CN117527686A

CN117527686A - Communication method, device and system

Info

Publication number: CN117527686A
Application number: CN202311467214.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 朱元萍; 卓义斌; 史玉龙; 戴明增
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-12-31
Filing date: 2019-12-31
Publication date: 2024-02-06
Also published as: WO2021134723A1; CN114365540A; CN114365540B

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method, equipment and a system, which can be applied to an access backhaul integrated IAB network. The method comprises the following steps: the first node acquires first data, wherein the first data is uplink data, and under the condition that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one father node of the first node, the first node determines a next-hop node of the first data as a second node and sends the first data to the second node. The second node is an auxiliary child node of the first node. The parent node of the assisting child node of the first node includes the first node and a third node through which the assisting child node of the first node can connect to the hosting node. After the second node receives the first data from the first node, the next hop node of the first data is determined to be a third node according to the second configuration information, and the first data is sent to the third node. Based on the scheme, the influence of wireless backhaul link abnormality on the service can be reduced.

Description

Communication method, device and system

The present application is a divisional application, the application number of the original application is 201980100315.4, the original application date is 12 months 31 in 2019, and the entire contents of the original application are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to the field of communications, and in particular, to a communication method, device, and system.

Background

In an access backhaul integrated (integrated access and backhaul, IAB) network, there are multi-hop and multi-connection scenarios, i.e. multiple IAB nodes may serve a terminal at the same time, and data packets may be transmitted between the terminal and an IAB host (IAB node) via the multi-hop IAB nodes. That is, one transmission path between the terminal and the IAB host may include at least one wireless backhaul link and one wireless access link.

The backhaul link of the IAB node may be abnormal, so that the IAB node may not provide backhaul service for its child node, and may not provide transmission service for a terminal accessing the IAB node. Currently, in this case, the IAB node performs cell reselection, selects a cell served by another available IAB node in the IAB network as a target cell, initiates random access to recover the backhaul link, i.e. the IAB node will be a child node of the reselected IAB node, reestablishes a connection between the reselected IAB node and the IAB host, and performs configuration and bearer mapping configuration of the backhaul link.

However, this scheme may cause a long recovery delay, and during the recovery of the backhaul link by the IAB node, the service of the terminal served by the IAB node and the service of the terminal accessing the child node of the IAB node may be affected.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method, equipment and a system, which can reduce the influence of return link abnormality on service.

In order to achieve the above purpose, the embodiments of the present application adopt the following technical solutions:

in a first aspect, a communication method and a corresponding network node are provided. The method is applied to a wireless IAB network, and comprises the following steps: the method comprises the steps that a first node obtains first data, wherein the first data are uplink data; in the case that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node, the first node determines a next-hop node of the first data as a second node, the second node is an assisting child node of the first node, the parent node of the assisting child node of the first node comprises the first node and a third node, and the assisting child node of the first node can be connected to a host node through the third node; the first node sends the first data to the second node.

Based on the scheme, the first node can send the uplink data to the auxiliary child node of the first node, so that the auxiliary child node of the first node can further send the uplink data to another father node of the auxiliary word node, and the father node transmits the uplink data to the host node, so that the uplink data can be timely transmitted to the host node, and the influence of the return link abnormality on the service is reduced.

In one possible design, the first node determining a next-hop node of the first data as the second node includes: the first node determines a next-hop node of the first data as the second node according to first configuration information, wherein the first configuration information is alternative configuration information which is preconfigured by the host node to the first node and is effective when the first node cannot transmit data through at least one father node of the first node; or, the first configuration information is configuration information obtained from the host node after the first node sends a first reconfiguration request message to the host node through a fourth node, where the first reconfiguration request message is used to request the first configuration information, and the fourth node is any auxiliary child node of the first node.

Based on the scheme, under the condition that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one father node, as the network topology of the IAB network is changed, the data cannot be transmitted correctly by using the configuration information before the network topology is changed to perform routing selection, so that the first node can determine the next hop node of the first data as the second node according to the preconfigured first configuration information or the first configuration information obtained again after the network topology is changed, and the second node can transmit the first data to the host node through the other father node, thereby avoiding the situation that the data cannot be transmitted correctly and further reducing the influence of the abnormality of the wireless backhaul link on the service.

In one possible design, the first node determining that a next-hop node of the first data is a second node includes: the first node transmits assistance request information for determining an assistance sub-node of the first node; the first node receives the assistance response information from the second node; and the first node determines the next hop node of the first data as a second node according to the assistance response information.

Based on the scheme, under the condition that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one father node, as the network topology of the IAB network is changed, the data cannot be transmitted correctly by using the configuration information before the network topology is changed to carry out routing selection, the first node can determine the node which can be used as an auxiliary child node through the interaction mode of the first node and the child node, so that the first data can be transmitted to a host node through the auxiliary child node, the situation that the data cannot be transmitted correctly is avoided, and the influence of wireless backhaul link abnormality on the service is further reduced.

In one possible design, a first node may not be capable of transmitting data through at least one parent node of the first node, comprising: a wireless backhaul link between the first node and at least one parent node of the first node is abnormal; or the first node receives a wireless backhaul link anomaly notification from at least one parent node of the first node; or, the wireless backhaul link between the first node and the main parent node of the first node fails in wireless link, and the link recovery fails; or, the wireless backhaul links between the first node and all parent nodes of the first node are subject to wireless link failure, and link recovery is failed.

In one possible design, the first node obtains first data, including: a receiving entity of a first Backhaul Adaptation Protocol (BAP) layer entity of the first node acquires the first data; the first node determining a next-hop node of the first data as a second node, comprising: the sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node determines that the next hop node of the first data is the second node, wherein the first BAP layer entity of the first node is the BAP layer entity of the distributed unit DU part of the first node.

Based on the scheme, since the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node thereof, after the receiving entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node obtains the uplink data, the routing can be performed at the transmitting entity of the first BAP layer entity without the receiving entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node submitting the uplink data to the transmitting entity of the second BAP layer entity of the first node.

In one possible design, a first node sends first data to a second node, including: the first node sends a first data packet to the second node, where the first data packet includes the first data and first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the first data is data that is not necessarily submitted to a sending entity of a first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node, where the first BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a DU portion of the second node, and the second BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a mobile terminal MT portion of the second node.

Based on the scheme, the first node can simultaneously send the first indication information when sending the uplink data to the auxiliary sub-node, so that the auxiliary sub-node performs sending processing on the MT side according to the first indication information, and a receiving entity of the BAP layer entity on the MT side of the auxiliary sub-node does not need to submit the uplink data to a sending entity of the BAP layer entity on the DU side of the auxiliary sub-node.

In one possible design, the first indication information is located in a BAP layer of the first data packet; or the first indication information is located in a media access control MAC layer of the first data packet, the first indication information is a first logical channel identification LCID, a backhaul radio link control channel corresponding to the first LCID is between a first node and a second node, and is used for the first node to send backhaul radio link control channels of first type data to the second node, where the first type data is data that is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of a first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node.

In a second aspect, a communication method and a corresponding network node are provided. The method is applied to a wireless IAB network. The method comprises the following steps: the second node receives first data from the first node, wherein the first data is uplink data, and the second node is a child node of the first node; the second node determines a next-hop node of the first data as a third node according to second configuration information, the third node is a father node of the second node, and the second node can be connected to a host node through the third node; the second node sends the first data to the third node.

Based on the scheme, the auxiliary child node of the first node can assist the first node to send the uplink data acquired by the first node to another father node of the auxiliary word node, and then the father node transmits the uplink data to the host node, so that the uplink data can be timely transmitted to the host node, and the influence of the return link abnormality on the service is reduced.

In one possible design, the second configuration information is uplink alternative configuration information preconfigured by the host node to the second node; the second configuration information is validated when the second node receives the wireless backhaul link anomaly notification from the first node; or, the second configuration information is validated when the second node receives a first uplink packet from the first node; alternatively, the second configuration information is validated when the second node receives information from the host node indicating that the second node enables the second configuration information.

In one possible design, the second configuration information is uplink configuration information obtained from the host node after the second node sends second reconfiguration request information to the host node, where the second reconfiguration request information is used to request the second configuration information.

In one possible design, the method further comprises: the second node receives assistance request information from the first node, wherein the assistance request information is used for determining an assistance sub-node of the first node; the second node transmits assistance response information to the first node, the assistance response information indicating that the second node can act as an assistance child node of the first node.

In one possible design, a second node receives first data from a first node, comprising: the second node receives a first data packet from the first node, where the first data packet includes first data and first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the first data is data that is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of a first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node, where the first BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a distributed unit DU portion of the second node, and the second BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a mobile terminal MT portion of the second node.

In one possible design, the first indication information is located at a BAP layer of the first data packet; or the first indication information is located in a media access control MAC layer of the first data packet, and the first indication information is a first logical channel identification LCID, and a backhaul radio link control channel corresponding to the first LCID is a channel between the first node and the second node, where the first node is used to send first type data to the second node, where the first type data is data that is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of a first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node.

In one possible design, a second node receives a first data packet from the first node, comprising: the MT portion of the second node receiving the first data packet from the first node; the second node determines, according to the second configuration information, a next-hop node of the first data as a third node, including: the second node determines that a sending entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node executes sending processing according to the first indication information; and the sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node determines the next hop node of the first data as the third node according to the second configuration information.

In a third aspect, a communication method and a corresponding network node are provided. The method is applied to a wireless IAB network, and comprises the following steps: the second node receives second data, wherein a destination node of the second data is a first node or a fifth node, the second node is a child node of the first node, and the fifth node is a downstream node in the downlink transmission direction of the first node; the second node determines the next hop node of the second data as the first node according to third configuration information; the second node transmits the second data to the first node.

Based on the scheme, under the condition that the first node cannot transmit downlink data through the father node of the first node, the destination node is the first node or the data of the downstream node in the downlink transmission direction of the first node can be transmitted to the first node through the child node of the first node and processed by the first node, so that the downlink data can be timely transmitted to the first node or the downstream node in the downlink transmission direction of the first node, and the influence of return link abnormality on the service is reduced.

In one possible design, the third configuration information is downlink alternative configuration information preconfigured by the host node to the second node; the third configuration information is validated when the second node receives the wireless backhaul link anomaly notification from the first node; or, the third configuration information is validated when the second node receives the first uplink packet from the first node; alternatively, the third configuration information is validated when the second node receives information from the host node informing the second node to enable the third configuration information.

Based on the scheme, the second node can determine the next hop node of the first data as the first node according to the preconfigured third configuration information, so that the data of which the destination node is the first node or the fifth node can be transmitted to the first node, and the first node processes the data, thereby avoiding the situation that the data cannot be transmitted correctly and further reducing the influence of wireless backhaul link abnormality on the service.

In one possible design, the third configuration information is downlink configuration information obtained from the host node after the second node sends third reconfiguration request information to the host node, where the second reconfiguration request information is used to request the third configuration information.

Based on the scheme, the second node can determine the next hop node of the first data as the first node according to the third configuration information which is obtained again after the network topology changes, so that the data of which the destination node is the first node or the fifth node can be transmitted to the first node, and the first node processes the data, thereby avoiding the situation that the data cannot be transmitted correctly and further reducing the influence of wireless backhaul link abnormality on the service.

In one possible design, the second node receives second data, including: the second node receives a second data packet, where the second data packet includes the second data and second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate that the second data is data that is not necessarily submitted by a receiving entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node to a transmitting entity of a first BAP layer entity of the second node, where the first BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a distributed unit DU portion of the second node, and the second BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a mobile terminal MT portion of the second node.

Based on the scheme, the second node can be enabled to distinguish whether the data from the third node needs to be submitted to the sending entity of the first BAP layer entity by the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node according to the second indication information, so that subsequent processing is carried out according to the distinguishing result.

In one possible design, the second indication information is located at a BAP layer of the second data packet; or the second indication information is located at a media access control MAC layer of the second data packet, and the second indication information is a second logical channel identifier LCID, a backhaul radio link control channel corresponding to the second LCID is between a third node and the second node, and is used for the third node to send backhaul radio link control channels of first type data to the second node, where the first type data is data that is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of a first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, and the third node is a father node of the second node.

In one possible design, the second node receives a second data packet, including: the MT portion of the second node receiving a second data packet; the second node determines a next-hop node of the second data as a first node according to third configuration information, and includes: the second node determines that a sending entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node executes sending processing according to the second indication information; and the sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node determines the next hop node of the second data as the first node according to the third configuration information.

Based on the scheme, the second node can perform transmission processing on the MT side of the second node according to the second indication information, and the receiving entity of the BAP layer entity on the MT side of the second node does not need to submit downlink data to the transmitting entity of the BAP layer entity on the DU side of the second node.

In one possible design, the second node sends the second data to the first node, including: the MT part of the second node sends a third data packet to the first node, wherein the third data packet comprises the second data and third indication information, and the third indication information is used for indicating that the second data is data which is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of a second BAP layer entity of the first node by a receiving entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node, wherein the first BAP layer entity of the first node is a BAP layer entity of a DU part of the first node, and the second BAP layer entity of the first node is a BAP layer entity of the MT part of the first node.

Based on the scheme, the first node can be enabled to distinguish whether the data from the second node needs to be submitted to the sending entity of the second BAP layer entity by the receiving entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node according to the third indication information, so that the follow-up processing is carried out according to the distinguishing result.

In a fourth aspect, a communication method and a corresponding network node are provided. The method is applied to a wireless IAB network, and comprises the following steps: a centralized unit CU of a host node acquires second data, wherein a destination node of the second data is a first node or a fifth node, and when the CU of the host node determines that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one father node of the first node, the second data comprises first Internet Protocol (IP) header information, wherein the fifth node is a downstream node in a downlink transmission direction of the first node, the first IP header information is used for indicating a Distributed Unit (DU) of the host node to send fourth indication information, the fourth indication information is used for indicating that the second data is data which is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of a first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, and the second node is a child node of the first node; the CU of the hosting node sends the second data to the distributed unit DU of the hosting node.

Based on the scheme, the DU of the host node can send fourth indication information while sending the second data, so that after the second data are transmitted to the second node, the second node can correctly transmit the second data to the first node, the first node processes the second data, further, downlink data can be timely transmitted to the first node or a downstream node in the downlink transmission direction of the first node, and the influence of abnormal feedback link on service is reduced.

In one possible design, the method further comprises: and the CU of the host node sends an IP header information list to the DU of the host node, wherein the IP header information list comprises the first IP header information.

Based on this scheme, the DU of the host node can be made to determine that the fourth indication needs to be transmitted while the downlink data is transmitted.

In a fifth aspect, a communication method and a corresponding network node are provided. The method is applied to a wireless IAB network, and comprises the following steps: the distributed unit DU of the host node receives second data, wherein a destination node of the second data is a first node or a fifth node, the second data comprises first Internet Protocol (IP) header information, and the fifth node is a downstream node in the downlink transmission direction of the first node; when the first IP header information is included in the IP header information list, the DU of the host node determines that the fourth indication information is carried in the data packet packaged with the second data; the DU of the host node sends a fourth data packet, where the fourth data packet includes the second data and fourth indication information, where the fourth indication information is used to indicate that the second data is data that is not necessarily submitted by the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node to the sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node, and the second node is an auxiliary child node of the first node.

Based on the scheme, the DU of the host node transmits the fourth indication information according to the first IP header information while transmitting the second data, so that after the second data is transmitted to the second node, the second node can correctly transmit the second data to the first node, the first node processes the second data, further, downlink data can be timely transmitted to the first node or a downstream node in the downlink transmission direction of the first node, and the influence of the abnormal feedback link on the service is reduced.

