CN114830803A

CN114830803A - Sidelink communication method and device

Info

Publication number: CN114830803A
Application number: CN201980103025.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 李翔宇; 王君; 徐海博; 戴明增
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-12-26
Filing date: 2019-12-26
Publication date: 2022-07-29
Also published as: WO2021128218A1

Abstract

A sidelink communication method and device are provided, wherein the method comprises the following steps: after the first terminal device determines that the first QoS flow is remapped to the second SLRB, the SDAP entity of the first terminal device may stop sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB, and buffer the data packet of the first QoS flow in the SDAP buffer within a first preset time period after the data packet of the first QoS flow is stopped being sent on the first SLRB, and send the buffered data packet of the first QoS flow on the second SLRB after the first preset time period. In this way, the data packets transmitted by the second SLRB can be made to arrive after the data packets transmitted by the first SLRB, thereby effectively ensuring that the SDAP layer on the receiving side can deliver the data packets of the first QoS flow to the upper layer in order.

Description

Sidelink communication method and device

Technical Field

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

Background

In a vehicle to advertising (V2X) communication system, one PC5 quality of service flow (PC5 quality of service flow, PC5 QoS flow) is associated with one PC5 quality of service rule (PC5 quality of service rule, PC5 QoS rule). The V2X layer of the terminal device may map, according to configured PC5 QoS rules, a data packet (V2X packet) of a sidelink delivered by the application layer to a corresponding PC5 QoS stream, and then send the data packet to a Service Data Adaptation (SDAP) layer.

At the SDAP layer, the SDAP entity may map the packets of the sidelink in the PC5 QoS stream to a corresponding Side Link Radio Bearer (SLRB) according to a mapping relationship between the PC5 QoS stream and the SLRB configured by the network device.

In the prior art, when the SLRB configuration acquired by the transmitting end changes, the mapping relationship between the PC5 QoS flow and the SLRB may also change. If the mapping relationship between a certain PC5 QoS flow and SLRB changes, the data of the QoS flow is immediately changed from being mapped to the source SLRB to being mapped to the target SLRB, and due to the retransmission or lack of timely transmission of some data packets in the source SLRB, some data packets sent by the source SLRB may reach the receiving end after the data packets sent by the target SLRB, which may cause the situation that the data packets of the QoS flow cannot be delivered in sequence when the SDAP layer of the receiving end delivers the data packets of the QoS flow to the upper layer.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a sidelink communication method and a device, which are used for ensuring that a data packet of a remapped QoS flow can be delivered in sequence at a receiving side.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a sidelink communication method, which is applicable to a first terminal device, and the method includes: the terminal equipment sends data of a first quality of service (QoS) flow on a first side-link radio bearer (SLRB); the first terminal equipment acquires configuration information of a second SLRB, wherein the configuration information of the second SLRB indicates that the first QoS flow is remapped to the second SLRB; a service data adaptation layer SDAP entity of a first terminal device stops sending a data packet of a first QoS flow on a first SLRB, and caches the data packet of the first QoS flow in an SDAP buffer area within a first preset time after the sending of the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB is stopped; and after the first preset time length, the first terminal equipment sends the data packet of the first QoS flow cached in the SDAP buffer area on the second SLRB.

In this embodiment of the application, after determining that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped to the second SLRB, the first terminal device may stop submitting data of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB for transmission, and cache a data packet of the first QoS flow in the SDAP buffer, and after a first preset time duration elapses, send the data packet of the first QoS flow cached in the SDAP buffer on the second SLRB. As such, by setting the first preset time period, the data packets of the first QoS flow that have been previously delivered to the first SLRB for transmission can be transmitted within the first preset time period after the delivery of the data of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB is stopped. After the first preset time length, the cached data packet of the first QoS flow is delivered to the second SLRB for transmission, so that the data packet transmitted by the second SLRB arrives after the data packet transmitted by the first SLRB, and the SDAP layer at the receiving side can effectively deliver the data packet of the first QoS flow to the upper layer in sequence.

With reference to the first aspect, in a possible design of the first aspect, the SDAP entity of the first terminal device may stop sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB immediately after the first terminal device acquires the configuration information of the second SLRB. Or, the SDAP entity of the first terminal device may also stop sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB after the first terminal device obtains the second preset duration after the configuration information of the second SLRB, so that service continuity may be ensured.

With reference to the first aspect, in a possible design of the first aspect, the first terminal device may establish the second SLRB according to configuration information of the second SLRB, so as to facilitate remapping the first QoS flow onto the second SLRB.

With reference to the first aspect, in a possible design of the first aspect, the first terminal device may release the first SLRB after a first preset time period after stopping sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a sidelink communication method, which is applicable to a second terminal device, and the method includes: the second terminal equipment receives the data of the first quality of service QoS flow on a first side-link radio bearer SLRB; the second terminal device receiving configuration information of a second SLRB from the first terminal device, the configuration information of the second SLRB indicating that the first QoS stream is remapped to the second SLRB; the second terminal device caches the data packet received from the second SLRB in a SDAP buffer area of a service data adaptation layer within a third preset time length after receiving the configuration information of the second SLRB; and after the third preset time length, the SDAP entity of the second terminal equipment delivers the data packet received from the second SLRB and buffered in the SDAP buffer area to an upper layer for processing.

In this embodiment of the present application, the SDAP entity of the second terminal device may buffer the data packet received from the second SLRB in the SDAP buffer within a third preset duration after determining that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped. And after the third preset time length is finished, delivering the cached data packet received from the second SLRB to an upper layer for processing. In this way, within a third preset duration after the second terminal device determines that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped, the SDAP layer of the second terminal device may further continue to receive the data packet of the first QoS flow from the first SLRB and deliver the data packet to the upper layer for processing. After the third preset duration, the SDAP layer of the second terminal device delivers the data packet received on the second SLRB to the upper layer, so that the SDAP layer delivers the data packet of the first QoS flow received from the first SLRB to the upper layer for processing, and then delivers the data packet of the first QoS flow received from the second SLRB, thereby ensuring that the SDAP layer of the second terminal device can deliver the data packets of the first QoS flow in sequence.

With reference to the second aspect, in a possible design of the second aspect, the second terminal device may establish the second SLRB according to the second SLRB configuration information, so as to facilitate remapping the first QoS flow onto the second SLRB.

With reference to the second aspect, in a possible design of the second aspect, after a third preset time period, the second terminal device may release the first SLRB.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a sidelink communication method, which is applicable to a first terminal device, and the method includes: the first terminal equipment sends data of a first quality of service (QoS) flow on a first side-link radio bearer (SLRB); the first terminal equipment acquires configuration information of a second SLRB, wherein the configuration information of the second SLRB indicates that the first QoS flow is remapped to the second SLRB; and the first terminal equipment releases the first SLRB after acquiring the fourth preset time after the configuration information of the second SLRB is acquired.

In this embodiment of the present application, after determining that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped to the second SLRB, the first SLRB may not be released immediately, and after a fourth preset time period elapses, the first SLRB is released. Therefore, under the condition that the first QoS flow is remapped, the data packets submitted to the first SLRB for transmission before remapping can be sent to the second terminal equipment, and service continuity is guaranteed.

