CN116234042A

CN116234042A - Communication method and device

Info

Publication number: CN116234042A
Application number: CN202111463325.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 丁洋; 李胜钰; 官磊
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-12-02
Filing date: 2021-12-02
Publication date: 2023-06-06
Also published as: WO2023098566A1

Abstract

The application provides a communication method and a communication device, which are used for solving the problem that the discontinuous reception configuration signaling of terminal equipment has larger cost. The method comprises the following steps: the terminal device receives first information from the network device at the cell level and does not transmit one or more channels within a first time window according to the first information. Wherein the first information is used to indicate a first time window. The first information at the cell level can indicate that the plurality of terminal devices do not transmit the first channel for a certain period of time, and compared with a mode that the network device configures each terminal device to transmit the time period of one or more channels independently, signaling overhead can be saved.

Description

Communication method and device

Technical Field

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

Background

With the development of communication, the frequency spectrum used by the communication is wider, the number of configured transmitting antennas is more and more, and the power consumption of network equipment and terminal equipment is higher and more.

To address this problem, it is currently supported to configure a terminal device with discontinuous reception (dis-continuous reception, DRX) such that the terminal device performs downlink control channel (physical downlink control channel, PDCCH) detection only for a prescribed period of time. DRX is terminal-specific, i.e. the network device needs to be configured separately for each terminal device, and the DRX configurations of different terminal devices may be different, resulting in a large DRX configuration signaling overhead.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a communication method and device, which are used for solving the problem of high DRX configuration signaling overhead.

In a first aspect, the present application provides a communication method, where the execution body of the method may be a terminal device, or may be a chip or a circuit in the terminal device. The method comprises the following steps: first information from the network device is received and the first channel is not transmitted within a first time window according to the first information. The first information is used for indicating a first time window, the first information is of a cell level, and the first channel comprises a first uplink channel and/or a first downlink channel.

According to the method and the device for transmitting the first information, the first information of the cell level can indicate that the plurality of terminal devices do not transmit the first channel in a certain period of time, and power consumption of the terminal devices can be saved.

In one possible design, the first channel includes at least one of a first set of channels, a second set of channels, a third set of channels, or a fourth set of channels;

wherein the first set of channels comprises at least one of the following signals: semi-persistent scheduling (semi-static period schedule, SPS) physical layer downlink shared channel (physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH), configuration Grant (CG) physical uplink shared channel (physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH), hybrid automatic repeat request feedback (HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH) of SPS PDSCH, scheduling request (scheduling request, SR), or beam failure recovery (beam failure recovery, BFR);

The second set of channels includes at least one of the following signals: a system message radio network temporary identifier (system information-radio network temporary identifier, SI-RNTI) scrambled PDCCH, a physical random access channel (physical random access channel, PRACH), a random access radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI) scrambled PDCCH, or a temporary cell radio network temporary identifier (TC-RNTI) scrambled PDCCH;

the third set of channels includes: paging a PDCCH scrambled by a radio network temporary identifier (P-RNTI) (paging-radio network temporary identifier);

the fourth set of channels includes: synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (SSB).

In one possible design, the first information is carried in system message block 1 (system information block, SIB 1), and the first channel comprises at least one of a first set of channels, a second set of channels, or a third set of channels. In the above design, through the cell-level information such as SIB1, the plurality of terminal devices can receive the first information, and compared with the mode that the terminal devices independently configure/send the first information, the signaling overhead can be reduced. And, the terminal device may receive the first information before establishing a radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC) connection by transmitting the first information through SIB1, so that the terminal device can control transmission of information such as PRACH.

In one possible design, the first information is carried in RRC signaling, the first channel including a first set of channels and not including a second set of channels and/or a third set of channels. In the above design, through the cell-level information such as the RRC signaling, the plurality of terminal devices can receive the first information, and compared with the mode that the terminal devices independently configure/send the first information, signaling overhead can be reduced. And because the terminal device needs to access the cell by sending the random access information, or the network device needs to inform the terminal device to leave the IDLE (IDLE) state and prepare for transmission through the paging signal, the transmission of the random access information or the paging information can not be influenced by sending the first information through the RRC signaling in the design before the terminal device establishes the RRC connection.

In one possible design, the first channel may include a third set of channels, and the time domain position of the P-RNTI scrambled PDCCH is not within the first time window. Through the design, the network equipment can configure the time domain position of the PDCCH scrambled by the P-RNTI in the first time window, and the terminal equipment can receive the PDCCH scrambled by the P-RNTI on the time-frequency resource outside the first time window, so that the influence on paging signals is reduced.

In one possible design, the first channel does not include the fourth set of channels described above. The design can ensure that the terminal equipment is accessed to the network equipment in the first time window by reserving normal transmission of the SSB.

In one possible design, the first information is used to indicate at least one of a first period, a first bias, a first on time, a first off time, an on duration, or an off duration; the first opening time is the starting time of a second time window of the terminal equipment in the first period, the first closing time is the starting time of the first time window of the terminal equipment in the first period, the opening duration is the duration of the second time window, the closing duration is the duration of the first time window, and the second time window is the time period capable of transmitting the first channel in the first period. Through the design, the terminal equipment and the network equipment can be aligned to understand the first time window, so that the communication performance can be improved.

In one possible design, the first information is further used to indicate at least one of a second on time or a second off time; wherein the second on time is effective when the first condition is satisfied and the second off time is effective when the second condition is satisfied.

In one possible design, the second on-time has a higher priority than the first off-time, and/or the second off-time has a higher priority than the first on-time. Through the design, the second opening time can cover the first closing time under the condition that the first condition is met, so that the flexibility of the transmission of the first channel can be improved. Or the second closing time can cover the first opening time under the condition that the second condition is met, so that the length of the first time window is prolonged, and further the power consumption of the terminal equipment and the network equipment can be further reduced.

In one possible design, the method further comprises: second information is received from the network device, the second information indicating whether the first time window is valid. According to the mode, whether the first time window is effective or not is indicated through the second information, so that the terminal equipment and the network equipment can lose the first time window when the first channel needs to be transmitted under the condition that the first time window is configured by the first information, the first channel can be transmitted in time, the flexibility of transmitting the first channel is improved, and the communication performance can be improved.

In one possible design, the second information is downlink control information (downlink control information, DCI) in a first format, the first format being used to indicate that the first time window is valid. The method implicitly indicates that the first time window is valid through the format of the DCI, so that signaling overhead can be reduced.

In one possible design, the second information is scrambled with a first RNTI, which is used to indicate that the first time window is valid. The above manner implicitly indicates whether the first time window is valid or not through the scrambled RNTI, so that signaling overhead can be reduced.

In one possible design, the method further comprises: receiving third information from the network device, wherein the third information is used for indicating that the terminal device does not receive a downlink channel in a third time window; determining a fourth time window according to the first time window and/or the third time window; the first channel is not transmitted during the fourth time window. Through the design, when the terminal equipment is configured with the time window for not transmitting the first channel and the time window for not receiving the downlink channel, the communication behaviors of the terminal equipment and the network equipment can be clarified, and communication abnormality is avoided.

In one possible design, the fourth time window is a union of the first time window and the third time window; or, the fourth time window is an intersection of the first time window and the third time window; or, the fourth time window is the first time window; alternatively, the fourth time window is a third time window.

In a second aspect, the present application provides a communication method, where the implementation subject of the method may be a network device, or may be a chip or a circuit in the network device. The advantages may be seen from the relevant description in the first aspect. The method comprises the following steps: and sending the first information to the terminal equipment, and not transmitting a first channel in a first time window, wherein the first information is used for indicating the first time window, the first information is of a cell level, and the first channel comprises a first uplink channel and/or a first downlink channel.

In the embodiment of the application, the first information at the cell level can indicate that the plurality of terminal devices in the cell do not transmit the first channel in a certain period of time, and compared with a mode that the network device configures each terminal device independently to not transmit the period of time of the first channel, the embodiment of the application can save signaling overhead of the network device.

wherein the first set of channels comprises at least one of the following signals: SPS PDSCH, CG PUSCH, HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH, SR, or BFR;

The second set of channels includes at least one of the following signals: the SI-RNTI scrambled PDCCH, PRACH, RA-RNTI scrambled PDCCH or the TC-RNTI scrambled PDCCH;

the third set of channels includes: a P-RNTI scrambled PDCCH;

the fourth set of channels includes: SSB.