In a sixth aspect, a network node is provided for implementing the above methods. The network node may be the first node of the first aspect, or a device comprising the first node, such as a system chip; alternatively, the network node may be the second node of the second aspect or the third aspect, or a device comprising the second node, or a device comprised in the second node, such as a system chip; alternatively, the network node may be a host node in the fourth or fifth aspect, or a device comprising the host node, or a device comprised in the host node, such as a system chip. The network node comprises corresponding modules, units or means (means) for implementing the above method, where the modules, units or means may be implemented by hardware, software, or implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the functions described above.

In a seventh aspect, there is provided a network node comprising: a processor, which may also include a memory; the memory is configured to store computer instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the network node to perform the method of any of the above aspects. The network node may be the first node of the first aspect, or a device comprising the first node, such as a system chip; alternatively, the network node may be the second node of the second aspect or the third aspect, or a device comprising the second node, or a device comprised in the second node, such as a system chip; alternatively, the network node may be a host node in the fourth or fifth aspect, or a device comprising the host node, or a device comprised in the host node, such as a system chip.

An eighth aspect provides a network node comprising: a processor; the processor is configured to couple to the memory and to execute the method according to any of the above aspects in accordance with the instructions in the memory after reading the instructions. The network node may be the first node of the first aspect, or a device comprising the first node, such as a system chip; alternatively, the network node may be the second node of the second aspect or the third aspect, or a device comprising the second node, or a device comprised in the second node, such as a system chip; alternatively, the network node may be a host node in the fourth or fifth aspect, or a device comprising the host node, or a device comprised in the host node, such as a system chip.

In a ninth aspect, there is provided a computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein which, when run on a network node, cause the network node to perform the method of any of the above aspects. The network node may be the first node of the first aspect, or a device comprising the first node, such as a system chip; alternatively, the network node may be the second node of the second aspect or the third aspect, or a device comprising the second node, or a device comprised in the second node, such as a system chip; alternatively, the network node may be a host node in the fourth or fifth aspect, or a device comprising the host node, or a device comprised in the host node, such as a system chip.

In a tenth aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising instructions which, when run on a network node, cause the network node to perform the method of any of the above aspects. The network node may be the first node of the first aspect, or a device comprising the first node, such as a system chip; alternatively, the network node may be the second node of the second aspect or the third aspect, or a device comprising the second node, or a device comprised in the second node, such as a system chip; alternatively, the network node may be a host node in the fourth or fifth aspect, or a device comprising the host node, or a device comprised in the host node, such as a system chip.

In an eleventh aspect, there is provided a network node (e.g. which may be a chip or a system of chips) comprising a processor for implementing the functions referred to in any of the above aspects. In one possible design, the network node further includes a memory for holding necessary program instructions and data. When the network node is a chip system, the network node can be formed by a chip, and can also comprise the chip and other discrete devices.

In a twelfth aspect, there is provided a network node comprising: a processor and interface circuitry, which may be code/data read-write interface circuitry, for receiving computer-executable instructions (the computer-executable instructions being stored in memory, possibly read directly from the memory, or possibly via other devices) and transmitting them to the processor; the processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to perform the method of any of the above aspects.

The technical effects of any one of the design manners of the sixth aspect to the twelfth aspect may be referred to the technical effects of the different design manners of the first aspect or the second aspect or the third aspect or the fourth aspect or the fifth aspect, and are not repeated here.

In a thirteenth aspect, there is provided a communication system comprising: the first node according to the first aspect, the second node according to the second or third aspect, or the host node according to the fourth or fifth aspect.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an IAB independent networking scenario provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an IAB independent networking scenario provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a node in a transmission path according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4a is a schematic diagram of a protocol stack architecture of an intermediate IAB node according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4b is a second protocol stack architecture diagram of an intermediate IAB node according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4c is a schematic diagram of a user plane protocol stack structure for accessing an IAB node according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4d is a schematic diagram of a control plane protocol stack structure of an access IAB node according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5a is a schematic diagram of a user plane protocol stack of each node in a transmission path according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5b is a schematic diagram of a control plane protocol stack of each node in a transmission path according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6a is a second schematic diagram of a user plane protocol stack of each node in a transmission path according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 6b is a second control plane protocol stack diagram of each node in a transmission path according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a network node according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a wireless backhaul link anomaly scenario provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of another IAB networking scenario provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 11 is a second flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of a first node according to an embodiment of the present application;

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

fig. 14 is a schematic structural diagram of a host node according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

For the convenience of understanding the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, a brief description of related technologies or terms of the present application is given below.

First, access backhaul integration (integrated access and backhaul, IAB):

with the development of technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), augmented reality (augmented reality, AR), and internet of things, more and more terminals will be available in the future, and the usage of network data will also be continuously increasing. In order to accommodate more and more terminals and the extremely fast growing network data usage in the market, the capacity of the 5G network is currently in higher demand. In hot spot areas, networking using high frequency small stations is becoming popular to meet 5G ultra-high capacity requirements. The high-frequency carrier wave has poor propagation characteristics, serious shielding attenuation and poor coverage range, so that a large number of small stations are densely deployed in a hot spot area, however, the cost for providing optical fiber backhaul for the large number of small stations which are densely deployed is high, the construction difficulty is high, and an economic and convenient backhaul scheme is required, and an IAB technology provides a thought for solving the problem. In solving the above problems using the IAB technique, these small stations may be referred to as IAB nodes.

In order to design a flexible and convenient access and backhaul link (AL) and an access link (BL) in an IAB scenario both adopt a wireless transmission scheme, and in an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the access link generally refers to a wireless access link, and the backhaul link generally refers to a wireless backhaul link, which is described in detail in the following embodiments.

In a network including an IAB node (hereinafter referred to as an IAB network), the IAB node may provide a radio access service for a terminal and be connected to a host node (node) through a radio backhaul link to transmit traffic data of a user.

The IAB node is connected to the core network via a wired link via a host node. For example, in a 5G architecture of independent networking, the IAB node is connected to a core network (5G core,5 gc) of the 5G network through a wired link via a host node. Under a 5G architecture of a non-independent networking, an IAB node is connected to an evolved packet core (evolved packet core, EPC) through an evolved NodeB (eNB) on a control plane, and connected to the EPC through a home node and an eNB on a user plane.

In order to ensure the coverage performance of the IAB network and the reliability of service transmission, the IAB network supports multi-hop IAB nodes and multi-connection IAB node networking. Thus, there may be multiple transmission paths between the terminal served by the IAB node and the home node. Multiple nodes, e.g., terminals, one or more IAB nodes, hosting nodes, may be included on a transmission path. There is a certain hierarchical relationship between the IAB nodes, and between the IAB nodes and the hosting node serving the IAB nodes, each IAB node regards the node for which backhaul service is provided as a parent node. Accordingly, each IAB node may be considered a child of its parent node.

That is, in the embodiment of the present application, the parent node of the IAB node is a node that provides backhaul service for the IAB node. Accordingly, the IAB node may be considered a child of its parent.

In addition, in the embodiment of the present application, an upper node of a parent node of an IAB node (for example, a parent node of an IAB node, or a parent node of an IAB node a (assuming that an IAB node a is a parent node of an IAB node) is regarded as a grandparent node of the IAB node, and correspondingly, a lower node of a child node of an IAB node (for example, a child node of an IAB node, or a child node of an IAB node b (assuming that an IAB node b is a child node of an IAB node) is regarded as a grandparent node of the IAB node.

For example, as shown in fig. 1, in the IAB independent networking scenario, the parent node of the IAB node 1 is a host node, the IAB node 1 is also the parent nodes of the IAB node 2 and the IAB node 3, the IAB node 2 and the IAB node 3 are both the parent nodes of the IAB node 4, and the parent node of the IAB node 5 is the IAB node 2. The uplink data packet of the terminal may be transmitted to the host node through one or more IAB nodes, and then sent to the mobile gateway device (e.g., a user plane function (user plane function, UPF) network element in the 5G network) by the host node, and the downlink data packet is received from the mobile gateway device by the host node and then sent to the terminal through one or more IAB nodes.

In the network shown in fig. 1, there are two available paths for the transmission of data packets between the terminal 1 and the host node, respectively: terminal 1- & gtIAB node 4- & gtIAB node 3- & gtIAB node 1- & gthost node, terminal 1- & gtIAB node 4- & gtIAB node 2- & gtIAB node 1- & gthost node. The transmission of the data packet between the terminal 2 and the host node has three available paths: terminal 2→iab node 4→iab node 3→iab node 1→host node, terminal 2→iab node 4→iab node 2→iab node 1→host node, terminal 2→iab node 5→iab node 2→iab node 1→host node.

It will be appreciated that in an IAB network, one or more IAB nodes may be included on one transmission path between a terminal and a home node. Each IAB node needs to maintain a wireless backhaul link towards the parent node and also needs to maintain a wireless link with the child node. If an IAB node is a node to which a terminal accesses, a radio access link is between the IAB node and a child node (i.e., terminal). If one IAB node is a node that provides backhaul services for other IAB nodes, a wireless backhaul link is between the IAB node and a child node (i.e., other IAB nodes). For example, referring to fig. 1, in the path "terminal 1→iabnode 4→iabnode 3→iabnode 1→home node". The terminal 1 accesses the IAB node 4 through a wireless access link, the IAB node 4 accesses the IAB node 3 through a wireless backhaul link, the IAB node 3 accesses the IAB node 1 through a wireless backhaul link, and the IAB node 1 accesses the host node through a wireless backhaul link.

Illustratively, the IAB node may be a customer premises device (customer premises equipment, CPE), a home gateway (residential gateway, RG), or the like. In this case, the method provided by the embodiment of the application can also be applied to a home connection (home access) scene.

The IAB independent networking scenario described above is merely exemplary, and in an IAB scenario with a combination of multi-hop and multi-connection, there are many other possibilities for the IAB independent networking scenario, for example, the two-connection between the host node and the IAB node under another host node is configured to serve the terminal, which is not listed here.

In addition, the IAB network supports non-independent (NSA) networking, and illustratively, as shown in fig. 2, the IAB node supports fourth generation (4th generation,4G) and fifth generation (5th generation,5G) dual connectivity (E-UTRAN NR dual connectivity, EN-DC). The eNB is a main father node of the IAB node and is connected to the EPC through an S1 interface to carry out user plane and control plane transmission. The host node is an auxiliary father node of the IAB node and is connected to the EPC through an S1-U interface for user plane transmission. The eNB communicates with the home node over an X-2 interface. Similarly, the terminal also supports EN-DC, e.g. the terminal is connected to the main base station eNB of the terminal through the Uu port of LTE and to the secondary base station IAB node of the terminal through the Uu port of NR. The secondary base station of the terminal may also be a host node.

The IAB-dependent networking scenario described above is merely exemplary, and multi-hop networking is also supported in the IAB-dependent networking scenario, for example, one or more IAB nodes may be further included between an IAB node and a host node, i.e., the IAB node may be connected to the host node through a multi-hop wireless backhaul link, and so on, which is not further illustrated herein.

Second, IAB network topology:

in existing IAB networks, two types of network topologies are supported: tree topology (tree based topology) and directed acyclic graph (directedacyclic graph, DAG) topology. When the topology of the IAB network is a tree topology, each IAB node has only one father node and can have one or more child nodes; when the topology of the IAB network is a directed acyclic graph topology, each IAB node may have one or two parent nodes, or may have one or more child nodes.

Third, composition of host node:

in the embodiment of the present application, the home node may be a home base station. The host node may be simply referred to as an IAB host (IAB donor) or DgNB (i.e., donor gnob) in a 5G network.

The host node may be a complete entity or may be a separate form of a Centralized Unit (CU) (referred to herein simply as a Donor-CU or CU) and a Distributed Unit (DU) (referred to herein simply as a Donor-DU), i.e. the host node is composed of a Donor-CU and a Donor-DU.

The Donor-CU may also be a separate form of User Plane (UP) (CU-UP) and Control Plane (CP) (CU-CP) that is composed of CU-CP and CU-UP.

Fourth, composition of IAB node:

in the embodiment of the present application, the IAB node may have a role of a Mobile Terminal (MT) and a role of a DU, for example. An IAB node may be considered a terminal or User Equipment (UE) when it is facing its parent node. At this time, the IAB node plays the role of MT. An IAB node may be considered a network device when it is facing its child node (which may be a terminal or a terminal part of another IAB node). At this time, the IAB node plays the role of a DU. Thus, the IAB node may be considered to consist of an MT part and a DU part. An IAB node may establish a backhaul connection between the MT part and at least one parent node of the IAB node. The DU portion of one IAB node may provide access services for the terminal or MT portion of other IAB nodes.

Illustratively, referring to fig. 3, a terminal is connected to a home node through an IAB node 2 and an IAB node 1. Wherein, the IAB node 1 and the IAB node 2 each comprise a DU part and an MT part. The DU part of the IAB node 2 provides access services for the terminal. The DU part of IAB node 1 provides access services for the MT part of IAB node 2. The Donor-DU provides access services for the MT part of the IAB node 1.

Fifth, access IAB node, intermediate IAB node:

in the embodiment of the present application, the access IAB node refers to an IAB node accessed by a terminal, and the intermediate IAB node refers to an IAB node that provides a wireless backhaul service for other IAB nodes (for example, the access IAB node or other intermediate IAB nodes).

Illustratively, referring to fig. 1, in the path "terminal 1→iabnode 4→iabnode 3→iabnode 1→home node", iabnode 4 is an access iabnode, and iabnode 3 and iabnode 1 are intermediate iabnodes. The IAB node 3 provides backhaul service for the IAB node 4, and the IAB node 1 provides backhaul service for the IAB node 3.

It should be noted that, one IAB node is an access IAB node for a terminal accessing the IAB node. For terminals accessing other IAB nodes, it is an intermediate IAB node. Thus, whether an IAB node is specifically an access IAB node or an intermediate IAB node is not fixed and needs to be determined according to a specific application scenario.

Sixth, backhaul adaptation protocol (backhaul adaptation protocol, BAP) layer:

in the existing IAB network, a BAP layer is introduced in a wireless backhaul link, and the BAP layer is located above a radio link control (radio link control, RLC) layer, and can be used to implement functions such as routing and bearer mapping of a data packet in the wireless backhaul link.

When the IAB node includes an MT part and a DU part, the MT part and the DU part may or may not share BAP layers, i.e., the MT part and the DU part may have BAP layers, respectively, where each BAP layer may include one or more BAP layer entities, and each BAP layer entity may include a transmitting part (transmitting part) and a receiving part (receiving entity), where the transmitting part of the BAP layer entity may also be referred to as a BAP layer transmitting entity (transmitting entity) or a transmitting entity of the BAP layer entity, and the receiving part of the BAP layer entity may also be referred to as a BAP layer receiving entity (receiving entity) or a receiving entity of the BAP layer entity.

Seventh, intermediate IAB node, access IAB node, donor-DU, donor-CU and protocol stack architecture of terminal:

the protocol stacks of the intermediate IAB node are identical in the user plane and the control plane. As shown in fig. 4a, the protocol stack architecture is the protocol stack architecture when the MT part and the DU part of the intermediate node do not share the BAP layer; as shown in fig. 4b, the protocol stack architecture layer is the case when the BAP layer is shared for the MT part and the DU part of the intermediate IAB node.

The protocol stacks of the access IAB node at the user plane and the control plane are different, see fig. 4c and fig. 4d, respectively.