With reference to the third aspect, in a possible design of the third aspect, the first terminal device may establish the second SLRB according to configuration information of the second SLRB, so as to facilitate remapping the first QoS flow onto the second SLRB.

With reference to the third aspect, in a possible design of the third aspect, the service data adaptation layer SDAP entity of the first terminal device may send the data packet of the first QoS flow on the second SLRB after a fourth preset duration.

In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, where the apparatus has a function of implementing a terminal device in any one of the possible designs of the first aspect or the first aspect, or has a function of implementing a terminal device in any one of the possible designs of the second aspect or the second aspect, or has a function of implementing a terminal device in any one of the possible designs of the third aspect or the third aspect. The device may be a terminal device, such as a handheld terminal device, a vehicle-mounted terminal device, a vehicle user equipment, a road side unit, or the like, or may be a device included in a terminal device, such as a chip, or may be a device including a terminal device. The functions of the terminal device may be implemented by hardware, or may be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software, where the hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions.

In one possible design, the apparatus structurally includes a processing module and a transceiver module, where the processing module is configured to support the apparatus to perform a function corresponding to the terminal device in any one of the above first aspect or the first aspect, or perform a function corresponding to the terminal device in any one of the above second aspect or the second aspect, or perform a function corresponding to the terminal device in any one of the above third aspect or the third aspect. The transceiver module is used for supporting communication between the apparatus and other communication devices, for example, when the apparatus is a terminal device, the transceiver module can transmit sidelink information to another terminal device. The communication device may also include a memory module, coupled to the processing module, that retains the necessary program instructions and data for the device. As an example, the processing module may be a processor, the communication module may be a transceiver, the storage module may be a memory, and the memory may be integrated with the processor or disposed separately from the processor, which is not limited in this application.

In another possible design, the apparatus may be configured to include a processor and may also include a memory. A processor is coupled to the memory and is operable to execute computer program instructions stored in the memory to cause the apparatus to perform the method of the first aspect described above or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect described above or to perform the method of the second aspect described above or any one of the designs of the second aspect described above or to perform the method of the third aspect described above or any one of the designs of the third aspect described above. Optionally, the apparatus further comprises a communication interface, the processor being coupled to the communication interface. When the apparatus is a terminal device, the communication interface may be a transceiver or an input/output interface; when the apparatus is a chip included in a terminal device, the communication interface may be an input/output interface of the chip. Alternatively, the transceiver may be a transmit-receive circuit and the input/output interface may be an input/output circuit.

In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a chip system, including: a processor coupled to a memory for storing a program or instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system-on-chip to implement the method in the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect, or the second aspect, or the third aspect, or any one of the possible designs of the third aspect.

Optionally, the system-on-chip further comprises an interface circuit for interacting code instructions to the processor.

Optionally, the number of processors in the chip system may be one or more, and the processors may be implemented by hardware or software. When implemented in hardware, the processor may be a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, or the like. When implemented in software, the processor may be a general-purpose processor implemented by reading software code stored in a memory.

Optionally, the memory in the system-on-chip may also be one or more. The memory may be integrated with the processor or may be separate from the processor, which is not limited in this application. For example, the memory may be a non-transitory processor, such as a read only memory ROM, which may be integrated with the processor on the same chip or separately disposed on different chips, and the type of the memory and the arrangement of the memory and the processor are not particularly limited in this application.

In a sixth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program or instructions which, when executed, cause a computer to perform a method in any one of the possible designs of the first aspect or the first aspect described above, or to perform a method in any one of the possible designs of the second aspect or the second aspect described above, or to perform a method in any one of the possible designs of the third aspect or the third aspect described above.

In a seventh aspect, this application provides a computer program product, which when read and executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the method in the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect, or perform the method in the second aspect or any one of the possible designs of the second aspect, or perform the method in any one of the possible designs of the third aspect.

In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication system, which includes a first terminal device and a second terminal device.

Drawings

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

fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a PC5 QoS model provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a QoS flow remapping according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of one possible implementation manner of stopping delivery of a packet of a first QoS flow to a first SLRB transmission according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of another possible implementation manner of stopping delivery of a packet of a first QoS flow to a first SLRB transmission according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating another communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a third preset duration in the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating another communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a fourth preset duration in the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

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

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the embodiments of the present application will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The technical scheme of the embodiment of the application can be applied to various communication systems, for example: global system for mobile communications (GSM) systems, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) systems, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) systems, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD), universal mobile telecommunications system (universal mobile telecommunications system, UMTS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) communication systems, fifth generation (5G) or new NR systems, etc., or other similar communication systems applied to future communications.

The technical scheme of the embodiment of the application can be applied to unmanned driving (unmanned driving), Assisted Driving (ADAS), Intelligent driving (Intelligent driving), Internet driving (connected driving), Intelligent Internet driving (Intelligent network driving), automobile sharing (car sharing), Intelligent automobile (smart/interactive car), digital automobile (digital car), unmanned automobile (unmanned car/dynamic car/pilot car/autonomous mobile), Internet networking (Internet networking, IoV), automatic automobile (self-driving car, autonomous car), road coordination (cooperative information architecture, CVIS), Intelligent transportation (Intelligent transportation, system communication, and the like).

In addition, the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application may be applied to a cellular link, and may also be applied to a link between devices, for example, a device to device (D2D) link. The D2D link or the V2X link may also be referred to as a side link, a secondary link, a sidelink, or the like. In the embodiments of the present application, the above terms all refer to links established between devices of the same type, and have the same meaning. The devices of the same type may be links from the terminal device to the terminal device, links from the base station to the base station, links from the relay node to the relay node, and the like, which are not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Please refer to fig. 1, which is a schematic diagram of a network architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication system includes a terminal device 110, a terminal device 120, and a network device 130. The network device may communicate with at least one terminal device (e.g., terminal device 110) via an Uplink (UL) and a Downlink (DL), and a communication interface between the network device and the terminal device is a Uu interface. A terminal device may communicate with another terminal device through a Sidelink (SL), where a communication interface between the terminal device and the terminal device is a PC5 interface, and the sidelink may also be understood as a direct communication link between the terminal devices.

The sidelink-based communication may use at least one of the following channels: a physical sidelink shared channel (psch) for carrying sidelink data information; a Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH) for carrying Sidelink Control Information (SCI); a Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) for carrying the sidelink HARQ feedback information.

The network device in fig. 1 may be an access network device, such as a base station. Wherein the access network equipment corresponds to different equipment on different systems, e.g. on the fourth generation mobile communication technology (the 4) ^th generation, 4G) system may correspond to eNB, and in 5G system may correspond to eNBAccess network equipment in 5G, e.g., a gNB. The technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application may also be applied to a future mobile communication system, such as a 6G or 7G communication system, and therefore, the network device in fig. 1 may also correspond to an access network device in the future mobile communication system.