In one possible design, the first information may be carried in SIB1, where the first channel may include at least one of a first set of channels, a second set of channels, or a third set of channels. In the above design, the plurality of terminal devices can receive the first information through the cell-level information such as SIB1, so that the signaling overhead of the network device can be reduced. And, the transmission of the information such as PRACH can be controlled before the network device and the terminal device establish RRC connection by transmitting the first information through SIB 1.

In one possible design, the first information is carried in RRC signaling, the first channel including a first set of channels and not including a second set of channels and/or a third set of channels.

In one possible design, the first channel does not include the fourth set of channels described above. The design ensures that the terminal equipment can be accessed to the network equipment in the first time window by reserving normal transmission of the SSB.

In one possible design, the second on-time has a higher priority than the first off-time, and/or the second off-time has a higher priority than the first on-time. Through the design, the second opening time can cover the first closing time under the condition that the first condition is met, so that the flexibility of the transmission of the first channel can be improved. Or the second closing time can cover the first opening time under the condition that the second condition is met, so that the length of the first time window is prolonged, and the power consumption of the terminal equipment and the network equipment can be reduced.

In one possible design, the method further comprises: and sending second information to the terminal equipment, wherein the second information is used for indicating whether the first time window is valid or not. According to the mode, whether the first time window is effective or not is indicated through the second information, so that the first time window can be disabled when the first channel needs to be transmitted under the condition that the first time window is configured by the first information, the first channel can be transmitted in time, and the flexibility of transmitting the first channel is improved.

In one possible design, the second information is DCI in a first format, where the first format is used to indicate that the first time window is valid. The method implicitly indicates that the first time window is valid through the format of the DCI, so that signaling overhead can be reduced.

In one possible design, the method further comprises: and sending third information to the terminal equipment, wherein the third information is used for indicating the terminal equipment not to receive the downlink channel in a third time window.

In a third aspect, the present application also provides a communication device having means to implement any one of the methods provided in the first aspect above. The communication device may be implemented by hardware, or may be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units or modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In one possible design, the communication device includes: a processor configured to support the communication device to perform the corresponding functions of the terminal device in the method shown above. The communication device may also include a memory, which may be coupled to the processor, that holds the program instructions and data necessary for the communication device. Optionally, the communication apparatus further comprises an interface circuit for supporting communication between the communication apparatus and a device such as a network device.

In one possible design, the communication device comprises corresponding functional modules for implementing the steps of the above method, respectively. The functions may be realized by hardware, or may be realized by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In one possible design, the structure of the communication device includes a processing module and a communication module, where these modules may perform the corresponding functions in the foregoing method examples, and specific reference is made to the description in the method provided in the first aspect, which is not repeated herein.

In a fourth aspect, the present application also provides a communication device having any of the methods provided in the second aspect. The communication device may be implemented by hardware, or may be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units or modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In one possible design, the communication device includes: a processor configured to support the communication apparatus to perform the corresponding functions of the access network device in the method shown above. The communication device may also include a memory, which may be coupled to the processor, that holds the program instructions and data necessary for the communication device. Optionally, the communication device further comprises an interface circuit for supporting communication between the communication device and a terminal equipment or the like.

In one possible design, the structure of the communication device includes a processing module and a communication module, where these modules may perform the corresponding functions in the foregoing method examples, and specific reference is made to the description in the method provided in the second aspect, which is not repeated herein.

In a fifth aspect, there is provided a communication device comprising a processor and interface circuitry for receiving signals from or transmitting signals to the processor from other communication devices than the communication device, the processor implementing the method of the first aspect and any possible designs by logic circuitry or executing code instructions.

In a sixth aspect, there is provided a communications device comprising a processor and interface circuitry for receiving signals from or transmitting signals to the processor from or to other communications devices than the communications device, the processor implementing the method of the second aspect and any possible designs described above by logic circuitry or executing code instructions.

In a seventh aspect, there is provided a computer readable storage medium having stored therein a computer program or instructions which, when executed by a processor, implement the method of the first or second aspect and any possible design.

In an eighth aspect, there is provided a computer program product storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, implement the method of the first or second aspect and any possible designs.

In a ninth aspect, a chip system is provided, the chip system comprising a processor and possibly a memory, for implementing the method of the first or second aspect and any possible design. The chip system may be formed of a chip or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

In a tenth aspect, there is provided a communication system comprising an apparatus (e.g. a terminal device) according to the first aspect and an apparatus (e.g. a network device) according to the second aspect.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a DRX mechanism of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a long period and a short period of a DRX mechanism of a terminal in an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 3 is a schematic architecture diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

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

fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a DTX mechanism of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of another DTX mechanism of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a second on-time according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a mechanism of DTX of a network device when information a indicates that a second time window is invalid in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

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

Detailed Description

For the purpose of making the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application more apparent, the present application will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The specific method of operation in the method embodiment may also be applied to the device embodiment or the system embodiment.

In the following, some terms in the embodiments of the present application are explained for easy understanding by those skilled in the art.

(1)SSB

SSB includes primary synchronization signal (primary synchronization signals, PSS), secondary synchronization signal (secondary synchronization signals, SSS), physical broadcast channel (physical broadcast channel, PBCH). The PSS/SSS is mainly used for downlink synchronization of terminal equipment and obtaining of cell Identification (ID), wherein the downlink synchronization comprises clock synchronization, wireless frame synchronization and symbol synchronization. The PBCH carries a master information block (master information block, MIB) including information such as a system frame number (system frame number, SFN), a subcarrier spacing, PDCCH configuration for scheduling system information (system information, SI), and the like.

(2)PRACH

In the random access process of the terminal equipment, the network equipment needs to configure PRACH for the terminal equipment for accessing the system. Since the movement of the terminal device makes the distance between the terminal device and the network device uncertain, if the terminal device needs to send a message to the base station, maintenance management of uplink synchronization must be performed in real time. The purpose of the PRACH is to achieve uplink synchronization, establish a relationship between the terminal equipment and the network equipment uplink synchronization, and request the network equipment to allocate dedicated resources to the terminal equipment, so that the terminal equipment normally accesses the network equipment to perform service transmission.

(3) Radio network temporary identifier (information-radio network temporary identifier, RNTI)

The RNTI is used to distinguish or identify the terminal devices connected in a cell, a specific radio channel, a set of terminal devices in case of paging, a set of terminal devices receiving power control parameters, system information transmitted by a network device for all terminal devices. The RNTI may be a 16-bit identifier whose value depends on the type of RNTI. The RNTI for paging (paging) is denoted as P-RNTI. In addition to this are a cell radio network temporary identity (cell radio network temporary identifier, C-RNTI) for data scheduling, a modulation and coding scheme cell radio network temporary identity (modulation and coding scheme cell radio network temporary identifier, MCS-C-RNTI), a configuration scheduling radio network temporary identity (configured scheduling radio network temporary identifier, CS-RNTI), etc.

(4) DRX mechanism

And the terminal equipment monitors the PDCCH to check whether DCI from the service cell exists or not, so that signal transmission is carried out with the network equipment. In many cases, the terminal device does not always perform effective information interaction with the network, and if the terminal device continuously monitors the PDCCH, the power consumption is high. In order to save the power consumption of the terminal equipment and ensure the effective transmission of data, the NR introduces a DRX mechanism, and the DRX mechanism can be also understood as a terminal equipment DRX mechanism, through which the terminal equipment can periodically monitor the PDCCH in certain time periods and not monitor the PDCCH in other time periods, thereby realizing the energy saving of the terminal equipment.

An example of a DRX mechanism shown in fig. 1 involves the following parameters: DRX long period start offset DRX-LongCycleStartOffset, DRX slot offset DRX-SlotOffset and DRX-ondurationTimer. Wherein, drx-longcycleThe artOffset is used to configure the time window of the long period DRX (Long DRX cycle), including the length P (also called DRX period) of each time window, the starting subframe offset S _sf Both may be in units of subframes (subframes); drx-SlotOffset is used to configure the starting slot offset value S for the Duration (on Duration) in the starting subframe _{Time slots} The count may be in units of time slots (slots); drx onDuration timer is used to configure the duration T of onDuration from the start time ₁ The units may be milliseconds (ms). The terminal device enters an Active Time (Active Time) at the starting Time slot starting Time of the starting subframe of each Time window. Until the on Duration ends, the terminal device shifts to Inactive Time (Inactive Time). The activation time may also be referred to as an activation period, etc., where the terminal device is in an activated state during the activation time. The inactivity time may also be referred to as an inactivity time period, an inactivity period, etc., during which the terminal device is in an inactive state.

