CN117412285A

CN117412285A - Data volume indicating method, data submitting method and device

Info

Publication number: CN117412285A
Application number: CN202210790760.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 刘南南; 强鹂; 常俊仁; 李娇娇
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-07-06
Filing date: 2022-07-06
Publication date: 2024-01-16
Also published as: WO2024007875A1

Abstract

A data quantity indicating method, a data submitting method and a device relate to the technical field of communication and can improve the technical problem of how to indicate the data quantity to a MAC entity under the condition that PDCP entities of terminal equipment are associated with a plurality of RLC entities. The method may include: the PDCP entity of the terminal device indicates a first data amount to the MAC entity of the terminal device and a second data amount to the MAC entity. Wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device. The first data volume includes a data volume of a first data set associated with the first RLC entity. The second data amount includes a data amount of a second data set associated with a second RLC entity.

Description

Data volume indicating method, data submitting method and device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a data size indication method, a data delivery method, and a device.

Background

In a communication system, when a terminal device transmits data to a network device, a packet data convergence protocol (packet data convergence protocol, PDCP) entity of the terminal device may submit the data to a radio link control (radio link control, RLC) entity and indicate the PDCP data amount to a medium access control (medium access control, MAC) entity. The MAC entity may send a buffer status report (buffer status reporting, BSR) to the network device according to the PDCP data amount and the RLC data amount to indicate to the network device the data amount size of the data to be sent by the terminal device. The network device may configure corresponding uplink resources for the terminal device according to the received BSR. And the terminal equipment sends data to the network equipment according to the uplink resources configured by the network equipment.

Wherein, the PDCP entity of the terminal device may associate one or more RLC entities, and in the case that the PDCP entity associates multiple RLC entities, how the PDCP entity indicates the data size to the MAC entity becomes a technical problem to be solved.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a data quantity indicating method, a data submitting method and a data submitting device, which can improve the technical problem of how to indicate the data quantity to an MAC entity under the condition that a PDCP entity of terminal equipment is associated with a plurality of RLC entities.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a data amount indication method, where the method may include: the packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the terminal equipment indicates a first data amount to a Media Access Control (MAC) entity of the terminal equipment and indicates a second data amount to the MAC entity; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device, the first data amount comprising a data amount of a first data set associated with the first RLC entity; the second data amount includes a data amount of a second data set associated with a second RLC entity.

Based on the first aspect, the PDCP entity may be modified to indicate the first data amount to the MAC entity associated with the first RLC entity and the second data amount to the MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity. The PDCP entity may distinguish data when indicating the amount of data to the MAC entity (or described as distinguishing RLC entities), and different data (or described as different RLC entities) may be indicated by different amounts of data. The MAC entity can determine the BSR according to the data quantity indicated by the PDCP entity, which is beneficial to the accurate report of the BSR and further saves resources.

In one possible design, the first data volume further comprises a data volume of a set of control PDUs; and/or the second data volume further comprises a data volume of the set of control PDUs.

Based on this possible design, the PDCP entity may determine which RLC entity to submit the set of control PDUs specifically through according to a pre-configuration or pre-definition. The first data volume further includes a data volume of the set of control PDUs if it is determined to be submitted by the first RLC entity. The second data amount further includes a data amount of the control PDU set if it is determined that the control PDU set is submitted by the second RLC entity. If it is determined that the set of control PDUs is submitted by the first RLC entity and/or the second RLC entity, both the first data amount and the second data amount comprise data amounts of the set of control PDUs.

In one possible design, the first data set includes some or all of the second data of one or more data sets; the second data set comprises part or all of the first data of the one or more data sets; wherein the data set comprises first data and one or more second data.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, where the communication apparatus may be applied to the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the first aspect or the possible designs of the first aspect, so as to implement a function performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device, and the communication apparatus may be the PDCP entity of the terminal device, or may be a chip or a system on a chip for implementing a function of the PDCP entity of the terminal device, or the communication apparatus may implement, by executing, by hardware, a function performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device by corresponding software. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as a transceiver module and a processing module. The processing module is used for acquiring the first data volume and acquiring the second data volume; the receiving and transmitting module is used for indicating the first data quantity to the MAC entity of the terminal equipment and indicating the second data quantity to the MAC entity; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device, the first data amount comprising a data amount of a first data set associated with the first RLC entity; the second data amount includes a data amount of a second data set associated with a second RLC entity.

It should be noted that, in the second aspect, specific implementation manners of the communication apparatus may refer to the first aspect or any one of possible designs of the first aspect to provide a data amount indication method, where the PDCP entity of the terminal device has a behavioural function.

In a third aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication apparatus, which may be a PDCP entity of a terminal device or a chip or a system-on-chip for implementing a PDCP entity function of the terminal device. The communication apparatus may implement the functions performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the above aspects or in each possible design, and the functions may be implemented by hardware. In one possible design, the communication device may include: a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver and processor may be adapted to support the communication device to implement the functionality referred to in the above-described first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect. For example: the processor may be configured to obtain a first amount of data and obtain a second amount of data; the transceiver may be configured to indicate a first amount of data to a MAC entity of the terminal device and a second amount of data to the MAC entity; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device, the first data amount comprising a data amount of a first data set associated with the first RLC entity; the second data amount includes a data amount of a second data set associated with a second RLC entity. In yet another possible design, the communication device may further include a memory for holding computer-executable instructions and data for the communication device. The transceiver and processor execute the computer-executable instructions stored by the memory when the communication device is operating to cause the communication device to perform the data amount indication method as described above in the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect.

In this specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the third aspect, reference may be made to the first aspect or any one of possible designs of the first aspect to provide a data amount indication method, where the PDCP entity of the terminal device has a behavioural function.

In a fourth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a data amount indication method, where the method may include: a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) entity of the terminal equipment acquires a third data volume and indicates the third data volume to a Media Access Control (MAC) entity of the terminal equipment; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device; the third data volume comprises the data volume of the first data set and the data volume of the second data set; the first data set is associated with a first RLC entity; the second data set is associated with a second RLC entity.

Based on the fourth aspect, the PDCP entity may indicate a total data amount, such as a third data amount, to the MAC entity with modifications to the manner in which the PDCP entity indicates the data amount to the MAC entity. The PDCP entity may not differentiate data (or may be described as not differentiating RLC entities) when indicating the data amount to the MAC entity, which is advantageous for accurate indication of the data amount. The MAC entity can determine the BSR according to the data quantity indicated by the PDCP entity, which is beneficial to the accurate report of the BSR and further saves resources.

In one possible design, the third data volume further includes a data volume of the set of control PDUs.

Based on this possible design, the third data amount comprises the data amount of the control PDU set no matter through which RLC entity the control PDU set is submitted, since the PDCP entity does not distinguish the RLC entities when indicating the data amount to the MAC entity.

In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be applied to the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the fourth aspect or the possible designs of the fourth aspect, to implement a function performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device, where the communication apparatus may be the PDCP entity of the terminal device, or may be a chip or a system on a chip for implementing a function of the PDCP entity of the terminal device, or the communication apparatus may implement, by executing corresponding software by hardware, a function performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as a transceiver module and a processing module. The processing module is used for acquiring a third data volume; the receiving and transmitting module is used for indicating a third data volume to the MAC entity of the terminal equipment; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device; the third data volume comprises the data volume of the first data set and the data volume of the second data set; the first data set is associated with a first RLC entity; the second data set is associated with a second RLC entity.

It should be noted that, in a specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the fifth aspect, reference may be made to the fourth aspect or any one of possible designs of the fourth aspect to provide a data amount indication method for a behavior function of a PDCP entity of a terminal device.

In a sixth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication apparatus, which may be a PDCP entity of a terminal device or a chip or a system-on-chip for implementing a PDCP entity function of the terminal device. The communication apparatus may implement the functions performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the above aspects or in each possible design, and the functions may be implemented by hardware. In one possible design, the communication device may include: a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver and processor may be used to support the communication device to implement the functionality involved in the fourth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the fourth aspect. For example: the processor may be configured to obtain a third amount of data; the transceiver may be configured to indicate a third amount of data to the MAC entity of the terminal device; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device; the third data volume comprises the data volume of the first data set and the data volume of the second data set; the first data set is associated with a first RLC entity; the second data set is associated with a second RLC entity. In yet another possible design, the communication device may further include a memory for holding computer-executable instructions and data for the communication device. When the communication device is operating, the transceiver and processor execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause the communication device to perform the data amount indication method as described in the fourth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the fourth aspect.

In this embodiment, the specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the sixth aspect may refer to the fourth aspect or any one of possible designs of the fourth aspect, which provides a data amount indicating method, and the PDCP entity of the terminal device has a behavioural function.

In a seventh aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a data amount indication method, where the method may include: the packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the terminal equipment indicates a first data amount to a Medium Access Control (MAC) entity of the terminal equipment and indicates a third data amount to the MAC entity; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device; the first data volume comprising a data volume of a first data set, the first data set being associated with a first RLC entity; the third data volume includes a data volume of the first data set and a data volume of a second data set associated with the second RLC entity.

Based on the seventh aspect, the manner in which the PDCP entity indicates the amount of data to the MAC entity is modified, and if the PDCP entity delivers the first set of data to the first RLC entity, the PDCP entity may indicate the first amount of data to the MAC entity associated with the first RLC entity. If the PDCP entity delivers the second data set to the second RLC entity, the PDCP entity may also deliver the first data set to the second RLC entity, and the PDCP entity may indicate a total data amount, such as a third data amount, to the MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity. The PDCP entity may distinguish RLC entities when indicating the amount of data to the MAC entity, different RLC entities being indicated by different amounts of data. The MAC entity can determine the BSR according to the data quantity indicated by the PDCP entity, which is beneficial to the accurate report of the BSR and further saves resources.

In one possible design, the first data volume further comprises a data volume of a set of control PDUs; and/or, the third data volume further comprises a data volume of the set of control PDUs.

Based on this possible design, the PDCP entity may determine which RLC entity to submit the set of control PDUs specifically through according to a pre-configuration or pre-definition. The first data volume further includes a data volume of the set of control PDUs if it is determined to be submitted by the first RLC entity. The third data amount further includes a data amount of the control PDU set if it is determined that the control PDU set is submitted by the second RLC entity. If it is determined that the set of control PDUs is submitted by the first RLC entity and/or the second RLC entity, both the first and the third data amount comprise the data amount of the set of control PDUs.

In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be applied to the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the seventh aspect or the possible designs of the seventh aspect, to implement a function performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device, where the communication apparatus may be the PDCP entity of the terminal device, or may be a chip or a system on a chip for implementing a function of the PDCP entity of the terminal device, or the communication apparatus may implement, by executing corresponding software by hardware, a function performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as a transceiver module and a processing module. The processing module is used for acquiring the first data volume and acquiring the third data volume; the receiving and transmitting module is used for indicating the first data quantity to the MAC entity of the terminal equipment and indicating the third data quantity to the MAC entity; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device; the first data volume comprising a data volume of a first data set, the first data set being associated with a first RLC entity; the third data volume includes a data volume of the first data set and a data volume of a second data set associated with the second RLC entity.

It should be noted that, in a specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the eighth aspect, reference may be made to the behavior function of the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the data amount indication method provided by the seventh aspect or any one of the possible designs of the seventh aspect.

In a ninth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication apparatus, which may be a PDCP entity of a terminal device or a chip or a system-on-chip for implementing a PDCP entity function of the terminal device. The communication apparatus may implement the functions performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the above aspects or in each possible design, and the functions may be implemented by hardware. In one possible design, the communication device may include: a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver and processor may be adapted to support the communication device to carry out the functions involved in the seventh aspect or any one of the possible designs of the seventh aspect described above. For example: the processor may be configured to obtain a first amount of data and obtain a third amount of data; the transceiver may be configured to indicate the first data amount to a MAC entity of the terminal device and the third data amount to the MAC entity; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device; the first data volume comprising a data volume of a first data set, the first data set being associated with a first RLC entity; the third data volume includes a data volume of the first data set and a data volume of a second data set associated with the second RLC entity. In yet another possible design, the communication device may further include a memory for holding computer-executable instructions and data for the communication device. When the communication device is operating, the transceiver and processor execute the computer-executable instructions stored by the memory to cause the communication device to perform the data amount indication method as described in the seventh aspect or any one of the possible designs of the seventh aspect.

In this embodiment, the specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the ninth aspect may refer to the behavior function of the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the data amount indication method provided by the seventh aspect or any one of the possible designs of the seventh aspect.

In a tenth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a data delivery method, which may include: the PDCP entity of the terminal equipment acquires first data of a second data group; if the second data of the first data group is submitted or the delivery is terminated, the PDCP entity submits the first data of the second data group to a second RLC entity of the terminal equipment; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first RLC entity and a second RLC entity of the terminal equipment; the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with a second RLC entity; the second data is associated with the first RLC entity.

Based on the tenth aspect, the limitation condition that the PDCP entity submits the data to the RLC entity is increased, taking the priority of the first data higher than the priority of the second data as an example, if the PDCP entity determines that all the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the delivery is terminated, the PDCP entity may submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, so as to avoid that the PDCP entity preferentially submits the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, resulting in that the second data of the first data set cannot be transmitted.

In one possible design, the PDCP entity sends a first request to a first RLC entity, and receives a first response from the first RLC entity; the first request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission; the first response is used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated.

In one possible design, the PDCP entity receives first indication information from a first RLC entity; the first indication information is used for indicating that the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or is submitted to termination.

Based on the two possible designs described above, various feasibility schemes are provided for the PDCP entity to determine whether the delivery of the second data of the first data set is complete or terminated.

In one possible design, the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated, comprising: second data of the first data set is submitted by the first RLC entity to the MAC entity; alternatively, the second data of the first data group is submitted to be terminated at the PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity.

In an eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be applied to the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the tenth aspect or the possible designs of the tenth aspect, to implement a function performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device, where the communication apparatus may be the PDCP entity of the terminal device, or may be a chip or a system on a chip for implementing a function of the PDCP entity of the terminal device, or the communication apparatus may implement, by executing corresponding software by hardware, a function performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as a transceiver module and a processing module. The processing module is used for acquiring the first data of the second data set; a transceiver module, configured to submit first data of the second data set to a second RLC entity of the terminal device if the second data of the first data set is submitted or terminated; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first RLC entity and a second RLC entity of the terminal equipment; the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with a second RLC entity; the second data is associated with the first RLC entity.

In a possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to send a first request to the first RLC entity and receive a first response from the first RLC entity; the first request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission; the first response is used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated.

In a possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to receive first indication information from the first RLC entity; the first indication information is used for indicating that the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or is submitted to termination.

It should be noted that, in the eleventh aspect, specific implementation manners of the communication apparatus may refer to a PDCP entity behavior function of the terminal device in the data delivery method provided in the tenth aspect or any one of possible designs of the tenth aspect.

In a twelfth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication apparatus, which may be a PDCP entity of a terminal device or a chip or a system-on-chip for implementing a PDCP entity function of the terminal device. The communication apparatus may implement the functions performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the above aspects or in each possible design, and the functions may be implemented by hardware. In one possible design, the communication device may include: a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver and processor may be adapted to support the communication device to carry out the functions referred to in the tenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the tenth aspect described above. For example: the processor may be configured to obtain first data of the second data set; the transceiver may be configured to forward the first data of the second data set to a second RLC entity of the terminal device if the second data of the first data set is completed or the delivery is terminated; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first RLC entity and a second RLC entity of the terminal equipment; the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with a second RLC entity; the second data is associated with the first RLC entity. In yet another possible design, the communication device may further include a memory for holding computer-executable instructions and data for the communication device. When the communication device is operating, the transceiver and processor execute the computer-executable instructions stored by the memory to cause the communication device to perform the data delivery method as described in the tenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the tenth aspect.

In this embodiment, the communication apparatus in the twelfth aspect may refer to the behavior function of the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the data delivery method provided in the tenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the tenth aspect.