It should be understood that a plurality of network devices may also exist in the communication system, each network device may provide services for a plurality of terminal devices, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit the number of network devices and terminal devices in the communication system. The network device in fig. 1, and each of a part of the plurality of terminal devices or all of the plurality of terminal devices may implement the technical solution provided by the embodiment of the present application. In addition, the terminal device in fig. 1 is described by taking an in-vehicle terminal device or a vehicle as an example, and it should be understood that the terminal device in the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto. The terminal device may also be a mobile phone, a vehicle-mounted device, a vehicle-mounted module, a roadside unit, a pedestrian handheld device, and a mass Machine Type Communication (mtc) terminal device such as an intelligent water meter, an electric meter, and the like in the internet of things.

Hereinafter, some terms in the embodiments of the present application are explained to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

1) A terminal device, which may also be referred to as a User Equipment (UE), a Mobile Station (MS), a Mobile Terminal (MT), etc., is a device that provides voice and/or data connectivity to a user. The terminal device may communicate with a core network via a Radio Access Network (RAN), and exchange voice and/or data with the RAN. For example, the terminal device may be a handheld device, an in-vehicle device, a vehicle user device, or the like, having a wireless connection function. Currently, some examples of terminal devices are: a mobile phone (mobile phone), a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a palm computer, a Mobile Internet Device (MID), a wearable device, a Virtual Reality (VR) device, an Augmented Reality (AR) device, a wireless terminal in industrial control (industrial control), a wireless terminal in unmanned driving (self driving), a wireless terminal in remote surgery (remote medical supply), a wireless terminal in smart grid (smart grid), a wireless terminal in transportation security (transportation security), a wireless terminal in city (smart city), a wireless terminal in home (smart home), and the like.

By way of example and not limitation, in the embodiments of the present application, the terminal device may also be a wearable device. Wearable equipment can also be called wearable smart device or intelligent wearable equipment etc. is the general term of using wearable technique to carry out intelligent design, develop the equipment that can dress to daily wearing, like glasses, gloves, wrist-watch, dress and shoes etc.. A wearable device is a portable device that is worn directly on the body or integrated into the clothing or accessories of the user. The wearable device is not only a hardware device, but also realizes powerful functions through software support, data interaction and cloud interaction. The generalized wearable smart device includes full functionality, large size, and can implement full or partial functionality without relying on a smart phone, such as: smart watches or smart glasses and the like, and only focus on a certain type of application functions, and need to be used in cooperation with other devices such as smart phones, such as various smart bracelets, smart helmets, smart jewelry and the like for monitoring physical signs.

The terminal device in the embodiment of the present application may also be an on-board module, an on-board component, an on-board chip, or an on-board unit that is built in the vehicle as one or more components or units, and the vehicle may implement the method of the present application through the built-in on-board module, the on-board component, the on-board chip, or the on-board unit.

2) The network device is a device in the network for accessing the terminal device to the wireless network. The network device may be a node in a radio access network, which may also be referred to as a base station, and may also be referred to as a Radio Access Network (RAN) node (or device). The network device may be configured to interconvert received air frames and Internet Protocol (IP) packets as a router between the terminal device and the rest of the access network, which may include an IP network. The network device may also coordinate attribute management for the air interface. For example, the network device may include an evolved Node B (NodeB or eNB or e-NodeB) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system or an evolved LTE system (LTE-Advanced, LTE-a), such as a conventional macro base station eNB and a micro base station eNB in a heterogeneous network scenario, or may also include a next generation Node B (gNB) in a fifth generation mobile communication technology (5th generation, 5G) New Radio (NR) system, or may also include a Transmission Reception Point (TRP), a home base station (e.g., home evolved Node B, home Node B), a Base Band Unit (BBU), a BBU point, or a WiFi Access Point (AP), and the like, or may also include a centralized access point (cloud access point) in a cloud access network (cloud access network, CU) and Distributed Unit (DU), embodiments of the present application are not limited. As another example, one type of network device in V2X technology is a Road Side Unit (RSU), which may be a fixed infrastructure entity supporting V2X applications and may exchange messages with other entities supporting V2X applications.

3) PC5 QoS flow (PC5 QoS flow), one PC5 QoS flow is associated with one PC5 QoS flow identifier (PC5 QoS flow indicator, PFI) for uniquely identifying one QoS flow under the destination address of one tier two (destination L2 ID). Meanwhile, a PFI may also be associated with a set of QoS profiles, which may include parameters such as PC5 interface 5G quality of service identifier (PQI) PC 55G quality of service identifier, Guaranteed Flow Bit Rate (GFBR), Maximum Flow Bit Rate (MFBR), and so on.

Referring to the QoS model shown in fig. 2, the V2X layer may receive V2X packets from the application layer, map the V2X packets into corresponding PC5 QoS flows according to the set PC5 QoS rules, and then send to the SDAP layer.

4) And the service data adaptation SDAP is used for mapping the data packets in the PC5 QoS flow to the corresponding SLRB according to the mapping relation between the PC5 QoS flow and the SLRB.

5) The sidelink radio bearer SLRB is a bearer for transmitting and receiving sidelink data in layer two, and includes a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) entity, a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity, a Logical Channel (LCH), and the like. One SLRB is uniquely associated with one group (source L2 ID, destination L2 ID, cast type), where the cast type can be unicast, multicast or broadcast.

6) The terms "system" and "network" in the embodiments of the present application may be used interchangeably. The "plurality" means two or more, and in view of this, the "plurality" may also be understood as "at least two" in the embodiments of the present application. "at least one" is to be understood as meaning one or more, for example one, two or more. For example, the inclusion of at least one means that one, two or more are included, and does not limit which is included. For example, at least one of A, B and C is included, then inclusion can be A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. Similarly, the understanding of the description of "at least one" and the like is similar. "and/or" describes the association relationship of the associated objects, meaning 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. In addition, the character "/" generally indicates that the preceding and succeeding related objects are in an "or" relationship, unless otherwise specified.

Unless stated to the contrary, the embodiments of the present application refer to the ordinal numbers "first", "second", etc., for distinguishing between a plurality of objects, and do not define the order, sequence, priority, or importance of the plurality of objects, and the descriptions of "first", "second", etc., do not define that the objects are necessarily different.

Example one

Referring to fig. 3, a schematic flow chart of a sidelink communication method according to an embodiment of the present application is shown, where the method specifically includes the following steps:

step S301, the first terminal device transmits data of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB.

The first terminal device is a terminal device on a transmitting side, the second terminal device is a terminal device on a receiving side, and the first terminal device transmits data to the second terminal device through the sidelink communication link. The communication between the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the sidelink communication link may be unicast, multicast or broadcast, and the application is not limited thereto.

In the embodiment of the present application, the change of the mapping relationship between the PC5 QoS flow and the SLRB may be referred to as the occurrence of remapping of the PC5 QoS flow (PC5 QoS flow remapping). The first QoS flow is specifically the PC5 QoS flow where the remapping occurs.