When the terminal device configures the DRX mechanism, the terminal device first enters an active time/On Duration at every DRX cycle, and starts a DRX Duration timer (DRX-onduration). After the DRX duration timer is overtime, the terminal equipment enters the non-activation time; if a PDCCH scheduling data transmission is detected during the On Duration, the terminal device starts or restarts a DRX inactivity timer (DRX-InactyityTimer), and the terminal device is located within an activation time while the DRX inactivity timer is running.

The DRX mechanism has two cycle configurations, long cycle (Long DRX cycle) and Short cycle (Short DRX cycle), as shown in fig. 2. After the terminal equipment finishes the DRX-InactigityTimer or receives a DRX Command (DRX Command) media access control channel unit (media access control channel element, MAC CE), starting the DRX-Short cycle Timer by a first symbol after the DRX-InactigityTimer finishes or after DRX Command MAC CE receives the DRX-InactigityTimer, and entering a Short DRX cycle state by the UE during the running period of the timer, wherein the on Duration is determined according to the Short DRX cycle; when the DRX-short cycle timer is ended, the UE enters a Long DRX cycle state, i.e., the onDuration is determined according to the Long DRX cycle.

The terminal equipment can reenter the Short DRX Cycle after each DRX-InactvityTimer is finished; when no data arrives for a continuous period of time, the method can be converted into the Long DRX cycle. In addition, the base station can forcedly enter the Short DRX cycle through DRX Command MAC CE, and can forcedly enter the Long DRX cycle through Long DRX Command MAC CE.

(5) Discontinuous transmission (dis-continuous transmission, DTX) mechanism

To further reduce the power consumption of the communication device, the communication device may be enabled to not send data transmissions for a period of time, or the communication device may be enabled to not send all or part of the channels for a period of time. This way of reducing the power consumption of the communication device may be referred to as a DTX mechanism.

DTX has different interpretations for two or more communication devices communicating due to the interactivity of the communication system. DTX may be understood as a discontinuous transmission scheme for a transmitting device and a discontinuous reception scheme for a receiving device corresponding to a transmitting device configured with DTX at this time. For the purposes of this description, DTX in this application refers to a cell-level discontinuous transmission mechanism, and for convenience of description, DTX in this application may also be understood to be a network device DTX mechanism, through which energy saving of a network device may be achieved, since a network device may communicate with a plurality of terminal devices in a cell.

For example, the network device may set a transmission pattern, and perform data transmission only for a part of a period of time in a transmission period, and perform no data transmission and reception for other periods of time.

When there is no traffic load, a network device DTX mechanism may be employed, thereby reducing the power consumption of the network device.

When the traffic load is light, although there is data transmission on many transmission time intervals, the resource utilization rate of the transmission time intervals is low, at this time, a network device DTX mechanism may also be adopted, and the data to be transmitted is collected to the time period a for transmission, so that the data may enter the DTX state in the time period B, and static energy saving of the network device is achieved.

6) SPS PDSCH opportunity (SPS PDSCH occasion)

The network device configures the semi-static scheduled downlink data transmission through the RRC signaling. I.e., PDSCH may be transmitted on a fixed time-frequency resource during each cycle. Each time-frequency resource, referred to as one SPS PDSCH occasion, may be interpreted as a transmission opportunity, meaning that the time-frequency resource may be used to carry and transmit downstream data. SPS PDSCH occasion may be configured and activated by RRC signaling, or may be configured by RRC signaling, and activated by DCI after RRC signaling.

In the embodiments of the present application, "at least one" means one or more, and "a plurality" means two or more. "and/or", describes an association relationship of an association object, and indicates that there may be three relationships, for example, a and/or B, and may indicate: a alone, a and B together, and B alone, wherein a, B may be singular or plural. The character "/" generally indicates that the context-dependent object is an "or" relationship. "at least one of" or the like means any combination of these items, including any combination of single item(s) or plural items(s). For example, at least one (one) of a, b, or c may represent: a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c, wherein a, b, c may be single or plural.

And, unless otherwise indicated, the terms "first," "second," and the like in the embodiments herein are used for distinguishing between multiple objects and are not used for limiting the size, content, order, timing, priority, importance, or the like of the multiple objects. For example, the first parameter and the second parameter are merely for distinguishing between different parameters, and are not indicative of the difference in content, value, priority, importance, or the like of the two parameters.

The foregoing describes a communication system to which the embodiments of the present application apply, and technical features related to the embodiments of the present application are described below.

According to the above term introduction 4), it is known that the DRX mechanism is more from the perspective of energy saving of the terminal device, the period of time for configuring the terminal device to receive the downlink control information and the period of time for configuring the terminal device to not need to receive the downlink control information are configured independently by each terminal device, so that the DRX mechanism has larger signaling overhead for the network device and smaller energy saving effect for the network device. In addition, the terminal device still needs to receive some information or transmission of the channel in the inactive period, and DRX is still to be improved in terms of realizing energy saving of the terminal device. Therefore, the embodiment of the application provides an energy saving method, which saves the power consumption of terminal equipment and network equipment by configuring a cell-level non-continuous transmission mechanism.

Based on this, the embodiment of the application provides a communication method and device, which save the power consumption of terminal equipment and network equipment by configuring a cell-level non-persistent transmission mechanism. The method and the device are based on the same conception, and because the principles of solving the problems by the method and the device are similar, the implementation of the device and the method can be referred to each other, and the repetition is not repeated.

The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application may be applied to a fifth generation (the fifth generation, 5G) mobile communication system, for example, a New Radio (NR) system, or applied to a long term evolution (long term evolution, LTE) system, or may also be applied to a next generation mobile communication system or other similar communication systems, which is not particularly limited.

Referring to fig. 3, an exemplary architecture diagram of a communication system applicable to embodiments of the present application may include a core network device, a network device, and at least one terminal. Fig. 3 illustrates an example in which at least one terminal is two terminals. The terminal is connected with the network equipment in a wireless mode, and the network equipment is connected with the core network equipment in a wireless or wired mode. The core network device and the network device may be separate and distinct physical devices; or the functions of the core network equipment and the logic functions of the network equipment are integrated on the same physical equipment; or the functions of part of the core network device and the functions of part of the network device are integrated on the same physical device. It should be noted that fig. 3 is only a schematic diagram, and the number of core network devices, and terminals included in the mobile communication system is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. In some embodiments, the communication system may also include other network devices, such as wireless relay devices, wireless backhaul devices, and the like.

Referring to fig. 3, a network architecture is shown as applied in an embodiment of the present application. The network device and 6 terminal devices are included in fig. 3, which may be cellular telephones, smart phones, portable computers, handheld communication devices, handheld computing devices, satellite radios, global positioning systems, personal digital assistants (personal digital assistant, PDAs), and/or any other suitable device for communicating over a wireless communication system, and may all be connected to the network device. All six terminal devices are capable of communicating with the network device. Of course the number of terminal devices in fig. 3 is only an example and may be fewer or more.

The terminal device comprises a device for providing voice and/or data connectivity to a user, specifically, a device for providing voice to a user, a device for providing data connectivity to a user, or a device for providing voice and data connectivity to a user. For example, may include a handheld device having wireless connectivity, or a processing device connected to a wireless modem. The terminal device may communicate with the core network via a radio access network (radio access network, RAN), exchange voice or data with the RAN, or interact voice and data with the RAN. The terminal device may include a UE, a wireless terminal device, a mobile terminal device, a device-to-device (D2D) terminal device, a vehicle-to-all (vehicle to everything, V2X) terminal device, a machine-to-machine/machine-type communications, M2M/MTC) terminal device, an internet of things (internet of things, ioT) terminal device, a subscriber unit (subscriber unit), a subscriber station (subscriber station), a mobile station (mobile station), a remote station (remote station), an Access Point (AP), a remote terminal (access terminal), a user terminal (user agent), a user agent (user device), or a user equipment (user device), etc. For example, mobile telephones (or "cellular" telephones) computers with mobile terminal devices, portable, pocket, hand-held, computer-built mobile devices, and the like may be included. Such as personal communication services (personal communication service, PCS) phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (session initiation protocol, SIP) phones, wireless local loop (wireless local loop, WLL) stations, PDAs, and the like. But also limited devices such as devices with lower power consumption, or devices with limited memory capabilities, or devices with limited computing capabilities, etc. Examples include bar codes, radio frequency identification (radio frequency identification, RFID), sensors, global positioning systems (global positioning system, GPS), laser scanners, and other information sensing devices.