In a thirteenth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a data delivery method, which may include: the PDCP entity of the terminal equipment acquires second data of the first data group; if the first condition is satisfied, the PDCP entity submits second data of the first data group to a second RLC entity of the terminal equipment; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first RLC entity and a second RLC entity of the terminal equipment; the first condition includes the PDCP entity acquiring first data of the second data set or the PDCP entity determining to submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity; the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with a second RLC entity; the second data is associated with the first RLC entity.

Based on the thirteenth aspect, a limitation condition that the PDCP entity delivers data to the RLC entity is increased, taking as an example that the priority of the first data is higher than the priority of the second data, if the second data of the first data set is not yet delivered or the delivery is terminated, the PDCP entity obtains the first data of the second data set or determines to deliver the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, the PDCP entity may deliver the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity, and if the second data of the first data set is completely delivered or the delivery is terminated, the PDCP entity may deliver the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity. Thereby avoiding that the PDCP entity preferentially submits the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, resulting in the second data of the first data set not being transmitted.

In one possible design, the PDCP entity delivers the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity if the second data delivery of the first data set is completed or terminated.

Based on the possible design, if the second data delivery of the first data set is completed or terminated, the PDCP entity may deliver the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, ensuring normal delivery of the data.

In one possible design, the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated, comprising: second data of the first data set is submitted to the MAC entity; alternatively, the second data of the first data group is submitted to be terminated at the PDCP entity and/or the second RLC entity.

In one possible design, the PDCP entity submits data, not submitted by the first RLC entity, of the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity.

In one possible design, the data not submitted by the first RLC entity in the second data of the first data set includes: data which is not delivered to the first RLC entity by the PDCP entity among the second data of the first data set; and/or data which has been delivered to the first RLC entity by the PDCP entity but not delivered by the first RLC entity in the second data of the first data set.

Based on the two possible designs, the PDCP entity may submit data, which is not submitted by the first RLC entity, in the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity, so as to avoid repeated data submission and reduce overhead.

In one possible design, the PDCP entity submits the second data of the first data set to the first RLC entity if the first condition is not met.

Based on the possible design, if the first condition is not satisfied, the PDCP entity may submit the second data of the first data set to the first RLC entity to ensure normal delivery of the data.

In one possible design, before the PDCP entity delivers the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity, the method further includes one or more of: the PDCP entity transmits second indication information to the first RLC entity; wherein the second indication information is used for indicating that the first data of the second data group arrives; and/or the PDCP entity transmits third indication information to the first RLC entity; the third indication information is used for indicating the first RLC entity to feed back a report of the submitting state of the second data of the first data group; and/or the PDCP entity transmits fourth indication information to the first RLC entity; the fourth indication information is used for indicating the first RLC entity to delete the second data of the first data set.

Based on this possible design, the PDCP entity may send the above-mentioned one or more indication information to the first RLC entity to cause the first RLC entity to stop data delivery.

In a fourteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be applied to the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the foregoing thirteenth aspect or the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect, to implement the function performed by the PDCP entity of the foregoing terminal device, where the communication apparatus may be the PDCP entity of the terminal device, or may be a chip or a system on a chip for implementing the function of the PDCP entity of the terminal device, or the communication apparatus may implement, by executing corresponding software by hardware, the function performed by the PDCP entity of the foregoing terminal device. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as a transceiver module and a processing module. The processing module is used for acquiring second data of the first data group; a receiving and transmitting module, configured to submit second data of the first data set to a second RLC entity of the terminal device by the PDCP entity if the first condition is satisfied; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first RLC entity and a second RLC entity of the terminal equipment; the first condition includes the PDCP entity acquiring first data of the second data set or the PDCP entity determining to submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity; the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with a second RLC entity; the second data is associated with the first RLC entity.

In a possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to forward the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity if the second data of the first data set is completed or if the delivery is terminated.

In a possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to submit, to the second RLC entity, data that is not submitted by the first RLC entity in the second data of the first data set.

In a possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to submit the second data of the first data set to the first RLC entity if the first condition is not satisfied.

In one possible design, before submitting the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity, the transceiver module further includes one or more of: the receiving and transmitting module is further used for sending second indication information to the first RLC entity; wherein the second indication information is used for indicating that the first data of the second data group arrives; and/or, the transceiver module is further configured to send third indication information to the first RLC entity; the third indication information is used for indicating the first RLC entity to feed back a report of the submitting state of the second data of the first data group; and/or, the transceiver module is further configured to send fourth indication information to the first RLC entity; the fourth indication information is used for indicating the first RLC entity to delete the second data of the first data set.

It should be noted that, in a specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the fourteenth aspect, reference may be made to the PDCP entity behavior function of the terminal device in the data delivery method provided in the thirteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect.

In a fifteenth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication apparatus, which may be a PDCP entity of a terminal device or a chip or a system-on-chip for implementing a PDCP entity function of the terminal device. The communication apparatus may implement the functions performed by the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the above aspects or in each possible design, and the functions may be implemented by hardware. In one possible design, the communication device may include: a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver and processor may be adapted to support the communication device to carry out the functions referred to in the thirteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect. For example: the processor may be configured to obtain second data of the first data set; the transceiver may be configured to submit the second data of the first data group to the second RLC entity of the terminal device by the PDCP entity if the first condition is satisfied; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first RLC entity and a second RLC entity of the terminal equipment; the first condition includes the PDCP entity acquiring first data of the second data set or the PDCP entity determining to submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity; the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with a second RLC entity; the second data is associated with the first RLC entity. In yet another possible design, the communication device may further include a memory for holding computer-executable instructions and data for the communication device. When the communication device is operating, the transceiver and processor execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause the communication device to perform the data delivery method as described in the thirteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect.

In this, a specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the fifteenth aspect may refer to the behavior function of the PDCP entity of the terminal device in the data delivery method provided in the thirteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect.

In a sixteenth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a data delivery method, which may include: a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) entity of the terminal equipment acquires first data of a second data group; if the second data of the first data group is submitted or the delivery is terminated, the SDAP entity delivers the first data of the second data group to the second PDCP entity; wherein the SDAP entity is associated with a first packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the terminal device and a second PDCP entity of the terminal device; the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with a second PDCP entity and the second data is associated with the first PDCP entity.

Based on the sixteenth aspect, the limitation condition that the SDAP entity submits the data to the PDCP entity is increased, taking the priority of the first data higher than the priority of the second data as an example, if the SDAP entity determines that all the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the delivery is terminated, the SDAP entity may submit the first data of the second data set to the second PDCP entity, so as to avoid that the SDAP entity submits the first data of the second data set to the second PDCP entity preferentially, which results in that the second data of the first data set cannot be transmitted.

In one possible design, the SDAP entity sends a second request to the first PDCP entity, receives a second response from the first PDCP entity; wherein the second request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission; the second response is used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated.

In one possible design, the SDAP entity sends a third request to the first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device, and receives a third response from the first RLC entity; wherein the third request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission; the third response is used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated.

In one possible design, the SDAP entity receives fifth indication information from the first PDCP entity or the first RLC entity of the terminal device; the fifth indication information is used for indicating that the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or is submitted to termination.

Based on the three possible designs described above, a variety of feasibility schemes are provided for the SDAP entity to determine whether the second data of the first data set is complete or terminated.

In one possible design, the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated, comprising: the second data of the first data group is submitted to the MAC entity of the terminal equipment by the first RLC entity of the terminal equipment; alternatively, the second data of the first data set is submitted to be terminated at one or more of the following entities: an SDAP entity, a first PDCP entity and a first RLC entity of the terminal equipment.

In a seventeenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, where the communication apparatus may be applied to an SDAP entity of a terminal device in the sixteenth aspect or a possible design of the sixteenth aspect, so as to implement a function performed by the SDAP entity of the terminal device, and the communication apparatus may be an SDAP entity of the terminal device, or may be a chip or a system on a chip for implementing a function of the SDAP entity of the terminal device, or the communication apparatus may implement, by executing corresponding software by hardware, a function performed by the SDAP entity of the terminal device. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as a transceiver module and a processing module. The processing module is used for acquiring the first data of the second data set; a transceiver module, configured to submit first data of the second data group to the second PDCP entity if the second data of the first data group is submitted or terminated; wherein the SDAP entity is associated with a first packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the terminal device and a second PDCP entity of the terminal device; the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with a second PDCP entity and the second data is associated with the first PDCP entity.

In a possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to send a second request to the first PDCP entity and receive a second response from the first PDCP entity; wherein the second request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission; the second response is used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated.

In a possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to send a third request to the first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device, and receive a third response from the first RLC entity; wherein the third request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission; the third response is used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated.

In a possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to receive fifth indication information from the first PDCP entity or the first RLC entity of the terminal device; the fifth indication information is used for indicating that the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or is submitted to termination.

It should be noted that, in a seventeenth aspect, specific implementation manners of the communication apparatus may refer to a behavior function of an SDAP entity of the terminal device in the data delivery method provided in the sixteenth aspect or any one of possible designs of the sixteenth aspect.

In an eighteenth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication apparatus, which may be an SDAP entity of a terminal device or a chip or a system on a chip for implementing a function of the SDAP entity of the terminal device. The communication device may implement the functions performed by the SDAP entity of the terminal device in the above aspects or in each possible design, which may be implemented by hardware. In one possible design, the communication device may include: a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver and processor may be adapted to support the communication device to carry out the functions involved in any one of the possible designs of the sixteenth or sixteenth aspects described above. For example: the processor may be configured to obtain first data of the second data set; the transceiver may be configured to submit the first data of the second data group to the second PDCP entity if the second data of the first data group is completed or the delivery is terminated; wherein the SDAP entity is associated with a first packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the terminal device and a second PDCP entity of the terminal device; the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with a second PDCP entity and the second data is associated with the first PDCP entity. In yet another possible design, the communication device may further include a memory for holding computer-executable instructions and data for the communication device. When the communication device is operating, the transceiver and processor execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause the communication device to perform the data delivery method as described in the sixteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the sixteenth aspect.

In this embodiment, the communication device in the eighteenth aspect may refer to the behavior function of the SDAP entity of the terminal device in the data delivery method provided in the sixteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the sixteenth aspect.

In a nineteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a data submitting method, which may include: a second packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the terminal equipment acquires first data of a second data group; if the second data of the first data group is submitted or the submitted is terminated, the second PDCP entity submits the first data of the second data group to a second Radio Link Control (RLC) entity of the terminal equipment; wherein, the service data adaptation protocol SDAP entity of the terminal equipment is associated with a first PDCP entity and a second PDCP entity of the terminal equipment; the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with a second PDCP entity and a second RLC entity; the second data is associated with the first PDCP and a first RLC entity of the terminal device.

Based on the nineteenth aspect, a limitation condition that the PDCP entity submits data to the RLC entity is increased, taking a priority of the first data higher than a priority of the second data as an example, if the second PDCP entity determines that all the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the second data set is submitted to termination, the second PDCP entity may submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, so as to avoid that the second PDCP entity preferentially submits the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, which results in that the second data of the first data set cannot be transmitted.

In one possible design, the second PDCP entity sends a fourth request to the SDAP entity, and receives a fourth response from the SDAP entity; the fourth request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission; the fourth response is used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated.

In one possible design, the second PDCP entity sends a fifth request to the first PDCP entity and receives a fifth response from the first PDCP entity; wherein the fifth request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission; the fifth response is used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated.

In one possible design, the second PDCP entity receives sixth indication information from the SDAP entity or the first PDCP entity; the sixth indication information is used for indicating that the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or is submitted to termination.

Based on the three possible designs described above, a variety of feasibility schemes are provided for the second PDCP entity to determine whether the delivery of the second data of the first data set is complete or terminated.

In one possible design, the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated, comprising: the second data of the first data group is submitted to the MAC entity of the terminal equipment by the first RLC entity; alternatively, the second data of the first data group is submitted to be terminated at the first PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity.

In a twentieth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be applied to the second PDCP entity of the terminal device in the nineteenth aspect or the nineteenth possible design to implement a function performed by the second PDCP entity of the terminal device, where the communication apparatus may be the second PDCP entity of the terminal device, or may be a chip or a system on a chip for implementing a function of the second PDCP entity of the terminal device, or the communication apparatus may implement, by executing, by hardware, a corresponding software, a function performed by the second PDCP entity of the terminal device. The hardware or software comprises one or more modules corresponding to the functions. Such as a transceiver module and a processing module. The processing module is used for acquiring the first data of the second data set; the receiving and transmitting module is used for submitting the first data of the second data group to the second Radio Link Control (RLC) entity of the terminal equipment if the second data of the first data group is submitted or submitted is terminated; wherein, the service data adaptation protocol SDAP entity of the terminal equipment is associated with a first PDCP entity and a second PDCP entity of the terminal equipment; the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with a second PDCP entity and a second RLC entity; the second data is associated with the first PDCP and a first RLC entity of the terminal device.

In one possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to send a fourth request to the SDAP entity and receive a fourth response from the SDAP entity; the fourth request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission; the fourth response is used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated.

In a possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to send a fifth request to the first PDCP entity and receive a fifth response from the first PDCP entity; wherein the fifth request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission; the fifth response is used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated.

In one possible design, the transceiver module is further configured to receive sixth indication information from the SDAP entity or the first PDCP entity; the sixth indication information is used for indicating that the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or is submitted to termination.

It should be noted that, in the twentieth aspect, specific implementation manners of the communication apparatus may refer to a behavior function of the second PDCP entity of the terminal device in the data delivery method provided in the nineteenth aspect or any one of possible designs of the nineteenth aspect.

In a twenty-first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication apparatus, which may be a second PDCP entity of a terminal device or a chip or a system-on-chip for implementing a function of the second PDCP entity of the terminal device. The communication apparatus may implement the functions performed by the second PDCP entity of the terminal device in the above aspects or in the various possible designs, which may be implemented by hardware. In one possible design, the communication device may include: a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver and processor may be adapted to support the functionality involved in the communication device implementing the nineteenth aspect or any of the possible designs of the nineteenth aspect described above. For example: the processor may be configured to obtain first data of the second data set; the transceiver may be configured to submit the first data of the second data set to the second radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device if the second data of the first data set is completed or the delivery is terminated; wherein, the service data adaptation protocol SDAP entity of the terminal equipment is associated with a first PDCP entity and a second PDCP entity of the terminal equipment; the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with a second PDCP entity and a second RLC entity; the second data is associated with the first PDCP and a first RLC entity of the terminal device. In yet another possible design, the communication device may further include a memory for holding computer-executable instructions and data for the communication device. The transceiver and processor execute the computer-executable instructions stored by the memory when the communication device is operating to cause the communication device to perform the data delivery method as described in the nineteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the nineteenth aspect.

In this embodiment, the communication apparatus in the twenty-first aspect may refer to a behavior function of the second PDCP entity of the terminal device in the data delivery method provided in the nineteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the nineteenth aspect.

In a twenty-second aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication device comprising one or more processors; one or more processors configured to execute a computer program or instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the communication device to perform the data volume indication method as described in the first aspect or any of the possible designs of the first aspect, or to perform the data volume indication method as described in the fourth aspect or any of the possible designs of the fourth aspect, or to perform the data volume indication method as described in the seventh aspect or any of the possible designs of the seventh aspect; or performing a data delivery method as described in the tenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the tenth aspect; or performing a data delivery method as described in the thirteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect; or performing a data delivery method as described in the sixteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the sixteenth aspect; or performing the data delivery method as described in the nineteenth aspect or any of the possible designs of the nineteenth aspect.

In one possible design, the communication device further includes one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memories for storing the computer programs or instructions. In one possible implementation, the memory is located outside the communication device. In another possible implementation, the memory is located within the communication device. In the embodiment of the present application, the processor and the memory may also be integrated in one device, i.e. the processor and the memory may also be integrated together. In a possible implementation, the communication device further comprises a transceiver for receiving information and/or transmitting information.

In one possible design, the communication device further includes one or more communication interfaces coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more communication interfaces configured to communicate with other modules outside of the communication device.