As shown in fig. 4, before remapping occurs, data for a first QoS flow is mapped to a first SLRB transmission, which may also be referred to as a source SLRB. Optionally, there may also be one or more other QoS flows mapped to the first SLRB transmission along with the first QoS flow, such as the second QoS flow shown in fig. 4. After the remapping occurs, the data for the first QoS flow is changed from the original mapping to the first SLRB transmission to the mapping to the second SLRB transmission, which may also be referred to as the target SLRB. Optionally, there may also be one or more other QoS flows mapped for transmission on the second SLRB along with the first QoS flow, such as the third QoS flow shown in fig. 4.

It can be understood that the step S301 of the first terminal device sending the data of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB means that the first terminal device maps the data of the first QoS flow onto the first SLRB for transmission before the first QoS flow is remapped.

Step S302, the first terminal equipment acquires the configuration information of a second SLRB, and the configuration information of the second SLRB indicates that the first QoS flow is remapped to the second SLRB.

The configuration information of the second SLRB may include information indicating the QoS flow corresponding to the second SLRB, such as an identifier of the first QoS flow, which may be a QFI of the QoS flow, or other identification information used for uniquely identifying one QoS flow in the terminal device. In this way, the first terminal device may determine that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped to the second SLRB according to the acquired configuration information of the second SLRB.

Optionally, the configuration information of the second SLRB may further include configuration parameters of the second SLRB, for example, configuration parameters of a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an LCH, and the like in the second SLRB. In this way, the first terminal device can establish the second SLRB according to the reception of the configuration information of the second SLRB. In one possible design, the first terminal device may establish the second SLRB before transmitting the buffered packets of the first QoS flow on the second SLRB as described in step S304. For example, the second SLRB may be established immediately after the configuration information of the second SLRB is acquired, or may be established while the delivery of the packet of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB is stopped.

In this embodiment, the first terminal device may acquire the latest SLRB configuration when a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state or coverage (coverage) condition of the first terminal device changes, or when the RRC state or coverage condition of the first terminal device remains unchanged but the SLRB configuration changes. The SLRB configuration includes configuration information of each SLRB currently available to the first terminal device, including configuration information of the second SLRB. The latest SLRB configuration may reflect the mapping relationship between each PC5 QoS flow of the current first terminal device and the SLRB. The first terminal device may determine that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped to the second SLRB according to the obtained SLRB configuration.

It can be appreciated that when the RRC state or coverage condition of the first terminal device changes, the terminal device needs to acquire the latest SLRB configuration, because the SLRB configuration of the terminal device is generally different in different RRC state or coverage conditions. If the SLRB configuration of the first terminal device changes, the mapping relationship between each PC5 QoS flow of the first terminal device and the SLRB may also change. By acquiring the latest SLRB configuration, the first terminal device can determine the mapping relationship between each PC5 QoS flow of the first terminal device after remapping and the SLRB.

Here, the RRC states may include an RRC CONNECTED state (RRC _ CONNECTED), an RRC IDLE state (RRC _ IDLE), and an RRC INACTIVE state (RRC _ INACTIVE), and the coverage condition refers to whether the terminal device is within a coverage area (in-coverage) of the network device or out-of-coverage (OOC) of the network device, and only the terminal device within the coverage area of the network device has various RRC states.

Further, the first terminal device may acquire the latest SLRB configuration according to the current RRC state or coverage. If the first terminal equipment is in the RRC connection state currently, the first terminal equipment can receive the latest SLRB configuration from the network equipment through the RRC dedicated signaling; if the first terminal device is currently in an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state, the first terminal device may receive a latest SLRB configuration from a System Information Block (SIB) broadcasted by the network device; if the first terminal device is in the OOC, the first terminal device may obtain a pre-configured SLRB configuration.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the change of the RRC state or the coverage condition of the first terminal device may include the following situations: the first terminal device is switched to an RRC idle state from OOC, the first terminal device is switched to an RRC connected state from OOC or RRC idle state or RRC inactive state, the first terminal device is switched to OOC or RRC idle state or RRC inactive state from RRC connected state, and the first terminal device is switched to OOC from RRC idle state or RRC inactive state.

The RRC state or coverage condition of the first terminal device remains unchanged, but the change in the SLRB configuration may include the following situations: the first terminal equipment is in an RRC idle state or an RRC non-activated state, and the SLRB configuration in the SIB of the network equipment or the cell accessed by the first terminal equipment is changed; the first terminal equipment is in an RRC idle state or an RRC non-activated state, and because the first terminal equipment performs cell reselection, the SLRB configuration of SIB (system information block) of two cells accessed by the first terminal equipment before and after the cell reselection is different; the first terminal equipment is in an RRC connection state, and network equipment or a cell accessed by the first terminal equipment is changed through SLRB configuration indicated by RRC dedicated signaling; the first terminal device is in an RRC connected state, and because the first terminal device performs cell switching, two cells accessed by the first terminal device before and after the cell switching have different SLRB configurations indicated by an RRC dedicated signaling.

Step S303, the SDAP entity of the first terminal device stops sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB, and buffers the data packet of the first QoS flow in the SDAP buffer within a first preset time period after the data packet of the first QoS flow is stopped being delivered to the first SLRB.

Step S304, after the first preset duration, the first terminal equipment sends the data packet of the first QoS flow cached in the SDAP buffer area on the second SLRB.

In this embodiment, after determining that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped to the second SLRB, the first terminal device may stop submitting data of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB for transmission, and start buffering a data packet of the first QoS flow in the SDAP buffer. By setting the first preset duration, the first terminal device may deliver the data packet of the first QoS flow buffered in the SDAP buffer to the second SLRB for transmission after stopping delivering the data packet of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB for the first preset duration after transmission.

In this manner, packets of the first QoS flow that have been previously delivered to the first SLRB for transmission may be allowed to be transmitted for a period of time within a first predetermined time period after the delivery of data of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB is stopped. After the first preset time length, the cached data packet of the first QoS flow is delivered to the second SLRB for transmission, so that the data packet transmitted by the second SLRB arrives after the data packet transmitted by the first SLRB, and the SDAP layer in the second terminal equipment at the receiving side can be ensured to deliver the data packet of the first QoS flow to the upper layer in sequence.

In one possible design, the first preset duration may be set by a timer, for example, after the first terminal device determines that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped to the second SLRB, the data delivery of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB transmission may be stopped, and a timer may be started, where a duration of the timer is the first preset duration. Therefore, the first terminal device may buffer the data packet of the first QoS flow during the operation of the timer, and deliver the buffered data packet of the first QoS flow to the second SLRB for transmission after the pending timer is overtime (i.e., the timer stops operating).

It should be noted that the first terminal device may stop delivering the remapped data packet of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB for transmission, where the first terminal device immediately stops delivering the data packet of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB after determining that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped, or may also stop delivering the data packet of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB after the first terminal device determines that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped, and then stops delivering the data packet of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB again for a second preset time length.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 5, in a first possible implementation manner, at time T1, the first terminal device determines that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped according to the latest SLRB configuration. At this point, the SDAP entity in the first terminal device may immediately stop delivering packets of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB transmission. The first terminal device buffers the data packets of the first QoS flow in the SDAP buffer for a first preset duration after time T1. At the end of the first preset time period, that is, at time T2, the first terminal device further delivers the data packets of the first QoS flow to the second SLRB for transmission, thereby effectively ensuring the in-sequence delivery of the data packets of the first QoS flow.

