequently, when the first IAB node executes step 401, the first IAB node may obtain the first indication according to the determination result.

In one possible design, the first IAB node determines a communication system supported by a higher layer of the terminal when the terminal initiates a random access request. Such as: the terminal sends a random access request to the first IAB node, the first IAB node receives the random access request, and determines a communication system for processing the first payload according to a transmission frequency point corresponding to the random access request or a lead code included in the random access request.

For example, the determining, by the first IAB node, the communication standard supported by the higher layer of the terminal according to the transmission frequency point corresponding to the random access request may include: and the first IAB node checks the corresponding relation between the transmission frequency point and the communication system, and takes the communication system corresponding to the transmission frequency point corresponding to the random access request as the communication system supported by the high level of the terminal.

In the embodiment of the present application, the transmission frequency point corresponding to the random access request may refer to: and transmitting the frequency point corresponding to the AL of the random access request. The correspondence between the transmission frequency point and the communication system may be stored in the first IAB node in a list form, or the first IAB node may obtain the correspondence between the transmission frequency point and the communication system from other devices.

For example, the LTE system supports a low-frequency transmission frequency point of 1.8G or 3.5G, the NR system supports a high-frequency transmission frequency point of 28G, and if the transmission frequency point corresponding to the random access request is 1.8G, the communication system is determined to be the LTE system. And if the transmission frequency point corresponding to the random access request is 28G, determining that the communication mode is an NR mode.

For example, the determining, by the first IAB node, the communication system supported by the higher layer of the terminal according to the preamble may include: and checking the corresponding relation between the lead code and the communication system, and taking the communication system corresponding to the lead code included in the random access request as the communication system supported by the high level of the terminal.

In this embodiment of the present application, the correspondence between the preamble and the communication system may be stored in the first IAB node in a form of a list, or the first IAB node may acquire the correspondence between the preamble and the communication system from another device. For example, as shown in table one, preamble1 corresponds to an LTE scheme, preamble2 corresponds to an NR scheme, and if the preamble received by the first IAB node from the terminal is preamble1, the first IAB node may determine that the communication scheme supported by the higher layer of the terminal is the LTE scheme by looking up table one.

Watch 1

preamble	Communication system
		preamble1	LTE system
preamble2	NR system

In one possible design, the terminal sends a second instruction to the first IAB node, the first IAB node receives the second instruction sent by the terminal, and determines a communication system for processing the first payload according to the second instruction; the second indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload.

For example, the terminal may send the second indication to the first IAB node through the AL, and the second indication may be included in a second data packet sent by the terminal to the first IAB, and the second data packet may include an RRC message (e.g., an RRC connection request, an RRC reestablishment request, an RRC recovery request, etc.). Such as:

when the AL works in a first system, a second system or a fourth system (such as sidelink system), the terminal generates an RRC message, the RRC message and a second instruction are downwards delivered to a PDCP layer to be processed to obtain a PDCP PDU comprising a PDCP head and the RRC message, the PDCP PDU is downwards delivered to an RLC layer to be processed to obtain an RLC PDU comprising the RLC head and the PDCP PDU, the RLC PDU is downwards delivered to an MAC layer to be processed to obtain a MACPDU comprising the MAC head and the RLC PDU, the MAC PDU is downwards delivered to a PHY layer to be processed to obtain a second data packet comprising the PHY head, and the second data packet is sent to a first IAB node through the AL. Optionally, the second indication may be included in a PDCP header or an RLC header or a MAC header or a PHY header.

When the AL works in a third system (such as wifi system), the terminal generates an RRC message, the RRC message and a second instruction are delivered to the MAC layer to be processed, an MAC PDU comprising an MAC header and the RRC message is obtained, the MAC PDU is delivered to the PHY layer to be processed, a second data packet comprising the PHY header is obtained, and the second data packet is sent to the first IAB node through the AL. Alternatively, in this case, the second indication may be included in the MAC header or the PHY header.

In another possible design, the first IAB node designates the communication system for processing the first payload by itself, and notifies the designated communication system to the terminal.

Optionally, after the first IAB node confirms the communication system supported by the higher layer of the terminal, the first IAB node may correspondingly store the terminal and the communication system supported by the higher layer thereof, so as to sequence or reorder (hereinafter referred to as sequencing) the downlink data sent to the terminal under the condition that the higher layer of the terminal requires sequential delivery.

Optionally, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the way in which the first IAB node determines the communication system supported by the higher layer of the terminal, and in addition to the possible design, the following way may be included: in the case that a protocol stack interacting with a terminal in a first IAB node only supports a first standard (e.g., LTE standard), the first IAB node may default that a communication standard supported by a higher layer of the terminal is the first standard. Subsequently, the communication system for processing the message (e.g. the first payload) generated by the higher layer of the terminal must also be the first system, and the communication system supported by the higher layer of the terminal is the second system by default for the first IAB node under the condition that the protocol stack interacted with the terminal in the first IAB node only supports the second system (e.g. the NR system). Subsequently, the communication system for processing the message (such as the first payload) generated by the higher layer of the terminal must be the second system. In this way, the first IAB may report the communication standard supported by itself to the host node in advance, for example: before sending the first payload, reporting the communication standard supported by the first IAB to the host node in advance, sending the communication standard to the host node, if the communication standard supported by the first IAB is the first standard, determining that the communication standard for processing the first payload is the first standard by the host node, and if the communication standard supported by the first IAB is the second standard, determining that the communication standard for processing the first payload is the second standard by the host node.