In a twenty-third aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication device including an input-output interface and a logic circuit; an input-output interface for inputting and/or outputting information; the logic circuit is configured to perform the data amount indication method as described in the first aspect or any of the possible designs of the first aspect, or perform the data amount indication method as described in the fourth aspect or any of the possible designs of the fourth aspect, or perform the data amount indication method as described in the seventh aspect or any of the possible designs of the seventh aspect; or performing a data delivery method as described in the tenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the tenth aspect; or performing a data delivery method as described in the thirteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect; or performing a data delivery method as described in the sixteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the sixteenth aspect; or performing a data delivery method as described in the nineteenth aspect or any of the possible designs of the nineteenth aspect, processing and/or generating information based on the information.

In a twenty-fourth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions or a program that, when run on a computer, cause a data amount indication method as described in the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect to be performed, or cause a data amount indication method as described in the fourth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the fourth aspect to be performed, or cause a data amount indication method as described in the seventh aspect or any one of the possible designs of the seventh aspect to be performed; or cause the data delivery method as described in the tenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the tenth aspect to be performed; or cause the data delivery method as described in the thirteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect to be performed; or cause the data delivery method as described in the sixteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the sixteenth aspect to be performed; or cause a data delivery method as described in the nineteenth aspect or any of the possible designs of the nineteenth aspect to be performed.

In a twenty-fifth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a computer program product comprising computer instructions which, when run on a computer, cause a data volume indicating method as described in the first aspect or any of the possible designs of the first aspect to be performed, or cause a data volume indicating method as described in the fourth aspect or any of the possible designs of the fourth aspect to be performed, or cause a data volume indicating method as described in the seventh aspect or any of the possible designs of the seventh aspect to be performed; or cause the data delivery method as described in the tenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the tenth aspect to be performed; or cause the data delivery method as described in the thirteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect to be performed; or cause the data delivery method as described in the sixteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the sixteenth aspect to be performed; or cause a data delivery method as described in the nineteenth aspect or any of the possible designs of the nineteenth aspect to be performed.

In a twenty-sixth aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a computer program which, when run on a computer, causes a data amount indication method as described in the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect to be performed, or causes a data amount indication method as described in the fourth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the fourth aspect to be performed, or causes a data amount indication method as described in the seventh aspect or any one of the possible designs of the seventh aspect to be performed; or cause the data delivery method as described in the tenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the tenth aspect to be performed; or cause the data delivery method as described in the thirteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect to be performed; or cause the data delivery method as described in the sixteenth aspect or any one of the possible designs of the sixteenth aspect to be performed; or cause a data delivery method as described in the nineteenth aspect or any of the possible designs of the nineteenth aspect to be performed.

The technical effect of any one of the design manners of the twenty-second aspect to the twenty-sixth aspect may be referred to as the technical effect of any one of the possible designs of the first aspect, or the technical effect of any one of the possible designs of the fourth aspect, or the technical effect of any one of the possible designs of the seventh aspect, or the technical effect of any one of the possible designs of the thirteenth aspect, or the technical effect of any one of the possible designs of the sixteenth aspect, or the technical effect of any one of the possible designs of the nineteenth aspect.

A twenty-seventh aspect provides a communication system, which may comprise a communication device according to any of the second to third aspects, or a communication device according to any of the fifth to sixth aspects, or a communication device according to any of the eighth to ninth aspects, or a communication device according to any of the eleventh to twelfth aspects, or a communication device according to any of the fourteenth to fifteenth aspects, or a communication device according to any of the seventeenth to eighteenth aspects, or a communication device according to any of the twentieth to twenty-first aspects.

Drawings

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

fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a 5G communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a user plane protocol stack architecture according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a network architecture according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of another network architecture according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of yet another network architecture according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a protocol architecture a according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of another protocol architecture a provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a protocol architecture B according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of another protocol architecture B provided in an embodiment of the present application;

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

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of another method for indicating data amount according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of yet another method for indicating data amount according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of yet another method for indicating data amount according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a data delivery method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of another data delivery method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of yet another data delivery method according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart of a further data delivery method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 19 is a schematic diagram of a composition of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 20 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

The following describes embodiments of the present application in detail with reference to the drawings.

Wherein the terms "first" and "second" and the like in the description, claims and drawings of the present application are used for distinguishing between different objects and not for describing a particular sequential order. The terms "first," "second," and the like are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defining "a first" or "a second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more such feature. In the description of the present embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more.

Furthermore, the terms "comprise" and "have," as well as any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of steps or elements is not limited to only those listed steps or elements but may include other steps or elements not listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

It should be understood that in this application, "at least one" means one or more. "plurality" means two or more. "at least two (items)" means two or three and more. And/or, for describing the association relationship of the association object, means that three relationships may exist. For example, "a and/or B" may represent: only a, only B and both a and B are present, 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. The terms "…" and "if" refer to a process that is performed under an objective condition, and are not intended to be limiting, nor are they intended to require a judgment in terms of implementation, nor are they intended to be limiting.

In the embodiments of the present application, words such as "exemplary" or "such as" are used to mean serving as examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described herein as "exemplary" or "for example" should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "such as" is intended to present related concepts in a concrete fashion that may be readily understood.

The data volume indication method provided in the embodiments of the present application may be used in any communication system, which may be a third generation partnership project (third generation partnership project,3 GPP) communication system, for example, a long term evolution (long term evolution, LTE) system, a fifth generation (5G) mobile communication system, a new air radio (NR) communication system, a new air car networking (vehicle to everything, NR V2X) system, a system of LTE and 5G hybrid networking, or a non-terrestrial communication network (non-terrestrial network, NTN) system, a device-to-device (D2D) communication system, a machine-to-machine (machine to machine, M2M) communication system, an internet of things (internet of things, ioT) and other next generation communication systems, for example, a future communication system such as 6G, which may also be a non-3 GPP communication system, without limitation.

A communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application will be described below by taking fig. 1 as an example.

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application, as shown in fig. 1, where the communication system may include a terminal device, a network device, a core network element, and a Data Network (DN); the core network element may include mobility management network elements, session management network elements, user plane network elements, and other network elements.

In fig. 1, the terminal device may be located within a coverage area of a cell of the network device. Wherein, the terminal device can communicate with the network device through an Uplink (UL) or a Downlink (DL) via an air interface. Such as: the terminal device can send uplink data to the network device through a physical uplink shared channel (physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH) in the UL direction; the network device may send downlink data to the terminal device in the DL direction over a physical downlink shared channel (physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH).

The terminal device in fig. 1 may also communicate with the core network element through a specific interface, for example: the terminal device may communicate with a mobility management network element of the core network elements via an N1 interface.

The terminal device may establish a protocol data unit (protocol data unit, PDU) session after accessing the network, access the external data network through the PDU session, and interact with an application server deployed in the data network.

The terminal device (UE) in fig. 1 may be a device with a wireless transceiver function or a chip system that may be disposed on the device, and may also be referred to as a terminal (terminal) or a Mobile Station (MS) or a Mobile Terminal (MT) or the like. Specifically, the terminal device in fig. 1 may be a mobile phone (mobile phone), a tablet computer, or a computer with a wireless transceiver function. The terminal device may also be a Virtual Reality (VR) terminal, an augmented reality (augmented reality, AR) terminal, a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in unmanned aerial vehicle, a wireless terminal in telemedicine, a wireless terminal in smart grid, a wireless terminal in smart city, a wireless terminal in smart home (smart home), a vehicle-mounted terminal, a vehicle with vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication capability, an intelligent network vehicle, an unmanned aerial vehicle with unmanned aerial vehicle-to-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, U2U) communication capability, or the like, without limitation.

The network device in fig. 1 may be any device deployed in an access network and capable of performing wireless communication with a terminal device, and is mainly used for implementing functions such as radio physical control function, resource scheduling and radio resource management, radio access control, and mobility management. Specifically, the network device may be a device supporting wired access, or may be a device supporting wireless access. The network device may be, for example, AN Access Network (AN)/radio access network (radio access network, RAN) device, consisting of a plurality of AN/RAN nodes. The AN/RAN node may be: an Access Point (AP), a base station (nodeB, NB), a macro base station, a micro base station, a relay station, an enhanced base station (eNB), a next generation base station (NR nodeB, gNB), a transmission reception point (transmission reception point, TRP), a transmission point (transmission point, TP), or some other access node, etc. The network device may also be a Centralized Unit (CU)/Distributed Unit (DU) architecture, where the network device may include two network elements, CU and DU; the network device may also be a control plane-user plane (CP-UP) architecture, where the network device may include, without limitation, three network elements, i.e., a control plane (CU-CP) of a CU, a user plane (CU-UP) of a CU, and a DU.

The mobility management network element in fig. 1 is mainly responsible for the operations of access authentication, mobility management, signaling interaction among various functional network elements, and the like of the terminal device, such as: the registration state of the user, the connection state of the user, the user registration network access, the tracking area update, the cell switching user authentication, the key security and the like are managed.

The session management network element in fig. 1 may be referred to as a session management function or multicast/multicast service management function (MB-SMF) or multicast session management network element, etc., without limitation. The session management network element is mainly used for realizing a user plane transmission logic channel, such as: session management functions such as establishment, release, and modification of PDU sessions. The session management network element may also send quality of service (quality of service flow, qoS flow) configuration and QoS requirements of the PDU session, etc. to the network device through the mobility management network element.

The user plane network element in fig. 1 may be referred to as a PDU session anchor, user plane function. The user plane network element can be used as an anchor point on a user plane transmission logic channel, and is mainly used for completing functions of routing forwarding and the like of user plane data, such as: and establishing a channel (namely a user plane transmission logic channel) with the terminal equipment, forwarding data packets between the terminal equipment and the data network on the channel, and being responsible for filtering data messages of the terminal equipment, forwarding the data, controlling the rate, generating charging information and the like.

The data network in fig. 1 may be an operator network that provides data transmission services to users, such as: an operator network that provides internet protocol multimedia services (internet protocol multi-media services, IMS) to users, etc. An application server (application server, AS) may be deployed in the data network, which may provide data transfer services to users.

It should be noted that, the terminal device, the network device, and the core network element in the embodiments of the present application may be one or more chips, or may be a System On Chip (SOC) or the like. Fig. 1 is merely an exemplary drawing, which includes no limitation on the number of devices. Furthermore, the communication system may include other devices in addition to the device shown in fig. 1. The names of the respective devices and the respective links in fig. 1 are not limited, and the respective devices and the respective links may be named as other names in addition to the names shown in fig. 1. In addition to the network elements shown in fig. 1, the network shown in fig. 1 may further include, without limitation, a policy control network element, an application function network element, a network slice selection network element, a network repository network element, an authentication service network element, a network data analysis network element, a network presentation network element, and the like.

Taking the communication system shown in fig. 1 as a 5G communication system as an example, as shown in fig. 2, the network element or entity corresponding to the network device may be a RAN in the 5G communication system, the network element or entity corresponding to the mobility management network element may be an access and mobility management function (access and mobility management function, AMF) in the 5G communication system, the network element or entity corresponding to the session management network element may be a session management function (session management function, SMF) in the 5G communication system, and the network element or entity corresponding to the user plane network element may be a user plane function (user plane function, UPF) in the 5G communication system.

As shown in fig. 2, the UE may communicate with the AMF through an N1 interface, the RAN may communicate with the AMF through an N2 interface, and the RAN may also communicate with the UPF through an N3 interface, and the UPF may communicate with an application server in the DN through an N6 interface. The core network elements can communicate with each other through a service interface, for example: the AMF may communicate with other core network elements through a Namf interface, and the SMF may communicate with other core network elements through an Nsmf interface.

Prior to describing embodiments of the present application, technical terms related to the embodiments of the present application will be described.

User plane protocol stack architecture: i.e. the protocol cluster employed for user data transmission. As shown in fig. 3, a service data adaptation protocol (service data adaptation protocol, SDAP) layer, a packet data convergence protocol (packet data convergence protocol, PDCP) layer, a radio link control (radio link control, RLC) layer, a medium access control (medium access control, MAC) layer, and a Physical (PHY) layer may be included.

Control plane protocol stack architecture: i.e. the protocol cluster employed for control signaling of the system. May include a non-access stratum (NAS) layer, a radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC) layer, a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, a MAC layer, and a PHY layer.

Protocol data unit (protocol data unit, PDU): two categories, data PDU (data PDU) and control PDU (control PDU), can be distinguished. The PDCP data PDU may carry control plane data and/or user plane data. The PDCP control PDU mainly carries any one or more of robust header compression (robust header compression, ROHC) feedback, ethernet header compression (ethernet header compression, EHC) feedback, and PDCP status report.

Buffer status report (buffer status reporting, BSR): the terminal device may send a BSR to the network device to request resources from the network device. For example, the terminal device needs to send data to the network device, the terminal device may send a BSR to the network device to indicate to the network device the size of the data to be sent by the terminal device, the network device may determine the size of the data to be sent by the terminal device according to the BSR, then configure uplink resources for the terminal device, and the terminal device sends data to the network device according to the uplink resources configured by the network device.

For example, the PDCP entity of the terminal device may submit data to the RLC entity of the terminal device, the PDCP entity of the terminal device indicates the PDCP data amount to the MAC entity of the terminal device and/or the RLC entity of the terminal device indicates the RLC data amount to the MAC entity of the terminal device, and the MAC entity generates the BSR according to the data amount indicated by the PDCP entity and/or the data amount indicated by the RLC entity and sends the BSR to the network device.

Illustratively, the PDCP data amount can include one or more of the following:

(1) PDCP service data units (service data unit, SDU) for which PDCP data PDUs have not been constructed;

(2) PDCP data PDUs that have not been submitted to a lower layer (e.g., RLC layer);

(3) PDCP control PDU;

(4) For acknowledged mode (acknowledged mode, AM) DRB, PDCP SDU to be retransmitted; or alternatively, the first and second heat exchangers may be,

(5) For AM DRBs, PDCP data PDUs to be retransmitted.

The PDCP data amount may be referred to as a data amount indicated by the PDCP entity to the MAC entity.

In a standalone networking (SA) scenario, one PDCP entity may be associated with one RLC entity. For example, the PDCP entity may submit data to the RLC entity associated with the PDCP entity, indicating the PDCP data amount to the MAC entity or the MAC entity associated with the RLC entity.

In carrier aggregation (carrier aggregation, CA) and/or dual connectivity (dual connectivity, DC) scenarios, one PDCP entity may be associated with one or more RLC entities.

For example, if the terminal device is configured with PDCP duplication (PDCP duplication), the PDCP entity may submit data PDUs to each active RLC entity, and only control PDUs to the main RLC (primary RLC) entity. Wherein the RLC entity associated with the PDCP entity may include one primary RLC entity and one or more secondary RLC entities, the active RLC entity may include the primary RLC entity, and optionally, the active RLC entity may also include one or more of the secondary RLC entities associated with the PDCP entity. For data volume indication:

the PDCP entity may indicate a PDCP data amount to a MAC entity associated with the primary RLC entity.

The PDCP entity may indicate a PDCP data amount other than the control PDU to a MAC entity associated with the activated other RLC entity; wherein the activated other RLC entities include RLC entities other than the primary RLC entity among the activated RLC entities.

The PDCP entity may indicate a PDCP data amount of 0 to a MAC entity associated with the deactivated RLC entity.

If the terminal device is configured with split radio bearers (split Radio Bearer, split RBs), the PDCP entity may submit data to the primary RLC entity or the split secondary RLC (split secondary RLC) entity when the amount of data is large, and the PDCP entity may submit data to the primary RLC entity when the amount of data is small. For data volume indication:

When the data amount is large, the PDCP entity may indicate the PDCP data amount to the MAC entity associated with the primary RLC entity and the MAC entity associated with the split secondary RLC entity; indicating to other RLC entities that the PDCP data amount is 0. The MAC entity associated with the primary RLC entity and the MAC entity associated with the split secondary RLC entity may be the same MAC entity or different MAC entities.

When the data amount is small, the PDCP entity may indicate the PDCP data amount to a MAC entity associated with the primary RLC entity; indicating to other RLC entities that the PDCP data amount is 0.