As shown in fig. 6, in a second possible implementation manner, at time T1, the first terminal device determines that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped according to the latest SLRB configuration. At time T3, which is after time T1, the SDAP entity in the first terminal device stops delivering packets of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB transmission, and the time interval between time T1 and time T3 is a second preset duration. The first terminal device buffers the packets of the first QoS flow in the SDAP buffer for a first preset duration after time T3. At the end of the first preset time period, that is, at time T2, the first terminal device further delivers the data packet of the first QoS flow to the second SLRB for transmission.

Similarly, the second preset time period may be set by a timer. For example, the first terminal device may start a timer having a duration of a second predetermined duration while determining that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped to the second SLRB. In this way, the first terminal device may stop delivering the data of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB transmission after the timer expires (i.e., the timer stops running).

This second possible implementation may be applicable in a scenario where the RRC state or coverage condition of the first terminal device changes. In these scenarios, the configuration of the SLRB may have changed due to a change in RRC state or coverage, and the configuration of the first SLRB may not already exist. At this time, if the first SLRB is immediately released, if the transmission of the data packet of the first QoS flow that has been previously delivered to the first SLRB for transmission is not completed, a data packet loss may occur.

Therefore, in this embodiment of the present application, when the first terminal device determines that the first SLRB needs to be released according to the latest SLRB configuration, the first terminal device may not immediately release the first SLRB, but after the first QoS flow is remapped, the first terminal device stops delivering the data packet of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB after a second preset time period, and then releases the first SLRB, so that it is ensured that all the data packets delivered to the first SLRB can be completely transmitted, thereby ensuring the service continuity of the terminal device.

Optionally, if the configuration information of the first SLRB does not already exist in the latest SLRB configuration acquired by the first terminal device, the first terminal device may release the first SLRB. In one possible design, the first terminal device may release the first SLRB after a first preset time period after stopping the delivery of the data packets of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB to ensure service continuity, because the data packets of the first QoS flow that have been delivered to the first SLRB for transmission may not have been completely transmitted in the time period within the first preset time period after stopping the delivery of the data packets of the first QoS flow to the first SLRB.

Optionally, after the first terminal device submits all the packets of the first QoS flow cached in the SDAP buffer to the second SLRB for transmission, or after the first terminal device submits the packets of the first QoS flow cached in the SDAP buffer to the second SLRB for transmission for the first time, the first terminal device may empty the first SLRB buffer. Illustratively, the first SLRB buffer includes a first PDCP buffer, a first RLC buffer, or a first LCH buffer.

The first preset time period and the second preset time period mentioned in the embodiment of the present application may be equal to each other, or may not be equal to each other. The first preset duration and the second preset duration may have a variety of possible configuration manners, for example, the first preset duration and the second preset duration may be preconfigured or predefined, may be configured by the network device through RRC dedicated signaling or SIB message, may be configured by an upper layer of the terminal device (i.e., configured by a layer, such as a V2X layer or an application layer, located above the SDAP layer inside the first terminal device), and may be implemented based on the terminal device itself. The implementation based on the terminal device may include that the first terminal device determines a preset time according to one or more QoS parameters associated with the first QoS flow, or the first terminal device determines the preset time according to a buffer status of the first terminal device, or the first terminal device determines that the first preset time is overtime according to a time when the endmarker corresponding to the first QoS flow is sent. The implementation based on the terminal device may also have other implementation manners, and the present application is not limited.

The first preset duration and the second preset duration may also have multiple possible configuration granularities, and the configuration granularity may be per PC5 QoS flow, per SLRB, per SL-LCH, per service, per destination L2 ID, per cast type, per UE, and the like, which is not limited in this application. For example, the configuration granularity of the first preset duration is per PC5 QoS flow, that is, a corresponding first preset duration is independently configured for each PC5 QoS flow, and the first preset durations corresponding to different PC5 QoS flows may be the same or different.

It should be understood that the configuration manner of the first preset time period and the second preset time period may be the same or different, and the present application is not limited thereto. When the configuration mode of the first preset duration and the second preset duration are the same, for example, the first preset duration and the second preset duration are both configured by the network device, the first preset duration and the second preset duration configured by the network device may be sent through the same message, or may be sent through different messages, which is not limited in the present application. The configuration granularity of the first preset time length and the second preset time length may be the same or different, and the present application is not limited in this way. Moreover, any of the above configuration modes and configuration granularities may be combined with each other for the first preset duration or the second preset duration.

Example two

Referring to fig. 7, a flow chart of another sidelink communication method according to the embodiment of the present application is shown, where the method specifically includes the following steps S701 to S704:

step S701, the second terminal device receives data of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB.

The first terminal device is a terminal device on a transmitting side, and the second terminal device is a terminal device on a receiving side, that is, the first terminal device transmits data to the second terminal device through a sidelink communication link. The communication between the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the sidelink communication link is unicast.

The first QoS flow refers to the PC5 QoS flow where the remapping occurs. The first QoS flow is changed from the original mapping to the first SLRB to the mapping to the second SLRB, the first SLRB is the source SLRB, and the second SLRB is the target SLRB. The reason for the remapping of the first QoS flow may be that the RRC state or the coverage condition of the first terminal device is changed, or the SLRB configuration of the first terminal device is changed although the RRC state or the coverage condition of the first terminal device remains unchanged.

Step S702, the second terminal device receives configuration information of a second SLRB from the first terminal device, where the configuration information of the second SLRB indicates that the first QoS stream is remapped to the second SLRB.

In this embodiment, the first terminal device may obtain a latest SLRB configuration, and according to the latest SLRB configuration, if the first terminal device determines that the first QoS stream needs to be remapped from the first SLRB to the second SLRB, the first terminal device may send configuration information of the second SLRB to the second terminal device to notify the second terminal device that the first QoS stream is remapped to the second SLRB.

The configuration information of the second SLRB may include information indicating a QoS flow corresponding to the second SLRB, for example, an identifier of the first QoS flow, which may be a QFI of the QoS flow, or other identifier information used for identifying one QoS flow inside the terminal device. In this manner, the second terminal device may determine that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped to the second SLRB according to the received configuration information of the second SLRB.

Optionally, the configuration information of the second SLRB may further include configuration parameters of the second SLRB itself, for example, configuration parameters of a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an LCH, and the like in the second SLRB. In this way, the second terminal device can establish the second SLRB according to the received configuration information of the second SLRB.

In a possible design, the first terminal device may send a PC5 RRC message to the second terminal device, where the PC5 RRC message carries the configuration information of the second SLRB, and optionally, the first terminal device may also send the second terminal device with the latest SLRB configurations related to the second terminal device, where the latest SLRB configurations are all carried in the PC5 RRC message.