By way of example, and not limitation, in embodiments of the present application, the terminal device may also be a wearable device. The wearable device can also be called as a wearable intelligent device or an intelligent wearable device, and is a generic name for intelligently designing daily wear and developing wearable devices, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothes, shoes, and the like, by applying wearable technology. The 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 can realize a powerful function through software support, data interaction and cloud interaction. The generalized wearable intelligent device includes full functionality, large size, and may not rely on the smart phone to implement complete or partial functionality, such as: smart watches or smart glasses, etc., and focus on only certain types of application functions, and need to be used in combination with other devices, such as smart phones, for example, various smart bracelets, smart helmets, smart jewelry, etc. for physical sign monitoring.

In the embodiment of the application, the terminal device may further include a relay (relay). Or it is understood that all that is capable of data communication with a network device may be regarded as a terminal device.

In the embodiment of the present application, the device for implementing the function of the terminal device may be the terminal device, or may be a device that is applied to the terminal device and is capable of supporting the terminal device to implement the function, for example, a component or an assembly having a communication function, or a chip system, and the device may be installed in the terminal device. In the embodiment of the application, the chip system may be formed by a chip, and may also include a chip and other discrete devices. In the technical solution provided in the embodiments of the present application, the device for implementing the function of the terminal is a terminal device, which is described in the embodiments of the present application as an example.

A network device, for example comprising AN Access Network (AN) device, such as a base station (e.g., AN access point), may refer to a device in AN access network that communicates over the air with terminal devices through one or more cells. The network device may include an evolved base station (NodeB or eNB or e-NodeB, evolutional Node B) in an LTE system or advanced (long term evolution-advanced, LTE-a), or may also include a next generation node B (next generation node B, gNB) in a fifth generation mobile communication technology (the 5th generation,5G) NR system (also simply referred to as an NR system) or may also include a Centralized Unit (CU) and/or a Distributed Unit (DU) in a Cloud access network (Cloud radio access network, cloud RAN) system, which embodiments of the present application are not limited. For example, the network device may be a CU in a cloudran system, or a DU, or an ensemble of a CU and a DU.

The network device may also comprise a core network device comprising, for example, access and mobility management functions (access and mobility management function, AMF) or the like. In this embodiment of the present application, since the access network is mainly referred to, the network devices refer to access network devices unless otherwise specified hereinafter.

In the embodiment of the present application, the means for implementing the function of the network device may be the network device, or may be a means capable of supporting the network device to implement the function, for example, a chip system, and the apparatus may be installed in the network device. In the technical solution provided in the embodiments of the present application, the device for implementing the function of the network device is exemplified by the network device, and the technical solution provided in the embodiments of the present application is described.

The network architecture and the service scenario described in the embodiments of the present application are for more clearly describing the technical solution of the embodiments of the present application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solution provided in the embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can know that, with the evolution of the network architecture and the appearance of the new service scenario, the technical solution provided in the embodiments of the present application is applicable to similar technical problems.

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

Fig. 4 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application.

S401, the network device sends first information to the terminal device. Accordingly, the terminal device receives the first information from the network device.

Wherein the first information is used to indicate a first time window. The first time window is a time window in which the network device and the terminal device do not transmit the first channel.

The first information is cell-level, which is understood to be carried in a signaling or channel at the cell level. Or it is understood that the first information is cell specific information, i.e. the first information is not specific to a particular terminal device. Or it may be further understood that the first information is first information that the network device sends to all terminal devices in the cell, where the first information received by all terminal devices in the cell is the same first information.

For example, the first information may be broadcast information, carried over a broadcast channel, or scrambled by a common RNTI. Since the first information is cell level information, the first information indicates a first time window, which is also understood to be indicated to all terminal devices in the first cell.

Alternatively, the first information is used to indicate a first time window for a group of terminal devices, e.g. the first information may be multicast information.

In one example, the first information implicitly indicates a first time window, e.g., the first information is used to configure a network device DTX mechanism, the network device DTX mechanism corresponding to the first time window, the network device indicating the first time window to the terminal device by indicating the network device DTX mechanism.

For example, the first information explicitly indicates the first time window, e.g., at least one of a start time, a duration, or an end time of the first information through the first time window indicates the first time window. In comparison to example one, example two may also be understood that the first information is not configured with a DTX mechanism at this time, but only indicates a period of time as the first time window.

The manner in which the first information indicates the first time window in example one, that is, the manner in which the first information configures the DTX mechanism of the network device, the specific description of the first channel, and the manner in which the first information is transmitted will be described in detail below.

And S402, the terminal equipment does not transmit the first channel in the first time window according to the first information. Accordingly, the network device does not transmit the first channel within the first time window.

The manner in which the first information of example one in S401 indicates the first time window, that is, the manner in which the first information configures the network DTX mechanism is first described as an example.

For example, the first time window is a time period within a first period, and the first information may indicate at least one of: a first period, a first on time, a first off time, an on duration, or an off duration. Wherein the time unit of the first period may be slot/subframe/frame (frame)/millisecond, etc. The first period may include one or more first time windows, and may further include one or more second time windows, where the second time windows are time windows in which the network device and the terminal device may transmit the first channel.

The first opening time is a starting time of the terminal device capable of transmitting the first channel in the first period, and can be also understood as a starting position or starting time of the second time window. For example, the first on time may be offset relative to the first cycle start position. For example, the first period is a frame or subframe, and the first on time may indicate a slot within the frame or subframe. Or the first on-time may indicate a symbol within a slot/subslot period, if the first period is a slot/subslot (subslot).

The first closing time is a starting time when the terminal device stops transmitting the first channel in the first period, and can be also understood as a starting position or a starting time of the first time window. For example, the first off-time may be offset relative to the first cycle start position. For example, the first period is a frame/subframe, and the first off time may indicate a slot within the frame/subframe. Or the first off time may indicate a symbol within a slot/subslot period, if the first period is a slot/subslot.

The duration of the opening is the duration of the period in which the terminal device can transmit the first channel, and can also be understood as the duration of the second time window.

The closing duration is the duration that the terminal device cannot transmit the first channel in the period, and can be also understood as the duration of the first time window.

It should be noted that, one or more parameters of the first period, the first on time, the first off time, the on duration, the off duration may be indicated by the first information, may be predefined, as specified by a protocol, or may be preconfigured, and so on. One or more of the first period, the first on time, the first off time, the on duration, the off duration may also be partially defined by the first indication information, and other partially defined parameters may be predefined or preconfigured.

In one example, the first period includes a second time window. The first information may indicate a first period, wherein the duration of the first period is P ₁ A first on time S and an on duration T. The second time window may be determined according to the first open time and the open duration, so that the first time window is determined according to the first period and the second time window, where the first time window is a time period outside the second time window in the first period. As shown in fig. 5.

In another example, the first period includes a plurality of second time windows. The first information may indicate a first period, an open time for each second time window, and an open duration for each open time period. Including 2 second time periods in a first periodFor example, the first information may indicate a first period, where the duration of the first period is P ₁ First on time (S ₁ ) A first on duration (T1), a second first on duration (S ₂ ) And a second on duration (T2). The first second time window may be determined according to the first open time and the first open duration, and the second time window may be determined according to the second first open time and the second open duration, so that the first time window is determined according to the first period and the two second time windows, wherein the first time window is a time period other than the two second time windows in the first period. As shown in fig. 6.