The method shown in fig. 4 is described in detail below by taking as an example that a terminal is directly connected with a first IAB node through an AL, the first IAB node is directly connected with a host node through a BL, the AL works in any one of a plurality of different systems such as a first system, a second system, a third system, a fourth system, and the like, the BL works in the second system, the first system is an LTE system, the second system is an NR system, the third system is a wifi system, and the fourth system is a sidelink system:

fig. 6 is a flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, and as shown in fig. 6, the method includes:

step 601: the terminal sends a random access request to the first IAB node.

Illustratively, the random access request may include a preamble, and the transmitting, by the terminal, the random access request to the first IAB node may include: the terminal sends the preamble or a random access request including the preamble to the first IAB node through the AL.

Step 602: and the first IAB node receives the random access request and determines the communication system supported by the high level of the terminal.

For example, the first IAB node may determine the communication system supported by the higher layer of the terminal in the above manner, such as: the first IAB node may determine the communication system supported by the higher layer of the terminal according to the transmission frequency point corresponding to the random access request or the preamble included in the random access request, which is not described in detail.

Step 603: the terminal sends an RRC message to the first IAB node.

For example, the related description of the RRC message is as described above and is not repeated.

The terminal sending the RRC message to the first IAB node may include:

the RRC layer of the terminal generates RRC messages, the generated RRC messages are delivered to the RLC layer of the terminal downwards to be processed to obtain RLC PDUs (radio link control protocol data units) comprising RLC heads and the RRC messages, the RLC PDUs are delivered to the MAC layer of the terminal downwards to be processed to obtain MAC PDUs comprising the MAC heads and the RLC PDUs, the MAC PDUs are delivered to the PHY layer of the terminal downwards to be processed to obtain PHY PDUs comprising PHY heads and the MAC PDUs, and the PHY PDUs are sent to the first IAB through AL links. The RRC message includes, but is not limited to, an RRC connection request, an RRC reestablishment request, an RRC recovery request, and the like.

Optionally, the communication system supported by the RRC layer of the terminal is the same as the communication system for processing the first payload, and may include a first system or a second system, and the communication system supported by the RLC layer, the MAC layer, and the PHY layer of the terminal is the same as the communication system in which the AL works.

Step 604: the first IAB node receives the RRC message and generates a first data packet.

Illustratively, the communication may be performed via a protocol stack in the first IAB node that interacts with (or peers to) the terminal: the RLC layer, the MAC layer and the PHY layer receive RRC messages, such as: and the MAC layer in the first IAB node, which is equivalent to the MAC layer of the terminal, receives the PHY PDU sent by the terminal, removes the PHY header to obtain the MAC PDU, upwards delivers the MAC PDU to the MAC layer, removes the MAC header by the MAC layer to obtain the RLC PDU, upwards delivers the RLC PDU to the RLC layer, and removes the RLC header by the RLC layer to obtain the RRC message.

For example, the first data packet includes an RRC message and a first indication, the description of the first indication may refer to step 401, and the process of the first IAB node generating the first data packet may refer to step 401, which is not described again.

Step 605: the first IAB node sends a first data packet to the host node.

For example, step 605 may be described with reference to step 402, and will not be described again.

Step 606: and the host node receives the first data packet and processes the RRC message according to the communication system indicated by the first indication.

For example, step 606 may be described with reference to step 403, and will not be described again.

Based on the method shown in fig. 6, when the terminal initiates a random access procedure to the IAB node, a communication system supported by a higher layer of the terminal may be determined. Subsequently, in the process of RRC connection initiated by the terminal to the host node, the IAB node sends an indication to the host node to indicate the communication system for processing the RRC message, and because the RRC message is a message transferred to the host node by the terminal through the IAB, the host node can know which communication system the terminal specifically adopts to generate the RRC message or other messages (e.g., user plane data, etc.) according to the indication. And when the user plane data or other messages of the terminal are received, processing the received user plane data or other messages according to the communication mode indicated by the indication.

For example, assume that the terminal 1 in fig. 1 passes through the IAB node 4, the IAB node 3, and the IAB node 1, assume that the first IAB node is the IAB node 4, the upper layer (RRC layer, PDCP layer, etc.) of the terminal 1 supports the LTE system, the AL of the terminal 1 and the IAB node 4 supports the wifi system, the BL supports the NR system, and the protocol stacks supported by the terminal 1, each IAB node, and the host node are as shown in fig. 1. At this time, the terminal 1 may transmit, to the IAB node 4, indication information for indicating that the higher layer of the terminal supports the LTE scheme. Subsequently, if the terminal 1 requests to establish/reestablish/recover the RRC connection with the host node, the RRC layer of the terminal 1 generates an RRC connection request (including but not limited to the RRC connection request, the RRC reestablishment request, the RRC recovery request, and the like), processes the generated RRC connection request downward through the MAC layer and the PHY layer of the terminal, generates a data packet including the RRC, and sends the data packet to the IAB node 4 in a wifi system. Optionally, the PHY header or the MAC header of the data packet transmitted by the terminal 1 includes indication information, where the indication information is used to indicate that the higher layer of the terminal supports the LTE scheme. After receiving the data packet, the IAB node 4 delivers the data packet to the PHY layer 1 and the MAC layer 1 in the IAB node 4 for processing, obtains an RRC connection request, and learns that the high layer of the terminal supports the LTE system. Because the RRC connection request is sent by the terminal to the host node, the IAB node 4 processes the RRC connection request and a first indication indicating that a communication system for processing the RRC connection request is an LTE system through the adaptation layer, the RLC layer 2, the MAC layer 2, and the PHY layer 2 to obtain a data packet including the RRC connection request and the first indication, and sends the data packet to the IAB node 3 through the NR system. After receiving the data packet, the IAB node 3 delivers the data packet to the PHY layer, the MAC layer, the RLC layer, and the adaptation layer to process the data packet to obtain the RRC connection request and the first indication, and knows that the RRC connection request and the first indication are to be forwarded to the host node. Then, the IAB node 3 processes the RRC connection request and the first indication through the adaptation layer, the RLC layer 2, the MAC layer 2, and the PHY layer 2 to obtain a data packet including the RRC connection request and the first indication, and sends the data packet to the IAB node 1 in an NR scheme. Similarly, the IAB node 1 forwards the received data packet to the host node in the NR standard, and after receiving the data packet, the host node processes the RRC connection request in the manner described in step 403.