In another possible design, if the configuration of the second SLRB already exists in the second terminal device, the first terminal device may also send a PC5 RRC message to the second terminal device, where the PC5 RRC message carries indication information for indicating that the first QoS flow is remapped from the first SLRB to the second SLRB, so that the second terminal device can know that the first QoS flow is remapped from the first SLRB to the second SLRB.

Step S703, the second terminal device buffers the data packet received from the second SLRB in the SDAP buffer within a third preset time period after receiving the configuration information of the second SLRB.

Step S704, after a third preset duration, the SDAP entity of the second terminal device delivers the data packet received from the second SLRB and buffered in the SDAP buffer to an upper layer for processing.

As shown in fig. 8, at time T1, the second terminal device determines that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped. And the SDAP entity in the second terminal equipment buffers the data packet received from the second SLRB in the SDAP buffer area within a third preset time length after the T1 time. After the third preset duration is over, that is, at time T2, the second terminal device delivers the data packet received from the second SLRB buffered in the SDAP buffer to an upper layer for processing, thereby effectively ensuring in-order delivery of the data packets of the first QoS flow.

In the embodiment of the present application, the upper layer refers to an upper layer of the SDAP layer in a protocol stack, such as a V2X layer and an application layer.

It should be noted that, within the third preset time period for determining the first QoS flow, the second terminal device may also include data packets of other QoS flows besides the first QoS flow in the data packets received from the second SLRB. If the SDAP layer of the second terminal device cannot distinguish or does not distinguish the data packets of each QoS flow transmitted on the same SLRB, the SDAP layer of the second terminal device may cache the data packets received from the second SLRB in this period in the SDAP cache, and deliver the data packets to the upper layer for processing after the third preset duration is over.

Alternatively, in a possible design, if each data packet includes identification information indicating the QoS flow to which the data packet belongs, and the second terminal device may identify the data packet of the first QoS flow received from the second SLRB according to the identification information, the SDAP entity of the second terminal device may also buffer only the received data packet of the first QoS flow. Illustratively, the identification information is a PFI associated with the QoS flow.

Optionally, the second terminal device may release the first SLRB after determining that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped to the second SLRB for a third preset duration.

Optionally, after the second terminal device submits all the packets of the first QoS flow cached in the SDAP buffer to the upper layer, or after the first terminal device first submits the packets of the first QoS flow cached in the SDAP buffer to the upper layer, the second terminal device may empty the first SLRB buffer. Illustratively, the first SLRB buffer includes a first PDCP buffer, a first RLC buffer, or a first LCH buffer.

It is understood that the third preset time period may also be set by a timer. For example, the first terminal device may start a timer having a duration of a third predetermined duration while determining that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped to the second SLRB. In this way, the first terminal device may buffer the data packet received from the second SLRB in the SDAP buffer during the operation of the timer, and may stop buffering the data packet received from the second SLRB after the timer expires (i.e., the timer stops operating), and deliver the buffered data packet received from the second SLRB to an upper layer for processing.

The configuration mode and the configuration granularity of the third preset duration may refer to the first preset duration or the second preset duration, which is not described herein again. Optionally, the second terminal device determines that the third preset time length is overtime according to the time of receiving the endmarker corresponding to the first QoS flow.

EXAMPLE III

Please refer to fig. 9, which is a flowchart illustrating another sidelink communication method according to an embodiment of the present application, where the method specifically includes the following steps S901 to S903:

step S901, the first terminal device transmits data of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB.

The first terminal device is a terminal device on a transmitting side, and the second terminal device is a terminal device on a receiving side, that is, the first terminal device transmits data to the second terminal device through a sidelink communication link. The communication between the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the sidelink communication link may be unicast, multicast or broadcast, and the application is not limited thereto.

Step S902, the first terminal device obtains configuration information of the second SLRB, where the configuration information of the second SLRB indicates that the first QoS stream is remapped to the second SLRB.

Optionally, the configuration information of the second SLRB further indicates that the first SLRB needs to be released.

The specific implementation of step S902 can refer to the first embodiment, which is not described herein again.

Step S903, after the first terminal device obtains the fourth preset duration after the configuration information of the second SLRB, releases the first SLRB.

The method can be applied to the scene that the RRC state or the coverage condition of the first terminal equipment changes. For example, if the RRC state of the first terminal device changes and is changed from the RRC idle state to the RRC connected state, the SLRB configuration that the first terminal device previously acquired through the SIB message will be invalid, and the first terminal device needs to acquire the latest SLRB configuration from the network device through RRC signaling. In this scenario, the first SLRB previously configured by the network device through the SIB message needs to be released.

The first terminal device may determine that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped from the first SLRB to the second SLRB and needs to release the first SLRB according to the obtained latest SLRB configuration. However, if the first SLRB is released immediately at this time, the first QoS stream may have a data packet loss situation because the data packet of the first QoS stream that has been delivered to the first SLRB for transmission has not been transmitted yet. Therefore, after the first terminal device determines that the first QoS flow is remapped from the first SLRB to the second SLRB, the first SLRB is released again for the fourth preset time length, the service continuity of the first terminal device can be effectively ensured, and the situation of data packet loss is avoided.

As shown in fig. 10, at time T1, the first terminal device determines that the first QoS flow needs to be remapped. Within a fourth preset time period after time T1, the first terminal device may receive a packet from the first SLRB as usual and deliver it to an upper layer. At the end of the fourth preset time period, that is, at time T2, the first terminal device stops receiving the packet from the first SLRB, and releases the first SLRB.

It is understood that the fourth preset time period may also be set by a timer. For example, the first terminal device may turn on a timer having a duration of a fourth predetermined duration while determining that the first QoS flow is remapped from the first SLRB to the second SLRB. In this way, the first terminal device may release the first SLRB after the timer expires (i.e., the timer stops running).

The configuration mode and the configuration granularity of the fourth preset duration may refer to the first preset duration, the second preset duration, or the third preset duration, which is not described herein again.

It should be noted that the various method embodiments provided in the present application may be combined with each other. For example, based on the method provided in the third embodiment, the first embodiment or the second embodiment may be further combined, so as to further ensure that the packets of the first QoS flow can be delivered in order at the receiving side.

Referring to fig. 11, a schematic structural diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown, where the communication device 1100 includes: a transceiver module 1110 and a processing module 1120. The communication device can be used for realizing the functions related to the terminal equipment in any of the above method embodiments. For example, the communication device may be a terminal device, such as a handheld terminal device or a vehicle-mounted terminal device; the communication device may also be a chip included in a terminal apparatus, or a device including a terminal apparatus, such as various types of vehicles and the like.

When the communication apparatus performs the method embodiment shown in fig. 3 as the first terminal device, the transceiving module 1110 is configured to transmit data of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB and acquire configuration information of the second SLRB, which indicates that the first QoS flow is remapped to the second SLRB. The processing module 1120 is configured to stop sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB, and buffer the data packet of the first QoS flow in the SDAP buffer within a first preset time period after the data packet of the first QoS flow is stopped being sent on the first SLRB. The transceiving module 1110 is further configured to send the data packet of the first QoS flow buffered in the SDAP buffer on the second SLRB after a first preset duration elapses.