In addition to the first on-time and the first off-time described above, the network device may instruct the application of the second on-time if the first condition is met. And/or, in case the second condition is met, the network device instructs to apply the second closing time. It should be noted that the second on time and/or the second off time may be applied by the network device indication. It may also be that the terminal device determines to apply, for example, the second on-time when the first condition is fulfilled and the second off-time when the second condition is fulfilled. Optionally, in an embodiment in which the terminal device determines to apply the second on time and/or the second off time, the second on time and/or the second off time may be indicated by the network device or may be defined by a protocol. The first condition and/or the second condition may be indicated by the network device or may be defined by a protocol.

Wherein the second closing time is associated with a second condition, i.e. the second closing time is validated when the second condition is fulfilled. The second off time may correspond to a off timer during which the terminal device and the network device do not transmit the first channel. The second closing time is associated with a second condition, which can be understood as triggering the closing timer when the second condition is fulfilled.

When the second condition is satisfied, the second closing time may cover the first opening time, or the second closing time may be understood to have a higher priority than the first opening time. That is, at a time within the second time window, if the second condition is not satisfied, the terminal device and the network device may transmit the first channel, but since the second condition is satisfied at this time, the second off-time corresponding off-timer is started, and therefore, during the timing of the off-timer, the terminal device and the network device do not transmit the first channel until the off-timer is ended. The first channel may be transmitted according to the second time window after the closing timer is finished, and specifically, if the closing timer is still located in the second time window after the closing timer is finished, the first channel may be transmitted in the remaining time of the second time window until the second time window is finished. If the closing timer is not located in the second time window after the end, i.e. in the first time window, the first channel cannot be transmitted until the next second time window is entered, in which the first channel can be transmitted.

The second on-time is associated with the first condition, i.e. the second on-time is validated when the first condition is met. The second on-time may correspond to an on-timer during which the terminal device and the network device may transmit the first channel. The second on-time is associated with the first condition, which may be understood as triggering the on-timer when the first condition is met.

When the first condition is satisfied, the second on time may cover the first off time, which may also be understood as having a higher priority than the first off time. That is, at a certain time of the first time window, if the first condition is not satisfied, the terminal device and the network device cannot transmit the first channel, but since the first condition is satisfied at this time, the open timer corresponding to the second open time is started, during the timing of the open timer, the terminal device and the network device can transmit the first channel until the open timer is ended. After the start timer has ended, the first channel may not be transmitted according to the first time window. Specifically, if the start timer is still located in the first time window after the end of the start timer, the first channel cannot be transmitted in the remaining time of the first time window until the end of the first time window. If the open timer is not located in the first time window after the end, i.e. is located in the second time window, the first channel can be transmitted until the next first time window is entered, and the first channel cannot be transmitted in the next first time window.

The present application is not limited to only one off timer (or second off time) and/or on timer (or second on time), and in a specific embodiment, there may also be multiple off timers and/or multiple on timers, and the conditions associated with any two on timers may be different, and the conditions associated with any two off timers may be different.

For ease of understanding, examples are presented herein. For example, a second on-time may be defined, which corresponds to the on-timer 1, which on-timer 1 may be referred to as dtx-InactivityTimer. The condition corresponding to the start timer 1 (i.e. the first condition associated with the second start time) is that the transmission of the first channel has not been completed at the end of the second time window, for example, the transmitted data packet is relatively large, and the transmission has not been completed at the end of the second time window. But this packet may be important and require a complete transmission, at which point the start timer 1 may be started forcing the network device and the terminal device to complete the transmission. As shown in fig. 7, the start timer 1 is started assuming that at the end of the second time window there is still data to be transmitted, and before this start timer 1 ends, the terminal device and the network device can transmit the first channel.

The network device DTX mechanism was introduced above. The first channel is described below.

Illustratively, the first channel includes a first uplink channel and/or a first downlink channel. The first channel is described below.

By way of example, the first channel may comprise at least one of the following types: a first set of channels, a second set of channels, a third set of channels, or a fourth set of channels;

The first set of channels may be signals related to data transmission, or may be understood as signals transmitted after the RRC connection is established. For example, the first set of channels includes at least one of the following signals: SPS PDSCH, CG PUSCH, HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH, SR, or BFR. That is, the first uplink channel includes at least one of the following signals: CG PUSCH, HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH, BFR, or SR, the first downlink channel comprises the following signals: SPS PDSCH.

Since the time domain resources for transmitting the SPS PDSCH are configured in advance, there may be a case where some or all of the time domain resources for transmitting the SPS PDSCH are located within the first time window, so that the PDSCH cannot be transmitted through the time domain resources configured in advance.

Two possible solutions to this problem are given below.

Scheme one: the SPS PDSCH may be delayed for transmission, for example, until the next on period (next second time window).

Alternatively, the SPS PDSCH may be transmitted by PDSCH of a new Dynamic Grant (DG) or a new SPS PDSCH occasion when delayed for transmission. Since there may be no transmission opportunity of the SPS PDSCH and no corresponding time-frequency resource available (e.g., the corresponding time-frequency resource is occupied by other signals in advance) when transmitting the SPS PDSCH in the second time window, or there may be a case that a plurality of SPS PDSCH are all transmitted in a delayed manner, etc., the above manner of transmitting the SPS PDSCH through the PDSCH of the new DG or the new SPS PDSCH occasion may improve the transmission reliability of the SPS PDSCH.

Scheme II: similar to the scheme applying the second on-time. I.e. at the beginning of the SPS transmission, or at the end of the second time window, an on timer is started, during which the SPS PDSCH can be transmitted. Or it is understood that the second on time is applied during the timing of the on timer, maintaining the active state, thereby completing the transmission of the entire SPS PDSCH. One possible scenario is that the SPS PDSCH starts transmitting within the second time window, but at the end of the second time window the transmission has not yet been completed.

Since the time domain resources of the transmission HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH are also configured in advance, there may be a case where part or all of the time domain resources of the transmission HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH are located in the first time window, so that HARQ-ACK information cannot be transmitted. Three possible solutions to this problem are given below.

Scheme a: HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH may be transmitted with HARQ-ACK feedback of one dynamically scheduled PDSCH, i.e., HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH may be transmitted on the time domain resource corresponding to the HARQ-ACK feedback of the dynamically scheduled PDSCH, or it may be understood that HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH is transmitted on the same uplink channel as the HARQ-ACK feedback of the dynamically scheduled PDSCH. In this way, the transmission behavior of HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH can follow the transmission of HARQ-ACK of dynamically scheduled PDSCH, ensuring the reliability of HARQ-ACK transmission.

Because the dynamic scheduling is flexible and timely, if the time domain resource corresponding to the HARQ-ACK feedback of the dynamically scheduled PDSCH is in the first time window, the network equipment can schedule the HARQ-ACK feedback to be transmitted in the second time window in time, so that the HARQ-ACK feedback of the PDSCH can be transmitted in time. In the embodiment of the application, the HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH can be sent in time by sending the HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH together with the HARQ-ACK feedback of the dynamically scheduled PDSCH, so that the communication performance is improved.

Scheme B: if some or all of the time domain resources of HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH may be located within the first time window, the HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH may not be fed back. Or, the terminal device does not expect that the SPS PDSCH is transmitted in the second time window but the corresponding HARQ-ACK is transmitted in the first time window, and the network device may configure HARQ-ACK feedback in the second time window when configuring the transmission time and period of the SPS PDSCH. Or starting the second starting time through the first condition, namely starting a starting timer corresponding to the second starting time.

Scheme C: HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH may delay to transmit for a next second time window. Specifically, the transmission may be delayed until the uplink time slot of the next second time window. Optionally, the network device may also configure the maximum delay time of HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH, and if the delay of HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH exceeds the maximum delay time, then this HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH may not transmit.

The terminal device may delay transmission of the CG PUSCH and the SR if the transmission timing of the CG PUSCH and the SR is within the first time window, for example, may delay transmission until the next on period (the next second time window). Alternatively, a second on time may be started, a corresponding on timer may be started, and CG PUSCH and SR may be transmitted during the timing of the on timer.

For BFR, the terminal device may not perform BFR measurement and update during the first time window. Accordingly, the network device may not transmit the measurement signal of the BFR.