In the IAB networking shown in fig. 1, the BL works in the second system (e.g., NR system), and since the second system does not support in-order delivery of packets, packets originally delivered in-order are out-of-order after being transmitted in the second system. Such as: in general, the receiving end requires that the received or transmitted data (e.g., user plane data) be delivered in order. Assuming that the AL works in the LTE system, since the RLC layer supporting the LTE system has a sequencing function, data packets sent by the terminal are sequentially delivered to the IAB node. Subsequently, when the IAB node forwards the packet to the host node through the BL, the packet may be out of order during transmission. Since the BL operates in the NR scheme and the RLC layer supporting the NR scheme does not have a sorting function, a packet sent by the terminal may arrive at the host node out of order. Because the host node sends the data to the LTE PDCP layer for processing, the LTE PDCP layer does not start the sequencing function under the general condition, and finally the data cannot be sequentially submitted. In order to solve the problem, in this embodiment of the present application, the adaptation layer or the RLC layer of the first IAB node starts a reordering function, and the adaptation layer or the RLC layer of the host node or the PDCP layer supporting the first standard, which is equivalent to the terminal device, in the host node starts a reordering function. Exemplary, such as: fig. 7 to 8 correspond to the embodiments described above.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, and as shown in fig. 7, the method includes:

step 701: the host node sends a third data packet to the first IAB node over the wireless backhaul link, and the first IAB node receives the third data packet.

Illustratively, the wireless backhaul link may operate in the second system. Such as: can work in NR mode.

The third data packet may include SDUs or other information of the first protocol layer, such as: the first protocol layer may include an adaptation layer or a radio link control, RLC, layer. The SDU of the first protocol layer may include downlink data (or Data Radio Bearer (DRB) data) transmitted by the donor node to the terminal. In this embodiment, the identifier of the terminal is used to identify the terminal, and may be an Internet Protocol (IP) address or an MAC address of the terminal, a layer 2 identifier, a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), or the like. Optionally, the terminal identity may also be included in the adaptation layer or other protocol layers.

For example, the host node may generate DRB data to be sent to the terminal, submit the DRB data to the PDCP layer for processing to obtain a PDCP PDU including a PDCP header and the DRB data, submit the PDCP PDU to the adaptation layer for processing to obtain an adaptation layer PDU including the adaptation layer header and the PDCP PDU, submit the adaptation layer PDU to the RLC layer for processing to obtain an RLC PDU including the RLC header and the adaptation layer PDU, submit the RLC PDU to the MAC layer for processing to obtain an MAC PDU including the MAC header and the RLC PDU, submit the MAC PDU to the PHY layer for processing to obtain a third data packet, and send the third data packet to the first IAB node through the radio backhaul link.

In the embodiments of the present application, SDUs and PDUs are relative concepts, for a certain protocol layer at a transmitting end, an information unit from a higher protocol layer above the protocol layer may be referred to as a Service Data Unit (SDU), and after processing by the protocol layer (for example, adding a header of the protocol layer), an information unit sent to a next protocol layer may be referred to as a Protocol Data Unit (PDU). For example, the information units received by the PDCP layer from a higher protocol layer may be referred to as PDCP SDUs, and the information units processed by the PDCP layer and directed to a next layer may be referred to as PDCP PDUs. For a certain protocol layer at the receiving end, information units from a protocol layer lower than the protocol layer may be referred to as PDUs, and after processing by the protocol layer (e.g. removing the protocol layer header), information units destined for a previous protocol layer may be referred to as Service Data Units (SDUs). For example, the information unit sent by the RLC layer to the PDCP layer is a PDCP PDU, and after the PDCP layer processing, the information unit from which the PDCP header is removed is a PDCP SDU.

Step 702: the first protocol layer of the first IAB node orders the PDUs of the first protocol layer.

Illustratively, the first protocol layer is an RLC layer, the first IAB node receives a third data packet and then delivers the third data packet to PHY layers that are peer to each other between the first IAB node and the host node, the PHY layer receives the PHY PDU, removes a PHY header in the PHY PDU to obtain an MAC PDU, and delivers the MAC PDU to the MAC layer, the MAC layer receives the MAC PDU, removes the MAC header in the MAC PDU to obtain an RLC PDU, and delivers the RLC PDU to the RLC layer, the RLC layer receives the RLC PDU, then sequences the RLC PDU to obtain an adaptation layer PDU, delivers the sequenced adaptation layer PDU to the adaptation layer, and subsequently, the adaptation layer processes the received adaptation layer PDU to obtain DRB data that is sent to the terminal by the host node, and forwards the DRB data to the terminal; or, the first protocol layer is an adaptation layer, when the first IAB node processes the received third data to obtain an adaptation layer PDU, the adaptation layer PDU is delivered to the adaptation layer, and after the adaptation layer receives the adaptation layer PDU, the adaptation layer PDU is sequenced, an adaptation layer header in the adaptation layer PDU is removed to obtain DRB data, and the sequenced DRB data is forwarded to the terminal. Optionally, the adaptation layer may also select to sort the adaptation layer SDUs after removing the adaptation layer header of the adaptation layer PDU, which is not limited herein.