For example, based on the examples shown in fig. 4a to 4d, the user plane protocol stack architecture of each node may be referred to in fig. 5a or fig. 6a, and the control plane protocol stack architecture of each node may be referred to in fig. 5b or fig. 6b. In fig. 5a and 5b, the MT part and the DU part of the intermediate IAB node are drawn by taking the example that the BAP layer is not shared. Fig. 6a and 6b illustrate an example in which the MT part and the DU part of the intermediate IAB node share a BAP layer.

The meaning of each protocol layer in fig. 4a to 6b is: a packet data convergence protocol (packet data convergence protocol, PDCP) layer, a general packet radio service tunneling protocol user plane (general packet radio service tunneling protocol user plane, GTP-U) layer, a user datagram protocol (user datagram protocol, UDP) layer, a network interconnection protocol (internet protocol, IP) layer, an L2 layer (layer 2), an L1 layer (layer 1), a radio link control (radio link control, RLC) layer, a medium access control (medium access control, MAC) layer, a Physical (PHY) layer, a radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC) layer, an F1 application protocol (F1 application protocol, F1 AP) layer, a stream control transmission protocol (stream control transmission protocol, SCTP) layer. The L2 layer is a link layer, and illustratively, the L2 layer may be a data link layer in the open communication system interconnection (open systems interconnection, OSI) reference model. The L1 layer may be a physical layer, and illustratively, the L1 layer may be a physical layer in the OSI reference model.

In fig. 5a, 5b, 6a and 6b, the host node is shown as an example of the composition of the Donor-DU and the Donor-CU. Thus, the protocol layers of the Donor-DU and the Donor-CU are shown in FIGS. 5a, 5b, 6a and 6 b. If the host node is a complete entity, the host node keeps the protocol stacks of the interfaces of the Donor-DU and the Donor-CU to the external node, and a protocol layer on an internal interface between the Donor-DU and the Donor-CU is not needed.

In addition, when the Donor-DU is a proxy node of the F1 interface between the Donor-CU and the IAB node, the protocol stack architecture facing the IAB node in the Donor-DU further includes, above the IP layer, a UDP layer and a GTP-U layer, which are respectively equivalent to the UDP layer and the GTP-U layer in the protocol stack architecture accessing the DU portion in the IAB node.

Eighth, protocol layer of F1 interface:

the F1 interface refers to a logical interface between an IAB node (e.g., a DU portion of the IAB node) and a host node (or a Donor-CU or a Donor-DU), where the F1 interface may also be referred to as an F1 interface, and supports a user plane and a control plane. The protocol layer of the F1 interface refers to the communication protocol layer on the F1 interface.

Illustratively, the user plane protocol layers of the F1 interface may include one or more of an IP layer, a UDP layer, and a GTP-U layer. Optionally, the user plane protocol layer of the F1 interface further includes a PDCP layer and/or an IP Security (IPsec) layer.

Illustratively, the control plane protocol layers of the F1 interface may include one or more of an IP layer, an F1AP layer, and an SCTP layer. Optionally, the control plane protocol layer of the F1 interface further includes one or more of a PDCP layer, an IPsec layer, and a data packet transport layer security (datagram transport layer security, DTLS) layer.

Illustratively, the user plane protocol layer of the IAB node at the F1 interface comprises a GTP-U layer, a UDP layer and an IP layer. In one case, referring to FIGS. 5a and 6a, the GTP-U layer and UDP layer of the IAB node are peered with the Donor-CU, and the IP layer is peered with the Donor-DU. In another case, the Donor-DU is a proxy (proxy) node of the F1 interface between the Donor-CU and the IAB node, and the GTP-U layer, UDP layer and IP layer of the IAB node are peer-to-peer with the Donor-DU. Note that, if security protection is considered for the F1 interface, the user plane protocol layer of the F1 interface may further include an IPsec layer and/or a PDCP layer. In one possible implementation, the IPsec layer or PDCP layer is located above the IP layer below the GTP-U layer.

Illustratively, the control plane protocol layer of the IAB node at the F1 interface comprises an F1AP layer, an SCTP layer and an IP layer. In one case, referring to FIGS. 5b and 6b, the F1AP layer and SCTP layer of the IAB node are peered with the Donor-CU, and the IP layer is peered with the Donor-DU. In another case, the Donor-DU is a proxy node for the F1 interface between the Donor-CU and the IAB node, and the F1AP layer, SCTP layer and IP layer of the IAB node are peer-to-peer with the Donor-DU. Note that, if security protection is considered for the F1 interface, the control plane protocol layer of the F1 interface may further include one or more of an IPsec layer, a PDCP layer, and a DTLS layer. In one possible implementation, the IPsec layer, PDCP layer, or DTLS layer is located above the IP layer below the F1AP layer.

It can be appreciated that when the protocol layer of the security protection is introduced into the protocol layer of the F1 interface, the protocol stack architecture of a part of the nodes in fig. 4a to 6b may be changed, and may be understood specifically with reference to the text. The protocol stack architecture of each node in the IAB network shown in fig. 4a to 6b is merely an example, and the method provided by the embodiment of the present application does not depend on this example, but is easier to understand by this example.

Ninth, BAP layer forwarding model:

in the prior art, packet routing in an IAB network is performed by a BAP layer of an IAB node based on BAP layer header information of the packet and a host node (or a Donor-CU).

When the DU part and the MT part of the IAB node share the BAP layer, after receiving the data packet, the BAP layer receiving entity of the IAB node judges whether the IAB node is a destination node of the data packet according to BAP layer header information in the data packet, and if the IAB node is the destination node of the data packet, the IAB node submits the data packet to an upper protocol layer (for example, an IP layer); if the IAB node is not the destination node of the data packet, the data packet is submitted to a BAP layer sending entity of the IAB node for sending.

When the DU part and the MT part of the IAB node do not share the BAP layer, after receiving the data packet, the BAP layer entity of the DU part of the IAB node judges whether the IAB node is a destination node of the data packet according to BAP layer header information in the data packet, and if the IAB node is the destination node of the data packet, the IAB node delivers the data packet to an upper protocol layer (for example, an IP layer); if the IAB node is not the destination node of the data packet, the BAP layer entity of the DU part submits the data packet to the BAP layer entity of the MT part of the IAB node, and the BAP layer entity of the MT part carries out transmission processing.

Similarly, after receiving the data packet, the BAP layer entity of the MT part of the IAB node performs a similar operation to the BAP layer entity of the DU part, and when the destination node of the data packet is not the IAB node, the BAP layer entity of the MT part submits the data packet to the BAP layer entity of the DU part, and the BAP layer entity of the DU part performs transmission processing.

Tenth, link, last hop node of node, upstream node of node, next hop node of node, downstream node of node, ingress link of node, egress link of node (egress link):

and (3) link: refers to a link between two adjacent nodes in a path that have a connection relationship.

Last hop node of the node: refers to the last node in the path containing the node to receive a packet before the node. The last-hop node of a node may also be referred to as the last-hop node of data, or the last-hop node of a data packet.

Upstream node of the node: refers to any node in the path containing the node that receives a packet before the node.

Next hop node of the node: refers to the node that first received the data packet after the node in the path containing the node. The next-hop node of a node may also be referred to as the next-hop node of data, or the next-hop node of a data packet.

Downstream nodes of the node: refers to any one of the nodes in the path containing the node that receives the data packet after the node.

Ingress link of node: refers to a link between the node and a node that is the last hop of the node, and may also be referred to as a node's last hop link.

Egress link of node: refers to a link between the node and a next hop node of the node, which may also be referred to as a next hop link of the node.

Eleventh, transmission processing:

illustratively, the sending process in the embodiments of the present application includes routing and bearer mapping. Wherein, the route selection is used for selecting the next hop node for the data or the data packet; the bearer map is used to select the RLC channel on which to send the data or data packet.

It should be noted that, the sending process may further include other processes besides routing and bearer mapping, for example, adding a packet header, etc., and the specific process may be specific according to the actual situation, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

Twelfth, uplink transmission direction, uplink data, downlink transmission direction, downlink data:

in the embodiment of the present application, uplink transmission refers to data transmission from the UE or the IAB node to the host node. Correspondingly, the uplink transmission direction refers to the direction from the UE or the IAB node to the host node; the uplink data refers to data transmitted in an uplink transmission direction.

In the embodiment of the present application, downlink transmission refers to data transmission from the host node to the UE or the IAB node. Correspondingly, the downlink transmission direction refers to the direction from the host node to the UE or the IAB node; downstream data refers to data transmitted in a downstream transmission direction. The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Wherein, in the description of the present application, "/" means or, unless otherwise indicated, for example, a/B may mean a or B. "and/or" herein is merely an association relationship describing an association object, and means that three relationships may exist, for example, a and/or B may mean: a exists alone, A and B exist together, and B exists alone. Also, in the description of the present application, unless otherwise indicated, "a plurality" means two or more than two. In addition, in order to clearly describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, the words "first", "second", and the like are used to distinguish the same item or similar items having substantially the same function and effect. It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the words "first," "second," and the like do not limit the amount and order of execution, and that the words "first," "second," and the like do not necessarily differ.

The technical scheme of the embodiment of the application can be applied to various communication systems. For example: orthogonal frequency division multiple access (orthogonal frequency-division multiple access, OFDMA), single carrier frequency division multiple access (single carrier frequency-division multiple access, SC-FDMA), and other systems, among others. The term "system" may be used interchangeably with "network". OFDMA systems may implement wireless technologies such as evolved universal wireless terrestrial access (evolved universal terrestrial radio access, E-UTRA), ultra mobile broadband (ultra mobile broadband, UMB), and the like. E-UTRA is an evolved version of the universal mobile telecommunications system (universal mobile telecommunications system, UMTS). The third generation partnership project (3 rd generation partnership project, 3GPP for short) is using a new version of E-UTRA in the long term evolution (long term evolution, LTE) and various versions based on LTE evolution. The fifth generation (5 th-generation, 5G) communication system employing a New Radio (NR) is the next generation communication system under study. In addition, the communication system can be also suitable for future communication technologies, and the technical scheme provided by the embodiment of the application is applicable.

The system architecture applicable to the scheme of the embodiment of the application includes an IAB network, where the IAB network may be an IAB network of an independent network or an IAB network of a non-independent network, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the application.

The system architecture and the service scenario described in the embodiments of the present application are for more clearly describing the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application. As can be known to those skilled in the art, with the evolution of the network architecture and the appearance of new service scenarios, the technical solution provided in the embodiments of the present application is also applicable to similar technical problems. The embodiments of the present application will be described by taking an example in which the method provided is applied to an NR system or a 5G network. However, it should be noted that the method provided in the embodiment of the present application may also be applied to other networks, for example, an EPS network (i.e. a 4G network). Correspondingly, when the method provided by the embodiment of the application is applied to the EPS network, the IAB node for executing the method provided by the embodiment of the application is replaced by a node in the EPS network.

The network element includes an IAB node and a home node. The components of the IAB node and the host node and the protocol stack architecture can be referred to in the above description, and will not be described herein. The IAB node may be any one of the first to fifth nodes in the following embodiments.

Alternatively, the IAB node or the home node in the embodiments of the present application may be implemented by the network node (or the communication device) 70 in fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a network node 70 according to an embodiment of the present application. The network node 70 comprises one or more processors 701 and at least one communication interface (shown in fig. 7 by way of example only as comprising a communication interface 704 and one processor 701), optionally a memory 703; optionally, a communication bus 702 may also be included.

In the alternative, processor 701, communication interface 704, or memory 703 may be coupled together (not shown in FIG. 7), or may be connected together by a communication bus 702 as shown in FIG. 7.

The processor 701 may be a general purpose central processing unit (central processing unit, CPU), microprocessor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of the programs of the present application.

The communication bus 702 may be a peripheral component interconnect standard (peripheral component interconnect, PCI) bus or an extended industry standard architecture (extended industry standard architecture, EISA) bus, or the like. The bus may be classified as an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick dashed line is shown in fig. 7, but not only one bus or one type of bus. The communication bus 702 may be used to connect different components in the network node 70 so that the different components may communicate.

The communication interface 704, which may be a transceiver module, is used to communicate with other devices or communication networks, such as ethernet, radio access network (radio access network, RAN), wireless local area network (wireless local area networks, WLAN), etc. For example, the transceiver module may be a device such as a transceiver, or the like. Optionally, the communication interface 704 may also be a transceiver circuit located in the processor 701, so as to implement signal input and signal output of the processor.

The memory 703 may be a device having a memory function. For example, but not limited to, a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (random access memory, RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and instructions, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (compact disc read-only memory) or other optical disk storage, optical disk storage (including compact discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile discs, blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. The memory may be implemented on its own and coupled to the processor via communication bus 702. The memory may also be integrated with the processor.

The memory 703 is used for storing computer-executable instructions for executing the embodiments of the present application, and is controlled by the processor 701. The processor 701 is configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 703, thereby implementing the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application.

Alternatively, in the embodiment of the present application, the processor 701 may perform a function related to processing in a communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, where the communication interface 704 is responsible for communicating with other devices or a communication network, and the embodiment of the present application is not limited in detail.

Alternatively, the computer-executable instructions in the embodiments of the present application may be referred to as application program codes, which are not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application.

In a particular implementation, as one embodiment, the processor 701 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 in FIG. 7.

In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the network node 70 may comprise a plurality of processors, such as the processor 701 and the processor 708 in fig. 7. Each of these processors may be a single-core (single-CPU) processor or may be a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor. A processor herein may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

Currently, the radio backhaul link of the IAB node may be abnormal, for example, the radio backhaul link fails (radio link failure, RLF), and, as illustrated in fig. 8, the radio backhaul link between the IAB node 1 and the host node fails to RLF, in which case, the IAB node 1 cannot provide backhaul services for its sub-nodes (IAB node x and IAB node y) any more, and cannot provide transmission services for a terminal (not illustrated in fig. 8) accessing the IAB node 1.

In the prior art, the IAB node 1 will attempt to perform link recovery, in the link recovery process, the IAB node 1 selects an available parent node to access, an available path exists between the available parent node and the host node, and fig. 8 illustrates that the available parent node is taken as an IAB node y as an example, that is, the IAB node 1 selects a cell served by the IAB node y to perform random access, after the IAB node 1 successfully accesses the IAB node y, the IAB node 1 will serve as a child node of the IAB node y, reestablish a connection between the IAB node y and the host node, and perform route configuration and bearer mapping configuration of the wireless backhaul link.

However, the delay of link recovery by the IAB node is long, and during the link recovery, both the traffic of the terminal (e.g., terminal x) accessing the child node of the IAB node 1 and the traffic of the terminal (not shown in fig. 8) accessing the IAB node may be affected.

Based on this, the embodiment of the application provides a communication method, which includes: the method comprises the steps that a first node obtains first data, wherein the first data are uplink data; under the condition that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one father node of the first node, the first node determines a next-hop node of the first data as a second node and sends the first data to the second node, wherein the second node is an assisting child node of the first node, the father node of the assisting child node of the first node comprises the first node and a third node, and the assisting child node of the first node can be connected to a host node through the third node.

Based on the scheme, the first node can send the uplink data to the auxiliary child node of the first node, so that the auxiliary child node of the first node can further send the uplink data to another father node of the auxiliary word node, and the father node is used for transmitting the uplink data to the host node, so that the uplink data can be timely transmitted to the host node, and the influence of the return link abnormality on the service is reduced.

The communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application will be described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiment of the present application.