The second set of channels may be access related signals, which may also be understood as signals transmitted before the RRC connection is established. For example, the second set of channels includes at least one of the following signals: the SI-RNTI scrambled PDCCH, PRACH, RA-RNTI scrambled PDCCH, or the TC-RNTI scrambled PDCCH. That is, the first uplink channel includes at least one of the following signals: PRACH, HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH, BFR, or SR, the first downlink channel comprises at least one of the following signals: the SI-RNTI scrambled PDCCH, the RA-RNTI scrambled PDCCH, or the TC-RNTI scrambled PDCCH.

Optionally, for the SI-RNTI scrambled PDCCH: if SIB1 is also SI-RNTI scrambled, when the terminal device does not receive the first information, SIB1 may be blindly detected. After the terminal equipment receives the first information, the PDCCH scrambled by the SI-RNTI can be received according to the period configured by the first information. After the network device sends the first information, the network device may send the PDCCH scrambled by the SI-RNTI according to the period configured by the first information.

PDCCH scrambled for PRACH and RA/TC-RNTI: after receiving the first information, the terminal equipment does not send PRACH or does not detect the PDCCH scrambled by RA/TC-RNTI in a first time window.

The third set of channels may be paging signals. For example, the third set of channels includes: the P-RNTI scrambled PDCCH. That is, the first downlink channel includes a P-RNTI scrambled PDCCH.

Optionally, the time domain position of the P-RNTI scrambled PDCCH is not within the first time window. Alternatively, it may be described as a time domain position of the PDCCH in which the P-RNTI scrambling is not present within the first time window. A specific implementation form may be that when the network device configures transmission of paging, the configuration of the paging cycle is associated with the configuration of the gNB DTX cycle.

The fourth set of channels includes: SSB. That is, the first downlink channel includes SSB.

At present, the DRX mechanism of the terminal device is invalid for signals such as SSB, PRACH, SR, BFR, etc., that is, the terminal device still transmits signals such as SSB, PRACH, SR, BFR, etc. during the DRX inactivity time. This results in still a large power consumption of the terminal device. In this embodiment of the present application, the terminal device may not transmit the signal for a period of time (i.e., the first time window) according to the first information, so that power consumption of the terminal device may be further saved.

The type of the first channel is introduced above, and several possible examples are given below in connection with the type of the first channel and the transmission manner of the first information.

Example a, the first information may be carried in SIB1. In this example a, the first channel may include at least one of the first to third groups of channels.

In example a above, if the first information is carried in SIB1, the first channel may include at least one of the first to third sets of channels. I.e. if the terminal device receives the first information in SIB1, at least one of the first to third set of channels is not transmitted within the first time window.

Alternatively, the above example a may also understand that if the first channel includes at least one of the first to third groups of channels, the first information may be carried in SIB1. I.e. if the network device instructs the terminal device not to transmit at least one of the above-mentioned first to third set of channels within the first time window, the first information may be sent via SIB1.

Since the signaling such as the PRACH is sent before the initial access of the terminal device, no RRC connection is established at this time, the network device can control the transmission of the signaling such as the PRACH before the establishment of the RRC connection by sending the first information through the SIB1.

Example B, the first information may be carried in RRC signaling. In this example B, the first channel may include a first set of channels and not include a second set of channels and/or a third set of channels.

In example B above, if the first information is carried in RRC signaling, the first channel may include the first set of channels and not include the second set of channels and/or the third set of channels. I.e. if the terminal device receives the first information in RRC signaling, the first set of channels is not transmitted in the first time window, and the second set of channels and/or the third set of channels are transmitted.

Alternatively, it is also understood that the above example B may be that if the first channel includes the first group of channels, the first information may be carried in RRC signaling. I.e. if the network device instructs the terminal device not to transmit the first set of channels within the first time window, but may transmit the second set of channels and/or the third set of channels.

Example C, the first channel may not include SSB, i.e., SSB will always transmit. Since SSB is used for synchronization within a cell and broadcasting of system messages, and for cell selection and measurement of terminal devices, in order to ensure normal access of legacy terminal devices, SSB retains normal transmission mode and is not affected by DTX mechanism. Since SSB relates to terminal device access network devices, in this example C, it is desirable that SSB can still be transmitted in the mechanisms provided in this application.

In the above examples a to C, the first time window may be uniformly configured to the terminal device in the cell by sending the first information through the cell-level signaling, and compared with configuring DRX through the configuration information of the terminal device level in the DRX mechanism of the terminal device, signaling overhead may be reduced.

In one implementation, the communication behavior of the terminal device within the first time window defaults to not transmitting the first channel. Thus, the terminal device does not transmit the first channel within the first time window after receiving the first information.

The type of the first channel may be default, or may be indicated by the network device, or may be determined according to a signaling carrying the first information, and the corresponding relationship between the signaling carrying the first information and the first channel may be referred to the above description, which is not repeated herein.

The above describes the transmission mode of the first information and the corresponding communication behavior of the terminal device by way of example in combination with the type of the first channel.

In one possible scenario, the embodiment shown in fig. 4 may further include S403 (not shown in fig. 4): the network device sends the second information to the terminal device, and correspondingly, the terminal device receives the second information from the network device.

The second information is used to indicate whether the first time window is valid. Thus, the terminal device may not transmit the first channel in the first time window if the second information indicates that the first time window is valid, and may still transmit the first channel if the second information indicates that the first time window is invalid. In a specific embodiment, the terminal device may receive the second information before not transmitting the first channel within the first time window. In another specific embodiment, the terminal device may receive the second information after not transmitting the first channel within the first time window.

For example, the second information may be DCI in a first format, where the first format is used to indicate that the first time window is valid. The first format may not be used for other purposes such as scheduling data transmissions. For example, the first format may be a newly added DCI format 2_Y, i.e., the first format may be different from the DCI format type specified by the current protocol, e.g., the first format is different from the DCI type specified by the current protocol including DCI format 0_0,DCI format 0_1,DCI format 0_2,DCI format 1_0,DCI format 1_1,DCI format 1_2,DCI format 2_0,DCI format 2_1,DCI format2_2,DCI format 2_3,DCI format 2_4,DCI format 2_5,DCI format2_6. In this way, signaling overhead can be reduced by implicitly indicating whether the first time window is valid by designing the format of the DCI.

Alternatively, the second information may also be scrambled with a first RNTI, which is used to indicate that the first time window is valid. The first RNTI is not used for other functions, unlike any RNTI specified by the current protocol, e.g., the specified RNTI includes PS-RNTI, P-RNTI, etc.

Optionally, the network device may send the second information within a second time window.

As an example, the second information may only indicate whether the subsequent one or the subsequent N first time windows are valid, N being an integer greater than 1. N may be a predefined value or configured by RRC signaling.

In the above manner, if the second information indicates that the first time window is not valid, the terminal device may still transmit the first channel within the first time window. If the second information indicates that the first time window is effective, the terminal equipment does not transmit the first channel in the first time window. According to the mode, whether the first time window is effective or not is indicated through the additional information, so that the terminal equipment and the network equipment can lose efficacy of the first time window when the first channel needs to be transmitted under the condition that the first time window is configured by the first information, the first channel can be transmitted in time, the flexibility of transmission is improved, and the communication performance is improved.

In one possible implementation, the embodiment shown in fig. 4 may further include S404 (not shown in fig. 4): the network device sends information A to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the information A from the network device.

Information a is used to indicate whether the second time window is valid. Thus, the terminal device may transmit the first channel within the second time window if the information a indicates that the second time window is valid, or may not transmit the first channel if the information a indicates that the second time window is invalid, as shown in fig. 8.

For example, the information a may be DCI in a second format, and the second format is used to indicate that the second time window is valid. The second format may not be used for other purposes such as scheduling data transmissions. For example, the second format may be a newly added DCI format 2_X, i.e., the second format may be different from the DCI format type specified by the current protocol, e.g., the first format is different from the DCI format 0_0,DCI format 0_1,DCI format 0_2,DCI format 1_0,DCI format 1_1,DCI format 1_2,DCI format 2_0,DCI format 2_1,DCI format 2_2,DCI format2_3,DCI format 2_4,DCI format 2_5,DCI format2_6 specified by the current protocol. In this way, signaling overhead can be reduced by implicitly indicating whether the second time window is valid by designing the format of the DCI.