In implementing the method shown in fig. 7, in one possible design, the first protocol layer of the first IAB node has a function of ordering PDUs of the first protocol layer. Such as: the first IAB node, at factory setup, is configured with its first protocol layer having a function of ordering PDUs of the first protocol layer. Thus, when receiving downlink data sent by the host node to the terminal, the received data is ordered by default through the adaptation layer or the RLC layer.

In another possible design, the third data packet further includes an identifier of the terminal, and the first IAB starts a sorting function of the first protocol layer in the first IAB according to the identifier of the terminal. Such as: the first IAB node may query a correspondence between the terminal stored therein and the communication system supported by the high level of the terminal, and if it is determined that the high level requirement of the terminal indicated by the identifier of the terminal is submitted in order, start the ordering function of the first protocol layer in the first IAB node. For example, when the IAB node finds that the higher layer of the terminal is the LTE system, the sequencing function of the first protocol layer in the first IAB node is started.

In another possible design, the third data packet further includes a bearer identifier or a logical channel identifier of the terminal, and the first IAB obtains, from the host node in advance, a communication system used by the PDCP layer corresponding to the bearer identifier or the logical channel identifier of the terminal. For example, the DRB1 of the terminal is anchored at a PDCP layer supporting LTE (may be referred to as an LTE PDCP layer), and the DRB2 is anchored at a PDCP layer supporting NR (may be referred to as an NR PDCP layer). And when the IAB finds that the communication mode adopted by the PDCP layer corresponding to the bearing identifier or the logical channel identifier of the terminal is the LTE mode, starting the sequencing function of the first protocol layer corresponding to the bearing identifier or the logical channel identifier of the terminal in the first IAB. It should be noted that the RLC layer corresponds to the bearer identifier or the logical channel identifier one to one, and the adaptation layer may correspond to the terminal device one to one, but may also be understood as the adaptation layer corresponds to all the bearer identifiers or logical channel identifiers of the terminal.

Based on the method shown in fig. 7, in the process of downlink data sent by the host node to the terminal through the IAB node, the adaptation layer or the RLC layer of the IAB node may sequence the downlink data to ensure data delivery in sequence, thereby solving the problem of disorder caused by BL transmission.

Fig. 8 is a flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, and as shown in fig. 8, the method includes:

step 801: the first IAB node sends the fourth data packet to the host node via the wireless backhaul link, and the host node receives the fourth data packet.

Illustratively, the wireless backhaul link may operate in the second system. Such as: can work in NR mode. The fourth data packet may include a PDU of the first protocol layer, where the PDU of the first protocol layer includes a third payload, and the third payload may be uplink data (or DRB data) sent by the terminal to the host node, such as: the third payload may include PDCP SDUs. The first protocol layer may include an adaptation layer or an RLC layer.

For example, the terminal may generate uplink data to be sent to the host node, the uplink data is sent to the first host node through the AL, after the first host node receives the uplink data, the received uplink data is processed by a protocol stack that is equivalent to the terminal, and then is first submitted to the adaptation layer for processing, so as to obtain an adaptation layer PDU including an adaptation layer header and downlink data, the adaptation layer PDU is submitted to the RLC layer for processing, so as to obtain an RLC PDU including the RLC header and the adaptation layer PDU, the RLC PDU is submitted to the MAC layer for processing, so as to obtain an MAC PDU including the MAC header and the RLC PDU, the MAC PDU is submitted to the PHY layer for processing, so as to obtain a fourth data packet, the fourth data packet is sent to the host node through the wireless backhaul link, and the host node receives the fourth data packet.

Step 802: the first protocol layer of the donor node sorts the PDUs, or the PDCP layer of the donor node sorts the third payloads.

For example, the first protocol layer of the host node may be a protocol layer of the host node that is peer to the first protocol layer of the IAB node, which may be the IAB node connected to the host node through the BL, such as: may be the first IAB node described above. The first protocol layer may be an RLC layer or an adaptation layer.

Illustratively, the first protocol stack is an RLC layer, after receiving the fourth data packet, the host node delivers the fourth data packet to PHY layers that are peer to each other between the host node and the IAB node, after receiving the PHY PDU, the PHY layer removes a PHY header in the PHY PDU to obtain an MAC PDU, and delivers the MAC PDU to the MAC layer, after receiving the MAC PDU, the MAC layer removes the MAC header in the MAC PDU to obtain an RLC PDU, and delivers the RLC PDU to the RLC layer, after receiving the RLC PDU, the RLC layer sequences the RLC PDU to obtain an adaptation layer PDU, and delivers the ordered adaptation layer PDU to the adaptation layer and the PDCP layer.

Or, the first protocol stack is an adaptation layer, when the host node processes the received third data to obtain an adaptation layer PDU, the adaptation layer PDU is delivered to the adaptation layer, after the adaptation layer receives the adaptation layer PDU, an adaptation layer head in the adaptation layer PDU is removed to obtain an adaptation layer SDU, the adaptation layer SDU is sequenced, and the sequenced adaptation layer SDU is delivered to a PDCP layer of the terminal. Or after the adaptation layer receives the adaptation layer PDU, the adaptation layer PDU is sequenced, an adaptation layer head of the adaptation layer PDU is removed to obtain an adaptation layer SDU, and the adaptation layer SDU is delivered to a PDCP layer of the terminal.