It should be noted that, in the embodiments described below, the names of the messages between the nodes or the names of the parameters in the messages are only an example, and may be other names in the specific implementation, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

First, as shown in fig. 9, for an uplink transmission scenario, a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

s901, a first node acquires first data.

Wherein the first data is uplink data. The first data in the embodiments of the present application may be understood as a service data unit (service data unit, SDU) of the BAP layer.

In the embodiment of the present application, the destination node of the first data on the wireless backhaul link is taken as the host node for illustration. When the host node is in a CU-DU separated form, the destination node of the first data in the wireless backhaul link is a DU of the host node; when the host node includes a plurality of DUs, the destination node of the first data on the wireless backhaul link is the first DU of the host node.

Illustratively, in the embodiment of the present application, the destination node of the data refers to the destination node of the data on the wireless backhaul link.

Alternatively, the first node may acquire the first data as follows: the first node obtains a first protocol data unit (protocol data unit, PDU) comprising first data and a BAP layer header carrying an identification of a destination node of the first data.

Alternatively, the first node may acquire the first PDU as: the first node receives a first PDU; alternatively, the first node obtaining the first PDU may further be: the first node generates the first PDU, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, after the first node obtains the first data, it may be determined whether the first node is a destination node of the first data, and when the first node is the destination node of the first data, the first node processes the first data (for example, submits the first data to an upper protocol layer of the BAP layer to perform processing); when the first node is not the destination node of the first data, the following step S902 is executed, and the embodiment of the present application will be described by taking the first node as an example.

The first node may use the identifier of the first node to match the identifier of the destination node carried in the first PDU when determining whether the first node is the destination node of the first data, and the first node is the destination node of the first data when the identifier of the first node is the same as the identifier of the destination node carried in the first PDU; or when the identification of the first node is different from the identification of the destination node carried in the first PDU, the first node is not the destination node of the first data.

S902, the first node determines that a next-hop node of the first data is a second node.

The determining, by the first node, that the next hop node of the first data is the second node may specifically be: in the case that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node, the first node determines a next-hop node of the first data as the second node.

The second node is an assisting child node of the first node, and a parent node of the assisting child node of the first node comprises the first node and a third node.

In one possible implementation, the third node may be an IAB node, in which case the assisting child node of the first node can connect to the host node through the third node. That is, there is a transmission path available between the assisting child node of the first node and the hosting node through the third node.

In another possible implementation, the third node may be the hosting node or a DU of the hosting node, at which time a wireless backhaul link between the assisting child node of the first node and the third node is available.

Illustratively, in the IAB network shown in fig. 10, taking the first node as IAB node 1 as an example, the child nodes of IAB node 1 include IAB node x, IAB node y, and IAB node z, where the parent node of IAB node x includes IAB node 1 and IAB node 3, and IAB node x can be connected to the host node through IAB node 3; the parent node of the IAB node y includes the IAB node 1; the parent node of the IAB node z includes IAB nodes 1 and IAB node 2, and the IAB node z can be connected to the host node through the IAB node 2, so that the IAB node x and the IAB node z are assisting child nodes of the IAB node 1, the IAB node y is not assisting child node of the IAB node 1, and when the second node is IAB node x, the third node is IAB node 3, and when the second node is IAB node z, the third node is IAB node 2.

Optionally, the first node is unable to transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node, including one or more of:

case one: the wireless backhaul link between the first node and at least one parent node of the first node is abnormal.

Alternatively, the abnormality of the wireless backhaul link in the embodiments of the present application may be understood as that the wireless backhaul link cannot normally transmit data and/or signaling, for example, RLF occurs in the wireless backhaul link and/or blocking occurs in the wireless backhaul link.

Illustratively, in the IAB network shown in fig. 10, taking the first node as the IAB node 1 as an example, the wireless backhaul link between the first node and at least one parent node of the first node may be an abnormal wireless backhaul link between the IAB node 1 and the IAB node 5.

Illustratively, the wireless backhaul link anomaly between the first node and at least one parent node of the first node may include any of the following: the first node has only one father node, and the wireless backhaul link between the first node and the father node generates RLF; alternatively, the first node has only one parent node, the wireless backhaul link between the first node and the parent node is RLF and the first node performs RLF recovery (i.e., initiates RRC reestablishment) but fails to recover; or the first node is provided with a plurality of father nodes, and the wireless backhaul links between the first node and the father nodes generate RLF; or the first node is provided with a plurality of father nodes, and the wireless backhaul link between the first node and any one or more father nodes generates RLF; alternatively, the first node has multiple parent nodes, the wireless backhaul link between the first node and any one or more of the parent nodes is RLF, and the first node attempts RLF recovery but fails recovery.

And in the second case, the first node receives the wireless backhaul link abnormality notification from at least one father node of the first node.

Alternatively, in this case two, the wireless backhaul link between the first node and the parent node of the first node may be normal, and the wireless backhaul link between the parent node of the first node and the grandparent node of the first node may be abnormal. When the parent node of the first node determines that the wireless backhaul link between the parent node and the grandparent node of the first node is abnormal (for example, RLF occurs in the section of wireless backhaul link, and the parent node of the first node attempts RLF recovery and fails to recover), a wireless backhaul link abnormality notification may be sent to the first node to notify the first node that its parent node is currently unable to provide backhaul service for the first node.

Optionally, the wireless backhaul link anomaly notification received by the first node from the parent node of the first node may be a backhaul radio link failure notification (BH RLF notification) or a backhaul radio link failure indication (BH RLF indication), which may be carried in the BAP layer control PDU. The feedback radio link failure notification and the feedback radio link failure indication have similar functions, and the radio link failure notification in the embodiments described below can be replaced by the radio link failure indication.

For example, taking the first node as the IAB node 1 in the IAB network shown in fig. 10 as an example, if an RLF occurs in a wireless backhaul link between a parent node (IAB node 5) of the IAB node 1 and a grandparent node (home node) of the IAB node 1, when the IAB node 5 attempts RLF recovery and fails to recover, the IAB node 5 may send a wireless backhaul link anomaly notification to the IAB node 1 to notify that the parent node of the IAB node 1 cannot provide backhaul service for the IAB node 1.

In the third case, RLF occurs in the wireless backhaul link between the first node and the master parent node of the first node, and link recovery fails.

In this third case, the first node has at least two parent nodes, where one parent node is a primary parent node and the other parent node is a secondary parent node, and the primary parent node of the first node is a cell group (cell group) to which a cell of the first node (which may be an MT part of the first node) provides access service belongs, which is referred to as a primary cell group (master cell group, MCG), and the secondary parent node of the first node is a cell group to which a cell of the first node (which may be an MT part of the first node) provides access service belongs, which is referred to as a secondary cell group (secondary cell group, SCG).

Optionally, when the first node determines that RLF occurs on the wireless backhaul link with its primary parent node, an RLF recovery operation may be performed, for example, RRC connection reestablishment may be performed, and when the first node fails to perform RLF recovery, the first node may be considered as unable to transmit data through its parent node.

And in the fourth case, the wireless backhaul links between the first node and all the father nodes of the first node generate RLF, and the link recovery fails.

Alternatively, taking the example that the first node has two parent nodes, namely the parent node 1 and the parent node 2, it can be understood that the wireless backhaul link between the first node and the parent node 1 generates RLF, the wireless backhaul link between the first node and the parent node 2 also generates RLF, and the first node fails to perform RLF recovery. That is, the wireless backhaul links between the first node and all parent nodes of the first node occur RLF, and the first node performs RLF recovery and fails to recover.

Alternatively, the first node may determine that the next-hop node of the first data is the second node in a plurality of manners, which may include the following two manners, by way of example:

in the first mode, the first node determines that the next-hop node of the first data is the second node according to the first configuration information.

In one possible implementation, the first configuration information may be alternative configuration information that is pre-configured by the host node to the first node to be validated when the first node is unable to transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node. The description that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node may refer to the above related description, which is not repeated herein.

In another possible implementation manner, the first configuration information may be configuration information obtained from the host node after the first node sends the first reconfiguration request information to the host node through the fourth node. The first reconfiguration request information is used for requesting first configuration information, and the fourth node is any auxiliary child node of the first node.

That is, the first node may send the first reconfiguration request information to the home node through the fourth node, and after receiving the first reconfiguration request information, the home node may send the first configuration information to the first node through the auxiliary child node of the first node, and correspondingly, the first node may receive the first configuration information from the home node.

Optionally, the identifier of the first node may be carried in the first reconfiguration request information sent by the first node to the home node through the fourth node. Therefore, after receiving the first reconfiguration request information, the host node can acquire that the node needing to update the BAP layer routing configuration and the bearer mapping configuration is the first node, and further sends the first configuration information to the first node.

Optionally, the first reconfiguration request information may further include an identifier of an assisting sub-node of the first node, and after the host node receives the first reconfiguration request information, the host node may further send updated configuration information to the assisting sub-node of the first node, where the updated configuration information may include, for example, updated BAP layer routing configuration and bearer mapping configuration, for routing and bearer mapping performed by the assisting sub-node of the first node.

Optionally, the host node may further send updated configuration information to other IAB nodes on a transmission path between the assisting child node of the first node and the host node for routing and bearer mapping by the other IAB nodes, where the first node may communicate with the host node on the transmission path through the assisting child node of the first node.

Optionally, in this implementation, the first node may determine the auxiliary child node of the first node by:

and step 1, the first node sends assistance request information to the child node of the first node. Accordingly, the child node of the first node receives assistance request information from the first node.

Wherein the assistance request information is used to determine an assistance sub-node of the first node.

Alternatively, the assistance request information may be represented by a specific value of a specific field. In this case, the first node may send a data packet to a child node of the first node, and the assistance request information may be carried in a BAP layer of the data packet, for example, in a control PDU of the BAP layer or a data PDU of the BAP layer; alternatively, the assistance request information may be further carried in a Control Element (CE) of the MAC layer of the data packet; alternatively, the assistance request information may be carried in system information of a cell served by the first node. Alternatively, the assistance request message may be a feedback radio link failure notification, that is, BH RLF notification sent by the first node to the word node of the first node, and may be regarded as assistance request message, that is, the assistance request message may be regarded as implicitly expressed message.

Illustratively, taking the first node as the IAB node 1 in the IAB network shown in fig. 10 as an example, the IAB node 1 sends the assistance request information to the IAB node x, the IAB node y, and the IAB node z in step 1.

And 2, the auxiliary child node of the first node transmits auxiliary response information to the first node. Correspondingly, the first node receives the assistance response information from the assistance sub-node of the first node.

After the child node of the first node receives the assistance request information of the first node, the child node capable of serving as an assistance child node of the first node sends assistance response information to the first node, and then the first node can determine that the child node returning the assistance response information is an assistance child node of the first node.

Optionally, the assistance response information may be carried in a control PDU of a newly defined BAP layer, or may also be carried in a control PDU of an existing BAP layer, or may also be carried in a newly defined MAC CE, or may also be carried in an existing MAC CE, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

For example, in the IAB network shown in fig. 10, taking the first node as the IAB node 1, and taking the case that the IAB node 1 sends the assistance request information to the IAB node x, the IAB node y, and the IAB node z, the IAB node x and the IAB node z send the assistance response information to the first node, and after the first node receives the assistance response information from the IAB node x and the IAB node z, it may determine that the assistance sub-node of the first node is the IAB node x and the IAB node z.

Alternatively, a node that cannot be the assisting child node of the first node may send the assisting negative acknowledgement information to the first node, and then the first node may determine that the child node that returns the assisting negative acknowledgement information is not the assisting child node of the first node; alternatively, a node that cannot act as a assisting child of the first node may not respond to the assistance request information, i.e. not send assistance negative acknowledgement information to the first node.

Illustratively, in the IAB network shown in fig. 10, the first node is IAB node 1, and the IAB node 1 sends the assistance request information to the IAB node x, the IAB node y, and the IAB node z, and then the IAB node y may send the assistance negative acknowledgement information to the IAB node 1 or may not send the assistance negative acknowledgement information.

Optionally, after the first node determines the auxiliary sub-node of the first node in the above manner, the first reconfiguration request information may be sent by any one sub-node.

Optionally, based on the manner that the first node determines the auxiliary sub-node of the first node, in another possible implementation manner, after any auxiliary sub-node of the first node receives the auxiliary request information from the first node, the auxiliary sub-node of the first node sends the first reconfiguration request information to the host node in addition to the auxiliary response information to the first node, that is, the auxiliary sub-node of the first node requests the first configuration information from the host node. After receiving the first reconfiguration request information, the home node may send the first configuration information to the first node through an assisting child node of the first node. In addition, the host node may send updated configuration information to the assisting child node of the first node and to other IAB nodes on the transmission path between the first node and the host node including each assisting child node, for routing and bearer mapping by the assisting child node of the first node and the other IAB nodes.

Optionally, the identifier of the first node may be carried in the first reconfiguration request information sent by the auxiliary child node of the first node to the host node, and/or the identifier of the auxiliary child node. Therefore, after receiving the first reconfiguration request information, the host node can acquire the nodes needing to update the BAP layer routing configuration and the bearer mapping configuration, and then send updated configuration information to the nodes. Specifically, the identifier of the first node may be a BAP layer identifier (i.e., BAP address) of the first node, and the identifier of the auxiliary child node may also be a BAP layer identifier (i.e., BAP address) of the auxiliary child node.

And the second mode is that the first node transmits the assistance request information and receives the assistance response information from the second node.

The assistance request information is used for determining an assistance sub-node of the first node, and the assistance response information from the second node is used for indicating that the second node can serve as the assistance sub-node of the first node.

That is, the second mode is the same as the first mode in which the first node determines the auxiliary sub-node of the first node, and the specific implementation can be referred to the related description in the first mode.

After the first node receives the assistance response information from the second node, the second node may be determined to be an assistance child node thereof, so as to determine that a next-hop node of the first data is the second node. That is, in comparison with the first mode, the second mode does not need to determine the next hop node of the first data according to the configuration information.

It may be understood that, when the first node determines that there are multiple assisting sub-nodes, different uplink data acquired by the first node may be sent to different assisting sub-nodes for transmission, and different uplink data acquired by the first node may also be sent to the same assisting sub-node for transmission.

It should be noted that, when the host node is in a CU-DU separated form, the step/function implemented by the host node in step S902 may be implemented by the CU of the host node; further, when the CU of the host node is in a form of CU-CP and CU-UP being separated, the step/function implemented by the host node in step S902 may be implemented by the CU-CP of the host node.

Optionally, the first configuration information may include one or more of the following information:

1. the list of identities of the assisting child nodes of the first node.

The list of the auxiliary sub-nodes of the first node includes one or more node identifiers, and an IAB node identified by any one of the one or more node identifiers is an auxiliary sub-node of the first node, and description of the auxiliary sub-node of the first node may be referred to the above related description and will not be repeated herein.

Illustratively, in the IAB network shown in fig. 10, the first node is, for example, IAB node 1, and as shown in table 1, the identifier list of the auxiliary child node of the first node includes an identifier of IAB node x (IAB node identifier x) and an identifier of IAB node z (IAB node identifier z).

TABLE 1

Identification of assisting child node of first node
	IAB node identification x
IAB node identification z

2. A first routing table.

The first routing table comprises one or more routing table items, and each routing table item comprises an identification of a destination node and an identification of a next-hop node; alternatively, each routing table entry includes a destination routing identifier and an identifier of a next-hop node, where the destination routing identifier includes an identifier of a destination node, and optionally, the destination routing identifier may further include a path identifier.