When the terminal device performs data transmission with the application server in the data network, any network architecture in fig. 4 to 6 may be adopted for data transmission.

As shown in fig. 4, the application server may transmit different data to the terminal device by using different data flows, and specifically, the application server may transmit different data to the user plane network element by using different data flows; the user plane network element may employ different data flows (e.g., different quality of service (quality of service, qoS) flows) to send different data to the network device; the network device may also employ different data flows (e.g., different data radio bearers (data radio bearer, DRBs) or different Logical Channels (LCHs)) to send different data to the terminal device.

It should be noted that the different data may be data with different priorities, may be different types of data, or may be other different data, and is not limited. The data flows between the application server and the user plane network element, the user plane network element and the network device, and the network device and the terminal device may represent different meanings, for example, the data flows between the application server and the user plane network element may be internet protocol (internet protocol, IP) flows, the data flows between the user plane network element and the network device may be QoS flows, the data flows between the network device and the terminal device may be DRBs or LCHs, and the like, without limitation.

For example, taking an extended reality (XR) communication scenario as an example, data may be divided into data with different priorities according to importance degrees of the data, and the data with different priorities may be transmitted through different data streams. The XR communication scenario is all real and virtual combined environments and man-machine interactions generated by computer technology and wearable devices. Different types of reality may be included, such as the following representative forms and fields of their insertion: AR, VR, mixed Reality (MR).

For example, taking an application server transmitting a set of consecutive pictures (group of pictures, GOP) to a terminal device, the GOP may include one I frame and one or more P frames, the I frame having a higher priority than the P frame, the application server may send the I frame to the terminal device using data stream 1 and the P frame to the terminal device using data stream 2. The data flow may include any one or more of a data flow between an application server and a user plane network element, a data flow between a user plane network element and a network device, and a data flow between a network device and a terminal device.

Illustratively, the I-frames are intra-coded frames (also referred to as key frames) and the P-frames are forward predicted frames (also referred to as forward reference frames). An I-frame is a complete picture and P-frames record changes relative to the I-frame. Without an I frame, a P frame would not be decodable, so the transmission priority of an I frame would need to be higher than that of a P frame.

Unlike the application server in fig. 4 that uses different data flows to transmit different data to the user plane network element, as shown in fig. 5, the application server may also use the same data flow to transmit different data to the user plane network element, and after the user plane network element receives the data sent by the application server, the user plane network element may distinguish the data, transmit different data to the network device through different data flows (such as different QoS flows), and the network device transmits different data to the terminal device through different data flows (such as different DRBs or different LCHs).

For example, taking an application server transmitting a GOP including an I frame and one or more P frames to a terminal device as an example, the application server may send the I frame and the P frame using the same data stream to a user plane network element; the user plane network element may send an I frame to the network device using QoS flow 1 and send a P frame to the network device using QoS flow 2; the network device may send an I frame to the terminal device using DRB1 and a P frame to the terminal device using DRB 2.

As shown in fig. 6, the user plane network element may also use the same data flow (such as the same QoS flow) to transmit different data to the network device, and after receiving the data sent by the user plane network element, the network device may distinguish the data and transmit different data to the terminal device through different data flows (such as different DRBs or different LCHs).

For example, taking an application server transmitting a GOP including an I frame and one or more P frames to a terminal device as an example, the application server may send the I frame and the P frame using the same data stream to a user plane network element; the user plane network element may use the same QoS flow to send the I frame and the P frame to the network device; the network device may send an I frame to the terminal device using DRB1 and a P frame to the terminal device using DRB 2.

Fig. 4 to fig. 6 describe the network architecture by taking an example that the application server sends data to the terminal device, when the terminal device sends data to the application server, for example, the terminal device may map the data of the application layer onto the corresponding DRB or LCH for transmission according to the mapping relationship between the QoS flow and the DRB or LCH.

For example, taking the example that different QoS flows are adopted between the user plane network element and the network device in fig. 4 and fig. 5, the SDAP layer of the terminal device may receive data associated with different QoS flows sent by the application layer, the SDAP entity may submit data associated with different QoS flows to different PDCP entities, the PDCP entity may submit received data to the RLC entity associated with itself, and indicate the PDCP data amount to the MAC entity or the MAC entity associated with the RLC entity.

For example, as shown in fig. 7, taking an example in which the SDAP entity receives data of the associated QoS flow 1 and data of the associated QoS flow 2 transmitted by the application layer, the SDAP entity may submit the data of the associated QoS flow 1 (or described as the associated QoS flow identity 1 (QoS flow identifier, QFI 1)) to the PDCP entity 1 and the data of the associated QoS flow 2 (or described as the associated QFI 2) to the PDCP entity 2. The PDCP entity 1 submits data associated with the QoS flow 1 to the RLC entity 1 associated with itself, and indicates the PDCP data amount to the MAC entity associated with the RLC entity 1. The PDCP entity 2 submits data associated with the QoS flow 2 to the RLC entity 2 associated with itself, and indicates the PDCP data amount to the MAC entity associated with the RLC entity 2.

In a second example, taking the case that the same QoS flow is adopted between the user plane network element and the network device in fig. 6 as an example, the SDAP layer of the terminal device may receive different data associated with the same QoS flow sent by the application layer, the SDAP entity may differentiate the data according to the identification information and submit the different data to different PDCP entities, and the PDCP entity may submit the received data to the RLC entity associated with itself and indicate the data amount to the MAC entity associated with the RLC entity.

For example, the identification information may be included in a header of the data. For example, the identification information is used to distinguish between different data.

For example, the identification information may include/be referred to as: extended QoS identification (extended QoS identifier, eQI). The identification information may be other names, and is not limited.

For example, "the SDAP entity may differentiate data according to the identification information" may include: the SDAP entity can distinguish the data according to the identification information and the QFI.

For example, as shown in fig. 8, taking an example that the SDAP entity receives different data associated with the same QoS flow transmitted by the application layer, the SDAP entity may divide the received data into data 1 associated with eQI 1 and data 2 associated with eQI 2 according to eQI, and submit data 1 associated with eQI 1 to PDCP entity 1 and data 2 associated with eQI 2 to PDCP entity 2. The PDCP entity 1 may submit data 1 to its associated RLC entity 1, indicating the PDCP data amount to the MAC entity associated with the RLC entity 1. The PDCP entity 2 may submit data 2 to its associated RLC entity 2, indicating the PDCP data amount to the MAC entity associated with the RLC entity 2.

In the above two examples, the SDAP entity of the terminal device associates a plurality of PDCP entities, the SDAP entity may submit different data to different PDCP entities, and the PDCP entity may submit received data to the RLC entity associated with itself with reference to the above description of data delivery, and indicate the PDCP data amount to the MAC entity associated with the RLC entity with reference to the above description of PDCP data amount indication. It should be noted that the protocol architecture shown in fig. 7 and 8 may be referred to as a protocol architecture a.

In a third example, taking the example that different QoS flows are adopted between the user plane network element and the network device in fig. 4 and fig. 5 to transmit different data, the SDAP layer of the terminal device may receive the data associated with different QoS flows sent by the application layer, the SDAP entity may submit the data associated with different QoS flows to the same PDCP entity, and the PDCP entity may submit the data associated with different QoS flows to different RLC entities associated with the PDCP entity.

For example, as shown in fig. 9, taking an example in which the SDAP entity receives data of the associated QoS flow 1 and data of the associated QoS flow 2 transmitted by the application layer, the SDAP entity may submit the data of the associated QoS flow 1 (or described as associated QFI 1) and the data of the associated QoS flow 2 (or described as associated QFI 2) to the PDCP entity. The PDCP entity may submit data associated with QoS flow 1 to its associated RLC entity 1 and data associated with QoS flow 2 to its associated RLC entity 2.

In a fourth example, taking the case that the same QoS flow is adopted between the user plane network element and the network device in fig. 6 as an example, the SDAP layer of the terminal device may receive different data associated with the same QoS flow sent by the application layer, the SDAP entity may submit the different data associated with the same QoS flow to the same PDCP entity, the PDCP entity may differentiate the data according to the identification information, and submit the data associated with different identification information to different RLC entities.

For example, as shown in fig. 10, taking an example that the SDAP entity receives different data associated with the same QoS flow transmitted by the application layer, the SDAP entity may submit the different data associated with the same QoS flow to the PDCP entity, the PDCP entity may divide the received data into data 1 associated with eQI 1 and data 2 associated with eQI 2 according to eQI, and submit data 1 associated with eQI 1 to RLC entity 1 and data 2 associated with eQI 2 to RLC entity 2.

In the third and fourth examples, the SDAP entity of the terminal device associates one PDCP entity, and the PDCP entity may associate a plurality of RLC entities and submit different data to different RLC entities, and the protocol architecture shown in fig. 9 and 10 may be referred to as a protocol architecture B.

Based on the above protocol architecture a, the PDCP entity may submit the same data to one or more RLC entities associated with itself and indicate the data amount to the MAC entity with reference to the foregoing description of the data amount indication. However, for the protocol architecture B, the PDCP entity delivers different data to the different RLC entities associated with the PDCP entity, and how the PDCP entity indicates the data size to the MAC entity is a technical problem to be solved.

In addition, in the above four examples, if the transmission delay of the data is greater than the service period, it may happen that the previous group of data (or the previous group of data is described as being) is not yet transmitted, and the next group of data (or the next group of data is described as being) already arrived, if the transmission priority of some data in the next group of data is greater than the transmission priority of the data which is not transmitted in the previous group of data, the terminal device may be caused to preferentially transmit the data with higher transmission priority in the next group of data, and then the data with lower transmission priority in the previous group of data cannot be transmitted or cannot be transmitted later.

The transmission priority may also be described as priority, logical channel priority, etc., which are not described herein.

Based on this, it is proposed that the transmission priority of the data in the previous group of data may be increased to avoid that the terminal device preferentially transmits the data with higher transmission priority in the next group of data, but if the transmission priority of the data in the previous group of data is increased, the transmission of the data with transmission priority between the transmission priority of the data in the previous group of data after adjustment and the transmission priority of the data in the next group of data is affected.

For example, taking the terminal device to transmit the GOP, it may happen that the P frame in the previous GOP is not yet transmitted, and the next GOP comes, and since the transmission priority of the I frame in the next GOP is greater than that of the P frame in the previous GOP, the terminal device may preferentially transmit the I frame in the next GOP, so that the P frame in the previous GOP cannot be transmitted or is transmitted later. If the transmission priority of the P frame in the previous GOP is adjusted to be higher than the transmission priority of the I frame in the next GOP, the transmission of data having a transmission priority between the adjusted transmission priority of the P frame and the transmission priority of the I frame is affected.

In order to solve the above technical problem, an embodiment of the present application provides a data amount indication method, which may include: the PDCP entity of the terminal equipment indicates a first data amount to the MAC entity of the terminal equipment and indicates a second data amount to the MAC entity; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device, the first data amount comprising a data amount of a first data set associated with the first RLC entity; the second data amount includes a data amount of a second data set associated with a second RLC entity.

In the embodiment of the present application, if the PDCP entity submits the first data set to the first RLC entity, the PDCP entity may indicate the first data amount to the MAC entity associated with the first RLC entity. If the PDCP entity delivers the second data set to the second RLC entity, the PDCP entity may indicate the second data amount to the MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity. The MAC entity can determine the BSR according to the data quantity indicated by the PDCP entity, which is beneficial to the accurate report of the BSR and further saves resources.

In specific implementation, as shown in fig. 1 or fig. 2, for example: the respective terminal devices, network devices, core network devices may adopt the constituent structure shown in fig. 11 or include the components shown in fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 1100 provided in an embodiment of the present application, where the communication device 1100 may be a terminal device or a chip or a system on a chip in the terminal device; or may be a network device or a chip or a system on a chip in a network device; or may be a core network device or a chip or a system on a chip in a core network device. As shown in fig. 11, the communication device 1100 includes a processor 1101, a transceiver 1102, and a communication line 1103.

Further, the communications apparatus 1100 can also include a memory 1104. The processor 1101, the memory 1104, and the transceiver 1102 may be connected by a communication line 1103.

The processor 1101 is a central processing unit (central processing unit, CPU), a general purpose processor network processor (network processor, NP), a digital signal processor (digital signal processing, DSP), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable logic device (programmable logic device, PLD), or any combination thereof. The processor 1101 may also be other devices having processing functions, such as, without limitation, a circuit, device, or software module.

A transceiver 1102 for communicating with other devices or other communication networks. The other communication network may be an ethernet, a radio access network (radio access network, RAN), a wireless local area network (wireless local area networks, WLAN), etc. The transceiver 1102 may be a module, circuitry, transceiver, or any device capable of enabling communications.

Communication lines 1103 are used to transfer information between the components included in the communication device 1100.

Memory 1104 for storing instructions. Wherein the instructions may be computer programs.

The memory 1104 may be, but is not limited to, a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and/or instructions, a random access memory (random access memory, RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and/or instructions, an EEPROM, a CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory) or other optical disk storage, an optical disk storage (including compact disk, laser disk, optical disk, digital versatile disk, blu-ray disk, etc.), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, etc.

It is noted that the memory 1104 may exist separately from the processor 1101 or may be integrated with the processor 1101. The memory 1104 may be used for storing instructions or program code or some data or the like. The memory 1104 may be located within the communication device 1100 or external to the communication device 1100, without limitation. The processor 1101 is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 1104 to implement a data volume indication method provided in the embodiments described below.

In one example, the processor 1101 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 in fig. 11.

As an alternative implementation, communication device 1100 includes multiple processors, e.g., processor 1107 may be included in addition to processor 1101 in fig. 11.

As an alternative implementation, the communication apparatus 1100 further comprises an output device 1105 and an input device 1106. Illustratively, the input device 1106 is a keyboard, mouse, microphone, or joystick device, and the output device 1105 is a display screen, speaker (spaker), or the like.

It is noted that the communication apparatus 1100 may be a desktop computer, a portable computer, a web server, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a wireless terminal, an embedded device, a chip system, or a device having a similar structure as in fig. 11. Further, the constituent structure shown in fig. 11 does not constitute a limitation of the communication apparatus, and the communication apparatus may include more or less components than those shown in fig. 11, or may combine some components, or may be arranged in different components, in addition to those shown in fig. 11.

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.

Further, actions, terms, etc. referred to between embodiments of the present application may be referred to each other without limitation. In the embodiment of the present application, the name of the message or the name of the parameter in the message, etc. interacted between the devices are only an example, and other names may also be adopted in the specific implementation, and are not limited.

The data amount indication method provided in the embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to fig. 12 below in conjunction with the communication system shown in fig. 1 or fig. 2, where the terminal device may be any terminal device in the communication system shown in fig. 1 or fig. 2, and the network device may be any network device in the communication system shown in fig. 1 or fig. 2. The terminal device and the network device described in the following embodiments may each include the components shown in fig. 11. The processing performed by a single execution body (terminal device or network device) shown in the embodiments of the present application may also be divided into a plurality of execution bodies, which may be logically and/or physically separated, without limitation.

In the embodiments shown in fig. 12 to 18, the data amount indicated by the PDCP entity to the MAC entity is the PDCP data amount.

Fig. 12 is a flowchart of a data amount indication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, where, as shown in fig. 12, the method is applied to a terminal device, and the method may include:

step 1201, the PDCP entity indicates the first data amount to the MAC entity.

Step 1202, the PDCP entity indicates a second data amount to the MAC entity.

For example, the PDCP entity indicating the first data amount to the MAC entity includes: the PDCP entity indicates a first amount of data to a MAC entity associated with the first RLC entity.

For example, the PDCP entity indicating the second data amount to the MAC entity includes: the PDCP entity indicates a second amount of data to a MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity.

Illustratively, in the terminal device of fig. 12, the PDCP entity may associate multiple RLC entities, and the PDCP entity may submit different data to different RLC entities (e.g., using the protocol architecture B shown in fig. 9 or fig. 10 described above).