Alternatively, the information a may be scrambled with a second RNTI, which is used to indicate that the second time window is valid. The second RNTI is not used for other functions, unlike any RNTI specified by the current protocol, e.g., a specified RNTI includes a power save radio network temporary identity (PS-RNTI), P-RNTI, etc.

Alternatively, the network device may transmit information a within the first time window.

As an example, the information a may only indicate whether the subsequent one or the subsequent M second time windows are valid, M being an integer greater than 1. M may be a predefined value or configured by RRC signaling.

In the above manner, if the information a indicates that the second time window is not valid, the terminal device does not transmit the first channel in the second time window. If the information A indicates that the second time window is effective, the terminal equipment transmits the first channel in the second time window. According to the method, whether the second time window is effective or not is indicated through the additional information, so that the terminal equipment and the network equipment can lose the second time window when the first channel is not required to be transmitted under the condition that the second time window is configured by the first information, the power consumption of the terminal equipment can be further saved, and the transmission flexibility can be improved.

Alternatively, the DTX mechanism described above may be active after the terminal device receives the first information. Or, after receiving the first information, the terminal device further needs to determine that the DTX mechanism is effective according to the indication of the network device, for example, the network device may send information B to the terminal device, where the information B is used to indicate that the first information is effective. Alternatively, information B may be carried with one field/one indication field/one or more bits in SIB1 or RRC signaling.

The information B may be carried in the same signaling as the first information, e.g. the first information and the information B may be different fields or different indication fields of the same piece of signaling. The first information and the information B may also be carried in different signaling. The specific limitation is not particularly limited herein. If the information B may be sent in different signaling with the first information bearer, the sending manner of the information B may be similar to that of the first information, and in particular, reference may be made to the above examples a to C, and the repetition is not repeated.

Further, the information B may further indicate a transmission direction to which the first information is validated, for example, the information B indicates that the first information is validated for transmission of an uplink channel, or the information B indicates that the first information is validated for transmission of a downlink channel, or the information B may indicate that the first information is validated for transmission of both uplink and downlink channels, or the like. Information B will be described below in connection with specific examples.

In example D, the information B indicates that the first information is effective for transmission of the uplink channel, and the terminal device does not transmit the first uplink channel in the first time window, and the network device does not receive the first uplink channel in the first time window.

In this manner, optionally, whether the first information is effective for the transmission of the downlink channel may follow the uplink channel, i.e. the terminal device does not transmit the first uplink channel in the first time window and defaults to not receive the first downlink channel in the first time window, and the network device does not receive the first uplink channel in the first time window and defaults to not transmit the first downlink channel in the first time window.

In example E, the information B indicates that the first information is effective for the transmission of the downlink channel, and the terminal device does not receive the first downlink channel in the first time window, and the network device does not transmit the first downlink channel in the first time window, where the terminal device does not need to receive the first downlink channel in the first time window. In this manner, optionally, whether the first information is valid for transmission of the uplink channel may follow the downlink channel, i.e. the terminal device does not receive the first downlink channel in the first time window and defaults to not transmit the first uplink channel in the first time window, the network device does not transmit the first downlink channel in the first time window and defaults to not receive the first uplink channel in the first time window.

In example F, the information B may indicate that the first information is valid for both transmission of the uplink channel and transmission of the downlink channel, and the terminal device does not receive the first downlink channel or transmit the first uplink channel in the first time window, and the network device does not transmit the first downlink channel or receive the first uplink channel in the first time window.

In the three examples D to F, the transmission of the uplink channel and the transmission of the downlink channel may be configured simultaneously as one characteristic, or may be configured independently as different characteristics.

Example G, information B may indicate that the first information is valid for transmission in one direction (e.g., transmission of an uplink channel or transmission of a downlink channel). And whether the first information is valid for transmission in the other direction may be indicated by another information such as information C. In this example, the uplink channel transmission and the downlink channel transmission may be configured as two characteristics, respectively, and the information B and the information C may be different fields or different indication fields of the same signaling, or may be carried by two different signaling. For example, there may be two fields or two indication fields in SIB1 or RRC signaling, carrying information B and information C, respectively.

The above description is given taking the case where the time window in which the first downlink channel is not transmitted and the time window in which the first uplink channel is not transmitted are collectively configured as the first information. Alternatively, the time window in which the downlink channel is not transmitted and the time window in which the uplink channel is not transmitted may be configured independently, which is not particularly limited herein.

The above describes the communication behaviour of the network device and the terminal device in the configuration of the first information. Note that the first information is different from the DRX configuration of the terminal device. If the network device sends the first information to the terminal device, the DRX configuration of the terminal device is also configured, and the terminal device and the network device can communicate in the following manner under the scene that the DRX mechanism of the terminal device and the DTX mechanism of the network device coexist.

In one implementation manner, the network device may send the first information and the third information to the terminal device, where the third information is used to indicate that the terminal device does not receive the downlink channel in a third time window, that is, the first time window is a time window in which the terminal device does not transmit the first channel under the DTX mechanism of the network device, and the third time window is a time window in which the terminal device does not receive the downlink channel under the DRX mechanism of the terminal device. The terminal device may determine a fourth time window according to the first time window and/or the third time window, and not transmit the first channel in the fourth time window.

The first information and the third information may be transmitted simultaneously or separately, and the transmission order of the first information and the third information is not limited in this application.

The fourth time window is illustratively a union of the first time window and the third time window. Alternatively, the fourth time window is an intersection of the first time window and the third time window. Or the fourth time window is a first time window, that is, the priority of the first information is higher than the priority of the second information, and the terminal device and the network device communicate according to the first information. Or the fourth time window is a third time window, that is, the priority of the first information is lower than the priority of the second information, and the terminal device and the network device communicate according to the third information.

As can be seen from the foregoing description of the terminology, the DRX mechanism of the terminal device has two cycle configurations, namely a Long DRX cycle and a Short DRX cycle, and how to switch between the three cycles after introducing the first cycle indicated by the first information is a problem to be solved.

In one implementation, for this problem, a timer is started when the Short DRX cycle starts/starts to execute, and the duration of the timer may be configured. During this timer run, it is performed according to the rule of the short DRX cycle. At the end of the timer, if there are no further new indications/changes/data transmissions, a first cycle is performed after the end of the timer.

In another implementation, when the Long DRX cycle starts/starts to execute, a timer is started, and the duration of the timer may be configured. During this timer run, execution is in accordance with the rules of the long DRX cycle. At the end of the timer, if there are no further new indications/changes/data transmissions, a first cycle is performed after the end of the timer.

In yet another implementation, a timer is started at the start/start of the first cycle, and the duration of the timer may be configurable. During this timer run, execution is in accordance with the rules of gNB DTX. At the end of the timer, if there are no other new indications/changes/data transmissions, the Short DRX cycle or the Long DRX cycle is performed after the end of the timer.

The three implementation manners only introduce a conversion rule between the first period and the period of the DRX mechanism of the terminal device, and the conversion rule between the Short DRX cycle and the Long DRX cycle in the DRX mechanism of the terminal device may be described with reference to the foregoing terminology, which is not repeated herein.

Based on the same concept as the method embodiment, the embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which may have a structure as shown in fig. 9, including a communication module 901 and a processing module 902.

In one implementation, the communication apparatus may be specifically configured to implement the method performed by the terminal device in the embodiment of fig. 4, where the apparatus may be the terminal device itself, or may be a chip or a chipset in the terminal device or a part of a chip for performing the functions of the related method. The communication module 901 is configured to receive first information from a network device, where the first information is used to indicate a first time window, and the first information is at a cell level. The processing module 902 is configured to not transmit the first channel in the first time window according to the first information. The first channel comprises a first uplink channel and/or a first downlink channel.

Optionally, the communication module 901 is further configured to: second information is received from the network device, the second information indicating whether the first time window is valid.

Optionally, the communication module 901 is further configured to: and receiving third information from the network equipment, wherein the third information is used for indicating the terminal equipment not to receive the downlink channel in a third time window. The processing module 902 is further configured to: determining a fourth time window according to the first time window and/or the third time window; and not transmitting the first channel in a fourth time window according to the first information and the third information.