Or the first protocol layer in the host node does not have the function of sequencing the PDUs of the first protocol layer, or the first protocol layer of the host node does not start the function of sequencing the PDUs of the first protocol layer. At this time, the host node receives the fourth data packet, and after processing the fourth data packet by the PHY layer, the MAC layer, the RLC layer, and the adaptation layer, delivers the processed third payload to a PDCP layer that is peer to the PDCP of the terminal device, and performs sorting by the PDCP layer, where the PDCP layer may support the first standard. Illustratively, the PDCP layer ordering the third payload may include: the PDCP layer sequences PDCP SDUs.

In implementing the method shown in fig. 8, in one possible design, the first protocol layer of the host node has a function of ordering PDUs of the first protocol layer. Such as: the host node is configured such that the first protocol layer thereof has a function of sorting the PDUs of the first protocol layer at the time of factory setting. In this way, when receiving a packet including uplink data forwarded by the first IAB node, the received packet is ordered by default through the adaptation layer or the RLC layer.

In another possible design, the host node receives a first instruction sent by the first IAB node, where the first instruction may be used to instruct a communication system for processing the first payload, and in this embodiment of the present application, the communication system for processing the first payload is the same as the communication system for processing the third payload; if the communication system is a first system and the first system requests to be submitted in sequence, the host node starts a sequencing function of a first protocol layer of the host node; alternatively, the host node starts the sorting function of the PDCP layer.

Optionally, when the communication system is the first system, and a higher layer (for example, an RRC layer or an application layer) requires sequential delivery, and the host node starts a sorting function of the PDCP layer, the method further includes: the host node sends a notification message to the terminal; the notification message may be used to notify the terminal to start a sorting function of a PDCP layer supporting the first format in the terminal. And the terminal receives the notification message sent by the host node and starts the sorting function of the PDCP layer supporting the first system in the terminal according to the notification message. In this way, the PDCP of the terminal can sequence the downlink data transmitted by the host node. For example, the notification message may be an RRC reconfiguration message of the first system, and a cell is added in the RRC reconfiguration message, where the cell is used to indicate whether the PDCP sorting function is turned on or not, or to indicate that the PDCP sorting function is turned on.

Illustratively, the home node may send the notification message to the terminal through the first IAB node.

Based on the method shown in fig. 8, in the process that the terminal sends uplink data to the host node through the IAB node, the adaptation layer, the RLC layer, or the PDCP layer of the host node may sequence the uplink data to ensure data in-sequence delivery, thereby solving the problem of disorder caused by BL transmission.

In the IAB networking shown in fig. 1, when a terminal is handed over or transferred from a first IAB node to a second IAB node, or the terminal has already connected to a host node through the first IAB node, subsequently, the host node decides to add dual connectivity or multiple connectivity to the terminal, for example: when the second IAB node is added, how the IAB node 2 knows what communication system the terminal accesses through, that is, what communication system the wireless access link between the second IAB node and the terminal works in, so that the second IAB node configures the configuration of the RLC layer, the MAC layer, and the PHY layer corresponding to the communication system in which the wireless access link works is called an urgent solution. To solve this problem, the embodiment of the present application provides a solution shown in fig. 9.

Fig. 9 is a flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, and as shown in fig. 9, the method includes:

step 901: the host node determines to access the terminal to the second IAB node.

The second IAB node may be a different IAB node than the first IAB node described above.

For example, the host node may determine to access the terminal to the second IAB node according to the measurement report reported by the terminal; or, according to the measurement report reported by the first IAB node, the terminal is determined to be accessed to the second IAB node. The first IAB node may be an IAB node to which the terminal accesses, such as: the node may be the IAB node in the scheme of fig. 4, and has indicated to the host node the communication system supported by the higher layer of the terminal.

Illustratively, the measurement report may include status information of the communication link between the terminal and the first IAB node and status information of the communication link between the terminal and the second IAB node. The measurement report includes, but is not limited to, Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) result obtained by the UE for the first and second IAB nodes. If the state information included in the measurement report is used for indicating that the quality of the communication link between the terminal and the first IAB node is poor, or the state information included in the measurement report is used for indicating that the quality of the communication link between the terminal and the first IAB node is poor and the quality of the communication link between the terminal and the second IAB node is good, the host node selects the second IAB node and determines to access the terminal to the second IAB node.

Step 902: the host node sends a third indication to the second IAB over the wireless backhaul link.

For example, the wireless backhaul link may operate in the second system, such as in the NR system.

Illustratively, the third indication may include or be used to indicate a communication system of the radio access link between the terminal and the second IAB. The communication system in which the wireless access link operates may include, but is not limited to, a first system, a second system, a third system, or a fourth system. The first system may be an LTE system, the second system may be an NR system, the third system may be a wifi system, and the fourth system may be a sidelink system.

Optionally, in order to configure the terminal with one or more of a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, an MAC layer, and a PHY layer configuration corresponding to a communication system in which the radio access link operates, the method further includes: the host node sends a third indication to the terminal. Such as: the host node may send the third indication to the first IAB node through the BL, and the third indication is forwarded by the first IAB node to the terminal.

Subsequently, after the upper layer of the terminal generates the message, it may process the message by using one or more of the PDCP layer, the RLC layer, the MAC layer, and the PHY layer corresponding to the communication system in which the radio access link operates, and send the processed message to the second IAB node through the radio access link.