Note that, when the PDCP entity submits data to the RLC entity, the PDCP entity may perform the handover, or may terminate the handover for some reason, so the PDCP entity may also describe the data submitted to the RLC entity as: the PDCP entity refers to data submitted to the RLC entity, or data described as the PDCP entity prepares to be submitted to the RLC entity, or data described as the PDCP entity is about to submit to the RLC entity, or data described as the PDCP entity may submit to the RLC entity, or data described as the RLC entity is associated with, without limitation.

Illustratively, the PDCP entity may further include a data amount (e.g., PDCP data amount) of data associated with a certain RLC entity (e.g., a first RLC entity) in a certain data amount (e.g., a first data amount) indicated to the MAC entity associated with the RLC entity.

For example, if the PDCP entity associates a plurality of RLC entities, the PDCP entity may indicate a plurality of data amounts to the MAC entity. The number of data amounts indicated by the PDCP entity to the MAC entity may be less than or equal to the number of RLC entities associated with the PDCP entity, which is not limited in this application.

For example, taking PDCP entity as an example of associating a first RLC entity with a second RLC entity, the PDCP entity submits a first set of data to the first RLC entity and a second set of data to the second RLC entity. The PDCP entity may indicate a first amount of data to a MAC entity associated with the first RLC entity and a second amount of data to a MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity. It should be noted that the PDCP entity may also be associated with other RLC entities, which is not limited in this application.

In the embodiment of the present application, the description related to "the PDCP entity delivers the data set or data to the RLC entity" does not limit whether the PDCP entity performs delivery or not.

For example, the first data set is associated with a first RLC entity. For example, the first data set may be data that the PDCP entity may submit to the first RLC entity, or may be data that the PDCP entity prepares to submit to the first RLC entity, or may be described as data that the PDCP entity will submit to the first RLC entity, or may be described as data associated with the first RLC entity, without limitation. It should be noted that, the present invention is not limited to the case that some or all of the first data set is necessarily submitted to the first RLC entity.

For example, the second data set is associated with a second RLC entity. For example, the second data set may be data that the PDCP entity may submit to the second RLC entity, or may be data that the PDCP entity prepares to submit to the second RLC entity, or may be data that the PDCP entity will submit to the second RLC entity, or may be data that the second RLC entity associates with, without limitation. It should be noted that, the present invention is not limited to the fact that some or all of the second data set is necessarily submitted to the second RLC entity.

For example, the first data volume may comprise a data volume of the first data set.

For example, the second data volume may comprise a data volume of a second data set.

It should be noted that, the MAC entity associated with the first RLC entity and the MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity may be the same MAC entity or may be different MAC entities.

Optionally, the first data volume does not comprise the data volume of the second data set. Optionally, the second data amount does not include the data amount of the first data set.

For another example, taking PDCP entity as an example of associating the first RLC entity, the second RLC entity, and the third RLC entity, the PDCP entity may submit the first data set to the first RLC entity, the second data set to the second RLC entity, and the third data set to the third RLC entity. The PDCP entity may indicate a first amount of data to a MAC entity associated with the first RLC entity, a second amount of data to a MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity, and a fourth amount of data to a MAC entity associated with the third RLC entity.

For example, the third data set is associated with a third RLC entity. The third data set may be data that the PDCP entity may submit to the third RLC entity, or may be data that the PDCP entity prepares to submit to the third RLC entity, or may be data described as the PDCP entity will submit to the third RLC entity, or may be data associated with the third RLC entity, without limitation. It should be noted that, the present invention is not limited to the case that some or all of the third data set is necessarily submitted to the third RLC entity.

For example, the fourth amount of data may include an amount of data of the third set of data.

Note that any 2 or 3 of the MAC entities associated with the first RLC entity, the MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity, and the MAC entity associated with the third RLC entity may be the same MAC entity or may be different MAC entities.

Optionally, the first data volume does not comprise the data volume of the second data set and/or the data volume of the third data set. Optionally, the second data volume does not comprise the data volume of the first data set and/or the data volume of the third data set. Optionally, the fourth data volume does not comprise the data volume of the first data set and/or the data volume of the second data set.

Alternatively, taking the PDCP entity associating the first RLC entity and the second RLC entity as an example, the PDCP entity receives the data submitted by the SDAP entity, and may determine the first data set and the second data set according to the QFI or eQI or RLC entity associated with the received data.

For example, the data in the first data set is data associated with a first QFI and the data in the second data set is data associated with a second QFI. Alternatively, the data in the first data set is data associated with the first eQI and the data in the second data set is data associated with the second eQI.

Wherein the data set may comprise one or more data. The data may include PDUs and/or SDUs.

For example, the PDUs may include PDCP data PDUs. For example, the SDU may include a PDCP SDU.

For example, the first data set may include one or more PDUs and/or SDUs. For example, the second data set may include one or more PDUs and/or SDUs.

Optionally, the first data set includes data having a priority different from the priority of the data included in the second data set.

Optionally, the first data set comprises part or all of the second data of one or more data sets. Optionally, the second data set comprises part or all of the first data of the one or more data sets. Optionally, the data set comprises first data, and one or more second data.

Taking a group of data as an example, the first data may be an I frame and the second data may be a P frame according to different encoding techniques; the first data may also be base layer data and the second data may also be enhancement layer data; and are not limited.

In the embodiment of the present application, the I frame may include: i-frame data. In the embodiment of the present application, the P frame may include: p frame data.

For example, taking a group of data as a GOP, a first data as an I-frame, and a second data as a P-frame, the first data set may include some or all of the P-frames in one or more GOPs, and the second data set may include some or all of the I-frames in one or more GOPs. The PDCP entity may submit an I-frame to the second RLC entity, and include a data amount corresponding to the I-frame in the second data amount to indicate to the MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity. The PDCP entity may also submit a P frame to the first RLC entity, where the data size corresponding to the P frame is included in the first data size and indicated to the MAC entity associated with the first RLC entity.

It should be noted that in one data set, different second data may be associated with the same or different RLC entities.

Optionally, the first data has a higher priority than the second data.

Optionally, the first data volume further comprises a data volume of a control PDU set; and/or the second data volume further comprises a data volume of the set of control PDUs.

For example, the set of control PDUs may include one or more PDCP control PDUs.

Wherein the PDCP entity may determine which RLC entity to submit the set of control PDUs specifically through according to a pre-configuration or a pre-definition or a protocol specification or a base station configuration. The first data volume further includes a data volume of the set of control PDUs if the set of control PDUs is submitted by the first RLC entity. The second data amount further includes a data amount of the control PDU set if the control PDU set is submitted by the second RLC entity. If the set of control PDUs can be submitted by the first RLC entity and/or the second RLC entity, both the first data amount and the second data amount comprise the data amount of the set of control PDUs.

Optionally, the method may further include step 1203, the PDCP entity obtaining the first data amount. For example, step 1203 may precede step 1201.

Optionally, the method may further include step 1204, the PDCP entity obtaining a second data amount. For example, step 1204 may precede step 1202.

It should be noted that, step 1201, or, step 1203 and step 1201 may be implemented as independent embodiments, independent of step 1202.

Based on the method shown in fig. 12, the manner in which the PDCP entity indicates the data amount to the MAC entity is modified, and if the PDCP entity delivers the first data set to the first RLC entity, the PDCP entity may indicate the first data amount to the MAC entity associated with the first RLC entity. If the PDCP entity delivers the second data set to the second RLC entity, the PDCP entity may indicate the second data amount to the MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity. The PDCP entity may differentiate data when indicating the amount of data to the MAC entity (or described as differentiating RLC entities), and different data (or described as data associated with different RLC entities) may be indicated to the MAC entity by different amounts of data. The MAC entity can determine the BSR according to the data quantity indicated by the PDCP entity, which is beneficial to the accurate report of the BSR and further saves resources.

Unlike the above-described distinction of data when the PDCP entity indicates the data amount to the MAC entity in fig. 12, the PDCP entity indicates the data amount to the MAC entity without distinction of data, referring to fig. 13 described below.

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of a data size indication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, where the method may be applied to a terminal device, and the method may include:

Step 1301, the PDCP entity obtains a third data size.

Step 1302, the PDCP entity indicates a third data size to the MAC entity.

Illustratively, in the terminal device of fig. 13, the PDCP entity may associate a plurality of RLC entities, and the PDCP entity may submit different data to different RLC entities (e.g., using the protocol architecture B shown in fig. 9 or fig. 10 described above).

Illustratively, the PDCP entity may also indicate data amounts of data associated with multiple RLC entities (e.g., a first RLC entity and a second RLC entity) to the MAC entity, including in one total data amount (e.g., a third data amount). The PDCP entity indicates to the MAC entity a total data amount that does not correspond to a plurality of data amounts of a plurality of RLC entities. The PDCP entity may indicate the amount of data to the MAC entity without distinguishing the data or described as not distinguishing the RLC entity. It should be noted that the number of RLC entities associated with the PDCP entity may be greater than or equal to the number of associated RLC entities (e.g., the first RLC entity and the second RLC entity) of the data sets (e.g., the first data set and the second data set) corresponding to the third data amount, which is not limited in this application.

Illustratively, taking PDCP entity as an example of associating a first RLC entity with a second RLC entity, the PDCP entity submits a first data set to the first RLC entity and a second data set to the second RLC entity. The PDCP entity may indicate a third data amount to the MAC entity. It should be noted that the PDCP entity may also be associated with other RLC entities, which is not limited in this application.

For example, the MAC entity is associated with the first RLC entity and/or the second RLC entity.

Wherein the third data volume may comprise the data volume of the first data set and the data volume of the second data set. The descriptions of the first data set and the second data set may refer to the related descriptions of the first data set and the second data set in fig. 12, which are not repeated.

In yet another example, taking PDCP entity as an example of associating the first RLC entity, the second RLC entity, and the third RLC entity, the PDCP entity submits the first set of data to the first RLC entity, the second set of data to the second RLC entity, and the third set of data to the third RLC entity. The PDCP entity may indicate a third data amount to the MAC entity.

For example, the MAC entity is associated with one or more of the first RLC entity, the second RLC entity, or the third RLC entity.

Wherein the third data volume may include the data volume of the first data set, the data volume of the second data set, and the data volume of the third data set. The descriptions of the first data set, the second data set, and the third data set may refer to the related descriptions of the first data set, the second data set, and the third data set in fig. 12, which are not repeated.

Optionally, taking PDCP entity as an example for associating the first RLC entity with the second RLC entity, the first data set associated with the first RLC entity includes part or all of the second data of one or more data sets. Optionally, the second data set associated with the second RLC entity comprises part or all of the first data of one or more data sets. Optionally, the data set comprises first data, and one or more second data.

Illustratively, taking a group of data as a GOP, a first data as an I-frame, and a second data as a P-frame as an example, the first data set may include some or all of the P-frames in one or more GOPs, and the second data set may include some or all of the I-frames in one or more GOPs. The PDCP entity delivers the I-frame to the second RLC entity, delivers the P-frame to the first RLC entity, and indicates the data amount of the I-frame and the data amount of the P-frame to the MAC entity to be included in a total data amount (e.g., a third data amount).

Optionally, the first data has a higher priority than the second data.

Optionally, the third data volume further comprises a data volume of the set of control PDUs.

For example, since the PDCP entity does not distinguish RLC entities when indicating the data amount to the MAC entity, the third data amount may include the data amount of the control PDU set regardless of which RLC entity the control PDU set is submitted through.

Optionally, if the granularity of BSR reporting of the MAC entity includes the third data amount corresponding to the LCH, the PDCP entity of the terminal device indicates the third data amount to the MAC entity by using a method shown in fig. 13.

The LCH corresponding to the third data amount may include an LCH corresponding to the first RLC entity and an LCH corresponding to the second RLC entity.

For example, the granularity of BSR reporting is granularity of logical channel group (logical channel group, LCG), i.e., reporting the cache status of the LCG.

For example, if the granularity of BSR reporting of the MAC entity is LCG, a certain LCG includes a third data amount corresponding to LCH (e.g., LCH corresponding to the first RLC entity and LCH corresponding to the second RLC entity), and the PDCP entity of the terminal device indicates the third data amount to the MAC entity by using the method shown in fig. 13. It should be noted that the method does not limit whether the PDCP entity indicates other data amounts to the MAC entity.

Based on the method shown in fig. 13, the manner in which the PDCP entity indicates the data amount to the MAC entity is modified, and if the PDCP entity delivers the first data set to the first RLC entity and delivers the second data set to the second RLC entity, the PDCP entity may indicate a total data amount, such as a third data amount, to the MAC entity. The PDCP entity may not distinguish between data when indicating the amount of data to the MAC entity (or may be described as not distinguishing between RLC entities), facilitating a simplified indication of the amount of data. The MAC entity can determine the BSR according to the data quantity indicated by the PDCP entity, which is beneficial to the accurate report of the BSR and further saves resources.

Unlike the PDCP entity delivering different data to different RLC entities in the above-mentioned fig. 12 and 13, the PDCP entity may deliver different data to different RLC entities, or may deliver different data (e.g., the first data set and the second data set) to the same RLC entity, and for the data amount indication, the PDCP entity may indicate the data amount to the MAC entity by using the method shown in fig. 14.

Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram of a data size indication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, where the method may be applied to a terminal device, and the method may include:

step 1401, the PDCP entity indicates the first data amount to the MAC entity.

Step 1402, the PDCP entity indicates a third data amount to the MAC entity.

For example, the PDCP entity indicating the third data amount to the MAC entity includes: the PDCP entity indicates a third data amount to a MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity.

Illustratively, in the terminal device of fig. 14, the PDCP entity may associate multiple RLC entities, and the PDCP entity may submit different data to different RLC entities (e.g. using the protocol architecture B shown in fig. 9 or fig. 10) or may submit different data to the same RLC entity.

Illustratively, the PDCP entity may further include data amounts of data (e.g., the first data set and the second data set) associated with a certain RLC entity (e.g., the second RLC entity) in a certain data amount (e.g., a third data amount) indicated to the MAC entity associated with the RLC entity.

For example, taking PDCP entity as an example of associating a first RLC entity with a second RLC entity, the PDCP entity submits a first set of data to the first RLC entity, a second set of data to the second RLC entity, and the PDCP entity also submits the first set of data to the second RLC entity. The PDCP entity may indicate a first amount of data to a MAC entity associated with the first RLC entity and a third amount of data to a MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity.

Wherein the first data volume may comprise a data volume of the first data set. The third data volume may include the data volume of the first data set and the data volume of the second data set.

For example, the MAC entity associated with the first RLC entity and the MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity may be the same MAC entity or different MAC entities.

The descriptions of the first data set and the second data set may refer to the related descriptions of the first data set and the second data set in fig. 12 and fig. 13, which are not repeated.

For example, the first data set is associated with a second RLC entity. For example, the first data set may be data that the PDCP entity may submit to the second RLC entity, or may be data that the PDCP entity prepares to submit to the second RLC entity, or may be described as data that the PDCP entity will submit to the second RLC entity, or may be described as data associated with the second RLC entity, without limitation. It should be noted that, the present invention is not limited to the case that some or all of the first data set is necessarily submitted to the second RLC entity.

For example, in the data delivery process, the PDCP entity may deliver first data of the data set to the second RLC entity and second data of the data set to the first RLC entity. Taking the example that the data set includes the first data set and the second data set as an example, assuming that the priority of the first data is higher than that of the second data, the PDCP entity may preferentially submit the first data of the first data set to the second RLC entity and then submit the second data of the first data set to the first RLC entity. If the second data delivery of the first data group is completed or terminated, the second data group arrives, the PDCP entity may deliver the first data of the second data group to the second RLC entity and then deliver the second data of the second data group to the first RLC entity. However, if the second data of the first data set has not been submitted to completion or the handover is terminated, the PDCP entity may submit the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity and then submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, so as to avoid that the PDCP entity may submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity first, resulting in that the second data of the first data set cannot be transmitted or is transmitted later.