In one implementation, the communication apparatus may be specifically configured to implement the method performed by the access network device in the embodiment of fig. 4, where the apparatus may be the access network device itself, or may be a chip or a chipset in the access network device or a part of a chip for performing the related method functions. Wherein, the processing module 902 is configured to determine first information, where the first information is used to indicate a first time window, and the first information is at a cell level; a communication module 901, configured to send the first information to a terminal device. The first channel comprises a first uplink channel and/or a first downlink channel.

Optionally, the communication module 901 is further configured to: and sending second information to the terminal equipment, wherein the second information is used for indicating whether the first time window is valid or not.

Optionally, the communication module 901 is further configured to: and sending third information to the terminal equipment, wherein the third information is used for indicating the terminal equipment not to receive the downlink channel in a third time window.

The more detailed description about the processing module 902 and the communication module 901 can be directly obtained by referring to the related description in the method embodiment shown in fig. 4, which is not repeated herein.

The division of the modules in the embodiments of the present application is schematically only one logic function division, and there may be another division manner in actual implementation, and in addition, each functional module in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated in one processor, or may exist separately and physically, or two or more modules may be integrated in one module. The integrated modules may be implemented in hardware or in software functional modules. It will be appreciated that the function or implementation of each module in the embodiments of the present application may further refer to the relevant description of the method embodiments.

In a possible manner, the communication apparatus may be a communication device or a chip in a communication device, where the communication device may be a terminal device in the foregoing embodiment or a network device in the foregoing embodiment, as shown in fig. 10. The apparatus comprises a processor 1001 and a communication interface 1002 and may also comprise a memory 1003. The processing module 902 may be the processor 1001. The communication module 901 may be a communication interface 1002.

The processor 1001 may be a CPU, or a digital processing unit, or the like. The communication interface 1002 may be a transceiver, or may be an interface circuit such as a transceiver circuit, or may be a transceiver chip, or the like. The apparatus further comprises: a memory 1003 for storing a program executed by the processor 1001. The memory 1003 may be a nonvolatile memory such as a Hard Disk Drive (HDD) or a Solid State Drive (SSD), or may be a volatile memory (RAM) such as a random-access memory (RAM). Memory 1003 is any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited to such.

The processor 1001 is configured to execute program codes stored in the memory 1003, and specifically configured to execute the actions of the processing module 902, which are not described herein. The communication interface 1002 is specifically configured to perform the actions of the communication module 901, which are not described herein.

The specific connection medium between the communication interface 1002, the processor 1001, and the memory 1003 is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. In the embodiment of the present application, the memory 1003, the processor 1001 and the communication interface 1002 are connected by a bus 1004 in fig. 10, where the bus is indicated by a thick line in fig. 10, and the connection manner between other components is only schematically illustrated, and is not limited thereto. The buses may be divided into address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is shown in fig. 10, but not only one bus or one type of bus.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer readable storage medium storing computer software instructions for executing the above processor, where the computer software instructions include a program for executing the above processor.

The embodiment of the application also provides a communication system, which comprises a communication device for realizing the functions of the terminal equipment in the embodiment of fig. 4 and a communication device for realizing the functions of the network equipment in the embodiment of fig. 4.

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

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

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

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

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present application without departing from the scope of the application. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims and the equivalents thereof, the present application is intended to cover such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A method of communication, the method comprising:

receiving first information from a network device, the first information being for indicating a first time window, the first information being cell-level;

and not transmitting a first channel in the first time window according to the first information, wherein the first channel comprises a first uplink channel and/or a first downlink channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first channel comprises at least one of a first set of channels, a second set of channels, a third set of channels, or a fourth set of channels;

wherein the first set of channels comprises at least one of the following signals: semi-persistent scheduling physical layer downlink shared channel SPSPSPS PDSCH, configuration grant physical uplink shared channel CG PUSCH, hybrid automatic repeat request feedback HARQ-ACK for SPS PDSCH of SPS PDSCH, scheduling request SR, or beam failure recovery BFR;

the second set of channels includes at least one of the following signals: a physical downlink control channel PDCCH scrambled by a system message radio network temporary identifier SI-RNTI, a physical random access channel PRACH, a PDCCH scrambled by a random access radio network temporary identifier RA-RNTI, or a PDCCH scrambled by a temporary cell radio network temporary identifier TC-RNTI;

The third set of channels includes: paging a PDCCH scrambled by a radio network temporary identifier P-RNTI;

the fourth set of channels includes: synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block SSB.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of providing the first information comprises,

the first information is carried on a system message block 1SIB1, the first channel including at least one of the first set of channels, the second set of channels, or the third set of channels.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein,

the first information is carried in radio resource control, RRC, signaling, the first channel including the first set of channels and excluding the second and/or third set of channels.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first channel comprises the third set of channels, and wherein a time domain position of the P-RNTI scrambled PDCCH is not within the first time window.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first channel does not comprise a fourth set of channels, the fourth set of channels comprising: SSB.

7. The method of any one of claim 1 to 6, wherein,

the first information is used to indicate at least one of a first period, a first bias, a first on time, a first off time, an on duration, or an off duration;

The first opening time is a starting time of a second time window of the terminal equipment in the first period, the first closing time is a starting time of the first time window of the terminal equipment in the first period, the opening duration is a duration of the second time window, the closing duration is a duration of the first time window, and the second time window is a time period in which the first channel can be transmitted in the first period.

8. The method of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the method further comprises:

second information is received from the network device, the second information indicating whether the first time window is valid.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second information is downlink control information, DCI, in a first format, the first format being used to indicate that the first time window is valid.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second information is scrambled with a first radio network temporary identifier, RNTI, the first RNTI being valid for the first time window.

11. The method of any one of claims 1-10, wherein the method further comprises:

Receiving third information from the network device, wherein the third information is used for indicating that the terminal device does not receive a downlink channel in a third time window;

determining a fourth time window according to the first time window and/or the third time window;

and not transmitting the first channel in the fourth time window according to the first information and the third information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein,

the fourth time window is a union of the first time window and the third time window; or alternatively

The fourth time window is an intersection of the first time window and the third time window; or alternatively

The fourth time window is the first time window; or alternatively

The fourth time window is the third time window.

13. A method of communication, the method comprising:

transmitting the first information to the terminal equipment, wherein the first information is used for indicating a first time window, and the first information is at a cell level;

and not transmitting a first channel in the first time window, wherein the first channel comprises a first uplink channel and/or a first downlink channel.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first channel comprises at least one of a first set of channels, a second set of channels, a third set of channels, or a fourth set of channels;

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of providing the first information comprises,

16. The method of claim 14, wherein,

The first information is carried in a radio resource control RRC signaling of a connected state, the first channel including the first set of channels and excluding the second and/or third set of channels.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first channel comprises the third set of channels, and wherein a time domain position of the P-RNTI scrambled PDCCH is not within the first time window.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the first channel does not include a fourth set of channels, the fourth set of channels comprising: SSB.

19. The method of any one of claim 13 to 18,

20. The method of any one of claims 13-19, wherein the method further comprises:

and sending second information to the terminal equipment, wherein the second information is used for indicating whether the first time window is valid or not.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second information is downlink control information, DCI, in a first format, the first format being used to indicate that the first time window is valid.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the second information is scrambled with a first radio network temporary identifier, RNTI, the first RNTI being valid for the first time window.

23. The method of any one of claims 13-22, wherein the method further comprises:

and sending third information to the terminal equipment, wherein the third information is used for indicating the terminal equipment not to receive the downlink channel in a third time window.

24. A communication device, characterized in that it comprises means or modules for performing the method according to any of claims 1 to 12 or means or modules for performing the method according to any of claims 13 to 23.

25. A communication device comprising a processor and interface circuitry for receiving signals from other communication devices than the communication device and transmitting to the processor or sending signals from the processor to other communication devices than the communication device, the processor being configured to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 12 by logic circuitry or executing code instructions or the processor being configured to implement the method of any one of claims 13 to 23 by logic circuitry or executing code instructions.

26. A computer readable storage medium, characterized in that the computer readable storage medium stores a computer program which, when run, implements the method of any one of claims 1 to 12 or implements the method of any one of claims 13 to 23.

27. A computer program product, characterized in that the computer program product comprises a computer program which, when run, causes the method of any one of claims 1-12 to be performed or causes the method of any one of claims 13-23 to be performed.