It should be noted that, no matter what communication system the radio access link operates in, the second IAB node and the terminal both need to configure one or more of a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, an MAC layer and a PHY layer capable of supporting the communication system the radio access link operates in. Particularly, when the wireless Access link is of a wifi system, the second IAB node may only need to configure a corresponding relationship between an Access Category (AC) of the wifi and the bearer identifier, the transmission power, and the like.

Based on the method shown in fig. 9, when the terminal is switched or transferred from one IAB node to another new IAB node, or the dual connectivity adds an IAB node, the new IAB node can know what communication system the terminal accesses through according to the instruction of the host node, and configure the protocol layer corresponding to the communication system.

The above-mentioned scheme provided by the embodiment of the present application is introduced mainly from the perspective of interaction between network elements. It is to be understood that each network element, such as the first IAB node, the host node, the terminal, and the like, includes a hardware structure and/or a software module for performing each function in order to implement the above functions. Those of skill in the art will readily appreciate that the present application is capable of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software implementing the various illustrative algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein. 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 first IAB node, the host node, and the terminal may be divided into 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.

For example, when the first IAB node, the donor node, and the terminal are implemented in hardware, the IAB node (e.g., the first IAB node described above), the donor node, and the terminal in fig. 1 may all be referred to as a communication device or a communication device including the communication device for implementing the communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application, and the communication device may include the components shown in fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a schematic composition diagram of a communication device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in fig. 10, the communication device 100 includes at least one processor 1001, communication lines 1002, and at least one communication interface 1003; optionally, a memory 1004 may also be included. The processor 1001, the memory 1004, and the communication interface 1003 may be connected by a communication line 1002. In the embodiments of the present application, at least one of the two or more may be one, two, three or more, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited.

The processor 1001 may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a general purpose processor Network Processor (NP), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a Programmable Logic Device (PLD), or any combination thereof. The processor may also be any other means having a processing function such as a circuit, device or software module.

Communication link 1002 may include a pathway for communicating information between components included in the communication device.

Communication interface 1003 is used to communicate with other devices or communication networks (e.g., ethernet, Radio Access Network (RAN), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), etc.). Communication interface 1003 may be a module, circuitry, transceiver, or any device capable of enabling communication.

The memory 1004 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that may store static information and/or instructions, a Random Access Memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that may store information and/or instructions, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, optical disk storage (including compact disk, laser disk, optical disk, digital versatile disk, blu-ray disk, 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 thereto. In one possible design, the memory 1004 may exist separately from the processor 1001, i.e., the memory 1004 may be a memory external to the processor 1001, in which case the memory 1004 may be coupled to the processor 1001 via the communication line 10010 for storing instructions or program code. The processor 1001 can implement the communication method provided by the following embodiments of the present application when calling and executing the instructions or program codes stored in the memory 1004. In yet another possible design, the memory 1004 may be integrated with the processor 1001, that is, the memory 1004 may be an internal memory of the processor 1001, for example, the memory 1004 is a cache memory, and may be used for temporarily storing some data and/or instruction information, and the like.

As one implementation, the processor 1001 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 in fig. 10. As another implementation, the communications device 100 may include multiple processors, such as the processor 1001 and the processor 1007 in fig. 10. As yet another implementable manner, the communications apparatus 100 can further include an output device 1005 and an input device 1006. Illustratively, the input device 1006 may be a keyboard, mouse, microphone, joystick, or the like, and the output device 1005 may be a display screen, speaker (spaker), or the like.

The communication apparatus 100 may be a general-purpose device or a special-purpose device. For example, the communication apparatus 100 may be a desktop computer, a portable computer, a web server, a PDA, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a wireless terminal device, an embedded device, a chip system, or a device having a similar structure as in fig. 10. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the type of the communication apparatus 100. In the embodiment of the present application, the chip system may be composed of a chip, and may also include a chip and other discrete devices.

For example, when the first IAB node, the host node, and the terminal are implemented in the form of software functional modules, fig. 11 is a schematic composition diagram of a communication device 110 according to an embodiment of the present application, where the communication device 110 may be the first IAB node or a chip or a system on a chip in the first IAB node. As shown in fig. 11, the communication device 110 may include: a transceiver module 1101, a processing module 1102;

in one possible design, the processing module 1102 is configured to generate a first data packet; the first data packet comprises a first indication and a first payload, and the first indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload; the communication system comprises a first system or a second system. Such as: the processing module 1102 may be configured to enable the communication device 110 to perform steps 401, 604.

The transceiver module 1101 is configured to send a first data packet to the host node through the wireless backhaul link, where the wireless backhaul link operates in the second standard. Such as: the transceiver module 1101 may be configured to support the communication device 110 to perform the steps 402 and 605.

In yet another possible design, the transceiver module 1101 is configured to receive a third data packet including a PDU of the first protocol layer, which is sent by the host node through the wireless backhaul link; the wireless backhaul link works in a second standard; the first protocol layer comprises an adaptation layer or an RLC layer; such as: the transceiver module 1101 may be used to support the communication device 110 to perform step 701.

A processing module 1102, configured to sequence the PDUs in the first protocol layer. The processing module 1102 may be included in a first protocol layer of a first IAB node. Such as: processing module 1102 may be configured to enable communication apparatus 110 to perform step 702.

It should be noted that all relevant contents of each step related to the above method embodiment may be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and are not described herein again. The communication apparatus 110 according to the embodiment of the present application is configured to perform the function of the first IAB node in the communication methods shown in fig. 4, fig. 6, and fig. 7, so that the same effect as the communication method described above can be achieved.