Illustratively, taking a group of data as a GOP, first data as an I frame, and second data as a P frame as an example, the PDCP entity may preferentially submit the I frame of the first GOP to the second RLC entity, and then submit the P frame of the first GOP to the first RLC entity. If the P-frame delivery of the first GOP is completed or terminated, the second GOP arrives, the PDCP entity can deliver the I-frame of the second GOP to the second RLC entity and then deliver the P-frame of the second GOP to the first RLC entity. However, if the P frame of the first GOP has not been submitted to completion or the delivery is terminated, and the second GOP has arrived, the PDCP entity may submit the P frame of the first GOP to the second RLC entity and then submit the I frame of the second GOP to the second RLC entity.

Based on this, the PDCP entity may also submit the second data of the data set to the second RLC entity on the basis of the first data of the data set submitted by the PDCP entity to the second RLC entity, so when the PDCP entity indicates the data amount to the MAC entity corresponding to the second RLC entity, a third data amount including the data amount of the first data set and the data amount of the second data set is indicated. Since the PDCP entity delivers the second data of the data set to the first RLC entity, when the PDCP entity indicates the data amount to the MAC entity corresponding to the first RLC entity, the PDCP entity indicates the first data amount including the data amount of the first data set.

Optionally, the first data has a higher priority than the second data.

Optionally, the first data volume further comprises a data volume of a control PDU set; and/or, the third data volume further comprises a data volume of the set of control PDUs.

Wherein the PDCP entity may determine which RLC entity to submit the set of control PDUs specifically through according to a pre-configuration or a pre-definition or a protocol specification or a base station configuration. The first data volume further includes a data volume of the set of control PDUs if the set of control PDUs is submitted by the first RLC entity. The third data volume further includes a data volume of the set of control PDUs if the set of control PDUs is submitted by the second RLC entity. If the set of control PDUs is submitted by the first RLC entity and/or the second RLC entity, both the first data amount and the third data amount comprise the data amount of the set of control PDUs.

Optionally, the method may further include step 1403, the PDCP entity obtaining the first data amount. For example, step 1403 may precede step 1401.

Optionally, the method may further include step 1404, the PDCP entity obtaining a third data amount. For example, step 1404 may precede step 1402.

It should be noted that, step 1401, or, step 1403 and step 1401 may be provided as independent embodiments, and not depend on step 1402. Step 1402, or step 1404 and step 1402, may be implemented as separate embodiments, independent of step 1401.

Based on the method shown in fig. 14, the manner in which the PDCP entity indicates the data amount to the MAC entity is modified, and if the PDCP entity delivers the first data set to the first RLC entity, the PDCP entity may indicate the first data amount to the MAC entity associated with the first RLC entity. The PDCP entity may also submit the first data set to the second RLC entity if the PDCP entity submits the second data set to the second RLC entity, and the PDCP entity may indicate a third data amount to a MAC entity associated with the second RLC entity. The PDCP entity may differentiate data when indicating the amount of data to the MAC entity (or described as differentiating RLC entities), and different data (or described as data associated with different RLC entities) may be indicated to the MAC entity by different amounts of data. The MAC entity can determine the BSR according to the data quantity indicated by the PDCP entity, which is beneficial to the accurate report of the BSR and further saves resources.

Corresponding to the data amount indicating method shown in fig. 12 to 14 described above, the following fig. 15 to 18 describe a specific flow of data delivery.

Fig. 15 is a schematic diagram of a data submitting method according to an embodiment of the present application, where the method is applied to a terminal device, and the method may include:

step 1501, the PDCP entity obtains first data of a second data set.

In the embodiment of the present application, the PDCP entity obtaining the first data of the second data set may include the PDCP entity obtaining the second data set.

Illustratively, in the terminal device of fig. 15, the PDCP entity may associate a plurality of RLC entities, and the PDCP entity may submit different data to different RLC entities, e.g., using the protocol architecture B shown in fig. 9 or 10 described above.

For example, taking PDCP entity as an example of associating a first RLC entity with a second RLC entity, the PDCP entity delivers the second data to the first RLC entity and delivers the first data to the second RLC entity.

For example, the first data is associated with the second RLC entity. The first data may be data that the PDCP entity may submit to the second RLC entity, or may be data that the PDCP entity prepares to submit to the second RLC entity, or may be described as data that the PDCP entity will submit to the second RLC entity, or may be described as data associated with the second RLC entity, without limitation. It should be noted that, the present invention is not limited to the case that some or all of the first data is delivered to the second RLC entity.

For example, the second data is associated with the first RLC entity. The second data may be data that the PDCP entity may submit to the first RLC entity, or data that the PDCP entity prepares to submit to the first RLC entity, or data described as being about to be submitted to the first RLC entity by the PDCP entity, or data associated with the first RLC entity, without limitation. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the case where some or all of the second data is delivered to the first RLC entity.

For example, the PDCP entity may obtain a first data set from the SDAP entity, which may include the first data, and one or more second data.

It should be noted that the first data and the second data may be different types of data. The first data in the different data sets may be different data. The second data in the different data sets may also be different data. The plurality of first data in the same data group may also be different data. The plurality of second data in the same data group may also be different data. The first data and the second data are used only to distinguish different data, and do not refer to any one data in particular.

Optionally, after the PDCP entity obtains the first data set, the PDCP entity may distinguish the first data from the second data according to the QFI or eQI associated with the data, submit the first data to the second RLC entity, and submit the second data to the first RLC entity.

Illustratively, the PDCP entity may also obtain a second data set from the SDAP entity, which may include the first data, and one or more second data.

Optionally, after the PDCP entity obtains the second data set, the PDCP entity may distinguish the first data from the second data according to the QFI or eQI associated with the data, submit the first data to the second RLC entity, and submit the second data to the first RLC entity.

Optionally, the first data set and the second data set are data sets of a same service.

Optionally, the first data has a higher priority than the second data.

For example, if the priority of the first data is higher than the priority of the second data, the PDCP entity may perform the following step 1502 to avoid that the PDCP entity preferentially submits the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, resulting in the second data of the first data set not being transmitted or being transmitted late.

Step 1502, if the second data delivery of the first data group is completed or terminated, the PDCP entity delivers the first data of the second data group to the second RLC entity.

The PDCP entity may forward the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity if the second data of the first data set is completed or terminated, but may wait for the second data of the first data set to be completed or terminated if the second data of the first data set is not completed or terminated, and then forward the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity.

It should be noted that, the termination of the delivery may be that the data is terminated after the delivery has not been started, or may be that the data has been started to be delivered, and a part of the data has been completed to be delivered, and the remaining data which has not been delivered is terminated to be delivered.

Alternatively, if the second data of the first data set is submitted to the MAC entity by the first RLC entity, the second data of the first data set may be considered complete. Or may be described as if the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion at the first RLC entity.

Alternatively, if the second data of the first data group is terminated at the PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity, the second data of the first data group is considered to be terminated.

For example, if the packet loss rate of the first data group is greater than or equal to a certain threshold, it may be considered that the second data of the first data group is not necessary for further transmission, and the PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity may terminate the delivery of the second data of the first data group.

Illustratively, taking a data group as a GOP, first data as an I frame, and second data as a P frame as an example, the PDCP entity submits the I frame of the first GOP to the second RLC entity, and submits the P frame of the first GOP to the first RLC entity, and if the P frame of the first GOP is submitted to completion or the P frame of the first GOP is terminated, the PDCP entity may continue to submit the I frame of the second GOP to the second RLC entity and the P frame of the second GOP to the first RLC entity.

In one possible design, the PDCP entity sends a first request to the first RLC entity, the first RLC entity sends a first response to the PDCP entity according to the first request, and the PDCP entity determines whether the delivery of the second data of the first data set is complete or terminated according to the first response.

The first request may be used to request information about whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the end of the submission; or information for requesting whether a buffer (buffer) of the first RLC entity is empty.

In this embodiment, whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the end of the delivery may include a status of the delivery of the second data of the first data set.

For example, the buffer of the first RLC entity may include a transport buffer and/or a retransmission buffer of the first RLC entity.

In embodiments of the present application, the request may include any one or more of a query, a poll, a determination.

The first response may be used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated, or to indicate whether the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty.

For example, if the first RLC entity determines that the second data transfer of the first data set is complete or terminated, the first response is for indicating that the second data transfer of the first data set is complete or terminated or for indicating that the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty. If the first RLC entity determines that the second data of the first data set has not been submitted to completion or is terminated, the first response is for indicating that the second data of the first data set has not been submitted to completion or is terminated or for indicating that the buffer of the first RLC entity is not empty.

Optionally, the PDCP entity sends the first request to the first RLC entity before submitting the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, so as to avoid frequent sending of the first request and reduce power consumption.

Optionally, the PDCP entity obtains the second data set from the SDAP entity, and sends the first request to the first RLC entity, so as to avoid frequent sending of the first request, and reduce power consumption.

In yet another possible design, the PDCP entity receives first indication information from the first RLC entity.

The first indication information may be used to indicate that the second data delivery of the first data set is completed or terminated or to indicate that buffer of the first RLC entity is empty.

For example, if the first RLC entity determines that the second data delivery of the first data set is completed or the delivery is terminated or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty, the first RLC entity may actively report the first indication information to the PDCP entity, so that the PDCP entity determines that the second data delivery of the first data set is completed or the delivery is terminated or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty according to the first indication information, and further submits the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity.

In the embodiment of the present application, the report may be described as an indication.

In still another possible design, the first RLC entity may also periodically report to the PDCP entity an indication of whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or termination or an indication of whether the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty, so that the PDCP entity determines whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or termination according to the indication.

The reporting period may be preconfigured or predefined or specified by a base station configuration or protocol, and is not limited.

Based on the method shown in fig. 15, the limitation condition that the PDCP entity submits the data to the RLC entity is increased, taking the priority of the first data higher than the priority of the second data as an example, if the PDCP entity determines that the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or termination of the delivery, the PDCP entity may submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, so as to avoid that the PDCP entity submits the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, which results in that the second data of the first data set cannot be transmitted or is transmitted later.

The method shown in fig. 15 may be performed alone or in combination with the method shown in fig. 12 or 13, and is not limited thereto.

Unlike the PDCP entity of fig. 15 described above, which delivers different data to different RLC entities, the PDCP entity may deliver different data to different RLC entities, or may deliver different data (e.g., first data, second data) to the same RLC entity, as shown in fig. 16.

Fig. 16 is a data submitting method provided in an embodiment of the present application, where the method is applied to a terminal device, and the method may include:

in step 1601, the PDCP entity obtains second data of the first data set.

Illustratively, in the terminal device of fig. 16, the PDCP entity may associate a plurality of RLC entities, and the PDCP entity may submit different data to different RLC entities, e.g., using the protocol architecture B shown in fig. 9 or 10 described above.

The descriptions of the first data and the second data may refer to the descriptions of the first data and the second data in fig. 15, which are not described herein.

Optionally, the first data has a higher priority than the second data.

For example, if the priority of the first data is higher than the priority of the second data, the PDCP entity may perform the following step 1602 to avoid the PDCP entity preferentially submitting the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, resulting in the second data of the first data set not being transmitted or being transmitted late.

Step 1602, if the first condition is satisfied, the PDCP entity delivers second data of the first data set to a second RLC entity.

For example, the first condition may include the PDCP entity acquiring first data of the second data set. For example, the PDCP entity acquiring the first data of the second data set may include the PDCP entity acquiring the second data set.

In yet another example, the first condition may include the PDCP entity determining to submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity. For example, the PDCP entity determining or to submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity may include: the PDCP entity will deliver the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity.

For example, if the PDCP entity acquires lower layer indication information indicating that uplink resources have been acquired, the PDCP entity may determine to submit first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity.

For example, in the data delivery process, the PDCP entity may deliver first data of the first data set to the second RLC entity and second data of the first data set to the first RLC entity. Alternatively, it may be described that the PDCP entity delivers the second data of the first data set to the first RLC entity if the first condition is not satisfied.

If the second data delivery of the first data group is completed or terminated, the PDCP entity acquires the first data of the second data group or determines to deliver the first data of the second data group to the second RLC entity, and the PDCP entity may deliver the first data of the second data group to the second RLC entity and the second data of the second data group to the first RLC entity.

However, if the second data of the first data group has not been submitted to completion or the handover is terminated, the PDCP entity may acquire the first data of the second data group or determine to submit the first data of the second data group to the second RLC entity, and the PDCP entity may submit the second data of the first data group to the second RLC entity and then submit the first data of the second data group to the second RLC entity. Thereby avoiding that the PDCP entity submits the first data of the second data group to the second RLC entity first, and the second data of the first data group cannot be transmitted or is transmitted in a delayed manner.

Illustratively, taking a data group as a GOP, the first data as an I frame, and the second data as a P frame as an example, the PDCP entity may submit the I frame of the first GOP to the second RLC entity and the P frame of the first GOP to the first RLC entity. If the P frame delivery of the first GOP is completed or terminated, the PDCP entity acquires the I frame of the second GOP or determines to deliver the I frame of the second GOP to the second RLC entity, and the PDCP entity can deliver the I frame of the second GOP to the second RLC entity and deliver the P frame of the second GOP to the first RLC entity. However, if the P-frame of the first GOP has not been submitted to completion or the handover is terminated, the PDCP entity may acquire the I-frame of the second GOP or determine to submit the I-frame of the second GOP to the second RLC entity, and the PDCP entity may submit the P-frame of the first GOP to the second RLC entity and then submit the I-frame of the second GOP to the second RLC entity.

In one possible design, the second data delivery of the first data set is considered complete if the second data of the first data set is delivered by the first RLC entity to the MAC entity before the PDCP entity acquires the first data of the second data set or determines to deliver the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity. Or may be described as if the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion at the first RLC entity or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty, the second data of the first data set is considered to be submitted to completion.

In yet another possible design, the PDCP entity obtains the first data of the second data set or determines to submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, and if the second data of the first data set is terminated in the PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity or buffer of the PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity is empty, the second data delivery of the first data set is considered to be terminated.

In yet another possible design, the PDCP entity may obtain the first data of the second data set or determine to submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, and if the second data of the first data set has not been submitted to completion or is terminated, the PDCP entity may submit the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity. If the second data of the first data set is submitted to the MAC entity by the second RLC entity, the second data of the first data set is considered to be complete. Or may be described as if the second data of the first data set is submitted to be completed at the second RLC entity, or if the PDCP entity and/or buffer of the second RLC entity is empty, the second data of the first data set is considered to be submitted to be completed.

In yet another possible design, the PDCP entity may obtain the first data of the second data set or determine to submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, and if the second data of the first data set has not been submitted to completion or is terminated, the PDCP entity may submit the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity. And if the second data of the first data group is submitted to and terminated at the PDCP entity and/or the second RLC entity, or the buffer of the PDCP entity and/or the second RLC entity is empty, the second data of the first data group is submitted to and terminated.

In the four possible designs, the PDCP entity may determine whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or termination at the first RLC entity by sending a request to the first RLC entity according to a response sent by the first RLC entity. Or determining that the second data of the first data group is finished or submitted to be terminated at the first RLC entity according to the indication information sent by the first RLC entity when the second data of the first data group is finished or submitted to be terminated at the first RLC entity or after the first RLC entity. Or determining whether the second data of the first data group is submitted to be finished or submitted to be terminated at the first RLC entity according to the indication information which is periodically submitted by the first RLC entity and is used for indicating whether the second data of the first data group is submitted to be finished or submitted to be terminated at the first RLC entity.

Optionally, the second data of the first data group submitted by the PDCP entity to the second RLC entity may include: data not submitted by the first RLC entity among the second data of the first data set.

Wherein the data of the second data of the first data set not submitted by the first RLC entity may include one or more of: the PDCP entity may be configured to send the second data of the first data set to the first RLC entity without being able to send the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity.

For example, among the second data of the first data group, data not delivered to the first RLC entity by the PDCP entity includes: the data which is not delivered to the first RLC entity by the PDCP entity and exists in the PDCP buffer among the second data of the first data set.

For example, "data that has been delivered to the first RLC entity but not delivered by the first RLC entity among the second data of the first data group" includes: data, which has been delivered to the first RLC entity but not delivered by the first RLC entity and exists in a buffer of the first RLC entity, among the second data of the first data set.