In the uplink transmission scenario, the path identifier is used to identify a transmission path from the access IAB node to the host node. For example, as shown in fig. 10, when the IAB node x is used as the access IAB node of the terminal x, in the case that the wireless backhaul link of the IAB node 1 is normal, the identifier of the transmission path "IAB node x→iab node 3→iab node 4→the host node" may be the path identifier 1, and the identifier of the transmission path "IAB node x→iab node 1→iab node 5→the host node" may be the path identifier 2.

It should be noted that, the identifier of the destination node may be a BAP layer identifier (i.e., BAP address) of the destination node, the destination route identifier may be a destination BAP route identifier (BAP routing ID), and the path identifier may be a BAP path identifier (BAP path ID).

In the embodiment of the present application, if the host node is in a form of CU-DU separation, the BAP layer identifier of the destination node carried by the upstream packet in the BAP layer may be an identifier of the host DU or an identifier of the host CU. In this embodiment, the destination node identifier carried in the uplink data packet is taken as an identifier of the host DU as an example.

Alternatively, when the host node includes a DU, the different auxiliary sub-nodes of the first node are all connected to the DU of the host node, in which case, for example, based on the IAB network described in fig. 10, the first routing table may be as shown in table 2, where the transmission path identified by the path identifier a is "IAB node 1→iab node x→iab node 3→iab node 4→the DU of the host node", and the transmission path identified by the path identifier b is "IAB node 1→iab node z→iab node 2→iab node 6→the DU of the host node"; when the host node includes a plurality of DUs, different assist child nodes of the first node may be connected to different DUs of the host node, e.g., the host node includes a first DU and a second DU, the IAB node x may be connected to the first DU, and the IAB node z may be connected to the second DU, in which case the exemplary first routing table may be as shown in table 3, that is, in the case where the destination node of the first data is the first DU of the host node, the second node here is the IAB node x in the IAB network shown in fig. 10, where the transmission path identified by the path identifier c is "IAB node 1→iab node x→iab IAB node 3→iab node 4→the first DU of the host node, and the transmission path identified by the path identifier d is" IAB node 1→iab node z→iab node 2→iab node 6→the second DU of the host node.

TABLE 2

Destination route identification	Identification of next hop nodes
		Identification of host DU+Path identification a	IAB node identification x
Identification of host DU+Path identification b	IAB node identification z

TABLE 3 Table 3

Destination route identification	Identification of next hop nodes
		Host-identity of first DU + path identity c	IAB node identification x
Host-identity of second DU + path identity d	IAB node identification z

3. And a first mapping relation.

Wherein the first mapping relationship is used when the first node is an access IAB node. The first mapping relationship includes a mapping relationship of a radio link control channel (RLC channel) on a radio backhaul link between the first node and each of the cooperating sub-nodes with traffic. The radio link control channel on the radio backhaul link may also be referred to as a backhaul radio link control channel (BH rlccs channel).

The mapping relation is used for mapping different types of services of the first node to a wireless link control channel on a wireless backhaul link between the first node and an auxiliary sub-node of the first node; the type of traffic may include one or more of F1 interface user plane traffic, F1 interface control plane traffic, non-F1 traffic.

Optionally, the first mapping relationship may include one or more entries, where an entry represents a mapping relationship, and each entry includes a service identifier, an identifier of a next hop node, and an identifier of a backhaul radio link control channel. Wherein the service identity may reflect the type of service. The identity of the next-hop node is used to determine a wireless backhaul link, e.g., between the first node and the node identified by the identity of the next-hop node. An identification of a backhaul radio link control channel for identifying the radio link control channel on the radio backhaul link between the first node and the next hop node.

Optionally, when the service type is F1 interface control plane service, the service identifier may specifically be a terminal-related F1AP message, or a terminal-independent F1AP message, or may also be a F1AP message including signaling radio bearers (signalling radio bearers, SRBs) 0/1/2/3 of the terminal. When the service type is F1 interface user plane service, the service identifier may be transmission tunnel information of the F1-U interface corresponding to the F1 interface user plane service (i.e., GTP-U tunnel information of the F1-U interface), where the GTP-U tunnel information may be an endpoint identifier (tunnel endpoint identifier, TEID) of the GTP-U tunnel, or may be a GTP-UTEID and a target internet protocol (internet protocol, IP) address.

For example, in the IAB network shown in fig. 10, taking the first node as IAB node 1 as an example, as shown in table 4, the GTP-U TEID1+ host node IP address may represent F1 user plane traffic of IAB node 1, and then the first entry in table 4 may represent that F1 interface user plane traffic of IAB node 1 may be mapped to a backhaul radio link control channel identified by BH RLC channel 1 on a radio backhaul link between IAB node 1 and IAB node x.

TABLE 4 Table 4

Optionally, the mapping relationship between the F1 interface user plane service and the radio link control channel, the mapping relationship between the F1 interface control plane service and the radio link control channel, and the mapping relationship between the non-F1 interface service and the radio link control channel may be configured together or may be configured separately, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

4. And a second mapping relation.

Wherein the second mapping relationship is used when the first node is acting as an access IAB node. The second mapping relation comprises the corresponding relation between the service and the alternative uplink route identification. The destination node indicated by the alternative uplink route identifier is an uplink destination node, for example, a host node, or a host DU, or an IAB host CU. If the alternative uplink route identifier includes a transmission path identifier, the transmission path indicated by the alternative uplink route identifier is an uplink transmission path from the auxiliary sub-node passing through the first node to the host node.

The mapping relation is used for adding uplink route identification for different types of services of the first node. The type of service includes one or more of F1 interface user plane service, F1 interface control plane service, non-F1 interface service.

Optionally, the corresponding relation between the F1 interface user plane service and the alternative uplink route identifier may be the corresponding relation between the GTP-U tunnel information of the F1-U and the alternative uplink route identifier; the corresponding relation between the F1 interface control surface service and the alternative uplink route identifier can be the corresponding relation between the F1 interface control surface message type and the alternative uplink route identifier, and the F1 interface control surface message type can be one or more of F1AP messages related to the terminal, F1AP messages unrelated to the terminal and F1AP messages containing SRB0/1/2/3 of the terminal.

5. And a third mapping relationship.

The third mapping relationship includes a corresponding relationship between a backhaul radio link control channel of an ingress link and a backhaul radio link control channel of an egress link corresponding to the first node in an uplink transmission scenario. The third mapping relationship is applicable to the case where the first node is an intermediate IAB node.

In the uplink transmission scenario, the entry link corresponding to the first node is a link between the first node and a non-assisted sub-node of the first node, for example, in an IAB network as shown in fig. 10, the first node is an IAB node 1, the non-assisted sub-node of the first node is an IAB node y, and then the entry link corresponding to the first node is a link between the IAB node 1 and the IAB node y; the egress link corresponding to the first node is a link between the first node and an assisting child node of the first node, for example, in the IAB network shown in fig. 10, the first node is IAB node 1, and the egress link is a link between IAB node 1 and IAB node x or a link between IAB node 1 and IAB node z.

Optionally, the third mapping relationship may include one or more entries, where one entry represents a corresponding relationship, and each entry includes an identifier of a previous hop node, a BH RLC channel identifier of an ingress link, an identifier of a next hop node, and a BH RLC channel identifier of an egress link. The identifier of the last hop node is used for indicating an ingress link, the identifier of the next hop node is used for indicating an egress link, the BH RLC channel identifier of the ingress link is used for indicating a backhaul radio link control channel on the ingress link, and the BH RLC channel identifier of the egress link is used for indicating a backhaul radio link control channel on the egress link.

For example, taking the IAB network shown in fig. 10 as an example, the third mapping relationship may be shown in table 5, where the IAB node identifier y is an identifier of the IAB node y, and the first entry in table 5 may indicate that data received by the IAB node 1 from the backhaul radio link channel 1 between the IAB node 1 and the IAB node y is sent through the backhaul radio link channel 3 between the IAB node 1 and the IAB node x.

TABLE 5

Optionally, in step S902, after the first node determines that the next hop node of the first data is the second node, the first node may further perform bearer mapping according to the third mapping relationship in the first configuration information, for example, determine a backhaul radio link control channel for carrying the first data on a link between the first node and the second node.

S903, the first node sends the first data to the second node. Accordingly, the second node receives the first data from the first node.

Optionally, after the second node receives the first data from the first node, it may be determined whether the second node is a destination node of the first data, and the determination manner is similar to that the first node determines whether the first node is a destination node of the first data, which may be referred to the related description in step S901 and will not be repeated herein. When the second node is the destination node of the first data, the second node processes the first data (e.g., hands the first data to an upper protocol layer of its BAP layer for processing); when the second node is not the destination node of the first data, the following step S904 is executed, and the embodiment of the present application takes the second node as an example to describe that the second node is not the destination node of the first data.

S904, the second node determines that the next-hop node of the first data is a third node.

Specifically, the second node may determine, according to the second configuration information, that the next-hop node of the first data is the third node. The third node is a father node of the second node, and the second node can be connected to the host node through the third node.

Optionally, in different implementation manners of the embodiments of the present application, the second configuration information may also be obtained in different manners, which is an example:

in one possible implementation, the second configuration information may be uplink alternative configuration information preconfigured by the host node to the second node. In this implementation, the second configuration information is validated in one or more of the following:

case one: the second configuration information is validated when the second node receives a wireless backhaul link anomaly notification from the first node.

Optionally, the first node may send a wireless backhaul link anomaly notification to the second node when it is determined that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node, so that the second node enables the second configuration information.

Optionally, the abnormal notification of the wireless backhaul link may be a backhaul wireless link failure notification; alternatively, the feedback link exception notification may be the above assistance request information, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

And a second case: the second configuration information is validated when the second node receives the first upstream data packet from the first node.

Optionally, when the first node cannot transmit uplink data through at least one parent node of the first node, the first node may send an uplink data packet to its child node, where the uplink data packet carries an identifier of the destination node (e.g., a host node, or a host DU, or a host CU).

Optionally, after the second node receives the data packet, the second node may determine that the data packet is an uplink data packet according to a destination node carried in the data packet; or the data packet may be determined to be an uplink data packet according to first indication information carried in the data packet, which will be described in detail in the following embodiments, and will not be described in detail herein. The first time the second node determines that the data packet from the first node is an upstream data packet, i.e. when the second node receives the first upstream data packet from the first node, the preconfigured second configuration information is enabled.

And a third case: the second configuration information is validated when the second node receives information from the host node indicating that the second node enables the second configuration information.

Optionally, after the second node receives the first uplink data packet from the first node, the uplink data packet may be transmitted to the host node. The uplink data packet may carry first notification information, where the first notification information is used to notify the host node that the first node will enable the preconfigured first configuration information, and after receiving the uplink data packet, the host node learns that the first node will enable the preconfigured first configuration information, so that second notification information may be sent to the second node, where the second notification information is used to instruct the second node to enable the second configuration information. The second node enables the second configuration information after receiving the second notification information, i.e. the second configuration information is validated when the node receives the second notification information from the host node.

In another possible implementation manner, the second configuration information may be that, when the first node sends the first reconfiguration request information to the host node through the fourth node, the host node receives the first reconfiguration request information and sends the first reconfiguration request information to the second node; or, the second configuration information may be that, when any one of the auxiliary sub-nodes of the first node sends the first reconfiguration request information to the host node, the host node receives the first reconfiguration request information and sends the first reconfiguration request information to the second node, and at this time, the host node may determine that, after receiving the first reconfiguration request information of the any one auxiliary sub-node, the first node is assisted by the second node to transmit uplink data, so as to send the second configuration information to the second node.

In yet another possible implementation manner, the second node may be uplink configuration information acquired from the host node after it sends the second reconfiguration request information to the host node, that is, the second node may send the second reconfiguration request information to the host node, where the second reconfiguration request information is used to request the second configuration information. After receiving the second reconfiguration request information, the home node may send second configuration information to the second node, and correspondingly, the second node receives the second configuration request information from the home node.

Optionally, the second reconfiguration request information may include an identifier of the second node, so that after receiving the second reconfiguration request information, the host node may learn that a node that needs to update the BAP layer routing configuration and the bearer mapping configuration is the second node, and then send the second configuration information to the second node.

Optionally, in this manner, the second node may send the second reconfiguration request information to the host node when the backhaul link abnormality notification of the first node is received, or when the first uplink data packet from the first node is received, or may send the second reconfiguration request information to the host node in other cases, which is not limited in particular in this embodiment of the present application.

In yet another possible implementation, the second configuration information may be routing configuration information maintained by the second node when no link anomalies are present in the IAB network. That is, in a scenario where the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node, the second node does not need to re-acquire configuration information, and uses the original routing configuration information to perform routing.

Optionally, in this implementation manner, if the original route configuration information of the second node does not include the destination route identifier corresponding to the first data, the second node may search the entry matching with the identifier of the destination node only according to the destination node identifier in the destination route identifier corresponding to the first data, and select the next-hop node corresponding to the identifier of the destination node as the next-hop node of the first data.

It should be noted that, when the host node is in a CU-DU separated form, the step/function implemented by the host node in step S904 may be implemented by the CU of the host node; further, when the CU of the host node is in a form of CU-CP and CU-UP being separated, the step/function implemented by the host node in step S904 may be implemented by the CU-CP of the host node.

Optionally, in the first three possible implementations, the second configuration information may include one or more of the following information:

1. and a second routing table.

Wherein the second routing table includes one or more routing entries therein. Each routing table item comprises the identification of a destination node and the identification of a next hop node; alternatively, each routing table entry includes a destination routing identifier and an identifier of a next-hop node, the destination routing identifier includes an identifier of a destination node, and optionally, the destination routing identifier may further include a path identifier.

The one or more routing entries include a routing entry in which the destination node is a host node (or a host CU or a host DU).

For example, when the host node is in a form of CU-DU separation and the destination node of the first data is a host DU, the second routing table includes a routing table entry of the DU in which the destination node is the host node; when the host node includes a plurality of DUs and the destination node of the first data is the first DU of the host node, the second routing table includes a routing table entry of the first DU of which the destination node is the host node.

For example, in the case of the IAB network shown in fig. 10, where the destination node of the first data is the first DU of the host node, based on the example shown in table 3, the second routing table may be as shown in table 6 below, that is, the third node is the IAB node 3 shown in fig. 10 in this scenario.

TABLE 6

Destination route identification	Identification of next hop nodes
		Host-identity of first DU + path identity c	Identification of IAB node 3

2. And a fourth mapping relation.

The fourth mapping relationship includes a corresponding relationship between a backhaul radio link control channel of the ingress link and a backhaul radio link control channel of the egress link corresponding to the second node in the uplink transmission scenario.

In the uplink transmission scenario, the ingress link corresponding to the second node is a link between the second node and the first node, for example, in the IAB network shown in fig. 10, the second node is an IAB node x, and the ingress link corresponding to the second node is a link between the IAB node x and the IAB node 1; the egress link corresponding to the second node is a link between the second node and the third node, for example, in the IAB network shown in fig. 10, if the third node is the IAB node 3, the egress link corresponding to the second node is a link between the IAB node x and the IAB node 3.

In a possible manner, similar to the third mapping relationship, in the fourth mapping relationship, an identifier of a last hop node, an identifier of an ingress link BH RLC channel, an identifier of a next hop node, and an identifier of an egress link BH RLC channel may be included. The identification of the previous hop node is used to indicate the ingress link, the identification of the next hop node is used to indicate the egress link, and the detailed description may refer to the third mapping relationship and the related description of table 5, which are not repeated herein.