In a possible design, the processing module 1120 is specifically configured to, after obtaining the configuration information of the second SLRB, immediately stop sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB; or stopping sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB after a second preset time length after the configuration information of the second SLRB is acquired.

In one possible design, the processing module 1120 is further configured to establish the second SLRB according to configuration information of the second SLRB.

In one possible design, the processing module 1120 is further configured to release the first SLRB after a first preset time period after stopping sending the data packets of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB.

When the communication apparatus performs the method embodiment shown in fig. 7 as a second terminal device, the transceiving module 1110 is configured to receive data of a first QoS flow on a first SLRB and to receive configuration information of a second SLRB from the first terminal device, the configuration information of the second SLRB indicating that the first QoS flow is remapped to the second SLRB. The processing module 1120 is configured to buffer the data packet received from the second SLRB in the SDAP buffer for a third preset time period after receiving the configuration information of the second SLRB, and deliver the data packet received from the second SLRB buffered in the SDAP buffer to an upper layer for processing after the third preset time period elapses.

In one possible design, the processing module 1120 is further configured to release the first SLRB after a third preset time period elapses.

When the communication apparatus performs the method embodiment shown in fig. 9 as the first terminal device, the transceiving module 1110 is configured to transmit data of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB and acquire configuration information of the second SLRB, which indicates that the first QoS flow is remapped to the second SLRB. The processing module 1120 is configured to release the first SLRB after a fourth preset duration after the configuration information of the second SLRB is acquired.

In one possible design, the processing module 1120 is further configured to transmit the data packet of the first QoS flow on the second SLRB after a fourth preset duration.

The processing module 1120 involved in the communication apparatus may be implemented by a processor or processor-related circuit components, and the transceiving module 1110 may be implemented by a transceiver or transceiver-related circuit components. The operations and/or functions of the modules in the communication apparatus are respectively for implementing the corresponding flows of the methods shown in fig. 3 to fig. 10, and are not described herein again for brevity.

Please refer to fig. 12, which is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication device may specifically be a terminal device. For ease of understanding and illustration, in fig. 12, the terminal device is exemplified by a mobile phone. As shown in fig. 12, the terminal device includes a processor and may further include a memory, and of course, may also include a radio frequency circuit, an antenna, an input/output device, and the like. The processor is mainly used for processing communication protocols and communication data, controlling the terminal equipment, executing software programs, processing data of the software programs and the like. The memory is used primarily for storing software programs and data. The radio frequency circuit is mainly used for converting baseband signals and radio frequency signals and processing the radio frequency signals. The antenna is mainly used for receiving and transmitting radio frequency signals in the form of electromagnetic waves. Input and output devices, such as touch screens, display screens, keyboards, etc., are used primarily for receiving data input by a user and for outputting data to the user. It should be noted that some kinds of terminal devices may not have input/output devices.

When data needs to be sent, the processor performs baseband processing on the data to be sent and outputs baseband signals to the radio frequency circuit, and the radio frequency circuit performs radio frequency processing on the baseband signals and sends the radio frequency signals to the outside in the form of electromagnetic waves through the antenna. When data is sent to the terminal equipment, the radio frequency circuit receives radio frequency signals through the antenna, converts the radio frequency signals into baseband signals and outputs the baseband signals to the processor, and the processor converts the baseband signals into the data and processes the data. For ease of illustration, only one memory and processor are shown in FIG. 12. In an actual end device product, there may be one or more processors and one or more memories. The memory may also be referred to as a storage medium or a storage device, etc. The memory may be provided independently of the processor, or may be integrated with the processor, which is not limited in this embodiment.

In the embodiment of the present application, the antenna and the radio frequency circuit having the transceiving function may be regarded as a transceiving unit of the terminal device, and the processor having the processing function may be regarded as a processing unit of the terminal device. As shown in fig. 12, the terminal device includes a transceiving unit 1210 and a processing unit 1220. A transceiver unit may also be referred to as a transceiver, a transceiving device, etc. A processing unit may also be referred to as a processor, a processing board, a processing module, a processing device, or the like. Optionally, a device in the transceiver unit 1210 for implementing a receiving function may be regarded as a receiving unit, and a device in the transceiver unit 1210 for implementing a transmitting function may be regarded as a transmitting unit, that is, the transceiver unit 1210 includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. A transceiver unit may also sometimes be referred to as a transceiver, transceiving circuitry, or the like. A receiving unit may also be referred to as a receiver, a receiving circuit, or the like. A transmitting unit may also sometimes be referred to as a transmitter, or a transmitting circuit, etc. It should be understood that the transceiving unit 1210 is configured to perform the transmitting operation and the receiving operation on the terminal device side in the above method embodiments, and the processing unit 1220 is configured to perform other operations besides the transceiving operation on the terminal device in the above method embodiments.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a chip system, including: a processor coupled to a memory, the memory for storing a program or instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the system-on-chip to implement the method in any of the method embodiments described above.

Optionally, the system on a chip may have one or more processors. The processor may be implemented by hardware or by software. When implemented in hardware, the processor may be a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, or the like. When implemented in software, the processor may be a general-purpose processor implemented by reading software code stored in a memory.

The system-on-chip may be, for example, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a system on chip (SoC), a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Network Processor (NP), a digital signal processing circuit (DSP), a Microcontroller (MCU), a Programmable Logic Device (PLD), or other integrated chips.

It will be appreciated that the steps of the above described method embodiments may be performed by integrated logic circuits of hardware in a processor or instructions in the form of software. The steps of the method disclosed in connection with the embodiments of the present application may be directly implemented by a hardware processor, or may be implemented by a combination of hardware and software modules in a processor.

The embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, where computer-readable instructions are stored in the computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer-readable instructions are read and executed by a computer, the computer is enabled to execute the method in any of the above method embodiments.

The embodiments of the present application further provide a computer program product, which when read and executed by a computer, causes the computer to execute the method in any of the above method embodiments.

The embodiment of the application also provides a communication system, which comprises a first terminal device and a second terminal device.

It should be understood that the processor mentioned in the embodiments of the present application may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), and may also be other general purpose processors, Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, and the like. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor or the processor may be any conventional processor or the like.

It will also be appreciated that the memory referred to in the embodiments herein may be either volatile memory or nonvolatile memory, or may include both volatile and nonvolatile memory. The non-volatile memory may be a read-only memory (ROM), a Programmable ROM (PROM), an Erasable PROM (EPROM), an Electrically Erasable PROM (EEPROM), or a flash memory. Volatile memory can be Random Access Memory (RAM), which acts as external cache memory. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM, enhanced SDRAM, SLDRAM, Synchronous Link DRAM (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM).

It should be noted that when the processor is a general-purpose processor, a DSP, an ASIC, an FPGA or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, or a discrete hardware component, the memory (memory module) is integrated in the processor.

It should be noted that the memory described herein is intended to comprise, without being limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

It should be understood that, in the various embodiments of the present application, the sequence numbers of the above-mentioned processes do not mean the execution sequence, and the execution sequence of the processes should be determined by their functions and inherent logic, and should not constitute any limitation to the implementation process of the embodiments of the present invention.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the various illustrative elements and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware or combinations of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the implementation. 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.