As yet another implementable manner, the processing module 1102 may be a processor or a controller. Which may implement or perform the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure. A processor may also be a combination of computing functions, e.g., comprising one or more microprocessors, a DSP and a microprocessor, or the like. The transceiving module 1101 may be a transceiving circuit or a communication interface, etc. The storage module may be a memory. When the processing module 1102 is a processor, the transceiver module 1101 is a communication interface, and the storage module is a memory, the communication device 110 shown in fig. 11 may be the communication device shown in fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a schematic composition diagram of a communication apparatus 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, where the communication apparatus 120 may be a host node or a chip or a system on a chip in the host node. As shown in fig. 12, the communication device 120 may include: a transceiver module 1201 and a processing module 1202;

in one possible design, the transceiver module 1201 is configured to receive a first data packet sent by a first IAB node through a wireless backhaul link; the first data packet comprises a first indication and a first payload, and the first indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload; the communication system comprises a first system or a second system; the wireless backhaul link operates in a second standard. Such as: the transceiver module 1201 may be configured to support the communication device 120 to perform steps 403 and 606.

A processing module 1202, configured to process the first payload according to the communication system indicated by the first indication. Such as: the processing module 1202 may be configured to support the communication apparatus 120 to perform steps 403 and 606.

In yet another possible design, the transceiver module 1201 is configured to receive a fourth data packet including a protocol data unit PDU of the first protocol layer, which is sent by the first IAB node through the wireless backhaul link; the PDU of the first protocol layer comprises a third payload, and the wireless backhaul link works in a second standard; the first protocol layer comprises an adaptation layer or an RLC layer; such as: the transceiving module 1201 may be configured to enable the communication device 120 to perform step 801.

The processing module 1202 orders the PDUs of the first protocol layer, or orders the third payload. Such as: the processing module 1202 may be configured to enable the communication apparatus 120 to perform step 802.

In yet another possible design, the processing module 1202 is configured to determine to access the terminal to the second IAB node; such as: the processing module 1202 may be configured to enable the communication apparatus 120 to perform step 901.

A transceiver module 1201, configured to send a third indication to the second IAB through the wireless backhaul link; the wireless backhaul link works in the second standard, and the third indication includes or is used for indicating the communication standard of the wireless access link between the terminal and the second IAB. Such as: the transceiver module 1201 may be used to support the communication device 120 to perform step 902.

It should be noted that all relevant contents of each step related to the above method embodiment may be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and are not described herein again. The communication device 120 according to the embodiment of the present application is configured to execute the functions of the host node in the communication methods shown in fig. 4, 6, 8, and 9, and thus can achieve the same effects as those of the communication methods described above.

As yet another implementation, the processing module 1202 may be a processor or a controller. Which may implement or perform the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure. A processor may also be a combination of computing functions, e.g., comprising one or more microprocessors, a DSP and a microprocessor, or the like. The transceiving module 1201 may be a transceiving circuit or a communication interface, etc. The storage module may be a memory. When the processing module 1202 is a processor, the transceiver module 1201 is a communication interface, and the storage module is a memory, the communication device 120 shown in fig. 12 may be the communication device shown in fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a schematic composition diagram of a communication device 130 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, where the communication device 130 may be a terminal or a chip in the terminal or a system on a chip. As shown in fig. 13, the communication device 130 may include: a transceiver module 1301, a processing module 1302;

in one possible design, the processing module 1302 is configured to generate an RRC message. Such as: the processing module 1302 may be configured to enable the communication device 130 to perform step 603.

A transceiver module 1301, configured to send a second data packet to the first IAB node through the radio access link; the second data packet comprises RRC information, and the wireless access link works in a first standard, a second standard, a third standard or a fourth standard. Such as: the transceiver module 1301 may be used to support the communication apparatus 130 to perform step 603.

In yet another possible design, the transceiver module 1301 is configured to receive a notification message sent by a host node; the notification message is used for notifying the terminal to start a sequencing function of a PDCP layer supporting a first standard in the terminal.

The processing module 1302 starts a reordering function of the PDCP layer according to the notification message.

It should be noted that all relevant contents of each step related to the above method embodiment may be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and are not described herein again. The communication device 130 provided in the embodiment of the present application is used to execute the functions of the terminal in the communication methods shown in fig. 6 and 8, and therefore, the same effects as those of the communication methods described above can be achieved.

As yet another implementation, the processing module 1302 may be a processor or a controller. Which may implement or perform the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the disclosure. A processor may also be a combination of computing functions, e.g., comprising one or more microprocessors, a DSP and a microprocessor, or the like. The transceiving module 1301 may be a transceiving circuit or a communication interface, etc. The storage module may be a memory. When the processing module 1302 is a processor, the transceiver module 1301 is a communication interface, and the storage module is a memory, the communication device 130 shown in fig. 13 may be the communication device shown in fig. 10.

In the description of the present application, "/" indicates an OR meaning, for example, A/B may indicate A or B, unless otherwise indicated. "and/or" herein is merely an association describing an associated object, and means that there may be three relationships, e.g., a and/or B, which may mean: a exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. Also, in the description of the present application, "a 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.

Through the above description of the embodiments, it is clear to those skilled in the art that, for convenience and simplicity of description, the foregoing division of the functional modules is merely used as an example, and in practical applications, the above function distribution may be completed by different functional modules according to needs, that is, the internal structure of the device may be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the above described functions.

In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and method may be implemented in other ways. For example, the above-described device embodiments are merely illustrative, and for example, the division of the modules or units is only one logical functional division, and there may be other divisions when actually implemented, for example, a plurality of units or components may be combined or may be integrated into another device, or some features may be omitted, or not executed. In addition, the shown or discussed mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection may be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units, and may be in an electrical, mechanical or other form.