Optionally, in step S904, after the second node determines that the next hop node of the first data is the third node, the second node may further perform bearer mapping according to a fourth mapping relationship in the second configuration information, for example, determine a backhaul radio link control channel on a link between the second node and the third node for carrying the first data.

S905, the second node sends the first data to the third node. Accordingly, the third node receives the first data from the second node.

Optionally, after receiving the first data, the third node may forward the first data to its parent node until the first data is transmitted to the host node.

According to the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application, under the condition that the first node cannot transmit uplink data through the father node of the first node, the first node can transmit the uplink data to the auxiliary child node of the first node, the auxiliary child node of the first node further transmits the uplink data to another father node, and the father node transmits the uplink data to the host node, so that the uplink data can be transmitted to the host node in time, and the influence of return link abnormality on services is reduced.

The operation of each node in the communication method shown in fig. 9 described above will be described from the point of view inside the node. First, an example will be described in which an IAB node includes a DU part and an MT part, and the DU part and the MT part do not share a BAP layer entity.

For the step S901, the first node obtains first data:

the method specifically comprises the following steps: a receiving entity of a first BAP layer entity of a first node obtains first data. In this embodiment of the present application, the first BAP layer entity of the first node is a BAP layer entity of the DU portion of the first node, and the second BAP layer entity of the first node is a BAP layer entity of the MT portion of the first node. Namely, step S901 is specifically to obtain first data by the BAP layer entity of the DU part of the first node.

Correspondingly, a receiving entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node judges whether the first node is a destination node of the first data. When the first node is a destination node of the first data, the processing the first data by the first node may include: the receiving entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node submits the first data to an upper layer entity of the first BAP layer entity, for example, an IP layer entity of the DU part of the first node; alternatively, when the first node is not the destination node of the first data, the following step S902 is performed.

For the step S902, the first node determines that the next-hop node of the first data is the second node, which may specifically be: the transmitting entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node determines that the next hop node of the first data is the second node.

That is, when the first node is not the destination node of the first data, the receiving entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node gives the first data to the transmitting entity of the first BAP layer entity, and performs the transmission processing. In this case, the first BAP layer entity of the first node does not need to submit the first data to the second BAP layer entity of the first node, i.e. the BAP layer entity of the DU part of the first node does not need to submit the first data to the BAP layer entity of the MT part of the first node. The subsequent transmission process is performed at the BAP layer entity of the DU part of the first node, e.g. determining the next hop node of the first data, and a backhaul radio link control channel on the link between the first node and the next hop node for carrying the first data, etc.

For the step S903, the first node sends the first data to the second node, which may specifically be: the first node sends a first data packet to the second node.

Correspondingly, the second node receives the first data from the first node, which may specifically be: the second node receives the first data packet from the first node. Further optionally, the second node receiving the data packet from the first node may be: the MT part of the second node receives the first data packet from the first node.

The first data packet comprises first data and first indication information. The first indication information is used for indicating that the first data is data which is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, that is, the first data is data which is used for executing receiving and sending processing inside the first BAP layer entity.

Or, the first indication information is used for indicating that the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node does not need to submit the first data to the sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node.

In this embodiment of the present application, the first BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of the DU part of the second node, and the second BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of the MT part of the second node.

Alternatively, the first indication information may be located in a BAP layer of the first data packet, for example, in a BAP layer header of the first data packet; alternatively, the first indication information may be located in a MAC layer of the first data packet, where the first indication information is a first logical channel identifier (logical channel identifier, LCID), and a backhaul radio link control channel corresponding to a logical channel identified by the first LCID is between the first node and the second node, where the backhaul radio link control channel is used for the first node to send first type data to the second node, where the first type data is data that is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, or that is, the first type data is data that performs receiving and sending processing inside the first BAP layer entity of the second node.

Optionally, one or more specific backhaul radio link control channels may be used between the first node and the assisting sub-node (e.g. the second node) of the first node to carry the first type of data, any one of the one or more specific backhaul radio link control channels having a logical channel corresponding thereto, the logical channel being identified by a logical channel identification, the backhaul radio link control channel corresponding to the first LCID being one of the one or more specific backhaul radio link channels.

Optionally, the one or more specific backhaul radio link control channels may be agreed upon by a protocol, for example, the protocol may agree that the backhaul radio link control channel identified by the specific valued backhaul radio link control channel identity carries a first type of data between the first node and the assisting child node of the first node; or, the protocol may also agree that the backhaul radio link control channel corresponding to the logical channel identified by the specific valued logical channel identifier carries the first type of data; alternatively, the logical channel corresponding to the or each of the one or more specific backhaul radio link channels may be configured by the host node (which may be, in particular, the CU of the host node, or the CU-CP of the host node) to the first node and/or the second node via control plane signaling. The control plane signaling may be an RRC message sent to the MT part of the first node and/or the second node, or may be an F1AP message sent to the DU part of the first node and/or the second node.

For the step S904, the second node determines that the next-hop node of the first data is the third node, which may specifically be: the second node determines that a sending entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node executes sending processing according to the first indication information; and the sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the first node determines the next hop node of the first data packet as a third node according to the second configuration information.

That is, after the second node receives the data from the first node, when it is determined that the second node is not the destination node of the data, it is further determined that the BAP layer entity of the MT part of the second node performs the transmission processing according to the first indication information, without the transmission entity of the BAP layer entity of the DU part of the first data being transmitted to the second node performing the transmission processing.

Optionally, when the data packet received by the second node from the first node does not include the first indication information, after the second node determines that the second node is not the destination node of the data packet, the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity submits the BAP layer PDU or the BAP layer SDU of the data packet to the sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node for sending. When the second node receives the received data packet from the first node and includes the first indication information, the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node does not need to submit the BAP layer PDU or the BAP layer SDU of the data packet to the sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node, and then the sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node executes sending processing. The sending process includes, for example, determining a next hop node and a backhaul radio link control channel on a link between the second node and the next hop node for carrying data.

For the step S905, the second node sends the first data to the third node, which may specifically be: the MT part of the second node sends the first data to the third node.

It should be noted that, when the MT part of the second node transmits the first data to the third node, the receiving entity of the BAP layer of the DU part of the third node does not need to additionally transmit the indication information b to indicate that the receiving entity of the BAP layer of the DU part of the third node does not need to submit the first data to the transmitting entity of the BAP layer entity of the MT part of the third node, that is, the third node performs the transmission processing according to the existing BAP layer forwarding model described in the ninth introduction of the brief introduction part of the related technology or the term of the present application.

Based on the scheme, the first node can send the first indication information simultaneously when sending the uplink data to the auxiliary child node, so that the auxiliary child node can perform route selection and bearer mapping on the MT side according to the first indication information, further can transmit the uplink data to the host node through the other father node, further can timely transmit the uplink data to the host node, and reduces the influence of return link abnormality on the service.

In addition, for the scenario that the IAB node includes a DU part and an MT part, where the DU part and the MT part share a BAP layer entity, in the transmission process of the first data, there is no need to transmit the first indication information at the same time, and in the steps S901 to S905, the relevant functions/steps of the routing and bearer mapping implemented by the first node may be implemented by the BAP layer entity of the first node (specifically, may be the transmitting part of the BAP layer entity of the first node); the relevant functions/steps of the routing and bearer mapping implemented by the second node may be implemented by the BAP layer of the second node (specifically, may be a transmitting part of the BAP layer entity of the second node), and the relevant description may be referred to above, which is not repeated herein.

It should be noted that, in the communication method of the embodiment of the present application, since any function/step is not implemented by using the MT part of the first node, in the process of executing the communication method of the embodiment of the present application, the MT part of the first node may still perform cell selection and send random access to perform wireless backhaul link recovery, and when the link recovery is successful, the transmission processing may be continued according to the existing BAP layer forwarding model described in the ninth introduction of the related technology or the brief introduction of the term of the present application, that is, uplink data and downlink data are still transmitted through the parent node of the first node.

In the case that the host node cannot transmit downlink data to the first node through the parent node of the first node, the embodiment of the present application further provides a communication method in a downlink transmission scenario, as shown in fig. 11, which is a communication method provided for the downlink transmission scenario in the embodiment of the present application, where the communication method includes the following steps:

s1101, the host node obtains the second data.

The destination node of the second data is the first node or the fifth node. The fifth node is a downstream node in the downlink transmission direction of the first node, and the fifth node is not an auxiliary child node of the first node.

That is, the second data is downlink data. The second data in the embodiments of the present application may be understood as SDUs of the BAP layer.

Illustratively, taking the IAB network shown in fig. 10 as an example, the first node may be IAB node 1, and the fifth node may be IAB node y.

S1102, the host node sends second data to the second node. Accordingly, the second node receives the second data from the host node.

If the second node is a child node of the host node (specifically, may be a host DU), the host node may directly send the second data to the second node via a wireless backhaul link between the host node and the second node, and correspondingly, the second node receives the second data from the host node. At this time, the host node may also be referred to as a third node. If the second node is connected to the host node via the multi-hop wireless backhaul link, the host node sends second data to the second node through the third node, at this time, the host node and the third node are different nodes, the third node is a parent node of the second node, and accordingly, the second node receives second data from the host node through the third node, that is, one or more IAB nodes may be further included on a transmission path from the host node to the third node, and the second data may be transmitted from the host node to the third node via forwarding of each IAB node on the transmission path, and then transmitted from the third node to the second node.

If the second node receives the second data from the host node through the third node, it may also be understood that the second node receives the second data from the third node.

The second node is also a child node of the first node, that is, the first node and the third node are both parent nodes of the second node, but the second node can be connected to the host node through the third node, and the third node is different from the first node.

Illustratively, taking the IAB network shown in fig. 10 as an example, the second node may be IAB node x, and the third node may be IAB node 3.

Optionally, after the second node receives the second data, it may be determined whether the second node is a destination node of the second data, the determination manner is similar to the manner in which the first node determines whether the first node is the destination node of the first data, and the description of the step S901 is referred to and is not repeated here. When the second node is a destination node of the second data, the second node processes the second data (for example, gives the second data to an upper protocol layer of the BAP layer to perform processing); when the second node is not the destination node of the second data, the following step S1103 is executed, and the embodiment of the present application takes the second node as an example to describe that the second node is not the destination node of the second data.

S1103, the second node determines the next hop node of the second data as the first node.

Specifically, the second node may determine, according to the third configuration information, that the next-hop node of the second data is the first node.

Optionally, in different implementation manners of the embodiment of the present application, a third configuration information may also be obtained in a different manner, which is an example:

in one possible implementation, the third configuration information may be downlink alternative configuration information preconfigured by the host node to the second node. In this implementation, the third configuration information is validated in one or more of the following:

case one: the third configuration information is validated when the second node receives a wireless backhaul link anomaly notification from the first node.

And a second case: the third configuration information is validated when the second node receives the first upstream data packet from the first node.

And a third case: the third configuration information is validated when the second node receives information from the host node indicating that the second node enables the third configuration information.

The above three cases are similar to the above three cases in which the second node determines the effective time of the second configuration information in step S904, and the detailed description of the case will be referred to the related description in step S904, which is not repeated herein.

In another possible implementation manner, the third configuration information may be that the host node sends the first reconfiguration request information to the second node when the first node sends the first reconfiguration request information to the host node through the fourth node; or, the third configuration information may be that, when any one of the auxiliary sub-nodes of the first node sends the first reconfiguration request to the host node, the host node sends the second node, and at this time, after receiving the first reconfiguration request information of any one of the auxiliary sub-nodes of the first node, the host node may determine that the second node assists the first node to transmit downlink data, so as to send the third configuration information to the second node; alternatively, the third configuration information may be that the home node transmits the second configuration request information to the second node in the case that the second node transmits the second configuration request information to the home node.

In yet another possible implementation manner, the third configuration information is downlink configuration information obtained from the host node after the second node sends the third reconfiguration request information to the host node, that is, the second node may send, to the host node, third reconfiguration request information via the third node, where the third reconfiguration request information is used to request the third configuration information. After receiving the third reconfiguration request message, the host node may send third configuration information to the second node, and correspondingly, the second node receives the third configuration request message from the host node.

Optionally, the third reconfiguration request information may include an identifier of the second node, so that after receiving the third reconfiguration request information, the host node may learn that a node that needs to update the BAP layer routing configuration and the bearer mapping configuration is the second node, and further send third configuration information to the second node.

In addition, when the host node is CU-DU separated, the CU of the host node (in the case of CU-CP separation, specifically may be CU-CP) also sends updated configuration information to the DU of the host node, which is used for routing and bearer mapping by the DU of the host node, and in the downlink transmission scenario, BAP layer header information may also be added by the DU used for the host node.

Optionally, the third configuration information may include one or more of the following information:

1. and a third routing table.

Wherein the third routing table includes one or more routing entries. Each routing table item comprises the identification of a destination node and the identification of a next hop node; or each routing table entry includes a destination routing identifier and an identifier of a next-hop node, where the destination routing identifier includes a destination node identifier, and optionally, the destination routing identifier may further include a path identifier. The one or more routing entries include a routing entry whose destination node is the first node or the fifth node.

Wherein, in the downlink transmission scenario, the path identifier is used to identify a transmission path from the host node to the access IAB node.

For example, taking the IAB network shown in fig. 10 as an example, if the first node is IAB node 1, the second node is IAB node x, and the fifth node is IAB node y, the third routing table may be shown in table 7, where the transmission path identified by the path identifier e is "home node→iab node 4→iab node 3→iab node x→iab node 1", and the transmission path identified by the path identifier f is "home node→iab node 4→iab node 3→iab node x→iab IAB node 1→iab node y.

TABLE 7

Destination route identification	Identification of next hop nodes
		Identification of IAB node 1+path identification e	Identification of IAB node 1
IAB node y identification+path identification f	Identification of IAB node 1

2. And a fifth mapping relation.

The fifth mapping relationship includes a corresponding relationship between a backhaul radio link control channel of the ingress link and a backhaul radio link control channel of the egress link corresponding to the second node in the downlink transmission scenario.

In the downlink transmission scenario, the ingress link corresponding to the second node is a link between the second node and the third node, for example, in the IAB network shown in fig. 10, the second node is IAB node x, the third node is IAB node 3, and the ingress link corresponding to the second node is a link between IAB node x and IAB node 3; the egress link corresponding to the second node is a link between the second node and the first node, for example, in the IAB network shown in fig. 10, if the first node is IAB node 1, the egress link corresponding to the second node is a link between IAB node x and IAB node 1.

In a possible manner, similar to the third mapping relationship, the fifth mapping relationship may include an identifier of a last hop node, an identifier of an ingress link BH RLC channel, an identifier of a next hop node, and an identifier of an egress link BH RLC channel. The identification of the previous hop node is used to indicate the ingress link, the identification of the next hop node is used to indicate the egress link, and the detailed description may refer to the third mapping relationship and the related description of table 5, which are not repeated herein.

Optionally, in step S1103, after determining that the next hop node of the second data is the first node, the second node may further perform bearer mapping according to the fifth mapping relationship in the third configuration information, for example, determine a backhaul radio link control channel for carrying the second data on a link between the second node and the first node.

It should be noted that, when the host node is in a CU-DU separated form, the step/function implemented by the host node in step S1103 may be implemented by the CU of the host node; further, when the CU of the host node is in a form of CU-CP and CU-UP being separated, the step/function implemented by the host node in step S1103 may be implemented by the CU-CP of the host node.

S1104, the second node transmits the second data to the first node. Accordingly, the first node receives the second data from the second node.