It is clear to those skilled in the art that, for convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the above-described systems, apparatuses and units may refer to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and are not described herein again.

In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed system, apparatus and method may be implemented in other ways. For example, the above-described apparatus embodiments are merely illustrative, and for example, the division of the units is only one logical division, and other divisions may be realized in practice, for example, a plurality of units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, 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 or may not be physical units, may be located in one place, or may be distributed on a plurality of network units. 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 units in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units are integrated into one unit.

The functions, if implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as a stand-alone product, may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, the technical solution of the present application or portions thereof that substantially contribute to the prior art may be embodied in the form of a software product stored in a storage medium and including instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device) to execute all or part of the steps of the method according to the embodiments of the present application. And the aforementioned storage medium includes: various media capable of storing program codes, such as a usb disk, a removable hard disk, a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

The above description is only for the specific embodiments of the present application, but the scope of the present application is not limited thereto, and any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of the changes or substitutions within the technical scope of the present application, and shall 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

A method of sidelink communication, the method comprising:

the first terminal equipment sends data of a first quality of service (QoS) flow on a first Side Link Radio Bearer (SLRB);

the first terminal equipment acquires configuration information of a second SLRB, wherein the configuration information of the second SLRB indicates that the first QoS flow is remapped to the second SLRB;

the SDAP entity of the service data adaptation layer of the first terminal equipment stops sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB, and caches the data packet of the first QoS flow in an SDAP buffer area within a first preset time length after the sending of the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB is stopped;

and after the first preset time length, the first terminal equipment sends the data packet of the first QoS flow cached in the SDAP buffer area on the second SLRB.
The method of claim 1, wherein the service data adaptation layer (SDAP) entity of the first terminal device stopping sending packets of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB comprises:

after the first terminal device acquires the configuration information of the second SLRB, the SDAP entity of the first terminal device immediately stops sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB; or,

and after the first terminal equipment acquires the second preset time length after the configuration information of the second SLRB, the SDAP entity of the first terminal equipment stops sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB.
The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the method further comprises:

and the first terminal equipment establishes the second SLRB according to the configuration information of the second SLRB.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising:

and the first terminal equipment releases the first SLRB after the first preset time length after stopping sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB.
A method of sidelink communication, the method comprising:

the second terminal equipment receives the data of the first quality of service QoS flow on a first side-link radio bearer SLRB;

the second terminal device receiving configuration information of a second SLRB from the first terminal device, the configuration information of the second SLRB indicating that the first QoS stream is remapped to the second SLRB;

the second terminal device caches the data packet received from the second SLRB in a service data adaptation layer SDAP buffer area within a third preset time length after receiving the configuration information of the second SLRB;

and after the third preset time, the SDAP entity of the second terminal equipment delivers the data packet received from the second SLRB and buffered in the SDAP buffer area to an upper layer for processing.
The method of claim 5, further comprising:

and the second terminal equipment establishes the second SLRB according to the configuration information of the second SLRB.
The method of claim 5 or 6, further comprising:

and after the third preset time, the second terminal equipment releases the first SLRB.
A method of sidelink communication, the method comprising:

the first terminal equipment sends data of a first quality of service (QoS) flow on a first side-link radio bearer (SLRB);

the first terminal equipment acquires configuration information of a second SLRB, and the configuration information of the second SLRB indicates that the first QoS flow is remapped to the second SLRB;

and the first terminal equipment releases the first SLRB after acquiring a fourth preset time length after the configuration information of the second SLRB.
The method of claim 8, further comprising:

and the first terminal equipment establishes the second SLRB according to the configuration information of the second SLRB.
The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the method further comprises:

and after the fourth preset time length, the SDAP entity of the service data adaptation layer of the first terminal equipment sends the data packet of the first QoS flow on the second SLRB.
A communications apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a transceiving module, configured to send data of a first quality of service QoS flow on a first sidelink radio bearer SLRB;

the transceiver module is further configured to acquire configuration information of a second SLRB, where the configuration information of the second SLRB indicates that the first QoS stream is remapped to the second SLRB;

a processing module, configured to stop sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB, and buffer the data packet of the first QoS flow in an SDAP buffer within a first preset time period after the data packet of the first QoS flow is stopped being sent on the first SLRB;

the transceiver module is further configured to send, on the second SLRB, the data packet of the first QoS flow cached in the SDAP buffer after the first preset duration elapses.
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processing module is specifically configured to:

immediately stopping sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB after acquiring the configuration information of the second SLRB; or,

and after a second preset time length after the configuration information of the second SLRB is obtained, stopping sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB.
The apparatus of claim 11 or 12, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

and establishing the second SLRB according to the configuration information of the second SLRB.
The apparatus of any of claims 11 to 13, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

releasing the first SLRB after the first preset duration after stopping sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the first SLRB.
A communications apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a transceiving module, configured to receive data of a first quality of service QoS flow on a first sidelink radio bearer SLRB;

the transceiver module is further configured to receive configuration information of a second SLRB from a first terminal device, where the configuration information of the second SLRB indicates that the first QoS stream is remapped to the second SLRB;

the processing module is used for caching the data packet received from the second SLRB in a service data adaptation layer SDAP buffer area within a third preset time length after the configuration information of the second SLRB is received;

and the processing module is further configured to deliver the data packet received from the second SLRB and buffered in the SDAP buffer to an upper layer for processing after the third preset duration.
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

and establishing the second SLRB according to the configuration information of the second SLRB.
The apparatus of claim 15 or 16, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

and releasing the first SLRB after the third preset time period.
A communications apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a transceiving module, configured to send data of a first quality of service QoS flow on a first sidelink radio bearer SLRB;

the transceiver module is further configured to acquire configuration information of a second SLRB, where the configuration information of the second SLRB indicates that the first QoS stream is remapped to the second SLRB;

and the processing module is used for releasing the first SLRB after a fourth preset duration after the configuration information of the second SLRB is acquired.
The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

and establishing the second SLRB according to the configuration information of the second SLRB.
The apparatus of claim 18 or 19, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

and after the fourth preset time length, sending the data packet of the first QoS flow on the second SLRB.
An apparatus for communication, the apparatus comprising at least one processor coupled with at least one memory:

the at least one processor configured to execute computer programs or instructions stored in the at least one memory to cause the apparatus to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 4, or to cause the apparatus to perform the method of any one of claims 5 to 7, or to cause the apparatus to perform the method of any one of claims 8 to 10.
A readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the method of any one of claims 1 to 4 to be implemented, or cause the method of any one of claims 5 to 7 to be implemented, or cause the method of any one of claims 8 to 10 to be implemented.
A communication device comprising a processor and interface circuitry;

the interface circuit is used for receiving code instructions and transmitting the code instructions to the processor;

the processor is configured to execute the code instructions to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 4, or the processor is configured to execute the code instructions to perform the method of any one of claims 5 to 7, or the processor is configured to execute the code instructions to perform the method of any one of claims 8 to 10.