Optionally, before the PDCP entity delivers the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity, the PDCP entity may further perform one or more of:

(1) the PDCP entity transmits second indication information to the first RLC entity.

For example, the second indication information may be used to indicate that the first data of the second data group arrives or to indicate that the PDCP entity determines to submit the first data of the second data group to the second RLC entity.

For example, if the PDCP entity receives the first data of the second data set submitted by the SDAP entity, the PDCP entity may transmit second indication information to the first RLC entity to indicate arrival of the first data of the second data set.

Alternatively, the first RLC entity may send response information indicating whether the second data of the first data set is completed or terminated to the PDCP entity according to the second indication information, and if the second data of the first data set is completed or terminated, the PDCP entity may submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity. If the second data of the first data group has not been submitted to completion or the handover is terminated, the PDCP entity may submit the second data of the first data group to the second RLC entity so that the second RLC entity preferentially transmits the second data of the first data group and then transmits the first data of the second data group.

Alternatively, the first RLC entity may feed back a handover status report of the second data of the first data set to the PDCP entity according to the second indication information. The report of the status of the second data of the first data set may include a PDCP Sequence Number (SN) of data not submitted by the first RLC entity in the second data of the first data set. The PDCP entity may determine which data in the second data of the first data set is not submitted according to the handover status report, and handover the data not submitted in the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity, so that the second RLC entity preferentially transmits the second data of the first data set, and then transmits the first data of the second data set.

Optionally, the report of the status of delivery of the second data of the first data set may also include response information indicating whether the delivery of the second data of the first data set is complete or terminated.

Optionally, the first RLC entity may also delete the second data of the first data set according to the second indication information. Or the first RLC entity empties the buffer of the first RLC entity according to the second indication information.

(2) The PDCP entity transmits third indication information to the first RLC entity.

The third indication information is used for indicating the first RLC entity to feed back the report of the status of the second data of the first data set, and description of the report of the status of the second data of the first data set may refer to the foregoing related description, which is not repeated.

(3) The PDCP entity transmits fourth indication information to the first RLC entity.

The fourth indication information is used for indicating the first RLC entity to delete the second data of the first data set, or is described as the fourth indication information being used for indicating the first RLC entity to empty the buffer of the first RLC entity.

Any 2 or more of the second indication information, the third indication information and the fourth indication information can be the same indication information or different indication information, and the method is not limited.

Based on the method shown in fig. 16, the limitation condition that the PDCP entity submits data to the RLC entity is increased, taking the priority of the first data higher than the priority of the second data as an example, if the second data of the first data set is not yet submitted or the submitting is terminated, the PDCP entity may acquire the first data of the second data set or determine to submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, and then submit the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity. Thereby avoiding that the PDCP entity preferentially submits the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, resulting in the failure or deferral of the transmission of the second data of the first data set.

The method shown in fig. 16 may be performed alone or in combination with the method shown in fig. 14, and is not limited thereto.

Unlike the SDAP delivering different data to the same PDCP entity in the above-described fig. 15 and 16, the SDAP entity may also deliver different data (e.g., first data, second data) to different PDCP entities as shown in fig. 17.

Fig. 17 is a schematic diagram of a data submitting method according to an embodiment of the present application, where the method is applied to a terminal device, and the method may include:

Step 1701, the SDAP entity obtains first data of the second data set.

Illustratively, in the terminal device of fig. 17, the SDAP entity may associate multiple PDCP entities, and the SDAP entity may submit different data to different PDCP entities, e.g., using the protocol architecture a shown in fig. 7 or 8 described above.

It should be noted that, when the SDAP entity submits data to the PDCP entity, the data submitted by the SDAP entity to the PDCP entity may be described as: the data submitted by the SDAP entity to the PDCP entity is described as either the data that the SDAP entity is ready to submit to the PDCP entity or the data that the SDAP entity is about to submit to the PDCP entity or the data that the SDAP is likely to submit to the PDCP entity or the data associated with the PDCP entity, without limitation.

For example, taking the SDAP entity associating the first PDCP entity with the second PDCP entity, the first PDCP entity associating the first RLC entity, the second PDCP entity associating the second RLC entity as an example, the SDAP entity submitting the second data to the first PDCP entity and submitting the first data to the second PDCP entity; the first PDCP entity submits second data to the first RLC entity, and the second PDCP entity submits first data to the second RLC entity.

For example, the first data is associated with the second PDCP entity. The first data may be data that the SDAP entity may submit to the second PDCP entity, or data that the SDAP entity is ready to submit to the second PDCP entity, or data described as being about to be submitted to the second PDCP entity by the SDAP entity, or data associated with the second PDCP entity, without limitation. It should be noted that, here, it is not limited that some or all of the first data is necessarily delivered to the second PDCP entity.

For example, the second data is associated with the first PDCP entity. The second data may be data that the SDAP entity may submit to the first PDCP entity, or data that the SDAP entity is ready to submit to the first PDCP entity, or data described as being about to be submitted to the first PDCP entity by the SDAP entity, or data associated with the first PDCP entity, without limitation. It should be noted that, here, it is not limited that some or all of the second data is necessarily delivered to the first PDCP entity.

For example, the SDAP entity can obtain a first data set from an application layer, the first data set can include first data, and one or more second data.

Optionally, after the SDAP entity obtains the first data set, the first data and the second data may be distinguished according to the QFI or eQI associated with the data, the first data is submitted to the second PDCP entity, and the second data is submitted to the first PDCP entity.

The SDAP entity may also obtain a second data set from the application layer, which may include the first data, and one or more second data, for example.

Optionally, after the SDAP entity obtains the second data set, the first data and the second data may be distinguished according to the QFI or eQI associated with the data, the first data is submitted to the second PDCP entity, and the second data is submitted to the first PDCP entity.

Optionally, the first data has a higher priority than the second data.

For example, if the priority of the first data is higher than the priority of the second data, the SDAP entity may perform step 1702 described below to avoid the SDAP entity submitting the first data of the second data group to the second PDCP entity, resulting in the second data of the first data group not being transmitted or being transmitted late.

Step 1702, if the second data delivery of the first data group is completed or terminated, the SDAP entity delivers the first data of the second data group to the second PDCP entity.

For example, if the second data delivery of the first data group is completed or terminated, the SDAP entity may deliver the first data of the second data group to the second PDCP entity, but if the second data of the first data group is not completed or terminated, the SDAP entity needs to wait for the second data delivery of the first data group to be completed or terminated, and then deliver the first data of the second data group to the second PDCP entity.

Alternatively, if the second data of the first data set is submitted to the MAC entity by the first RLC entity, the second data of the first data set is considered to be complete. Or may be described as if the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion at the first RLC entity.

Wherein the first RLC entity is an RLC entity associated with the first PDCP entity.

Alternatively, if the second data of the first data set is terminated at one or more of the following entity submissions, the second data submission of the first data set is considered to be terminated: an SDAP entity, a first PDCP entity, or a first RLC entity.

Wherein, if the packet loss rate of the first data group is greater than or equal to a certain threshold, it may be considered that the second data of the first data group is not necessary for further transmission, and the SDAP entity, and/or the first PDCP entity, and/or the first RLC entity may terminate the delivery of the second data of the first data group.

Illustratively, taking a data group as a GOP, first data as an I frame, and second data as a P frame as an example, the SDAP entity may submit the I frame of the first GOP to the second PDCP entity, submit the P frame of the first GOP to the first PDCP entity, and if the P frame of the first GOP is completed or the submission is terminated, the SDAP entity may continue to submit the I frame of the second GOP to the second PDCP entity, and submit the P frame of the second GOP to the first PDCP entity.

In one possible design, the SDAP entity sends a second request to the first PDCP entity, the first PDCP entity sends a second response to the SDAP entity according to the second request, and the SDAP entity determines whether the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or is submitted to termination according to the second response.

Wherein the second request may be used to request information whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the delivery is terminated; or, information for requesting whether the buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty.

The second response may be used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated; or, the buffer used for indicating the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty.

For example, if the first PDCP entity determines that the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated, the second response may be used to indicate that the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated or to indicate that the buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty; if the first PDCP entity determines that the second data of the first data set has not been submitted to completion or termination of the handover, the second response may be used to indicate that the second data of the first data set has not been submitted to completion or termination of the handover or to indicate that a buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or a buffer of the first RLC entity is not empty.

The description of whether the first PDCP entity determines the second data of the first data set is completed or terminated by the delivery may refer to the description of whether the PDCP entity determines the second data of the first data set is completed or terminated by the delivery in step 1502, which is not repeated.

Optionally, the SDAP entity sends the second request to the first PDCP entity before submitting the first data of the second data set to the second PDCP entity, so as to avoid frequent sending of the second request and reduce power consumption.

Optionally, the SDAP entity obtains the second data group from the application layer and sends the second request to the first PDCP entity so as to avoid frequent sending of the second request and reduce power consumption.

In yet another possible design, the SDAP entity sends a third request to the first RLC entity, the first RLC entity sends a third response to the SDAP entity according to the third request, and the SDAP entity determines whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated according to the third response.

Wherein the third request may be for requesting information whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the delivery is terminated; or information for requesting whether a buffer (buffer) of the first RLC entity is empty.

The third response may be used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated, or to indicate whether the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty.

If the first RLC entity determines that the second data transfer of the first data set is complete or terminated, the third response may be for indicating that the second data transfer of the first data set is complete or terminated or for indicating that the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty. If the first RLC entity determines that the second data of the first data set has not been submitted to completion or is terminated, a third response may be used to indicate that the second data of the first data set has not been submitted to completion or is terminated or to indicate that the buffer of the first RLC entity is not empty.

Optionally, the SDAP entity sends a third request to the first RLC entity before submitting the first data of the second data set to the second PDCP entity, so as to avoid frequent sending of the third request and reduce power consumption.

Optionally, the SDAP entity obtains the second data set from the application layer and sends the third request to the first RLC entity, so as to avoid frequent sending of the third request and reduce power consumption.

In yet another possible design, the SDAP entity receives fifth indication information from the first PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity.

The fifth indication information may be used to indicate that the second data delivery of the first data set is completed or terminated or to indicate that the buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty.

Specifically, if the first PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity determines that the second data delivery of the first data set is completed or terminated, or the buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity are empty, the first PDCP entity or the first RLC entity may actively report fifth indication information to the SDAP entity, so that the SDAP entity determines that the second data delivery of the first data set is completed or terminated according to the fifth indication information, and further submits the first data of the second data set to the second PDCP entity.

In another possible design, the first PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity may also periodically report to the SDAP entity indication information whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or termination, or indication information whether the buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty, so that the SDAP entity determines whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or termination according to the indication information.

Based on the method shown in fig. 17, the limitation condition that the SDAP entity submits the data to the PDCP entity is increased, taking the priority of the first data higher than the priority of the second data as an example, if the SDAP entity determines that the second data of the first data set is submitted to be completed or the second data set is submitted to be terminated, the SDAP entity may submit the first data of the second data set to the second PDCP entity, so as to avoid that the SDAP entity submits the first data of the second data set to the second PDCP entity preferentially, which results in that the second data of the first data set cannot be transmitted or is transmitted later.

Unlike the above-described procedure of fig. 17 in which if the SDAP entity determines that the second data delivery of the first data group is completed or the delivery is terminated, the SDAP entity may deliver the first data of the second data group to the second PDCP entity, as shown in fig. 18, a limitation condition for delivering data to the second RLC entity by the second PDCP entity may be increased without limitation of delivering data to the PDCP entity by the SDAP entity.

Fig. 18 is a data indication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, where the method is applied to a terminal device, and the method may include:

step 1801, the second PDCP entity obtains first data of the second data set.

Illustratively, in the terminal device of fig. 18, the SDAP entity may associate multiple PDCP entities, and the SDAP entity may submit different data to different PDCP entities, e.g., using the protocol architecture a shown in fig. 7 or 8 described above.

For example, taking the SDAP entity associating the first PDCP entity with the second PDCP entity, the first PDCP entity associating the first RLC entity, the second PDCP entity associating the second RLC entity as an example, the SDAP entity may submit the second data to the first PDCP entity and the first data to the second PDCP entity; the first PDCP entity may submit the second data to the first RLC entity, and the second PDCP entity may submit the first data to the second RLC entity.

For example, the first data and the second PDCP entity.

For example, the second data is associated with the first PDCP entity.

The descriptions of the first data and the second data may refer to the descriptions of the first data and the second data in fig. 17, which are not described herein.

Optionally, the first data has a higher priority than the second data.

For example, if the priority of the first data is higher than the priority of the second data, the second PDCP entity may perform step 1802 described below to avoid the second PDCP entity preferentially submitting the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, resulting in the second data of the first data set not being transmitted or being transmitted late.

Step 1802, if the second data delivery of the first data group is completed or terminated, the second PDCP entity delivers the first data of the second data group to the second RLC entity.

The second PDCP entity may forward the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity if the second data of the first data set is completed or terminated, but the second PDCP entity needs to wait for the second data of the first data set to be completed or terminated if the second data of the first data set is not completed or terminated, and then forward the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity.

Alternatively, if the second data of the first data group is terminated at the first PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity, the second data of the first data group is considered to be terminated.

Wherein, if the packet loss rate of the first data group is greater than or equal to a certain threshold, it may be considered that the second data of the first data group is not necessary for further transmission, and the first PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity may terminate the delivery of the second data of the first data group.

For example, taking a data group as a GOP, first data as an I frame, and second data as a P frame as an example, the second PDCP entity may submit the I frame of the first GOP to the second RLC entity, the first PDCP entity may submit the P frame of the first GOP to the first RLC entity, if the P frame of the first GOP is submitted to completion or the P frame of the first GOP is terminated, the second PDCP entity may continue to submit the I frame of the second GOP to the second RLC entity, and the first PDCP entity may continue to submit the P frame of the second GOP to the first RLC entity.

In one possible design, the second PDCP entity sends a fourth request to the SDAP entity, the SDAP entity sends a fourth response to the second PDCP entity according to the fourth request, and the second PDCP entity determines whether the delivery of the second data of the first data set is completed or terminated according to the fourth response.

Wherein the fourth request may be for requesting information whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the delivery is terminated; or, information for requesting whether the buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty.

The fourth response may be used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated; or, the buffer used for indicating the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty.

For example, if the SDAP entity determines that the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated, the fourth response may be used to indicate that the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated or to indicate that the buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty; if the SDAP entity determines that the second data of the first data group has not been submitted to completion or is not submitted to termination, the fourth response may be used to indicate that the second data of the first data group has not been submitted to completion or is not submitted to termination or to indicate that the buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is not empty.

The description of determining, by the SDAP entity, whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or termination of the first data set may refer to the description of determining, by the SDAP entity, whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or termination of the first data set in step 1702, which is not repeated.

Optionally, the second PDCP entity sends a fourth request to the SDAP entity before submitting the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, so as to avoid frequent sending of the fourth request and reduce power consumption.

Optionally, the second PDCP entity obtains the second data set from the SDAP entity, and sends a fourth request to the SDAP entity, so as to avoid frequent sending of the fourth request, and reduce power consumption.

In yet another possible design, the second PDCP entity sends a fifth request to the first PDCP entity, the first PDCP entity sends a fifth response to the second PDCP entity according to the fifth request, and the second PDCP entity determines whether the delivery of the second data of the first data set is completed or terminated according to the fifth response.

Wherein the fifth request may be for requesting information whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the delivery is terminated; or, information for requesting whether the buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty.

The fifth response may be used to indicate whether the second data of the first data set is complete or the delivery is terminated; or, the buffer used for indicating the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty.

For example, if the first PDCP entity determines that the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated, the fifth response may be used to indicate that the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated or to indicate that the buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty; if the first PDCP entity determines that the second data of the first data set has not been submitted to completion or termination of the handover, the fifth response may be used to indicate that the second data of the first data set has not been submitted to completion or termination of the handover or to indicate that a buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or a buffer of the first RLC entity is not empty.