Optionally, after the first node receives the second data, if the destination node of the second data is the first node, the first node processes the second data (for example, the second data is handed to an upper protocol layer of the BAP layer to perform processing); if the destination node of the second data is the fifth node, the first node sends the second data to the fifth node.

According to the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application, under the condition that the host node cannot transmit downlink data to the first node through the father node of the first node, the host node can send the data of the first node or the downstream node of the first node in the downlink transmission direction to the auxiliary child node of the first node, and then the auxiliary child node of the first node transmits the downlink data to the first node, and the first node processes the downlink data, so that the downlink data can be transmitted to the first node or the downstream node of the first node in the downlink transmission direction in time, and the influence of return link abnormality on services is reduced.

The operation of each node in the communication method shown in fig. 11 described above will be described from the point of view inside the node. First, an exemplary embodiment is described in which the IAB node includes a DU part and an MT part, the DU part and the MT part do not share a BAP layer entity, and the host node is a CU-DU separation.

For the step S1101, the host node acquiring the second data may specifically include:

s1101a, the CU of the host node acquires the second data.

Wherein the second data includes first IP header information in case the CU of the hosting node determines that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node. The first IP header information is configured to instruct the DU of the host node to carry fourth indication information in a data packet encapsulated with the second data when sending the second data, that is, the first IP header information may instruct the DU of the host node to send fourth indication information, where the fourth indication information is used to instruct the second data to be data that is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, or the fourth indication information is used to instruct the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node to be required to be submitted to the sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node.

It should be noted that, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application further relates to second indication information and third indication information, and the description of the second indication information and the third indication information will be described in detail in the following embodiments, which are not repeated here.

Optionally, the CU of the hosting node determines that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node when one or more of the following occurs:

The descriptions of the above four cases may be referred to the related descriptions in step S902, and are not repeated here.

Alternatively, the CU of the hosting node may determine in a number of ways that the first node cannot transmit the second data through at least one parent node of the first node.

In one possible implementation manner, when one or more of the above four cases occur, an upstream node (for example, a parent node or a grandparent node of the first node) in the downstream transmission direction of the first node may report to a CU of the host node (specifically, may be a CU-CP of the host node) that one or more of the above four cases exist in the IAB network, so that the CU of the host node determines that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node.

In another possible implementation manner, when one or more of the above four situations occur, the first node may report, to the CU of the host node, through the auxiliary child node of the first node, that one or more of the above four situations exist in the IAB network, so that the CU of the host node determines that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node.

In yet another possible implementation manner, when one or more of the above four conditions occur, the assisting child node of the first node may report to the CU of the host node that one or more of the above four conditions exist in the IAB network, so that the CU of the host node determines that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node. Optionally, in this implementation, the assisting child node of the first node may report one or more of the foregoing situations in the IAB network to the CU of the host node when receiving assistance request information from the first node, or returning a radio link failure notification, or a first uplink data packet carrying the first indication information.

Optionally, when the CU of the host node is in a form of separation of CU-CP and CU-UP, the CU-CP of the host node may send configuration information to the CU-UP of the host node, where the configuration information includes GTP-U tunnel (the GTP-U tunnel corresponds to a data radio bearer of a terminal served by the first node) of the F1 interface user plane allocated by the first node for the terminal served by the first node, and corresponding first IP header information; or GTP-U tunnel (corresponding to the data radio bearer of the terminal served by the fifth node) information of the F1 interface user plane allocated by the fifth node to the terminal served by the fifth node, and corresponding first IP header information. The first IP header information may be included in the second data when the CU-UP of the hosting node subsequently transmits the second data to the DU of the hosting node.

The GTP-U tunnel information of the F1 interface user plane allocated by the first node or the fifth node to the terminal served by the first node may be a TEID of the GTP-U tunnel, or may also be an IP address and a TEID of the GTP-U tunnel. For example, the GTP-U tunnel information of the F1 interface user plane allocated by the first node to the terminal served by the first node is the TEID of the GTP-U tunnel, or the IP address of the first node and the TEID allocated by the GTP-U tunnel on the first node side.

Optionally, the IP header information in the embodiments of the present application includes any one or more of the following: differentiated services information, quality of service (quality of service, qoS) flow labels (flow labels) in IPv6, IP addresses, or transport layer port numbers. The differentiated services information may be differentiated services code points (diffServ code point, DSCP) in IPv4, or may also be information represented by the first 6 bits in a Traffic Class (TC) field in IPv 6; the IP address may be a source IP address or a destination IP address; the transport layer port number may be a source port number or a destination port number.

Accordingly, the first IP header information may include any one or more of the following: first differentiated services information, a first flow label, a first IP address, or a first transport layer port number. For example, if the first IP header information is the flow label 1 and/or the first differentiated services information, when the CU-UP of the subsequent host node sends the second data, the flow label 1 and/or the first differentiated services information may be included in the second data.

Optionally, the CU of the host node (specifically, may be a CU-CP of the host node) may further send an IP header information list to the DU received by the host, where the IP header information list is used to specify IP header information corresponding to the fourth indication information. The first IP header information is included in the IP header information list, so that after receiving the downlink data from the host node CU, the host node DU determines whether to send fourth indication information according to the IP header information included in the downlink data, for example, if the host node DU determines that the IP header information included in the downlink data exists in the IP header information list, the host node DU may further send the fourth indication information when sending the downlink data.

S1101b, the CU of the hosting node sends second data to the DU of the hosting node. Accordingly, the DU of the hosting node receives the second data from the hosting node CU.

For the step S1102, the host node may specifically send the second data: the DU of the host node transmits a fourth data packet, where the fourth data packet includes the second data and fourth indication information.

After receiving the second data, the DU of the host node may search whether the IP header list includes the first IP header, and when the IP header list includes the first IP header, the DU of the host node determines that the data packet encapsulated with the second data carries fourth indication information. Thereafter, the DU of the host node may send a fourth data packet, and carry the second data and the fourth indication information in the fourth data packet.

It should be noted that, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application further relates to a second data packet and a third data packet, and the description of the second data packet and the third data packet will be described in detail in the following embodiments, which are not repeated here.

Alternatively, the fourth indication information may be located in a BAP layer of the fourth data packet, for example, in a BAP layer header of the fourth data packet; alternatively, the fourth indication information may be located in the MAC layer of the fourth data packet, where the fourth indication information is a fourth LCID, and the backhaul radio link control channel corresponding to the logical channel identified by the fourth LCID is a backhaul radio link control channel used for carrying the second data between the host node and a next-hop node (e.g., IAB node 4 in fig. 10) of the second data determined by the host node.

Optionally, the fourth LCID may be specified by a protocol, or may be configured by a CU (specifically, may be a CU-CP) of the host node, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

It will be appreciated that when the fourth indication information is the fourth LCID, each segment of link on the transmission path from the host node to the third node will carry the second data using a specific backhaul radio link control channel. Optionally, when the second data is transmitted to the third node, the third node transmitting the second data to the second node may include: the third node sends a second data packet to the second node. Accordingly, the second node receiving the second data from the third node may include: the MT part of the second node receives the second data packet from the third node. The second data packet includes second data and second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate that the second data is data that is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of a first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, or the second indication information is used to indicate that the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node is not required to be submitted to the sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node.

Alternatively, the second indication information may be located in a BAP layer of the second data packet, for example, in a BAP layer header of the second data packet; or, the second indication information may be located in a MAC layer of the second data packet, where the second indication information is a second LCID, and a backhaul radio link control channel corresponding to a logical channel identified by the second LCID is between a third node and the second node, where the backhaul radio link control channel is used for the third node to send first type data to the second node, where the first type data is data that is not required to be submitted by a receiving entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node to a sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node.

For S1103, the second node determines that the next-hop node of the second data is the first node, which may specifically be: the second node determines that a sending entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node executes sending processing according to the second indication information; and the sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node determines the next hop node of the second data as the first node according to the third configuration information.

That is, after the second node receives the data from the third node, when it is determined that the second node is not the destination node of the data, it is further determined that the BAP layer entity of the MT part of the second node performs the transmission processing according to the second indication information, without performing the transmission processing by the BAP layer entity of the DU part of the second node, which transmits the second data to the second node.

Optionally, when the second node receives the data packet from the third node and does not include the second indication information, after the second node confirms that the destination node of the data packet is not the second node, the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node submits the BAP layer PDU or the BAP layer SDU of the data packet to the transmitting entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node for transmission processing. When the second instruction information is included in the data packet received by the second node from the third node, the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node does not need to submit the BAP layer PDU or the BAP layer SDU of the data packet to the transmitting entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node, and the transmitting process may be performed on the transmitting entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, for example: determining a next hop node, a backhaul radio link control channel on a link between the second node and the next hop node for carrying data, and the like.

For the above step S1104, the second node may specifically be configured to send the second data to the first node: the MT part of the second node sends a third data packet to the first node, wherein the third data packet comprises second data and third indication information, and the third indication information is used for indicating that the second data is data which is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of a second BAP layer entity of the first node by a receiving entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node, or the third indication information is used for indicating that the receiving entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node is not required to be submitted to the sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the first node.

Optionally, the third indication information may be located in a BAP layer of the third data packet, for example, in a BAP layer header of the third data packet; alternatively, the third indication information may be located in a MAC layer of the third data packet, where the third indication information is a third LCID, and a backhaul radio link control channel corresponding to a logical channel identified by the third LCID is a backhaul radio link control channel between the second node and the first node, where the backhaul radio link control channel is used by the second node to send the first type data to the first node.

Optionally, the first node may receive a third data packet from the second node, which may specifically be: the DU portion of the first node receives the third data packet from the second node.

Optionally, after the first node receives the third data packet, when the destination node of the second data is the first node, the first node processes the first data; when the destination node of the second data is the fifth node, the first node may determine, according to the third indication information, that the transmission entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node performs transmission processing, so that the transmission entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node performs transmission processing to transmit the second data to the fifth node.

Optionally, when forwarding the second data, other IAB nodes (including the third node) except the second node on the transmission path between the host node and the second node (assuming that the IAB nodes may be collectively referred to as the first IAB node), the transmission processing will continue according to the existing BAP layer forwarding model described in the ninth introduction of the brief introduction section of the related technology or noun of the present application.

Optionally, in the case that the MT part and the DU part of the first IAB node do not share the BAP layer entity, in order to avoid that the first IAB node performs the sending process of the second data using the BAP layer entity that receives the second data, the host node (specifically, may be the host CU, or the host CU-CP) may send configuration information to the first IAB node, where fifth indication information is included, where the fifth indication information is used to notify the first IAB node, and it is not necessary to change an existing forwarding model of the BAP layer according to fourth indication information in the data packet. Or the host node sends configuration information to the second node, wherein the configuration information comprises sixth indication information, the sixth indication information is used for informing the second node, and the sending process of the second data needs to be executed at the BAP layer entity receiving the second data according to the second indication information in the data packet. Optionally, the host node may also send configuration information to the first node, where the configuration information includes seventh indication information, where the seventh indication information is used to inform the first node that, according to third indication information in the data packet, the BAP layer entity that receives the second data needs to perform a sending process of the second data.

It should be noted that in the embodiment of the present application, the content of any multiple indication information in the first indication information, the second indication information, the third indication information, and the fourth indication information may be the same, for example, all the indication information is represented by a 1-bit value (for example, "1") in the BAP layer header; the content of any plurality of indication information may also be different, for example, the first LCID and the second LCID are LCIDs with different values, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

It should be noted that, when the first node sends the second data to the fifth node, the receiving entity of the BAP layer of the MT part of the fifth node does not need to send the second data to the sending entity of the BAP layer entity of the DU part of the fifth node, that is, the fifth node performs the sending process according to the existing BAP layer forwarding model described in the ninth introduction of the related art or the brief introduction of the term of the present application.

Based on the scheme, the host node can simultaneously send the fourth indication information when sending the downlink data, so that the third node can simultaneously send the second indication information when sending the downlink data to the second node, the second node can further perform route selection and bearer mapping on the MT side according to the second indication information, and further, the effect of feedback link abnormality on service can be reduced by assisting the sub-node to timely transmit the downlink data to the first node or the fifth node.

In addition, for the scenario that the IAB node includes a DU part and an MT part, where the DU part and the MT part share a BAP layer entity, in the transmission process of the second data, there is no need to transmit the second indication information, the third indication information, and the fourth indication at the same time, and in the steps S1101-S1104, the relevant functions/steps of the routing and bearer mapping implemented by the first node may be implemented by the BAP layer entity of the first node (specifically, may be the transmitting part of the BAP layer entity of the first node); the relevant functions/steps of the routing and bearer mapping implemented by the second node may be implemented by the BAP layer of the second node (specifically, may be a transmitting part of the BAP layer entity of the second node), and the relevant description may be referred to above, which is not repeated herein.

In the various embodiments of the application, if there is no specific description or logical conflict, terms and/or descriptions between the various embodiments are consistent and may reference each other, and features of the various embodiments may be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships.

It will be appreciated that in the various embodiments above, the methods and/or steps implemented by the various nodes may also be implemented by components (e.g., chips or circuits) available to the nodes.

The above description has been presented mainly from the point of interaction between the network elements. Correspondingly, the embodiment of the application also provides a network node which is used for realizing the various methods. The network node may be the first node in the above method embodiment, or an apparatus including the first node, or an apparatus included in the first node, such as a system chip; alternatively, the network node may be the second node in the above method embodiment, or a device including the second node, or a device included in the second node, such as a system chip; alternatively, the network node may be a host node in the above method embodiment, or a device including the host node, or a device included in the host node, such as a system chip.

It will be understood that, in order to achieve the above function, the network node includes a module, a unit, or means (means) for implementing the above method, where the module, unit, or means may be implemented by hardware, software, or implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the functions described above. 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.

In the embodiment of the present application, the network node may be divided into functional modules according to the above method embodiment, 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.

For example, the network node is taken as the first node in the above method embodiment. Fig. 12 shows a schematic structural diagram of the first node 120. The first node 120 comprises a processing module 1201 and a transceiving module 1202. The transceiver module 1202, which may also be referred to as a transceiver unit, is configured to perform a transmitting and/or receiving function, and may be, for example, a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, or a communication interface.

The processing module 1201 is configured to obtain first data, where the first data is uplink data; in the case that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node, the processing module 1201 is further configured to determine that a next-hop node of the first data is a second node, the second node is an auxiliary child node of the first node, the parent node of the auxiliary child node of the first node includes the first node and a third node, and the auxiliary child node of the first node can be connected to the host node through the third node; a transceiver module 1202 for transmitting the first data to the second node.

Optionally, the processing module 1201 is further configured to determine that a next-hop node of the first data is a second node, including: the processing module 1201 is further configured to determine, according to the first configuration information, that a next-hop node of the first data is a second node, where the first configuration information is an alternative configuration information that is preconfigured by the host node to the first node and is effective when the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node; or the first configuration information is configuration information obtained from the host node after the first node sends the first reconfiguration request information to the host node through the fourth node, wherein the first reconfiguration request information is used for requesting the first configuration information, and the fourth node is any auxiliary child node of the first node.

Optionally, the processing module 1201 is further configured to determine that a next-hop node of the first data is a second node, including: a processing module 1201, configured to send, through the transceiver module 1202, assistance request information, where the assistance request information is used to determine an assistance sub-node of the first node; the processing module 1201 is further configured to receive, through the transceiver module 1202, assistance response information from the second node; the processing module 1201 is further configured to determine, according to the assistance response information, that a next-hop node of the first data is a second node.