The units described as separate parts may or may not be physically separate, and parts displayed as units may be one physical unit or a plurality of physical units, that is, may be located in one place, or may be distributed in a plurality of different places. Some or all of the units can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of the embodiment.

In addition, functional modules in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated into one module, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units are integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be realized in a form of hardware, and can also be realized in a form of a software functional unit.

The integrated unit, if implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as a stand-alone product, may be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application may be essentially or partially contributed to by the prior art, or all or part of the technical solutions may be embodied in the form of a software product, where the software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to enable a device (which may be a single chip, a chip, or the like) or a processor (processor) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the embodiments of the present application. And the aforementioned storage medium includes: various media capable of storing program codes, such as a U disk, a removable hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

The above description is only an embodiment of the present application, but the scope of the present application is not limited thereto, and any changes or substitutions within the technical scope of the present disclosure should be covered by the scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of communication, the method comprising:

the first access backhaul integrated IAB node generates a first data packet; the first data packet comprises a first indication and a first payload, and the first indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload; the communication system comprises a first system or a second system;

and the first IAB node sends the first data packet to a host node through a wireless backhaul link, and the wireless backhaul link works in the second standard.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the first IAB receives a second instruction sent by the terminal; the second indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the first IAB node receives a random access request from a terminal;

and the first IAB node determines a communication system for processing the first payload according to a transmission frequency point corresponding to the random access request or a lead code contained in the random access request.

4. The method of claim 1,

the first payload is a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message received by the first IAB from a terminal.

5. A method of communication, the method comprising:

the host node receives a first data packet sent by the first access and backhaul integrated IAB node through a wireless backhaul link; the first data packet comprises a first indication and a first payload, and the first indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload; the communication system comprises a first system or a second system; the wireless backhaul link operates in the second standard;

and the host node processes the first payload according to the communication standard indicated by the first indication.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

the first data packet also comprises a physical PHY (physical layer) header, a Media Access Control (MAC) header, a data link layer (RLC) header and an adaptation layer header; the PHY header, the MAC header, the RLC header or the adaptation layer header include the first indication.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

the first data packet further comprises a PHY (physical layer) header, an MAC (media access control) header, an RLC (radio link control) header, an adaptation layer header, a PDCP (packet data convergence protocol) header and an F1application protocol AP (access point) header; the first indication is included in the PHY header or the MAC header or the RLC header or the adaptation layer header or the F1AP header or the PDCP header.

8. The method of claim 7,

the first data packet further comprises a PHY (physical layer) header, an MAC (media access control) subheader, an RLC (radio link control) header, an adaptation layer header and a second payload; the first indication is included in the second payload.

9. The method of claim 5,

10. A method of communication, the method comprising:

the terminal generates a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message;

the terminal sends a second data packet to the first access and return integrated IAB node through a wireless access link; the second data packet comprises the RRC message, and the wireless access link works in a first standard, a second standard, a third standard or a fourth standard;

the second data packet comprises a second instruction, wherein the second instruction is used for indicating a communication system for processing the RRC message; the communication standard includes the first standard or the second standard.

11. The method of claim 10,

the second data packet further comprises one or more of a physical PHY header, a Media Access Control (MAC) header, a data link layer (RLC) header and a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) header; the PHY header, the MAC header, the RLC header or the PDCP header include the second indication.

12. The method according to any one of claims 10-11, further comprising:

the terminal sends a random access request to the first IAB node through the wireless access link.

13. A communication apparatus, characterized in that the communication apparatus comprises:

and the transceiver module is used for sending the first data packet to a host node through a wireless backhaul link, and the wireless backhaul link works in the second standard.

14. The communications device of claim 13, further comprising:

the receiving and sending module is used for receiving a second instruction sent by the terminal; the second indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload.

15. The communication device of claim 13,

the receiving and sending module is also used for receiving a random access request from the terminal;

and the processing module is further configured to determine a communication system for processing the first payload according to a transmission frequency point corresponding to the random access request or a preamble included in the random access request.

16. The communication device of claim 13,

the first payload is a radio resource control RRC message received by the first IAB from the terminal.

17. A communication apparatus, characterized in that the communication apparatus comprises:

the receiving and sending module is used for receiving a first data packet sent by the first access and return integrated IAB node through the wireless return link; the first data packet comprises a first indication and a first payload, and the first indication is used for indicating a communication system for processing the first payload; the communication system comprises a first system or a second system; the wireless backhaul link operates in the second standard;

18. The communication device according to any one of claims 13 to 17,

19. The communication device according to any one of claims 13 to 17,

20. The communication device according to any one of claims 13 to 17,

the first data packet also comprises a PHY (physical layer) header, an MAC (media access control) subheader, an RLC (radio link control) header, an adaptation layer header and a second payload; the first indication is included in the second payload.

21. The communication device of claim 17,

22. A communication apparatus, characterized in that the communication apparatus comprises:

a processing module for generating a radio resource control, RRC, message;

the receiving and sending module is used for sending a second data packet to the first access and return integrated IAB node through the wireless access link; the second data packet comprises the RRC message, and the wireless access link works in a first standard, a second standard, a third standard or a fourth standard;

23. The communication device of claim 22,

the second data packet further comprises one or more of a physical PHY header, a Media Access Control (MAC) header, a data link layer (RLC) header and a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) header;

the second indication is in the PHY header or the MAC header or the RLC header or the PDCP header.

24. The communication device according to any of claims 22-23,

the transceiver module is further configured to send a random access request to the first IAB node through the radio access link.