The description of whether the first PDCP entity determines the second data of the first data set is completed or terminated by the delivery may refer to the description related to whether the PDCP entity determines the second data of the first data set is completed or terminated by the delivery in step 1502 or the description related to whether the first PDCP entity determines the second data of the first data set is completed or terminated by the delivery in step 1702, which are not repeated.

Optionally, the second PDCP entity sends a fifth request to the first PDCP entity before submitting the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, so as to avoid frequent sending of the fifth request and reduce power consumption.

Optionally, the second PDCP entity obtains the second data set from the SDAP entity, and sends a fifth request to the first PDCP entity to avoid frequent sending of the fifth request, thereby reducing power consumption.

In yet another possible design, the second PDCP entity receives the sixth indication information from the SDAP entity or the first PDCP entity.

The sixth indication information may be used to indicate that the second data delivery of the first data set is completed or terminated or to indicate that the buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty.

Specifically, if the SDAP entity and/or the first PDCP entity determines that the second data of the first data set is finished or submitted to be terminated, the SDAP entity or the first PDCP entity can actively report sixth indication information to the second PDCP entity, so that the second PDCP entity can determine that the second data of the first data set is finished or submitted to be terminated according to the sixth indication information, and then submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity.

In still another possible design, the SDAP entity and/or the first PDCP entity may also periodically report to the second PDCP entity indication information whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or termination, or indication information whether the buffer of the first PDCP entity and/or the buffer of the first RLC entity is empty, so that the second PDCP entity determines whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or termination according to the indication information.

Based on the method shown in fig. 18, the limitation condition that the PDCP entity submits the data to the RLC entity is increased, taking the priority of the first data higher than the priority of the second data as an example, if the second PDCP entity determines that the second data of the first data set is completed or the second data of the second data set is terminated, the second PDCP entity may submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity, so as to avoid that the second PDCP entity submits the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity preferentially, which results in that the second data of the first data set cannot be transmitted or is transmitted in a delayed manner.

The methods shown in fig. 17 and 18 may be performed alone or in combination, and are not limited thereto.

It should be understood that the prior art may possibly change with the evolution of the technical solution, and the technical solution provided in the present application is not limited to the provided prior art.

It should be noted that different embodiments or portions of steps (e.g., any one or more steps) in different embodiments may be combined with each other to form a new embodiment. It should be noted that, some steps or any one or more steps in different embodiments may include optional steps in a certain embodiment, may also include optional steps in a certain embodiment, and may also include optional steps and optional steps in a certain embodiment, which is not limited in this application.

It is noted that terms and/or descriptions between the various embodiments are consistent and may be referred to each other if not specifically stated or logically conflicting.

It should be noted that the sequence of the steps in the embodiments of the present application is not limited in this application.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the order of judging the different conditions is not limited.

The terms "rear" and "time" in the present application are not strictly limited to the time points.

The above description has been presented mainly from the point of interaction between devices. It will be appreciated that each device, in order to implement the above-described functions, includes corresponding hardware structures and/or software modules that perform the respective functions. Those of skill in the art will readily appreciate that the algorithm steps of the examples described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is implemented as hardware or computer software driven hardware depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the solution. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

The embodiment of the application may divide the functional modules of each device according to the above method example, for example, each functional module may be divided corresponding to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module. The integrated modules may be implemented in hardware or in software functional modules. It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the division of the modules is schematic, which is merely a logic function division, and other division manners may be implemented in actual implementation.

In the case where respective functional modules are divided with corresponding respective functions, fig. 19 shows a terminal device 190, and the terminal device 190 can perform the actions performed by the terminal devices in fig. 12 to 18 described above.

The terminal device 190 may include a transceiver module 1901 and a processing module 1902. The terminal device 190 may be a terminal device, a chip applied in the terminal device, or other combined devices, components, etc. having the functions of the terminal device. When the terminal device 190 is a terminal device, the transceiver module 1901 may be a transceiver, which may include an antenna, radio frequency circuits, and the like; the processing module 1902 may be a processor (or processing circuit), such as a baseband processor, which may include one or more CPUs. When the terminal device 190 is a component having the above-described terminal device function, the transceiver module 1901 may be a radio frequency unit; the processing module 1902 may be a processor (or processing circuit), such as a baseband processor. When the terminal device 190 is a chip system, the transceiver module 1901 may be an input/output interface of a chip (e.g., a baseband chip); the processing module 1902 may be a processor (or processing circuit) of a system-on-chip, and may include one or more central processing units. It should be appreciated that transceiver module 1901 in embodiments of the present application may be implemented by a transceiver or transceiver-related circuit components; the processing module 1902 may be implemented by a processor or processor-related circuit component (alternatively referred to as a processing circuit).

For example, transceiver module 1901 may be used to perform all of the transceiving operations performed by the terminal device in the embodiments illustrated in fig. 12-18, and/or to support other processes of the techniques described herein; the processing module 1902 may be used to perform all but the transceiving operations performed by the terminal device in the embodiments illustrated in fig. 12-18, and/or to support other procedures of the techniques described herein.

As yet another implementation, the transceiver module 1901 in fig. 19 may be replaced by a transceiver, which may integrate the functions of the transceiver module 1901; the processing module 1902 may be replaced with a processor that may integrate the functionality of the processing module 1902. Further, the terminal device 190 shown in fig. 19 may further include a memory.

Alternatively, when the processing module 1902 is replaced by a processor and the transceiver module 1901 is replaced by a transceiver, the terminal device 190 according to the embodiment of the present application may also be the communication apparatus 200 shown in fig. 20, where the processor may be the logic circuit 2001 and the transceiver may be the interface circuit 2002. Further, the communication device 200 shown in fig. 20 may further include a memory 2003.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer program product which, when executed by a computer, may implement the functions of any of the method embodiments described above.

The present application also provides a computer program, which when executed by a computer, can implement the functions of any of the method embodiments described above.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a computer-readable storage medium. All or part of the flow in the above method embodiments may be implemented by a computer program to instruct related hardware, where the program may be stored in the above computer readable storage medium, and when the program is executed, the program may include the flow in the above method embodiments. The computer readable storage medium may be an internal storage unit of the terminal (including the data transmitting end and/or the data receiving end) of any of the foregoing embodiments, for example, a hard disk or a memory of the terminal. The computer readable storage medium may be an external storage device of the terminal, for example, a plug-in hard disk, a Smart Media Card (SMC), a Secure Digital (SD) card, a flash card (flash card), or the like, which are provided in the terminal. Further, the computer-readable storage medium may further include both an internal storage unit and an external storage device of the terminal. The computer-readable storage medium is used for storing the computer program and other programs and data required by the terminal. The above-described computer-readable storage medium may also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or is to be output.

From the foregoing description of the embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, for convenience and brevity of description, only the above-described division of functional modules is illustrated, and in practical application, the above-described functional allocation may be implemented by different functional modules according to needs, i.e. the internal structure of the apparatus is divided into different functional modules to implement all or part of the functions described above.

In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and method may be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative, e.g., the division of the modules or units is merely a logical functional division, and there may be additional divisions when actually implemented, e.g., multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another apparatus, or some features may be omitted, or not performed. Alternatively, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed with each other may be an indirect coupling or communication connection via some interfaces, devices or units, which may be in electrical, mechanical or other form.

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

In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated in one processing unit, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units may be integrated in one unit. The integrated units may be implemented in hardware or in software functional units.

The integrated units, if implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as stand-alone products, may be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, the technical solution of the embodiments of the present application may be embodied in essence or all or part of the technical solution in the form of a software product stored in a storage medium, where the software product includes several instructions to cause a device (may be a single-chip microcomputer, a chip or the like) or a processor (processor) to perform all or part of the steps of the methods described in the embodiments of the present application. And the aforementioned storage medium includes: a usb disk, a removable hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, etc.

Claims

1. A data amount indicating method, comprising:

a packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of a terminal device indicates a first data amount to a media access control MAC entity of the terminal device; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device, the first data amount comprising a data amount of a first data set associated with the first RLC entity;

the PDCP entity indicating a second amount of data to the MAC entity; wherein the second amount of data comprises an amount of data of a second set of data associated with the second RLC entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the position of the substrate comprises,

the first data volume further comprises a data volume of a set of control protocol data units, PDUs; and/or

The second data volume further includes a data volume of a set of control PDUs.

3. A data amount indicating method, comprising:

a packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the terminal equipment acquires a third data volume; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device; the third data volume comprises the data volume of the first data set and the data volume of the second data set; the first data set is associated with the first RLC entity; the second data set is associated with the second RLC entity;

The PDCP entity indicates a third data amount to a medium access control, MAC, entity of the terminal device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of,

the third data volume further includes a data volume of a set of control PDUs.

5. The method according to any one of claim 1 to 4, wherein,

the first data set includes some or all of the second data of one or more data groups;

the second data set includes some or all of the first data of one or more data sets;

wherein the data set comprises first data and one or more second data.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, further comprising:

the PDCP entity acquires first data of a second data group;

if the second data delivery of the first data group is completed or terminated, the PDCP entity delivers the first data of the second data group to the second RLC entity;

wherein the first data set comprises first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with the second RLC entity; the second data is associated with the first RLC entity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

the PDCP entity sends a first request to the first RLC entity, wherein the first request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submitted;

the PDCP entity receiving a first response from the first RLC entity; wherein the first response is used for indicating whether the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or is submitted to termination.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

the PDCP entity receiving first indication information from the first RLC entity; the first indication information is used for indicating that the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or is submitted to termination.

9. The method according to any of claims 6-8, wherein the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated, comprising:

second data of the first data set is submitted by the first RLC entity to the MAC entity; or alternatively

The second data of the first data set is submitted to be terminated at the PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity.

10. A data amount indicating method, comprising:

a packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of a terminal device indicates a first data amount to a media access control MAC entity of the terminal device; wherein the PDCP entity is associated with a first radio link control RLC entity of the terminal device and a second RLC entity of the terminal device; the first data volume comprising a data volume of a first data set, the first data set being associated with the first RLC entity;

the PDCP entity indicating a third data amount to the MAC entity; wherein the third data amount comprises a data amount of the first data set and a data amount of a second data set associated with the second RLC entity.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

The third data volume further includes a data volume of a set of control PDUs.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein,

wherein the data set comprises first data and one or more second data.

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

the PDCP entity acquires second data of the first data group;

if the first condition is satisfied, the PDCP entity delivers second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity; wherein the first condition includes the PDCP entity acquiring first data of a second data set or the PDCP entity determining to submit the first data of the second data set to the second RLC entity;

the first data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with the second RLC entity; the second data is associated with the first RLC entity.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

if the second data delivery of the first data group is completed or terminated, the PDCP entity delivers the first data of the second data group to the second RLC entity.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated, comprising:

second data of the first data set is submitted to the MAC entity; or alternatively

The second data of the first data set is submitted to be terminated at the PDCP entity and/or the second RLC entity.

16. The method according to any of claims 13-15, wherein the PDCP entity submitting the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity comprises:

the PDCP entity submits data which is not submitted by the first RLC entity in the second data of the first data group to the second RLC entity.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of determining the position of the probe comprises,

the data not submitted by the first RLC entity in the second data of the first data set includes: data, which is not delivered to the first RLC entity by the PDCP entity, among the second data of the first data set; and/or data which has been submitted to the first RLC entity by the PDCP entity but not submitted by the first RLC entity in the second data of the first data set.

18. The method according to any one of claims 13-17, further comprising:

If the first condition is not satisfied, the PDCP entity submits second data of the first data group to the first RLC entity.

19. The method according to any of claims 13-18, wherein before the PDCP entity delivers the second data of the first data set to the second RLC entity, the method further comprises one or more of:

the PDCP entity transmits second indication information to the first RLC entity; wherein the second indication information is used for indicating that the first data of the second data group arrives; and/or

The PDCP entity transmits third indication information to the first RLC entity; the third indication information is used for indicating the first RLC entity to feed back a submitting state report of second data of the first data group; and/or

The PDCP entity transmits fourth indication information to the first RLC entity; wherein the fourth indication information is used for indicating the first RLC entity to delete the second data of the first data set.

20. A method of data delivery, comprising:

a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) entity of the terminal equipment acquires first data of a second data group; wherein the SDAP entity is associated with a first packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the terminal device and a second PDCP entity of the terminal device;

If the second data delivery of the first data group is completed or terminated, the SDAP entity delivers the first data of the second data group to the second PDCP entity; wherein the first data set comprises first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with the second PDCP entity, and the second data is associated with the first PDCP entity.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

the SDAP entity sends a second request to the first PDCP entity; the second request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission;

the SDAP entity receives a second response from the first PDCP entity; wherein the second response is used for indicating whether the delivery of the second data of the first data group is completed or terminated.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

the SDAP entity sends a third request to a first wireless link control (RLC) entity of the terminal equipment; the third request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission;

The SDAP entity receives a third response from the first RLC entity; wherein the third response is used to indicate whether the delivery of the second data of the first data set is complete or terminated.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

the SDAP entity receives fifth indication information from the first PDCP entity or the first RLC entity of the terminal equipment; wherein the fifth indication information is used for indicating that the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or is submitted to termination.

24. The method according to any of claims 20-23, wherein the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated, comprising:

the second data of the first data set is submitted to the MAC entity of the terminal equipment by the first RLC entity of the terminal equipment; or alternatively

The second data of the first data set is submitted to be terminated at one or more of the following entities: the SDAP entity, the first PDCP entity and the first RLC entity of the terminal equipment.

25. A method of data delivery, comprising:

a second packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the terminal equipment acquires first data of a second data group; wherein, the service data adaptation protocol SDAP entity of the terminal equipment is associated with the first PDCP entity and the second PDCP entity of the terminal equipment;

If the second data delivery of the first data group is completed or terminated, the second PDCP entity delivers the first data of the second data group to a second Radio Link Control (RLC) entity of the terminal equipment; wherein the first data set comprises first data, and one or more second data; the second data set includes first data, and one or more second data; the first data is associated with the second PDCP entity and the second RLC entity; the second data is associated with the first PDCP and a first RLC entity of the terminal device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises:

the second PDCP entity sends a fourth request to the SDAP entity; the fourth request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission;

the second PDCP entity receiving a fourth response from the SDAP entity; wherein the fourth response is used to indicate whether the delivery of the second data of the first data set is complete or terminated.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises:

The second PDCP entity transmitting a fifth request to the first PDCP entity; wherein the fifth request is used for requesting whether the second data of the first data set is submitted to completion or the information of the termination of the submission;

the second PDCP entity receiving a fifth response from the first PDCP entity; wherein the fifth response is used to indicate whether the delivery of the second data of the first data set is complete or terminated.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises:

the second PDCP entity receiving sixth indication information from the SDAP entity or the first PDCP entity; the sixth indication information is used for indicating that the second data of the first data group is submitted to completion or is submitted to termination.

29. The method of any of claims 25-28, wherein the second data delivery of the first data set is complete or terminated, comprising:

the second data of the first data set is submitted by the first RLC entity to the MAC entity of the terminal device; or alternatively

The second data of the first data set is submitted to be terminated at the first PDCP entity and/or the first RLC entity.

30. A communication device, the communication device comprising a processor; the processor is configured to execute a computer program or instructions to cause the communication device to perform the data volume indication method according to any one of claims 1-9, or to perform the data volume indication method according to any one of claims 10-19, or to perform the data delivery method according to any one of claims 20-24, or to perform the data delivery method according to any one of claims 25-29.

31. A computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions or a program which, when run on a computer, cause the data volume indication method of any one of claims 1 to 9 or the data volume indication method of any one of claims 10 to 19 or the data delivery method of any one of claims 20 to 24 or the data delivery method of any one of claims 25 to 29 to be performed.

32. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising computer instructions; when part or all of the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the data volume indication method according to any of claims 1-9, or the data volume indication method according to any of claims 10-19, or the data delivery method according to any of claims 20-24, or the data delivery method according to any of claims 25-29 is caused to be performed.