Optionally, the processing module 1201 is configured to obtain first data, including: a processing module 1201, configured to obtain first data by a receiving entity of a first BAP layer entity of a first node; the processing module 1201 is further configured to determine, by a sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node, that a next hop node of the first data is a second node, where the first BAP layer entity of the first node is a BAP layer entity of a DU portion of the first node.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1202 is configured to send the first data to the second node, including: the transceiver module 1202 is configured to send a first data packet to a second node, where the first data packet includes first data and first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate that the first data is data that is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of a first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node, where the first BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a DU portion of the second node, and the second BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a mobile terminal MT portion of the second node.

All relevant contents of each step related to the above method embodiment may be cited to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, which is not described herein.

In the present embodiment, the first node 120 is presented in a form that divides the respective functional modules in an integrated manner. A "module" herein may refer to a particular ASIC, an electronic circuit, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, an integrated logic circuit, and/or other device that can provide the described functionality. In a simple embodiment, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the first node 120 may take the form of the network node 70 shown in fig. 7.

For example, the processor 701 in the network node 70 shown in fig. 7 may cause the network node 70 to perform the communication method in the above-described method embodiment by invoking computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 703.

The functions/implementation of the processing module 1201 and the transceiver module 1202 in fig. 12 may be implemented by the processor 701 in the network node 70 shown in fig. 7 invoking computer executable instructions stored in the memory 703, for example. Alternatively, the functions/implementation of the processing module 1201 in fig. 12 may be implemented by the processor 701 in the network node 70 shown in fig. 7 invoking computer executable instructions stored in the memory 703, and the functions/implementation of the transceiver module 1202 in fig. 12 may be implemented by the communication interface 704 in the network node 70 shown in fig. 7.

Since the first node 120 provided in this embodiment can execute the above-mentioned communication method, the technical effects obtained by the first node can be referred to the above-mentioned method embodiment, and will not be described herein.

Or, for example, the network node is taken as the second node in the above method embodiment. Fig. 13 shows a schematic structural diagram of a second node 130. The second node 130 includes a processing module 1301 and a transceiver module 1302. The transceiver module 1302, which may also be referred to as a transceiver unit, is configured to perform a transmitting and/or receiving function, and may be, for example, a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, or a communication interface.

In one possible implementation:

the transceiver module 1302 is configured to receive first data from a first node, where the first data is uplink data, and the second node is a child node of the first node; a processing module 1301, configured to determine, according to the second configuration information, that a next-hop node of the first data is a third node, where the third node is a parent node of the second node, and the second node can be connected to the host node through the third node; the transceiver module 1302 is further configured to send the first data to a third node.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1302 is further configured to receive assistance request information from the first node, where the assistance request information is used to determine an assistance sub-node of the first node; the transceiver module 1302 is further configured to send assistance response information to the first node, where the assistance response information is used to indicate that the second node can act as an assistance sub-node of the first node.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1302 is configured to receive first data from a first node, including: the transceiver module 1302 is configured to receive a first data packet from a first node, where the first data packet includes first data and first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate that the first data is data that is not required to be submitted to a transmitting entity of a first BAP layer entity of a second node by a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, where the first BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a distributed unit DU portion of the second node, and the second BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a mobile terminal MT portion of the second node.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1302 is configured to receive a first data packet from a first node, including: a transceiver module 1302 for receiving, by the MT part of the second node, a first data packet from the first node; the processing module 1301 is configured to determine, according to the second configuration information, a next-hop node of the first data as a third node, where the processing module includes: a processing module 1301, configured to determine, according to the first indication information, that a sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node performs sending processing; the processing module 1301 is further configured to determine, according to the second configuration information, that a next hop node of the first data is a third node, by a sending entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node.

In another possible implementation:

the transceiver module 1302 is configured to receive second data, where a destination node of the second data is a first node or a fifth node, the second node is a child node of the first node, and the fifth node is a downstream node in a downlink transmission direction of the first node; a processing module 1301, configured to determine, according to the third configuration information, a next-hop node of the second data as the first node; the transceiver module 1302 is further configured to send the second data to the first node.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1302 is configured to receive second data, including: the transceiver module 1302 is configured to receive a second data packet, where the second data packet includes second data and second indication information, and the second indication information is used to indicate that the second data is data that is not required to be submitted to a transmitting entity of a first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node, where the first BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a distributed unit DU portion of the second node, and the second BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a mobile terminal MT portion of the second node.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1302 is configured to receive a second data packet, including: a transceiver module 1302 for receiving the second data packet by the MT part of the second node; the processing module 1301 is configured to determine, according to the third configuration information, a next-hop node of the second data as the first node, including: a processing module 1301, configured to determine, according to the second indication information, that a sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node performs sending processing; the processing module 1301 is further configured to determine, according to the third configuration information, a next hop node of the second data as the first node, where the sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1302 is configured to send the second data to the first node, including: the transceiver module 1302 is configured to send a third data packet to the first node by the MT part of the second node, where the third data packet includes second data and third indication information, and the third indication information is used to indicate that the second data is data that is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the first node by a receiving entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node, where the first BAP layer entity of the first node is a BAP layer entity of the DU part of the first node, and the second BAP layer entity of the first node is a BAP layer entity of the MT part of the first node.

In the present embodiment, the second node 130 is presented in the form of dividing the respective functional modules in an integrated manner. A "module" herein may refer to a particular ASIC, an electronic circuit, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, an integrated logic circuit, and/or other device that can provide the described functionality. In a simple embodiment, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the second node 130 may take the form of the network node 70 shown in fig. 7.

Illustratively, the functions/implementations of the processing module 1301 and the transceiver module 1302 in fig. 13 may be implemented by the processor 701 in the network node 70 shown in fig. 7 invoking computer-executed instructions stored in the memory 703. Alternatively, the functions/implementation of the processing module 1301 in fig. 13 may be implemented by the processor 701 in the network node 70 shown in fig. 7 invoking computer executable instructions stored in the memory 703, and the functions/implementation of the transceiver module 1302 in fig. 13 may be implemented by the communication interface 704 in the network node 70 shown in fig. 7.

Since the second node 130 provided in this embodiment can execute the above-mentioned communication method, the technical effects obtained by the second node can be referred to the above-mentioned method embodiment, and will not be described herein.

Or, for example, the network node is taken as the host node in the above method embodiment. Fig. 14 shows a schematic structure of a host node 140. The host node 140 includes a processing module 1401 and a transceiver module 1402. The transceiver module 1402, which may also be referred to as a transceiver unit, is configured to perform a transmitting and/or receiving function, and may be, for example, a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, or a communication interface.

In one possible implementation:

a processing module 1401, configured to obtain second data by a CU of the host node; a transceiver module 1402, configured to send second data to the DU of the host node by the CU of the host node. The second data includes first IP header information when the CU of the host node determines that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node, where the fifth node is a downstream node in a downlink transmission direction of the first node, the first IP header information is used to instruct a distributed unit DU of the host node to send fourth instruction information, the fourth instruction information is used to instruct that the second data is data that is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, and the second node is a child node of the first node.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1402 is further configured to send, by the CU of the host node, an IP header information list to the DU of the host node, where the IP header information list includes the first IP header information.

In another possible implementation:

a transceiver module 1402, configured to receive second data from a DU of a host node, where a destination node of the second data is a first node or a fifth node, the second data includes first IP header information, and the fifth node is a downstream node in a downstream transmission direction of the first node; when the IP header list includes the first IP header information, the processing module 1401 is configured to determine that the DU for the host node carries fourth indication information in a data packet encapsulated with the second data, where the transceiver module 1402 is further configured to send the fourth data packet to the DU for the host node, where the fourth data packet includes the second data and fourth indication information, and the fourth indication information is configured to indicate that the second data is data that is not required to be submitted by a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node to a sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node, and the second node is a child node of the first node.

In the present embodiment, the host node 140 is presented in a form that divides the respective functional modules in an integrated manner. A "module" herein may refer to a particular ASIC, an electronic circuit, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, an integrated logic circuit, and/or other device that can provide the described functionality. In a simple embodiment, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the hosting node 140 may take the form of the network node 70 shown in FIG. 7.

The functions/implementation of the processing module 1401 and the transceiver module 1402 in fig. 14 may be implemented by the processor 701 in the network node 70 shown in fig. 7 invoking computer executable instructions stored in the memory 703, for example. Alternatively, the functions/implementation of the processing module 1401 in fig. 14 may be implemented by the processor 701 in the network node 70 shown in fig. 7 invoking computer executable instructions stored in the memory 703, and the functions/implementation of the transceiver module 1402 in fig. 14 may be implemented by the communication interface 704 in the network node 70 shown in fig. 7.

Since the host node 140 provided in this embodiment can execute the above-mentioned communication method, the technical effects obtained by the method can be referred to the above-mentioned method embodiment, and will not be described herein.

Optionally, the present application further provides a network node (for example, the network node may be a chip or a chip system), where the network node includes a processor, and the method is implemented in any of the foregoing method embodiments. In one possible design, the network node further includes a memory. The memory for holding the necessary program instructions and data, the processor may invoke the program code stored in the memory to instruct the network node to perform the method in any of the method embodiments described above. Of course, the memory may not be in the network node. In another possible design, the network node further includes an interface circuit for receiving computer-executable instructions (stored in a memory, possibly read directly from the memory, or possibly retrieved via other devices) and transmitting to the processor, the processor being capable of executing the computer-executable instructions transmitted to the processor to instruct the network node to perform the method in any of the method embodiments described above. When the network node is a chip system, the network node may be formed by a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices, which is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application.

Optionally, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer readable storage medium, where instructions are stored, which when executed on the above network node, enable the network node to perform the method according to any one of the above aspects.

Optionally, embodiments of the present application further provide a computer program product comprising instructions which, when run on the above network node, enable the network node to perform the method according to any one of the above aspects.

In the above embodiments, it may be understood that the network node does not necessarily include a memory, and the network node may execute the corresponding function by calling the instruction in the external memory; alternatively, the corresponding program instructions may be loaded into a memory in the network node at a later stage for execution by the processor after invocation.

In the above embodiments, it may be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using a software program, it may be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in accordance with embodiments of the present application are produced in whole or in part. The computer may be a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable apparatus. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium, for example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center by a wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (digital subscriber line, DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.). The computer readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device including one or more servers, data centers, etc. that can be integrated with the medium. The usable medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., a DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., a Solid State Disk (SSD)), or the like. In an embodiment of the present application, the computer may include the apparatus described above.

Although the present application has been described herein in connection with various embodiments, other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed application, from a review of the figures, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Although the present application has been described in connection with specific features and embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that various modifications and combinations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the application. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are merely exemplary illustrations of the present application as defined in the appended claims and are considered to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents that fall within the scope of the present application. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present application without departing from the spirit or scope of the application. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims and the equivalents thereof, the present application is intended to cover such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A communication method, wherein the method is applied to a wireless access backhaul integrated IAB network, the method comprising:

a receiving entity of a second transmission adaptation protocol (BAP) layer entity of a second node receives second data from a host node, wherein a destination node of the second data is a first node or a downstream node of the first node in a downlink transmission direction, the second node is a child node of the first node, and the second BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a Mobile Terminal (MT) part of the second node;

a sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node determines a next-hop node of the second data as the first node according to third configuration information;

a transmitting entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node transmits the second data to the first node.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the third configuration information is downlink alternative configuration information preconfigured by a host node to the second node;

the third configuration information is effective when a receiving entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node receives a wireless backhaul link abnormality notification from the first node; or,

The third configuration information is effective when a receiving entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node receives a first uplink data packet from the first node; or,

the third configuration information is validated when a receiving entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node receives information from the host node for notifying a transmitting entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node to enable the third configuration information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the third configuration information is downlink configuration information obtained from a host node after a sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node sends third reconfiguration request information to the host node, where the third reconfiguration request information is used to request the third configuration information.

4. A method according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node receives second data from the host node, comprising:

the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node receives a second data packet from the host node, where the second data packet includes the second data and second indication information, and the second indication information is used to indicate that the second data is data that is not required to be submitted to the sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node by the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, where the first BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of the distributed unit DU part of the second node.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second indication information is located at a BAP layer of the second data packet; or,

the second indication information is located in a media access control MAC layer of the second data packet, the second indication information is a second logical channel identification LCID, a backhaul radio link control channel corresponding to the second LCID is between a third node and the second node, a sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the third node is configured to send backhaul radio link control channels of first type data to a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, the first type data is data that is not required to be submitted to the sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node by the receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, and the third node is a parent node of the second node.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein a transmitting entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node transmits the second data to the first node, comprising:

the sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node sends a third data packet to the first node, where the third data packet includes the second data and third indication information, and the third indication information is used to indicate that the second data is data that is not required to be submitted to the sending entity of the second BAP layer entity of the first node by the receiving entity of the first BAP layer entity of the first node, where the first BAP layer entity of the first node is a BAP layer entity of the DU part of the first node, and the second BAP layer entity of the first node is a BAP layer entity of the MT part of the first node.

7. A communication method, wherein the method is applied to a wireless access backhaul integrated IAB network, the method comprising:

a centralized unit CU of a host node acquires second data, where a destination node of the second data is a first node or a downstream node in a downstream transmission direction of the first node, and when the CU of the host node determines that the first node cannot transmit data through at least one parent node of the first node, the second data includes first IP header information, where the first IP header information is used to instruct a distributed unit DU of the host node to transmit fourth instruction information, where the fourth instruction information is used to instruct the second data to be data that is not required to be submitted to a transmitting entity of a first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of a second BAP layer entity of the second node, where the second node is a child node of the first node, and where the second BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of a mobile terminal MT part of the second node, and the first BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of the distributed unit DU part of the second node;

The CU of the hosting node sends the second data to the DU of the hosting node.

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

and the CU of the host node sends an IP header information list to the DU of the host node, wherein the IP header information list comprises the first IP header information.

9. A communication method, wherein the method is applied to a wireless access backhaul integrated IAB network, the method comprising:

the distributed unit DU of the host node receives second data, wherein the destination node of the second data is a first node or a downstream node of the first node in the downlink transmission direction, and the second data comprises first Internet Protocol (IP) header information;

when the first IP header information is included in the IP header information list, the DU of the host node determines that fourth indication information is carried in a data packet packaged with the second data;

the DU of the host node sends a fourth data packet, where the fourth data packet includes the second data and the fourth indication information, and the fourth indication information is used to indicate that the second data is data that is not required to be submitted to a sending entity of the first BAP layer entity of the second node by a receiving entity of the second BAP layer entity of the second node, the second node is a child node of the first node, the second BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of the mobile terminal MT part of the second node, and the first BAP layer entity of the second node is a BAP layer entity of the distributed unit DU part of the second node.

10. A network node, the network node comprising: a processor;

the processor is configured to read computer-executable instructions in a memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to cause the network node to perform the method of any one of claims 1-6; alternatively, the method of claim 7 or 8 is performed, or the method of claim 9 is performed.

11. A network node, the network node comprising: a processor and a memory;

the memory is configured to store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the network node to perform the method of any of claims 1-6; alternatively, the method of claim 7 or 8 is performed, or the method of claim 9 is performed.

12. A network node, the network node comprising: a processor and interface circuit;

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

the processor being configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to cause the network node to perform the method of any of claims 1-6; alternatively, the method of claim 7 or 8 is performed, or the method of claim 9 is performed.

13. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when run on a network node, cause the network node to perform the method of any of claims 1-6; alternatively, the method of claim 7 or 8 is performed, or the method of claim 9 is performed.